Week 72

Monday, August 4, 2014

So the nuttiest thing ever happened this week. Tuesday it was pouring rain. Our programs for that day had either dogged or cancelled so we had 3 hours of finding to do after dinner. We walked out of our apartment and it started down pouring. so we said a prayer asking were we should go tracting. we all felt like we should go this one way. so we went. had terrible luck. no one was letting us in even into the building. we kept going up the hill tracting the buildings we felt prompted too. It was approaching the time when it wouldn't be ok to keep ringing doorbells and on the comps goes lets do this last building. no luck. right across the street was a pretty yellow one so I said last one and then we go streeting. and this young guy answers and we told me we were doing a survey could we ask him a few questions and he said sure. (and we have permission to go into a guys home the first time if we get let in while tracting) he asks to switch to english because it turns out he goes to college in LA. he said we had perfect timing because he just wrote an essay about our religion. I was like Mormons? because most people in Hungary have no idea. He asked how we knew to come and I told him that we had prayed about where we should go and the Lord led us here. He goes oh know why it is because my dad is mormon. I said I had no idea. So we talk to the kid for awhile and then his dad (who is less active) comes home and we introduce our selves asked who sent us. I said God. We prayed asking were we should go and got lead here. He says nothing and walks into the kitchen. I was like oh he is going to kill us. Turns out he is a world reknown spine surgeon and they had a beautiful home. He comes back with super classy beverages and then sits down and we all start talking. It turns out he was the first branch president in Hungary. He was the only church member in the country when Hungary was dedicated for missionary work so he was with Elder Nelson when he dedicated Hungary and they are still good friends. 2 months before he had dinner with the Mission president and Stake president and their wives. His son had no idea about any of this. We had no idea about any of this. He tells us his whole story that his son had never heard before. Turns out his wife was the first person baptized in Hungary after WWII. the son had no idea. He told us why he is inactive. He did so much for the church here in the beginning it is so sad he is less active. The spirit was so strong while he was telling his story. It was such a blessing to be there. I know that it wasn't by chance that we knocked on his door and that the Lord led us there. Gave him that oppertunity to bare his testimony to his son. It was amazing. I know I still have 3 weeks left here, but it was like the Lord's way of telling me that I did what he wanted me to do here in Hungary. I love the feeling of following the spirit. Because of that I really feel like I have been a successful instrament in the Lord's hands here in Hungary. Obviously I am excited for the last 3 weeks!!! 

Have a good one!
Sister Grigg

gellert hegy
 just missing one set of elders and that is all of us in the buda ward

Here's the new companions. I know that you all have been dying for a picture! 

Sister Cox (the greenie) me and Sister Magda

Last pday we went to Gellert hegy, which is the place where Hungary was dedicated for missionary work. In the mountain there is also a church cave. So we took a tour of that. It was really cool.

These were our favorite elders last transfer out of the tons that are here in the city. And then this is one of their investigators that is getting baptised this Saturday. How cool right?

transfers again...but this one is a little more exciting!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Dear Family, 

First off, we got transfer calls again. This transfer is a little more exciting because I am staying in Nyíregyháza, but I am TRAINING. Like say what? real life. They trust me enough to put me with a little new missionary. tender right. It is super humbling and I am nervous, but I know it will be great. It is humbling because there is only 1 new sister coming into the mission right now, but the Lord trusts me enough to be her trainer when there are lots of other sisters in the mission who could train too. I am excited but also nervous. Like I will have a companion who has no idea what is going on. shoot, good thing I kinda speak Hungarian. 

We had Zone Conference this week. It was amazing! Elder Dyches of the quorum of the 70 came and spoke to us. He spoke in the last conference. It was great! The first and only stake president Hungary has had was there and he also spoke to us. It was really neat to here him talking about how we should work with branch missionary leaders. Elder Dyches spoke a lot about the spirit, which was wonderful. Conference was really inspiring, and it is always great to hear from our leaders. We have been so forunate to have 2 members of the seventy come and speak to us. Before, we started he had us all come and shake his hand. And he goes oh Sister Grigg, I've heard a lot about you from president. My heart like stopped. I was thinking Shoot, I hope president didn't tell him about the stalker. Zone conference was also wonderful because 3 of the zones were there so I got to see tons of mission buddies. Like Sister O. I am so obsessed with my training. I hope my new missionary loves me just half as much as I love Sister O. She is going home tomorrow. Obviously we sat next to each other, and it was so inspiring to hear her departing testimony. I am so grateful for her wonderful example to me of loving the people and loving the Lord and wanted to do whatever he wanted her to do. 

We had a pretty good week. Lots of dogs and cancelations unfortunately, which is always hard. But the little family we found is progressing well. The dad feels the spirit when he reads out of the BoM. I have never been so greatful for night shifts because he reads the BoM when he works nights as a security guard so he has time. We are hoping to get them to church soon. This week might prove to be hard because it is district conference in Miskolc and most of the branch members aren't going because they can't pay for the train tickets so it would be a miracle if we could get an investigator there. We are finding a lot of new people to teach, which is always a blessing and are working on getting them to be progressing investigators. 

Something funny that I have noticed about the spirit on my mission is that he helps you out a lot in the work, but he also makes you work a lot. For example yesterday we felt like we should walk out of our apartment and turn right because we don't normally go that way. And then we say lots of builds we could tract and we prayed about which one because we only had time for one. and we were lead to one and we had to tract the whole thing and then the bottom floor we talked to a women who we were able to have a little program with and set up to go back later this week. We are guided to a general direction and then we had to work and listen even more closly to the spirit. Which is good. 

Two young single adult girls who want to go on missions in the branch wanted to go on splits this week so we did that on Saturday, which was a holiday in Hungary, which probably explains the dogs and cancelations. rough life. but it went really well. 

shoot out to Holly! Congratulations on making the cheerleading squad! woot woot!

Ok well have a wonderful week!
Love Sister Grigg

At Zone Conference our little Szolnok crew was back together! It is so weird to thing of where the time has gone. Elder Giacoloni and I were both new missionaries. He is a district leader now, I am training. My trainer is now going home, and his trainer is one of the assistants. Summer was such a long time ago!

Dora and I doing splits. Taking a hungarian tracting rocks! We got let in a bunch!

This is the 4 of us in Nyíregyháza. Sister Moffatt is leaving and Elder Beauchanan is going home home.

so this couple makes custom made suits and they are relatively cheap in price and on the inside they sew a hungarian flag. I picked mine up today! That is sister Magda and I with the suit making couple

Christmas

Monday, December 30, 2013

I hope that everyone had a very merry Chirstmas, filled with lots of family and sweets. Because literally everyone has decided to give Sister Daniels and I an insane amount of dessert so we have been eatting dessert every morning for breakfast for the past week. It was a great week: we had some time to relax, spent a little more time with members that normal, and was able to talk about the savior a lot. 

Be warned it is a long one this week....Mom and Dad said my emails have been slacking the past couple weeks. So I really think I stepped up my game this week.

Let us start with Christmas Eve. It started out great. A member (who got set apart as a missionary a few days ago and is in the London MTC right now) took us to an investigators and we got to meet the investigators family, which was great. We are trying to figure out how to take a bus out there (they live in a little village) so we can teach the whole family instead of just the daughter at the branch house. And they were super nice and insisted that we take home a christmas tree. So we took that home. In Hungary people put up their Christmas trees on Christmas Eve, a few people the day before but pretty much everyone on Christmas Eve. And then we went to another investigators for lunch with a different member. So that was good. And then the rest of the day was a Pday until we went to a recent converts for dinner with the Elders and we will get to that in a second because it is good. Sister Daniels and I watched Joy to the World 4 times at least on repeat. but looking back it was actually great because as missionaries are just helping people draw closer to their Savior and watching that really helped remind me that we aren't here just to teach the law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom in a way that our investigators will want to live them but the commandments help us draw closer to our Savior. And we show our faith in him and our love for him by keeping them. and they help us be happy too so that is good. So we went to the recent converts with the Elders and it was the worst Christmas Eve ever. It was nice because she has no family and so we were her family for the evening. She probably cooked like all day and she was so thoughtful and sweet. We sit down and she goes everyone likes fish right? oh gosh. You know that I don't eat fish. It was fish soup. I had heard about it before and thought I might be able to escape my mission without eatting it. But I was wrong. I eat it like a champ. There were 1500 million little bones in every bite. It was so rough. There was so much food and she kept making us eat. It was miserable. and then so much dessert and she kept making us eat. We were there for a super long time and then we got home and I told Sister Daniels I didn't feel well and she thought I was being dramatic because we all know I am. But I wasn't. I threw up it all. Which in the long run was probably better because all the really gross food wasn't sitting in my stomach. So christmas eve night was really rough. but it is ok we got through it.

All of Christmas Day was a Pday and we met the Elders at the branch house and played a little basketball and played monopoly then skyped at a members which was great.

The Day after Christmas we went over to a member family's for lunch. They were the first family to be sealed in Hungarian. All the family's before that were either done in English or more common German. How neat is that? They showed us pictures of their sealing. It was so inspiring to be with this family and see them trying their best to put the gospel and Christ at the center of their family.

We had a great program with one of our investigators on bap date for Jan 11 this week. Chastity is a hard commandment for a lot of people, but as he has been reading and praying he has gained a testimony that it is a commandment from God. The spirit was super strong as he was talking about how sad it is that the world doesn't live according to it and how much better the place would be if everyone lived in align with God's commandments. It was humble to see him get teary eyed as he talked about it. 

We got a new bishopric this week and we are in a district so part of the mission presidency came down for it. On Saturday there was a baptism so they all came down for the baptism too, which was super neat. it was fun to have president and his wife here. It was such a powerhouse of leadership in church and at the baptism because the stake president was also here visiting (we aren't part of the stake though) so the district presidency, the mission presidency and the stake president were here. nuts. that is like all the leadership in the country. I translated for Sister Smith during church and the baptism which was a little nerve racking. I may have made up a few things. who knows?

Funny thing. We went tracting once this week and someone answered through the buzzer thing outside the apartment building ,"no one is here right now. i am not home." ironic. Sister Daniels and I were dying. 

I feel like I had a super spiritual week, but I can never convey that in my emails home. Just know that I am so grateful for Christmas because we celebrate Christ's birth. Someone asked what is more imporant to us Christmas or Easter? I said that at Christmas time we celebrate the Savior's birth but we always talk about why he was born; he was born to be our Savior and Redeemer. To suffer the sins, temptaions, pains, and sorrows of mankind so that we can be redeemed from sin and death. without Easter Christmas wouldn't really be important. We generally celebrate chirstmas more and the christmas season and spirit of christmas lasts for longer, but we always remember the role that Christ's plays in Heavenly Father's plan. I asked her what she thinks and she like Christmas better because she likes baby Jesus better and baby Jesus is the one that brings the presents. I said that's nice. sometimes is it hard to have appropriate reactions in a differerent language.

Love you all and have a great New Year's

Sister Grigg

baptisms are the best

Monday, December 16, 2013

It was such a good week! Because I got to go to an investigators baptism in Pest! It was amazing. I was on splits with Sister Westover in Buda (which was great) and so we crossed the river and went. It was so great. She had also served in Pest and on the way there I just thought a lot about my time in Pest and how much I loved it. Sister Messinger and Magda and I had a lot of really cool things happen with our work while we were there. It was such a great period of my mission. It was the neatest thing to be at the baptism because it went like how Sister Messinger, Sister Magda and I imagined it. We invited a member our second program who then came regularly once a week. And after we walked out of that program we were like Stephen is going to baptize him! and He did! I said the closing prayer and afterwards Gábor said, "as soon as you started praying I thought, I know this voice and all those feelings came rushing back to me from all the times we met." It was so nice. I was just so touched that from my voice the Holy Ghost brought to his rememberence all the times I had met with him and taught him the gospel. It wasn't the words I said that he remembered but the fact that we had the Holy Ghost will us during all those times of teaching him the gospel. When he came out of the water I was just overwhelmed with love for him and so happy for him and making those covenants with Heavenly Father. I was standing next to Sister Magda who was one of my companions when we found him and taught him. We walked back into the chapel together with our arms around each other, smiling. I leaned over to her and whispered we did good. We were so young in the mission, didn't really speak Hungarain, and had no idea what we were doing, but we did good those 7 weeks. We worked hard, we found in him, and brought the Holy Ghost to our programs, which was all that Gábor needed.

 Going back was great. I got to see a few other investigators I taught while in Pest and a few members that helped us out.

This upcoming week should be a good one as well. We are going up to Budapest again for zone conference. We have to get up at like 4 in the morning and we wont get back til late. Which is a little stressful because it takes out a whole day of working. We are getting an investigator ready for her baptism on Saturday! We are so excited for her. She passed her baptism interview this past week and is excited for Saturday. I am so excited. She is one of the reason why I feel like I needed to come to Szombathely. It has been amazing to teach her the gospel and watch her progression.

Merry Christmas!!!

Love you all

Sister Grigg

So I got sick this week and the branch members and our investigators freaked out. I got lots of "gifts". One incident was super funny. It was 9 at night so Sister Daniels and I were planning for the next day, and we got a phone call from a member that said they were outside our apartment. Sister Daniels and I walked outside and there were 3 members while tea and medicine. It was super tender. And also they felt guilty because one of them was the person I got sick from. Hungarians literally make the best tea ever. Sister Daniels and I learned the secret so no worries.

Gábor's baptism in Pest!

more of Gábor's baptism

One of the members here in Szombathely, who Sister Daniels and I are obsessed with. She got back from her mission in Finland like a month ago.

selfie shot of the district, the old one that is.

last shot of the district before 2 of them headed off for transfers. the elders are now in a tricompanionship with a new elder.

mini transfers

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Dear Family,

I am so sad right now because we have a little mini transfer tomorrow. Since we switched to the 9 week transfers, the going home dates are all messed up so there is a group going home tomorrow but there aren't any sisters going home so we thought that sisters wouldn't be effected by the mini transfer. Then we got a phone call this morning from the assisstants and they told me I am leaving Pest and going to Szombathely. Opposite side of the country out in the West near Austria. At first I wasn't the biggest fan of the city, but I love love it now. We have some really great investigators and 6 baptisms coming up next transfer all of which we put on bap date since I got here so it is sad that I won't be there for those. One and doneing is hard. I didn't get a chance to really say goodbye or anything because no one thought sisters were getting moved. I thought the whole going where you want me to go and stuff would be easy on a mission but right now it is going to be really hard. I am sure that tomorrow once I get to the train station and meet my new companions and get on the long train ride out to Szombathely I will be excited and have a great attitude about it. Fun fact thought. I scheduled programs for tomorrow because no one thought we were leaving and I don't want them to not get taught so I asked Sister Smith (the presidents wife) if she could be my companion for a little bit so that my companions can still teach the programs with the investigators. So she is going to come pick me up and take me to the train station to meet everyone for transfers! fun stuff going on splits with Sister President for a bit and don't have to take the trolley with my heavy suitcases. woot woot. 

It was a great week once again! Pest is doing so well. We taught tons of programs, put someone new on bap date, had lots of people at church. So many that I couldn't handle them all! A mom we teach showed up with her son, and I was sitting there and I am like oh my goodness I don't even know who the primary president is for the Hungarian primary! We the ward members were champs like always and helped us out. It was so great. Speaking of church the English Primary President asked us to do sharing time because it is all about missionaries so we did the sharing time and I forgot how wild kids are! We were having them introduce themselves and I didn't notice that 2 of the girls were fighting until one goes those 2 are fight and one of the girls fight goes, "My name is Grace, and I have a dead arm." so funny. hahahaha. One of the high council members spoke on Sunday and he is german and helps us out once a week with one of our bap dates. He is such a great member, and in his talk he talked about his experience helping with us and stuff and seeing how the gospel has been blessin the investigators life and said that he is getting baptized in the coming weeks and had him stand up and wave to everyone. sooo good!!! I just know that the gospel can bless everyone's lives. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and as one of our investigators says," it contains messages meant specifically for us." We can find amazing amounts of comfort, spiritual strength, and answers to our questions if we diligently study out of it.

All the investigators are doing well in Pest! I am sad to be leaving, especially because next Pday we had planned to go to the zoo. we all know how much I loves zoos and how upsetting that is. but it will being fun getting to know a new area, new companions (I am going into another threesome!) and new investigators! I have heard the city is super pretty and that they have a great strong, branch out there. So this will be an exciting new chapter of my mission. 

I love you all and hope that everything is great back home! 

Sister Grigg

We went to the house of terror today on pday. It was super cool and really enlightening. We always learn about lots of things during world war II with the halocaust and such, but it was really neat to learn about how Hungary was effected during communism and post world war II. 

Last Pday we did Sajt night with the elders. Which is cheese night. Which is really like just making homemade mozerella sticks. 

Then while we were tracting this week I got gum stuck to the bottom of my shoe. so lame. 

Week 29

Monday, September 30, 2013

So as we were emailing. The police came up and checked everyone IDs. Don't worry I was freaking out, even though I had no reason to be. Typical Sister Grigg. The mission hasn't changed somethings :)

The guy on the computer next to me is blasting gangum style. Ally, it makes me thing of you! 

Ok so it was an amazing week. Wild how the best weeks can also be the hardest! 

We were so blessed to but 3 people on bap date this week! Wild! It was amazing. They all all in December, but I wouln't be suprised if 2 of them get pushed up. The spirit was so strong in all of them, and it has been so cool this week to see them progress and see how Heavenly Father really is preparing the people of Hungary to hear the gospel. I love it. I heard from one of my zone leaders in a training a few months ago that offering the baptismal innvitation to someone is the time he has felt the closest to the Savior on his mission. So I payed close attention to that this week, and it is so true! 2 of them were people the three of us have found while we have been here together so that was even neater! One of the innvestigators after he accepted said it was so far away and we said if he is ready sooner of course we can push it up. He said the most wonderful closing prayer! It was so tender. He asked God to help him strengthen his faith so that he will be ready and to help him share about the wonderful church and the gospel with others because of how much he loves it! All in the closing prayer! It was so wonderful. 

 So I think I am going to go back to not using names any more because lots of Hungarians are now reading the blog, and I wouldn't want to accidently put too much information and offend anyone or anything. It definately makes it harder to describe to you how the week was.

We had several investigators in church this week, which was fabulous. I think I need to make flashcards or somthing for the ward memebers because I can't remember like any of their names, which is a problem when it comes to introducing people. It was also the primary program this week, and if you thought little kids were cute saying their things and singing the song well I have news for you because it is like 10x cuter in Hungarian! Real life. One of our investigators asked how Hungarian Mormon learned that it was ok to bring their children to church because the Hungarian/catholic tradition is that it is so not ok. Did they learn from the American families that go to church here in Pest? That was such an interesting comment because it is so true. Even in the states when you go to catholic church and things like that, there aren't really kids there. I am just so thankful for the primary system and things like that. I know it is truly inspired of God. How wonderful is it that we focus so much on families and teaching children from a young age that they are children of God and teaching him about him and his commandments. It is just such a blessing. And yeah sometimes the kids make sacrament meeting super noisy, but is ok. 

And ok let us be honest here, who hasn't sat behind the family with tons of kids on purpose because it is entertaining during sacrament meeting?!?!! 

We had some really cool let ins tracting this week, which was awesome. One that was super cool happened because someone we went to go back to a previous let in tracting and they said no thank the second time around and so we continued to tract in the 10 story, and we ran into this guy and we were talking about the Book of Mormon, he was in his pajamas at 1:45 in the afternoon, not a big deal. 

I am so excited for conference. What a blessing it is that we have a living prophet on the earth today, who leads us and guides us with God authority! So we start watching conference here Saturday night. Then on Sunday we watch the relief society recorded while the men watch priesthood then we catch the saturdayafternoon and then the sunday morning one we get sunday evening. We will miss watching the Sundayafternoon session. I am pretty sure I will get to watch all of them in English! so excited! We should also have a good number of innvestigators who are going to come as well! 

Ok so President and Sister Smith randomly showed up to our district meeting this week. Perks of serving in the city! 

Have a great week everyone! Love you all! 

Sister Grigg 

We went to this really cool street called Váci utca today. It had tons of really cool aricheture and shops. Dad talked about it in an email he sent me. 

So we went to the largest synagogue in Europe today. Unfortunately none of my companions or the Elders wanted to pay money to go inside. lame. It looked so cool from the open door. So we just took pictures on the outside. 

This is a guy we tracted into. He was so tender and showed us pictures of his family and himself. And he let me take a picture of him holding the picture of himself. He is in his 80s. It was so fun.

We went tracting again this week out in the 16th district. The stake center is in the 14th district so it is a little bit of a bus ride but not a big deal. And we were talking to this guy, and we introtroduced ourselves, and I always point down to my name tag at my name and my name tag was gone! I was shocked! It has fallen off. He wished us luck finding the name tag, and we started retracing our steps. We had been on 2 sides of the street so who knows where it could have gone. I was praying the whole time and after a little bit of walking I looked down and there it was! It had fallen on the sidewalk and landed exactly like this! I love that what is important to me is also important to Heavenly Father. It was a little miracle :)

The other thing about where we went tracting this day was that every house had a massive dog. Like huge. That wanted to bite our heads off. And they all had signs that say Vigazz! Harap a kutya. Which means watch out. The dog bites! nuts. 

Week 27

Monday, September 16, 2013

Ok so this weeks letter will be shorter because I sent lots of pictures. I know everyone is so excited to open their inbox and see a billion pictures of me :) Being in the city is great.

First off, happy mission call Katie! That is beyond exciting! I so knew you were going to go Spanish speaking! Back to the East coast and our roots. Love it. The New York Spanish speaking mission has no idea what a great missionary they will be recieving! For real though.

It has been a really good week. We worked really hard, and I know that numbers are not everything, but it was really nice to see the numbers go up as a result of our hard work, obedience, and relying on the Lord. Lots of knew investigators and our member presents increased. The ward wants to help we just need to ask!

We got let in a number of times tracting and it was so fun! It was great and helped remind the three of us that people are ready and prepared for the gospel, even in this huge city. One time we were tracting, it was around 7:30 and we were just so tired. and we went into a building next to ours, got in magically and we were all just kind of down and so I said we are going to get let in tonight. To be honest I had absolutely no idea. But I wanted to try exercising my faith my companions just kind of looked at me and said okkk. 15 minutes later we got let in by a super cute young girl who had a beautiful view of the city (learned the word for that from her that night) and amazing taste in books (harry potter, lord of the rings.. not a big deal). Then the next night we got let in twice. once by a young couple who was like come on in. and he had the best questions about prophets and such. We are so excited to go back this week. Then the next was we had a bout 10 more minutes left of working until we could head back for dinner and so we we like ok a few more doors and the next door let us in. I was a little confused by what she was saying at first and then realized that she said we could chat if she could work while we chatted. It was so fun. She was doing someone's nails and we chatted about the gospel with both of them and we are going back this week to have a "mormon" party as she calls it. so funny. I got so many compliments on my speaking this week which was a nice confidence boster. apartenly I have a funny accent that Hungarians in Pest enjoy because people keep telling my how pleasing it is to listen to me speak. ha. ok. These other 2 let ins were super cool because we did the same think. Ok we are getting let in tonight and excersized our faith in the Lord and he provided. My theory on finding that has worked thus far is that as long as we are trying our best to talk to everyone we can then the Lord will put in our path the people that our ready. The next step is talking to people on buses and metros. so scary.

We didn't really have time to go tracting other than those 2 nights because we had too many programs set up :))) but we got dogged A LOT because that is what happens when you just set up with people on the street. It happened in Szolnok too but that is ok. One of the people that did show up from off the street was so cool! I loved talking to her, I learned the phrase for a guy was not my type in Hungarian from her. not a big deal. haha. As my Hungarian has improved, I remember how much I enjoy talking to people! Which is one of the reasons I wanted to come on a mission. To talk to people about Christ. We put someone on bap date this week. We weren't planning on it but the spirit told us we need it to. At first, Attila is his name. He is an older man in is sixties I would guess. At first he wasn't into setting a date but then we talked more about it and decided on december 21. I love being on a mission and I can not imagine not being a missionary. Lucky for me I still have a year left!

I love watching people progress. We had a second lesson with someone and it was great to see him progress, even if it was just a tiny little bit! I love the gospel I know that this church is true and I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon.

I hope all is going well!

Sister Grigg

This is the shoes by the Duna. Since I am now a city serving missionary, I take artsy pictures. It is so not a big deal. The shoes a memorial to holacaust victims in Hungray during world war two because they would line them up at the banks of the Duna and then shoot the people into the river

more shoes

Hero's square with the companions

Her is a picture of Parliment. Unfortunately it is like under construction or something so you can't get that close right now. Hopefully before the end of my mission the construction will be finnish. Mom and Dad, remember that brutal puzzle?

Remember St István's nap? well here is a statue of the king at Hero's square. he is a cool guy. And then here is a pretty church inside of a castle with some pretty floors. If I translated the sign right I think it was like some sort of agrictulture musuem inside an old castle. I dunno. We just walked through the outside.

We walked half way across the chain bridge (not all the way because that would be in Buda and not on our side of the river so we can't cross without permission) I believe that it is also the same bridge that katy perry was on when she filmed her firework music video. or that is what everyone keeps telling me. I don't remember. So that is me singing Katy Perry. It is not a big deal.

And then me and Elder Christensen on the chain bridge. He was in my district my second transfer and now is in my district again. Don't you just love the awkward elder sister pictures?

we went walking along the duna last pday and around parliment. Don't worry. I keeped things classy by drinking a coke along the river in memory of Mom, Aunt Lynda, and Jenny.

Week 24

Monday, August 26, 2013

Dear Family and 1 friend, 

Guess what?! I spoke in sacrament meeting yesterday. And no it was not in English, it was in Hungarian for like almost 15 minutes and no I didn't just read out of the scriptures the whole time (I only used 4 verses)! I was terrifed! Let me tell you. And you know how I do that think when I get nervous and speak really fast, yeah that isn't a good combination with a language I am not fluent in haha. All my cute little young women were smiling big at me and making hearts with their hands so everyone could definitely tell I was nervous. But everyone told me I was clever afterwards and that it was understandable so that's good. haha. 

Ok so this week was good. It seems like I just emailed. What happened...

Imre! So we taught the Word of Wisdom this week, and he believes it is from God and all that wondeful stuff just didn't feel ready. So next time I mentioned that if he can quit smoking we can move his bap date up to October and he liked that. And then the next time after I decided we needed to give him a date to quit smoking, he didn't want one but the spirit said he needed one. So I through out this coming Wednesday and he said that he knew I was going to do that to him. He made silly but reasonable excuses and cleaning and wanted to get rid of the smell of smoke out of his apartment to make it easier and so then I said can we come clean? He looked surprised but we are going over this week with the branch president to help him clean his apartment on Wednesday. Mom, I am bringing some of the peanut butter you sent to share with him. And then on Thursday he won't smoke ever again. I have complete faith that he can do this. It is going to be so good. And the elders have an investigator right now who is coming up on 2 weeks of not smoking. Her and Imre will most likely get baptized on the same day. 

Biro elnők, the branch president, reads the blog now too. Not a big deal. Loves it. He is an amazing branch president. Words can't really describe it until you experience it.

Ok so funny. So one of our investigators (this story can't have a name) told us that for the holiday he or she drank (unfortunately, but no worries we talked about repentence and it is all good now) a lot. But the funny part is, while they were drunk they were preaching about the gospel. Telling all their friends about the Book of Mormon and the church. riot. 

We had some pretty good success tracting this week, which is fun. One of the guys we met with again and he was telling us about his son who was a stillborn. I asked him more about it and the umbilical cord choked him. I started crying in the lesson, which shocked me and I think him, but it was really good and we are meeting with him again. It is neat. 

Ok so when I was with Sister O we had a program with a 15 year old girl and it was half English and half the gospel (which happens when you find people through English) and she told us she didn't believe in God any more because she went through a hard time and she felt like God didn't help. It broke our hears and we didn't really know what do say or do to help her. Sister O talked about the BoM and I shared my favorite scripture with her, Ether 12:6 and told her she was going through a trial of her faith right now. Sister Peterson and I met with her again this past week 2 months later because she has been summering and on vacation and she said that she kind of believes in God a little bit again that she read the scripture I had shared with her last time over and over again and said it helped so much and that is what helped her have faith again. I cried a little bit. I am getting to be an emotional missionary. It is a rough life a little bit in that sense. We are meeting again with her this week with one of the branch young women and I am so excited! 

Love you all!

Sister Grigg

This is when Zsusi cooked us food last transfer. Pig Liver!

Pictures of Zsuzsi and I!

Köszönöm széppen

Anita and I at sportnap.

Sister O, Anita requested that I send this to you. haha

A Branch member, named Ercsi and I.

And my Hungarian residency card. Now I am legit

Szent István nap week

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was Szent István nap. He was a Hungarian King and I believe he was the king that made Hungary a Christain nation. It was a huge deal. The town shut down all weekend and had been preparing for the day. Tons and tons of festivities in the square. It kind of reminded me of big hat day a bit. only a little bit. There were huge fireworks and let me tell you Hungarians do not mess around with their fireworks. They take them very seriously. I called president on Monday and asked him if we could stay out a half and hour later so that we could watch them and he gave us permission so that was really neat.  We also went fishing yesterday for the holiday since there are 2 rivers in Szolnok. Elder Loveday loves fishing and so we bought these bamboo fishing pools where we go grocery shopping for like a 1. Elder Smith caught a fish! the Senior couple. it was a riot. I was kind of over the whole fishing thing after about 45 mintues. I am sure no one is surprised by that. I don't have enough patience for those kind of things. It was so hot too. But no worries, I didn't get sunburned, I put on lots of sunscreen.

So I know why I came to Szolnok. It was because of these young women. I know I have said it before, but I just love them so much. I feel like I can connect with them the most because they are only 4-5 years younger than me. They are so wonderful and I love that they are know being coming friends with each other so that they can help strengthen one another. They are all so patient with me and the language and are always trying to help me. And 3 of them want to go on missions. How amazing is that!

On Sunday we had a program with Zsuzsi out on the grass under a tree by the branch house because that is where she wanted to go and she told me that she has already emailed her new bishop in Germany for the ward that she is moving into! How amazing is that? she isn't even a member yet! she is so great.

We went to choir and a Bérni and Valika went and Valika was so into the song that it brought tears to my eyes to she her this happy because when I first got to Szolnok she was so distraught and now she is just so happy and her husband will get baptized in about a month and a half.

Tomorrow we teach Imre the Word of Wisdom and he is a hardcore smoker. I've been able to help 2 people quite so far so hopefully this will go well. I think he is ready. We haven't felt like we should teach it before this week, but now we both feel that he is ready. I know that he can quite if he puts his faith in the Savior and his atonement. The branch is investing a lot of time into him already, which is awesome because he is going to have strong ties to the branch rather than the missionaries. The branch president has come to 5/6 of our last programs with him. Imre loves scriptures study and always asks the best questions. He was so prepared to learn about the law of chastity last week so I think the Word of Wisdom is going to go well too. There is a picture of Imre that I sent. We met his mom yesterday in the square, she was super nice and I want the missionaries to teach her in Gyer!

So Marika, who got baptized a few weeks ago. We went over there to help her paint a last week and we went and saw her yesterday. She hasn't been to church in the last few weeks and something that we have been focusing on as a companionship is church and getting our investigators and RCLAs there. She said she has been really tired but she has come to church before when she has been tired. And so we chatted  more about it because that is something that we talked about doing as a companionship. I brought up  the fact that she has come before when she has been tired and said that spiritually she felt really good afterward. It is really because someone told her she has to wear a skirt and she doesn't have one. I told her to just come in pants. haha. But the best part about that was she asked me who she needs to pay her tithing to. How tender is that!? We didn't even talk about tithing, we haven't retaught it yet she is just trying so hard. I love Marika so much. She was one of the ones who was able to quite smoking. It is amazing. I totally teared up and I told her I was crying and she started crying too. It was great.

We went to Szeged for Zone training last week and we did role plays with real Hungarians and I was with 2 elders (I don't know why because I would never be teaching with just 2 elders in real life). and we were talking and I get nervous to speak Hungarian around other missionaries, more than with Hungarians. And at the end, Pál was his name, asked me how long I have been here and I said May and he goes but you speak so well, so that made me feel really good. That was my moment of pride for the week. It is so funny because some people you talk to on the street say oh my goodness you speak so well and other say they can't understand you. whateves. haha.

Ok well I love you all and have a great week!

Sister Grigg

This is our adventure fishing. We went fishing not in the Tisza which is the bigger river but the Zagyva.

Elder Smith

And the elders are sitting on a bench that says private property. It is a public bench and someone stuck that handwritten sign there randomly.

Here is a view of Szolnok from the Senior couple's apartment.

we played rugby for sportnap the other day. it was super funny.

Alexa and Valentine and I

the branch had a party for Szent Istvan nap and the had a palacsinta eatting contest but hungarian pancakes don't hold up on a string to well and so one of the members learned how to make American pancakes.

This is Imre. I have been talking about him in emails for probably the last month. He is awesome and is going to make such a strong priesthood holder.

so this one is interesting. one of the elders investigators (he used to be ours and we handed him over 2 months ago) drew this from a photo he took at Adri's baptism. He said that it took him 4 weeks. (A/N: I believe the original to this drawing can be found in this post.)