THIS IS HOW THEY DO IT IN HUNGARY

You have many options when you buy your chicken. These are just a few of them.

These markets are huge. The fruits and vegetables are amazing.  There are rows and rows of meats, cheeses and pastries as well.  This is one of three levels.

We with Elder and Sister Bagozzi try to feed the missionaries  once and awhile on Sundays.  Here is Elder Depallens and Elder Beaumont.  Elder Depallens finished his mission this week and is going home.

Our YSA getting ready to play "War games" in the park for their Friday night activity.

"War games", Hungarian version of "Steal the flag"

 It's been a busy, but great week! An additional assignment we received this past couple of weeks is to be trained as the temporary mission office couple.  The new mission office couple does not come until August 1st.  The currant office couple leaves June 30th.  We will run the mission office for one month then we will train the new couple. There is much to learn but we are enjoying seeing how the mission runs and interacting with all of the missionaries more.  It is amazing  how much there is to keep track of.

Tuesday night Institute was pretty interesting.  We always fix a meal for the YSA before Institute then serve dessert later that evening during the social hour.  Just as we were setting out the dinner we received an email from the Institute teacher. Something came up and asked if we could fill in.  We are thinking we can't read the manual in Hungarian and I don't think I can learn Hungarian in 30 minutes before class.  After a frantic look for something that we could present, we found a DVD in Hungarian about the "Proclamation on the Family".  This was the first time either of us had seen it so were not sure what they said but we got the general idea.  After the film we talked about the importance of families and opened the time up to questions and answers. Through translators we had a very interesting discussion.  Its amazing how the spirit can come and help teach when it is needed.

This week we had a wonderful district meeting taught by our Sister Trainers.  They led a discussion about the importance of charity and love in our missionary service.  They concluded by a quote from the prophet Joseph Smith, speaking to those first missionaries who left their wives and children to serve the Lord.

"Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God.  A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.  This has been your feeling, and caused you to forgo the pleasures of home, that you might be a blessing to others, who are candidates for immortality, but strangers to truth: and for so doing, I pray that heaven's choicest blessings may rest upon you."
                                                                      Joseph Smith

OUR WEEK AT A GLANCE

One final picture of our District before transfers.  Elder Robinson, Sister Simons, Elder Cathcart, Sister Naegle, Elder Nyman, Elder Craig, Elder Depallens, Elder Beaumont, Sister Peterson, Elder Peterson.  Elder Depallen was our DL and gave us wonderful training each week.  A sad goodbye to him as he leaves for home this week.

Elder and Sister Peterson with Laci Tem one of our YSA.  Elder Peterson ordained him an Elder today. What a great honor to be asked to  participate in this blessing in his life.

May 24, 2015 attending church at the Kispest Ward. One of a few free-standing LDS chapels in Hungary.

Elder Robinson, Elder Nyman, Klára, Sister Peteson, enjoying a wonderful lunch together at Klára's home. She is a wonderful cook and as you can see she feeds us a weeks worth in one setting. This was course # 2, we already had course #1 and dessert was still to come.  In Hungary, lunch is typically the biggest meal of the day. We were there teaching Klara and she always serves lunch before the lesson.

A stroll on the Danube after a long day at the office. Sister Peterson, Sister Smith, and Sister Bagozzi.

Elder Peterson, President Smith, Elder Bagozzi.  What a beautiful place to do missionary work.

The evening wouldn't be complete without a taste of gelato.

Another wonderful week in Budapest Hungary, serving the Lord. We are so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of happiness for all of God's children.  We know when we are obedient to the commandments and keep our covenants, the blessings are unlimited. We love the Savior and know the Atonement is real.  We know God answers prayers, and we have witnessed that here among these wonderful people.

OUR FRIEND"S BAPTISM

Elder and Sister Peterson, Elder Robertson, Elder Nyman with our special friends, Eszter and Bertold

Timi, my amazing "translator"

Our special friend Bertold on his baptism day

Csaba with Sister Naegle and Sister Simons having treats after the baptism

Our special friend Klara who attended the baptism as well

"And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me."  (D&C 18: 15-16)

What a special privilege it was to be a part of teaching Bertold these past couple of months.  Our testimony was strengthened as we testified to the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How blessed we are to know That God lives and has given us a "Plan of Happiness".

COUNTRY WIDE YSA ACTIVITY IN KAPOSVÁR

Friday morning we traveled to a small city in southwest Hungary where a group of YSA from Kaposvár, Pécs, Budapest, and Szegéd were having a two day event. We arrived about noon and met Elder and Sister Miller at our hotel.  (The Millers are from Utah and serve as Humanitarian missionaries here in Hungary.) In addition to that service they serve in the Kaposvár Branch. They took us on a nice scenic walk through the city center.  It was very beautiful.  All the streets were lined with rows of big beautiful trees. We are amazed at the beauty of each of these cities that we visit here in Hungary.

Our wonderful YSA

The YSA event was a huge success. They first had a get- acquainted time and then enjoyed a wonderful dinner.  Afterwards they had a great time competing in minute-to-win-it games. Elder Peterson even got into the competition to make the teams equal.  You would never know that he was not a YSA.  Later they enjoyed a dance, disco ball and all. The next morning there was breakfast and then a fireside. Everyone that made the trip had a wonderful time.  We were happy that we were able to attend.
Kaposvár is about a two hour drive from Budapest.  We had to get on the road by noon on Saturday because we had a baptism in Buda in the afternoon.  We enjoyed a beautiful drive home with green rolling hills spotted with little falus (villages). We enjoyed snacking on the fresh strawberries  we picked up at the roadside stand along the way.

Elder Peterson in the kitchen with Elder and Sister Miller

Elder and Sister Peterson with our Kaposvár YSA at the Church

Elder Miller showing us the streets of Kaposvar

View of City Center from our hotel balcony in Kaposvár

FILMING CHURCH PRODUCTIONS FOR HUNGARY

The Mission President gave us an additional assignment this past week.  We were assigned to be chauffeurs to Brain Cordray, European Publishing Services Manager and Fred Simonet, Music and Film Producer. They are from Frankfurt Germany and Paris France.  They were to spend the week in Budapest dubbing the film "Meet the Mormons" in Hungarian. In addition to that they shot footage of young single adults doing Family History and Hungarian families sharing the gospel. It was an amazing experience. We learned so much about what goes in to filming these church videos.  We helped by holding equipment, being perfectly quiet and staying out of the way of the camera.  We were able to travel to two different cities outside of Budapest, meet the wonderful families and learn of their touching missionary experiences.

Elder Peterson and Brian Cordray

Our YSA Hany, Loci, and Zita gathering at the train station.

Hany, Adri, Zita and Loci checking out the cemetery for family names.

The film crew with our YSA filming at the cemetery.

Film crew at Castle Hill over looking Parliament. The most recognizable sight in all of Budapest.

Loci Tem one of our faithful YSA who has only been a member for six months.

Camera crew filming another scene.

Barnabas Török eight years old and very excited to sharing his missionary story.

Tight quarters for filming crew!

The Török family being filmed having Family Home Evening.

SUNRISE OVER THE DANUBE

5:30 AM the morning begins in Budapest Hungary

Our morning workout with the missionaries, a jog to Castle Hill!

The Mathias church in the morning sunlight!

Fisherman's Bastian highlighted by the morning sun. 

DEVIN & JESSICA VISIT BUDAPEST

 Our excitement could not be contained!  How wonderful to have Devin and Jessica here with us in Budapest.  At last we can share what we have come to love with our family.

Although we had a lot of rain in the morning we still enjoyed touring the sights of the city.  Here you see the "Shoes on the Danube" Bronze shoes in memory of those who lost their lives.  Men, women and children were asked to remove their shoes because they were of value. It breaks our heart to think of how cruel humanity can be.

Elder Peterson and Devin enjoying the beautiful Stephens Basilica

So many beautiful  things to see rain or shine.

Before sunset on Castle Hill

The King and Queen standing on the balcony high above the Castle wall.

How did we luck out having the best table with the view in our private castle turret?

Although it was a short two days and three nights that we had Devin and Jessica with us, we definitely made the most of it.  We tried to feed them every favorite treat that we have discovered here in Budapest.  The chocolate, the gelato, the chimney cakes, strudel, and even the top two Hungarian dishes, Roccott Krumpli, and Csirke Paprikas.  We even took them to the famous Hungarian baths.
Sunday it was Mother's Day here in Hungary so that was special. We loved sharing our Sabbath with them and introducing them to our new "friends".  They enjoyed our testimony meeting, in fact Devin bore his testimony and a YSA in our Ward translated for him.  It was special to share a part of our family with the ward members here in Hungary.
The next morning we took Devin and Jessica to the airport at 5Am, where they were catching their plane to Rome to begin their Mediterranean cruise.  We will be ever grateful that they sacrificed their time and money to visit us here on our mission.