Because I am a new missionary, I have to complete a training program that we refer to as the "12-week" program. Each week there are certain tasks and obligations that I specifically have to complete as the new missionary. This past week was week 11, where the new missionary takes the lead. So, I had to lead in planning, during lessons, meetings, etc. I was extremely worried about it, because I don't speak Hungarian very well, and I was worried that I was going to ruin someone's salvation somehow. Which sounds silly, but that's how I felt. And the first lesson that I led out in on Monday night was kind of a bust. But- over the course of the week, things just worked out and by the end, it wasn't a big deal anymore. I have now led out in teaching several lessons, and even though the week was difficult, it was worth it because of how much it helped me grow as a missionary. And I didn't ruin anyone's salvation.
One of the things that I was worried about the most was the correlation meeting, where I would have to go through and explain each of our investigators and their progress to the mission correlation leader in front of all the other missionaries in our district. The mcl's name is Dávíd, and he speaks really fast and is a fast-paced person, so it's really intimidating to talk to him. The week before I had tried explaining just one investigator to him and he cut me off and made fun of something that I had said, which only made me more intimidated this week. But it went well and even though Sister Curtin had to explain some things, I was able to participate and at the end, Dávíd asked me to say the prayer. After I said the prayer commented on how much I was able to understand and say, and asked me how long I had been here. It was the best compliment ever. I still have sooo far to go with the language, but it was like a little gift from Heavenly Father to remind me of the progress that I have made. When I first came, I could barely understand anything in that meeting.
So many cool things happened this week. Our Chinese investigator, Kriszti took us to this amazing chinese restaurant. I tried chicken gizzard and goat meat for the first time and it was surprisingly delicious. It was really nice of her to take us, but it was a lot farther than we thought it would be, and so we were running out of time to teach a lesson. It's really hard to communicate with her because she doesn't speak Hungarian very well, and normally we practice English with her for half the lesson, so I was worried about asking to do a lesson still without the English. I decided to go ahead and ask her anyway, and it turned out to be one of the best lessons we've had with her. She opened up to us about missing her family and how she feels spiritually tired. She ended up going home that night and reading the Book of Mormon and praying to help her sleep. It was a crazy experience, being driven around Hungary by a Chinese woman, trying to teach her about the scriptures in my broken Hungarian, but I think it was a turning point for her.
We dropped by one of our investigators named Rozsália on Wednesday. She is extremely poor. When we first found her, her apartment was, not gross, but messy. Her walls are just cement, and her bed is made of crates. It is so humbling to teach her. She has a lot of sadness in her past, and she has a lot to overcome, but she accepted a baptismal date, and it is amazing to see the changes that have already taken place with her in the short time since we met her. When we came by this week, she had moved around the furniture to make it more pleasant, and cleaned up. Her bed was made, and she had set up a mirror, as if she could finally face herself again.
Laci is finally reading the Book of Mormon more quickly, and he is actually finding some things he likes. He is attending church regularly, and he comes to some of the weekly activities. We fasted with him on Sunday for his grandfather, who is sick, and I am so proud of him for making that sacrifice. He has some difficult objections to some of the church's teachings, but he is exercising a lot of faith by praying about a baptismal date. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I've had to teach him. When we first found him, he didn't really believe in God, and now he prays and reads daily, and attends church every week. His life has changed and he doesn't even know it.
Sorry this was such a long email. There are a million little things that happened and other amazing investigators that I could write about, but I probably need to finish up. The people here are amazing pioneers. The church is so young, but the members are strong, and our investigators are brave. I love them so much.
I hope you all have a wonderful week. I love you, and I am so grateful for your prayers. I could not survive without them.
Sister Naegle
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