YSA CONFERENCE IN ROMANIA

Every year the young single adults here in eastern Europe have the opportunity to attend a country YSA conference.  This year the conference was hosted by Romania with young adults from seventeen different countries.  Romania is a beautiful place covered with rolling fields and tree covered mountains.  Our destination was Brasov, in the heart of the area known as Transylvania.  Here is the home of Bran Castle, best known as Dracula's Castle.  We traveled 12 hours by bus to get to our destination.  As a missionary couple serving with the young adults we had the opportunity to attend this conference with 34  of our YSA's from Hungary.  We were able to get to know many of the YSA from other countries as well, during the week, as we shared experiences together.  It was held at a beautiful resort hotel at the foot of one of the ski mountains.  There were many well organized institute classes, service projects, firesides, dances, sport events, hikes, and even a trip to Dracula's Castle.

On the road with the YSA

Brasov Romania with its Hollywood style sign on the mountain.

Just chill in in Brasov with Tamas Furko, Laszlo and Tamas Szabo

Winding our way through the city down narrow alleys.

Elder Peterson with brother and sister duel, Klaudia and Benji Wunderli

Beautiful city of Brasov, Romania

Sister Peterson hanging out with the YSA

Our entire group of approx. 180 of us from 17 different countries.

The view from atop Bran Castle.

The hike to Bran Castle

Senior  Missionaries helping with the conference, Elder and Sister Flanders, Bair, Keppner, Stratton, Pres and Sister Ivory, Elder and Sister Anderson, Peterson, Dalton, Johnson and Brother and Sister Euvrard 

Pioneer games, three legged and sack races.

Lobby of the Alpin Hotel

Many opportunities to get to know the YSA

Our dining hall with Sister Cintia Geröly, Zsófia Mátyás, and Eszter Kovács

Waiting at the bus station in Budapest for our ride back to the mission home after an awesome YSA country conference.  We are loaded up with flags and supplies we will need for next years YSA conference in Hungary.  We will have the opportunity to host the conference next year.  We will be working to get our committee together very soon.  We are looking forward  to hosting  the YSA country conference next July.

P-DAY ADVENTURE

A few of weeks ago a couple from Utah came by the mission home.  They had been on a 600 mile bike ride down the Danube.  They begin their trip in Germany where the Danube begins and ended here in Budapest.  They were flying home the next day and wondered if the mission could use two nice new bikes. We looked at each other and thought, "could this be for real". Since we arrived here six months ago we have dreamed of biking through the city and along the Danube.  We often looked at those rental bikes that they keep around the city and considered trying them out on a P-day, but we had no helmets.  Mission rule, you have to wear a helmet. We gladly accepted their gift and thanked them for their generousity. Now the mission home has two bikes available for missionaries in this area.

Today we took the bikes out for a ride around Margit Island and over the Lion Bridge. These are a few sights we enjoyed along the way.

We would like to share a thought from Joseph B Wirthlin,  "We don't have to be perfect today.  We don't have to be better than someone else.  All we have to do is to be the very best we can."

TEARFUL FAREWELLS

We knew this day was coming but that still didn't make it any easier.  We have loved serving with President and Sister Smith and Elder and Sister Bagozzi for the past 5 months.  They have been such great examples to us and we will never forget this wonderful experience. It was so sad to see them go but we are so happy for their families who are anxiously waiting back home for them.
 The office baton has now been passed onto us for the next month. We will do our best to keep it running smoothly until the "Office Couple" arrive August 1st.  We have actually enjoyed it very much, but we are pretty tired at the end of the day.  Some days are much longer when we have YSA programs to care for.  But we love keeping busy and love serving the people here in Budapest.

After an early morning airport trip to drop off President and Sister Smith we were back to the office to welcome our new mission president and his wife.  President and Sister Szabadkai are Hungarian and come from the beautiful city of Pécs, in southern Hungary. We are very excited to get to know them better and serve with them.

A week later it was time to say goodbye to two other senior couples and 10 young missionaries.  It is always so hard to see them go. Two more early morning airport trips and more tears as we bid farewell promising that this would not be the last time we would see one another.

Elder and Sister Peterson with President and Sister Smith and Elder and Sister Bagozzi,
Saying our goodbyes to our dear friends.

President and Sister Smith headed home after three wonderful years of service.

President and Sister Szabadkai and their daughter Lea

Our farewell to Elder and Sister Viernes and Elder and Sister Miller.  We have been bless to have served with them as well.  We will miss them!

Final evening with these wonderful missionaries at the mission home.  They have been such great examples to us.
Sister Feil, Elder Day, Elder Dellenbach, Elder Cox, Elder Robinson, Elder Nyman, Elder Whiting, Elder Zwingli, Elder Swink, and Elder Olsen.  Also shown but not going home are our AP's Elder tuttle and Elder Heilein on the far right.  Also pictured Pres and Sister Szabadkai.

Final goodbyes at the airport!

 We have a tradition here that the night before the missionaries depart, we walk up to Castle Hill.  We enjoy a beautiful view over looking the Danube with Parliament in the background. Everyone always wants a final look at the beautiful city of Budapest. We then read aloud the "Dedicatory Prayer for Hungary" by Russell M Nelson. He promised the people of Hungary that the day would come there would be an "emergence of light and power." And that "its people may be blessed with rays of divine light of the gospel and a future of fullness that restored truth will being."  He continued, "May the promised gathering of thine elect bring them safely back to thy fold-that wards and stakes may one day dot this land.  May the future servants, foreordained before the world was formed, take their places here in thy earthly kingdom.  Wilt thou hastened the day when missionaries and members may unveil thy glorious message to thy sons and daughters of this great nation."
 We can see the fulfillment of these beautiful promises. How blessed we are to know the plan that our Heavenly father has given us.  We know these things to be true and that the Lord's promised blessings await to those who are faithful and endure to the end.

THE JOY OF MISSIONARY SERVICE

The weeks don't get any better than this.  A busy week included work in the mission home office, discussions with the Elders and Sisters, bearing testimony with new friends, super activities with the YSA, then the week was caped off Saturday by attending a baptism of a close friend.  Sister Peterson and I have been the member present while Klara has been taught the gospel.  She was first contacted by the Elders while they were knocking on doors March 15th, just six weeks after we arrived here in Hungary.  As she learned about the restored church she wanted to know more and more.  She loved  the Book of Mormon and read it through in just a couple of weeks.  In fact her thirst for knowledge was so great that everything we brought her to read, she had read it completely by our next visit. She has been blessed with several spiritual experiences that have confirmed the truth of what she was being taught.  We were so happy when she told us that she wanted to be baptized despite her concerns what friends and family might think.  Klara is a retired school teacher and mother of 2, with 5 grand children. We know that she will be able to bless her family and the ward here in Budapest as she serves her Heavenly Father.

 The joy and love that comes from helping others find the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is what missionary service is all about.  We love serving the people of Hungary.

Klara with Elder and Sister Peterson before the baptism.

The Elders that taught Klara. Elder Heilein, Elder Robinson, and Elder Nyman.

Both Klara and a young man from the ward, Bercel, were baptized today.

After the baptism, we took the train to Klara's house where she fixed us all a great meal to celebrate a wonderful day.

"And moreover, I would desire that you should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual: and if they hold out faithful to the end they are recieved into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.  O remember, remember that these things are true: for the Lord God hath spoken it"   Mosiah 2:41

THE CULTURAL ARTS OF BUDAPEST

The past week we had an opportunity to tour the "State Opera House" in Budapest. It stands as one of the most beautiful Neo-Renaissance buildings in all of Europe.  It is considered to be one of the best opera houses in the world in terms of its acoustics and its horse-shoe auditorium seats 1200 people. We loved the beautiful paintings and gold painted arches and trims that covered the interior of the building.  We had an opportunity to hear a couple of opera numbers at the end of the tour.  The gentleman who sang to us is one of the landlords for one of our missionary apartments.

The reflection mirror at the top of the Kings entrance stairway.

King and Queens personal Opera Box

The grand staircase.

Zsolton, our Opera performer.

We were just out for an "after dinner stroll" when we came upon these dancers and musicians from Bulgaria performing in Varsmarty Ter.  We stopped and enjoyed the very catchy music.  We love this about the city of Budapest.  There is always some celebration or cultural event to enjoy.  Never a dull moment here

The weeks just seem to fly by with all there is to do.  We started our summer insitute classes this week.  Not as big of a turn out as we would like.  They have asked us to teach two of the classes in the next couple of months.  We had a service project on Saturday with the YSA.  We traveled by vilamos and then a train ride to the country to help a young family prepare a house they bought so they could move in.  The old paint on the walls needed to be scraped off.  The YSA's and I did that while Elder Peterson did some electrical things.  It was a great experience.  The family was very happy for the YSA's service and we loved helping them.

OUR JUGGLING ACT

Another wonderful and busy week in the mission field.
 It was a hot week as the temperature climbed above 90 degrees. Another excuse to get an ice cream cone. On those hot days you can find most everyone on the streets licking an ice cream.  We have to pace ourselves as to not over do. :):) The problem is you try another flavor and it becomes your new best flavor.
We had three very busy days in the office before the painters came in on Thursday and Friday. We took the opportunity on Thursday to drive out to Lake Balaton.  A beautiful lake on the western side of the country where most of the Hungarians take their summer vacation. The landscape was rolling green hills and turquoise blue water. There were plenty of quaint little villages and shops along the way.
Saturday we spent the day preparing for and enjoying the Seminary and Institute graduation.  They came from all over the country of Hungary to receive their recognitions.  Afterward we had a "Farewell Party" for President and Sister Smith and Elder and Sister Bagozzi hosted by the YSA.
That evening we took a beautiful stroll down "Vaci" street and across the Danube river to watched the lights of the city turn on.  We enjoyed watching all of the ships that traveled up and down the river.  What a beautiful sight and a perfect ending to a busy week.

A mausoleum in a cemetery totally covered in vines.

Hungarians love their flowers.

Love these shops that sell beautiful hand painted ceramics.

Impressive thatched roof cottage.

Over looking Lake Balaton.

Elder and Sister Bagozzi with Viki Demo, our former YSA leader 

Bishop Petercek and family with President and Sister Smith saying their goodbyes.

Some of the 2015 Seminary and Institute graduates, along with their teache

Watching the lights of the city turn on along the Danube river.