The Christmas Season! It is... Here?! (Dec 16)

Thats right people. The time for Christmas is already right around the corner. It is not too late to go and spread Christmas cheer (by singing loud for all to hear! :) ). Christmas time is a little bittersweet for missionaries. While it is some of the best time to help people feel the love of Jesus and His life, it is also the time that people want to spend at home, with families, and don't really want to talk with strange young boys like us.. nevertheless, I will go and do! I know that God sent me here for a reason, so I am going to go and do those things that He has asked of me. 

In other news, we are back to the 2 man comp-ship. It is nice, a little quieter. but thats about all haha. Overall, it was kind of a slow week. We didnt find too many people that were very interested, but we did learn how to work together as a companionship, and grew a lot closer and are learning how to better help those people who need us right now, and even more importantly, need the Lord. 

Well, go and spread Christmas cheer. Go and help your neighbor, surprise a stranger with a gift, or just give somebody a smile. And try to be like Jesus. :)

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

Some pics ......or not. sorry, i forgot my camera AGAIN. but i promise, i will have some soon. :) love you!!!!!!

The end of the 3! (Dec 10)

Well, the time has come! Elder Hansen is going home! he has been a good missionary and a great companion. he will be missed. On to other news, it was transfer week! so elder cutler and i are staying in Szeged for at least another 5 weeks! it has been fun, and we are ready for Christmas time, some of the best time for a missionary. :) 

outside of that, we had a really boring week. We did some tracting, some tabling, and even tried to ask some members for people they can help spread the gospel message to. Not a whole lot of people are very interested in hearing our message, but we will not give up! this work of the gospel of Jesus Christ going forth to all the world will not stop! We will let everyone know how much their Heavenly Father loves them, and wants them back to Him! 

Well, have a wonderful holiday season. Remember the One who gave Himself so we could enjoy true happiness, the one that made this season so special. Love you all!

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

here are some pictures from Szeged. love you!!

Here comes Christmas!!! (Dec 2)

Had a great November, but I am so looking forward to an even better December! December is a great time to reflect on our lives, and think about our Savior. This week, I was able to do a lot of thinking about how greatful I am for Jesus Christ, and how excited I am to be here in Hungary for Christmas! 

Overall, this week has been pretty same ol' same ol', nothing too exciting. We did decide to stop meeting with Tamás and his family. He was not progressing very well, and he just wasnt understanding things very well. Hopefully missionaries in the future will be able to help him. Because of that, we have only one person preparing for a baptismal date. Hopefully, though, more people will start to see the importance of this simple yet powerful act, and how much God wants all His children to return to Him! 

Well, interesting story for the week, I guess some food for thought. :) I had a dream the other night. That sentence in and of itself is kinda weird because I very rarely have dreams. When I woke up, though, i basically forgot everything hahaha. the only thing I remembered was the last scene of the dream. I was in a blank room, where there is nothing. The only thing is this table like thing, set up just like a cash register at the store, as if I had just been shopping. When I looked down, though, there was nothing on the table. But there was some...lady? (I think, could have been a man, but I have a feeling it was a woman) who had a computer she was looking at, just like the cashier at Frys would have. Then she turned to me and said "Minden rendben lesz." Which basically means "everything is going to be okay." I am not sure why I had the dream, and I am pretty sure that was my first dream with a full Hungarian sentence in it (which is super exciting!!!! hahah), but I though I would share it. And that it is true, everything IS going to be okay. Because Jesus Christ came to the earth and died for us, we can all experience the incredible peace and joy of knowing that everything will be okay. :) Minden rendben lesz! 

Well, hope you have a great week! Love you all! 

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

Part of the same view from before, just the tree now!

Now the other side of the apartment! That was the "back yard", this is the "front", looking out onto the street! more snow!!! haha. 

yes i know it is like nothing, but hey! This is snow! Like the white stuff that falls from the sky! and new for me. :) haha. 

Two of my favorite Szegedi people! Pál, on the right, is an RCLA who got baptized a few months ago, but is going through some struggles right now. He is such a sweet kid, and I love hangin out with him. :) And Ati on the left, who is like the absolute coolest kid ever! He is an investigator who is really wanting to get baptized, but is having a hard time with the law of chastity. This picture is actually right after my companions and I gave him a blessing of comfort. He is having kind of a hard time right now, especially with his mom, who just found out has 3 tumors in her digestive tract. :/ but he is still going strong, and loves hanging out with us, even going streeting with us! Love this kid to death!! 

My other awesome companion, on the phone at home. Love that kid. :) He is a super awesome missionary, but is going home in a week and a half! 

this is our district at the moment, with (left to right) : Elder Nabrotzky, from Canada, Elder Miller, the zone leaders. then Elder Hansen, me, Elder Cutler, from Idaho. and the sisters, Sister Kovács, from Kecskemét who was actually there when I was a greenie! So we have a little bit of history ;) haha, and Sister Burdick from Massachusetts. And there we are. :) 

one of my awesome companions, Elder Cutler. Right in front of the Szegedi Egyetem, or University of Szeged. Really pretty place, and pretty....? face. haha. :) love that kid!

Christmas time! This is in the belváros. This is a rénszarvas, and a very pretty one. :) 

more christmas time! Gotta love the pretty lights. :)

And more Szeged Christmas! Pretty tree right in the middle of the city! 

This is the fogadalmi templom, on Dóm tér, one of the moist beautiful places in Szeged. This is a really bad picture, but it is seriously gorgeous there!!

The Days are Short, and the Snow Will Fall! (Nov 25)

For those that arent familiar, I have lived in Arizona my whole life, in a place that doesnt see snow. period. So my whole life, I have been dying to see snow, live in it, watch it fall, satöbbi. I mean, I have visited snow a few times, going camping and as a day trip. But never really enjoyed it. But the time has come. It was snowing this morning on the way to the email place!!! I was so beyond excited. :) It is definitely getting colder, winter is coming, and along with it SNOW. :) 

Well, that was pretty much the highlight of the week. Other than that we had an investigator get married!! Very exciting! He is on bap date for the 10 of January, so that will be very exciting! 

Well, happy Thanksgiving to all those in America! Hope your endless amounts of turkey are yummy!  

Also, Christmas is coming soon!! I love this time of year. :) As we think more about the Savior, let us remember why He did the things He did for us, and let us show that in our lives to everyone around: the pure love He has for all men. 

Well, have a great week!

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

some pics! sorry i didnt take any, these are from my zone leader, Elder Nabrotzky, a Canadian! 

The first week of the 3! (Nov 18)

This week was lots of good. :) Not a whole lot of bad, although what is bad when you get to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people every day?!, but all around, tons of amazing, yet little, miracles. This week we didn't do a whole lot. We went tracting and found a guy who is pretty interested in English class and possibly the gospel. But when we were talking with him, he asked how we got in. We said "well the door was open. is that not normal?" and he said "well not really. just shut it when you go out."and when we went out, we realized that the door was locked, and it would have been impossible for us to open that door. Well I really don't know what  will happen with this guy, if he will even be interested in the gospel. But it was so neat to see how the Lord can make little yet powerful miracles happen right before our eyes to help His children. And this is just one example of many. 

Overall, the work is going great. We have 4 investigators now planning and preparing for baptism, and that is a neat feeling to have. :) Other than that, the tripanionship has been lots of fun!:) Living with one other elder was interesting but now with 2? Yeah, it will be an adventure. :) 

Well. I love you all. Remember why you decided to follow God and try to be like Jesus Christ. Then make a resolution to do even better. Because, that is what He wants. And that is how we experience the best happiness and most blessings, when we do what he wants. 

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

 Here is us with our WHIPS!!! they are so cool, and I am actually getting pretty good!! Elder Cutler is from Idaho and Elder Hansen is from California, Yorba Linda (Wow, that didnt make sense. Man, my English is getting terrible)

here is the view from the Tisza bridge in Szeged. at about 3:45. yeah, it gets dark FAST here haha.  

Another transfer week? (Nov 12)

Yep, we have another one. It feels like just yesterday I was leaving Kecskemét and coming to my second area, Szeged. but it will be a good transfer! I and Elder Hansen are staying together, and I will be killing Elder Hansen. But! we are also getting a new companion! Elder Cutler will be coming here! And this will be good! :) I am excited for it. 

Also, this week we had the neat experience of inviting a family to a specific date for baptism! They are a great family, a mom, Anita, dad, Tamás, 10 y o daughter, Vanessza, and 6 y o son, Kevin. They are excited to be able to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized! And we are excited for them. 

Other than this, not much exciting happened. We did, though, meet with an investigator, Ati , who is the coolest kid ever! He hasnt even been baptized yet, because of a Law of Chastity problem, but has decided to serve a mission! He is 24, so he will have to hurry with his decision about baptism, but he is going to be such a great elder!! He has even gone finding with us, talking with people on the street, and I can just feel how much he loves this gospel and wants to share it with everyone. :) 

Well, hopefully all is well back home. Love you all tons, and I pray for you nightly! And dont forget that you have missionaries close by you, and they are always excited to help. :) 

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

This is me, my comp Elder Hansen, my new Uni of Szeged sweatshirt :), and Ati! the coolest kid ever. :) this is right after our weekly soccer game!

this is us with Laci (another investigator, pronounced Lahtsee) and Elder Miller, from Salt Lake City, our zone leader! Really great guy. :)