Week of the Dreaded Phone Calls! (Nov 4)

Another good week! I think all of my emails start out that way. :) But it was! It was kinda hard, with so many hours and so few people to meet with. but! we are changing that! This week we got 5 new investigators! All of them were people we met on the street who were potentially interested in meeting with us, who I called later and set up programs with them! And yes it was very scary to call people, especially since I have been in Hungary for 3 months! But it was such a good feeling to know that I really am capable! I really can help people, even when I don't understand everything they say! 

Other than that, our week was pretty typical. Lots of time finding (tracting or streeting) and not too many programs. But! This week coming up looks a lot better. :) We are gonna rock it! 

Well, have a great week! Enjoy your November and the colder weather! 

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

 quick throwback to last transfer! Elders Decker, Erickson, Jones and Sisters Fowers and Hinckley. 

 bridge over the Tisza, means "City center bridge"

 one of the many treasures of Szeged, beautiful buildings! This is right in front of our street where we live. 

 some szegedi beauties! 

gotta love it here. :) this is in the belváros, or city center, called Széchenyi tér. very pretty! 

Another week, another city! (Oct 28)

Well, this week was fun! It started with moving cities, which is always so much fun, and ended with talking to people on the street with one of the coolest investigators ever! :) The in-between was kinda lame, looooots of walking and lots of people to talk to. :) I also have a newfound confidence in this language! not by ANY means am i where i want to be, and i definitely dont understand everything. but! i understand so much, and everyone that hears me talk tells me that i am doing really well and that i am even above average! that was a good feeling! haha. but i know it cant go to my head. besides the only reason it is working so fast, and coming so quickly, is because God needs someone to be able to communicate with His children the way they understand it. while it is fun to speak Hungarian, and I am so glad I am able to speak it, it is about so much more than me and my pride. I am here to help these people draw closer to Christ, and that is why God has given me such a talent for speaking. 

Also, we met quite a few people that saw us on TV the other week, and wanted to meet and learn more about us! Super awesome to see the many ways our Heavenly Father is spreading His word. :) 

Well, the work is moving along! And lots of people to talk to. 

Have a great week!

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

Transfer Week! (Oct 22)

Always a bittersweet week. This transfer, I found out I am leaving Kecskemét...! It is super sad to go, especially because we just had some ofthe coolest investigators ever start to meet with us. But, sadly, the time comes to leave. I cant even describe the feelings I have. I am so sad to leave, especially my first area, where I started my mission, and where I fell in love with the people and the language, and just everything. I am also excited, though, to go to a new place, this time Szeged. It is a super pretty city, Ive actually been there a few times on splits and what not. And it will be good to get a change of scenery for me. So it is sooo bittersweet! But change must come, I guess.

This week, though, has been really good! Kind of boring, nothing out of the ordinary, but good! We met with some people and are doing good at finding people who really want to meet with us! Or at least trying haha! Although one fun thing--I am pretty sure I drank alcohol yesterday! An old néni came out and gave us some "sweet grape juice". My companion was a little wary, but I didnt fully understand wat the lady was saying, so I didnt know to be wary. So my companion had me try it first, and boy was it strong! It wasnt necessarily a burning, but it was certainly stronger than a little grape jiuce! So that was a fun experience for me haha.

After that, life has been a little crazy, trying to get ready to leave my little town of Kecskemét. Well, Szeged, here I come! This will be quite the change..! But with God on my side, nothing can go wrong. :)
Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

The Week of Miracles! (Oct 14)

This week has been something special!! It started out with a Family Night with some members and an investigator, and it was so fun! We played some games, ate some food, and had a great time! The next day, we went out and moved some wood for some very very old investigators. (see picture, and that is my companion, Elder Decker) And it was not the most fun thing we could be doing. But it was worth it, and good to do service! 

We also had a very nice miracle. :) We met a guy while we were tracting. His name is Robi. Well, he came up to us. He asked us what we were doing, and then proceeded to ask us a ton of questions, who we were, what we believe in, and why, etc. And we didn't go knock on his door or go up to him--he came to us (in fact, we already knocked on his door, and the people who answered said they weren't interested!). And he was so prepared and ready to hear the message of the Restoration. He is already doing as much research as he can on us, and talking to everyone he knows about it! It is so neat to finally see someone who is ready to hear the gospel, and willing to work for it.He also watched some thing about us crazy mormons :) (I know you dont actually understand it (its okay, neither do i), but this was on prime time tv in hungary on the biggest channel, right before x factor! haha, super cool! Hopefully we have more people asking about us!!! 

http://www.rtlklub.hu/musorok/fokuszplusz/videok/223011

http://videotar.mtv.hu/Videok/2013/10/06/12/A_sokszinu_vallas_2013_oktober_6_.aspx  ) It is the little miracles, that take so much effort for us to see sometimes, that make it all worth it. And I have seen so many miracles!! 

We also met with a member, András, who brought his friend, Csaba, to the church so we could teach him. And it went so well! Csaba, the investigator, was very open and willing to really try out the church and see what it does for him. And he had his friend there, which was so great for him! If every member brought just one friend to the missionaries, or even just talked to them themselves, it would be amazing how many people we could help find God and His love in the world we have today! (Because lets be honest, in todays world, a lot of people are missing God, and need His love!)

Well, another week has flown by! Take care! Know that I love you and God loves you and wants the best for you, so listen to Him! 

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

Just a scary, superrr old, shed of an investigator. he is the investigator who we moved wood for. 

Literally (No Subject) just an update (Oct 7)

This week has been a rather slow one. Actually a really slow one. Most of our programs just cancelled or said "nest week" or just dogged us. It was kinda hard on us. But! We put our heads up and enjoy everything we can! Mostly we have been tracting. for quite a few hours a day. We have even started to show symptoms of "tracting fever", which is really us just acting weird...er than normal haha. But weeks like these are necessary. That way we can feel even happier at times like this last Wednesday, when we invited Máté, our 19 year old investigator, to be baptized! And he said yes! His date, for now, is Dec 14! Little while, but we feel confident that he will be ready and excited by then! 

Otherwise, our week had nothing too exciting. Other than I have eaten a lot of "máj". A kind of meat. And it tasted alright, it was just a weird texture. And then I heard that word again, so I decided to ask my companion what it was. Oh. It means "liver". So I ate a lot of liver in the last two weeks..... Missions are certainly full of new  experiences...! haha. 

Conference was also this week! :D For those who don't know, general conference, its full name, is when the prophet, apostles and other leaders of the church get up and talk to the world about all sorts of topics. For some reason it seemed to be that this conference was all about missionary work! It was like they were talking directly to me! I love hearing conference and listening to men called of God to lead His church here on the Earth. We also got to see it in English, hallelujah!!, because we have an old American lady in our ward who doesn't speak Hungarian, so we watched 2 and a half sessions (sad, but we will just have to wait for the Liahona to read the rest) in ENGLISH!!! haha. And it was definitely a neat experience. :) 

Well, I hope all is well! It is getting colder here, and I get to buy a new coat today, so I don't freeze this week! Well, I love you all, and I pray for you daily. :) 

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder 

well, this week was a little low on pictures. but here is one of this little really nice playground in the middle of a super not-so-nice falu hahaha. and the playground is super fun! :D hahaha

Sziasztok! From your favorite Flake Elder! (Sept 30)

This week has been one of the longer ones, but a dang good one! Overall, this work is hard, and the people don't really wanna listen. But when they do, and when we do missionary work, real missionary work where you teach people, help with their problems, join them in their search for the Savior Jesus Christ--that is when everything feels.... perfect. And that is real missionary work.

Well, this week has been very interesting.. It started with using our brand new WIHPS we bought! That was a ton of fun! It was certainly not easy to start out, but I got the hang of it after a while. And by the time I come home, I will be a pro! 

Our tracting this week started out with us tracting into 2 older ladies that talked about their husbands that died. Then, they started crying. It is amazing how much people are willing to show at the door sometimes, and then other times, people don't show an ounce of emotion at all.. But we helped the ladies feel better, and shared the message of the plan of salvation with them, that we will see our loved ones after this life. And that is some good news to be sharing with people! 

I have never been a big fan of soups. And since I have been here, most of the things we are fed are soups.. So i finally decided to just get over it, and eat it. Then one night, we even made it for dinner! And it was.. the best soup I have ever tasted. We threw some of the most random things in it, like beans and sausage and other veggies. But it was so yummy. 

We also got a new investigator this week! He is 19, named Máté, and he is really cool! He even rode a bike from his falu to the church building in the city, which has to be a good 20 or 30 min bike ride. He is very quiet, but really willing to listen and try out what we are saying! I am so excited to see where he goes with the gospel, cause he is pretty smart, and I have high hopes for him. :)

On day, we decided to go out tracting in our falu. It was a nice day, really sunny, and even a little warm. Then, suddenly, we see the darkest, scariest looking clouds. And they are moving--fast. So we said a prayer to know if we should stay out there, or go back to our apertment. So we decided to get outta there, and come back inside for an hour and do language study that we didn't do that morning. And right when we got near the bus stop, the rain came. And it came, hard and fast! Rain was pouring out of the thick, gray clouds! Luckily, we were only at the bus stop for a few minutes, then the bus came and saved us! But the strangest thing was that there was no reason for the bus stop to be there. Either it was late by 20 mins or early by the same. And neither seems very likely. It was just a good ole miracle. :) 

Okay, last thing, promise. :) We went out to a farm to have a lesson with a member and her nonmember husband. And while we were there, the family told us that they were getting ready to eat some meat. From their farm.. From one of the geese that were running around as we were talking to them... So, we got to see a goose get its throat slit, blood go pouring out of its neck for a good 90-120 seconds, and then get dropped into some boiling water so it is easier to feather it. And then the mom started to feather the thing. Well, I can now say I know why we call them goosebumps! But it was pretty gross. But way cool. :) 

Well, that was a glimpse into my week. :) Hopefully you made it through, I don't know how I did! 

Until next week. Take care! Love you all, and I pray for you daily! 

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder

Just me and my dork of a companion Elder Decker. :) Gotta love the kid! 

Just your favorite Flake Elder. :)

This is me and my midget investigator with his dad. How. Cool. Is. That?! :) 

Some awesome Kecskemét missionaries. :) That is Sister Fowers, from Missiouri, Elder Decker, and Elder Jones, from California. They are coool. :)

Good ole ward lunch!

Oh, you know, just a farm where you get to see goose heads get CHOPPED OFF!! haha.:) 

Just me and my dork of a companion, Elder Decker. :) Gotta love that kid.

Greetings from Magyarország! (Sept 23)

It is weeks like this one that I live for as a missionary. :) We talked to a ton of people, taught some people, got some members to help, and overall felt the power of the Spirit in this work. I went on splits twice this week, once to Szeged. If you ever get a chance, go visit Szeged, Hungary. It is one of the prettiest cities I have ever been in! I have visited a few times before, but I am continually astonished at the beauty of it! 

Anyways, nothing too exciting happened. And while it was a great week, it was still pretty boring haha. But I love every second of it. :) it is so exciting to know that I am helping these people find God and come closer to Christ. My companion and I have been called "faith changers" a lot this week. But we aren't that. We are "hit építők" or faith builders. We don't like to change what people believe in, just help them and give them more to believe in, and a greater understanding of what and who God is. 

Well, anyways, this week we had a lot of fun walking around a Renaissance Fair type festival, with a ton of booths. It was good to take a look and enjoy the Hungarian culture! Well, that's all. But I love you all! And I pray for you all daily! 

Sok szeretettel,

Flake Elder