NO "ORDINARY" WEEK IN THE OFFICE

Our first week in the office training full time and it was a busy one.  For starters it was "transfer week".  We had 7 new missionaries come in from the MTC on Tuesday and 8 missionaries completed their missions on Wednesday.  In the middle of all of this 50 companionships were traded and sent to different areas.  Many comings and goings, reimbursements and mail delivers to deal with gave us a better idea of what the office work is all about.  We have four apartments to close this next week, 3 cars need to be sold, and paperwork for 2 new Branch Presidency needs to be done. Elder Peterson prepared over 100 congratulation letters to be sent out to missionaries and parents and leaders. The mission life, always learning something new.  We love the challenge and it gives us an opportunity to get better aquatinted with missionaries other than those who serve in our particular area.

Our first 4am trip to the airport to see off Elder Depallen and Elder Blackman. Wonderful missionaries who served faithfully for two years.

This weeks departing missionaries, another 4am trip to the airport.  We love  being there to help see them off.



Friday the office was closed because we were getting the floors finished so we took the opportunity to go to the country to see the Hortobogy National Park.  This is a wild life preserve for many animals that were traditional and used by Hungarians  for many centuries.  The Hortobagy plains are noted for open range land where these animals were plentaful during the 14, 15 and 16th centuries.  This area is about 2 hours east of Budapest.

Every village has a beautiful yellow church.  We saw this one on the way to Hortobagy. This one is located in the village of Besenyotelek.

 Another beautiful view of the well manicured church yard.

Hungarians love their baskets.  You can see them carrying them to the fruits and vegetable stands or the pekseg (Bakery).

The towns people believe that the storks bring good luck so they build a platform for the storks to build their nest on.  We see many of these in every little village.

We arrived at the "Hortobagy National Park", and enjoyed two hours on a horse drawn carriage ride through the countryside.  We saw plenty of water buffalo, cows, oxen, trained horses, pigs, and black sheep. it was interesting to learn about the traditions of how these animals were used to help the people of Hungary since the 14th century.

Hungarian gaucho leading his team of oxen.

Oxen were used to transport goods from eastern to western Europe from the 14th to the 18th century.

Water Buffalo, used in the 17th century to pull wagons.  Here you see them cooling off in the muddy water.  Because of their body makeup they need to be in the water every six hours to cool off.

Hungarian horseman showing off their well trained horses.

No mounting for this missionary with her tight skirt.

We loved our wagon ride through the country.

Traditional barn with a thatched roof.  We were impressed how well made it was.

The finale of our excursion was a Hungarian traditional skilled horse show.  It was amazing to watch  the synchronized five horse team do what they do with their standing rider,