I learned that word this week. It means, "make up" and it's super fun to say. It's pronounced {SHM-EE-NK}. Try it. You'll love it.
I was able to watch the massive missionary broadcast thing this week. It was really rad and motivating. It's been strange to reflect back on being at the MTC this time last year and see how much has changed and happened. Time is slipping away much too fast.
This week was swell. (When does one not have a swell week while serving a mission?) A lot of good things are happening and it's just amazing to see how much the Lord assists in his work.
Elder Cox and his adorable parents came and visited all of us during our family night activity. The branch put on a huge celebration and there was enough food to feed a small African country. You gotta love how much these Hungarians love to cook. I have yet to find a Hungarian meal that I don't like.
In meeting with all of the recent converts this past week, we've started to talk about temples with them. It's incredible to see them get so excited about it. It made me realize how much I took for granted having one 5 minutes from home all my life. They are already planning on who they want to be baptized for in their families. These people plan for months and months in advance, how and when to travel to Germany, so that they can attend the temple.
While tracting, an older lady let us in. She told us she was in her 70's which was surprising because I thought she was for sure in her 50's by the way she acted. She was probably the spunkiest grandma I've ever met in my whole life. She was a dance teacher for the longest time. (You know how those dancing grandmas can be...) When we first sat down she said she only had a couple minutes because she had to cook before her guests came over later. 45 minutes later she closed her massive photo album and finished telling us her life story. My word she was hilarious. Before we left, she grabbed a bag of chocolates from the shelf and offered one to each of us. They looked harmless so we thanked her and popped them right into our mouths. Much to our dismay, as soon as we bit down, we were surprised with a burst of... rum. Poor Elder Nabrotzky looked like he had been violated. My word, it burned our mouths and throat. Szegények... És béééénnnaaaa.
We visited a member family this week that has some of the most adorable little kids I've ever seen. Next time we visit them, I'll take a picture with them for sure. The youngest one is super super shy with everyone. She's almost 4 years old and for some reason, we really hit it off! All I have to do is look at her and she just grins the biggest grin and giggles. I had never heard her talk before and as we were leaving she grabbed my hand and lead me to a tree in the yard. She then started to point at it and talk to me! I didn't understand a single word but it was still surprising and super adorable.
This week I also had the opportunity to do my favorite thing in the whole wide world! Give a priesthood blessing! I actually was able to 3 times this week. Giving a blessing in a different language is a whole new level of odd. While giving them I'll usually be thinking, "dang! I didn't know I could even conjugate that correctly! I gotta remember that!" There truly is Godly power in the priesthood.
On Saturday we had the chance to meet with a big family. We had met with the mom just at the door a couple times. They were a really sweet, cute family that were just fascinated by what we had to say. At the end of the program, they asked us our opinions about pretty much every single Hungarian meal known to man and just laughed and laughed and laughed as we would excitedly tell them how much we love them. They requested that we come over next week and to never forget to visit them!
Hey! I hope you know I love you all. And hey! It's summer! The perfect time to read lots and lots from The Book of Mormon. Yay!
Sok Szeretettel,
Alldredge Elder
