This week has been absolutely crazy. On so many levels. I'll just talk about some cool things.
We went to a thing here called Para Park. You go into a room and they lock you in and then you have to figure your way out. There are a bunch of puzzles and traps and stuff. Suuuuuuuuper fun. It was a blast! Plus it was cool to just hang out with friends.
We went on splits this week with the missionaries from Kecskemet. Elder Day went with Elder Nyman and I went with a new missionary named Elder Haroldson. It was actually really fun. Also, everyone has similar taste in music to me now. As Sister Carle would say: "boo." Also, he plays the mandolin. What are the odds?
Also, one of our investigators finished reading the Book of Mormon and now has started the Doctrine and Covenants. He is now at SECTION 83. He read all of that in literally like five or six days. Crazy.
So randomly one day we got a text from the AP's asking if we could go on splits in Buda the next day. So we did LOL. I got to spend my time with Elder Gaytan :) he is the greatest. I like him a lot. We also visited a family who,is Serbian, and all of them speak Serbian, English, French, Hungarian and Spanish on a fluent level. I mean, really? It's like a slap in the face.
This week we did a kind of consecration week, where we really tried to dedicate everything to the Lord. It was really cool to see the outcomes of it. We are teaching a couple and we wanted them to accept a baptismal date. We worked all week to make everything perfect and when the time came and we had the program, it didn't work out perfectly, but it sure as heck went really well :) they want to go down this path together, which means that it will take a little longer, but they are so stellar and so willing to help each other, that I know all will be well :) Plus they both came to church this week! Yay for progress :)
This week I have been re-reading my journals and it is crazy to see the changes that I have gone through and the different way that I look at life and the world. I love so many people. There are so many people that I love and miss and care about. I love you so much. So much. You guys should go and watch the "He is the Gift" video, because the music is stuck in my head right now and it feels appropriate for the situation.
I love you all so much. Keep doing the great things that you are doing.
Love,
Neely Elder.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
12-8-2014
Dearest Beloveds,
That kind of sounds like a wedding or something LOL. How are things going? Things are dandy here in the Szeged, Hungary lands. We are loving life! This week has been phenomenal.
This last Monday, we went with the Sisters and had a family home evening where we drove around looking at Christmas lights and talking. It was super fun. We found probably only five houses with any kind of lights up at all, but it was fun to just spend some time together.
This week we started meeting with a bunch of people from our English Class. This brought us some really cool experiences...and some awkward ones. We met with a nice guy that is really humble and wants to learn more about God. We met with a nice older lady that said, she really needs the Gospel in her life right now. Those were pretty cool. And then we met with our landlord and that was just kind of awkward from the start LOL.
We are also teaching this couple. At the beginning, we weren't really that sure if they were super interested. But then she came to church and loved it so much. She said that she wants to follow this path, but can't do it without her par. So we are working on getting him on the bandwagon as well. Our programs have been getting better and better! It is great.
We also met with the guy that just got baptized. SO. GOOD. Literally this is what he said when he first came into the program: "Okay, so like how can I get the priesthood, and when can I serve a mission, what should I start doing to prepare for a mission, when can I go to the Temple?" I about died. He is so cool! He came to one of our programs and he was such a big help. He has such a strong testimony and it is super awesome to be able to be a part of his conversion. Even if it is just kind of sitting there and watching him grow.
This week we also went up to MLC. It is always super fun to be with a bunch of the great people in this mission and to be able to work together and discuss how to help out our missionaries. This week we talked about our goals for this year. It was phenomenal. We prayed to ask for his help and to decide how to move forward this next year. It was amazing to feel prompted and guided by The Lord through the Holy Ghost as to what we should do. It was awesome.
This last little while we have been trying to use the "He is the Gift" cimu video. It has been awesome to see the results of all of that. Our finding has become a lot more effective and we have been seeing a lot of people open up more to us during the Christmas Season. Yeah buddy! We love Christmas! People are so much more happy during this season and a lot more accepting. Especially when we try to help people remember the true meaning of Christmas. Super fun.
We had a program with one of our investigators that wants to get baptized. This week he finished the Book of Mormon. We read with him the last chapter and prayed about it together. As we were about to pray to ask if it was true, he finally talked about his concerns and how he is afraid of getting an answer. So we are now much more equipped to help him out. He is seriously such a great guy and he really wants to know the truth. So we are praying for him and hope to see miracles.
We also had to take our car into get it serviced. Because of some crazy paperwork problems, we had to sit in the dealership for like two hours, and pay for it. It was pretty expensive! LOL. I forgot about things like that. Cars cost. LOL.
Last night, we went out Caroling! It would have been super great except for: 1. It was raining. Quite a lot. So when we tried to sing outside, no one had brought umbrellas and our books and instruments and jazz were getting wet. 2. When we tried to go tracting with singing, we literally got people calling the cops on us, because apparently no one wants to be happy during Christmas. Especially when it is late (we started at 5 pm. apparently that is super late?). However, it was fun and it felt great to sing about the Savior.
So this week has been fantastic. We have seen a ton of progress with our investigators and we are trying our best to help these people out. This week, we are expecting miracles. We are doing all that we can to allow The Lord to bless us. Something I have learned this week: Heavenly Father works miracles, according to our faith. So all we really have to do is make sure our desires are righteous and then call down the powers of heaven, if we have faith, it is not only possible, but it will happen.
I love you all and hope you all have a fantastic week. Go help some people and share the Gospel!
Love,
Neely Elder.
That kind of sounds like a wedding or something LOL. How are things going? Things are dandy here in the Szeged, Hungary lands. We are loving life! This week has been phenomenal.
This last Monday, we went with the Sisters and had a family home evening where we drove around looking at Christmas lights and talking. It was super fun. We found probably only five houses with any kind of lights up at all, but it was fun to just spend some time together.
This week we started meeting with a bunch of people from our English Class. This brought us some really cool experiences...and some awkward ones. We met with a nice guy that is really humble and wants to learn more about God. We met with a nice older lady that said, she really needs the Gospel in her life right now. Those were pretty cool. And then we met with our landlord and that was just kind of awkward from the start LOL.
We are also teaching this couple. At the beginning, we weren't really that sure if they were super interested. But then she came to church and loved it so much. She said that she wants to follow this path, but can't do it without her par. So we are working on getting him on the bandwagon as well. Our programs have been getting better and better! It is great.
We also met with the guy that just got baptized. SO. GOOD. Literally this is what he said when he first came into the program: "Okay, so like how can I get the priesthood, and when can I serve a mission, what should I start doing to prepare for a mission, when can I go to the Temple?" I about died. He is so cool! He came to one of our programs and he was such a big help. He has such a strong testimony and it is super awesome to be able to be a part of his conversion. Even if it is just kind of sitting there and watching him grow.
This week we also went up to MLC. It is always super fun to be with a bunch of the great people in this mission and to be able to work together and discuss how to help out our missionaries. This week we talked about our goals for this year. It was phenomenal. We prayed to ask for his help and to decide how to move forward this next year. It was amazing to feel prompted and guided by The Lord through the Holy Ghost as to what we should do. It was awesome.
This last little while we have been trying to use the "He is the Gift" cimu video. It has been awesome to see the results of all of that. Our finding has become a lot more effective and we have been seeing a lot of people open up more to us during the Christmas Season. Yeah buddy! We love Christmas! People are so much more happy during this season and a lot more accepting. Especially when we try to help people remember the true meaning of Christmas. Super fun.
We had a program with one of our investigators that wants to get baptized. This week he finished the Book of Mormon. We read with him the last chapter and prayed about it together. As we were about to pray to ask if it was true, he finally talked about his concerns and how he is afraid of getting an answer. So we are now much more equipped to help him out. He is seriously such a great guy and he really wants to know the truth. So we are praying for him and hope to see miracles.
We also had to take our car into get it serviced. Because of some crazy paperwork problems, we had to sit in the dealership for like two hours, and pay for it. It was pretty expensive! LOL. I forgot about things like that. Cars cost. LOL.
Last night, we went out Caroling! It would have been super great except for: 1. It was raining. Quite a lot. So when we tried to sing outside, no one had brought umbrellas and our books and instruments and jazz were getting wet. 2. When we tried to go tracting with singing, we literally got people calling the cops on us, because apparently no one wants to be happy during Christmas. Especially when it is late (we started at 5 pm. apparently that is super late?). However, it was fun and it felt great to sing about the Savior.
So this week has been fantastic. We have seen a ton of progress with our investigators and we are trying our best to help these people out. This week, we are expecting miracles. We are doing all that we can to allow The Lord to bless us. Something I have learned this week: Heavenly Father works miracles, according to our faith. So all we really have to do is make sure our desires are righteous and then call down the powers of heaven, if we have faith, it is not only possible, but it will happen.
I love you all and hope you all have a fantastic week. Go help some people and share the Gospel!
Love,
Neely Elder.
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| The Christmas Piac |
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| The Christmas lights |
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| Fraps with all my favorite people. |
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| Christmas light searching with the Sisters. |
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| An advent calender I bought. It's Christmas!! |
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
12-1-14
Dear,
I love you all so much! This week has been absolutely insane. It felt like a day and also like seven long months all at once.
I said goodbye to Elder Rae and also Elder Peterson. Which was pretty hard. I miss them a lot. But, they live on, so that's nice :)
My new companion is Elder Nyman. He is from Texas originally, but lives in Utah. He is two transfers below me. He speaks great Hungarian and is such a good missionary. It blows my mind.
On Wednesday, Elder Rae and I packed up the car, drove to Szolnok to help with some luggage there (because one of the Sisters got her appendix out and couldn't really carry anything), drove to Szeged, dropped off things, picked up more luggage, tried to drive back to Szeged, got a little lost (LOL), got home, helped the other missionaries in Szeged move apartments and then fitted our investigator for baptismal clothes, then sleep. SO LONG. That day was so exhausting. I was done with that day.
The next couple of days were just programs and chats with investigators and stuff. It was good and it was fun to get to know Elder Nyman a little better.
Saturday was "V's" baptism. He is seriously the coolest person in the world. The baptism was absolutely perfect. Everything was so nice. The music, the talks, everything. We got changed. Before we went into the water, I gave him a hug and then we walked into the water and it was super cold and then I had to say the prayer twice, because I messed up the words :) and then it was over and we were changing and he said, "I am so happy. I could only be happier if Sister Kennedy (the first missionary who taught him) could have been here." It was absolutely perfect.
Sunday was the confirmation and it went well...except for the fact that the person that was supposed to confirm him and the back-up plan were gone (because his wife gave birth, so that's nice). So one of the missionaries here confirmed him. It was excellent.
Outside of that, one of our investigators came to church for the first time and I am really excited for her and her elet tars. It should be really good.
So, yeah. Life is different now here in Szeged, but it is good. Life is good. Our investigators are doing really well. Doing well and living life.
I love you all so much. Keep doing all the good things that you do.
Love,
Neely Elder.
I love you all so much! This week has been absolutely insane. It felt like a day and also like seven long months all at once.
I said goodbye to Elder Rae and also Elder Peterson. Which was pretty hard. I miss them a lot. But, they live on, so that's nice :)
My new companion is Elder Nyman. He is from Texas originally, but lives in Utah. He is two transfers below me. He speaks great Hungarian and is such a good missionary. It blows my mind.
On Wednesday, Elder Rae and I packed up the car, drove to Szolnok to help with some luggage there (because one of the Sisters got her appendix out and couldn't really carry anything), drove to Szeged, dropped off things, picked up more luggage, tried to drive back to Szeged, got a little lost (LOL), got home, helped the other missionaries in Szeged move apartments and then fitted our investigator for baptismal clothes, then sleep. SO LONG. That day was so exhausting. I was done with that day.
The next couple of days were just programs and chats with investigators and stuff. It was good and it was fun to get to know Elder Nyman a little better.
Saturday was "V's" baptism. He is seriously the coolest person in the world. The baptism was absolutely perfect. Everything was so nice. The music, the talks, everything. We got changed. Before we went into the water, I gave him a hug and then we walked into the water and it was super cold and then I had to say the prayer twice, because I messed up the words :) and then it was over and we were changing and he said, "I am so happy. I could only be happier if Sister Kennedy (the first missionary who taught him) could have been here." It was absolutely perfect.
Sunday was the confirmation and it went well...except for the fact that the person that was supposed to confirm him and the back-up plan were gone (because his wife gave birth, so that's nice). So one of the missionaries here confirmed him. It was excellent.
Outside of that, one of our investigators came to church for the first time and I am really excited for her and her elet tars. It should be really good.
So, yeah. Life is different now here in Szeged, but it is good. Life is good. Our investigators are doing really well. Doing well and living life.
I love you all so much. Keep doing all the good things that you do.
Love,
Neely Elder.
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| "C's" baptism |
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| Baptism |
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| I have no idea!! |
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| Elder Nyman sleeping. |
11-24-14
Dear Dears,
This week has been super....sad. Good, but sad. We had a bunch of programs and things, but we all said farewell to Elder Rae. I am going to miss him a super ton, but he is off to crazy good things.
With that being said, TRANSFERS HAPPENED. I am staying here in Szeged and getting Elder Nyman as my companion! I have heard cool things about him, so it should be super cool. I am excited.
This week, I have two highlights: 1. The Open House for the new chapel here in Szeged went SO WELL. We had such a blast and we got so much success out of it. So many people were interested and so many people want to meet with us. YAY. 2. We got fed by two members this week and they are my favorite. IDK how to explain it, but it was so happy and I had the best time and the food was delicious.
Sorry this sucks, but I have to go! Time is flying so fast. I love you all so much,
Love,
Neely Elder.
One of the sweet members sent me a video that Elder Neely was asked to make for the Open House. It is on YouTube, just type it in exactly and it should work. Sorry I tried to set it up as a link but I couldn't get it to work.
Go to YouTube, then type: Egy Mormon Vagyok, es Boldog Vagyok!
It was fun to see and hear him play again!!
This week has been super....sad. Good, but sad. We had a bunch of programs and things, but we all said farewell to Elder Rae. I am going to miss him a super ton, but he is off to crazy good things.
With that being said, TRANSFERS HAPPENED. I am staying here in Szeged and getting Elder Nyman as my companion! I have heard cool things about him, so it should be super cool. I am excited.
This week, I have two highlights: 1. The Open House for the new chapel here in Szeged went SO WELL. We had such a blast and we got so much success out of it. So many people were interested and so many people want to meet with us. YAY. 2. We got fed by two members this week and they are my favorite. IDK how to explain it, but it was so happy and I had the best time and the food was delicious.
Sorry this sucks, but I have to go! Time is flying so fast. I love you all so much,
Love,
Neely Elder.
One of the sweet members sent me a video that Elder Neely was asked to make for the Open House. It is on YouTube, just type it in exactly and it should work. Sorry I tried to set it up as a link but I couldn't get it to work.
Go to YouTube, then type: Egy Mormon Vagyok, es Boldog Vagyok!
It was fun to see and hear him play again!!
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| Some awesome members we dinnered with. |
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| Bathroom selfie at the open house (long funny story!) |
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| A cool member, Dio. At the open house. |
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| Nyilt Nap and some of the things we did therein. |
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| The Nyilt Nap |
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| Playing tennis with our investigator that will be baptized next week. |
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| Neely Elder and Ricsi! |
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| Elders' Giacalone and Neely |
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| People we met at Stake Conference. |
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| Sister Geroly and Neely Elder. |
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| The bus party to Stake Conference. |
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| The Handball match. |
11-17-14
Dearest Everyone,
The weeks have begun to blur and speed up and that freaks me the crap out! This week has been great and I am doing good. Our investigators are on fire! We didn't have a baptism last week, but we might have one this week! Things are looking so good! Transfers will happen next week, so I will be emailing on Tuesday next week. Elder Rae goes home next week and I am so sad :( He is one of my favorite companions and I am just not looking forward to saying goodbye. And Elder Hansen will be coming home with him.
Sounds like Sunday was crazy town for you! But that is good. Sunday was so good here. But I am getting ahead of myself.
This week we just had a bunch of programs with people and all of them were good. There was a missionary that went around the country with his parents, and he came to Szeged, but he didn't visit this cute old couple that we meet with, so they called us over and fed us what would have been his dinner. LOL IT WAS SO GOOD HE MISSED OUT. Seriously, I have never had such good Marha Porkolt. So amazing.
This week we also got to see a handball match. One of our less active members is a handball coach. So he invited us to come see one of his games. It was actually super cool, because all of a sudden he made so much more sense. Idk, it was cool.
This week we also went to a five-star restaurant. It. Was. Amazing.
This week we also gave a Zone Training. It went so well! It just worked fantastically. So cool. Our missionaries are so stellar it hurts. So good.
We also went on splits with the AP's this week. I went with Elder Hansen. St. George stories abounded and we met with a lot of the people that he used to meet with as well, so it was cool. Good times in the Szeged lands.
On Saturday we went to a funeral for one of our investigators that died this past week. It was....weird. His wife is Nazarene and Nazarene funerals are weird. And depressing. And involve probably 20 hymns. I love hymns, but like, that was too much. So that was weird.
Then Sunday .
I have always heard and read the phrase, "fullness of joy" and this Sunday, I experienced it.
Last week we got to go to Stake Conference in Budapest. We woke up suuuuuuuper early and went with all the missionaries, and a bunch of members and one of our investigators. The bus ride was such a party. But then we got to Budapest AND EVERYONE THAT I LOVE WAS THERE! So much joy. I got to meet with all of my companions and all of my investigators and members from Szekesfehevar, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, and I was so happy. One of the people I baptized got his patriarchal blessing and just got the Melchizedek Priesthood and became an Elder and everything was perfect. There is a new Stake President, and the talks were so good and I got to meet President Patrick Kearon (who literally is the best ever) and I am so happy. It was the best day of my mission. After we got home I got to talk to some more of my favorite people on the phone and I just can't even describe the joy I felt.
The church is true.
This is so real.
I am so happy.
I love you.
Neely Elder.
The weeks have begun to blur and speed up and that freaks me the crap out! This week has been great and I am doing good. Our investigators are on fire! We didn't have a baptism last week, but we might have one this week! Things are looking so good! Transfers will happen next week, so I will be emailing on Tuesday next week. Elder Rae goes home next week and I am so sad :( He is one of my favorite companions and I am just not looking forward to saying goodbye. And Elder Hansen will be coming home with him.
Sounds like Sunday was crazy town for you! But that is good. Sunday was so good here. But I am getting ahead of myself.
This week we just had a bunch of programs with people and all of them were good. There was a missionary that went around the country with his parents, and he came to Szeged, but he didn't visit this cute old couple that we meet with, so they called us over and fed us what would have been his dinner. LOL IT WAS SO GOOD HE MISSED OUT. Seriously, I have never had such good Marha Porkolt. So amazing.
This week we also got to see a handball match. One of our less active members is a handball coach. So he invited us to come see one of his games. It was actually super cool, because all of a sudden he made so much more sense. Idk, it was cool.
This week we also went to a five-star restaurant. It. Was. Amazing.
This week we also gave a Zone Training. It went so well! It just worked fantastically. So cool. Our missionaries are so stellar it hurts. So good.
We also went on splits with the AP's this week. I went with Elder Hansen. St. George stories abounded and we met with a lot of the people that he used to meet with as well, so it was cool. Good times in the Szeged lands.
On Saturday we went to a funeral for one of our investigators that died this past week. It was....weird. His wife is Nazarene and Nazarene funerals are weird. And depressing. And involve probably 20 hymns. I love hymns, but like, that was too much. So that was weird.
Then Sunday .
I have always heard and read the phrase, "fullness of joy" and this Sunday, I experienced it.
Last week we got to go to Stake Conference in Budapest. We woke up suuuuuuuper early and went with all the missionaries, and a bunch of members and one of our investigators. The bus ride was such a party. But then we got to Budapest AND EVERYONE THAT I LOVE WAS THERE! So much joy. I got to meet with all of my companions and all of my investigators and members from Szekesfehevar, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, and I was so happy. One of the people I baptized got his patriarchal blessing and just got the Melchizedek Priesthood and became an Elder and everything was perfect. There is a new Stake President, and the talks were so good and I got to meet President Patrick Kearon (who literally is the best ever) and I am so happy. It was the best day of my mission. After we got home I got to talk to some more of my favorite people on the phone and I just can't even describe the joy I felt.
The church is true.
This is so real.
I am so happy.
I love you.
Neely Elder.
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