Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Here's to growth! Brooke Gertsch - Week 15 Update

Brooke’s contact info - I know she would love to get updates on all of you as well!!! 


Gertsch Nover
1122 Budapest
Hajnoczy Jozsef utca 14
Hungary


Another week here in the beautiful city of Szeged!  Honestly, I have never experienced such a beautiful spring in my life!  Here’s a quick rundown of this past week:
  • I said “szia” (see-ya) to one of my pairs of shoes this week.  We went to go find a less-active that lived way out in the middle of nowhere and walked so far, the sidewalks disappeared.  So we walked a long way on the side of the road.  Turns out the address was wrong so we headed back towards the city for another program we had scheduled.  As I was walking along the road, I took a step in this big, huge mud puddle, and my entire foot was covered in mud.  We didn’t have time to go home and change shoes (or buy a new pair for that matter) so we ran down to the shore of the river which was right next to us.  It was quite the sight to see.  Definitely not one of my most functional and proud moments, but made for a great story.

  • I finally got to meet the sweetest soul who’s name is JANKA!  She and I had met on social media before I left home and then she wrote us in the MTC and we got to teach her on Skype in the MTC too.  There was a Young Adult Conference in Szeged this weekend, so she came down and we got to hang out!  She is pretty much the coolest!
  • I think I died and went to heaven.  After going to a dinner program with the Senior couple - Elder and Sister Howell - we were driving back and came upon this HUGE flower field.  A field of Cannola flowers.  They were nice enough to pull over so we could frolic in them and take some pics!  It was definitely an “I must be in Hungary” kind of moment!
  • This week I also felt the transition of being a “greenie” or new missionary to NOT being a new missionary because I am on my second transfer!  AH!  One moment in particular, was extremely painful and I wish I could take it back, but of course, you can’t.  My companion was talking to an investigator about the Book of Mormon and I could tell that she was wrapping the lesson up, so I started to plan what I was going to say for the prayer, because 9 times out of 10, they call on me because I’m more quiet out of the 2 of us.  As I am thinking of things to say in Hungarian, all of a sudden all eyes turn to me, and I frantically look at my companion and she whispers to me, “testify”, and not one word comes to my mind.  Bearing my testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Christ is one of the only things I know how to do!  But for some reason, I was given a stupor of thought and immediately regretted letting my mind unfocused, even if it was for a minute or two.  I wish I could say i recovered, but I didn’t and couldn’t believe that I let the person we were teaching, my companion, myself and Heavenly Father down by not testifying of truth at that moment.  It made me realize and recognize how many opportunities I am given to bear witness and that I need to step up my game and step out of my comfort zone and be brave.  At first, after that experience, I let myself get upset and question if I can do this.  But instantaneously, I get this thought rush through me of “you live and you learn.  LEARN FROM THIS BROOKE!”  And honestly, from that point on, it has rejuvenated me and motivated me to push my boundaries.  I’ve learned that I never want to regret not speaking to people, so I have started talking to people when we go tracting (something I was too scared to do before) and always share my testimony, even if it is short and simple.



“We had an American Breakfast for dinner last night with Elder & Sister Howell and the Elders.  I WAS SO HAPPY!!!”

I love being a missionary for countless reasons.  But one in particular, is that life is so crazy!  Some days you step in mud.  Some days, you miss home a whole lot.  Some days you get frustrated because the language doesn’t come as fast as you want it to.  But being here on a mission, I have never felt alone or weak, to the point of giving up. 

With all your love and support back home AND help from above, I can do hard things!!! I am learning A LOT about PATIENCE and PERSPECTIVE.  You can say that it is the right way to live, but until you actually put it to the test, that is when you learn a whole lot.  I can’t wait to learn even more in the next year


Here's to Growth!!

- Gertsch Nover  

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