Week 34: Zucchini Bread Softens Hearts

MIRACLES The miracle of zucchini bread with angry neighbors. Every morning we run, then we come back to our apartment and finish our workout. We live on the 9th floor of a 10 story building. When we come back to finish our workout, it consists of many squat jumps and running in place... let's just say that I didn't think through how that would be effecting the people below us. After one especially intense morning workout, my companion hopped in the shower and I heard a battering on the door. I looked through the tiny eye whole and there stood a very angry looking Hungarian woman. I rushed to get my companion and when we finally opened the door we got yelled at for a couple minutes. Oof. I felt a little hurt and annoyed, not sure why but I closed the door on her and felt so angry. After stewing in annoyance and anger throughout the day, President Nelson's 5 steps entered into my mind, especially the last one: end conflict in your personal life. I decided I wanted to do something nice for her. While on our exchange the next day, sister Olsen and I made fresh zucchini bread and decided to give it to her. We miraculously got into her part of the building and as she opened she was so touched saying "this wasn't needed," But then went on to explain how she has been "suffering" from the people who lived above her for years! (Ohh elders.) She expressed how at one time there were 6 of them! And another time they left the water running for 3 days! Moral of the story is I think we were able to mend something that had been running deep for many years, and now she has a much more positive view of the missionaries. 

😌 HIGHLIGHTS I got to see my trainer again!!!! Ah it was amazing. She came with her parents and they took us to dinner we talked for the entire time about our little city that we served in together. It was so fun to reminisce with her, also she is ENGAGED and getting married in a couple months. Repül az idő! (time flies!)

We struck up a couple cool conversations this week. One of which was on the metro, and guy and two girls. We talked to them about why we are here and some basic beliefs, and asked if he would be interested in meeting up and learning more. He said yes! The other girl also gave us someone that she said may be interested. It was seriously a "Preach my Gospel" moment. 

On top of this, as we got off the Metro a man followed us off who had been sitting next the the guy we had had a conversation with. We talked to him for the next 10 minutes as we traveled home and invited him to church.. guess what... HE CAME! soooo cool!

We had a lesson with our friend named C in a beautiful park/ island in Budapest. We talked about Jesus christ and she expressed to us how she does not feel a close relationship to him. We promised her that as she reads the Book of Mormon, she will begin to strengthen that relationship. We met two more girls who sat right across from us on our way to teach some lady English and a spiritual message. She lived almost two hours away so we had a bit of time to speak to them. We ended up basically teaching the entire plan of Salvation. They seemed pretty set in their beliefs (or non beliefs) but we could tell the questions we asked them really made them think about God and our purpose here on earth. 

The woman we taught English to lived past some rusty old train tracks. She had sent her husband to walk us to their house, but we were unaware. So we saw a random man waving to us and tried run away from him! Haha but we found out who it was and finally made it to the lesson. The woman was very kind and grateful and offered to pay us for the English books and lesson we taught. We also missed our train and had to wait a bit, and she offered to let us stay at her house until it got there!

The last experience I will share is how we got to have lunch with a Ukrainian woman named A. She is a member, but the woman living in her flat (also from Ukraine) is not. A made us traditional "Borscht" and at the end lunch A's friend joined us. We shared a verse from the Book of Mormon. A's friend spoke no English and very little Hungarian, but she was able to read from A's Ukrainian book. At the end she asked if we could all say a prayer. She emphasized that it didn't matter what language it was in because God knows every language. We got a text later that day from A saying this: "I came home and her friend V wanted to read the Book of Mormon 😮😊 I was very pleasantly surprised, so I gave her my book of  Mormon and now she reads this book with great joy 🙂 Thank you dear missionaries!" 

 There is joy in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the joy. He is the comfort. He is the missing link, the piece we are searching for. Alma 33:23-And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.