Week 5

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Dear Family,

Can you believe that it has been 5 weeks? Ot het! Hungarian does not look nearly as cool when you can not put the accents and other funky things on the letters! I will probably be saying that the next several times til I leave the MTC, which by the way is in 3 1/2 weeks!

First off I keep forgetting to mention this and the district leader made me promise not to forget this time. Mom and Dad they are obsessed with the return stamp that you putt on the letters. the District leader gets the mail and so he sees the envelopes and everytime he and his companion go on and on about how cool it is.

This week has been good. The weekend has been lots and lots of sitting, like really.When you watch conference at home you can get up and get food or go to the bathroom or just stretch your legs. Not as much possible when you watch conference at the MTC in the gym bleachers. On Saturday, we went running around the MTC inbetween sessions and it was the best idea ever. Focusing for Saturday afternoon was much easier. We saw Presdient Nally and his wife and they told us we were brilliant. Also, right before that we had a question about if we could watch that MTC special and I was like lets go ask so I marched up there and then I realized wait can I just go up to the podium and ask the MTC presidency something? They were so nice though Sister Nally and I have a special connection. She might not know it exists, but I totally do. Have I told you about our other run ins? Conference was amazing though!

What was all of your favorite parts of conference?!

Dad, I totally agree with Granddad that it was the best ever :) I feel like I have always had questions answered during conference, but this time was different and not really in a way that I can put into words. I think my favorite session was Saturday morning. I loved Elder Bednar's talk about chastity, which is a funny coincidence because Elder Grigg said in his email home that that was his favorite. At first I was like I'm in the MTC that doesn't really apply to me and I was sitting next to an elder in my district and thought this might get weird. But no! It was a testament to me that you can always learn as long as you are humble and have an open heart. I learned a lot about how Satan works. He said that Satan wants a body so bad and is so resentful that we have them that he tempts us to use ours in inappropriate ways. I also loved Elder Cardon of the seventy's talk about addictions. And then I loved Elder Ballard's talk about the tomato plant and our unlimited potential and the priesthood. And of course Sunday morning when the prophet gave a shout out about Hungary??!?!? That's right Hungary matters, even though it is just my companion and I in the whole MTC learning Hungarian right now, it matters. And then of course how could you not like President Monson's story from his childhood and his talk on Obedience?! He totally rolled his eyes when giving it. Just saying. Remember all those times that you told me my eyes would get stuck like that? Our investigators "came" and really enjoyed Elder Holland's talk about believing and not necessarily knowing right at first. That one was so applicable to missionary work and investigators. PS did anyone watch the in between conference special on sunday about the MTC? I totally saw myself in the choir. Although it definitely was not worth it to stay and watch. My whole district regretted it.

There was another bat in the residence. People don't stay long at the MTC now (there aren't a lot of 9 weekers like myself or at least not on our floor of the residence) so the newbs hadn't been there for the last bat. No worries sister Grigg stayed calm cool and collected once again and called the front desk. Nbd.

Mom, thank you for the pictures. They were so you and so random.

Dad yes, my assignment is now that new one. the Sister Training Leader. At the MTC they have always had coordinating sisters but with the new assignment across the board for missions they are changing the title here. Also here you don't get callings you get assignments because we have all been already called and set apart as missionaries. Interesting right? I'm assuming it is like that in the field to. Also Dad, thank you so much for sending my your testimony. That was my favorite part of your letter :) Also I had thought that that was the first time we had a women pray in conference (I agree that I would think speaking would be a bigger deal) and I told that to my district and no one believed me expect for one elder then I got your letter and was like booya! I remember that Ally had told me that and I was surprised.

Vocal point came for the Sunday devotional! It was way fun! Such amazing singers. It is so true that music brings a special spirit. You know that verse in D&C about the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me. I know that we will be blessed for singing because when it is just Maxfield Nover, me, and our teacher singing at the beginning of the day in Hungarian (which is hard let me tell you) I feel that spirit. I actually really enjoy singing in Hungarian now! And I am beginning to love the language. We had a language assessment for portal study this week and it was super discouraging and we talked about it later with a teacher and I realized that in lessons with Zsolt and Andras, I feel like I do well in speaking the language because we have the spirit with us. We are teaching the gospel of Christ so of course my Hungarian would be better than! Speaking of Zsolt and Andras we got Zsolt to commit to a baptismal date and he is now working towards it. They both smoke and tonight we are teaching Zsolt about the Word of Wisdom and will start to help him overcome his addiction to cigarettes. Much harder to do in Hungarian, I must say. We figured out why andras has been hesitating and he poured his soul out to us about his childhood. It made me realize how important it is to get to know the people you teach so that you ensure that you are teaching people rather than lessons.

Tuesday's devotional was about revelation from Gerald N Lund. The thing that stood out to me the most was the fact that one of the reasons spiritual impressions come as impressions, thoughts, and feeling rather than a loud voice or vision is to protect our agency. Same with why an explanation doesn't come with it or detailed instructions. What I took aways was the fact that I need to be grateful for the small thoughts and feels the Spirit does give me rather than coveting bigger revelatory experiences. I need to seek more inspiration and revelation on that level rather than hoping and praying for it to be grander.

Ok well peace and blessings! I hope that you all had a great week and that this coming week will be wonderful as well!

Love you all and miss you,

Grigg Nover

Easter Sunday

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Happy Easter Family!

How did you all celebrate Easter?!

I hope you all had a fabulous Easter! Mine was very different than past ones. First off it was fast Sunday. Rough but so worth every hungry moment. And it made the Sees candy that Mom and Dad send so much better once I broke my fast. We had testimony meeting with our normal branch and then a giant sacrament meeting with the whole MTC and can I just say that was one of the neatest experiences of my life over 3000 missionaries. Bishop Causse, the presiding bishop, came and spoke and so did his wife. His English was excellent and she said that we all understand how she feels because many of us are learning another language. So true. It was really neat because then later that night after the devotion (who was Sheri Dew...can I just say I am soo blessed?!) we get to chose a recording of previous MTC devotionals to go watch and we went to an Elder Utchdorf one and his wife has an accent as well and she said the same exact thing. It is so true and I know that the Lord is helping us all with our language so that we can share the gospel with others. What matters more though is the spirit and when they were both speaking they were speaking to us with the spirit. Bishop Causse quoted Les Mis and then Sheri Dew showed and old candid camera video so its like I wasn't really at the MTC. It was a great day! Back to the sacrament part. It is like every Sunday we celebrate Easter because we are remembering the Atonement and bread and water of symbolic of Christ. Easter feels more like a time of starting over to me than New Years does because of that reason. And how amazing is it that we can experience that same feeling of rebirth and starting over all the time because of the Atonement? Something my branch president said is that through the Atonement our highs get higher and we still have lows but those get higher as well over time. What a great thought! I know that is true because I have seen is in my own life. This week has really been a testament to me of how much the Lord loves us and how mindful he is of each of us. He knows us, our needs and wants.

Mom and Dad thank you so much for the Easter Package because lets be honest Easter is about Christ and Sees candy right? (especially those chocolate eggs) and the conference Package! Imagine my surprise when I got a package slip at lunch and at dinner! So great. The sisters I live with oood and awwed over the conference package, which I loooved! You mentioned earlier that I need to keep up with my journal, but it me. I am almost done with the first journal.... problem. So if you ever feel like you want to send me something you could send me a pack of those moleskin journals I love and if you want to included the 2 skinny belts from my closet the brown and black braided ones those would be much appreciated. Dad don't worry the ones you got me for Christmas are being used. One is where I've had leaving missionaries write a little note. Loved the story about Billy.

Ok so yesterday's devotional was amazing! It was Elder Michael T. Ringwood of the seventy and he talked about enduring to the end. And that phrase has always reminded me of you, Mom, because of your name. You always said it in reference to “ette” like the end of you name. So that's a fun connection. Ok but he talked a lot about how we go on missions and the teach us how to endure to the end and then we teach our children and they teach their children. And a mission is where God teaches you everything you need to endure to the end for the rest of your life. He said that elder andersen came when he was a mission president in Korea and told those missionaries that how you judge how good a mission president is by the missionaries he teaches grandchildren. The whole devotional made me think about Grandma a lot because he talked about the plan of salvation and how missions prepare you for the greatest work ever which will be done within the walls of your homes. and then this morning I read Granddad's wonderful email to me and I almost bawled. But I kept it together. Ok so this made me think about Grandma because imagine how amazing her mission president must have been because she then went on 2 more mission with Granddad and look how many of her grandchildren have served missions and look how many more are in the process of going! It was amazing. And I felt her with me when I went through the temple and I feel like she is watching over me every day since I've got to the MTC. He said that when you have hard times think about your family who prays for you at home so I just want to thank all of you for that! And I know that there are others on the other side of the veil who are doing the same thing, like Grandma is. After Tuesday's devotionals we have district devotional review with the district and a member of the branch presidency and their wife and it was such a good one this week. Enduring to the end is probably the most important of the doctrine of Christ and it is the one as missionaries we do not get to see in our converts. It is a continual process of the first two principle of the gospel. Faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement and repentance. The gospel is perfect. That's all I need to say.

Last night the Branch President asked me to fill the role of coordinating sister for our branch. This means that when we get a new bunch of missionaries in the zone. I go with the zone leaders and we orient them a bit on Thursday night. Every night I will go visit all the sisters in the zone and make sure everything is good and report to the branch presidency. That part is going to take out huge chunks of my journaling time every night but I know it will be worth it. Also it takes out of class time during the week but since I am doing well with Hungarian that will be ok.

Wild thing, this morning when we went to our assigned temple session you will never guess who I saw there?! Tori Cornelison and her mom! Wild. The Mormon world is a small one. Speaking of temples a friend mailed me family names to do for him both male and female and the elders in my district were ecstatic to get them. Family History is great!

I didn't even mention my investigators! ok well since I guess that are just my teachers pretending it isn't that big of a deal. we asked Zsolt to read the first 2 chapters in the book of mormon because they are about a family following the Lord's will for them and we are trying to get him to see the importance of brining his family to church (he couldn't come to church this week but Andras came and loved it, they don't really come we invite and then in the next lesson after the weekend we say how was church we don't even give them the opportunity to say the weren't there...sneaky) and meeting with us and things. and he read all of first Nephi but then did read what we asked him to this last time. so there is something going on and hopefully tonight we will figure it out. Andras is doing well but there is something holding both of them back from baptism because they say they both don't know enough but that is an excuse.

I am beyond excited for conference. We get to watch the Young Women's broadcast while the elders go to priesthood. I've heard it is good! it will be different watching it here but good and then Sunday I have training for my assignment as coordinating sister.

Ok well peace and blessings

szeretlek

Grigg Nover

Second Email

I forgot to tell you the April Fools joke our teach played on us. He came in and said. Did you hear the good news? and we were like that you can email anyone not in your mission friends and family? and he was like no that your branch president got a call from the mission president in Hungary and the moved up your departure date. You are leaving in two weeks. My heart literally stopped. I thought I was going to faint. The only thing I would be able to tell them is that God love them and recite the first vision (that is right I totally have it memorized) (ok I'm exaggerating a little) I am super gullible. and we went on for a minute or two and he told us a week ago that they have basically taught us all the grammar principles because there is only 2 of us so they can go fast. So I believed them then I remembered it was April Fools and called him on it. It was all good after. But still heart sziv stopped.

ok love

Grigg Nover

Sister Grigg's district

The sisters Sister Grigg lives with

Enjoying some Easter candy

Week 3

Wednesday, March 27th, 2013 

It is P-Day!

First off thank you so much for doing my mission blog. I've had several friends tell me it is great so thank you!

Dad if you want to just send the link to the blog that Ally has created that would be great. Just send it out once to both lists, and we should be good. Thank you for the earphones. I gave the other pair to my companion. Gym is fun. It was more fun when all the Hungarians were here and there was also 2 great Spanish districts that had gym at the same time too. There are 2 gyms. One is more of a sports gym. Volleyball, foursquare, basketball, and a track. And some weights. The other is more of a fitness center like thing and that is were the headphones can plug in.

So the past week has been so good! Things are going very well with the language and my teaching skills are improving. We taught Andras for the third time yesterday and I think that was the best time where we were able to listen and teach by the spirit. He has been struggling with knowing that God exists and loves him and won't pray about it so after I talked about the Atonement I felt very impressed to have us all kneel down right then and ask him to pray. So I did and he said a lovely prayer and I think that conveyed how important we believe and know it is to pray. He said he felt good afterwards so we explained to him that was the Holy Ghost. He says the Restoration and Joseph Smith is very logical. What an interesting choice of word. Andras said he would be baptized once he knows that it is true. It was such a testament to me of how it isn't the missionaries who are converting people but rather it is the Spirit. We are merely an instrument in the Lord's hands. Zsolt we have now taught 4 times and we teach him again tonight. He said he wants to read more of the Book of Mormon before he will be baptized. Zsolt came to church on Sunday and said he enjoyed it, but it was way longer than any other church he's been to. That is true. Fun fact at the MTC, we don't do Sunday school and sacrament meeting is only 1 hour long. Then Relief Society is with all of the sisters in the MTC, which is triple the number it used to be. And they always have someone amazing come speak. Last week it was the primary general president. This sunday since it is Easter, there is a MTC wide sacrament meeting. How cool is it that I will be taking the sacrament at the same time as 3000 other representatives of Jesus Christ who were called by God to preach his gospel? One of the 12 is coming and since we made it into choir for the week, we are guaranteed a spot! I am so excited. Speaking of general authorities how amazing is it that we have a prophet who receives revelation from our Heavenly Father on how to lead the church? The more I learn and teach the restoration the more I know how true that really is and how much God loves us because he has given us prophets who lead us today. I am way excited for General conference coming up (also probably because that means that we don't have class or anything on that Saturday so good).

Dad you also asked about the food. Yeah it is pretty much the same about the Cannon Center. Some days better than others of course. It is really easy to eat healthy because there are plenty of fruits and vegetables.

We taught at the TRC last Thursday, which was our first time. We teach return missionaries as themselves. So that was neat. But it was more nerve racking then teaching our teachers because they know the level that we are at. But it was really good. The spirit was there and I know he was definitely helping my Hungarian out. As I think about the past 3 weeks (doesn't it feel like so much longer?) I realize how much that I have learned. I know that there is no way that any of that would be possible without the help of the Savior. Crazy that in 3 weeks I can teach a 45 minute lesson in Hungarian!

I got my first package this week! Imagine my surprise when I looked that it was from Sister Othote. I was almost in tears after I picked it up. I love the Young Women's program. I had such amazing leaders who even after 3 years out of the program are still thinking of me and love me! I got a letter from Sis DaRosa too, which was fun. It was filed and filled with her AMAZING cookies, which were still amazing. There were SOOOO many cookies so we shared with everyone under the sun. Poles, English, Czech, Fins, Huns, Greeks, Russians (I think they are taking over the MTC). But let's be honest, the elders in my district definitely at the most. Since the older Hungarians left we have been spending more time with our district, which is all Finnish. which is good.

Mom I threw away the box with Sis. O's address on it before I wrote it down do you think you could dearelder it to me tomorrow? You're the best.

I played the violin today for about an hour and Sis Cribbs (going to Finland) played the piano. We are thinking of doing a number in sacrament meeting but we'll see how it goes.

Love,

Grigg Nover

In front of the Hungarian flag

With all the Hungarian sisters

Did anyone get this kind of letter?

This was on the outside envelope of one of the letters Sister Grigg sent out this week. Seems to be turning into a pattern for her ...

Week 2

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

Hi again family!

So another week has gone by, and it was much faster than the first.

A few housekeeping things (I am so lame I know).

Send me your addresses! I wrote you letters this week, but Ally, Katie, and Billy I don't have your addresses. Dear elder them to me tonight or tomorrow so that I can put them in the mail tomorrow. And Mom and Dad can you send me the addresses of Granddad, and such? You are the best.

So exciting news! I have been singing in the choir here at the MTC (no easy feat, they only take a certain number and on Tuesday we got there 40 minutes early and almost didn't get a seat). At rehearsal and then when we sang at devotional they recorded us because in between conference session on the Saturday they are doing a thing on the MTC and we will be on it for singing. It is a really neat song that they commissioned just for us to sing for that purpose.

Really sorry. The more Hungarian I learn the worse my English gets. So the language. I was picking it up super fast until like Monday I kinda hit a rut. Tarsom (My companion) says that I am now just on a mortal level and I'm just frustrated because I am like everyone else. I feel like I have learned so many words and grammar principles and now they are all just floating around in my head and I am having a harder time getting them out. Hopefully in class tonight after Pday I'll be back at my normal pace. Our teachers tell us that we are way ahead than the older Hungarians were at our point because there is only two or us. We get a lot more help, especially when it comes to pronunciation.

This week I really gained a testimony of studying for my investigators first and then I will learn what I am supposed to learn from that. It was a really great experience. I have gained a love for the story of the restoration. It was never my favorite (that sounds really bad since I chose to go on a mission and all) but I LOVE it now and I am only beginning week 3. Think of how many more times I get to study it and teach it!

Speaking of investigators we finished teaching Edina, and we committed her to baptism and she asked a question. I had been doing really well on understanding what she was saying that lesson, and we discussed the priesthood and the Catholic church. We had already talked about how she had been baptized in the catholic church. So when I asked her if she would follow Christ's example and be baptized she said something and I thought she was saying how she still has lots of question about the Mormon church so I gave her a pen and paper and asked her to write them down but what she really said was You know I have already been baptized in the catholic church, should I be baptized in the Mormon church? oops! My Hungarian is still a work in progress. It was a good experience though. We started teaching Zsolt and Andras. Zsolt is great he accepted the commitment to pray and read the BOM and he has a family. We are going to start teaching him the plan of salvation tonight and hopefully have him pray at the end of our lesson. Andras is a different story. I'm not quite sure why he invited the missionaries over. He wouldn't read what we asked him to and he doesn’t see the importance of "knowing" God. Funny story about the language. We kept using the verb tudni which is what we use in our testimonies and and it is to know things. One night after dinner all the Huns were gather and joking and everyone kept saying Tudom teged or nem tudom teged as in I know you and I don't know you. Our teachers were laughing because when you use that to know in terms of people it means you know them sexually in Hungary so good thing they taught us that before we went over to Hungary and used it incorrectly!

Also super funny, there was a bat in the residence on night! no worries I was the one who remained calm and level headed and called security while 20 sisters were shrieking. It was pretty funny. I wish I could have sent the pic of it.

So the 2 Albanians left that lived with us. So did the older Fins. On Monday our usik leave for Hungary. It isn't as sad because odds are I'll end up being companions with a few of the sister missionaries. Our Zone will be so empty. It will just be me and Maxfield Nover, the 14 Fins left (only 2 sisters there, the other two girls we live with). Thats it! Sacrament meeting will be so empty. I think they said there are 7 Estonians coming in in the next week or two and then April 17th is when all the new Fins, Hungarians, and Albanians come. Wild. Nover and I will still be here when the new Huns get here. When the older Hungarians leave on Monday there will be 5 teachers for 2 of us. Right now we only use 3 teachers. Wild. My Hungarian will be rockin. They keep emphasizing the importance of how it isn't us but the spirit that is converting and teaching. Very true. And they don't want us to get prideful about the language.

Ally, yes I didn't say the pictures last week. No pictures this week. Long story. So one was of just me. One was me and my comp I believe. There was on of me and Sister Gosser who was also wearing a jerusalem shirt. There was one of me and all of the girls who lived in our room. And I can't remember the others. Sorry!

Love you all!

Grigg Nover

P.S. Send me pictures in the mail if you can. I am the only lame sister missionary who didn't bring pictures of her family and everyone asks.

First Week

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

Hello my lovely family!

So sorry no one has heard from me! I was told several times that we can only email and write letters on P Day but then I just found out today that we were supposed to send a letter home to our Moms (per MTC President instruction) but I didn't know we could do it on not our P Day. I'm also supposed to encourage you to used Dearelder.com because then I get a hard copy of it and it is same MTC day delivery and FREE for all you thrifty college kids. Mom figured it out this week. It was so funny and so very her to get a 2 line note.

It was so great to get letters and emails from a lot of you this week! Jenny you were very close to having the first letter but because Doctor and Sister Petersen (from the Jerusalem Center) used Dearelder.com they were first and imagine my surprise when I had a letter the first night I was in the MTC! Jenny I got yours on Thursday. I LOVED the princess sticker and no that totally doesn't make you a bad Mom. I was so blessed I got at least one letter a day this week from friends and family (one day 3!) Although, Mom, I am having trouble falling asleep at night, which you know isn't me. Suggestions?

So I have limited time to email so my grammar will probably be atrocious and my spelling (sorry English majors). Also, Dad, I heard a rumor that the First presidency released a statement saying that missionaries could now email friends too. True or False? dear elder me.

The MTC thus far has been good. Everyone just kept saying make it til Sunday and then you will be set. Just make it til Sunday. I didn't really understand what that meant, but now I totally do. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were like a roller coaster for me. One minute I was on cloud nine, like when I sad my first prayer out loud in Hungarian from memory on day 2. Then the next minute I would think I can't do this I need to go home. I broke down Saturday night in front of one of our teachers because she was teaching us how to do weekly planner and I am senior companion so I was in charge and because there is only 2 of us in the class I was putting all these pressure on myself. But once Sunday hit life was great! and it still is! I really fond comfort in the scripture in John can't remember what chapter and verse 26 when Christ says peace I leave unto you and la lalala about peace and it was great. I pray every night and morning for the gift of tongues and to not be stressed.

Ok so Mom and Dad dropped me off (I was very happy with your drop off etiquite I hope some of the pictures you took came out good mom:)) then I went inside to get my name tag and I almost cried when they handed me my tag. It said Grigg Nover (with double accent over the o and a single one over the e). And I just l looked at the second name and they asked if that was my name and I was like uh no. The sister helping out then said ohhh ya thats a weird name oh how bout the first one. And I saw Grigg and it was all good. All day people would say oh that's the Hungarian sister and I was sooo confused. I went to class and Levfever Tasver only spoke Hungarian to me. Needless to say there was lots of awkward laughs from me because I had no idea what he was saying. I was the first one there then I found out that there was only 2 of us! ONLY 2 OF US IN A WHOLE CLASSROOM! we would talk to other sisters and elders during those first days at new missionary meetings and every other classroom had at least 8 and some up to 16. wild. Then I found out I was supposed to be ALONE! It would have just been me by myself as a solo sister. Not even with elders in my class. one on one with all the teachers. wild. I guess the other sister that was supposed to come in decided not to go on a mission and so 2 weeks ago they called one of the sisters who was supposed to come in in April and asked if she would come in now so that I wouldn't be alone. Wild. I am so thankful for Maxfield Nover (sounds like new with a v instead of the w and air at the end). I could not imagine being alone. So the usi (“old” in Hungarian that is what we call the hungarian missionaries who have been here longest) told me that they have been praying for me for 3 weeks when they found out so that I would have a companion. We are in a district with Finnish going missionaries and our zone is Finnish, Estonian, Albanian, and Hungarian bound missionaries. All the random ones. Sacrament meeting is great though because we only have to prepare our talks in English rather than our language. Thank Heavens! We live with 2 Fins (the Sisar) and 2 Albanians (the Motra) so it is like I am learning all 3 languages because we got here and the Motra were in the concecration week, meaning that they could only speak Albanian. It is way fun though and a great group of sisters.

So be impressed. I have already taught 4 lessons in complete Hungarian with my comp. We are teaching Edina (pretend investigator who isn't really Edina but is one of my teachers wife who also teaches Hungarian at the MTC). We got her to pray and read the Book of Mormon and come to church and tomorrow we are going to committ her to Baptism. I cannot believe how much Hungarian I already know in a week. Everyone tells us that since there is only 2 of us we are progressing much faster than they usi who are 2 classes of 8. They leave for Hungary in less than 2 weeks!

I'm going to try and send pictures!

Jenny: Cool about the mummies!

HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY ALLY.

Love,
Grigg Nover (with accents on letters)

Entering the MTC

With Dad