September 28, 2014

Outdoor museum village homes from the 18th century.

Wednesday was missionary transfers.  We received two new elders in Kaposvár.   First they missed the train out of Budapest, then they missed the stop for Kaposvár; and when they finally arrived here in the evening one elder had come with his previous apartment key in his pocket.   Not a good thing when the other new elders are at the apartment in the city 300 kilometers away and can’t get in.  (They did get in touch with the landlord who let them in that night, but he didn’t have an extra key.)  The president called us and we made an emergency trip to Szolnok on Thursday.   That’s an area we haven’t been in yet; quite a bit drier than Kaposvár.  We’re told it was much hotter there this summer also.  Glad we’re where we are.  We did go to lunch with the elders, but since all four elders and us were new to the city, no one really knew anything to see and they had work to do so we came home, 

The very positive thing about road trips are the opportunity to read.  We are currently reading Jesus the Christ –most interesting and fascinating.  I’ve started it several times, but it’s not bedtime reading!  Next year will be its’ hundred-year anniversary.  It will be interesting to see what will be done for that celebration.  Meridian Magazine photographers have been in the Holy Land filming for a project having to do with such a celebration.

Friday night YSA was a success. The last couple of weeks people left after institute and some after dinner. 

This week we had enough to actually play some games.  Since I was the time keeper, Stan was needed to even the team.  Here are a couple of pics showing Stan against President Balint doing the Candy Elevator – two  M&M’s on a pencil ‘elevator’ pulled carefully over the ears and up to the mouth in one minute.  

Another photo of the Sticky Situation -- dip nose in Vaseline and then see how many cotton balls you can move from one plate to another in one minute.  

Saturday was a branch social.   When this branch has a social, we plan on the whole day!   First a lady who comes every week (non-member who doesn’t want to be baptized), invited the branch to her home for cake to celebrate her birthday.  So we met at the branch house at 10 a.m.   When everyone got there we walked to her house and had a slice of bread (not cake) – it was a vanilla-chocolate variety -- and sang Happy Birthday to her.    

Then we all walked to the bus station and took the 11:30 bus to Szenna, a small village about 10k outside of Kaposvár.  It turns out we were in someone’s back yard.   Apparently the place we had gone before was rented and this lady works for the city and is a sister (or friend) to someone in the branch so she offered her yard.    

The bogrács kettle full of meat and potatoes.

When we arrived the guys began a ball game and the women began to prepare dinner.   The home owner cleaned all the brush, branches and leaves off the fire pit and they hung the bogrács kettle.  

Someone started picking up walnuts up off the ground so several of us spent a couple of hours cracking walnuts.  We had a good time and a good visit.

When one sister came around 2 ish, she passed around her dessert that she brought, so it was gone in a few minutes.  Then I walked up the patio stairs to get something out of a bag I brought and several ladies were enjoying the potato salad that I brought.  Then they brought it down and it was soon gone.

The guys are hungry!

Lunch or dinner ­– whichever – was finally ready at 3:00 p.m.  Everyone ate and then we had to leave to catch the return bus at 4:00 p.m. 

 

The village of Szenna  has an outdoor museum showing homes – architecture and atmosphere – from the 18^th century.  Since it was right by the bus stop and we had about 7 minutes before the bus arrived, we took a quick peek.

A small festival of some sort was in progress, but just as we arrived the music and dancers ended.

We saw two ladies with skirts in traditional ‘Hungarian blue.’  Perhaps they are docents there.  

Autumn is officially here, leaves are turning and falling, the air is crisp and cool and we have a touch of the sniffles to go with it.   This week we did planning, calling and scheduling for an upcoming busy one.  

We are grateful for our calling as missionaries, for the people of Hungary that we meet and serve and for the members of our branch with whom we are becoming friends.  

Just watched the General Women's Meeting from last night.  Marvelous!  The sisters gave inspiring messages.  President Uchtdorf always speaks the language of whomever he is speaking to.  Love him. 

I was especially touched by the Primary choir from Korea -- they were beautiful.  I especially loved the fact that they had the choir from another country -- getting ready for some Conference talks in foreign languages -- very fitting for a worldwide church.  Also touching were the messages from around the world about the temple.  We love the temple, we miss attending the temple and pray that one day we can be together with our family in the temple.

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