Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Transfer Calls!

     I'm staying in Nyíregyháza, I'm staying in Nyíregyháza (happy dance)!!! I am so excited!!! We got transfer calls this morning and tomorrow will go to Budapest for the transfer. My current companion if finished her mission and will be going home. 

     It has been another week that has flown by! We spent a lot of time with members this week as Wilson Nővér has been saying goodbye to everyone. We went to Sharika's this week with the Elders and it is always so enjoyable to go there! She is just the cutest and loves singing and dancing with us! Afterwards we waited for the bus for such a long time because it didn't come when we thought it would. We almost just wanted to hitch hike after we had been waiting for 40 minutes in the presence of a crazy dog with rabies on the other side of the fence from us, but luckily the bus came right then! 

     Each week we have gyüli est (branch night) and it's always so great. This week Judít taught the lesson and I just love her. I hadn't really gotten to know her too well until recently when she really took time to talk to me, something that for sure requires patience on their part as I figure out this crazy language. She has such a strong testimony that she has worked really hard to build. Her brother has also been coming back to church a little bit so it has been fun to get to know him as well. 

     We went with the Elders and Dóra to visit Kata this week which was so wonderful. Kata is the choir director who is just absolutely in love with music. When we got there she didn't hear her doorbell so we started singing outside her fence and she came running out and she was so so happy! She even talked about it at church on Sunday and told everyone "The missionaries came over and I knew they were there because they sang to let me know they were there!!!" Oh she just loved it. When we went inside we of course sang with her a little bit and had a great talk about what makes us happy. We asked everyone at choir practice what makes them happy and they said many things but one thing we all had in common was in someway connected to the gospel. I know that the gospel brings true happiness and I think that is such an important question to ponder, "what makes you truly happy?!" I know that the gospel has brought me happiness and it is that happiness that motivates me to do what we do each day, which is share the gospel with everyone! 

     On the way home from Katas we were on a bus and there were only four seats and since we were with Dóra there wasn't enough room for all of us so I went on just the other side of the bus and I'm so happy I did. I found myself surrounded by a néni, her daughter, and her daughter's daughter who was probably around 6 or 7 years old. She pulled out a sticker with Frozen characters on it out of her pocket and I started talking about it with her. It was perfect because I was actually able to talk to her a little bit and it just made me so happy! She reminded me so much of my niece, Leonna, because of how much she loves Frozen and she just got SO excited talking to me about it. It was a simple little conversation but I loved it!

     We went to a few other members this week for lunch which was fun. It is always fun to see people in their homes and get to know them a little better. Valika (our relief society president) invited us over on Friday and taught us how to cook! She was really excited to have us over and she is so fun! I hope I will be at least half as cute as her when I'm a néni someday. She taught us how to make töltöt káposzta which is kind of like little lettuce wraps. She asked me to mix up all the stuff we put inside with my hands and I thought it was so funny because I would always do that for my mom at home when we made meatloaf. I also learned that huncut means perky, because she always calls me that when we go over and its so funny.  Valika also taught us how to make the best Palacsintas (the secret is bubbly water) and we were able to take them to our Palacsinta est we had that night! It was so great. We went home quick after Valika's to finish cleaning for our cleaning checks that we had an hour later and then afterwards went to our Palacsinta est. In the beginning we had a small spiritual message which was really great. They asked me to play a piano solo in the middle of it so I played the Joseph Smith Medley, which never fails to really invite the spirit. It was great and everyone had such a fun time playing games and eating csintas! 

     Sport nap was great again this week and I was on the team with the Hungarians!!! And guess which team won?! That's right, my team won! Haha, it's probably because we had some nice help from Néomi (Valika's granddaughter who we teach) who came for the first time. It was so fun to play with them as I randomly said whatever came to mind in Hungarian as we passed the ball. 

     Church was great as always and every week I just love the members more and more, I didn't even think it was possible to love them even more than I already do! Yesterday was my last working day with Wilson Nővér before she goes home tomorrow, but it was the best one to end on because we had the funniest night! In the afternoon we traveled a bit to visit a lady Wilson knew before and whose mom's funeral we went to last month and its really good that we did. Her name is Enikő and she is so so sweet. We were able to teach her more about the plan of salvation which was perfect for her at this time in her life. 

     In the evening we went to visit Margít with the Elders! Margít grew up here and is probably in her 80's, just to give you some background to what I'm about to tell you about. The other funeral we went to last month was actually for Margít's sister which I know was really hard for her but she is doing a lot better. When we got there Margít was just so excited and went into the other room and when she came back she was holding the largest stack of CD's ever, we couldn't even see her face haha! She then gave us some süti (which was two slices for each of us of some super dry cake) and then promptly left the room again. We were all so confused but then this time when she came back she had 3 huge bags of dress up stuff! It was unreal, we couldn't stop laughing! Then she came around with more süti (we were all so sick of süti already because we had been fed süti at two other houses during the day). Margít happily sang that everyone was going to get 3 more slices! Oh man. Margít was running all around the room and when she wasn't looking I threw two of my süti slices onto Elder Robert's plate right before she turned around again and we all just tried so hard not to laugh! Roberts is the best and I will never forget that. Margít said she just wanted to celebrate Farsang with us, which is a holiday they have towards the end of February celebrating the end of Winter. Before I knew it we were all just sitting around the dinner table, looking at each other with these crazy animal masks on hahah. This country continues to surprise me every day! Margít had so much fun with us and then brought out a bunch of meat later and had us make sandwiches. When we finally left she had gift bags for all of us filled with all kinds of things and insisted that we take the leftover süti, meat, and of course our animal masks!

     I think that sums up this past week. I am excited for another start here in Nyíregyháza with a new companion and can't believe that in less than a week I won't be a teenager!(Hannah turns 20 years old on February 15th). Time sure does fly when your having fun and serving the Lord! 

Hope you all have a happy week and know that I love you! 


Sok ​
szeretettel, Schoendorfer 
Nővér

Cooking with Valika! 

More cooking and fun at Palacsinta est
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Ure Elder wanting to just hitchhike!

This is the poem I was talking about a few weeks ago

Judit - who taught our Gyuli Est

Kata! The member who loves music, and next to her is Ica's son

This is Kristof! The member who wrote in my planner a few weeks ago. He is just the sweetest!

Farsang buli (party) with Margit!


Margit herself, in the bear mask! The night was probably the funniest night of the mission

1 comment:

  1. I so enjoy your letters SCHOENDORFER NŐVÉR!! They are so full of the Spirit and your love of those you serve. I have to say a couple of times I was giggling as I read about your adventures..especially the animal masks :) You have mastered the secret of service...embracing the differences and enjoying the people!! Love, Sister Morton

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