Week 55

Hellooooooooooooo!:)

How is everyone doing!? I know life in Hungary just got a little different! We just got our transfer calls and it turns out that Elder Watson is going to open a companionship in Szeged and I am getting one of the missionaries from his group, named Elder Bagley:) Apparently, he is just a load of fun and one of the funniest guys ever:) I cannot wait to meet him tomorrow, which means we are going to be going to Budapest to meet up and then come back together. So, long day tomorrow. This last week with Elder Watson was crazy! We worked so hard, and we set some really high goals at the beginning of the week. For example, we remembered how on the Best Two Years, the elders give out 62 Books of Mormon in one week. So, we set a super high goal too, of 40... Ya, I had no idea how we were supposed to get that when on average we give out like 2 or 3 a week. So, we went out and attacked it. We decided also, that if we work, every single second, in one week. We can hit a total of about 51 working hours. So, we set the goal of getting "51 for the Son". Ya, well, now let me tell you how our week went:)

Monday: We met with a member, her name is E:) She is super cool, and she even brought her little dog! He was the cutest little guy ever, and he was super obedient for just being 1 year and a half. Then we talked with her about member missionary work and how it can be hard sometimes, but it is definitely worth doing. Then we finished the program and went over to the store and bought some chocolate...:) Ya, I definitely got some with some Chips Ahoy in it:) Wow, chocolaty goodness:)

Tuesday: Woke up and went out and shot some baskets together for a little while. It is actually a form of exercise that I like:) Then we felt impression to go to this little corner out in the middle of nowhere and just start tracting it like crazy. So we went over there and started. And holy cow, we found so many cool people! We started talking to a bunch of old grandmas, and they totally loved it! They told us to come back with our messages and one of them, totally asked how much the Book of Mormon was. We told her free, and she said, no, I have to give you all something. Do you like snacks? So naturally, we nodded our heads and she brought a little bag of cooked snacks:) Nice woman. Then we went and met with a couple of our investigators. A women and her daughter. We talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon and how this week we are trying the flood the city with Books of Mormon, and they accepted the challenge to give the Books to people who would read it and who would appreciate them:) Then at the end of the lesson, the woman gave the closing prayer, and when we looked up afterwards, she was broke out in tears. It was so powerful, I love how the Spirit can touch people's hearts, all we have to do is act. Once we act, then God is just waiting to bless us. Then, here is a fun story. We started tracting in our area again, and this 18 year old girl answers the door. Well, I told her we want to get to know the Hungarians better and stuff, and she was like... ok. Well, she stood at the door! So then I asked, "well, here at the gate or where?" hahaha, and she was like, come on in! So we got talking to her and gave her a Book of Mormon and she wanted to meet again and talk about it!:) it was super cool!

Wednesday: So, last night we did a small split and today I was with Elder Young in our apartment. Well, we both woke up and we felt sooooo sick. Ya, I definitely got a cold. So, we still went out and worked and did a bunch of look ups and stuff. After, we switched back and Watson and I went over to a member's home who skyped with the MTC. Just like last week, and we got to see a few more missionaries coming out! It was super cool. Then we went and played some basketball with the boys, and that was super good too!:) So, no big deal:)

Thursday: Wow, so today was super cool too. So we had some time again to go tracting, and we got rejected for a solid hour and a half. Like sometimes it is understandable how people say no, but for the most part you usually get someone to at least be nice about it. No, today everyone was just mean and did not want anything to do with us. So, we pushed on. We took a little breather, and took some fun pictures for like 10 minutes, and then pushed on further. Well, right after that break, a women came out and talked to us for a good 30 minutes all about the church, and then another man came out and talked to us too! Then, get this. We see this huge home!!! Like, the size of one in America. So, we looked at each other and said, "we have to do this." So, we went to the gate and there was 8 door bells. So, Watson rang all of them at the same time. No one came out. Then, we checked the gate, and it was OPEN!!!! So, we went in, and started walking down the super long driveway! We got to the front door and knocked. Man, we were soooooo scared. Then, a 28 year old woman answered the door and she happened to be really nice. We got talking and she even gave us some drinks since it was super hot outside. Then, I also noticed that they hunt! I saw a freakin Hippo head on the wall, and a European Elk mount next to it. So I brought up how I hunt, and that was a super good topic as well! So, she said that sometime she would have to invite us hunting and have us over! That was super cool, and get this, she was making Mushrooms with Deer!!! Like I have not heard of Deer since America... weird. hahahaha:)

Friday: Had district meeting today, and talked about setting SMART commitments. It was pretty good, hahaha. To go along with our super high goals, Watson and I right after the meeting went right back to work. We literally talked to everyone and their dog! We saw people on benches and talked to them, people outside on their porches on the 5th floor, and yelled at them our message!:) Literally, all the time:) Also, 3 boys in this ward came and met with us and we had them teach some of us just like we were role playing. It brought so many memories from the MTC. hahaha, It just bore testimony to me that if you want to be a good teacher, you have to study the word of God, you have to live it, and you have to pray for the Spirit. But these boys will be super good teachers, that is already sure:) Then Watson and I came home and we wanted to make Fajitas, but unfortunately we had no flours to make the tortillas... So, we ended up just eating them with rice:) it was still amazing like we thought it would be. It was so hot, that it was painful to keep shoving it down our throats! hahahaha, but it was soooooooo good!:)

Saturday: Once more, we went to Sport day and played more soccer. hahaha. But then when we got done, we met with all the boys again to help them with their teaching and mission preparation. And this time, they taught the other elders, and it was super good. They are coming along pretty good:) Well, then once more, we had time to go tracting, and since we want to meet our goals, we cannot afford to not go to the right area. So we prayed for guidance and felt to go in the same exact spot. Well, when we got there, it was like another jackpot!:) I cannot even describe this! Like, I have never had so much success on my mission ever. It is crazy!:) We talked to many people and talked about the Book of Mormon with all of them and they said to come back and talk more!!! Then, we went over to S''s house, and we taught her little sister, her, and then got haircuts from mom:) We also played some more go fish with the kids since we taught them that game last time:)

Sunday: hahaha, get this. All the investigators who came to church were under the age of 14. What!? Ya, we teach a bunch of youngins:) hahaha, but Watson and I had to teach sunday school, and we had no idea about it til late last night. So, we just decided to use Preach My Gospel, and we flipped open to Chirstlike Attributes and had everyone learn about those. It was a super good lesson, I hope it sticks with them all:) Oh yeah, it was the youth sunday school!:) then we went to a member's home, and they happened to live just outside of the main city in a little village. They cooked us some breaded chicken and pork and real mashed potatoes. It was like an American meal. It was soooooo good:) I was in heaven. then we went inside their home and they had a digital shower!! Like what!? Then we also tried out their "fat shaker"... That thing was ridiculous. I felt all my fat on my whole body just shaking real slow, and also real fast. It was so disgusting!:) Then we came home and finished out planning.

Monday: Well, we went out and met with P. She is super cool and went to the FSY camp, kinda like the EFY in America. She really loved it, but she had questions and stuff about the church. She came to us today and said she wants to go all in and do this, or just get out. And right now, she needs to make that choice. Well, we are praying for her. Then we met with a couple others. But, R is one of our highlights. She is the girl we tracted into on Tuesday who said to come back. She said to wait for her. So we waited at her door for 15 minutes. Well, she came out and it turns out that people stole her watch and it was her bday present. She just got it. But we talked to her and tried to help her cheer up. I think it went pretty well, we also had the chance to talk about eternal marriage and stuff, and how she does not believe in marriage. But, I hope that we can help:) Then we also went and met with a girl named D. She too, is young and wanting to learn english. We taught about the gospel at the end, and she had a lot of questions and stuff!!! I was thrilled to hear them! She is going to be a really good investigator!:)

Well, that was basically our week. We got our goals. We gave out 46 Books of Mormon and 51 working hours. We are sooooo exhausted. Both of us got sick and still are a little. But it was a good last go for the both of us together. We had a ton of fun this transfer and we look forward to the future when we can do a lot more together. I love Elder Watson. He really has changed me. I can't wait to email you next week again! Love you all tons.

Nichols Elder