Hello Happy: Joy of Service - Brooke Gertsch Update 1/23/17

Brooke's contact info:

brooke.gertsch@myldsmail.net

Woah, where did January go? There have been many days that have felt really long. But in the grand scheme of things, they all pass extremely fast. For one, I cannot comprehend that in a short week and a half, I will be hitting my 14 months on my mission and one year in Hungary! Time is a precious thing and I continue to try to enjoy every single minute.

Making töltött káposzta with the Elders and Johanna on P-day! Töltött káposzta is stuffed cabbage. sooooo good!!

At the beginning the year, a new focus was added on for our mission, service. President Szabadkai challenged all of us to find opportunities to serve in the local community. Here in Győr, we have been blessed with the chance to serve in a "idősek otthong" or old folk’s home, as well as a home for adults with special needs. In all honesty, these experiences have been some of my most favorite on my mission. Getting to see others in such a simple way of just being a friend to talk to makes me want to continue to go back again and again. I could see the light of Christ in their eyes when they smiled and felt the Holy Ghost even when we were just talking about this neni’s garden.

This week, we visited the special needs facility with the Elders and the AP’s. We spent the whole evening with those sweet souls dancing and singing, talking and telling stories. By the end, my cheeks hurt from smiling for hours straight. Although I was technically there to serve them, it was really them that helped me to see the beauty of life and they lifted my spirit. And the most touching thing happened at the end of the evening. As we were leaving, they all ran into their rooms and grabbed their favorite stuffed animals and gave them to us to take home. Most definitely shed a few tears. I love those people and am so thankful for the opportunity I had to spend time with them. I recommend making time to somehow serve in the community. I promise you won’t regret it!

^^These are some of the stuffed animals they gave us at the special needs facility.

There also was Missionary broadcast this week from Mission Headquarters, and some of the General Authorities spoke to us. I will be honest with you...For the past few weeks I have become so focused on numbers and with time flying so fast, I don’t want to leave not having done everything that I could have! It had been weighing me down for a while and my view on things had become extremely blurry. But within a couple of minutes of watching the broadcast it all became clear again and the words from the Apostles were exactly what I needed to hear. So comforting. And a good reminder to me that this is the Lord’s work, not mine. and I, nor anybody else around me, decides what is success and what is not. There were a few changes made in the schedule and with the work - all of which I feel and know were revelation from above! The entire time, my heart was filled with so much love and appreciation for the leaders of our church. They are, without a doubt, inspired of God and we are so blessed to have the to help guide us in today’s world.