5/26/14
Szia from Hungary!
The city that I'm in is Sopron! My companion is Sister Sexton and she is absolutely amazing! I'll talk about this more later!
Wow,
this is a little strange. My first email sent from Europe. First of
all, you''ll have to excuse all my typos because the keyboards here are
strange! The city that I'm in is Sopron! My companion is Sister Sexton and she is absolutely amazing! I'll talk about this more later!
Well, we left the MTC one week from today. We broke out
of the gates of the MTC and started on our journey to Hungary. It was a
little surprising that we actually went to the Utah Tracs ( I think
that's what it is) station first. We rode that all the way to Salt Lake
City, then got on another trac and went to the Salt Lake City Airport.
Okay, can I just say that wheeling three suitcases that all weigh about
fourty-fifty pounds each, varying in size, is HARD. It was pretty much
the most stressful part of my day, plus I had my "personal item" so all
in all I was transporting four bags everywhere. Luckily, my mom is super
smart and helped me pick out my bags that had four spinny wheels. That
made the transportation of luggage a little more easier., Thanks again
for that brillant idea, mom!
So when we got to the Salt Lake City Airport we got to eat lunch, which Sister Hawks and I had Cafe Rio, probably one of the most brilliant ideas of the day. After we finished lunch we called and talked to our families. That was awesome. Even though we had just called a week earlier, for Mother's Day, I will always take the opportunity to talk to my parents again. It was great to hear their voices and to hear what is going on back at home. While I was talking to my mom, I was told that we were about to board the plane, so I said my goodbye and on the plane we went.
I had never seen an international plane before. Those suckers are huge! It doesn't look too big from the outside, but you go inside and you're told to go find your seat and it feels like you're walking down a never-ending aisle to find your seat. I finally found my seat, and it felt like the aisle was never-ending because I was pretty much at the very back. Anyway, I sat next to a lady who lives in Orange County, California but was heading to Paris because that is where she is from and where her family lives. I tried making small talk with her, we talked for a bit, but I could kind of tell that she didn't want to chat so I just slowly backed myself out of the conversation. All was good. One of the Elders in my district, Watson Elder was sitting right across from me. I swear he was going to hand out a Book of Mormon right then and there before the plane even began to leave. I admired the way he was friendly to everyone and just had nice conversations with them. Someday, I'll be able to do that. Ha! Hopefully soon!
So when we got to the Salt Lake City Airport we got to eat lunch, which Sister Hawks and I had Cafe Rio, probably one of the most brilliant ideas of the day. After we finished lunch we called and talked to our families. That was awesome. Even though we had just called a week earlier, for Mother's Day, I will always take the opportunity to talk to my parents again. It was great to hear their voices and to hear what is going on back at home. While I was talking to my mom, I was told that we were about to board the plane, so I said my goodbye and on the plane we went.
I had never seen an international plane before. Those suckers are huge! It doesn't look too big from the outside, but you go inside and you're told to go find your seat and it feels like you're walking down a never-ending aisle to find your seat. I finally found my seat, and it felt like the aisle was never-ending because I was pretty much at the very back. Anyway, I sat next to a lady who lives in Orange County, California but was heading to Paris because that is where she is from and where her family lives. I tried making small talk with her, we talked for a bit, but I could kind of tell that she didn't want to chat so I just slowly backed myself out of the conversation. All was good. One of the Elders in my district, Watson Elder was sitting right across from me. I swear he was going to hand out a Book of Mormon right then and there before the plane even began to leave. I admired the way he was friendly to everyone and just had nice conversations with them. Someday, I'll be able to do that. Ha! Hopefully soon!
So yeah, that plane ride was really really really long! Ten
hours or so. I didn't sleep at all. It was really hard to, even though
it was dark and everyone was quiet. I guess I just don't sleep on planes
very well. You know how when you don't sleep during long trips that the
trips seem twice as long, and that's exactly how it was. It felt like
it was a twenty hour plane ride, instead of just a ten hour plane ride.
Oh well. We made it safely to Paris. Luckily it was bright out as we
landed in Paris and I tried to take a picture of the Eiffel Tower, but
we were really far away (although you could still see it pretty well) so
my picture is really really sad! (Sorry, Dad).
When we arrived in Paris, the humidity almost killed me. Not going to lie, it was SO INCREDIBLY hot! After we had to go up some escalators and down some esclators and up some escalotrs and down some escalators, about five times, I felt absolutely disgusting! We finally got to our gate and boarded another bus to take us to the airport terminal. I made it past security fine and then went through the border patrol place where they check your passports. I got my very first stamp on my passport, so that's pretty sweet! We then boarded our next plane to complete the last leg of our journey.
When we arrived in Paris, the humidity almost killed me. Not going to lie, it was SO INCREDIBLY hot! After we had to go up some escalators and down some esclators and up some escalotrs and down some escalators, about five times, I felt absolutely disgusting! We finally got to our gate and boarded another bus to take us to the airport terminal. I made it past security fine and then went through the border patrol place where they check your passports. I got my very first stamp on my passport, so that's pretty sweet! We then boarded our next plane to complete the last leg of our journey.
Okay, so on the plane to Hungary from Paris, I sat between
Watson Elder and another guy that we talked to on the bus on the way to
the airport terminal. It was mostly Watson Elder...actually it was all
Watson Elder because he is just so darn friendly. Anyways, we started
talking to this guy about the gospel and such. We talked for such a long
time and he had good questions that we answered for him. Then Watson
Elder gave him a Book of Mormon. How cool is that? I thought it was
awesome. Eventually, I got really really tired and so I decided to take
a nap. Watson Elder and this guy were talking when I fell asleep and
still were talking when I woke up so go Watson Elder! I only got an hour
of sleep, but it still felt good nonetheless.
We arrived in Hungary. It's so beautiful here! We got off the
airplane and went up and down more esclators and finally walked around
the corner and there was President Smith and Sister Smith ready to greet
us! After we all arrived safely we went and put our suitcases into the
cars. We took a quick picture at the airport with our whole group and
then we left for the mission home. I rode on a shuttle with most of the
missionaries.
As we were driving through the city of Pest and then into
Buda, I was marveling at the beauty of this place. It is so green here. I
absolutely love it. The vegatation is awesome. I was looking at all the
different signs, that I didn't understand at all, and the people. I was
also looking at the marvelous buildings here. There are some super
pretty buildings and statues here. On the other hand though, there are
some pretty old-looking buildings, that aren't in the greatest
condition. I noticed that a lot of windows have bars across them. It
made me really sad as I thought about what communism did to this
country. Our teacher would tell us a lot about the conditions of Hungary
during the Iron Curtain. It was really sad to hear, but once you get
here and you can physically see the results of it, it even hits you
harder. I felt tremendous sadness as we drove through Pest and Buda,
and now that I'm in an even smaller city, it's nearly everywhere.
Although, I was told by Sister Sexton that Sopron is one of the more
richer cities of Hungary, because it's so close to Austria, that many
people who live here go to Austria to work, and I guess they make more
money there. Living situations here are still not grand. I have felt
very selfish for some things that I have taken for granted all my life
in Amerika,since I've been here, that's for sure.
So we go to the mission home and we put all of our bags into
one room. The Sisters had interviews with President Smith and the Elders
went out streeting. We were warned that we would probably go streeting
on the first day, so we were prepared. The interviews for the sisters
took until dinner time, so the sisters didn't go streeting that night.
We had a home-cooked meal by one of the members in Buda. We had a salad
and some pasta with some kind of marinara sauce with pork. It was really
good!
Because there were so many new missionaries, we actually got
to stay in a Hotel our first night. That was very very interesting. The
lights and the shower were a little perplexing. You had to put your room
key into the card reader thing, and keep it there for the lights to
work and the shower was a little different. I took pictures so, you can
see kind of what I'm talking about. It was a good night. I slept really
well, not because I was over jet lag, but I was just so tired. I ended
up waking up at four and it was light out. Not like, the sun was rising
bright, but that the sun was already up and shining through our windown
bright... at four in the morning! It is so funky! Anyway, we had a nice
breakfast at the Hotel. The food was good, and we then headed back to
the mission home.
After we got to the mission home we went streeting. Sister
Hawks and I ended up getting two numbers during our first streeting
session. I was very proud of ourselves. We also ended up getting left in
the middle of the this busy courtyard area. We were talking to this guy
and got his number and then we looked around and turned to each other
and said "Uhhh...do you see any missionaries?"' There were none in our
sight. I felt like Sister Hawks was freaking out, but I, personally,
didn't worry. I knew that they'd eventually realized that we weren't
with them and that they would come back to find us. Plus, I didn't think
it would be a good idea to try to find our way back to the mission home
because then we would get even more lost. Maybe I should have been a
little bit more concerned than I was, but I just saw it as an
opportunity to street even longer. I really enjoyed it, even though I
understood, ziltch.
Eventually we saw a whole herd of white shirts and ties come
over the hills. It ended up being a group of elders that were on their
were going home (end of their mission) from the mission home but they
just happen to walk by. We asked them where the mission home was and
they directed us pretty well. We found our way back and made it back in
time for the meeting that we were supposed to be at, with three minutes
to spare.
We had a small meeting regarding finances and then we had our
"sorting hat'" meeting. I don't know if that's supposed to be a Harry
Potter reference but that'ls what it makes me think of. Ha! Anyways,
that's where we got our new companions. It was quite a bittersweet
meeting. It was super exciting to meet our new companions and go out to
do our work, but it was a little sad saying goodbye to my sixteen other,
nine week siblings. Come to think about it, I didn''t have much time to
say goodbye, but I know that they're doing great, wherever they are!
Sister Sexton and I were put in our companionship and
assigned to Sopron. It's on the very west side of Hungary, in the little
part that jets out towards Austria. We had to go to the train station
to catch our train. That was another stressful trip, because again I had
to transfer my huge pieces of luggage. Luckily, Sister Sexton had pity
on me and helped me with my luggage. Just on a side note, when you're
riding a metro and it stops and starts very abruptly, it's hard to keep
your balance, meanwhile trying to look and sound like a normal human
being with all your luggage. Anyways, we made it to the train station
where we met Heilan Elder and Flake Elder, who are assigned in Sopron
with us. We boarded the train and began our three hour train ride to
Sopron!
We arrived in Sopron in one piece, and met the senior couple
who took us to our apartment. First of all the senior couple here, Elder
and Sister Brown are just way too cute and precious! I love them so
much! They're so friendly and nice and willing to help us with whatever
we need. I love them!
Sister Sexton says that our apartment is the smallest
apartment she has ever lived in during her mission ( and she goes home
in fifty nine days). So she's been many places. In a nutshell, our
apartment is puny. I love it, but it's puny and the stairs to get up to
our room are killer, not to mention the ledge you have to duck under,
while going up the stairs to our apartment. The first blessing that I
witnessed while being here was that luckily, one of the residents from
across our apartment entrance door was outside when we came with my
bags. He helped take all three bags up the stairs of death. I was so
thankful for that because honestly I don't know if Sister Sexton and I
could have done it.
We got all of my bags up to the room and then went out to eat
with the Elders. I had a chicken Quesadilla, not a Hungarian choice at
all, but It was stil really really good.
Okay, so we arrived in Sopron on Tuesday. Unfortnately, my health, sleeping schedule and eating schedule are still on their way. Wednesday
morning I felt as if I was put in a bag, and hit by a train. Okay,
sorry that's a little violent, especially for a missionary, but I felt
sooo incredibly sick. Not stomach flu, luckily, but my nose was running,
I had a headache, my stomach wasn't feeling too great, I had a sore
throat. I kind of wanted to lay in bed all day and just drown myself in
my own self-pity. I felt really bad because I didn't want to keep Sister
Sexton inside all day, plus I was so gung-ho to start streeting and
doing the work that I was called to do. We went out a little bit, but I
was just so ridiciously drowsey and sick that I didn't feel like I was
productive at all. Oh, and I believe we had a few programs. We did. We
had one, or two, I believe. I didn't really talk, but more or less just
listened to Sister Sexton and the investigator talk.
I didn't feel any better on Thursday.
I felt about the same, even though I had been taking medicine and such.
We made an effort to go out more that time. I felt like we were a
little more productive. Oh! So we had a program with Marika Neni. She
was so cute. The old ladies here are just so adorable. She had some
dessert ready for us and we just chated. She is an ""inactive member""
just because she is too old to travel really. She mainly stays in her
house. Spritually she is very active. In fact, towards the end of our
program with her, I just started crying. It was the crying that I
couldn't stop. That's only happened to me twice, that I can remember.
She asked me if I was sad and I said no, and then Sister Sexton told her
that it was my allergies, but that wasn't right either. I just said
that I felt the spirit and that she is a very spiritual person. Then she
told me how I am a choice soul and that I came to Hungary because the
Lord needs me here. That just made me cry even more. We visit her weekly
and I can't wait to see her again!
Since I've been here, we've met with a lot of people. We have
quite a few investigator and a lot of inactives. I was surprised to
find out that most of the inactives here, are inactive because they were
offended by something someone at church said to them. That just told me
of the importance of being nice to everyone. Greeting them as they come
in, if you don't know someone, go and talk to them and think before you
speak. I know that I need to do that more, but now that I'm in Hungary
where I can't speak as much, and where I do literally have to think
before I speak, it's helped me a little bit that I can't just blurt
things out. But really, it's super important that we are nice to
everyone and to not make quick judgements. Not just at church, but with
everyone we meet.
An experience that happened on Friday
night really made me realize that I'm here for other people and not
myself. In the talk "The Character of Christ"by Elder Bednar, he says to
"Get over yourself, it's not about you." Well that was engrained into
my mind again on Friday
when the Elders called us and asked us if we wanted to check our some
temples, because there is one day out of the whole entire year that all
the huge temples are open to the public to see. Well Sister Sexton
answered the phone when they called and she poliety declined their offer
saying that we had planned to do nightly planning and that she felt
like that sounded like a P-day activity. Honestly, at first, I thought
to myself, are you serious? First of all, you didn't even ask me what I
wanted to do and second, why can't we have some fun and go out and
explore a little. Well turns our that our weekly planning session, where
we prayed for our investigators and planned for their lessons was the
most productive and a very spiritual experience. I was amazed at the
work that we got done. It's crazy to me that I don't know barely any of
the people that we talked about but I had impressions and thoughts that
came into my mind that I felt like they needed. With the work of Sister
Sexton and I's dilligent planning, we managed to set specific lesson
plans and activities that would best for our investigators. Plus, I
believe that we grew closer as a companionship, because we talked about
many things that we had in common, like our teachers at the MTC (I
wonder if they'll read this) and such. It was seriously what we needed
to do as a companion ship and I'm so glad that Sister Sexton was
obedient and said that we needed to do other things, instead of go out
that night. Always be strictly obedient!
Sunday
was my first sarament meeting. I had to bear my testimony, which wasn't
hard at all, and Sister Sexton said I only made small mistakes, like
accusative "t". It get's me everytime, but everyone was so sweet.
Every time I talk to someone, they say "You speak really good
Hungarian." I'm not sure if I believe them. Actually I believe them.
Nothing makes me more annoyed when people question the compliments
they're given, so I'll take every compliment I can get. I even had
someone say I speak better than Sister Sexton, after I said just one
word. That is definitely hamis (false)!
I've had such a great time here so far, and I could talk
about many many many other experiences that I've had thusfar, but I feel
like what I have said will suffice.
Hungary is beautiful and I absolutely love it here! The people are so great!
I hope everything is going well back home! I miss you all!
God be with you 'till we speak again