Izabella's Baptism!

Wow, so so much has happened in the past week and a half!!! Izabella was baptized and it was the most beautiful night, everything was perfect! 

We are emailing today because yesterday was a huge holiday here in Hungary which closed most of the stores on Monday and Tuesday. It was the Anniversary of the 1848 Revolution.
We got to see just for a few minutes a presentation in the town center with dancers and all kinds of things. There was also a memorial part of the program where they had soldiers and placed lots of flowers. We were still able to visit Sárika even with the bus schedule running really rarely because of the holiday and it was a slower day but it was good. 

Anyways starting from the beginning of last week, we got to celebrate Nőnap (women's day) on March 8th which was really great! We were surprised with flowers thoughout the day, some paper flowers from a 16 year old boy we didn't know, and flowers and chocolates from a few people from the branch, and I also got the cutest card from Kristőf who is just so sweet! 

We also met with Izabella and she was so so thrilled about her upcoming baptism. A quick story from the lesson that makes me laugh is that half way through the lesson, Iza and her boyfriend, Viktor, had to leave to go somewhere so the left and locked the apartment door. Then about twenty minutes later when we were ready to go, Izabella looked everywhere for the apartment keys and didn't know where they were to unlock the door for us! I guess Iza had taken Izabella's set of keys without thinking and Izabella didn't know where the others were. Izabella just laughed it off and we helped her find the keys. She joked that we might just have to sleep over there! And then she told us about one time she wasn't able to come to church because she again couldn't find the keys and I guess Iza had left early that morning. She said she was all ready to go to church, with her hat on and everything and that she started to cry when she realized she couldn't go! But after every story, she just smiles and says "everything is great now!" She is just the happiest! 

Last week we also went to visit Sárika again and on our way walking there we did some tracting since we had some time. We went up to one house but quickly realized it was under construction and were just going to keep going. But right as we were about to walk away two construction workers came up to the gate, covered in wood shavings, paint, and all kinds of stuff and they asked if we needed anything. We explained that we were missionaries and the one construction worker told us he hadn't heard hardly anything about our religion but all that he heard was that we have missionaries that go door to door. And he was like "now you are here!" So we were able to teach them about the Book of Mormon quickly as they had to get back to work but that was a fun experience for us! 

Sárika was doing well when we visited her, we love going to see her. She lives alone with her little cat and really opened up to us recently about some really hard things that happened in her life. It amazes me how some of the most positive people have had the hardest things happen in their life but they just constantly look for the good. 

We started reading a lot about Joseph Smith in Joseph Smith history with Ica last week and it is going great, but we had the funniest time with it too. Ica was trying to read the place names in America (like Pennsylvania) and also some American names and she would just laugh trying to read them and tell us how strange they sounded to her! Hahah it was so funny. 

We went back to Sóstóhegy to teach Péter and his family again this week and it was incredible! We went in and his whole family was already gathered around the table and ready! We taught them about the plan of salvation and the spirit was really so strong. Péter has read up to second Nephi and is loving it, he is amazing. It takes us about 30 minutes on the bus to get to Sóstóhegy and on Sunday morning as we were walking to church we saw Péter riding his bike to church as we got there at about the same time. I'm not sure exactly how far the distance was but I just know it's a 30 minute bus ride from near our apartment and even further to get to the branch house. Also something miraculous that I figured out about Péter that I can't remember if I wrote about already or not is that their house doesn't have a csengő (doorbell). They live in a house in a pretty rural area and Péter just happened to be outside while we were tracting and came up to the gate to talk to us. If he hadn't have been outside we wouldn't have met him that day because there was no way to ring a doorbell or anything and we couldn't get up to the door because of the gate. MIRACLE! I am so excited to continue teaching their family!

On Friday we went to Budapest for a conference where we met with Elder Leimer, a member of the Seventy, who is over our mission. It was the most incredible conference! He is truly inspired. The whole conference it just felt like he was speaking directly to me and everything he said really was an answer to my prayers. He talked about how we can be made whole in our imperfections. He also talked about how making mistakes in this life is inevitable and that we must learn to act, not be acted upon.       In 2 Nephi, verse 14, it says:

​"

And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath

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created all things, both the heavens an

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d the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be

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acted upon."

​We will have challenges in this life but as we yoke ourselves to the Lord, He will come to match us. We don't have to match Him. Christ will embrace us in His love as we seek His help. The Savior literally suffered for anything that anyone has felt or ever will feel. What a blessing that is! I love this time of year as we celebrate Easter and the fact the Christ lives.

Now for Izabella's baptism!! On Saturday we went and bought fruit in the morning and made a fruit salad for the Gyümölc Buli (Fruit party) we planned to have after the baptism. Izabella is on a pretty limited diet because of some health issues so we suggested a fruit party and she loved the idea! We also got some flowers for her and I finished writing my talk and looking over it. We also had Sport Nap and played a fun game of soccer. Néomi and Levente (Valika's grandkids) came and we actually went home with them afterwards with their mom. We were able to meet with Néomi and had a great lesson with her and Valika. Valika is another great example of positivity to me and she has such a strong testimony that she's not afraid to share! 

We came home and got everything ready for the  baptism and went early to make sure everything was cleaned up. We got there and not shortly after, Izabella, Iza, and Viktor showed up way early! She was just so excited! I have never seen Izabella so genuinely happy and smiley! We started the program after everyone got there and Klára Néni gave a great talk about baptism. After her talk I played a piano solo, 'How Great Thou Art'. Izabella was sitting really close to the piano and part way through the song I saw her start to cry. After it was over I went and sat back down next to her and she said the spirit was just so strong and that she was so happy! 

Then we all walked over to the Fürdő (Indoor pool, we don't have a baptismal font here in Nyíregyháza) and took some pictures. Then, Roberts Elder baptized her. He did a great job. After Izabella came out of the water everyone was hugging her and no one even cared that she was soaking wet! She gave me a big hug and thanked me for everything, it was so tender. She got changed and we met back at the branch house for the second half of the program. I gave a talk about the Holy Ghost and I also told a story about Izabella from when we first started teaching her. I remember when Wilson Nővér and I went over to teach her for one of the first lessons and Izabella had already read the whole pamphlet about the Plan of Salvation and instead of us teaching her, she taught us! Izabella really is just amazing, she is always willing to learn and always positive. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to start teaching her and see her progress to this point! The fruit party afterwards was really fun and everyone had a great time. It was the best night!! András did a great job with the confirmation and church was also awesome, especially since Péter came! 

Have a great week, wherever you are!

​Sok​

 szeretettel, Schoendorfer Nővér

Hannah and Izabella right before her baptism

Jarrett Nover, Iza, me, Ica, Izabella, Kata and Josi (Kata's husband)

Izabella's Baptism!

Iza and her boyfriend came which was super great, they have been there for every lesson and love the gospel! 

Izabella and Klara neni, they are the cutest neni friends you will ever meet. Both learned about the gospel when they were older and are both from Ukraine. They love each other!

Iza made a really yummy cake!

Izabella's Baptism

Jarrett Nover, myself and Andras, who did the confirmation for Izabella on Sunday

This totally reminded me of home and the huge pussy willow tree that we would always cut around Easter time!

Last Tuesday was Nonap! (Women's Day). We were surprised with these paper flowers from a 16 year old boy while we were walking.

We got stuck waiting in a train station in Budapest for 2 hours because all the train were full. Luckily we had a fun Easter package to enjoy while we were waiting, thanks mom and dad.

Easter stickies look great in our window.

There was a holiday here - the Anniversarry of the 1848 Revolution with a presentation with traditional Hungarian dancers in the town center