May 25, 2017 (letter originally sent by regular mail)
Dear Family and Friends,
One year. It's been a year since I've been serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's been a year of unforgettable experiences, little miracles, adventures, and learning.
I'm not much of a letter writer, but in this letter I'll attempt to tell you about some of the things I've learned and experienced on the mission. Hopefully this doesn't get too boring for you, but if it does, take a nap. I won't mind. And remember: this is just a hundredth part!
It seems like a long time ago that I left my family behind and boarded a plane to get to the MTC and the beautiful mountains of Utah. Time in the MTC just sped up and in three weeks I was done with the classroom study blocks and lessons, and was flying with my group to Hungary. There we were greeted by our mission president and his wife, and the Budapest missionaries—all of whom, by the way, knew that I was the elder Elder Gonzalez's brother (see the joke I made there!), but I of course was a greenie, didn't know who most of them were. Anyways, after a night in a hotel, I got my trainer and we headed up to my first city: Pécs.
Showing posts with label Pécs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pécs. Show all posts
Saturday, 10 June 2017
Saturday, 17 September 2016
Week 14 in Pécs ... Going to Budapest
Hey!
This is going to be a quick email, but I am in Buda now in the mission office working as an office elder! President Szabadkai called on Wednesday about it, and it was really surprising. But I am glad that I get to serve in Budapest, and the office will be a lot of fun. In the last few days in Pécs we had some teachings, most of the programs fell through, unfortunately. But our work with less active members is going pretty well. I said my goodbyes on Friday and got on a train to Budapest Saturday morning. I traveled to Budapest by myself, so for 3 hours I went solo. Since Saturdays are p-days for the secretaries, I got another p-day today which is awesome!
This is going to be a quick email, but I am in Buda now in the mission office working as an office elder! President Szabadkai called on Wednesday about it, and it was really surprising. But I am glad that I get to serve in Budapest, and the office will be a lot of fun. In the last few days in Pécs we had some teachings, most of the programs fell through, unfortunately. But our work with less active members is going pretty well. I said my goodbyes on Friday and got on a train to Budapest Saturday morning. I traveled to Budapest by myself, so for 3 hours I went solo. Since Saturdays are p-days for the secretaries, I got another p-day today which is awesome!
Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Week 13 in Pécs
Hi everybody,
This week was really fun. While tracting there was this cat that followed us for like 5 minutes and it definitely made tracting way more enjoyable. With an investigator we did a ping pong balls and rice object lesson to talk about church and priorities. During tabling I gave out a Book of Mormon in Turkish to a university student learning Turkish. A less active member we met on the street took us out to Burger King for lunch and we watched together The Prophet of the Restoration. It was a super great movie. For English class we took the class on a field trip and ate giant crepes (thin version of pancakes). I went on splits with Elder Krueger which was cool since he was my brother's old companion, also here in Pécs. We also started a program with two less active so they quit smoking. We are praying will work.
This week was really fun. While tracting there was this cat that followed us for like 5 minutes and it definitely made tracting way more enjoyable. With an investigator we did a ping pong balls and rice object lesson to talk about church and priorities. During tabling I gave out a Book of Mormon in Turkish to a university student learning Turkish. A less active member we met on the street took us out to Burger King for lunch and we watched together The Prophet of the Restoration. It was a super great movie. For English class we took the class on a field trip and ate giant crepes (thin version of pancakes). I went on splits with Elder Krueger which was cool since he was my brother's old companion, also here in Pécs. We also started a program with two less active so they quit smoking. We are praying will work.
Monday, 5 September 2016
Week 12 in Pécs
It has been another awesome week of missionary work!
On Monday we went to the zoo in Pécs as a district and the monkeys there were hilarious. The zoo is still under construction. We also got a media referral. They are an awesome family and they are golden! We went on Friday to tract in Mohács (first missionaries there) and after that the father drove us to his home in Kölked. The family is very important to him. They have 2 little girls and are moving soon to Balatonfüred, so the elders from Veszprém will be teaching them the gospel. But that's okay: it matters that they are taught, not who teaches them.
There is also a young guy we are teaching who was a member referral. He's super legit and is reading from the Book of Mormon. (Member missionary work is so important!) He is a pro soccer player too. Now we have 8 investigators and the work keeps getting better.
I gave a priesthood blessing of healing to a néni (older sister) and it was so amazing how the words just came out and felt the spirit in the room. It was a great experience.
On Monday we went to the zoo in Pécs as a district and the monkeys there were hilarious. The zoo is still under construction. We also got a media referral. They are an awesome family and they are golden! We went on Friday to tract in Mohács (first missionaries there) and after that the father drove us to his home in Kölked. The family is very important to him. They have 2 little girls and are moving soon to Balatonfüred, so the elders from Veszprém will be teaching them the gospel. But that's okay: it matters that they are taught, not who teaches them.
There is also a young guy we are teaching who was a member referral. He's super legit and is reading from the Book of Mormon. (Member missionary work is so important!) He is a pro soccer player too. Now we have 8 investigators and the work keeps getting better.
I gave a priesthood blessing of healing to a néni (older sister) and it was so amazing how the words just came out and felt the spirit in the room. It was a great experience.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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