Dear all,
This week was suuuper, suuuper, suuuuuper busy and we loved it. (!!!)
Some highlights:
1.) It was Jutka néni's ten year anniversary of being baptized and in a typical "sister missionary" fashion, we stopped by with chocolate and a card and she got choked up and said we were an answer to a prayer and told us all these cool stories about when she first converted. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
2.) We went to visit Sárika and she showed us how to make plum jam and we tried to help her download LDS tools on her iPad (still no sign of them here for the mishes, by the way) and then we had a lesson and I said, "Sárika, I know that Jesus Christ suffered for your sins and that He loves you---specifically and individually." And she looks at me and goes, "I know He loves you, too." And I was just like "I...I.... don't think anyone has ever said that back before." So, pretty much Sárika is the best (and her plum jam ain't bad either ;)
3.) We went and visited this less-active, Marian, who just got back from visiting her son and grandson in Ireland and she fed us the best fruit soup I've had my whole mission and it was so good I promised I'd write home about it this week and in turn she'd give me the recipe and I can make it for all you lovely people when I get home. Ya can thank me later ;)
4.) We have this investigator we meet with at work. Her job happens to be the bathroom attendant at the Nyíregyháza train station. It happens. Here's the best: she is a Jesus fanatic. Like, no, she loves Jesus. Which is super good, every missionary's dream, amiright? Best part is we get in there for our second meeting, sit down, and she goes: "Bare your testimonies." And I'm like, "Well, this is a new one."And that's the story of how my investigator made in impromptu testimony meeting in the middle of the Nyíregyháza train station bathroom.
It went really well!
I think she's coming to church next week :)
5.) I felt like we should meet with one of the recent converts in our branch who normally meets with the Elders because we could go to visit her at her new apartment, and they had only been meeting with her at the branch house, so everyone was down with the idea so we set up a time to meet. After the forty-five minute trek out to her apartment, I was seriously regretting this decision. Upon arriving at the apartment (ie one 10 by 6 ft room), it became clear she only had one bed that she and her mentally handicapped son had been alternating sleeping on the floor and on the bed.
Call me nearing-the-end-of-my-mission unstable---but a few tears were shed. I'm really grateful for the Holy Ghost in my life and the ability to stop, think, and listen to it's promptings. I'm also really grateful that we could talk with the Relief Society the next day.
6.) ROOOLAAAND CAME TO CHURCH for the first time! I flipped out! I was super pumped! I scared the whole branch with my over-enthusiastic reaction and introduced to him to everyyyooonne. He turns to me before the branch president gets up and goes: "It's just so much more...exciting...than I thought church would be!" Haha he stayed for all three hours! Afterwards he walked with us to our next appointment and asked suuuper good questions.
7.) We're prepping one of our recent converts for the Melchezidek Priesthood and he's excited and we're excited and he met with the mission president last week---and we're sustaining him in district conference this Sunday in Miskolc!! It's been sooo amazing to see him grow in just the short time I've been her--he was just called to be the Institute teacher and we spent our whole last lesson geeking out about the Old Testament #genesisthough #thatstuffisgood
8.) Anyhoo, sorry I kind of went off---this past week was kind of amazing. This week we're splitting with some amazing STLs (ie both my old companions!) and going to Miskolc and Budapest. Yes, what you're hearing about all the Hungary craziness is pretty true, but everything is fine, especially all the way out here in Nyíregyháza.
I want to finish this by echoing my main man, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:
I remind you that the Church is not a monastery for the isolation of perfect people. It is more like a hospital provided for those who wish to get well.
Seriously. When I meet with less-actives, often times I see that they struggle with their imperfections and they keep them from being where they know they need to be.
To that I say:
NEM!
We're here to give each other strength. We're here to grow. At the very least, we're here to just cry with one another.
All you have to show up.
Love you! Write me, gosh dang it! Haven't gotten a thing in my mailbox in going on three months!
Tudom hogy a Mormon könyve igaz!
Szeretet mindig,
Carle Nővér
This week was suuuper, suuuper, suuuuuper busy and we loved it. (!!!)
Some highlights:
1.) It was Jutka néni's ten year anniversary of being baptized and in a typical "sister missionary" fashion, we stopped by with chocolate and a card and she got choked up and said we were an answer to a prayer and told us all these cool stories about when she first converted. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
2.) We went to visit Sárika and she showed us how to make plum jam and we tried to help her download LDS tools on her iPad (still no sign of them here for the mishes, by the way) and then we had a lesson and I said, "Sárika, I know that Jesus Christ suffered for your sins and that He loves you---specifically and individually." And she looks at me and goes, "I know He loves you, too." And I was just like "I...I.... don't think anyone has ever said that back before." So, pretty much Sárika is the best (and her plum jam ain't bad either ;)
3.) We went and visited this less-active, Marian, who just got back from visiting her son and grandson in Ireland and she fed us the best fruit soup I've had my whole mission and it was so good I promised I'd write home about it this week and in turn she'd give me the recipe and I can make it for all you lovely people when I get home. Ya can thank me later ;)
4.) We have this investigator we meet with at work. Her job happens to be the bathroom attendant at the Nyíregyháza train station. It happens. Here's the best: she is a Jesus fanatic. Like, no, she loves Jesus. Which is super good, every missionary's dream, amiright? Best part is we get in there for our second meeting, sit down, and she goes: "Bare your testimonies." And I'm like, "Well, this is a new one."And that's the story of how my investigator made in impromptu testimony meeting in the middle of the Nyíregyháza train station bathroom.
It went really well!
I think she's coming to church next week :)
5.) I felt like we should meet with one of the recent converts in our branch who normally meets with the Elders because we could go to visit her at her new apartment, and they had only been meeting with her at the branch house, so everyone was down with the idea so we set up a time to meet. After the forty-five minute trek out to her apartment, I was seriously regretting this decision. Upon arriving at the apartment (ie one 10 by 6 ft room), it became clear she only had one bed that she and her mentally handicapped son had been alternating sleeping on the floor and on the bed.
Call me nearing-the-end-of-my-mission unstable---but a few tears were shed. I'm really grateful for the Holy Ghost in my life and the ability to stop, think, and listen to it's promptings. I'm also really grateful that we could talk with the Relief Society the next day.
6.) ROOOLAAAND CAME TO CHURCH for the first time! I flipped out! I was super pumped! I scared the whole branch with my over-enthusiastic reaction and introduced to him to everyyyooonne. He turns to me before the branch president gets up and goes: "It's just so much more...exciting...than I thought church would be!" Haha he stayed for all three hours! Afterwards he walked with us to our next appointment and asked suuuper good questions.
7.) We're prepping one of our recent converts for the Melchezidek Priesthood and he's excited and we're excited and he met with the mission president last week---and we're sustaining him in district conference this Sunday in Miskolc!! It's been sooo amazing to see him grow in just the short time I've been her--he was just called to be the Institute teacher and we spent our whole last lesson geeking out about the Old Testament #genesisthough #thatstuffisgood
8.) Anyhoo, sorry I kind of went off---this past week was kind of amazing. This week we're splitting with some amazing STLs (ie both my old companions!) and going to Miskolc and Budapest. Yes, what you're hearing about all the Hungary craziness is pretty true, but everything is fine, especially all the way out here in Nyíregyháza.
I want to finish this by echoing my main man, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:
I remind you that the Church is not a monastery for the isolation of perfect people. It is more like a hospital provided for those who wish to get well.
Seriously. When I meet with less-actives, often times I see that they struggle with their imperfections and they keep them from being where they know they need to be.
To that I say:
NEM!
We're here to give each other strength. We're here to grow. At the very least, we're here to just cry with one another.
All you have to show up.
Love you! Write me, gosh dang it! Haven't gotten a thing in my mailbox in going on three months!
Tudom hogy a Mormon könyve igaz!
Szeretet mindig,
Carle Nővér