Sister Mason in Hungary

Szervusztok!

Welcome to my very last letter home! Wow. This is so strange. How in the world is it time for me to go home already? I feel like I was just writing my first letter in the MTC!! I have come a very long way since then. When I first arrived to Hungary, I honestly had a really hard time. This country has been so oppressed and you can see it in the people you meet. The people here can be negative and sad sometimes… I mean they have good reason to be! They have lived very hard lives! It was cold and dark and I was so far from home and I didn’t understand any more than 2% of what was happening around me. I wanted to give up so many times. I didn’t think I could do it and I felt scared and alone and very incapable…but as I stopped focusing on myself and learned to lean on my Savior, something amazing happened. I began to see these people through God’s eyes. I started to feel like I could make a difference even though I couldn’t really communicate with anybody. I learned to share love through hugs and smiles.

I have developed an amazing relationship with my Savior through relying on Him and turning to Him in everything. I have developed relationships with the people and my companions that are stronger than any I have had before. I am so grateful for the last 18 months of my life. They are the biggest blessing that I have ever received! I have grown to love this beautiful country more than I thought I could. I love these people like they are my own family. I had so many learning experiences that I know I could not have learned any other way, and I know that I am exactly where God wants me to be. The last 18 months have been some of the hardest times of my life. There have been times where I have felt so low and wondered if I could hold on anymore. My faith has been tested, and tried, and I have been pulled to uncomfortable lengths that I never thought I could be stretched to. I have never been so happy and I’ve never been so confused. I’ve never felt more stupid, but I’ve also never felt like I understand God’s plan so deeply. I have never felt so distant from my Savior, but I have also never felt Him so near. It’s a hard and confusing concept that not even I understand… and I am grateful for every. single. second. I would not change one tiny thing about the last 18 months of my life. God knows best, you guys. He really does. I could not have designed a more perfect and personalized mission. Every single second was exactly what I needed. I know that He knows me. He knows my needs, and He knows what I struggle with. Sometimes we want something that we think is good. And sometimes we don’t get that good thing, and we are sad and hurt and confused. But I promise you that God withholds good things from us because He has something better planned. He always has a better plan! I have the strongest testimony of that.

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for Him and His atoning sacrifice. He lived and He died for us. And I know that He lives for us now. Because He overcame death, we too, will live forever. Because He died for our sins, we are able to partake of joy in our Heavenly Father’s kingdom. That is the greatest gift I have ever received. Because Jesus Christ suffered for us, He knows us each personally and perfectly. He knows what we feel and he knows how to perfectly comfort us. And sometimes, even though it might feel like He isn’t there with you, I promise that He always is. I know that because I feel Him with me. I feel Him guide my every footstep, and I love what I have accomplished through Him. I have developed a strong relationship with Him here in Hungary, and because of that, there will ALWAYS be a huge piece of my heart here in my most favorite place on the planet.

I am beyond devastated to leave my home away from home, but I know that God has some good plans lined up for me back home. I trust Him to create a perfect plan for me because its worked out pretty nicely up until now 🙂

Tudom, hogy ez a Úrnak a munkája. Ő vezet ezt az egyházát. Tudom, hogy Jézus a Krisztus. Ő él. Azt tudom. És mert ő él, mi is élhetünk mind örökké. Neki van tökéletes terve. Hálás vagyok azért, hogy én is részesülhetek ebben a tervben. Isten jó. Ő szeret minket. Tudom, hogy ő szeret engem is. Kaptam sokat Istenemtől, és annak őrölök. nem tudnék semmit csinálni itt a földön ő nélküle. tudom, hogy a Mormon Könyve igaz. Ha csak követnénk azokat a tanításokat amiket vannak benne, akkor nagyon boldogok legyünk. Nagyon hálás vagyok a missziómért. Mindig emlékezni fogok a Magyarországra mint a legjobb hely.

(laughing because I put this into google translate… and not even google can speak Hungarian. I promise this actually makes sense hahahaha)

I love you and I’ll see you in two short days <3

sok SOK szeretettel,

Mason Nővér

P.S. Please be nice to me when I get home even though I speak English like an alien and don’t know how to be a normal person 🙂 and prepare to be squeezed to death! xoxo

Hello hello everyone!

I hope you all had a fabulous week!! Here is what mine looked like 🙂

Monday: After emailing we went to lunch with my trainer, Withers Nővér and her cute family! They came back for a visit to Hungary and they treated us to lunch and it was the best day ever! Then I finished up my souvenir shopping which I am really relieved and so happy about. Then we ate some fagyi by the Duna and then we had interviews with the mission President! woohoo I passed mine 😉

Tuesday: We got to meet with Dezső and we asked him to be baptized. He said yes!! So we are going to work on that with him and we are so so so excited about it. I love him!!! He still has a lot to learn and a long way to go but am so proud of him for being willing to make this covenant with God.

Wednesday: We had a funeral for a less active member, Takács Eszter that we taught. It wasn’t an LDS funeral because her family aren’t members. It was much different from any other funeral I’ve been to and I am so grateful for the knowledge that we have of a life after death and forever families. It took everything in me to not start preaching the Plan of Salvation to everyone right then and there! Then we met a really really nice lady while tracting. She wasn’t interested but she was so nice so that was really cool. And that doesn’t happen too often haha. Then we met with Zoli! He has been really fishy lately and we had to take him off of bap date. I am so sad about it, but its for the best. Hoping we can help hm to keep progressing though 🙂

Thursday: We had district meeting and then a lesson with Margit that went so well! We did like the first half of the Visszaállitás. It was really good and she loved it. Her dog though. The most annoying creature on this planet hahaha it doesn’t stop barking unless you pet it and it is weirdly obsessed with me so I just pet it the whole time and she was nice and quiet for us haha! Then we had angol óra and our question of the day was “what is your favorite super hero?” One lady said, “Cher”… okay hahaha and then it got to the elder’s investigator, Imre, and he was like… “Jesus, He is my super hero”. We were so proud of him and told him it was a great answer hahahah I love Hungarians. Never gets old.

Friday: We had a nice clean house and we passed our cleaning checks. Woohoo!! And then we had splits with the Buda sisters. Both Sister Vasica and I were pretty sick though, so we just took it easy. It was a really fun day though and I love being able to serve with her again for the day 🙂 Always a treat!

Saturday: We learned Kézi munka (handiwork) from a member and it was so fun!!!! She is so talented. Us… not so much haha but it was a really fun time and we love the Némethék!! Then we tracted and then we had practice for the Easter Concert. We were invited to sing in the choir and it was so fun! The concert was so so good and I was so happy. I love music a lot.

Sunday: I woke up really really sick. Fun… haha ending my mission the way I started it… with no voice!! We had a great time at church though. It was my last fast Sunday so I decided to bear my testimony. I was in tears and just so emotional all day reflecting on my mission and thinking of it coming to an end. AHHH!! But my testimony went smoother than I thought it would and I was happy about that. Then we took it really easy because I’m just not feeling too well. But it was a great day anyways 🙂

Monday: Today we went to the Easter piac and I got to see Alex, my bff from the beginning of time!!!!! It was so so good to catch up with her and even though I haven’t seen her in like years, it felt as though we had always been together 🙂 Shout out to you Alex! You rock 🙂 hahah

So great week! I am getting really really emotional that this is all coming to an end so soon. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be here! I love these people and I love this place and I love this gospel! God is so good. I feel so so so blessed recently. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. Going to make these last 10 days count. God loves you, and I love you, and I will see you NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

Sok szeretettel,
Mason Nővér

Hey there everyone!

This week was pretty good! It went quick just like the rest of them. Hoping I can continue to get the most out of every moment for these last 3 weeks of my mission.

Monday: After emailing we got paninis and went to take a walk down the Duna in front of parliament. it was so beautiful! and then we went to Mr Funk, the donut place in the belváros that I have been DYING to go to!! I ate a unicorn donut and can’t remember a time in my life when I was happier. It was the best day ever. Then when we got home for the night we found flowers and chocolate bunnies and sűti! Some Americans that had visited in church the day before came over to drop off some treats for us! We were so happy and I just love nice people. They made the day ever better!!! 🙂

Tuesday: We got to see Irén and she made us delicious tea and keksz and it was just so pleasant. Then we had service and we spoke a lot of english and it was great! And then we got to go see Dezső. He is still doing well, we just read a chapter with him in the Book of Mormon every week because he can’t read himself. He is always so happy to see us and to talk about church things because he knows they are important. So cute hahaha!

Wednesday: We got to see Krisztián again 🙂 He gave us some really cool old hungarian money that they don’t use anymore and it was so awesome. He was so happy to see us so happy from the cute gift! Then we just had a short talk about repentance and how we can become more like Christ through using his atonement. I think he liked it… he is so amazing and we really love him, but he is just having a hard time taking his first big step of faith. It is so hard because I know that once he takes it he will be so happy!! He just needs to trust God. Working on that with him 🙂 Then we met with Zoli, he is still doing really well too! He is still working towards April 14 for his bap date and I think it will be really really great! So excited about this! Then we got to See Vióla and Emma. Her husband moved to Germany for work and they will be following him in about 2 months. So she is feeling a little lonely and its sad. But we were able to play with cutest little Emma and help them to feel God’s love and the spirit and it was so great! Love the cute szászék! Then we had a quick district meeting and called it a night.

Thursday: We had zone training woot woot! We had to give a training to the zone since we are STLs and I think it actually went pretty well. It was about what being a successful missionary means and how we can strive for that and continue growing. Then at the end of zone conference was dying testimonies… AH! The moment I have been dreading since I got here. Basically everyone that is leaving soon gives their last testimony to the zone and everyone cries and it is so sad and touching. I love them when I’m not the one up there talking! Well, this was my lat zone conference, so it was my turn to talk. I cried like a baby (nothing has changed too much) haha and I talked about the things I feel that I have learned on my mission. I still can’t believe how soon its ending. I kinda hate it but I’m trying to be positive! Life is only just beginning! Then we had angol óra and mcm and that was it!

Friday: We had service again which was great and then we got to go to a dinner appointment at the Némethéks! It was the most pleasant evening ever!!! They made us so much delicious food and they gave us a ton of second hand clothes and they sent us home with a huge bag full of leftover food! Ah it was so so so nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant get over how much I love cutest Gyöngyi!!!! Then we headed over to the Budai Nővéreks place to start splits 🙂

Saturday: I had a really really great split with sister Schrad. I love that girl!!! She had a doctor appointment and we ran around town and streeted and talked to people and got lunch at this wok bar and then picked up Dezső for the best night ever. It was hip hop night at the stake center!!! So all the missionaries from our zone got to go and bring investigators and there was a dj and a potluck dinner and we learned some really cool dance moves! It was a total success, and 4 of our investigators actually came!! What the what!? Loved it.

Sunday: Dezső came to church! and it was a great one too 🙂 Then after church we met with Angéla and Zoltán and we talked about families with them. Then we got to meet with Zsolt and get a little deeper into the plan of salvation. I love this gospel you guys! There is just an answer to every single question and I think that is wonderful! 🙂

So I was thinking this week about how sometimes I feel like we limit God. He is ready and willing to help us IF we have the faith to turn to Him and let Him carry us. But sometimes, we don’t have that faith. Sometimes we don’t trust Him as much as we should or could, and by so doing, we limit Him. He has the power to change our lives and give us so much beyond what we thought we could get from Him. So trust in Him! Believe that His power will work for you in your life. In someones dying testimony my first transfer, she said something that she thought a lot about on her mission was this little quote, “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they are yours.” That is something that I have never forgotten and it is something that has changed my mission. I know that as we let go of what holds us back and put ourselves completely in the Lord’s hands, we will be so blessed and happy and our lives will become more beautiful than we could have ever imagined.

Well that’s it for this week. Loving every moment and I am just so happy! Love you all and I will see you so soon 🙂

sok szeretettel,
Maosn Nővér