Saturday, May 25, 2013

25 May 2013 Letter (Budapest)

Saturday, 18 May
Another adventurous P-Day!  Today was the first time the Assistants joined us for a Preparation Day.  The four of us went to the Pest side of the city to visit a castle in a giant park.  After walking through, we walked over to Hero Square.  It was my first time there since my first night in the country.  After a couple pictures and a break at Hero Square the AP’s returned home; however, Elder Loveday and I went and spent over four hours at the Zoo instead.  It was great.  There were so many animals.  I really enjoyed seeing all the lizards and the large mammals.  I wish they had a bigger aquarium, but I guess it’s supposed to be a zoo, not an aquarium anyways.  Elder Loveday and I enjoyed our time there and returned exhausted.  If we weren’t Missionaries we could’ve gone to the nearby amusement park and the giant thermal baths that were there.  Oh well. My miracle is that I have every P-Day I have left all planned out.

Sunday, 19 May
One dog today.  We had two investigators at church, E and Z.  I finished reading the Book of Mormon and am now to Doctrine and Covenants 23.  I tried making fruit soup again tonight.  I still need to learn how to do it properly.  This week we had our highest numbers yet.  We’re going for the record.  My miracle today is all the baptisms.  In Szolnok they have nine baptismal dates.  Z, A, G, and now I are all on baptismal date as well as two other investigators I found.  In addition to that, E’s been baptized; and here in Buda we have E and M on a baptismal date.  The work really does seem to be going very well.

Monday, 20 May (One Month Left)
Only one month left.  Wow!  This morning we had a Staff Meeting.  We also met with E.  Today we taught about the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom.  She already knew everything about both and accepted to live according to the commandments.  We had several hours to go tabling in the evening.  My miracle is that with having been reviewing and reading all my journal entries since the start of my mission, one thing that stood out to me today is how much easier it has become for me to teach.  For example, today it took hardly any planning to teach E two of the most feared missionary lessons.  However, during the first year of my mission it would’ve been ridiculously harder, and not have flowed as well.  Hurray for learning and progress.

Tuesday, 21 May
Our only program with an investigator today cancelled.  Elder Loveday and I made more trips for the Hivatal forms.  The packets are all put together and finished now.  We have more packages stuck in customs again.  Fun, fun, fun…  Elder Channell and Elder Magda are here right now.  They’re spending the night with us so they can make it to an appointment early tomorrow morning.  My miracle today is my brother, Jonathan. 

Wednesday, 22 May
Today was the first half of the Senior Conference.  All the couples and Senior Missionaries are here.  Because President and the Carpenters are attending that, Elder Loveday and I had to stay in the office to hold down the fort.  We had one dog and one cancellation today.  Our only program was with E.  R was there too.  We talked about testimony, enduring, and temples.  We also talked to E about her baptism.  She has no idea who she wants to perform the ordinances, but feels very excited about it all.  We’ve had a lot of dogs and cancellations this week.  It’s already Wednesday night and we’ve only met with E.  Today my miracle is that I finished reading “Preach My Gospel.”

Thursday, 23 May
Two more dogs today.  Today was the second half of the Senior Conference, so we were in the office all day again.  We met with I and L and talked about temples, as well as taught about infant baptism.  In Angolora I gave the best lesson I’ve ever given about Past Participles.  My miracle is that while our work is crashing, it’s leaving time to study.
               
Friday, 24 May
Another program fell through today.  This morning we had Zone Training.  It went well and was focused around teaching skills.  Elder Walker gave his departing testimony.  Later in the day we met with P.  We taught him about the Law of Chastity.  He said he’s never really thought about any kind of sexual commandments before.  The Pest Sisters had their second program with E today.  A couple other notes about today are that we went with the Assistants to lunch, which turned out to be a huge disappointment as the daily special of Vegetable Lasagna we all got turned out not to be lasagna, but rice, cheese, peas, and mushrooms.  Worst lasagna ever.  Today was their national garbage day.  Like when I was with Elder Reese, they have a day once a year when everyone throws anything and everything they don’t want onto the sidewalks and streets.  Elder Walker’s family arrived in the evening to pick him up and President Smith released him.  We had a chance to meet all of them.  With him released, I am now the oldest missionary in the mission (in terms of being here in the country).  My miracle today is that my time is wrapping up as well.  I’m almost out of time and things I determined to do before the end of my mission.

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