Hello Happy: Brooke Gertsch Update - Recognize the little moments!

Brooke’s email: brooke.gertsch@myldsmail.net

Last week, as I was talking (emailing) with my little sister, Courtney, we both challenged each other to recognize the little moments each day that made us happy. At the beginning of my mission, I used to be really good at keeping track of them, but then I got lazy and stopped. But thanks to our challenge, I have so many moments, although they may be little, that I can remember and be happy all over again! Also made it so easy to write home this week! Each day there was something.

MONDAY (HÉTFŐ) -

My district worked super hard to meet President Szabadkai’s challenge and we got it! So as a reward, him and his wife took us out to dinner and a movie in Budapest! I had never seen a movie in Hungarian, but I’m glad my first movie was “Finding Dory”! It was so cute and it was really cool to be able to understand most of it!

TUESDAY (KEDD) -

We had interviews with President! They were for next transfer, which is coming up NEXT WEEK! So crazy. They went so well and I love our mission president so much. We have the best one out there! After meeting with him, I felt so much motivation to go out and work even harder. And what I’ve been noticing, is when I go out with that motivation, expecting to find someone, we always do. And today was the day that we found Zoltan! As we were tracting, and talking to the people over the intercom, he was leaving to go to the market. He was so kind to ask if we wanted to go inside the building and was holding the door open for us. As we explained that we were missionaries, he asked if we spoke English (then things got ten times easier, haha). He turned out to have met the missionaries at English class a long time ago. And then he started to talk about how much he appreciates us. Took me by surprise and almost got me crying! As we sit there day after day talking to people through this intercom, or even knocking on their doors, and not having anyone interested it can easily get me down. But Zoltan said so many things that reminded me of why I am here and I will forever be thankful for that. He seemed so ready to hear our entire message, but he actually doesn’t even live in Duna! So that was a bummer.

But I gave him a Book of Mormon and our testimonies attached and I have a feeling he might do something with it!

I also have found that I am addicted to giving out Book of Mormons. It has always been so hard for me, because I am scared of the possible rejection that comes with it, but if someone accepts one or wants one, it is the best feeling to hand over my favorite book and just want to give them a huge hug as well! I was extremely happy that day!

WEDNESDAY (SZERDA) -

Not too much happened today! But I did attempt to make Rakott Krumpti, which is a traditional Hungarian dish and it TOTALLY WORKED OUT! Can’t wait to show everyone when I get back! Working on those wife skills, ya know!

“RAKOTT KRUMPLI (layered potatoes)” Brooke explained to me that this is the same dish that the Horrocks, a couple from our ward that the husband served his mission in Hungary, brought to her farewell open house and it is now one of her favorite Hungarian dishes!!

THURSDAY (CSÜTÖRTÖK) -

There is a woman in the branch that had surgery this week, so we visited her and brought her this funny looking teddy bear/dog from a little store and when we walked in, she started bawling and grabbed it and held it like a baby the entire time we were there. It was adorable!

"The view from the woman’s hospital room that we visited. Who is in the most beautiful country right now? ME!”

FRIDAY (PÉNTEK) -

Our friends from English class, Linda and Zoltan (a different guy then I was talking about before!) invited us to a barbecue! But on the way, they stopped by some sunflowers because they knew how much I wanted to see them. Unfortunately, they were pretty much dead. But we took pictures and it was so sweet of them to think of me! I felt so loved!

SATURDAY (SZOMBAT) -

Today was “death day” where we could only speak Hungarian. It was actually a whole lot of fun! It really shows how much you actually know. We had another little miracle while tracting. We had one last csengő, or doorbell to ring and when no one answered, we went to leave. But just as we went to do that, this little néni comes shuffling out of her apartment and lets us in. Her name is Margít. And as we got talking with her, she could tell that we were not Hungarian so when we told her we were Americans, she threw her hand up, totally shocked and almost fell completely backwards! Good thing I worked at a senior assisted living center before and my quick reflexes kicked in! Haha, she was so sweet and was so patient with us and our speaking abilities and we had such a nice conversation about God and our purpose here on earth. Margít told us she was Catholic but she took a Book of Mormon. Margít was definitely the highlight that evening.

“Our Elders, Robers Elder & Jensen Elder that use a Personal Progress book as their tracting book… haha”

SUNDAY (VASÁRNAP) -

Fast and Testimony meetings always make me feel just so blessed to be here with these people. They have the strongest testimonies and inspire me to be a better person. Getting to look into their eyes and hear their stories and feel the power of The Spirit is like nothing I have ever experienced before.

Sorry, I just started rambling and i couldn’t stop! I just have learned so quickly that if we don’t get caught up up in the distractions all around us, and try our best to focus on the little moments, we can be so happy and our view on life can be so much clearer and I honestly believe that we are happier because Heavenly Father is please that we are recognizing His hand in our lives.