Pioneer Day and Pedro

Shout out to Megan for reminding me that Pioneer day was this week! It is always fun to hear stories and think about the pioneers crossing the planes but this week I have been thinking about the pioneers here in Szolnok.

Ralph Emerson wrote: "It is easy in the world to live after the worlds opinion; it is easy in solitude  to live after our own; but the great man is he who is in the midst of the crowd and keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude."

In Szolnok there are about 25 pioneers. If the Lord asked them to they would have a handcart and be on their way now but the Lord has given them other tasks and challenges. Their close relationship and acts of selfless service inspire me to become a pioneer myself. Whether its a member giving up three hours of their day to take a bus an hour into Szolnok from their house for a 30 minute lesson with an investigator and then take a bus home. Or us getting a call from a member telling us they can help any time all day and just to call them, Or them randomly calling us and inviting us over for a huge meal that was for sure a financial sacrifice-- they have set their priorities straight. Their families are the most important and then helping the Lord build his kingdom here on earth. We literally cannot do it without them. I love them so much and hope that I will never forget their examples of service and consecration.

In other news/miracles of the week we have:

Miracle- We ran into some latino mormons from UT and got to practice some spanish!

Miracle-- A progressing investigator that fell off the face of Szolnok was home when we knocked on her door and we got to teach her and she fed us 

rooster which was surprisingly good.

Miracle-- We had a great zone training who would have thought that your testimony could grow as you discussed Area Books. Not me. But it did. Also I love the Szabadkai's so much and I got Sister Szabadkais recipe for fruit soup!

Miracle-- We were able to teach about the Book of Mormon to a lady we helped serve last night. Less of a miracle-- she made us drink hot chocolate in her flat that was politely said too hot for hot chocolate.

Weird news-- We found out one of our 68yr old investigators is online dating "a man named Pedro (who is not Mexican according to her) from Texas" and she has to decide if she will move to America this week. YIKES. Were praying for her. Be safe on the internet-- there are a lot of "Pedros" out there I assume... and apparently now they know how to use google translate magyar so no one is safe.

I LOVE YOU

Hughes Elder

the ut family that spoke spanish to us!

the jews shoes on the danube

my kürtős kalács yum

Cast not away your confidence

The weather this week has been incredible. Its rained almost everyday and been cloudy and not hot probably in answer to all the missionaries in Hungarys prayers. I love clouds! The cool has made it much more enjoyable to tract now that it doesnt feel like a steam room whenever we go into a building, so thats how we spent a large portion of our week.

We also got to spend Saturday in Békéscsaba at a multi-branch activity. It was great to talk with members and missionaries and the Szabadkais as well. The minivan ride trip down to the activity with too many large members was not as fun but I think it made the activity better by contrast.

After lots of prayers we decided to give 2 of our investigators some time before meeting with them again since they both refuse to do the things that will help them progress since President Szabadkai has put a large emphasis on finding those who are prepared. In the times that we would have been meeting with these people we tracted and found 2 new investigators! Miracle!

We had a great lesson with Judit about the plan of salvation and I was somehow able to share my testimony of the Spirit world in hungarian (weird vocab) and hopefully it gave her some hope.

Elder Baird taught a great District Meeting about trusting in the Lord and moving forward with confidence. Based off one of my favorite talks: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2000/03/cast-not-away-therefore-your-confidence?lang=eng  

In Hebrews 10: 35 it says " 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward." then in verse 36 it says " For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." I love this thought from President Uchtdorf "Patience is not passive recognation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with grace, courage, and faith. Ultimately patience means being firm and steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord every hour of everyday even when it is hard to do so."

This level of patience is unachievable on our own. Seek Gods help. He is anxiously waiting to send you His power. I know that is true because I have felt the influence in my life everyday ask for it. Be patient and move forward with confidence.

Szeretlek.

Hughes Elder

p.s I made a big peach cobbler and ate almost the entire thing by my self for breakfast. No regrets.

This is our fail making snickerdoodles for the less actives we visit. I discovered that you cannot put a baking sheet in your little people sized oven slanted (to fit more cookies on a bigger tray). pro to this disaster despite all the cons was that we had to eat them all!

while tracting in szolnok

Sister Szabadkai and I's 8th picture cause we were laughing in all the other ones and she closes her eyes when she laughs hah!

sok sok szeretettel,

Hughes Elder

Wake up

This week was quick.

Wednesday while tracting we had a drunk guy come out and yell at us then randomly ask us if we want cake (he had a little plate in his hands.) My comp said yes and got a huge bite shoved in his mouth-- I said no thank you (not taking into account the fact that he was drunk and didnt reallc care what I said.) and was surprised when a fork full of the strongest rum cake was stuffed into my mouth. This is why we try to tract around 1-6 so we avoid the drunks... sadly this was at noon. oh Hungarians.

Friday we had a fantastic lunch at one of the members home who lives about 45 minutes away by bus. They invited our investigator Judit which was really nice of them and we had a great lunch/lesson. The only problem was on the long bumpy bus ride whenever I would try to take a little nap Judit would slap my knee and tell me to "Wake up and look at how round the trees are!" or "Wake up look at how pretty the sunflower field is!" I thought shed eventually give up but she endured the whole way there, and back as well. I slept so good that night!

Monday we saw a miracle! We had already tracted earlier in the day and had about an hour to fill before the end of the day (we usually walk through the park by the river and talk with people on benchs) but yesterday Baird Elder felt like we should tract some more (once again the risks he is taking with the drunk people are huge!). But I figured if he wanted to tract it was definetely the spirit growing that desire cause few other things can. We went to an area we havent tracted in and got into a building. The first 2 doors were bácsis who yelled at us and demanded we leave. So we left... that floor hehe. The next floor we were on guard and knocked on a door which was answered by a 50 year old women and her grand-daughter. I asked them if we could share a little message about Christ (usually an immidiate turn off here) and she told us Of course come in! (remember this is always a tense moment cause usually just crazy people let us in their homes.) But she wasnt crazy! MIRACLE! We talked about the Book of Mormon and when she finished she asked us some more questions and told us to teach her more. We taught the entire restoration (rare) and afterwards talked about eternal families which was so good for her to here. Were planning on meeting next week with her and so grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord.

Ive realized the most important thing we can do is be obedient. Missionary or not our testimony/conversion can ONLY grow when we are obedient. Lots of missionaries get  dwon when they see other missionaries who dont seem as obedient get more "success". But Ive relized that what more can we want than to know that we are good with the Lord and that because we are doing ALL that we can do to keep his commandments or in other words to love him-- then he will use us unworthy children as his instruments to help his other children that have not been as blessed. Be obedient even though its hard. In this you can find safety and peace.

Nagyon szeretlek titeket.

Hughes Elder

-- 

Love,

Elder Hughes

fotók:

Our lunch with the Somogyiék

Baird Elder (my hero) trying to entertain Judit who was getting impatient as we waited for the bus.

Us picking up the sisters at the train station after President Szabadkai called us at 10:20 (thats why were in pijamas) telling us they missed the stop and were coming in late. So we got to escort them back to their apartment and suprisingly didnt see too many drunk people.

Belly full of cherries

Little things that made my week:

-Coming home from tracting right before we broke our fast we got an AIR CONDITIONED bus!

-We met a really kind couple whoe invited us back (BONUS tender mercy) they dont smoke and their apartment smells really good.

-We came across a store in Szeged while we were  on splits that sells A&W Root Beer (perfect timing right before 4th of July.

-Ice cream and waffle cones. And me finally learning how to say waffle cone in Hungarian.

Im so grateful for little things. This week was tough-- lots of member canceled last minute before our lessons and since we cant meet with women without a member present with us we had to cancel our lessons as well. But on the bright side that gave us more time to tract-- which sometimes brings success but always ensures comedic relief. Like Tuesday when we knocked on a door of an apartment that was blasting the "Macarena" on full volume. We never would have guessed a naked 80 year old néni would answer with a cigarette in her mouth. You just cant predict those moments sadly. If I could predict them I would most definetely avoid them that I know for sure (This néni was covering everything up luckily--  but still eye contact is e v e r y t h i n g.)

We taught Judit the Restoration again to solidify things before her baptism and make sure she understands everything. She pulled out her scriptures so excited to show us she read and I opened the Book of Mormon to find EVERY line the first 6 pages underlined. I asked her "Wow you really like the Book of Mormon dont you?" and she said "Yes I dont understand it all right now but I know its really important and I think Ill be able to understand it if I keep reading it." She has a lot of faith. And will soon have one of the most colorful copies of the Book of Mormon.

The highlight of the week was Saturday morning, we got to go to a members home who lives in a little village and do some yard work for her. My job was cutting down some cherry trees and wheelbarrowing them to a big pile. It was fantastic because there were so many cherries left on the trees and she told me to eat them all before I cut them down. So I did. It was great cause she had all the missionaries do work that grandma hughes would have had us do. I thought about her a lot that morning. Later for lunch Erika the member tried to drown us in 4 soups, It only made me sweat so much more. The worst part was that they were fantastic but we had to limit ourselves on each one cause we had no Idea how many were coming.

She made goulash, tejfől crumpli, a hungarian chili, and squash soup with meatballs. All foods grandma would have loved!

I am grateful for America. Family week looked so great! Im so grateful the knowledge we have of the plan of salvation and the opportunity I have to share that. The Lord blesses his missionaries and I wouldnt rather be anywhere else. D&C 68:5-6

sok sok szeretettel,

Hughes Elder