Hello All!
This week was pretty great :) Looking back, though, I can't even believe that all of things that happened were in the same week! It has been great, but looooong.
Tuesday, we had a billion "goodbye" programs, as we had thought that Sister Watts would be leaving. She didn't leave, but we were still able to tag along with the elders and be fed by half our ward. We had one adventure where we were coming from an investigator's house, trying to go straight to a lunch program with the elders. Tuesday was a holiday here, though, so the buses were running less often than usual. Our bus arrived at the big bus stop right when the other bus we needed to did. We were on the phone with the elders and told them to hold the bus and started flat-out sprinting to the other side of the station. The elders fumbled and struggled as much as they could and told the bus driver that we were coming. We were totally within sight of the bus and running when it shut its door and drove away. GAH. The elders waved at us as they went off to the program. We ultimately caught a later bus and got there in the end. Turns out the elders had taken the wrong road anyways, so we showed up only a few minutes after them! We had more public transportation adventures after lunch when we all sprinted for our return bus, holding bags, a guitar, and Beaumont, his companion. Haha. Missionary life. So exciting :P We rounded out the night at our branch president's house. His family is so nice :) They were all bummed that Elder Beaumont was leaving, but told me that they are so glad I am staying! It has been weird this week adjusting. We all relied a lot on Beaumont Elder, but I think Greaves Elder and I have balanced out the translating now :) I know it will be okay! It is so weird, though. For the first time on my entire mission, I am the senior (along with Greaves Elder) missionary in my area. I think it is going to be a stressful transfer. But a good one!
We had an awesome program with a less-active with the senior sisters. I was playing double-translator (sisters into Hungarian, the less-active into English), but it was great! We talked about how to keep the Spirit with us. Sometimes it feels like the Sunday School answers of "Read your scriptures. Pray. Go to church." are too simple and we want something deeper or more. In a cool coincidence, there was actually a talk about that in this month's Liahona (the church's magazine) about how really those are the best answers. And I was thinking, I have been able to read a lot of books by the apostles and prophets and other general authorities, and they have been super interesting, but really, all of those books are based on the scriptures. The member said it best, when she said, "Well, Christ really said everything. I don't know that anyone could say it better than him!"
I have been given a calling of sorts here! I have been helping Sister Watts teach Primary, but I have been given my own calling-- secretary in the Young Women presidency!!
In our ward mission meeting yesterday, after reviewing the giant list of people Sister Watts and I had looked up, our mission president announced (jokingly) that it would be my responsibility to reactivate everyone. Haha. He told me one a month wasn't enough! Haha :) Sister Watts and I HAVE been working really hard to strengthen the ward! I hope it pays off!
Had a cool program with an investigator with a returned sister missionary. I have to say-- I am looking forward to the day I can express myself that effortlessly! Obviously, I can speak this language about a billion times better than I could when I first came here, but it would still be easier in English. One thing I have learned, though, from speaking and teaching in another language-- it is always best to simplify the gospel when teaching it. For a long time, I was forced to, and actually that was really good. Sometimes, I have a tendency to throw a ton of information at people at once. Not the most effective way to learn! So, I am grateful for that! Also, I have learned that, really, my ability to speak aside, God is the one teaching. Yes, obviously it is important how well we explain it, but, in the end, the person is going to have to make the decision themselves with God whether or not these things are true. I think we are really more inviters or introducters to the gospel. And then, people take off!
Our mission president was here this weekend! We were able to have dinner with him, his wife, the other Debrecen missionaries, a member, and an investigator. We had a lot of fun eating delicious paprikás csirke on ironed bedsheets (sometimes you have to get creative here :P) and it was so good! The investigator said at the end that he just felt so GOOD in the circle of smiling faces! We told him that the gospel makes you happy :) And it is so true!
Had some fun tracting adventures-- we actually tracted into an exchange student studying here at the university. He is from China and we had a cool discussion about the scriptures. At the end, he gave us Chinese cut-outs! Seriously, the most random things happen on my mission! I love it :)
This next week is going to be even better! Service projects, Young Women activities, a ward Halloween party, possible SNOW (it will be Sister Watt's FIRST)! I will keep you all updated! We are currently making blankets with the YSA, though, as a service project, so I have to run!
Love you all! Jók legyetek!
McKenna aka Kramer Nővér
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