Birthday Week

Hello, all!

Not only is today (somehow) my birthday email, but it is also my 19 month mark email! How crazy is that?? I think it's crazy. At least it's not my 20 month. That would be crazy talk.

Elder Price and Elder Johnson

This week was really good! Several stories to share, I believe. Let me just check what I have on my agenda for today. *checking notes* Ah, here we go! I think we'll go in not-strict chronological order. That means Tuesday first, just a small thing for this day.

The Julanders instructed! Elder Julander, rather. I had heard the instruction before, but this one was a bit more enlightening on a different aspect. He talked a little bit longer this time about spiritual gifts, and I thought it was so interesting, because I have never really thought about finding out what spiritual gifts God has given me. I took some time later in the week to write some down, and it was really incredible. The best part is that these gifts are not so someone can be a "big-man" or something, they're given so that we can lift others more! e.g. if the Chargers didn't know that they had Eric Weddle or Phillip Rivers, they wouldn't be able to use the team in a way that would win games! It was a really cool instruction. Remember, don't just accept the "important" things in life or the values that the world gives to you (imposed values). Make the good ones YOUR choice, and choose the right! :)

Wednesday's Pancakes

Thursday was really the next exciting day. Why? Because PACKAGES that's why. I got the packages that morning. I received 2; the one with my new scriptures (WOOT WOOT!) and the one with a letter and.. random stuffs. :) Both were awesome. Timed perfectly for my birthday. Kinda. I opened it a day early. I didn't wanna wait, sorry. But the stuff was GREAT! I immediately made myself a case for those scriptures out of cardboard, pictures, and tape, and I've been updating the markings in them. It's SO great to be able to have such a lightweight set of scriptures, you have no idea.

So, onto my birthday. It was GREAT! :D It started with lunch being fried chicken! We prepared all the batter and whatnot, and the outside tasted AWESOME. The only problem... the chicken wasn't cooked well enough. That part was disappointing, but things are more memorable when they don't go according to plan, right? ;) 

"Failed fried chicken! At least the outside tasted good."

The day was great, too. Ekua had us over and we were fed some wonderful Ghanaian food and had a great lesson with her. We went throughout the day and taught two more great lessons with people named G and N! G is definitely preparing for baptism, and we had an incredible time teaching him about the plan of Salvation. He felt the spirit so strongly as we felt prompted to talk about sealings. Ohhh the wonders of missionary work. I love this. :)

We came back that day, having bought a tub of fanice and a 1.5 ltr of fanta orange. (isn't orange soda a joke in Undercover Brother? (Dad, you know which movie I'm talking about that I "haven't seen") We went up to the Julanders and had a great time with them! Truly a fantastic time, especially because of the wonderful toppings, sugar cookies donated by Elder Allen, and the fantastic song from Elder and Sister Julander. It was so great. :D :D they gave me a copy of the lyrics, and it was really clever. I love them. I'll be sad when they go home.

"Birthday day!!!! :D :D"

What next? a wedding! Saturday morning started off with us going over to the family house of the Hanson family to give Emma a blessing (as requested) that everything would go well. After that, we studied small and then went to the wedding! And how great of a wedding that was. The whole family! Their story is so incredible, even deeper than what I have shared in emails before, and I'll make sure I write it down in my journal so I can read it better to you when I return home. In the words of the area seventy that attended the wedding and gave the closing remarks (Elder Davis, a Ghanaian), their story would make for a great romantic drama movie. The wedding was wonderful, though I was a little bit sick.. But no problem. :) It was a great time.

 

After the wedding we went to the family history center in the Sekondi chapel and did some training on the computers there. Ohhh how I love computers. So much. :D That was a hilarious time, and it was cool to check out my family tree a little bit! I hope you enjoyed the pictures of Elder Allen's wife not existing. ;) I was dying of laughter. Probably because I was a bit delirious already. 

"No match found"

I think going to bed late automatically makes my body sick. There's blessings in obedience. It's a fact. Don't worry, I'm feeling better, as long as I get to bed at a good time. :)

Sunday was good, too. :) Not too much to mention, really, but some good visits with members. Today we went to the Atlantic Hotel. That was AWESOME. I've already mentioned it in my pictures, but we thought we'd spoil our 'sons' a bit. ;) [in "mission lingo" a "son" is the new missionary that is being trained. The "father" is the trainer.]

Click here for a link to the Atlantic Hotel website

"Three course meal... ;) I ordered salad. It was GOOD."

"So was the steak sandwich."

"So was the buffet of desserts... YUM."

[Me: Was that a diet Coke I spotted in there?? Elder Price: Diet coke. Yup. :) And water. And salad. I felt SO good.. Until the steak sandwich, fries, and massive amount of desserts. ;) It wasn't exactly my b-day celebration, [because we went] today. It was awesome!]

Missionary work is good. Really. I'm more happy to be out here than ever before. I am learning so much, and I know there's more to learn. Receiving the packages was so great! I'm feelin' the love. ;) Good things are happening. We have a baptism on Saturday, and some other great things going on this week. I love you all so much. Have an amazing week!

Love,

Elder Price

Bonus photos. "Beautiful Ghana"