September 21, 2014

We watch for fun menu translations.  This menu called this 'Lion of Pork with Floor Pebbles.' 
 There was also a choice of  'Paste of Cabbage,' but no one chose it.

This week turned out to be quite full.  On Monday at the request of the branch president, Stan took a branch member (as a translator) to a small village to meet with government social workers regarding some problems with a family in the branch.  That was interesting and rather sad.   While he was gone I had a hair cut appointment.  It’s a new adventure every time I get my hair cut from someone with whom I can’t communicate. I take my ‘google translate’ instructions and hope for the best. I like the stylist I have now.  My first hair cut in the country was a real disaster – and she spoke English!

Tuesday we left on a road trip; first was a stop in Szombathely where, with a new senior couple, we visited a home for disabled adults, which has 10 residents; and then a service center for the disabled, which provides various services for about 2,300 county residents who live at home.  

After dinner that evening we went with Elder and Sister Viernes to a museum.  There was a special exhibit of the Adriatic Sea.  Here are some rather large crabs and interesting shaped shells.

 
There was also a room with Roman ruins -- pieces and parts unearthed in this city.  The bottom left mosaic is the original right where they found it.

As we drove through a small village on the way to Sopron, we saw this festive Autumn decoration on a corner.

 

And then as we drove into Sopron, we came upon these animals and were able to get very close picture.  Right across the street the Magyar Nemzeti Cirkusz (Hungarian National Circus) had come to town.

In Sopron we ‘closed’ a project at a children’s home (orphanage).   They have 30 children there without much to keep them busy and involved outside.  So we purchased a trampoline and a basketball standard. They were delivered about a month ago and the senior couple and missionaries there put the trampoline together and finally last week there were enough dry days that they put the sleeve in the ground in concrete for the basketball standard.  

So, on this day the older (an engineer) and younger missionaries and a couple of the staff of the home finished installing the basketball standard.   We finished about an hour before the kids arrived home from school, so didn’t get to see their reaction.  Elder and Sister Brown who help there are sure they will be thrilled.

While in Sopron we had dental appointments for checkup and cleaning.  Our branch president gave us the name of a college friend of his who is practicing in Sopron.  We are told there are around 300 dentists in Sopron, which is only about 40 minutes from Vienna, Austria.  The Austrians come to Sopron to shop and for dental work because it is less expensive.  Many Hungarians in Sopron work in Vienna because they can make more money.   One example was a man who owned his own business quit and became a dishwasher in Vienna and is making three times the salary he received in Hungary.

That evening we drove to Győr and stayed in Hotel Klastrom, a former monastery.  'The 41 rooms have been rebuilt from the cells of monks keeping the original atmosphere.'

The entrance was definitely on  the non-descript side, but the size of the room key made up for it.

This picture shows the hallways of the two hotels we stayed in on this trip.  The left is a quaint little place in Szombathely with about 8 rooms.  The right shows the long hallway on one wing of the former monastery.

In Győr the elders went with us to visit a nursing/assisted living home for the elderly.  The building we visited has 135 residents; and some rooms on each floor were being remodeled to be wheelchair accessible.  There were 5 other buildings, which house 312 residents.   

After the elders helped us, we went with them to a ‘program’ at a sweet member lady’s home a ways out of town (we were the transportation) where she fed us lunch.

On the way we passed the Győr City Hall, a beautiful landmark in this city.  This was built in 1898.  Besides rooms for assemblies and meetings, it also houses a concert hall. 

And then we headed home.   As we drove through a small town, we noticed an imposing building up on the mountain, so we drove to see what it is.   The short drive took us up a hill and in a beautiful forest setting we discovered the Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey, built in 996.   The Abbey is the 2nd largest in the world and currently houses 50 monks and the Benedictine Boy's Boarding School.  Information told us that if someone graduates from there, they have no problem going to any university they choose.  We took a fascinating tour.  Come with us and see. . 

Some of the outer walls -- some of which date back to the beginning in 996.  

The Basilica on the left was consecrated in 1224 and the Porta Speciosa, 
one of the entrance doors into it on right.

The library was truly amazing! Built in the 1820's, it houses the oldest written examples of the Hungarian language and over 400,000 books -- and they are large and old and placed two deep on the shelves!   Each wall contains its own subject of law, theology, medicine or the arts. 

Friday was a busy day – district meeting, lunch with the elders, shopping and then get ready for Young Single Adults that evening.  Always after a trip, there is a ton of paper work to do – we have to document every receipt and send to the area welfare offices.  When a project closes, that also requires much accounting.   There’s no time to get bored.  

Saturday morning we had to do missionary apartment inspections (transfers coming up this week). I always make some food for the elders as a reward for a clean apartment. As we walked through Kaposvár, we discovered a small parade -- complete with music -- opening up the Honey Festival.  And then we got to meet the Honey Queen.  (Stan wanted to call her the Queen Bee, but don't think that's what she was.)

This weekend was the ‘Linger Longer’ after meetings today; but it turns out that there are only a couple of us that bring anything to share.  And we had a local sister and one set of elders over for dinner this evening.  This sister is quite a talker – and thought she would die coming up our 96 stairs!  

This week we are so grateful for a loving and merciful Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, who have given us scriptures, prophets, teachings,  guidelines -- even commandments -- that provide the plan, the process and the actions that we each must do to become like them and return to be with them.  "Oh, how great the wisdom and the love."