It Really is a Small World

Boldog Mikulást Kívánok!!!

So things are getting pretty festive around here, because Hungary takes their holidays VERY seriously. Basically the entire month of December people are celebrating Christmas. The bad part is, that we already have a few people who, at the beginning of the month, said that we won't be able to meet until after the new year, because they are too busy getting things ready for Christmas.    On Saturday we had Mikulás, which is St. Nicholas Day when Santa comes on the 6th and puts candy in peoples shoes, and then on Christmas, the baby Jesus comes to your house and gives you presents. Kind of weird for us, but I guess it helps focus  people more on Christ for the Christmas season, which really is what it is all about!!! 

Speaking of that, we have been pushing super hard to spread the spirit of Christmas, and that is just about all we are focusing on for the rest of the month. We are sharing with everyone this really great video the church just put out called He is the Gift. Its super super good, and hopefully my mom will post the video along with this post so you all can watch it. http://www.mormon.org/christmas   And share it with your friends! Remember, the true meaning of Christmas!!! Spend time with your family and focus on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!!! It will really bring the true spirit of Christmas. 

Back to  the Mikulás stuff, so on Friday we went with one of our investigators (her name is Kriszti, she's 19 and super cool -trying to help her feel Gods love in her life right now)  to a young single adult activity where we all played games and Mikulás came and gave us all little bags of candy and treats and stuff. It was actually super fun! Along with the Christmas season, on Saturday, the sisters, the other elders, a senior couple, the Broadheads, we all went caroling together at a big metro stop and plaza kind of place. It was super fun, but also super interesting... So we did get to talk to a few people while we were out caroling, but the majority of the time, there were some crazy drunk homeless people who kept coming up to us (yes, I know this probably sounds familiar...) It was actually super hilarious though. This one homeless guy, got SUPER excited about us all singing. He came over and started yelling and cheering and stuff. And then he started conducting us as we were singing, and was getting WAY into it. It was so funny I could not stop laughing. He was just yelling random stuff. One of the sisters took a video, so maybe I will try and get that from her some time. Fun caroling though, and we will probably keep going out a couple times a week, and try to spread more of the Christmas cheer! He really is the gift people!!! 

Chance meeting at the train station

Alright, here's another interesting  event for the week. So today, we went with Balázs to visit his cousin in the hospital again, and to go to a cemetary to try and find his great grandfather, because he is doing a lot of his family history. So first off, we had to wait at the hospital for a couple hours, but we finally got to see her (only for a couple minutes because she had to go with the doctors) but we gave her a little Christmas blanket and some other stuff, so that was super great. After that we went to go to the cemetary, and we were waiting in front of a train station for a little bit, and all of a sudden some guy walks up to us, and is like, Oh hey elders!!! So we start talking to him for a little bit, he's a member of the church, so he obviously recognized us, but he asked us where we were from, and when I said Maine, he said, no way, what part??  I told him Bar Harbor, and he was like, Oh my gosh, I was just there last month!!! So I don't know if the Updikes are reading this now, but I ran into Matt Anderson! He said he was Dustin's mission companion and that he had visited you guys a few times in little old Ellsworth Maine!!!! Super small world!!! We took a picture so he will probably send that to you (and I'm sure my mom wants it too...). Don't think you run into too many connections in little Hungary, but it really is a small world! Anyway,  that was super cool!

So not a whole lot else happened this week, the sisters had a baptism whcih was super exciting. A lady named Aniko who is so sweet and has such a strong faith in God. But our investigator that came with us, loved it so much. Her name is Sós Éva, and she is just about the nicest women ever (in Hungary, don't get too worried mom). She has declared herself our Hungarian mom and that we are her children. She brings us food just about every time we meet with her and she is  having us over for lunch on  Christmas. She is like, our favorite ever, but anyway, she has been to church a few times now, and really is enjoying it. She told us before that she is thinking about joining the church, and after going to the baptism, she said that she would like to get baptized sometime (she said in maybe two years, but we are hoping sooner...). We have some other really great investigators and are having a great time.

I think thats just about it for this week. I have still survived the scabies outbreak so far. My companion still has some rashes and bumps, so were going to the doctors again on Wednesday, but so far  I'm scabies free, so lets hope that continues!!! 
Love you all and hope you have a great week!!! Keep up the good work and remember to spread the love this Christmas season, and especially spread the love of God! Have a great week and we will talk to you next week!!! 

Love,

Elder Dalton