MTC Week 3

​     So the MTC pretty much feels like all I've ever known, haha, it's great though, I cannot believe how much I have learned and continue to learn about the gospel and this insane language. I love getting dear elder letter from each of you and hearing about what is going on outside the MTC! 

     So last Thursday we had our first TRC. No one seems to know what that actually stands for but it's when we teach volunteers who are members of the church and speak Hungarian. As some of you know I have a good friend who attends BYU and is from Hungary. The lesson set up for which companionship would work with which Hungarian volunteer were completely random so I was THRILLED when the room my companion and I walked into had my friend Levente in it! It was so fun!! We had to pretend like we didn't know each other because if the teacher knew, she probably wouldn't let me continue teaching him so we kept it on the down low and I tried to keep my laughing to a minimum. This was hard, but I couldn't give it away because we have instructors watching the lessons to see how we are doing and well, she probably did wonder why I seemed so happy when I walked into the room but I couldn't hide it. I think we're safe though haha, so I look forward to hopefully getting to teach him again. He is great and I love his family, which I'm excited to see in Hungary again. 

     This Sunday in Church I played the special musical number which was really fun. I hardly had any time to practice during the week because of our packed schedules, but it went really well. I played an arrangement I have of 'How Great Thou Art'. A funny story from sacrament meeting - we have to give talks in our mission languages at church and they randomly pick people to speak after the meeting starts and they announce it. This week was an Elder going to Finland, who apparently had been challenged to use a Dobby voice from Harry Potter when he started his talk. So he got up there and in the best Dobby impression I have ever heard, he said (in Finnish, translated by my friend Sister Jones who is also going to Finland) "When President Garr asked me to speak, I didn't know what to think. I'm just Dobby, a house elf who doesn't know how to speak Finnish!" It was too funny, especially because most of the leaders didn't know what he had said, although let's be real, the Dobby voice kind of gave it away. 

     I taught Relief Society this week which was really fun, hopefully I made that Stake Relief Society mom of mine proud ;) haha, but it was really cool to see where the discussion went and how much I was guided by the spirit with what to say. That is something that I have seen even when I teach lessons in Hungarian. I know that if we trust the Lord, he will help us know what to say and bring words we need to our remembrance. I know that the spirit has the power to help me understand what others are saying even when I have only been studying this language for 3 weeks. It is amazing how much I have been able to learn but I know I'm not doing it alone. 

     This week has been humbling. Faith is such a big concept and something that can continue to increase and be developed if we put in the effort and show Him that we are willing. I have started reading again the four gospels and I am just in Matthew right now, but it has been amazing. There are countless examples of faith in the scriptures that are so wonderful, and I am so grateful to be able to read and study them. Something that I have really loved from reading in Matthew is the amount of times the Lord says something along the lines of "Why are ye fearful, Oh ye of little faith?....Be not afraid.." The Lord knows that it is so easy to become afraid, but he also wants us to completely trust Him so that we don't have to be afraid. What a blessing that is! I know that the spirit is hindered and doesn't emulate as strongly when we are afraid so we have to have greater faith than fear. I also love in D&C 6:36 where it says "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." It is important to remember and rely on our faith at all times, but it is especially crucial in times of opposition and trial because that is when our acts of faith build our testimonies and love of Christ. 

     This week at our devotional, we had Neil L. Andersen (of the Quorum of the twelve) come speak to us. He had an amazing message that was truly inspiring. He talked about four words - Sacrifice, Opposition, Adversary, and Deliverance. He talked about how we should be asking the question, "what can I give?" instead of "what can I get?" I love that! One of Christ's most admirable qualities is that he constantly turns outwards to serve others. Sacrifice is an eternal principle and we know that as we give things up, we become something more. Change is part of conversion, it is how we come unto Christ. 

     The Lord will always bless us for our sacrifices and efforts, the blessings may not come immediately, but they will always come. We are never in the Lord's debt. 

     About opposition, he said "everything with the spirit is uphill...we are going against the current and must fight against opposition." He talked about how trees that grow in a windy environment are the ones that are stronger. They are the ones with stronger roots that spread further, faster, and stronger in order to withstand winds that are sure to return. We can relate to this by looking at opposition as a way to strengthen us. We have been told that we will not be challenged with anything we cannot overcome and with the right attitude, we will be strengthened because of it.            About the adversary, he talked about how it is a real force that works against us. It works for our failure and wants us to give in to selfishness. 

     Onto deliverance, we can find safety, peace, and the power to overcome temptation, in one place. And that one place is in the Lord, Jesus Christ & His Father. Through fervent prayer, as we turn towards Him, He will always help us and lovingly guide us. 

     The past few days have been really helpful. One of our instructors had us read 2 Nephi 4:16-end and also Matthew 19:16-22. If you haven't read 2 Nephi 4:16-end recently, please go read it! We learn that even Nephi at times felt inadequate and that it's okay if we feel the same way. Learning Hungarian for sure has that effect on me occasionally but I have to remind myself that I was not asked to do this alone. None of us are asked to do anything alone. If we have faith and ask, God will help us with everything. It is hard sometimes because we want to think we can do things on our own, but how relieving it is and how overjoyed I feel when I remember that the Lord is always there for us. Yes, we will have opposition and challenges but we are never fighting alone.

Tudom hogy as evangélium miatt boldog vagyokés Jézus Krisztus​él! 

Have a great week! 

Happy Halloween and happy birthday to my mom!!! Don't forget to get your birthday present, it's wrapped and in the office ;) I hope you have a fun birthday and get to eat some chocolate chip cheesecake!

Sok szeretettel, 
Schoendorfer Nővér

My companion didn't want to go to the gym one day, so I had to resort to working out in our room. Another Sister in our District thought it would be fun to feed me gummy bears each time I did a push up, haha. It was kind of counterproductive, but it sure was fun.