Monday 25 September 2017

Week 4 in Békéscsaba

Hi!

This week there was a lot of work at church but we had plenty of time to teach and tract.

We met with an investigator who was found during the last transfer and we talked about the Book of Mormon. He has read the entire 1 Nephi and wrote a lot of notes in a booklet. During our conversation he practically taught us and told us what he has learned (i.e.,  Lehi's dream and meaning) and how to apply the teachings to our own life (i.e., Lehi's family and our families). He wants to come to church in the near future. A golden investigator!

We read a talk from the Liahona about the final judgment to another investigator because he wanted to learn more about this subject. He still does not want to come to church but said that he would come to English classes, so that's a first step. On Saturday we did service work at his house helping to move cut wooden logs.

Sunday 24 September 2017

Week 3 in Békéscsaba

Hi!

We went to Postelek with the sisters on Monday. It was a 6 km bike ride. Postelek has a castle or mansion that was bombed during World War II and we also saw a bomb crater in the woods.

We tracked a lot this week and came out with a new search method. I like to solve the Rubik's cube so we decided to use it while teaching people. We knocked on a door, introduced ourselves us missionaries and said we would like to share a message using the Rubik's cube. I showed the cube (neatly solved) and I said that when Jesus Christ was on the earth, he had his whole gospel and his true church. But after leaving the earth, it was lost (then I start mixing the cube). Then I said that in the next two minutes my friends were going to explain how the gospel has been restored while I solve the cube. By the time when Elder Neumiller or Elder Szuch speoke about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and the restoration, the Rubik’s cube was solved. It proved to be a very effective method. Many listened to our entire message at the door, and a father gave us his phone number to meet him and his family and we gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon.

Monday 11 September 2017

Week 2 in Békéscsaba

Hi!

This was a very busy week and so much happened.

On our p-day we ate “lángos", walked on the downtown area, and saw many interesting shops as well as the big Catholic church building. It was all quite nice.

This week we visited many members and talked to them about family prayer and family home evening. We also met with inactive members who face different challenges (financial, alcohol-related, depression, etc.). Their situations are quite difficult and we can only do our best to help them be independent.

We helped one of our investigators with gardening. He wants to cut a tree, so we softened the ground around the tree and cut the roots. We used a lot of tools like spade, shovel, pike, and ax. Each tool does a different thing and it's a bit like with us. Everyone has different talents or strengths, and if everyone works with their own expertise, then we can do a good job together.

Sunday 10 September 2017

Week 1 in Békéscsaba

Hi!

This week was very busy and it looked like a long day. On Wednesday we arrived in Békéscsaba, emptied out our suitcases and started to get to know the area. On Thursday, at the district meeting, we talked about goals for this transfer and got to know each other. There is an elderly couple, the Howells, and two sisters: Christiansen and Eddy. In the afternoon, Elder Howell spoke to me about church members and the responsibilities of the branch president while Elder Neumiller and Elder Szuch went tracting.

Sunday 3 September 2017

Week 19 in Kecskemét

Hi!

First of all, we got the transfer calls this morning. I will serve as branch president in Békéscsaba. My two companions are Elder Neumiller from Virginia and Elder Szuch from Idaho. Elder Neumiller has been in the mission for a year and came in Elders Harris's and Allred's group. Elder Szuch and I came together in the same group. I have only four transfers left in the eight months remaining in the mission, so I'm probably going to finish in Békéscsaba. Elder Allred will stay in Kecskemét, Elder Martin will be his companion.

Well, this new call was a big surprise for me. President Szabadkai called at around 8:20 a.m. when he normally starts his calls at around 7:00 a.m. for assistants, zone leaders, etc. and it's almost done by 8:00. Then the assistants call everyone else. So I was surprised to receive his call and I was even more surprised when he said that I was going to serve as a branch president. I did not get any hint before this transfer that something big like this would happen.