Monday 29 August 2016

Week 11 in Pécs

Hi everybody,

We didn't have internet access last week, so my last email came through the office elders in Budapest to whom I sent an USB with a text file for dad.

Last Monday we tracted a lot and had a cool experience: we got onto a random bus and I prayed in my head to know which stop to get off. I was prompted to get off at the fourth stop. It was a nice American-looking neighbourhood but it was rainy and dark. We met an elderly gentleman at the last house who said he would like to meet with us again and gave us his phone number.

Another spiritual experience was that Elder Paul told me that its helpful to say a prayer in your head while teaching. I did just that for one of our lessons and new ideas popped into my head which was super cool.

Tuesday 23 August 2016

Week 10 in Pécs

Hello!

We had transfer day this week. In the morning Elder Fitzgerald's train left and I spent the morning with Elders Martineau and Krueger. We made palacsinta (Hungarian crepes). After Elder Paul arrived and unpacked, we ate in an awesome gyros place. Elder Paul is a great guy: he's hard-working and it's easy to get along with him. He's an experienced missionary who knows a lot about mission work. I called Dallas, a.k.a Elder Leavitt, in the evening and talked with him a bit. He's doing well.

This week was really successful: we found 2 new investigators (now we have 5 in all). We had 9 programs (one day we had 4 teachings), and we gave out 10 copies of the Book of Mormon. We tracted a lot and on Saturday we tracted for 3 hours straight. This is legit lol.

Tuesday 16 August 2016

Week 9 in Pécs

Bonjour tout le monde!

We got our transfer calls today and I am staying here in Pécs. Elder Paul will be my new companion. This is his last transfer before he finishes his mission. He was an AP before coming here. Elder Fitzgerald is going to be a zone leader along with Elder Priest in Szombathely. It has been a great 9 weeks and the time is for real flying by so fast. Elder Fitzgerald and I basically started out with nothing and now we have around 6 teaching programs a week. I've had so many great spiritual experiences and funny stories, and I know there will be way many more to come. Sister Peterson is going to train and Sister Hawker is going home. Elders Martineau and Krueger are staying together.

Last week, during P-Day, we visited the university in Pécs. It was really cool but it felt weird being at a university campus again. I have to admit, I miss York. A senior couple, the Petersons, visited our apartment to do a checkup and we passed it with flying colours! It helps that our landlady has an arrangement with a cleaning lady to come once every 4 weeks but we still clean too.

The sisters had a baptism scheduled for Saturday, but since their investigator didn't feel ready, it got cancelled at the last minute. We went to a funeral in a small village called Tengeri. The brother of a member was being buried. It wasn't a grand religious funeral, just a simple one. At the end, we sang "Nearer My God to Thee" with the member.

Monday 8 August 2016

Week 8 in Pécs

Last P-day we went to the Pécs cathedral and the inside was really nice. We went up the tower and the view was great. After that we went tracting and we got a let-in! The lady who answered the door was in her 60s and said that she respects us, but she is Calvinist. However, she accepted a Book of Mormon and said that she would love to meet with us again.

We had interviews with the mission president on Tuesday. It went well and President Szabadkai said I would probably stay here in Pécs. He also said that after the next transfer he will come with me to where my Hungarian family is from to help me do genealogy work.

Monday 1 August 2016

Week 7 in Pécs

Hi everybody,

Last P-day we visited this Turkish mosque that got converted into a catholic church and then we visited a synagogue. There you have it: world religions in one day!

On Tuesday we went up to a small town 1/2 hour from Pécs called Komló and taught an inactive member there. Then we ate pizza with our branch president. We also tabled near the main square this week. It was really effective and I talked to a ton of people of a variety of cultures, ages, and religions. We gave our some copies of the Book of Mormon and a few people gave us their phone numbers.

Lots of people we talk to aren't interested in our message. They say no, I'm catholic, or just wave us off. So it's really important to always have a positive mindset. If someone is polite, I don't feel bad about the rejection at all (and if they're not nice, I laugh it off).

Another day we brought some bundles of water and milk into the home of a branch member and I gave her a priesthood blessing of healing. I was nervous (it was my time giving a blessing), but I felt the spirit strong in that room. We then ate watermelon and we shared a spiritual thought from the Liahona magazine on prayer.

Week 6 in Pécs

 Hello!

The hot and humid weather is back here. Lots of water and shade are essential. On Tuesday we went up to Buda for zone training and then we had splits with the zone leaders in Dunaújváros. I was with Elder Jensen. In the evening we tracted a 10 storey building (not the whole thing) and then we met some teenagers. I taught them some English slang and they taught me some Hungarian slang. We also biked there, which was really fun. On the way back, we took a bus. The trip was 3 hours long, but the bus was super comfortable.

On Saturday we visited an inactive member and we ate schnitzel. It was really good stuff. Lots of missionaries in our district are getting sick, but my companion and I are doing fine. We also played soccer with the branch members and the turnout was good. On Sunday we taught a lesson to an investigator who was a really nice old woman. She made us great food and she talked a lot about Hungarian history and sang some folk songs.

This week I've been looking through the area book and member records a lot and really feel as if I'm getting lost in the work. During meals, studies, and free time, I looked through the information. I even had a dream of the area book on time hahaha. Also I was making phone calls to inactives and then when I got to the last person, I said a prayer in my heart. The person answered the phone and he said he'd gladly meet us next week. Prayer works! :)