Dunaújváros Week Five (Week 77)

First things first, I survived my drivers test in Buda! Scoreeee. I still got it! It was my first time driving in like a year and a half, but I could still weave throughout the incredibly tiny streets of Buda. My International Driver's Permit is super cool, I'm really proud of it! Haha.

 

So, transfers came and went! Elder Raymond is super cool! He's from Tennessee, but he doesn't have an accent...sigh. We drove back on the M6 highway from hell and got back to good old stinky Duna. We hit the road running and went tracting. We probably knocked for hours and no one was really interested. The problem is that this city has been tracted a billion times over, but that doesn't mean that everyone has heard our message! So we keep going at it. We had some cool moments where people would refer their neighbors to us, and we were able to get a few let-ins. Just when we would be exhausted, somebody would let us in. Nothing really came out of it, but I love me some tender mercies.

On Sunday, a member going on a mission to England gave her farewell talk in sacrament meeting. It reminded me of my own farewell, which was like eighteen months ago. Her parents were bawling, and a lot of people from other cities came to wish her off. I got to see some old friends from Kecskemét, and that was a real treat!

Other than that, pretty normal week. We have a Zone Conference this week up in Budapest. Elder Raymond and I took like two hours to plan out our training for everybody, we're really excited!  The city's fall foliage is starting to come out, and I love fall here in the city! I'm loving my companion, and I'm loving my opportunity to serve! 

This past week I was thinking a lot about the Atonement. It's literally been a mission-long project, but I thought of something that made it much more personal. When Lazarus died, Martha and Mary were devasted. When they told Jesus about it, He wept with them. He later raised Lazarus from the dead. But what I like to think about is the fact that when He mourned with them, He knew that Lazarus was going to be brought back. He knew that the story had a happy ending. He knew that there really wasn't a need to mourn. But He did it anyway because He loved them.

When I think of that, I think of my own life, especially this past year and a half, and how there were times when I thought the world was coming to an end and that I wasn't doing so great. Looking back, I realize how little I could see the big picture, and those moments later proved to be a strong bedrock for my testimony. But still, in those moments, I could feel the Savior's mercy and help, and things were manageable. He still cared enough to help me.

So, that's my really spiritual insight for the week. Sorry it's so long! I love you all, and I hope you all continue to be amazing people! I have six months left as of this Friday, and that's a scary thought. 

Lots of love from the other side of the world,

Elder Giacalone