~Substituting The Word "GRACE" For "ENABLING POWER" In The Scriptures~

This week we had zone training up in Budapest! We woke up bright and early at 4:30 and got ready and went out the door. We were heading to the train station and only had 20 minutes to get there and sister Dorny's bike got a flat tire so we took off running the 2 miles to the train station so we would miss zone training. After about 3 blocks i biffed it! Sister Dorny thought it would be funny to take some pictures! I got back up and we ran a mile before finding a bus headed there. As soon as we got to the train station with 2 minutes before our train should be leaving, we looked at the board to find out our train was 40 minutes late and we just ran all of that (and biffed it) for nothing! Hahah i was a little upset! Luckily the zone training was really good and made up for my poor knees! There was so many good counsels given and such a great spirit there! 

After zone training we went upstairs and Sister Dorny and I had a long discussion with the Senior office missionary. She showed us a picture of one of her daughters family, and they were seriously just glowing with light! She told us that she is so beautiful because she lives the gospel 100%. She then showed us a picture of another daughter of hers who was also very pretty, but it just wasn't the same; there was something missing. The lady then told us, that the difference is the light of Christ that comes from being 100% obedient and striving to follow him! I thought that was such an interesting insight, but clearly so true, because you can see the difference in someone's countenance when they are living the gospel verses not. As we sat on the train ride home i continued to ponder her words, and the realization of what she said fully clicked. My Aunt Gai has 4 daughters, and all growing up I always just thought that they were the most beautiful women I have met! I never knew why, I mean yes they are absolutely beautiful and flawless, but I never realized why their beauty stood out to me more than any other beautiful woman. But as I sat on that train gazing out the window at the beautiful fields of Hungary, it finally clicked---they truly live the gospel! They constantly are striving to follow Christ, heed to His counsel, reach out and serve others, and fill their life with his spirit! I mean, I'm sure they also have their weaknesses as we all do, but their effort to live the gospel perfectly is what makes them so beautiful! The spirit that enlightens their life is visible in their countenance! Later on that train ride I was reading a devotional talk by President Nielsen, and he traced the word Enthusiasm back to its origins to find that it can literally be derived to mean "God within". Turns out that happiness and beauty they are radiating is simply because they are living worthily to have God's spirit within them! I strive to be that kind of person that one day someone can simply look into my eyes and see my devotion to God through the light that radiates out!

In addition to this insight, this week i have felt the spirit so strongly and I have seen my own personal growth so much and it has been so neat! My desire to work harder, and to ponder the scriptures, and to truly come to the knowledge of my Redeemer has exponentially increased! I honestly can say that I am on a spiritual high that I have never before felt on my mission or even just ever in my life! Sister Dorny is a great help too! She is such a hard worker and she inspires me with her high expectations and her readiness to delve into the Lord's work! It has been such a pleasure to serve with her, and to be able to learn and grow with her! 

This week we saw so many blessings! In weekly planning we got to the section for planning for investigators to attend church! We have one investigator "E" who is super interested in the gospel and knows that the Book of Mormon is true, but she has never been able to make it to church before because of work. As we were reading the suggestions from Preach my Gospel we decided that even though we knew she would probably have to work, we needed to teach her about the importance of church attendance and commit her to come to church anyways and we prayed that somehow the Lord would make it possible for that to happen! We hadn't been able to meet with her this week, and as we were out tracting Friday night, we felt that for dinner we should go to the restaurant she works at instead of heading home as planned! When we got there she wasn't there, but we called her and she told us that she had the day off, but even better, that SHE HAD SUNDAY OFF TOO!!!! In the 10 months she has worked at this job she has never had a single Sunday off work! She told us that she would be off and asked us what time church would be! We were so excited for her! On Sunday she showed up to church and also told us that her boss told her she should be able to get work off on Sundays once or twice a month from now on! If that wasn't an answer to our prayers, I dont know what is! After sacrament meeting she had to leave early, but she said that she loved it and cant wait to come again! We also talked to her about her coffee, and she said that she is still cutting down slowly and is only drinking half of what she normally drinks, but is planning this week to completely stop! She is amazing! I seriously just love her and admire her so much! We talked to her and are trying to set up a time that we can meet with her boyfriend also just to get to know him and let him know a little bit about the church! She said he isn't interested in religion really, but that she thinks he would be willing to meet casually, and it would be a great way just to plant that seed! 

L and J are both continuing to progress also! "J" SAID THE OPENING PRAYER THIS WEEK!!!! She prays privately but had never been willing to say one in-front of people, so that was a huge step for her! Her prayer was amazing, she is such a humble person! I have learned alot from her in that aspect haha! We had a discussion on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His enabling power! It was such a great teaching and the spirit was so strong! We had a talk from a Liahona that we really wanted to share, but unfortunately it wasn't translated in Hungarian, but it talked about SUBSTITUTING the word "GRACE" for "ENABLING POWER" every time we see it in the scriptures! It has helped me alot ot be able to better understand the connection between grace and the Atonement! It seemed to help Lás alot too! 

Other than that, we are still looking for some more new investigators! Hopefully this week will be the week! 

Thank you for all your prayers and love! I hope you all have a great week!

Sok Szeretettel,

LeBaron Nővér

Gyula & Jumping pictures are our favorites!

Like Coming Home...

This week was one of the greatest weeks ever!!! Specifically on Saturday! For those of you who are not familiar with the map of Hungary, thus far all of my cities have been located in the South East corner of Hungary, and I have been in the same zone for my whole mission. In some ways this is kind of a bummer, because I would like to experience other parts of the country (AKA the part with mountains), but on Saturday it paid off to stay here in the zone because we had a 4 Branch Activity here in Békéscsaba and all my friends from Szeged and Kecskemét also just happened to be there! Literally probably one of the happiest days of my mission! I imagine that that is alot like what coming home will feel like, just multiplied by alot! All the people you love so much all in the same place after not seeing them for quite a while, it was such a beautiful day! Saying goodbye once again was hard, but the chance to see them again still made the goodbye worth it!

Other huge news of the week... ISTVÁN GOT ORDAINED AN ELDER!!!!!!! That might not seem like the hugest deal ever, but 1) the priesthood is actually a huge deal, and 2) He is the only Melkisédeki Priesthood holder (I cant remember how to spell it in English, but its close enough that you  know what im talking about haha) in the branch! We are so stinkin' proud of him! 

Compared to those the week wasn't too eventful! For p-day we attended a yoga class (best thing ever, plus doing it in another language just adds to the fun), we had a day in Budapest, and the rest of the week was here in B-csabs doing our thing! 

Funny/ awkward story of the week: We live in the 3rd floor of our building and right under us is a gym! Well last week i walked by and one of the personal trainer stood up as i walked by and just awkwardly stared at me as i walked by on my way down the stairs. Well, fast forward two days and we are going to get in the car with the senior couple and our landlord comes out and stops us saying that he has something for me. He said he had to write it down though. He then hands me a piece of paper with a name and number written on it. He explained to me that one of the trainers from the gym saw me the other day and tracked our landlord down to give him his name and phone number so that he could give it to me. Turns out that the trainer wants me to call him cause he is offering me free unlimited personal training! Sister Dorny, the senior couple, and I just busted up laughing! We run into the trainer in town every once in awhile, and needless to say it is always a little bit awkward!

On a spiritual note, we met with our investigator "E" this week and talked about the word of Wisdom! She currently drinks coffee, but has committed to quit! She is doing one week of just half, and then next week she is going to completely give it up! She even asked if she could get a priesthood blessing to help her! We are so proud of her, she is amazing!!

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P-day we attended a Yoga Class ...Best thing ever, plus doing it in another language just adds to the fun!

Monday~July 11th

This week was just one more great week here in Békéscsaba! Nothing specific really happened, but it was just super good! We finished of the 4th with a nice Hungarian version of an American BBQ. It wasn't quite the same, but it was the thought that counts.

On Wednesday we had a few lessons cancel on us unfortunately so we decided to bake some brownies and go visit some active and inactive members! Typically the ovens here in Hungary make the baked goods a little different, but not this time! These where the best brownies I had had in a long time! It was hard to find the motivation to actually give them away haha! We put them in little bags and rode our bikes around town to the homes of the members! Sister Dorny plays the violin, so I had her bring her violin and we brought a hymn book and simply just sang with the members their favorite hymn and talked about whatever gospel principle it contained! It  made for a pretty great day! Sister Dorny also wrecked her bike while trying to use no hands, so that also made for some good laughs! 

On Saturday while we were tracting we ran into some lakes! So of course we took some pictures! This country just never ceases to amaze me with its beauty! I am so lucky to be able to call this place my home for these 18 months! There isn't a single other place I would rather be right now!

I hope that all of you are doing well, and enjoying the summer heat back home! I love you guys and hope y'all have a great week!

Sok Szeretettel, LeBaron Nővér    

Enikő (investigator) got home from the Balaton this week and we were able to meet! Afterwards she took us out for some ice cream! We just love her to death, she is so sweet!

Lunch at Kati's (member) - Krumpli Paprikás

Aliyah, our American friend, returned home this week. We will miss her, but we are so thankful for the opportunity we had to get to know her!

Trying to look like the classic biking photos lining the halls of the MTC

Sister Dorny before the wreck!

12 Weeks done the right way!

  

Hivatal/ jail time fun!

~When your sparklers are actually just candles :(