Week 41 - 5th Week in Sopron

Hey there!,

So this last week started out pretty chill. Monday we just kicked back and relaxed. We shopped and we emailed and that was about it. It was pretty nice actually. In comparison to the rest of our week it was about the only time we weren't doing anything though.

Tuesday we were out and about with Elder Jensen quite a bit. We did some look ups and a lot of chores that needed to be done (fixing bikes, going to the bank, talked to the Jensen's land lady etc...) We got in a few good program as well. We have started to meet with Sandor a less active member here. He likes to hang out with the missionaries, though he doesn't quite seem ready to come back to church. He really knows how to get on our good side though! He facebook friended everyone I know here in Hungary and my family back home and started to send them pictures and things! Super cool.

Elder Oakes and Sandor

The rest of the day was a party, literally. They have a party here called (Far-shong), no idea how to spell it. But it's basically like their Halloween. They dress up and have fun and games. Super cool. I enjoyed it a lot.

Wednesday was packed with programs. We were operation go go go go go go go go go... But it was good. Lots of good programs and good people. Thursday was a success! It was definitely our roughest day of the week. We went in for interveiws in Buda. Which from Sopron is a 3 hour train ride. We got up at 5 AM. Hit the train station at 5:50. Rolled out at 6:07 and got into Buda at about 9. Traveled to the mission home, had interviews at 10 (which went really well by the way I really like President Smith.) And headed back on the next possible train which was a 2:10 and got back in time to teach English class at 6. I was TIRED by the end of that day!

Elder Mortensen sleeping on the train :)

Friday was about just as busy but with programs again. We had district meeting, met with a less active, squeezed in a lunch, had a member present program with an investigator interested in English and another program with Sandor. Then we helped Andi a less active member because she has MS to stand and do some physical therapy exercises before going back to the branch house to have a Pancake night. That was good as well, afterward Sandor and I wrestled. We were talking about sports and he wanted to show me how wrestling works so I did! That was a lot of fun!

Elder Oakes and Linda

Branch house and apartment

Saturday we went on splits. I went with Darkó and Elder Mortensen went with Zsolt. I and Darkó helped an investigator of ours move to a new apartment while the others went finding. Afterward, we had lunch together and then went finding for a few hours before a short nap. We got to play some basketball which was really good and then got back in time to change and to start the English Club we hold for fluent speakers on Saturdays. Afterward we met with Anikó. She is on baptism date right now but she is struggling to stop smoking and so we had a pretty serious program with her about her progression that went really well. She really wants to quit but it's hard for her.

Sunday was a good day all in all. We called up Elder Jensen to go do a look up that turned into a really great program. The guys name was Joszef and he was super cool to talk to and super awesome. We are hoping to meet again but he isn't sure he can meet for like 3 weeks. So, we will follow up in 3 weeks. After that we visited Andi again and she feed us a sweet pasta for dinner that was super good. She is super awesome. Last program of the day was David, super cool kid, wants to get baptized but hasn't decided where... We are trying to help him figure that out, but the program went good.

All in all, good day and a crazy week! We still managed to get 32 working hours this week even with interviews and two ward parties. The work is going good, our district is going good. Its crazy that I am almost at my year mark now! I am looking forward to conference, This will be interesting to see how much I can understand as it broadcasts here in live translation. Now that I am almost at my year mark I am interested in seeing how much I have grown in the language and conference is a good way to gauge that.

Love you all back home!
Elder Oakes, Hungary Budapest Mission