Week 38: 11 months! Day 335...Happy Birthday, Joseph Smith!

December 23, 2013

Hey! 

I can't believe it's been 11 months today! By the time I Skype with you on Wednesday, I'll have LESS than 7 months left on my mission. It's crazy. In case you didn't know, today is also Joseph Smith's birthday. I didn't do the math though, so I don't know how old he would be. Don't feel bad if you weren't aware; I didn't know either until this guy here made a big deal about how we should be celebrating his birthday instead of Christ's. Yeah...he's not completely sane, and no longer a member... Anyway. hahaha. I have that written in my planner today, so I thought I'd share: Happy birthday, Joseph Smith!

We've had a pretty good week, and it's been super busy. We had stacks on stacks (of programs, not money) planned, and then on Thursday night, we found out that the annual Christmas party had been cancelled, because the people who were supposed to be planning it, hadn't. Needless to say, we offered to step in and put together a pretty good event with only a day and a half's notice! I mean, only 5 members total showed up (YAY, branch support!), but we had a ton of investigators, friends and people from English Class show up. It just would have been nice to have more members come and enjoy it, because they all complain about the branch, lack of coordination and events and stuff, but everyone there had fun. I'd say it was a success because so many people did come and I'm positive that it was the best place they could be on a Saturday night, rather than out at other parties or on the street with all the people drinking and on holiday. We taught them how to make paper snowflakes and played signs, made them all hot chocolate and had bought tons of candy and süti (treats? dessert? IDK). We had decorated the chapel for it and the hallway and made a playlist of music to play on the big speakers. 

The day before the party (so the one day we had to plan and prep), we were actually in Buda for our Christmas Zone Conference and party. It was super good and uplifting and then we played games, had a giant lunch and did a white elephant. Pretty much, I just love missionary gatherings and it was all good. (: The train ride back wasn't as great; Sister Fresh and I had both gotten headaches during Conference and by that time they had turned into migraines, so we both just went and laid across some seats and tried to sleep while everyone else talked. Haha and then something was wrong with the tracks, so we stopped in the middle of nowhere for a good 45 min or so. But we got home and i felt better by then! (: 

It's crazy, because the longer I'm out here, the less trunky I get and the less I want to go back to the real world and face real people problems like dating and working and planning a life. haha I just love Hungary and the people here and all my friends I've made on my mission. We always talk about how it's kind of sad, because we all get to be such good friends out here and we become each other's family and think that we'll stay in touch forever and write each other every week. But then we'll all go home and we go back to our real lives at home and family and pre-mission friends and we get really busy in our new lives and we know that we won't stay as close or talk as much and our mission will just become a dream in the past. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, but it has completely changed my life and my perspective on life. A few months ago, I didn't think I'd ever say this, but everyone (who has the chance) should go on a mission!

I probably have more that I could tell you all, but I'm Skyping with you in 2 days and I talk to the rest of you every week anyway... well, most of you. So, if you wrote me, then you just got another email back from me. Shoot me any questions or concerns. Hope life is great! OH! And...MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Love,

Sister Megan Butterfield

Week 37: Day 328 -- Almost Christmas!

Day 328! Almost Christmas!

December 16, 2013

Hey!

I hope you got the pictures I sent! If not, feel free to check 'em out on my blog, I'm sure they'll be up there pretty soon. (: I don't really have too much to tell you all this week. Mostly, I'm just stoked for the rest of this transfer's events. We have Zone Conference in Buda on Friday, Tuesday-Thursday off next week, New Year's and New Year's eve off the next week, a baptism in the branch the next week (the elders super cute investigator, Adri, a super solid, 20-year old girl), and then I think transfer calls are the week after that. :\

We had another funny food experience this week. haha. We were over at this house eating some freshly butchered pig and the guy just kept making us eat more and more until we were literally stuffed. He took away our plates and so we thought we were done eating, until he realized he forgot to have us try his homemade sausage... He was super excited about it, so we told him we'd try a LITTLE bit of it. Yeah...no. He got off a huge chunk for each of us and a giant slice of bread. Anyway, luckily he left to use the bathroom and there was no one else in the room, so I just looked at Broadhead and we both grabbed our napkins and stuffed the majority in them and then stuck it all in my purse. Don't worry; we left some on our plates to be eating when he came back in. My purse smelled like kolbász for a while...

We also bought a Christmas tree this week! We were out tracting one morning and then started heading home for our lunch break, when we saw this guy by a 10-story, selling Christmas trees. We were already planning on buying one from a store, but these were cheaper, so we bought one and carried it home. Actually, mostly Broadhead carried it home, because she really wanted to and she kept saying how happy she was. It was super cute. Then, we put it up during lunch bought some lights and tinsels and it's pretty much always turned on now. Also, we simmer some oranges, cinnamon and vanilla on our stove to make it smell like Christmas (and get rid of the stupid Raid smell haha).

We STILL have cockroaches. Not as many, but they still exist... I actually found three running on Sister Broadhead's toothbrush the other day... Luckily I had an extra one in my suitcase, because we definitely threw that one out. hahah

Sorry this is a short one! Hope you're all having a good Christmas season. Shoot me an email sometime, if you get a chance. If not... maybe I'll see you in 7 months or maybe not. ;) haha

Love you all!

Sister Butterfield

PS - If anyone talks to DeAnn or Hunter, tell them happy birthday this weekend for me! (:

Carrying our tree home!

Our Christmas Tree! (Ignore the messy apartment. Haha!)

A Sign we found on the door while tracting! We thought it was funny! But it's probably not very funny if you speak German?

The cutest little girl in the Branch here! She always runs up and gives us hugs and will just stand next to us and hold onto our waist. So cute!  

Some pillows that the little girl's older brother made for us! (:

Elder Bennett likes to call them "Bum" bars.

Dead man. Corbishley is officially back in England. ):

 On our way back from the baptism in Kispest on my birthday! 3 of my comps! (:

 Pre- District Thanksgiving Lunch!

 Tracting: All Day Every Day!

We went to buy our White Elephant gifts for our Zone Conference this week and...let's just say, IDK if she'll give this away anymore. It slept between us that night and has gone a lot of places with us since then...hahaha! I think she's gone crazy! ;)

Viki surprised me and came fromVeszprém to church in Székes yesterday! Love her! She's currently working on her mission papers...I'm hoping she comes to Utah; that's her first choice!

Week 36: Day 322! 15 days till Christmas!

December 10, 2013

Hey!

Transfer calls came and....we guessed it! At the beginning of the transfer we thought that we were only staying for the first half together, but then we started getting really good numbers and standard\super standard and he told us he was super happy with our work. So, we guessed that just because of that, he would keep us together... BINGO. hahaha So, we're having Christmas together and New Year’s! Actually, we found out that we get like 2 days off for Christmas (from 2 pm Christmas Eve until 2 pm on December 26) and then New Year's Eve and New Year's Day! Hallelujah! Just to emphasis how happy we all were-- Fresh started crying in District Meeting when they announced that last week. hahaha. I'm excited to take a nap and catch up in my journal and SKYPE! Speaking of, I think we'll be able to Skype any time between 4 pm and like 8 pm on Christmas Day here, which is like 8 am to noon there. Oh! And I got your Christmas package! Thanks!!! (: I'm really excited to open the presents in it! Also, even better news, one of my favorite elders ever is coming here to serve with Bennett. HANCEY! I thought Judd would be the elder that I serve around the longest in my mission, 21 weeks, but I'm pretty sure Hancey will beat him! I already served with him in the MTC and Debrecen, and I'm pretty sure we'll both be here for the next 5 week transfer and the 9 week transfer too (at least), because both of our comps have been here forever. So... that makes it like… 29? Whoa. Can't even be mad though. That means that everyone in this city is from my MTC group and we're all the same mission age! There are two, (Bennett and Broadhead) from one MTC District, and Hancey and I from the other. We're stoked. It's gonna be a GREAT Christmas. (:

Also, Sister Smith (the mission president's wife) called and told me to have you (mostly she said Mom) check http://hungaryldsmission.org/  because she put up a picture of Kriszti's baptism. Anyway, I thought some other people might like it, because you can track most of the baptisms in the mission, and people keep asking about numbers and stuff. so...tessék!

Hm... I had lots of exciting stuff to tell you, but we had a really rough weekend...All of the really solid people that popped up have started falling through, so... here we go again! haha. Probably had the worst program of my mission on Sunday, it might be tied with the ones in Buda when that investigator called us all sinners and insulted us all, just because he's the only investigator that has made me legitimately angry. Anyway, this one was with the cute family that we were super excited for. We were walking over to the program and just picturing taking a picture with them all in white, getting baptized and we just invested so much excitement and hope in them. Anyway, we got there and tried to start the program with a prayer, but he hesitated when we asked, and we knew it was all going downhill from there... He pretty much just told us that it's all just foreign and strange to him and everything is just stories to him, he doesn't have any faith in it, and it was all more serious than he originally thought it would be. He told us that he didn't want us to waste any more time on them and as much as we tried to convince him that we would never consider it a waste, even if we got to the end of all the lessons and he still wasn't interested, he still didn't want to hear the rest of the lessons. While all of this was happening, his little daughters were busy playing with something, so they didn't realize what was happening and when we got up to leave they followed us to the door and were jumping around all excited saying "bye, see you next time, bye, bye," like cute, little excited girls. Yeah, needless to say, we almost lost it in the elevator on our way down and that was a tough night. All we want is to help that family. 

We had another cool, older guy that we just gave a pass along card to as he walked by a couple weeks ago and the weirdest thing happened: HE called US! (That NEVER happens in Hungary, even when you call an investigator or member and they miss or call, they will rarely call you back). We were super excited about him the first couple times we met, but then we realized he's not as legit as we thought. He won't really accept and kind of scoffs at the idea of receiving answers to our prayers through the Holy Ghost, feelings, and scripture reading, unless it comes from an actual voice. He prays, he just doesn't think we can ask questions. Sometimes when we're bearing testimony or talking about something, he'll just kinda laugh and it's really uncomfortable. 

The other cute girl from English class hasn't really been able to meet for a couple weeks. So… it's all just been interesting. We tracted into a lady\girl? I don't know what to call people anymore... sorry. But yeah, we did the tracting survey and asked if she was interested in talking more with us and she said she wants to meet with us consistently, like once a week at the same time. So…that was pretty cool! She also meets with a JW missionary once a week, so… this should be interesting. haha I'm hoping that she'll be able to feel a difference from when she meets with us and with the JW. 

We went to visit this super cute part member family in a little falu yesterday, because we were worried about the chance of Broadhead getting transferred out. Anyway, they fed us some soup and then they gave us a ton of mashed potatoes and two fish fillet things each, but Broadhead hates fish. She tried to eat one and made it about halfway through it until she turned to me and just whispered "Butterfield. I can't do it. Do you think you can you pound my fish?" haha I was already going to offer to eat it, the problem was just how to get it from her plate to mine. Also, I was pretty full, so she offered to take some of my potatoes instead. Anyway, it was the funniest thing, because the family is so hectic, they had like 5 kids there, running in and out of the room and everyone was running around doing stuff, so we just had to watch and make sure no one was looking and as soon as we got the chance we were like frantically trying to shovel and fling our food onto each other’s plates. hahahaha. I managed to get her fish, but she only got like a spoonful of my potatoes before we had to stop. And then we just were sitting there, laughing so hard silently, because no one had noticed. hahaha They are super cute though and they always give us little candies and things when we come over. We'll for sure visit them when we come back to Hungary! 

I was going to tell you about some funny Hungarian, winter superstitions, but I'm running out of time. Pretty much, you can't sit on benches outside, because they think you'll go sterile if you do. haha So people look at us like crazy people when we sit on them at the bus stop and stuff. I'll tell you some other ones later, if I remember! 

Let me know if you have any questions for me! Sometimes I run out of things to tell you. Hope you all have a fantastic week. I'm sure we will! Listen to lots of Christmas music. Eat junk food. Maybe read the scriptures or go to church or something. ;) Life's great, don't forget that! (: LOVE YOU ALL!

Love,

Megan

  

On November 1, Kriszti was baptized in Kispest by Károly.  He also confirmed her a member of the Church on Sunday, November 3.  Kriszti was introduced to the Church through a friend. She was taught the gospel by Sister Behunin, Sister Perkins, Sister Fresh, Sister Falslev, Sister Butterfield and Sister Westover. (Copied from http://hungaryldsmission.org/.)

Panni, Kriszti, Sister Fresh, Sister Butterfield

Week 35: Day 314! Wait, why am I even counting! I still have 234 left! Thanksgiving!

December 2, 2013

HEY! (:

What's good! I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! (: Mine was pretty good. We had a district Thanksgiving lunch after district meeting on Thursday! Everyone brought something different, so we had: lemon-honey chicken, rolls, regular mashed potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, salad, etc. It was just Sisters Broadhead, Maxfield and Fresh, and Elders Bennett, Thomas, Swink and Corbishley! That night during our dinner hour we also went out for Nutella Palacsintas (like crepes) with the Elders and Krisztian, because Corbishley was here on splits with Elder Thomas. It was a good day over all! We also had English class, but our day was crazy before that! We went out tracting and as we got let into a building, this car pulled up and we heard all these shouts and yelling and so we went into the building, but kept the door cracked open so that we could see what was going on (it was like 4:30, so it was super dark outside). This guy was like beating up this girl in his car, who was probably like 20ish. And everyone was just walking by, not doing anything. It was one of the craziest things I've ever seen to be honest. I'm surprised she wasn't knocked out by how hard her head hit the window when he punched her face. Anyway, no more details, but you can imagine how we felt as we went into the building and thought…well... now we have to go knock on all these doors and be happy while we talk to all these people. Yeah, tracting was the last thing either of us wanted to do, but we did it anyway. We went through like half the building before we had to leave for a program before English Class. We only had like 5 minutes left and we both started walking towards the stairs, but we both started walking up the stairs for some reason and then one of us was just like, Hey, let's try one more door and then we'll go. We just kept walking and went up two floors and approached a door in the corner. Long story short, it was a young dad, who actually preferred to talk to us in English to practice, with a sweet wife and 3 cute little daughters, and we did the survey and it was PERFECT. Sister Broadhead turned to him at the end and was like, "What would you say if I told you that you could live with your family forever?" and he sat and thought for a second and he was like "Well, I'd say that would be a miracle!" So then I told him about the Book of Mormon, but we were in a hurry, because our next program called to tell us that they were at the branch house, so we set up to meet this week again and bring them a copy and he said that it's a miracle we caught them at their house, because he's usually out with his kids every night at their activities, except exactly that time on Thursdays! We're super excited for them!

In contrast with that, we had a long day on Friday. We literally got chased out of a building in the morning and in the afternoon we spent several hours out in the cold, trying to find a referral out in the middle of nowhere, who actually ended up sic’ing her dog on us. While we were in the area we looked up an RCLA who lived relatively close... AKA, we still had to walk like 30 min to their house. But they weren't home. So we walked another 30+ min to another RCLAs home and got kinda lost in the process. We were in the middle of no where and it was super dark and we were literally afraid that we were going to get jumped. Hahaha we had the phone out just in case. But then we found her, and she was busy... so we went home frozen for dinner. But it was a good day, nonetheless. We were just exhausted!

Haha, everyone keeps asking about the Cafe Rio-like restaurant. Guess what it's called! "Gringos Amigos" hahahaha! Anyway, it was actually really good! Obviously not as good as Cafe Rio, but pretty close! Or maybe I've just been out for too long. Oh well, I'm not complaining! I'll take what I can get!

The good news is that it's December and we all know what that means.... No Shave November is over! Hallelujah! Worst idea ever, hahaha Sister Broadhead and I have been dying for the past couple weeks, wanting to shave. But, I couldn't, because Maxfield and I decided to do it. Let's just say, yesterday was a good day. (: The only thing I can complain about from yesterday is what happened when we got home. Haha we sat down on our couches to do nightly planning and we were talking and then all the sudden I saw something out of the corner of my eye. There was a cockroach running away from my direction on the coach. I about lost it, haha not because I was grossed out and screaming, but only because we are so fed up with them being everywhere. Broadhead ran over and we both took turns trying to smush it. Yeah, try smushing a bud on a squishy couch. The couch will just squish in and the bug will keep running. Plus, it probably didn't help that I was using an empty water bottle and she was using the end of a pen. hahahaha. It wasn't a problem when they were in the kitchen until they started showing up in our living quarters too, like running across our dining room table, or on my couch or across the carpet or in our bathroom. We aren't really sure what to do, because it already got fumigated 2 weeks ago and they left poison. but... oh well? haha We can't really do anything about it. hahaha

Before I forget, transfers are next week, so we'll be emailing on Tuesday, not Monday!

Random things about Székes - everyone here likes to call us by our first names and it's the weirdest thing ever. I mean, I'm not mad about it, it's just strange to hear and sometimes I don't even recognize it when they're talking to me. haha. Also, the kids here (in all of Hungary) are the CUTEST things ever. I still don't want one (any time soon). Hahaha--sorry. Also, they opened a KFC in this city on Saturday! Much better here than in America, that's for sure. Okay, weird fact, everyone here loves the British X-Factor. I think that's the only TV show that I've ever heard talked about here in Hungary. They just watch it all the time and LOVE it. ?

Sister Fresh and Sister Maxfield told me that they started teaching a really cool, Peruvian investigator in Veszprém.... call me crazy, but I almost cried... RIGHT when I got transferred out, they find him... Sounds like everyone's doing well there though, which makes me happy. I put so much effort into that city; I just sometimes wish that I could have seen more of the results. Oh well. I miss that branch though, that's definitely one that we'll go to church with when we come visit!

Other than that... It's crazy how much I have learned on my mission, especially about the Book of Mormon. Okay, so Broadhead and I found this out last week: The Mulekites came from Jerusalem ten years after Lehi and his family because the Lord commanded them too, but they didn't keep any records, so we don't know anything about it, but there were three groups that came to the Americas: the Jaredites (way earlier), Lehi's family AND the Mulekites. Okay, so maybe I'm just an idiot...haha! I'm sure I learned about that at some point... some time... but we thought it was super cool. If you already knew, then... there's a nice refresher for you, if not... you're welcome! (: Haha!

Hope you all have a great week! Life's great! Remember that! I'll let you know what's happening on Tuesday!

Love,
Sister Megan Butterfield

Week 34: Reading Jesus the Christ

November 25, 2013

Hey!

It's been a great week! Sister Broadhead is the best! Honestly, we have realized that we're pretty much the same person in a lot of ways and that our life is the same. haha. It's kind of funny. We have SO much in common, it's weird. Plus, we work superrr hard together, so it's the best of both worlds. ha. We're actually planning on going to Boston next year; a few weeks after we get home...it's a good plan. haha Another good plan? We've started taking the stairs while tracting, instead of taking the elevator to the top (in buildings that have one) and working our way down. We're making sure that we don't get fat; since I'm trying to eat through all the stuff you all have sent hahaha. We'll see how long the stairs thing works...

I still can't say that I know my way around Székes, but it's not as big as I thought it was. I definitely lied when I said it's the 4th biggest in Hungary. We can't remember who told us that, but then we found out that it's only like the 9th or something. The good news is that according to some reports, it's actually the most dangerous. hahaha. Okay no, the real good news is that I have seen more police cars driving around here than the rest of my 5 cities put together, so at least we're protected?

I can't really think of too much else about this week. I realized, that I seriously think I have ADD or something. haha I cannot sit still or concentrate in meetings, like church, to save my life. It's bad. But, it's nice because that's usually when lots of random inspiration comes about investigators... or what I'm going to email you all the next day or....what groceries I need to buy.... haha yikes. I think my mission has fried my brain. 

Oh! We got permission to go up to Buda tonight for P-day and try this new restaurant that opened! It's owned by some members who are trying to recreate Cafe Rio (there's one in Buda and one in Kecskemét), and I've heard its super good! A member is driving us up! Saying that I'm stoked would be an understatement. That's still the first restaurant we're going to when I get home... (:

Okay, that's all I can think of for now. I hope that you're all doing well. On a more spiritual side, as Christmas is coming, we, as a mission, are studying one Christlike attribute a week until New Years. The first week was Faith, last week was hope and this week is Charity & Love, if any of you would like to join in. Also, Jesus the Christ is a really good book. I know it's long, but read it! (Just push through the first 3 or 4 chapters, those are the hardest). If there's anything I know in this world it is that Jesus Christ is my big Brother, watching over me and rooting for me. I owe Him more than I can ever give Him and I am SO grateful for Him. I can't imagine making it through this life without the knowledge of Him and of a loving Heavenly Father. Really, I don't know how people do it. If you don't KNOW yet, try it out. Study about Christ and His life, try praying. I know that you will feel of it for yourself. I hope you all know that I love you all too and I miss you like crazy every, single day. Smile. (:

Love,

Sister Butterfield