Peace Out 'Mericuh - Week 8

Hi!

How's it going? I can't believe I'll be in Hungary in less than a week! In exactly 5 days I'll be just about to leave the MTC! We got our travel plans last Thursday! We leave the MTC Monday morning at 11:30 am, so nice! We fly through Texas and then through London and then we get to Hungary at like 5:30pm on Tuesday! Wee! haha We're excited!

Oh! I forgot to thank you last week for the calendar! Or maybe I did, I just don't remember. But thanks so much!!! I love it! It's awesome to have so many pictures! It was Katie Housley that helped you, right? Thanks! How did you pick the people whose birthdays you put?

Also, thanks for the medicine and all the packages this week! Cheating the system... haha you knew I couldn't open letters, so you sent them in packages instead... hahaha. Oh and thanks for that Ensign for next month! I don't know if you noticed, but there's an article in it about a Hungarian man! My district found it and everyone thought that's why you sent it, but they loved it!

So, just so everyone knows, if you're planning on sending me a package do it like today so that I get it, Also, tomorrow's probably the last day to send dearelders, cause if you send it tomorrow night, hopefully they'll print it out for me Friday night. But I don't get dearelders on Saturdays and I leave Monday morning, so I won't get them then either.

Anywho, it's been a really good consecration week! The first half wasn't too hard at all speaking Hungarian, but once we hit Sunday and had to speak it in church and with our leaders, it was hard to get back into it. We haven't done as well as we should have the past couple days. Unfortunately I'm still sick though. I tried to stop taking medicine on Sunday night to see if I was any better. It was alright, but I woke up on yesterday morning and felt even worse than before. I had hardly been able to sleep that night with my cough and everything. The elders in my district gave me a blessing and I took a bunch of medicine in the morning. Then during gym time after lunch yesterday I just put on a sweatshirt and bball shorts, dragged an exercise matt to the corner of the fitness room and slept while my comp worked out. Hahaha then we came back and I got into bed and slept through our prep time and half of our portal study. It was much needed. Brother Grossen had told me in the morning that I could leave class to go sleep, but I didn't want to miss any class time/make my comp miss any, so I just used my gym time. Haha oh well. So far I seem to be doing better; I haven't taken any medicine since yesterday morning. We'll see! I just really don't want to be sick when I get to Hungary.

It's weird this week. Everything we do is "a last." Our last time at the Temple for 18 months, our last devotional and fireside at the MTC, our last p-day at the MTC or District devotional review, our last etc. etc. All of the (papa) Fins, Estonians, and Albanians left on Monday and Tuesday, so our zone has kind of cleared out. The only two districts here, besides us, are two baby Fin districts. (Our two kicsi Huns are in one of those districts). So, we're pretty much ready to leave, because it just seems like everyone else we were friends with are gone. We didn't get to know the baby Fins too well because they are mostly elders and they’re super quiet and they got here a few weeks after us anyway. It's exciting but so scary at the same time. We're leaving "the incubator" as the speaker at devotional last night called it. Haha accurate description. I really just love how nice people here are though. Somehow I sat next to the same elders on Sun during fireside and again on Tues during Devotional, which is super weird and never happens unless you're in the same zone and came together. There are just so many missionaries here and that was a weird coincidence. But they're just the perfect example of why I love missionaries here. One of the Elders is from California and was so nice. Then, on Tuesday I sat next to his comp and he's from Australia and he was just so nice; asking about my life and just, idk, awesome. And then he introduced me to some other people he had met, another girl from Australia and they just totally treated me like I was one of them and were giving me all this Australian candy to try and telling me about bands there. Haha, it's hard to explain, maybe just because I don't really feel completely American. But okay, this doesn't make any sense and I'm rambling. But, I decided I really like Australians, haha, anyway. How are things there?

I don't think I can tell you how excited I am that Zach comes in to the MTC today!! I mean I'm sad that he's not going to be sent to Brazil, because he was so excited about that, but I can’t wait to see him! I have told my whole district about him cause I'll just have random moments during study time or meals where I'm like I GET TO SEE ZACH THIS WEEK! haha I'll probably be stalking during meal times (AKA, sit facing the door and watching everyone who comes in) haha. AND, I get to see Tasia!! Weee! Haha okay, I’m excited. I love seeing people I know and meeting people that know people that I know. hahaha Okay, my time's about up. Next time you all hear from me, I'll be across the world. Weird. Oh, everyone should send me an email because I can officially email friends!!! megan.butterfield@myldsmail.net!


Peace out 'Mericuh!
Sok szeretettel,
Butterfield nover

Week 7

Broadhead Nover and I! We took this one with Polly in mind! Haha!

All of the sisters in my district/bedroom! I love them all!

Hermana Zortman and I... in our pajamas .. She flew off to Chile on Monday morning, so I won't see her for another 17 months! Sad!

Hey!

I don't really know what to tell you all about this week! haha It feels like it's all the same now; the days are still fairly long, but the weeks are SO short! Weird that I only have 12 days left in the MTC! We should be getting our travel plans tomorrow or Friday! Also, we started our consecration week this morning as we left the temple! That means that we can only speak Hungarian until we enter the temple next Wednesday. We also set special individual, companion and district goals for the week. The idea is not that we just give up things that are important to us, but we are really consecrating our lives completely to the Lord and showing Him that He is more important to us than even those things on earth that are most important to us. It's not to make us suffer, but with each sacrifice we choose to make, we fill it with something better that we could be doing. For example, our district chose to:

-Wake up and hour early and go to the temple today and next Wednesday, to do Initiatories.
-Get to class by 6:45 every morning instead of 7 and spend that time doing additional personal study.
-Have a special fast on Sunday to prepare us for Hungary/things that we are each struggling with personally as missionaries
-Spend that extra time, when everyone else will be at meals, on Sunday studying about Christ and Christ like attributes
-Only distributing mail at night right before we go to the residence (instead of after lunch and dinner), so that we have more time in class and are focused throughout the day.
-Use the bathroom and get water only at designated break times throughout the day, so that we don't get distracted out in the hallway or get unfocused.
-Keep the door shut when we're in the class/in study time, so that we can maintain the peace and quiet & not get distracted by people out in the hallway (our classroom is directly across from the girls bathroom and the water fountain, so people tend to gather there and talk a lot)

Then, as a companionship, my companion and I are giving up our breakfast in the cafeteria and just eating a bagged breakfast in our class building to waste less time and we'll use the extra time to study the language.

Personally, I am:
-Not reading mail after today until next Wednesday. I'll have my district leader put it all in a shoebox when he gets it so that I'm not even tempted/can't see who it's from. That doesn't mean don't send me mail though! ;) Please do! I'll read it all next Wednesday and answer back still, just like normal! Plus, it'll be the last week you can all send me mail so easily! Yikes! :/
-No vending machine food at night so that I can hopefully get to sleep sooner. Plus, it's healthier.
-Lights out at 10:20 instead of 10:30, since I usually spend time reading letters at night anyway or socializing. And hopefully it'll help me fall asleep sooner

I think that's about it...It's going to be a great week; I think (and hope)! haha hm.. Speaking of mail, I got a lot of crap this week from my district hahaha On Monday night I got 14 pages of printed off DearElders and one regular snail mail, so the nickname (Elder Van Pelt) has struck again. Oh well. haha Oh, and I can still pick up packages during the week! It's just mail and DearElders that I'm not reading!

Hm... I finally caught the MTC cold this weekend! Worst thing ever! I frequently feel like I'm dying. haha not overdramatic or anything. Which reminds me, Mom, that SudoGest stuff that I got? I've already used 8 of them and there are only 10 in a box... I definitely need a lot more of that if possible, because that's the only decongestant I have and I'm assuming that I'll get sick again out in the field... I might need more of all the cold medicine actually... the night and day time stuff, but maybe just a box more of both of those.. That'd be nice if you can send the SudoGest soon, since I'm almost out. They're miracle workers! I only have to take one every 12 hours! If you can't get a lot of those, maybe you could at least send some of the little red ones?

We heard that in our mission, they had 25 baptisms just in January and February! I think that's probably a record! (For our mission!) So great!

Mom, you asked me in a DearElder a long time ago, probably the first week I was here, what my favorite primary song is... I think "A Child's Prayer" is one of them. We sang it the other day in RS or in a devotional and I remember you always playing on the piano upstairs in Chile late at night and singing to it. Other than that, I can't think of my other favorites right now.

How are things going back home with everyone? I love getting all your letters! And, Dad, I'm jealous that you got to go back to Peru, it sounds like you had fun!

You should go watch the Mormon Message "Expressions of Love" online and see if you recognize anyone in it. I was watching it on Sunday and I almost died when I realized who was in it. haha we haven't seen them in forever! Mormon messages are pretty much the best thing ever! They're so inspiring! I spend a lot of my computer time on Sunday watching those and they play them on the TV’s in the fitness room and that's what I bike to!

My time's probably about up! I'll try to get on in the laundry room and send you some pictures! I took a bunch this week! Oh, that reminds me! I've been talking a lot to some of the Noverek here about future school plans and stuff. I'm thinking I might transfer to UVU with Broadhead Nover and do dental hygiene together. We'll see! I'm torn because I really love BYU and the atmosphere in classes and stuff, so that would be a change, but at least I'd stay in Provo. I'll figure it out in 18 months! haha I'll at least be at BYU for next fall though. Szeretlek!

Sok Szeretettel,
Butterfield Nover

Week 6

Szervusz!

How are you all doing?! Can you believe that it's already March!? Where in the world was February? I think we skipped it this year..? ;) Time is flying; I can't believe that I've already been on my mission for a month and a half! We should get our travel plans at the end of next week! Also, our consecration week starts a week from today! Yikes! haha

I love hearing what you're all up to! It's weird, the only time I (usually) think about things back home is when I read letters and remember that there's a whole world outside of the MTC still... hahaha. How is Kayleen doing this week? I've been praying for her and the family a lot this week! I hope everything is going okay!

I don't know if Jess McInnes even reads my blog, but YOU GOT CALLED TO LIMA PERU AND DIDN'T TELL ME?!? If anyone talks to her, let her know that I talked about her on my blog, because she hasn't written to me yet and I don't have her address... I hope she knows I wasn't very happy when Hunter told me about it in the laundry room last week and I had no idea! haha

So it's weird looking at myself and realizing that I'm still just a normal person. haha I think as little kids it's easy to see the missionaries and look up to them so much that you see them as these like extraordinary, put-together people who are so cool and then you become one and you're just like.. huh. I'm still just me. hahahaha Also, I'm getting really good at 20 minute naps! I take advantage of the prep time I have between gym time and when class starts again and I usually just crash on my bed and I'm out.

I don't really know what to tell you about this week, so I figured I'd just quote something from my journal, just to show you the broad spectrum of emotions I feel here. Haha, don't worry, this one's a positive one, just keep in mind that it's like an every other day thing... or maybe every other minute, emotions change:

"Day 41: Monday, March 4, 2013:

I love the MTC! I love how much everyone talks to each other and how much study time we have and how much we learn! I love learning cool new things and hearing other missionaries' testimonies and life stories! I love my teachers and teasing them and how willing they are to put up with us and help us all the time! I especially love the devotionals and firesides and hearing/singing with all of the other missionaries! As excited as I am to get out to Hungary, I'm really going to miss the MTC and my teachers and all of the old friends I run into/ new friends I have made here.

Life is so good. I got a package today from Mom with a bunch of snacks and a really good article from the Ensign. Getting material to read is like gold in the MTC/on the mission; it was such a good article about perfectionism vs. resilience. I'm so excited that tomorrow is Tuesday and we have devotional! I just wish I could get more sleep out here! I'm trying to think of things that happened today, but I can't really remember. We taught Edit a lesson though; it went well, I guess, nothing spectacular. She still won't pray for us.

Today I'm grateful for prophets, apostles, my Mom, beautiful Hungarian words, hilarious moments with my district and teachers, packages and just the MTC in general."

So... yeah. There you have one end of the spectrum. I could send you some entries on the opposite end, but I won't. haha hm. Something funny that happened this week... One day Grossen testver (brother) sent us out to bear our testimonies about the Book of Mormon (in English AND Hungarian) to someone that we don't know. We had ten minutes to run around the MTC and find them before we had to be back in class. It was so fun! When we got back into the classroom, Clawson nover was just like "That was SO fun! Can we do that EVERY day?!?" Grossen testver just looked at each other and then back at her laughing and I was just like "Uh, we're missionaries. That's what we'll be doing every day, I'm pretty sure that's the point..." hahaha

How was everyone's fast Sunday? I hope you all bore your testimonies.... (: I did!

Oh, and I did get all the blogs! It was probably one of the best moments ever, I read them all in less than two days.... hahaha so yeah, feel free to send me their newest posts... (: Oh, if you can, search Magda elder Hungary something...I was reading his blog before I left too, but I don't think I had it bookmarked. I really want to know what cities our osi are being trained in right now! But I don't know how to find out... haha hm. Mom, some of your letters still cut off... One of yours cut off the other day after the excerpt from Trenton Disque, it said something about Bryson Day too. I got the full story from Nathan already, but idk if there was anything in the letter after that? Thanks for the FB updates! I love them and knowing where everyone is going! I was going to ask about that youtube video! I had no idea it even existed until one of the other Hungarian teachers came and told me she had seen me on youtube. Yes, I do know the other missionary from Davis coming here, but he doesn't get here until after I leave. He will be my Kicsi's (small's) kicsi, if that makes sense. Our kicsi get here today!! Idk if I told you that we found out they called another girl to come earlier! Prayers do work! I can't wait to meet them! Anyway, so two girls come in today and then with the group in April there are supposed to be 10 or 11 new missionaries going to Hungary, we're not sure yet. Exciting stuff though!

Which mission presidents do we know? The two that sound familiar to me are Michael Waddoups (is he in our FH stake? if so, he was my trek dad! but that might be another Waddoups) and Larry Bird, maybe?

Hey, Mom, is there any way you could maybe, possibly send me a new pearl necklace? Like one of the long ones that can wrap around once? My long one broke a few weeks ago and I don’t think there’s any way to fix it… but I'll send it back to you with all my other stuff in a couple weeks!

Anyway, I have to run! I hope everything’s good! I love hearing about all the blessings you're all receiving right now! Remember to read the Book of Mormon! And, everyone, PLEASE don't text and drive! I heard yet another awful story about that yesterday. So just do it for me! Don't take away someone else's free agency and life by abusing your agency! (: I love you all! just keep swimming! you can do it!

Love,
Butterfield Nover