Email Sent 10-29-13

Dear Price Family,

My preparation day begins at 1:00 so we can work from 8:00am-1:00pm. In that time we got our flu shots, called our investigators in the teaching center, and took an amazing Spanish tour. It was a mother, her son who reports to the MTC tomorrow (going to Chicago), her daughter, and their grandmother. The mom spoke the least English, so my companion translated most of what I said. When we took them up to the statue of Christ or "Kristus" (called that because the original is in Denmark and Kristus is Danish for Christ) their eyes showed how beautiful they thought it was. They asked for us to take a picture. Sister Escobedo took the picture and I watched as the mother walked to the statue to touch Christ and she was not wearing her shoes. She had removed her shoes to go be by the statue. Suddenly the spirit overwhelmed me and I tried my best to hold back my tears. I thought of how Moses removed his shoes because he was on Holy ground. In the movie Charley I recall them saying something referring to Moses or something regarding removing shoes in holy places and they say "only those who notice" remove their shoes.

There have been many tours where I feel like my companion and I are only there to open the door for the spirit to testify to the visitor of the things we say. We want them to notice the spirit. We want them to notice the importance of Temples. We want them to notice that God loves us just us much as He loved His children during Biblical times, so we have a true living Prophet. Then we want them to act on their experience here. Not for our own benefit or personal gain, but for theirs! Because they are children of God and we are on His team. My companion and I can feel the spirit, but we need to open the door for others to feel it.

Yesterday Elder Oaks and his wife came and spoke to us! They spoke at the same time together and they went back on fourth teaching together. It was so precious! Sister Oaks was so sweet, whenever she joked Elder Oaks would step back, fold his arms, and laugh. It was awesome! The main thing I got out of their message is "the Lord will give you what you need, our prayers may not be answered in the way we want." I like this because so often with our investigators, they feel like their prayers aren't being answered. I love when we speak to them on the phone and help them notice the blessings God has given them.

On Saturday I went to my first baptism! It wasn't technically my first baptism, but it was the first one I've actually attended on my mission since my investigators are from all over the world. It was in Spanish, so half the time I wore a translator. There were two people translating and whenever one spoke, all I heard was gum chewing so I would take the head phones off. You know how I feel about gum...Anyway...I was so surprised as to how much I understood from the baptism! Dora and her son were baptized and Dora's testimony of the church was so powerful. When I saw Dora come out of the water she seemed different and I knew it was because she was perfectly clean.

Everything seems so fine and dandy so far? Well...driving home from the baptism Sister Escobedo realized that we missed our 12:00 Flag Pole tour and neglected to find cover for it. Some other sisters realized and took it, but I was so frustrated! I felt so mad at myself for neglecting to find cover for that tour. I felt like Nephi when he says oh wretched man that I am. It is also frustrating because I had messed up in the eyes of my trainee (or so I thought). After secretly feeling sorry for myself and being mad I realized that I was being dumb. And I was being dumb! So then I went to work and contacted two knew referrals who instantly became new investigators. Marissa, who is from Australia, and Ann who is from...actually I forget where Ann is from (well this is awkward). But they are two amazing woman who have been prepared for the gospel thanks to their member missionary friends.

This Thursday is Halloween! The Square will close early, at 5:00pm. Because otherwise pranksters and creepers would come on the square. So from 5:00pm-9:00pm we get to wear preparation day clothes and party in the South Visitors Center basement! It will be fun.

WOW there is just so much to say in one email! But I think I will leave it at that!

All my love,

Sister Rebecca Price

P.S. Fall is at it's peak here and it takes a lot inside to keep me from running around and throwing leaves in the air. I remember how in the fall in Cleveland all the geese from Canada would be stopping to head South even more and I would chase them around with the girls. Okay, so maybe it was just me that chased the birds, but still. Do you all remember that?

Oh Rebecca