in two weeks I will be on an airplane to Hungary.
OH MY GOSH IN TWO WEEKS I WILL BE ON A PLANE TO HUNGARY
Brooke "escaping" from the MTC |
hahaha I cannot even explain what I am feeling!!! But overall, I would say that I am so excited. In my journal I write "Day #" for each entry and for today it is Day 48. That is a lot of days in the MTC. I now know what Mace meant about the food and how old it got haha. This morning I switched things up and had a piece of toast with peanut butter and bananas on it and it reminded me of something grandma would make!!! Okay but MOM last week I had a meal that I cried when I took a bite because all I could think about was you. Wanna know what it was? CHIK-FIL-A. haha yeah they had a night where they catered in the MTC and I went so crazy and really thought about smuggling a bunch of Chik-fil-a sauce because I wont have it for the longest time! Definitely one of my favorite moments of the week.
Chick-Fil-A... OUR FAVORITE!!! |
Another was this past friday. It was our first opportunity to do Skype TRC- which is where we have about 30 minutes to share a spiritual message with a member and we had been doing that for the past few weeks as I mentioned, but this week was the BEST because we got to Skype with a member over in Hungary!!! This was our first actual interaction with a Hungarian and I didnt even feel an ounce of nerves because it was outweighed by my desire to meet them! We got to meet with a woman named Edina and she was such an angel with such a sweet smile and spirit!!! Once again, it was so very humbling because we are reminded we have so much learning and progressing to do, but I felt the spirit so strong as we exchanged our favorite scriptures and how they have helped us in our lives. There was a moment when she shared a scripture in 2 Nephi 3:21 that said something like "and the weakness of their words will I make strong unto their faith." That just so happened to be the scripture I had found the night before after having a panic attack about being so overwhelmed with the language and it comforted me. But having her share it IN Hungarian and to be able to understand which scripture she was reading along with her testimony was so reassuring about my purpose here and I have never felt more connected the gospel. The Book of Mormon is so easy to be likened unto our lives and I cannot go a day without reading it because I find something that I needed to hear every day! So yeah. that was such a great experience and my love for my mission and the people in it are growing more and more. Can't even imagine once I get there!!! I also got to wave hello to one of our friends Janka while she was skyping with some of the elders and I hope we get to talk with her in the next two weeks! Also, Csolity Nővér (the sister missionary from Hungary serving in Arizona) leaves tomorrow and our entire district is so heartbroken! She has become a part of the family and we have developed such a strong connection just having the opportunity to have her teach us and tell us if we are saying things right and just getting us so hyped up about getting there!!! She has the biggest heart and such a strong testimony. I know that once we are done with our missions we will still be close friends.
Gertsch Nover and her companions with Csolity Nővér (Sister Missionary from Hungary serving in Arizona) |
So many people ask how the language is going and it is so funny because it really fluctuates! One day we will be in class and I will feel so confident and that I have learned so much and then another day I will be in a lesson and not even remember a word of vocabulary! Before skyping, I was having such a bad attitude and getting so down on myself because I just want to know everything and be able to express my feelings and what I believe! Sometimes I forget about that simplicity I had talked about at the beginning. But now after getting that 2nd wind and boost of motivation after talking with Edina, I dont know if its a touch of the gift of tongues, but I try to say everything I can in Hungarian and i dont completely fail! And it comes little by little. I'm not complaining! I just want to fast forward and be able to talk lots and super fast pretty much every day. But one lesson I have learned (am still having to learn) is to live in the present. Live for today. I have seen myself so unhappy when I look back at how things used to be and incredibly stressed looking ahead at what I have to deal with and I forget about what is right in front of me! And to look at all the blessings. I have so many amazing people around me and have discovered my testimony and am being so spiritually nourished and feel the spirit every day. Life is so good. And I hope to help others find that happiness I feel too.
I also just wanted to take a second to say how BLESSED I am with my teachers. We have Robinson Testver that is so sassy and deals with our crazy district and is so patient as we continue to ask week one questions in week 7 haha. Rupard Nővér is super cool too. she is straight up hipster and everything i wish i was haha she not only dresses with such style, but she is so sweet and understanding of where we are. They both are. We feel so much love from them and we have so much for them! This last week both of them came in and it was so funny/sad because at dinner we were talking about how it oddly felt like complete like our entire family was together because we had both of our "parents" (as it feels). Yeah I could go on and on. I love them so much and would not have the courage and comfort I have if it werent for them and thank them for MINDEN. (EVERYTHING).
Budapest, Hungary District |
One of my favorite quotes of the week: "Sometimes you dont have to know how it works, you just have to know that it does work."
Favorite Scripture of the week: D&C 31:3-7
"Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come. And your tongue shall be loosed and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.
And you shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Jospeh Smith Jr. You shall begin to preach from this time forward, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned.
Therefore thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worth his hire. Wherefore your family shall live.
Behold verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.
Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand."
*I LOVE these scriptures because, once again, they are so applicable to my life! To have the knowledge that if I serve a faithful mission and try to be the best missionary I can be, my family will be watched over and protected and that the people I will serve will have their heart open if I consecrate myself to the Lord. SZERETEM A SZENTIRASOK. (I LOVE THE SCRIPTURES)
Favorite funny moment with companions: SO being in the MTC, you start to forget sooooo much about real life. And something I have been experiencing so much lately is that my music memory is leaving me! One night my comps and I were talking about songs we love, and I was telling them about a song called "I Don't Want to Love Somebody Else" and I still cannot remember the name of the artist, but I knew that they sang another mainstream song that was on the radio forever but i COULD NOT REMEMBER THE SONG FOR THE LIFE OF ME!!! And we decided to try to figure out what it was after we had turned the lights out, and that was a bad idea, because I was not going to fall asleep until I figured out what it was. I was going crazy. It is such a scary moment when you cant remember something that used to be so important to you!!! Music was my life and thank you ali for sending me a list of songs I can sing while I run or shower haha. But anyway- so at least a half hour went by and we had started to move onto talking about something else and then Mason Nover in a quiet, raspy voice, sang "Say something I'm giving up on you..." and then Roche Nover and I jumped out of our beds and darted across the room and jumped on her and laughed so hard because she had just had like personal revelation or something! Hahah this was probably like a "you had to be there story" but it was so funny and I died from laughing so hard. So I thought I'd share. I love my companions.
And that is it for my 7th week! 7 days full of ups and downs, some super delicious MTC food, lots of laughs, lots of scripture reading, and SO much love I have felt from my Father in Heaven through the tender mercies I feel minden napot. (every day)
I miss you all so much! But love you more than anything! Can't wait to have Hungarian adventures to share in emails! Have a great week and know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers! Thank you for being you and for all the love and support.
Sok szeretettel,
Gertsch Nővér :)