Week 11: Baptized in ❄FREEZING❄ water and music video in Budapest!🎅☃️

 

Ah Rikárdo was baptized!!! I absolutely loved Rikárdo baptism. It was so sweet and simple. It really made me appreciate a couple of things. I felt so grateful for was the ward members and their faith. Our branch is super small, but they serve the lord with their entire hearts. Ildiko brought süti (baked goods) and drinks. Her husband lead the meeting, gave a talk, and baptized Rikárdo. Rikardo really wants to follow Jesus christ. You can just see his desire to follow goodness and to be a good example for his younger siblings. 

I was reminded from him that to follow Jesus christ you just need the desire to do so. You just decide and make it a simple decision. I'm so excited to continue seeing his faith grow. The water for his baptism was also FREEZING. The water stopped working so the elders got there early to boil water and put it into the font. It didn't seem to work because when he stepped in his face was full of pure shock and he said "hűűű de hideg van!!" István gave him a hug in the water and stroked is head and his face with the water to get him used to it. After he got out, ildiko grabbed a blow dryer and dried out his hair so he wouldn't be cold.. they all just took him in like a family member.

We sang Christmas hymns on Fashion Street in Budapest! We were up to Budapest to initially film a Christmas singing music videos we had to stay the night. The AP's asked everyone if we could all stay and go Caroling, we said of course! I think it was about 20 degrees and pouring rain, but we sang nonetheless! 

While we sang, Missionaries would break off and go talk to people standing around they'd hand out pass along cards and Books of Mormon and tell them about the church of Jesus christ and why we were here! It was so cool to see how even though it was freezing and all our Hungarian pronunciation wasn't perfect, we brought people together. We gathered quite a large crowd around us at one point! I've never been colder, and I and to lead all the songs, but so so worth it. Christmas is the best! 

Christmas markets in Győr!

We made gingerbread cookies with a member in our ward her 5 year old son Máté. 

Staying overnight at the sisters place in Pest! We got in pretty late after the music video, but still had a good pasta night. 

REAL TALK. 

I KNOW my mission may look like all fun, and it IS! But there are definitely hard moments.  The language is HARD. Sometimes connecting with people is HARD. Being away from those you love can be HARD. But these hard times are so so worth it for getting to help other people find meaning in their lives. I know what I'm here to do and it gets me through all those hard moments. I couldn't do this without God. 

 Madeline (Jones Nővér)

Video of Christmas in Győr Hungary-