Hello Happy: BOLDOG ÚJ ÉVET! (Happy New Year!) Brooke Gertsch Mission Update

BOLDOG ÚJ ÉVET!

(Happy New Year!)

West Zone Christmas Conference

Christmas Conference - Talent Show (Győr District)

West Zone - Hungary Budapest Mission (& Santa Claus)

It was absolutely impossible to NOT get sentimental with 2016 ending. 2016 was a full 12 months as a missionary. I have said it before, but I will say it again (& again), this may have been the hardest year, but it also has been the best year of my life. I really have found myself and my testimony. I have never been so happy and felt so close to my Savior. And I know that I owe all of this to the mission and to my Father in Heaven. I am beyond thankful He sent me to serve the Hungarian people and to serve with these amazing missionaries. Kind of don’t want it to ever end! Just kidding Mom… I guess I will come home someday!

Christmas Dinner with Johanna and the Elders

Brooke and Sister Szabadkai - Mission President’s wife. Brooke’s caption for this photo is “I love Sister Szabadkai!”

Funny story for you:

This week, we met with Teri néni. She is a very Catholic néni that adores the missionaries and loves to feed them so she has us come over for lunch. I had never met her before, but the moment I walked in, she squeezed me and I felt like we were instant friends. As we sat and ate in her kitchen, she kept on worrying that I was going to be cold because my socks were thin. (my feet were just fine) But she insisted that I put my foot on her lap and she caressed it and rubbed it for the next half hour! And I have to admit I kind of enjoyed it! Haha, I love nénis more than anything! And we were able to talk about the Plan of Salvation with her and it was a great discussion because her husband died not too long ago. Being a missionary is the best!

Oh, also, another néni gave me her scarf because she didn’t want me to freeze. So don’t worry everyone, the néni’s have my back and I will not be cold this winter!

The beautiful city of Győr!

A lesson I have been learning these past couple of weeks is patience - patience in the timing of things and patience with other’s progression. We have a few investigators, but because of circumstances of previous beliefs, the progression is slow. We are having to take baby steps (and sometimes steps backwards) and it is hard for me because I love them so much and can see their full potential! But patience, of course, is a great lesson to learn and I don’t think the learning will stop, even when the mission is done! I am grateful for our investigations and pray everyday that I can help them in every was that I can!