January 14, 2014

Well, I guess I should say that the first big news I have here is that we just got our transfer calls. I am staying in Buda, and I will be TRAINING! My poor companion, Elder Olsen only had 4 weeks in Budapest! Haha. But at least he got to have Christmas and New Years here. I am really enjoying the results of this transfer! A lot of really awesome people are moving into our district, and I'm not district leader (which means I don't have to give trainings every week)! Haha. Also, 3 of 5 guys in my group are training right now, and I will get to see them at the big meeting tomorrow. Tomorrow also marks my year in the country mark, so that just adds to the craziness! 

This last week was pretty hard for me though. It seems like everyone I met with last month disappeared, but they always tell me to call back... and don't answer their phones. Or they set up with us, and don't show up. Or they drop us. Besides a couple really good investigators, most everyone has been a really big punk! Plus just the fatigue of everything else has been driving me crazy, and I probably would have just given up a few days this last week if my greenie fire filled companion didn't push me along. 

We did have some cool things happen though- We made Paprikás Csirke on Monday, and it turned out soooo goood! I bought a voice recorder to use during lessons (if the investigators let me) and we can go home and review all the words we didn't understand/ mistakes we made, and to send home voice recordings! If it works, I want to send one or two home today! 
We also went tabling for a little bit one day, and met 2 suuuper crazy guys. One came up to us and told us that we were hypnotized by the Russians. He told me to google "hypnotism" and said that I would thank him one day! 
 Another guy kept talking to us about nothing for 45 minutes, and gave us an "ancient Hungarian saying" from the "original Hungarian religion." His words of wisdom were: The taste of the Lord is sunlight. Take it as you will. 

Something else awesome- 3 friends from Miskolc, my last area, came up to get their Patriarchal blessings, which was super awesome! One of those friends is dating our ward mission leader here, and he proposed to her that night! I'm so happy for them! I also got to see Ágoston, who is the one that emailed you guys for me. We even went to lunch the next day! 

 So, Elder Olsen found a sssuuuuuuppppeerr awesome guy in his first area, who ended up getting baptized not too long ago. Well, he was up in the city for work and came to church a couple weeks ago, and brought his friend who was cool, but  not too interested. But then just this week, his friend to church by himself and wants to meet with us now! Crazy, huh?

I also got a letter this week from Brent, with a story that he wrote in 1st grade! Haha. Mr. Talks all the time. What a stupid story!

Yesterday, was by far the best day of the week. In the afternoon, we went to the church to meet a guy for the first time who we had talked to on the street a couple weeks ago. He didn't show up because he is "in Trannsylvania for work" so we hit the streets for a time. The first guy we talk to on the street spoke perfect english and at first didn't want to talk to us, but Elder Olsen is such a charismatic speaker, he became pretty interested and we traded phone numbers and set up a time to meet! Soon, we had a lesson with a recent convert, who is a 40 year old lady. Afterwards, she offered us a ride home, and I accepted, but my companion reminded me that in the White Handbook it says not to accept rides from just one lady, so we were good missionaries and walked home. On the way back, in the exact same spot where we met the other guy, we stopped a British dude who was overly enthused to talk to us. He was talking really fast, and kept saying how much he lovestheChurchofJesusChristofLatterDaySaintsandhewantstobuyabunchofmaterials from us or something. We were like, "Calm down, we can give that stuff for free!" We were kinda sketched out, but we traded numbers and set up a time to meet on the same day as the other guy. Then on the way home, we also met the Sisters' investigator, and one of our own investigators and his girlfriend, who is a member. All I could think was, "Why would I stop streeting now, maybe everything I touch will turn to gold!" but I was quickly humbled, because that wasn't the case. Darn you, real life! 

Yup, that was my week!
Love you all! 

Love,

Elder Young