Week 61 in Hungary (July 15-22, 2013)

Valami ügyes magyarul...

Google translate is going to mess that up for sure.

So we had an incredible week this week! I've loved my time this transfer in the beloved city of Miskolc with my beloved companion, Elder Nabrotzky.

So while participating in a combined family night at one of the recent convert's apartments, we were all singing primary songs with the ukulele and having a great time. The windows were open and I was just having a grand old time jammin' on the uke. A dark little figure flew around me for a bit, I thought it was a moth or something. It kept flying around me so I looked up to see what the heck it was and to my deep dismay, it was a massive hornet about the size of my entire thumb. If you know me, you know exactly what I did. I flipped a SWITCH. My word, I was so terrified. I ran out of the room screaming and locked myself in the bathroom. I refused to come out for a good few minutes even after they killed the little monster. Needless to say, embarrassing things happen while in this great and marvelous work. Curse you, Apiphobia.

Besides that, our week really was special. We picked up a couple more families to start teaching. One of them actually came as a referral from some investigators we meet with regularly. They were telling their friends and family about how much they love when we come over and how we always make them feel uplifted and happy. So some other people wanted in on it! We drove out to meet the new family and they were probably the most humble, polite, little family I have ever met. I'm really excited to see how much the Gospel blesses their lives.

Now for an update on the OTHER family that we started teaching last week. The second time we met with them, we combined the program with the recent convert family that referred them to us. We arrived a little late because of our English class and by the time we got there, they were all discussing who they want to have baptize them!! It was pretty wild to walk into a second meeting with investigators and have them asking you if you will baptize them! We watched the Restoration video, and all bore testimony. At the end, the mother said, "well I already know this is true--I feel it."

Wow, talk about prepared!! I'm sure I'll have more of an update on them in weeks to come. That is, if I stay in Miskolc. Which reminds me, next week is transfers. So, I will be emailing on Tuesday instead of Monday.

I once again have no desire to leave the current city I'm serving in. I absolutely love this branch, these members, these recent converts, these investigators, this city. We'll see what the Lord has in store for me.

(The man sitting next to me at this computer station is a HUGE guy just loaded with tattoos and he is trying to type as fast as he can with his two pointer fingers... This is absolutely hilarious... My word. It's so amusing.)

We took our 12 year-old recent convert with us tracting this week. He was a PRO! My word, I don't know how he did it, but he got us let in 6 times in the space of an hour. Everyone adored him and he was a natural pro missionary. While in an older lady's apartment, he started telling her about his experience of being baptized. He then turned to me and excitedly asked, "can we show her how the baptism looks in our church!?!" I said, "sure, why not!" So we stood up and explained how the whole process works right there in her living room. Something I've never tried before but heck, it got her interested!

We've also been meeting with a super super rad guy who has been investigating for about 2 weeks now. He expressed his desire to be baptized but much to our dismay, he is moving... today. BUT I'm not worried at all because the Elders that are serving in the city that he is moving to are stellar. He's already making plans to meet with them so he'll be a baptized man very very soon.

I had a tender moment this week while teaching one of the families with a lot of little kids. Their dad works outside of the country and doesn't get much of a chance to visit them. I guess every time that he does come home, he brings them all candy and chocolate. These kids don't have a lot... but they wanted to share their chocolate with us sobad. They begged their mom saying, "mom!! Can we PLLEEEAAASSSEEEE share our chocolate from daddy with the Elders!? PLLEEEAAASSEEEE!?" and when they got the go ahead they were SO excited to get their chocolate bars and share them with us. If that doesn't pierce your heart, I don't know what would.

You all know the drill, now is the part where I write about how everything is grand for me over here. I wish the same upon you all, then wrap it all up with

READ. FROM. THE. BOOK. OF. MORMON.

And then I say, "with lots of love" (in Hungarian)

Sok Szeretettel,

Op. There it is. 'Kay, good.

And now, my name. (There's a science to all of this, you know)

Alldredge Elder

:) Thaaaat's it.

I was able to go on splits with one of the APs this week.
He used to serve here in Miskolc!

I know this isn't the best show in the world.
But it's still pretty rad that someone painted it on a wall.