May 12, 2014

 We saw this amusing menu item and ordered.  

Soup in a bread bowl.  Where do we hook the boyfriend?

This has been a full and rewarding week.  We had the privilege of ‘closing’ five projects.

A cabinet was delivered to the National Association of the Blind.  Previously the Braille games were purchased and presented.   We are still hoping to take them a computer (‘surplused’ from some of the church offices) as soon as we are able to get it.  The man in the green shirt is the president and quite visually impaired.  When he uses the computer, he is right up against the screen.

The Disabled People's Association in Nyrigyehaza (3 hours away) employs a 'handyman' who has retired from his profession and works there because "he has three healthy children." 

He maintains and repairs everything at their facility/campus, but has had to bring tools from home to do this.  He is working with and teaching some of the disabled men.  

When something can no longer be repaired, he uses the parts to create/make other items, such as cars, carts, rickshaws, wheelchairs, etc. for the disabled to use for therapy and fun contests.  The Humanitarian Fund purchased power tools for him/the center. 

These people were so appreciative and gracious; they did not want us to leave. We could have stayed and tried out all the carts.  A very sweet spirit was felt at this 'closing.'

An infusion pump was donated to the Bethesda Children's Hospital, the burn center for Hungary.  Elders attended this closing as it helps those at the hospital associate this gift with the Church and recognize the white shirts and name tags whenever they see them as connected to the gift.  Our contact at the hospital is also a pastor.  In a discussion with him, he mentioned learning German by only reading his German Bible.  We gave him a Book of Mormon.

A children's shelter (for children in crisis) was presented with a stove and some camping equipment.  They have several camping trips planned this summer to take their 30 children and youth out into nature for activities and learning.   They felt this was better for the children than cinemas and discos in town.   Again, the president was so grateful, and said she didn't know 20 years ago when she started this home that she would still be involved helping these children.  She then said, "I am Catholic, what is different about your church from mine?"  She took information about where to attend church and said she would like to attend sometime.

Today we went to a baby store, actually ‘more than a baby store’ the sign said.  It was true; it had clothes, toys, games, books, furniture, car seats, strollers, all possible baby gear.  We purchased some electric breast pumps and specialized accessories for babies and mothers who have a hard time nursing, such as premature babies or those born with a cleft palate.  This lady came and met us there to pick up the supplies, as they don’t actually have a brick and mortar office.   She said she had mothers waiting to use this equipment. 

It is always so rewarding to meet with the leaders of these organizations and get to know their stories.  In every case, someone has started a foundation because of a need (personal or otherwise) and then has been involved with helping/serving the needs for 20, 30 or 40+ years.  They are sweet, dedicated people trying to provide with limited facilities and help.

It is amazing and humbling to realize the breadth of the Church’s humanitarian efforts; their vision of helping Heavenly Father’s children around the world.  When we meet with the people, they are surprised that we would donate to them and we explain that members of our church around the world voluntarily donate a little and it all adds up so that people like us can serve in countries around the world and help.  Our area supervisors told us that the humanitarian missions and projects only operate on the interest of the Humanitarian Fund. This is truly the Lord’s Church or this would not be possible.  We are so blessed to be a small part of this work in this little corner of His Kingdom.  

On our way to do some grocery shopping on Saturday, we stopped at the Chinese Piac (market).  It was huge, booth after booth of the same items, but everyone trying to sell us something – all knockoffs of name brands and ‘made in China.’  It was so similar to markets in Central America; however, this was not handcrafted items – just stuff.

Saturday evening and Sunday was stake conference.  The Sunday session was especially wonderful.  Our favorite speaker was our new branch president from Kaposvár.   He said this is his second stake conference; the first was six months ago, two days after his baptism.  He has been a branch president for two months.  He said he has been reading the Church Handbook, but so many things say ‘follow the Spirit.’  He went on to say when his mother was teaching him how to make bread, he wanted to know the exact amount of flour and she told him that he would know how much to put in; he would feel the right consistency with his wrist.  When he left home, he tried to make bread, but had a hard time getting the right amount of flour.  “Knowing and responding to the Holy Ghost is the same,” he said, “it comes from experience.”   He said he wondered if the Children of Israel were afraid to look upon the fiery serpent because they did not have the experience of knowing the Lord well.   He spoke like a seasoned brother.   We look forward to knowing and working with him.  

There is one stake in Hungary (and two districts).  Stake conference was broadcast via satellite to the other buildings around the country, so we were quite surprised that the chapel and cultural hall were full.   The Church is young in Hungary—just 24 years.   One sister who spoke in conference said her family joined the Church when she was young – 20 years ago.   Four young adults who are waiting for mission calls spoke.  The two young men were from member families and have been planning and looking forward to missions;  the two sisters each said they were the only members in their families.   There are three young, unmarried branch presidents and ours (in Kaposvár) was just married two weeks ago.  Many of the baptisms are young adults, and there have been several marriages of young adults since we arrived.  This is the beginning; these young adults will raise the next generation in the Church, much like we’ve seen in Central America.  In a few years the Church will be much stronger in Hungary.   They are close to a second stake, and of course, would love to have a temple.   Currently they must travel to Freiburg, Germany, which is not easy for them.  

We hope all had a Happy Mother’s Day.   (Hungary’s is the first Sunday in May.)  We spoke to our mothers and our children.   We are so blessed to have the technology to keep in touch with them. 

May 6, 2014

Back to Fisherman's Bastion on Castle Hill.  Elder and Sister Stay and Elder Miller climbing up.  Elder Miller's favorite; he thinks this should be a reproduced as part of Disneyland.

What a wonderful, whirlwind week! 

We purchased Braille games for the National Association of the Blind so they can start a social group to help get visually impaired people out, together and associating with others in public. They have two other items we will have delivered tomorrow for their project.   We also went to Decathlon (sporting goods store) to pay for the order of camping supplies to be delivered to a children’s crisis center.  So interesting.  One person would come and tell us we needed to pay and also pay the delivery charge, but “I’m not the right person to do that.”  Then another person would come and tell us the same thing, and then another.  We assured them each time we were ready to pay.  Finally at the cash register, we had to smile at each other – we had 7 people helping to make this simple transaction!  Once it was finished, then one of them had to take the receipt to the copy machine and make a copy for the store.   (Most things are quite labor intensive; we returned something once and it probably took over 30 minutes!)

Our area supervisors, Elder and Sister Stay, from Frankfurt, Germany arrived this week to spend some time with us.   They accompanied us to appointments for 4 potential projects, did some training, and each did a fascinating fireside and then on P Day we saw a bit of Budapest together.

Elder and Sister Stay saw an ad in a magazine at their hotel and attending a Hungarian-Jewish concert was the top of their list.  So Friday night, we thoroughly enjoyed a Klezmer concert.  Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Jews of Eastern Europe – dance tunes and instrumental pieces for weddings and other celebrations.  Think Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.

Next on their list was the Museum of Ethnography – showing the traditional Hungarian costumes/dress and cultural artifacts through their history.

Various beehives throughout Hungarian history.

We saw a historical bicycle exhibit.  Of interest was this one with the handlebars at our head level.   How does one get on?

We followed along on the walking tour of some of the sites in Budapest – which we had previously visited and posted; so as we went we took some random snapshots of interesting buildings/architecture in the city.

Monument left from Communism with Parliament in the background.

Notice wires from the trolley -- they're throughout the city.

Another McDonalds!

Many buildings still have the bullet holes from the 1956 Revolution.

High on the to-do list were the thermal baths in Budapest – there are only 35 of them!   One morning we went early to have a warm dip in mineral water. It began a bit frustrating.  We did not take a towel as we figured the entrance fee would pay for a towel. We paid, and were pointed in a direction to get a towel and cap.  When we finally found the place, no one was there. In time, someone came, but she could not take money; we had to go back to the front cashier and pay. The credit card now would not work for these – only cash.  We decided to drip dry!   Then we had to wander through corridors, halls and dressing rooms to find entrances to the pools.  Once we got in, the water was warm and wondrous!  

Sunday night Sister Stay, who is a Biblical Hebrew scholar, presented a fireside on ‘Christ in the Old Testament’ for the senior missionary couples.  Wow!!!!!   Wish you could have been there.  Here’s a sampling of notes:

• ‘turning hearts of the fathers’ – the Hebrew word for ‘fathers’ should be translated ‘parents’ 
• ‘turn’ should be translated ‘repent’ 
• Genesis 1-4 is temple text
• Genesis 1 - Elohim, about justice and obedience to law; everything obeys Him
• Genesis 2-4 - Jehovah, about mercy, need for forgiveness
• Creation story is Hebrew poetry; all is used to teach about Christ
• There are several versions of the Creation story, intended to be read and studied for what each prophet intended to teach.
• The Hebrew language only has 5,000 words. The average high school student knows 25,000 words.  The Old Testament was written with 5,000 words.
• Jews wrote the scriptures; they intend that there that there be more than one way to interpret a verse. Why did God ask Cain “Where is Abel, thy brother?” when He already knew the answer?  He was offering Cain an opportunity to confess and repent. 
  The ‘mark’ on Cain was to protect him (‘everyone that findeth me shall slay me’); give him time to repent – it was a gift to him.

Elder Stay’s family home evening last night was for the Young Single Adults.  He spoke to the topic of 'Christ in Central America.'  He showed photos of temples/pyramids in various places in Central American countries and pointed out similarities to the temple in Jerusalem – walls, gates, arches, man with beard and mustache (Mayan Indians did not have this), 3 levels (kingdoms), 2 rooms, font, altar.  He talked about things historians have written about Quezalcoatl, the feathered serpent (God).  Why did the natives name him that?  In I Nephi 17:41, Nephi is talking about Moses . . .’he sent fiery, flying serpents’ could be a possibility.   One more tidbit:  the Hebrew word for jawbone is Lehi; the Hebrew word for princess is Sariah; the Egyptian word for grain is Nephi.

We know our Heavenly Father lives.  We know His Son, Jesus Christ lives.  His church was restored in the latter days by His prophet, Joseph Smith.  We are so grateful to share this testimony with you.    

April 27, 2014

A museum in Budapest we walked by one evening. There are dozens of museums.

This was not our normal missionary week!  On Easter Monday, a holiday, most businesses were closed so we decided to go see a few places.  We were all over town – on the tram and walking.  At the end of the day, Elder Miller’s Fitbit (that the kids game him for his birthday and he loves it) said we walked 9.25 miles! 

The Hungarian State Opera House, one of the most important historical buildings in the city, dating back 300 years.  The Hungarian National Ballet is also based here.  Tours were not available until late afternoon.We'll go back some other time. 

We had to take a peek in the New York Café – touted as ‘the most beautiful café in the world’ – and connected to the famous Buscolo Hotel.  It would certainly rival the Grand America in SLC or the Waldorf Astoria in NYC.

We headed to City Park to find the statue of George Washington.   In Hungary, you ask?  Some Hungarian leaders, particularly Louis Kossuth, went to America to raise funds for Hungary after the failed revolution for independence in 1848.  In 1902, a movement began in Cleveland, OH to erect a statue to him, the ‘Father of Hungarian Democracy.’  Not sure it ever happened, but later Hungarian-American leaders placed a statue of George Washington, the ‘Father of American Democracy,’ in Budapest as a sign of unity between the two nations.

 

 

As it was a holiday, we discovered a  festival in the park.   Once again, we checked out the Hungarian handicrafts and food items.  It wasn’t as big or as crowded as Swiss Days in Midway, but they did have one thing over on Swiss Days – the traffic flow went one direction!

Langos is a Hungarian specialty – a giant scone (or sopapilla) deep fried and then slathered with honey, sour cream and cheese.  Yum. . .yuk-cholesterol  kingdom!  Deep frying and sour cream are big in Hungary.

And this booth is all about oil!   Interesting, you can only buy milk in a one liter carton, but oil is common in gallons!

Here’s a booth probably not to be seen at Swiss Days.  He’s forging tools, knives, etc.

Hungarians love their sweets.

We went for a walk along the river to see Shoes on the Danube.  This memorial honors the Jews who were killed during WW II.  They were ordered to take off their shoes, and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away.  These sculptures represent their shoes left behind on the bank.  (They’re bronze but look like real, worn shoes.) There were dozens of jars in which people have lit candles to show their respect.

Tuesday we finished up some details for the BYU Chamber Orchestra concert and submitted three projects:  1) tools for a disabled foundation.  The handyman there repairs and rebuilds everything.  When items can no longer be repaired, he uses the parts to build such things as these carts for the disabled to use for contests, races, fun and developmental exercise. He told us he is retired, and does this because he “has 3 healthy children; and not everyone has healthy children;” 2) developmental and speech games and tools for a communication school for children and adults with speech difficulties, and 3) a breast pump and special needs nursing accessories and kits for mothers who have difficulty nursing, premature babies or those with cleft palates, etc.   All were approved the next day!  

 

Wednesday we headed to Kaposvár for the rest of the week.  Again, the views on the way were of peaceful farm fields,  valleys and villages.  It sort of reminded us of driving through small towns in Utah, but there was no LDS chapel in each falu (village).

The quiet walking mall of downtown Kaposvár from both directions.

The peaceful, quiet street of our Kaposvár apartment.

The front of our apartment building.  We are on the top floor (96 steps).  When we walk out on the spacious deck, we’re level with the birds!

The next few days were spent cleaning the apartment.  It took a bit of ‘elbow grease’ to whip that baby into shape – especially the bathtub that was full of rust and grime!  The washer had been closed up and was full of mold.  The landlord confirmed that the “rubber was kaput” and he took the soap dispenser away, so hopefully that can be repaired or replaced!  Pictures will come when we move in late May.

We attended District Meeting with the elders, a ‘program’ (discussion) as they visited with a brother who is no longer attending church meetings, and we sort of invited ourselves to the branch president’s wedding at the city hall. He is age 25, a member for only six months.

We came early and thought we would ‘explore’ a bit around the walking mall, but because it was Saturday afternoon everything was closed (common in Hungary – most shops and businesses close around noon) so we watched a few wedding parties gather outside and be ready to go in the hall at their scheduled time.

What a fine, young couple President Balint and Dori made.  They had the largest entourage also.   Here you see him greeting guests. . .

. . .and Dori lining up with her family and friends.   

The wedding ceremony seemed very lovely (it was in Hungarian).  They each took a candle and with it lit another single candle – symbolic of two lives coming together as one.  The woman Justice of the Peace spoke to them about becoming one, kindness, love and family – so the elders told us afterwards.  The JP then toasted them with their witnesses and parents.  They lined up outside and the attendees were able to then greet them and wish them well.   We did not invite ourselves to their reception!

Here is the Branch House – just a small section of a building off the town square; it has a clothing boutique right next to it.  It has been remodeled nicely, is new to the branch, but their sign has not yet arrived.  This is where we attended Sunday meetings, which were being presided over and conducted by the high councilor.  There were 15 adult members in attendance, 6 missionaries (including us), a few children and then a couple, their 3 children and parents visiting from New York and Canada came in a bit late (they had been lost).  The Spirit can be felt even when the words cannot be understood.  It was a sweet meeting and testimonies were shared.  There were 9 sisters in Relief Society, and the young sister who was teaching said this was her first time and she was very nervous.  She spoke some English, so was good to add comments and questions to include me and the sister from Canada.  

Back to Budapest; we are busy this week with projects and are looking forward to a visit this weekend with our area supervisors from Germany.  Our post next week may be a few days late because we will be busy with our supervisors for several days.