Transfer 12, Week 2

Hi everyone

first off, Happy Mother's Day! I kind of started panicking last week, because here, that's when they celebrate mother's day, so it was kind of confusing (i think i went through the same thing last time...). But yeah, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you all had a super awesome day/week (although, I guess those aren't quite over yet...), and I hope you all have a great week coming up! We didn't have too much going on this week, yesterday was Sport Nap, so we went over to the stake center and played some volleyball...i thought i was really bad at it (and i might actually still be) but I thought i was doing pretty good....i mean, I got it over the net 4 out 5 times...you know, when i realized that it was in my area of the court, and then remembered to hit it...but yeah, that was super fun. Before that....our week has actually been really slow....we celebrated Sister Bagozzi's birthday on thursday with some red velvet cake (it actually worked! :) and then on Friday we met with one of our really awesome investigators...he's still looking for his answer, but he said that this last program was really awesome, his favorite one so far...we had started it by asking him if we could pray for any of his friends or family, so we did, and the prayer was super awesome, and he was super grateful that we did that, and he super liked the prayer, he said it addressed some things that he hadn't even mentioned, so that was a really special experience.

So, other than that, not much going on....we're going to see Az Operaház Fantomja on Tuesday (i'm not going to say what the translation of that is...hopefully you can figure it out, if not, that's why they made Google translator), i'm super stoked! alright, so, i'll talk to you all next week! have a super awesome week!

Elder Murray

Transfer 12, Week 1

Hello everyone!

alright, well, not too much to report this week....Monday was fun, we got absolutely stuffed at a member's house, then I got to whip for a while while most of the other missionaries played ultimate frisbee....then, we all got together and had dinner at the mission home as a goodbye for those who got transferred away........Sister Johnson went to Miskolc, and Elder Wanlass went to Szolnok....oh, and Elder Gardenhire went to Tatabánya. they will all be sorely missed, they were all really fun, I'm so glad i got to serve around each one of them. they all went to stellar cities too, i'm so happy for them. After dinner, we watched Toy Story 3......doh, i love that movie....

Alright, on Tuesday......not too much......just kind of getting things put together.......Wednesday was super crazy with transfers and everything (as usual), and then we had the dinner with the departing missionaries...that's always hard, but so good to hear them give their final departing testimonies......basically, i get to see the final product.....what their missions have come to mean to them......it's really a special experience. just super hard to say goodbye. I did get to meet Elder Bird's family though, because they came to pick him up......they're super rad, it was really obvious that they were Bird's family (and not just because i recognized them from the pictures... :) so, that was Thursday.....then......hm........not much at all, really....Saturday was kind of all over the place again....there was another baptism, that was exciting. Her name is Reni, she's been meeting with the APs. She's good friends with one of the members here. It's been really cool, because i think she had started meeting with the missionaries around the time that i got here......it was definitely after i got here that she started.....and it's just been really cool to see her through the whole process.....super awesome!

so, other than that, not too much going on.....today there was a special Sacrament meeting for the single adults, which we didn't attend, but we went to the dinner afterward, which was delicious. so, that was our week. pretty sweet.

alright, i hope you all have a great week, talk to you next week!

Elder Murray

Transfer 12, Week 1

Hi Everyone!

Wow, I'm really sorry that i haven't written in a while.....on the 17th, we had to pick someone up from the airport and drive him to the stake center, and then we went with the APs to Siofok and Tihány, with a little stop at a bobsled on the way...it was a super full day, and we all had a super fun time.......then, on the 24th, we went shopping with the senior sisters, went to a baptism, went to a wedding (which turned out to be in the middle of nowhere, but still worth it because it was a legit hungarian wedding), then went straight to Kispest. Busy busy busy. today is a super pday because of easter, we're going to a member's house for lunch, that'll be fun, then we might go on a hike somewhere....we'll see how the weather is. OK, so, let's see....news...

This week, we met with one our investigators and set a baptismal date with him! we are so excited for him, he is really searching hard for the truth, and he is trying so hard. It's so much fun to meet with him, he is so ready. Our other investigator is really trying hard to feel like he does have a connection with God; it's really cool meeting with him becuase he's willing to do the things we ask, and he's basically starting from square one. Then, on Thursday, we did a finding activity during zone conference, and Elder Miller and I had to go back and pick up a car from the mall, so we streeted on the way over there....ok, this is a cool story.....so, we crossed the street, then realized that the villamos we wanted was back on the other side we had been on........by the time we got over there, the villamos had left....so, we just got on the next one, not realizing that it was the wrong one.....well, not really a wrong one, it just went around the back side of the mall instead of the front. so, we asked a few people which stop we should get off, almost got off at one, but then a guy told us that we should get off at the next one....so, we waited, got off the villamos at the next one, then started toward the mall.....we got over there, and Elder Miller spotted a guy sitting by himself on a little wall....he went over and just started talking about the gospel with him....I was kind of doubting he would be interested, he just kind of looked like a tough guy, but once we got started talking to him, he really opened up, and he is a really legit guy...we swapped phone numbers with him and gave him a book of Mormon...he seems so cool, i can hardly wait to meet with him.....the whole experience was just so cool, so many things happened that led us to that spot at that time.....it was just really cool to realize that even though we were worried about if we were going the right way or not, it was cool to look back and see that somebody was guiding us there.

So, this week, a member of the presidency of the Seventy came to speak at zone conference, along with one of the newly ordained members of the Seventy and their wives. It was so amazing having him here, I got to have an interview with both of the members of the seventy.......it was really an amazing experience. I am so grateful that I got to speak with them like that, it was a really special opportunity. Oh, their names are President Teixiera and Elder Fingerle....they were so amazing, I got to go to both zone conferences because i was helping with the computers......it was so amazing! i can't believe all the things i learned there! it was soooooo amazing! oh my gosh.....it was just so so so so so so so so amazing, i can't even describe it...wow, just, amazing.

alright, well, that's about it....oh, we had an Easter Concert Friday, Saturday, Sunday, (yes, i sang in it....but, just in the choir...). It was so amazing and special.....there's a lot of talent here, and the Spirit was so strong! oh my gosh, I'm so glad I was able to participate in it!

Ok, so, with transfers this week, I guess everyone would want to know what's going on....Elder Miller and I are staying together! I'm really excited, there's a lot of potential for stuff to happen here.....and there's a lot of changes that I feel really good about throughout the whole mission........ah, I am soooo excited for this transfer! I can't wait to see what happens, I really feel like there is just a ton of potential waiting to burst out, and with all the changes that were made, I feel like we are just ready to burst! Oh my gosh, I'm just on a really good spiritual high or something right now, it feels so good! oh wow.....ok, well, I've got to go now....I hope you all had a super amazing Easter, and I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Murray

Transfer 11, Week 4

Hi everyone

Sorry it's so late...we had kind of a busy day today....but let's go over our week pretty quick...so, Monday, good, Tuesday, good, Wednesday, we went streeting and got phone number from 3 people, as well as ran into a member from Virginia who was here for about a week for a conference. That was kind of cool. And, one of the people who gave us their number, asked if we could meet on Friday and talk.....we were super excited about that....then, on Thursday, we had English class, confirmed a program with one of our students, as well as set up another program with another student....super cool. So, Friday was the nice busy day....we had the program with the guy from Wednesday at 10.00 - which went amazing, seriously, he is so ready for all of this......he met with the missionaries 4 years ago, but that was right after he had joined another church, so he didn't just want to be all over the place. But, he super accepted everything we shared with him, and he is really determined to find out if it is true. so, that was really exciting. Then, we had more office stuff until the evening, where we set up as much as we could for the activity night, then left to have the program with the english class student.....he seems a bit more shut off to what we have to say, but hopefully once he gets to know us better, he'll be more willing to at least try it out....we'll see. So, Friday was kind of exciting. We even set up programs for next week with both of the people we met with on Friday, so that's even better. I'm super excited for them all.

so, today, we did a workout this morning (the effects of which are still apparent...ouch...), went shopping, got ready....etc. then, we met up with Laci and went to Memento Park, a really small little park out in the outskirts of Buda, and they've got all of the old communist statues there. It was really interesting....not much to see, but we still had a good time. gosh, and they had a whole bunch of anti-communist stuff..........they really don't like them here....... after that, we went to the bobsled ride just up the road from the park. That was pretty fun. we each went twice, i filmed my first ride down, then, on the second run, i flipped over because my bobsled kept pulling to the right.......still super fun though.

so, that was our week, in a nutshell....sorry i took so long to get this done, this is just the only time i really had to sit down and write today. I hope you all have a great week, and i'll talk to you next week!

Elder Murray

Transfer 11, Week 3

Hi everyone

I thought I'd get this one sent off first of all so I would have time to do it..... :)

So, pretty strange week.........Elder Miller and I had a lot of field trips........we took the greenies and the Gudgells to the hivatal on Monday, which was interesting, because the greenies were there for their second time, so it took them about 10 minutes all together; so, we decided to bring them back to the mission home, then go back to help the Gudgells. Well, we got back here, switched cars, went back, and still had about a 15 minute wait before their number got called. It was kind of ridiculous. But, it went well, and then they bought us Subway afterwards. so, that was cool. Then, on Tuesday, we didn't have too much. the southwest zone came in for training, which made things kind of crazy for us, just answering questions and getting stuff for people. Then, on Wednesday, we went to the Földhivatal (Land Registry Bureau) and the Biróság (Courthouse) to get official paperwork for the hivatal that we go to to register the greenies. So, that's always an adventure. Not too much, just going from one corner of Budapest to the other (not really, but we do cross the river....). then, on Thursday, we took the senior sisters and the Hartwells to the Hivatal, which didn't take too long, but this time it was just them and I who went, and they all got called on four separate desks, so i was scurrying back and forth trying to keep everything in order, which got kind of hectic. It was an adventure. And, that was about the last thing....we had zone trainings for Budapest yesterday, which were good. Then, we went to a wedding reception in Kispest, because both of the Millers served there, so they knew a bunch of the people. It was pretty fun. This morning, we did a killer workout, I'm going to be feeling that one for a while. Then, we went shopping, and now we're here. So, that's this week. We're all super excited for General Conference tonite and tomorrow...I can't remember which one is tonite, but tomorrow morning is the general priesthood/relief society session...that's about all i know. I'm super excited though, we've all been looking forward to it for a few weeks now. and, it's super wierd to think back exactly a year ago when i went to general conference, because I was still with my trainer, Elder Huggard.......wow, that seems sooo long ago.......

so, that's about it.....I hope you all have a great time at conference and a great week! talk to you next week!

Elder Murray

Transfer 11, Week 3

Hi everyone

Sorry about the super quick email...it's kind of late right now.....we had a busy day......this morning, Elder Miller and I had to translate for President in a district presidency meeting, then we helped clean up the branch house, then the APs and us went with some members to see István, a Király (Steven, the King). It's a rockopera about when István was made king....it wasn't the best thing i've ever seen, but it was still fun. I learned a lot more about Hungarian history....and then, at the end, they play the music from the Hungarian anthem, and everyone stood up. It was really cool. After that, we came back to the mission home and the Buda ward was having a little party, so we stayed there for a bit, and now we're up here emailing.

Alright, so this week....it was pretty cool, elder Miller and I went streeting one night, and it was kind of sketchy, just because it was dark out, so people were kind of avoiding us, but we talked to one guy, and he said he's not religious, but he said he was really interested in learning more, so we got his phone number and hopefully we'll be able to set up with him next week. Then, right after that we talked with someone else who was kind of interested. Then, the next day, one of our english class students came up and asked if we could come to his house to help him more with english...hopefully we'll be able to get him more focused on the gospel...he already speaks english really well, so it shouldn't be too hard. so yeah, that was our week. It was really fun, we're having a great time serving together.

well, i'm going to go now...i'll try to get to the rest of the emails throughout the week, if i have time...so, we'll talk next week!

Elder Murray

Transfer 11, Week1

Hi everyone

Ok, so, it's officially transfer 11 now.....super weird.....and, i'm serving with Elder Miller from back home! super fun. We're both super excited about that, it should be a super fun transfer. Hm.......this week...........oh, we went and saw Cats and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat--they were both amazing! the music was great, the singing was amazing, the choreography was superb, it was just pretty much super awesome! That was my first time seeing either of those live, so that was just super amazing! I'll have to see them at home now and see how they compare... :)
So, let's see....we met with one of Elder Miller's old investigators from Szolnok who is studying here. It went pretty well. I hope we can meet with him some more, he seems like a really great guy. Let's see......what else......Tuesday was super pday (March 15 is a national holiday) so we went to Visegrád. It was way fun, we ended up parking down at the river and hiking up the mountain (when i say mountain, i mean hungarian mountain, which isn't too high). It was pretty fun, we had gorgeous weather all the way up, while we were in the castle, and during the bobsled ride (hehehe, elder miller (the other one) and I almost flipped our bobsled.....whoops). then, as soon as my last ride was over, it started sprinkling, and slowly got worse until it was just dumping. Elder Wanlass and I volunteered to run down to get the car, so we got to navigate the trail all the way back down--the trail which was slippery enough before it rained. luckily, we managed it without any falls. Then, wouldn't you know it, as soon as we got down to the car, it stopped raining. It was good we had gone down though, because some people had to leave pretty quickly and it would have taken them a while to hike back down. yeah. so, that was Tuesday. then, Wednesday was transfers.....i think i stressed a few months off my life with that one, we had a million things going on. it was kind of ridiculous. but, we made it through, and things are calming down again. so, that was about it for this week. I think everyone's still singing the songs from Cats and Joseph everywhere they go, it was really fun.

alright, well, i hope you all have a great week! talk to you next week!

Elder Murray

Transfer 10, Week 6

Hi everyone

sorry i didn't get an email out last week, or a good one this week.....we've had some pretty crazy days around here...but, yesterday was super awesome, we started out by going to the Chinese Piaz.....nobody got anything, except maybe a disease or two....that's about the only reliable thing you can get there....haha, just kidding (about catching something)....after that, we wandered around the mall for a little while, then we came back to the mission home for a baptism. It was really amazing, I was so glad that we were able to go.

After that, a group of about 30 of us went to go see Cats--it was soooooo awesome! I really didn't understand too much of it, but the music was super amazing, and it was just super fun to be able to go and see something like that in Hungarian. We were talking to the Bagozzi's afterwards, and they said that they've seen it in the states, and, even though they didn't understand any of it, they said that this one was the best they've seen. Pretty cool.

alright, now for the big news....Thursday night, we were getting ready for bed when President called to tell Elder Hintze that he'll be leaving the office. His replacement is........................Elder Miller!!!!! ah! I was so surprised to hear that we'd be serving together, but i'm super excited for it! He came in on Friday night, so he's already getting into the swing of things. ah! i'm super excited.

yeah, that's the news for this week.....sorry i didn't get it out yesterday, we had a ton going on....

I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Murray