Week 3

"Sziastok!!!!

    Well... It's official. My life in the MTC is super tough. Last week I had the opportunity with my companion, Cathcart Elder, to teach our first lesson to an investigator in hungarian. Like zoinks!!!! I was super nervous. As we taught, it was not as flowy as when we taught ricsi (our first English investigator) in English. We struggled and we didn't know how to ask "may we come in" or "we need to go, when can we schedule our next visit with you!!??" Ya... Probably pretty important to learn how to say those things when you are in a lesson.

     The teaching continues, and we have now taught 4 lessons in Hungarian, which by the way has to be ten times harder than Finnish because I have learned more Finnish listening to the elders in my zone than I have Hungarian!! And they sound nothing alike. We have determined that Estonian and Finnish have a lot of words that are similar. And then there is us Hungarian elders. Ya... It's hard.

     We also had our first SYL(speak your language) day... Last Friday we tried to go throughout the day only speaking our language. It was especially hard for me because I love talking to people. I couldn't figure out how to say what I wanted to in English in Hungarian. But yesterday, oh yesterday. Yesterday Cathcart Elder and I gave a lesson to Erik (an investigator). He was literally falling asleep the whole time and it was frustrating because I didn't know enough to keep him awake. Then we couldn't feel the spirit at all. After the lesson, we came out of the room, sat at our desks, and thought. How can we change what just happened and make it better. We set a lot of new goals that we are trying to meet each time we teach now and I hope it goes ten times better than what happened yesterday. Speaking of yesterday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST DADDY IN THE WORLD!!!! YOU DA BOMB!!!

    On Sunday we were able to attend church in the chapel this time instead of being crammed into a little room, which was nice. The way they do it here, you run through the beginning, and then do the sacrament. And right after they are done passing the sacrament, the Branch Presidency stands up and announces which one of us is speaking. So we have to prepare a talk every Sunday so that we are prepared and don't sound way silly. After church we went to choir. Oh choir, we may be a lot of young strong voices, but they are not NEAR the pitch that we should be hitting. haha, I think it is quite funny and I end up usually laughing and smiling all of choir practice. We attended our last choir and devotional at the Marriott Center on Tuesday. They are not letting us go back on Tuesday night devotionals because guess what... Basketball is here finally!!! That last devotional on Tuesday was by far the best talk I have ever heard. I heard so many things that I needed to hear, and it directly related to me as a missionary. Don R. Clark of the seventy is who spoke and he had some cool quotes that really stuck out to me. One of them being, "Don't teach with your head, teach with your heart." or "the work is not for all of you, some will become MISSIONARIES, some will never fully understand that word."

     Gym time!!! Gym time is the best time of the day by far! Because we can "unwind" not "unravel" and be who we are! It was so much fun the past few days because I have been playing a lot of beach volleyball and there is one elder, our zone leader, Vanhin Call. He is so much fun to play with, and me and him get along really well. Then yesterday it was pouring rain and it was freezing cold. But we chose to stick it out and play basketball. Our hands were numb and we were soaking wet, but that's what made it fun. Since we had no traction on the street we couldn't play competitively at all. So it was more of a joke and just goofing off and laughing about every... oh... I'd say 5 seconds:) We go to the temple every Thursday with our zone, and it is the best experience. My companionship have decided to do inititories both weeks we have had the chance. Because Cathcart Elder has had to go to main campus to get immunization stuff since he is from Ireland. So yeah. But service is every Thursday and it is way fun!! We cleaned the laundry mat today! yeah... not fun. But we made it fun as we sang songs and worked. So apparently it snowed in the mountains? I saw snow this morning! I think that about covers it. Oh wait!!

      Tudom hogy, ha olvasnád a szentirás. Tudni fogsz az evangélium igaz. És, olvasnunk kell a mormon kőnyve sok mert a mormon kőnyve segithatunk. tudom hogy, tudom hogy.

      Szeretem téged sok

      Sziastok

Nichols Elder"

Here's a photo update!

Here is my name tag!!!

 Thanks to Brandon Nichols, I now have 26 ties to choose from each day :)

 These are some of the Finnish elders dropping by for a pic! Vahin Call is the one in the orange, he's pretty cool :)

First time at the temple last week!! :)

Here is the travel center at the MTC, and our famous 'where we are going' pose... :)

Week 1

"September 19, 2013

Hello Everyone!!

The MTC how do I put this... It's extremely hard and frustrating at times. But like all the other missionaries here say, make it to Sunday and you can do anything. I think they told us that because the first few days you are running around trying to figure out how to do things. Let me start at the beginning for you:)

The first day of the MTC I was told I was going to West Campus. I was very excited that somehow I was able to be in the new of the MTC!!As I arrived on the bus, I looked out the window and what did I see!?! Elder Nathan Ericcson from Riverton, one of my good friends!! (He just left this week to Russia) He showed me around and told me I had two companions. He then told me where class was. Class is across the street every morning. The classroom is an apartment with a bunch of desks in it, a whiteboard, a kitchen, two bathrooms, a computer for the teachers and a tv. When I walked in I was expecting to see all the Hungarian missionaries! And there was one. He happens to be one of my companions.  Cathcart Elder (last name first in Hungarian) and he is so much fun! He is from Ireland  and speaks with a hard accent! I have 3 teachers, Runnels testver, Grossen testver, and Moody nover. (testver is brother and nover is sister) They started speaking Hungarian as soon as we walked in the door. The day went by and then I was able to meet the other members in our district! (basically districts are elders in your rooms up to six) Well we only had one other member. His name is Vanem (elder) Sorensen. Vanem Sorensen is from Lehi and has graduated UVU with a bachelors in digital media. He is only 19. So we have three in our apartment and it is really nice. I have my own room and closet and my own desk!!! basically I'm just loving life. As the days have progressed we have had opportunities to go to devotionals on Sundays and Tuesdays. Tuesday I was able to sing in the choir at the Marriott Center!!! So beautiful. One thing that I have noticed about the MTC is that I end up feeling the spirit everyday, more than ONCE!!!! It is such a blessing to be here and draw myself closer to God.

Cathcart Elder and I have been teaching an investigator by the name of Ricsi (Ree Chee) since the Friday we arrived. Fortunately, for us our teachers want us to understand how to teach in English first, then this Saturday, the 21 of September, we teach our teachers in Hungarian. Wahoo...The good news is Cathcart Elder and I really do well together. We are getting better at teaching since we started. Personal study is really nice. I have found a whole new look on how to read the scriptures so I started over:)

Gym is so much fun!!! The other elders in our zone (the finland elders and sisters) invite me to play basketball with them which I have found to be a good workout  and fun. I try to workout at least 3 times a day and just maintain somewhat healthy. The food at West Campus...is...worse than Riverton High. Yes...I am saying that is 100% the truth. But they basically offer a donut every meal and always have soda!!! That's nice:) I like Sprite..:) I have actually lost a belt loop of weight, so I am excited!!! I kinda forgot my becase I was so excited to email.. so I haven't tried to get pictures in an email...I will for sure try to remember next! And I have been taking a lot of pictures. The language is coming. I probably know 200 words and the alphabet. It's hard in Hungarian because of all the cases. The endings that we put at the end of the word. For example, megyunk, is we go, or megyok is I go. AND  I AM PRETTY SURE YODA OFF STAR WARS IS BASED ON HUNGARIAN!!!!   You don't say I will try, you say, TRY, I WILL:):)
That is for the most part everything that has happened this week. P-day is on Thursday and I would really appreciate mail or packages!!! It does seem to make our days a lot better! Dear Elder is a good way to communicate with me here. I have been receiving letters from my family and it seems to really work well!!! Minus the fact that apparently it takes 6 days for my letter to get home...So do what you please. I will bless my testimony and then let you all have a nice week and enjoy the various activities you may be doing.

Tudom hogy, az evangelium az igaz. Hogy Jezus Krisztus es Isten szeret minket. Az evangelium megaldnak csaladak. Menneyl Atyank szeret minket es szeretunk Istent, Jezus Kristztus neveben, Amen.

I know that you don't understand that, and it is brief and probably mostly wrong. But it will get better!!! Oh and read the Book of Mormon today if you haven't this week. The words are meant for each of us personally, and I bear testimony of that.

Szerette (love to you all)
Nichols Elder"

FINALLY A LETTER!

We're so glad that a letter finally came! He wrote it on his second day at the Provo MTC, but didn't mail it until Monday! And it's even handwritten!

"Sept. 12th, 2013    10:29 PM

Dear Family,

Yes I am here safely! My lights are supposed to be out... But I thought I would write you and let you know I am doing fine! The first and second day have been extremely hard. The first day our teachers only spoke Hungarian! And to make it more interesting... My entire district, companionship, and roommates  are 2 elders :) Cathcart Elder (from Ireland) and Vanem Sorensen (from Lehi). Cathcart Elder and I are the only two Hungarian missionaries. Vanem Sorensen is the only Estonian missionary. I have my own room and tonight (Thursday) I was just appointed District Leader. The language is super hard but we're working on it. I found out P-day is on Thursday. So next week I will email you! I'm now five minutes past bed with so much more to say!! I need to be an example here, so I'm going to bed. Miss you, Love you.

Nichols Elder"

"See Ya In 2!"