Kaposvár Week 8

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

 

Yay! 2014 is here!

New year, new start, new everything!

That's what we have been emphasizing with all of our investigators: you can change and be a whole new YOU this year! We've had a lot of stop-smoking, moving out, and starting to pray lessons with people. It's been great!

 

New Years in Hungary was kind of crazy-the day after, there was quite a lot of drunk people all over the place, and they would leave some pretty nasty stuff on the ground too...ew. Quite different from a Utah New Years! Another different thing: it's been like 50 degrees out here, daily! The Hungarians are all freaking out. I'm not complaining: I haven't had to wear my heavy winter jacket in like a week! Super nice.

 

Transfers are next week! I really hope I stay here in Kapos. There is so much going on and we are super busy! I love it!

 

Fun story: So there is this family in the branch that lives out in this small village called Alsobogát, like a 45 minute drive from Kapos. They needed help cutting wood for the rest of the winter, so us four elders and the branch clerk all headed out to go help. I got to connect with my inner-lumberjack! We spent four hours out there hauling wood and chopping it up. Super fun time, and I was sooo sore afterward! I've never done something like that before! Quite the experience. Unfortunately, my whole "soreness" thing turned into a cold, which left me kind of messed up for the next few days. Ugh. I HATE being sick!

 

Cool story of the week! So, we've been meeting with "J", one of my favorite investigators. He continues to claim that he has no faith, but he loves to meet with us and we try to help him sort out his life. Usually, it ends with us feeling like we're forcing upon him something that he doesn't even want. That's not how it's supposed to be! He's very honest, and when we ask if he prays, he says yes. Then we ask him if he felt like he's been receiving answers. He says "No, I don't want to lie to you guys." Ok then! After the end of a particulary weird lesson, as we were wrapping up and I was asking if we could say a prayer, he stopped and said: "Guys, I want to say thank you for all you do. I know that these meetings have been helping me"-and, then my favorite part "I am beginning to feel." I told him that we all walk with baby steps in this life, and that baby steps definitely take us somewhere.

 

Sometimes, I feel like that is how the Lord is with us. He sees us make wrong decisions that cause pain and sorrow in our lives, and desires us to make the baby steps that we need to make to bring our lives in harmony with His. I know that He is the source of all peace, good, and light. I know that He is willing to forgive us of our faults and shortcomings.

 

There's a quote from C.S. Lewis that I found in the other Elder's apartment:

"(God) has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in mass. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He ever created. When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only man in the world."

 

I sure hope you all remember that. I love that quote, and I actually glued it onto my planner for this next transfer coming up! I'm so happy for where I am right now, who I am with, and where I'm going. I feel like everyday it gets more and more clear what my purpose is out here. I was a little unsure at first, but now I know. Missions are hard. If they were easy, then people would slack-off. I'm learning so much, it's insane. I'm so grateful to be out here right now.

 

I love it :)

 

Have a great week! Be safe!

Sok Szeretettel,

Elder Giacalone