Week #14 : BOLDOG KARÁCSONYT!🌲❄

December 27, 2021

Week #14 : BOLDOG KARÁCSONYT!🌲❄

We went to midnight mass! The mission president let all the missionaries go if they wanted to. So we went to bed 10:30 and woke up at 11:30 and went to mass, then came back and slept. So many people were there! It was beautiful but definitely so different from how I feel in our church buildings. But it was a super cool experience and I'm so glad we had the opportunity to see what it was like.

BOLDOG KARÁCSONYT!

Christmas Morning with my new companion Terry Nővér

Merry merry Christmas everyone! This week was awesome. How do you put into words all that happens in a week of missionary life? You simply cannot. We had Christmas meals with 3 of our friends! Each one was unique and so special.

The first was at our friend Ildikó and Istváns house. We went for Christmas Eve dinner. They made the most incredible food. It seriously tasted like it came from a 5 star restaurant. They are in their 60s and the most amazing members. So service oriented. They had also invited some non members and less actives, as well as their son and his wife and little kids. So it was just big group that felt like family. My companion, Terry Nővér played the piano while I sang silent night, and other Christmas hymns in Hungarian. I was so grateful for them. They crazy thing is is that none of these people spoke English. So I communicated with them all night the best I could in Hungarian. It's a lot of pressure to communicate with these people because If I don't say something, nothing will be said! (my comp is a little shy, and granted very new.) But it's good. And definitely pushing me in the language.

The next day we went over to the branch presidents house for lunch. They fed us and I talked for about and hour with them. I also shared a spiritual thought. After lunch, we drove around to ward members and less actives and caroled to them! We would ring their bell and They would open their windows. And we would just start to sing. They would try to let us in and insist, but we would just run back to the car. When we got to Piroska néni's house she was so adamant that we didn't leave without her giving us something, so she rushed to the kitchen and handed fresh baked süti out the window. She came up to us after church with tears in her eyes and couldn't stop thanking us.
This is just one of the texts of gratitude we got after singing to our friends.
"Thank you so much for coming to sing with us. Since then, my friend has written that her mom was so touched that she cried after we left. My dad and Piri said the same. Thank you for making Christmas so beautiful."
It was such a simple thing. Just about 2 hours from our night but it made the biggest difference.

On the day after Christmas we went to Heni and Atillas house. They fed us a classic Hungarian meal ( töltőt kaposzta) and even gave us little gifts. Heni and Atilla are not members but are so kind. We have become very close friends with them. At one point we all sat down and Heni brought out all the Books of Mormon we had given her. We all read them in a circle. She loves the Book of Mormon so much. She reads from it every day and always talks about how Moroni is her favorite. This is just a fraction of what I wish I could write about all these people. They are so kind, loving, patient, and truly christlike.

As a final spiritual thought I'd like to invite you all to read 4 Nephi. It's just one chapter but it's after right after Jesus Christ has left and his apostles are on the earth preforming miracles. It is recorded that these people are the happiest. They are united in Jesus Christ. There was no "manner of -ites, but they were all one in Christ." After many years of peace and just a page later, they become the most wicked people to had ever be on the earth. How? What changed? They forgot Jesus christ. They forgot what was important. Christmas is amazing. Christ is even in the name. But how can we not forget Jesus christ? Do the small things that remind of Jesus christ every day and you will continue to find what truly matters.

I was able to do a Christmas music video for our Facebook page! It is about having room for the savior. Here are the words in English and here is a like to the video. This message means so much to me. This was filmed with my last companion, the one who just returned home.

https://fb.watch/a9v6-k6P8N/

They journeyed far, a weary pair, they sought for shelter from the cold night air.
Some place where she could lay her head, where she could give her Babe a quiet bed.
Was there no room? No corner there? In all the town a spot someone could spare?
Was there no soul come to their aid? A stable bare was where the family stayed.
Do you have room for the Savior, and do you seek Him a-new?
Have you a place for the One who lived and died for you?
Are you as humble as a shepherd boy, or as wise as men of old?
Would you have come that night? Would you have sought the light?
Do you have room?

I now get randomly called upon to play music or sing in church. I played "In the bleak midwinter and and with my guitar this past Sunday.

The Mission President and his family sent all the missionaries a package since it's so hard to send things to Hungary. They made us this pillow case and his kids put these candies together with a beautiful card and message from their family.