Monday, March 26, 2012

Crazy Mc-Craziness - Monday, March 26, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, we got transfer calls this morning and the results were kind of a surprise.  I am leaving Kispest (not a surprise) and going to a city called Szeged (more of a surprise).  However, it is crazy because my companion is going to be someone named Sister Papritz (who is actually the mission nurse).  She is going home in two transfers, which means I am going junior again, which nobody thought would happen (including me) (biggest surprise haha).  But Sister Papritz and I really really wanted to serve together (we mostly know each other through other people, but I am pretty sure that we are soul sisters) and her and De Leon talked to President about it.  And I guess it turned out to be the right thing!  Both of us were astonished when we got our calls this morning.  (I didn't even believe that the APs were serious haha.)  I am so excited, though!  I really wanted to go to Szeged, which is a cool college town full of young people.  I know Sister Papritz and I will have a lot of work to do!

Sister Gallion is replacing me here in Kispest, which is kind of crazy, too, because her and Sister Johnson were MTC companions.  If I could've picked anyone to replace me, though, I would've picked her.  I love Sister Gallion and I know she will take good care of my dear dear Kispest.

I have really loved my four transfers here in Kispest and in the city.  It was super hard yesterday to say goodbye to everyone in church.  It was Fast and Testimony meeting, so I was able to go up and publicly thank the ward and bear my testimony.  I talked about how I came here as a greenie (way back in OCTOBER!  Dang, I've been here a loong time.  But time flies!), became a senior here, and how much I have appreciated their love and support through it all.  I told them they are my Hungarian family.  (Totally true.)  And I have been saying goodbyes ever since.  A ton of members came up to me after sacrament meeting and told me how much they will miss me.  I tried to take a lot of pictures.  It actually has seemed kind of surreal.  I've only cried once.  We went over to Kati Néni's house (she was a less-active we helped come back to activity, who then had a stroke) at her request yesterday after church and she taught us how to make túró (so we will know how to make it in America, where they don't sell it ready made) and then she wrote a note in my emlékkönyv.  After she finished the note, she apologized for her shaky handwriting (she still can't move one side of her very well) and then this sweet sweet woman started crying.  I gave her a hug and she told me how sad she was that I was leaving.  I told her that there will be other great sisters here to be her "daughters" but she cried and said she knows, but that they wouldn't be me.  That made me cry too.  She told me that I will always be in her heart.  It is really hard for me to leave Kispest.  I love the people here so much.  I have worked so hard to serve the investigators and members here and that has made me love them all the more.  I was talking to another member and she told me how she had heard that the first area for a missionary is always first in their heart, too.  I agree.  I am excited to go to another area, but Kispest will always be my first Hungarian home.  I have a bunch more goodbyes to make in the next couple of days, I have to pack, and I have to try and make sure everything is ready to be passed to the new companionship, and then I will meet up with my new companion at the train station on Wednesday, and go to Szeged and start that phase of my mission.

The rest of week was crazy.  Sister Johnson and I worked crazy hard to go out on a good note, which we did.  We ended the week totally exhausted, but happy.  I have loved my time serving with her and I am really going to miss her.

I love this quote (and the only source I can remember it being from is that wise old turtle in Kung Fu Panda haha but I am sure there is a more legitimate one :P) and I think it is really pertinent for this new phase in my life: "There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.  That is why it is called the "present." " I encourage all of you to really enjoy life NOW and TODAY!  Tell the people you love that you love them!  Go to that museum you've wanted to!  Have a dance party.  Work on your relationship with your family, God, and friends.  Laugh!  We are so lucky to have this time on the earth to learn and grow.  I have been thinking a lot about how lucky we are to have a Father in Heaven who has given us the gift of today and the ability to choose what we will make of it.  Let's make the most of every phase of our lives!

Love,
Kramer Nővér aka McKenna

P.S. I am SO EXCITED for General Conference this weekend!!!!  It is such a cool experience to get guidance and inspiration from a living prophet and apostles for us today.  I encourage you all to check it out!  (See lds.org)  It only happens twice a year, but I always learn so much and come away with a renewed desire and fire to be better!

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