One Year Old!

Well, I turned one year old as a missionary this past week! It feels like that time has both flown by and also like I have been here forever. I guess both are true. 

This week was really great, we still had some trouble meeting with people but all in all it was a great week. We were able to go to a lesson with cute Lilla this week and she is such a joy to be with! She is one of the most positive people I know and it's impossible for me to not be smiling when I'm with her. She was so happy to meet with us and was such an amazing example to me as she invited everyone she could to church or gave them a pass along card. 

We also went to visit a church member named Piroska and her cute daughter Hanna and a couple from church came with us. They are an older couple and so amazing. They are always so willing to help and we have gotten to know them pretty well. Their names are Feri and Mária and as we were going home, they told us about how they were getting off the tram one stop early so that they would have more time to be out walking together. I loved it!

We had fun chalking again this week and had so many dogs run up to us and they were so friendly! Willets nővér and I accidentally ate bugs this week; I guess that's what happens when missionaries pass down a huge container of taco seasoning. 

Anyways we met a lot of new people this week from all over the place. It is so cool to talk all kinds of different people everyday, I love being here. József decided on a baptismal date this week! It was actually kind of funny because we had a really amazing lesson with him and he said he was still trying to decide between two dates. He wanted to have his baptism on a Monday because that is his favorite day of the week but he called us later and said he had officially decided on November 12th! We are so excited! We went over to visit him with Gizi yesterday and it was so funny because he was writing his baptismal date in his calendar and also writing notes on the Sundays to come to church. I really love teaching him, he has the biggest heart! 

Also, we met with a bácsi this week that had met with the missionaries about a year ago, his name was István. At first it seemed like he didn't want to meet but then he decided that he did and when we went over he was so so excited. He had made for us káposztás tészta (cabbage and noodles) which took him three hours. I don't really know how to describe this bácsi except for maybe the more energetic and happy version of the bácsi from the movie Up, or more accurately the bácsi from the movie The Little Prince for those of you who have seen that. He is a pretty lonely guy but as we talked about the gospel we could tell that it touched his heart. He cried as he told us some of the struggles he has had in his life, most recently was his wife passing away. 

It is such a joy to share the message of the gospel and bring light into people's lives that they didn't know existed. Everyone's life can change and I have seen the light of the gospel change other's, and my own, forever. I know Heavenly Father is aware of us and I am so glad to be a part of a gospel that revolves around progression. It is kind of interesting because we come on missions to find others who haven't heard of this gospel, but in the process I have found myself and found what I hold dear to my heart. The light I have found in Christ has brightened my life forever. I love God and I love my family. I love the incredible people that I have been lucky enough to meet here in Hungary and all over throughout my life. In my year of being a missionary I have learned so much, I still don't know everything - I guess I have to wait until that perfect day still (D&C 50:23-25) - but I think the most important thing I have truly learned is that to stay close to Heavenly Father and ultimately to find peace and happiness in our lives we need to pray. Through prayer we will receive answers, sometimes in ways we aren't expecting, but I know that answers come and as we ponder on how to more fully live, we will find the way and He will guide us. 

"Today you are you, that's truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you!" -Dr. Suess 

Sok szeretettel, Schoendorfer Nővér

We have both been serving for 1 year! I was able to be with Greenwood on splits the day we both celebrated our 1 year mark. 

Explanation on this photo--Puszi is what they call it when Hungarians greet one another with a kiss on each cheek. It is so common and something that was strange to me when I got here, but now I can't imagine what it was like without it!

A big jump for hitting the one year mark!

I love all the friendly dogs here.

It's kind of a missionary thing to burn an article of clothing at the one year mark.

Had a fun surprise, I got to see Reni and her friend and have a quick lunch with them this week. 

This is Lilla, I adore her! 

More chalking.