Dec 16, 09

Hi Everyone
So, the new missionaries going to Hungary arrive today! We've already seen 2 of them--one of them is from Switzerland! We are soooooo excited about meeting all of them tonite--now we're the older district and we get to take them everywhere with us! Haha, Motra Peatross (Sister Peatross) is going to Albania, and she lived in Germany for a few years, so she was talking to the Swiss elder (I could still understand most of it!), and then he spoke some Swiss-German, which sounds pretty much just like a blend of French and German...it sounded really cool, and I think that maybe I recognized a few words...I can't be sure though, because it doesn't really sound like German (well, it does, but also like French, so I don't know....). I think I might buy a German dictionary from the store, because I don't want to lose what little I do know...It's just that I'm supposed to be focusing 100% on learning Hungarian, so I don't know when I'd use it....
Oh, so for the Sunday evening Fireside, Lundeen Elder was assigned to say the opening prayer, so Miller Elder and I got to sit up in the 3rd row with him....it was such a great fireside--the BYU Men's Chorus just sang a whole bunch of songs--they were amazing! The guy in charge of service for our residence hall is a member, so we saw him. They are so good, and they sang a whole bunch of really awesome Christmas songs. Ah, and guess what!? For the Christmas day devotional, our district got assigned to usher, so we're going to get really good seats, and it's probably either going to be an apostle or a member of the first presidency! Oh my gosh, I am so excited!!
Alright.....I'm running out of things to say.....
Oh, thank you so much to everyone that have been sending me stuff--If I don't write you back soon, don't worry, I will definitely try to eventually. It's just that there's so little time on P-Day for writing...Just know that I am so grateful for everything you've sent! I hope that I'll be able to thank everyone individually, but if I don't get around to it, or if it takes a while, just know that I did receive it, and I am so grateful for it!
Haha, so Lundeen Elder and I got suspenders when we went to the temple today--we decided that they are definitely the new in-thing for tall people. They are so rad. Yeah, I just felt like saying that. We promised each other we'd buy some in Hungary. Ha, which reminds me, apparently there's this guy in Budapest that will sell you a bag of 1000 ties for the equivalent of about 75 dollars...apparently a bunch of missionaries just pitch in and buy it, and everyone gets a bunch of hideous Hungarian ties....they said it's kinda sketchy though; he tells you to meet him in random places, and he's just got a big bag of used ties....ha, one of the elders said that when they were buying from him, the police were across the way or something, and the guy seemed really nervous.....
Oh! I almost forgot--we're not going to be able to call home on Christmas, but we do get more time to write letters, so that will be nice. Oh, and I'm really sorry if I don't send home any Christmas presents--there's not much at the store in that department....ha, except for these awesome highlighters....maybe I'll send those....everybody needs a highlighter...haha. No but seriously, I'm super-sorry if I don't get a Christmas present sent home. I'll try to send a home-made postcard (they're nifty) if I can get one printed out in time....
It feels like the time here has just flown by...I can't believe we've been here 6(?) weeks! Ha, see, I don't even know which week it is! And, our older group that left last week said that once you get your younger group, the time goes soooo fast! Our teachers told us the other day that we've learned pretty much all of the grammar rules, so now it's just all going to be reviewing and studying. fun...haha Oh, so calling home...apparently, we can buy a phone card, so I'll try to call from the airport...ah, that's going to be here so fast! Gosh, I was thinking about it the other day, and two years seems like it's going to go by so fast! Maybe it's because our teachers just tell us the funny stories from the their missions......but I don't even care if I have really bad days, I'm just going to find everything good that happened that day, and just be happy about that. Ah! I'm so excited! I'm going to Hungary in almost exactly one month!
Yeah, well, my time's just about up....I love you all, and I hope you have a great Christmas! Tell Sister Anderson thanks for her letter, and I'll try to find Anderson Elder in Hungary. (I'm going to be there soon!) Murray Elder