Hello Happy: Week 30 Update: JUST WHEN YOU GET COMFORTABLE!

Brooke's email address: brooke.gertsch@myldsmail.net

JUST WHEN YOU GET COMFORTABLE!

Well, this week felt like 2 weeks in one. SPOILER… I’m not in Szeged anymore! I will get to that in a quick second.

4th of July was pretty dang fun. We went to Burger King (so American, I know!) and had pulled-pork sandwiches and did a ropes course! No fireworks, but it was still a super fun day. Not going to lie, I have no upper body strength and watching me have to spend 20 minutes getting through the hard courses must have been really entertaining. I have the bruises to prove I made it!

But on to MISSIONARY STUFF! One of the harder weeks of my mission. For one, we had a few of our investigators that we met with for so long, just decide they didn’t want to meet any more. I had grown so attached to these people and really loved watching them feel the Spirit and become happier people. Free Agency can be such a hard thing to be patient with.

As upset and discouraged as I felt, my companion and I tried our best to find a new perspective and more motivation to find. And then Friday morning came. We were in the middle of studies when the phone rang and it was President Szabadkai. There was a Sister that had to go home to have surgery, so the next monday (3 days later) I needed to be in Budapest to meet my new companion and then move from Szeged to their city, Duna Újváros. So I had to pack up - still don’t know how I get everything in 3 suitcases, but I did - and had to say goodbye to my family and home in Szeged. It was incredibly hard. I was already stressing about having to leave in like 5 weeks and now I was leaving incredibly soon. I do not like goodbyes and I had to say so many! These people had been so welcoming and showed me so much love and compassion. They have helped me grow in so many ways. As I stood leading the music in Sacrament Meeting for the last time, I felt nothing but overwhelming gratitude. I have had the opportunity to spend almost a third of my mission here in this beautiful city with these beautiful people. As hard as change is , I thank my Szeged family for all the love and support and they will always hold a special place in my heart! I am really excited to meet new people and love them just as much!

I got to Duna yesterday and it is a lot smaller than Szeged, but it is charming and most definitely a new adventure! My new companion is Brantley Nővér and she is so adorable and sweet. She is actually a group below me, so I am now senior companion in my third transfer! It was daunting at first but as we started working together we are realizing how much fun this is going to be and how much we are going to learn and grow! So get ready to hear some crazy new stories in the weeks to come!

Above: My Szeged companion on my right and my new companion on my left

I seriously love being here and seeing what each day brings. I’m so thankful for a Heavenly Father that knows what I need to improve but also always giving me the strength and perspective to keep going, even when it’s hard and scary. I have absolutely loved Szedged and will miss it dearly and will be back to visit as soon as possible! But I have such a good feeling about his new city and it’s only my first day here, haha! I will have more to update on next week, so stay tuned!