Like my good friend Jon Bon Jovi once said, "Wah, were halfway there". howwwwww have I been on a mission for 9 months?

Well we just had an amazing week this week, In just this short time we were able to find 4 new investigators!! I absolutely contribute this to Our Heavenly father, and us trying our very hardest to follow the spirit in our work. on a little side note though, i might, just miiiiight have taught someone in an insane asylum. just maybe. still not sure. but hey, everyone deserves the gospel right? 

Every time we go tracting, we pray and we ask our Heavenly Father to guide us to where we need to go, and to help us say what we need to say, and to speak this crazy langauge haah. We had planned to go to this one 10 storey to tract, and on the way there, I  had this really weird feeling, and I just felt like we should turn, and tract in this specific building. I asked Sister Evans if she agreed, and she did. We tracted this building, and we found this incredible lady named Marta Néni. We were able to have an amazing discussion with her about Christ, and a little bit about the plan of salvation. It was honestly adorable. She brought out her journal and read us this letter she wrote to her children telling them all about Christ, and all about how he suffered for our sins, and how we should always remember him, and thank him for that. We were also able to give her a Book of Mormon, and schedule to meet with her again.

After that Sister evans and I continued our tracting, and a couple of floors down we knocked on this ladys door. At first she looked like she was going to yell at us, but then she just started bawling and  said "Isten Küldte titeket hozzám" which means, "God send you two to me" it was amazing to testify to her that God literally did send us to her, like literally. he stopped me dead in my tracts and gave me the impression to tract in her specific building. It was an amazing testimony strengthener for me, and for Sister Evans. Immediately after that door we said a prayer to our Heavenly Father thanking him for allowing us to have that experience. This work brings me so much joy. I am so happy to be a missionary. 

1.  Pday activity?

CASTLES

2.  Do you do much contacting on the trains?

uhm, not really!! we should though!

3.  Did you get your Thanksgiving package from the Ward?

yes it made my whole entire life. seriously thank you so much!

4.  When you write in your journal do you use different colored pens?

actually haha funny question, i was literally thinking about this yesterday. the journal i'm writing in right now I only use black 7 point pilot pens (probably because i have OCD) but in my other one i did. 

5.  Did you have a meal at any member's home this week?  What did they make?

yes, she made us gúlás(basically just like soup) , and palacsintas.(basically crepes) seriously so good. 

6.  What do you usually make yourself for breakfast, Lunch?
breakfast, I usually take plain greek joghurt, put some honey in it, cut up an apple and a banana and put oats in it. im kinda obsessed with it right now. 

7.  Are the elders in the same town as you?  How do you divide it up?

yes they are! we basically just split the city in half

8.  Do Hungarians pay any attention to the American election?

... yes hahahaha 

9.  Have you heard how good the Utes are doing at football this year?  Pretty exciting!!

yes spencer gives me updates everyweek (SHOUTOUT SPENCER WHADDUP)

10.  Did you know that your mommy thinks about you a million times a day?  LOVE YOU SO MUCH....So, so much!!!

Do you know i probably think about you guys a million and two times? love you more!

I purchased a Giraffe onsie

Things that happened: 

- we commandered a taxi this week

- we missed our train back to hungary and had to sleepover in budapest

- I GOT TO SEE GIRAFFES 

- i let a hungarian cut my hair.

- I purchased a Giraffe Onsie

WHERE DOES TIME GO? This week we had spliiiits in the lovely city of Budapest. It is always unreal to go to that city and just see this amazing country more. haha like really I have been on a mission for 9 months now, and it still doesn't get old. I got to split with Sister Lebaron who is my companions trainer right now. also we got to go with Sister Withers again and I only kind of adore her. 

I have been trying so hard to study, and to figure out the difference between allowing ourselves to be unperfect, but still pushing ourselves to be the best that we can be. The other day in my studies I was studying in 2 nephi 4 and it talks a lot about Nephi not yielding to the natural man, and not slacking his strength, and it kinda really explains that a lot. My mission is between me, and God.

My progression, my mistakes, who i am becoming, who i want to become, is between me and God. Some days i can be perfect Sister Swenson, and I can give 100 percent and I am happy with that at the end of the day. But somedays, I am Lindsi and my 100 percent that day is maybe a 75 percent on a perfect Lindsi scale. but thats okay. as long as everyday i am trying, and learning, and growing. This is not me making excuses for myself, I am fully aware of the fact that I am not perfect. Very aware of that, but I have also realized more the point of the atonement, and how to use it more effectively every single day. Jesus Christ doesn't expect me to be perfect, he doesn't expect me to not make mistakes, but he does expect me to realize my endless need for him, and his atonement. I have said this before, and I will say it again right now. I can not do this without him. I need his help. Only with my Savior can my mission be possible I love him. I am so thankful for his atoning sacrifice so that I dont have to be perfect, cause i can assure you, I would have failed. what an incredible, unfathomable person Jesus Christ was, and is. What a sacrifice. I am so grateful, and so humbled.  

2.  What is the dominant religion in Hungary?

probably katolikus, but maybe evangelikus? there are TONS of jehovas witnesses, and this weiiiiird sketchy religion called the hit gyülekezet 

3.  Do you go to three hours of church on Sunday, like here?

yes this branch is super rendes 
4.  How are your dresses/skirts holding out?

pretty good!

6.  Did you get your package from "The ward"?

haha uhm not yet!! 

7.  Is college free for Hungarians?

i dont think so! 

8.  How far would you say you walk every day?

i am actually not sure!! definitely a couple of miles!

9.  Are most of your contacts friendly to you?

uhm... sometimes hahahah 

10.  When I think of you, I just smile....Several times a day!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!

I GOT TO GO TO SZÉKESFEHÉRVÁR THIS WEEK.

First and foremost, I GOT TO GO TO SZÉKESFEHÉRVÁR THIS WEEK. my district leader is in székes so we get to go there for district meetings and you could basically say it is my dream come true. I love that place wayy too much. 

We had a really cool experience this week. We found an investigator in the area book named Wallner Viola that met with the missionaries a while back.  In the area book there was all this information about how she was super prepared, but then she moved to Germany. I had the impression to call her and see if she could meet. It turns out that she lives in Hungary again, and she was so excited to meet with us. We went to her house, and planned to talk about the restoration, but the spirit lead me to talk about the plan of salvation, and to share with her a story that is very personal to my heart. I felt very prompted to tell her about Sadie Wells, and the plan of salvation. and i have never felt the spirit stronger as i testified that i know I will see her again, and that Heavenly Father has created a PERFECT plan for us in our lives. She was extremely touched and i am forever grateful for that experience. Viola also came to church the following sunday. She is really, really prepared, and I am so thankful that Heavenly Father is trusting her in our hands. 

Saturday we did service in the branch house garden, Then we had this "Meet the mormons" night where we watched Meet the Mormons and talked all about why the Book of Mormon is fontos, and what it means to us. 

Halloween My companion and I dressed up like each other and thought we were hilarious haha.  We switched tags and while we were streeting, this way sick guy with the longest white beard my eyes have ever seen was SO interested in "Sister Swensons" heratige and her family name and that absolutely never happens haha it was so funny that it just so happened to be the one day we switched tags. 

I love this ország. I love arguing with bácsis about why we are here, I love the nénis that tell us that we are going to go infertile for sitting on a bench. I love that they don't believe in air conditioning, I love that if you don't wear a jacket everyone on the street tells you you are going to get a cold, I love eating hungarian food from hungarians that aboslutely stuff you, I love streeting people and hearing their incredible stories, I love knocking on peoples door and telling them how much happiness I have found through Jesus Christ, and the Book of Mormon, I love singing hungarian hymns, I love speaking hungarian, I love this country. I love these people. I love this work. I love being a missionary.

1.  Pday activities today?

WE ARE GOING TO THE ZOOOOOOO!

2.  How big is your new branch?
about 40 members!

3.  Tell me about your new apartment?  Nice, view? Warm?

hahahahahh my apartment is dubbed "the doctor suess apartment" we have like crooked doorways, there is 12 different colored walls, and there is probably like three working light bulbs. 

4.  Do you have any members that feed you in this area?

haha yes actually TONS. 

5.  Where is your companion from?

oregon

6.  Do you ever hear English being spoken in your new town?
sometimes!! not really! there is a return missionary in the branch that speaks fluent english so that is pretty nice!

7.  When is your next zone conference?  Are they always in Budapest?

november 15! yes it is always in budapest!

8.  Have you started thinking about a Christmas list????
yes!!i want an electric toothbrush hahaha

9.  Quick...funny story that happened to you and your companion this week.

we got a let in with this néni, and she fed us pumpkin and she had a bloody eye...? haha idk

10.  Please know how beautiful and precious you are!!!

i adore you!!

VESZPRÉMI VAGYOK

VESZPRÉMI VAGYOK 

sziastok kedves barátaim, es a családom. HOGY VAGYTOK? nagyon remélem, hogy minden rendben veletek :)

sok mindent csináltunk ezen a héten. 

Okay sorry im done haha what a crazy crazy week! leaving Szolnok was probably the saddest thing ever. Ah those people just have my heart. But it's been amazing to be here! I absolutely adore Veszprém. I can honestly say i don't think i have ever been anywhere prettier in my life. The branch here is going to be awesome and seriously I just feel myself so well here! My new companion is Hanna Evans, she is from portland Oregon (shoutout to my grandparents and aunts and uncles in Oregon ) but I just adore her! also I am serving with Elder Thomas again and i freaking love that human haha its been way too fun already. 

I had a suuper cool experience this week. So i have been praying very hard that we can find some work here in veszprém, and that we can be lead to the people who are prepared in this city, because ....we literally have zero investigators right now.  On Saturday we had a cool experience where some things fell through, and we were able to make it to a look up that we weren't planning on doing, but I felt like we should go and visit her. We got let into the building by a miracle haha usually no one will let you into the building. when we rung her csengő she immedietly let us in to talk with her. We had such a good lesson with her about Joseph Smith, and why he is important to her personally in her own life. I have seen the Lord's hand in my life every day here on my mission, but especially recently. I have prayed every single day, in almost every single prayer for the gift of tongues, that i can speak with, and teach these people here in Hungary.Its been amazing to see the Lord's hand in my life, and to be able to understand these people, and talk with them, and to say what i want to say, and teach them this amazing gospel that means SO much to me! 

LOVE YOU ALL. THE CHURCH IS TRUE, I PROMISE. 

sok szeretettel, 

Swenson nővér

1.  Pday today?  What did you do?

went all around veszprém to sight see. this place is INSANE

2.  Is there more places to sight see in your new digs?

hah YES 
3.  How big is your new branch?
around 40

4.  Do you have any investigators?
haha none 

5.  How are you sleeping?
really good my bed in veszprém is so big :')

6. Did you get your package?
yes and you are the absolute BEST HUMAN BEING. 

7.  What is your absolute favorite Hungarian main dish?

oh jaj... its so hard to choose! probably töltött paprika! FINOM. 

8.  Does your new companion like to run?
not really, but she lets me run :)

9.  Do you have any pictures of your new coat?

sajnos nem :(
10.  You are my sunshine!!!

love youuuu!

T T T T TRANNNSFEERRRSS

T T T T TRANNNSFEERRRSS

Holy cow so much has happened this week! First of all tomorrow is transfers. I got the call that I will be going to the beautiful city of Veszprém, and i will be with a new missionary in their second transfer. I cannot even wait seriously, I am so excited. I have heard nothing but good about it. Our district is full of a ton of great people, so I am  sure it is going to be way too much fun!

This last week we went on splits again with Withers (my mom) and Guillian. Me and withers got dogged three times in a row and played smurf with an angol óra class. Haha, ilyen az életünk itt magyaróraszagon. (thats basically life here in hungary) but thats okay because it was so good to see and serve with Withers again.

Also this week we had the opportunity to meet with a couple of new investigators. One of the investigators was a man and his wife from angol óra. We actually accidentally  tracted into his house, and set up a return appointment so that we could teach him about the restoration. It was a really cool experience because he is this adorable, 3 foot nothing bácsi who is super religious. He kept telling us how everything that we were telling him in the Book of Mormon, just supported the Bible. I so fully believe that. I know that the book of mormon and the bible support each other, and the Book of Mormon truly is, another testament of Jesus Christ. 

This week was Elder Hughes and Sister gGordons birthday, so we celebrated by carving pumpkings and taking pictures with them on our heads. (we try to be cool, it just doesn't really happen when you are  a missionary you know?)

I am SO sad about leaving the city of Szolnok, these people really really just have my heart. but thats okay cause im really excited to go to Veszprém and meet and teach, and find the people there. LOVE YOU ALL THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG. 

1.  So, is your new suitcase going to work for the rest of your mission????

uhm, i really hope!! i will let you know after tomorrow!!!

2.  Did you have any dinner with members last week?

we did not sajnos 

3.  Do Hungarians go to the "gym" at all?

hahaha uhm, i think so!

4.  Do they have Chinese food restaurants, Sushi restaurants there?

chinese yes, but they are SKETCH. haha like they literally microwave the food. so vigyáznunk kell onto that one. 
5.  How is your camera holding up?

hahaha my camera is kinda the worst, but its okay!!

6.  So, you can listen to church talk CD's....right??

yes persze!

7.  How is your knee doing?

really good!
8.  How is your ankle doing?

really good!
9.  Have you ever had a companion that snores?
not yet! 

10.  Did you know that your eyes sparkle?  ABSOLUTELY beautiful!!!

i love youuuuu!!

Sündisznó. (hedgehog)

Sündisznó. that is what my week started out with. so you could say it was the best week of my life!!!

Monday we went to Budapest

Wednesday we went to Budapest (zone conference holler)

Friday we went to SZEGED. Our zone won this challege, so our reward was going to Szeged and basically just had a day of games and fun with our whole zone. I played ninja pusztítás (destruction) with my mission president so you could say best day ever. Szeged is unbelieveably pretty. Unreal. 

Saturday and Sunday were conference persze. I feel like I will always remember my first conference in cute little Szolnok Hungary. All 5 of us missionaries gathered around a little ipadish tablet thing to hear conference. Conference was really just incredible. A lot of it was really focused on prayer, and accepting and acting on God's will for us in our lives. Well obviously that is exactly what I needed to hear. I really do trust my Heavenly Father, and I know his plan for me is so much better for me than my plan for me (did that make sense? haha i dont English anymore) so WHY do i ever doubt him? why do I ever think my own will should be the path I should take? 

Even though I am only half way through my mission (what the weird right?) I cannot even begin to fathom my life without my mission. God knows me, oh so perfectly. and he loves me. I know that. I have felt that. I love him. and that is really why I am out here on a mission. BECAUSE of my csodálatos life. Because I have been given much, I too must give. I have the responsibility as a member of this church to share the gospel. I want every single person to know that they have a purpose here. Even the youths who laugh at us cause we are nuns, even the creepy bácsis who give us apples, even the wicked nénis who kick us out of buildings we are tracting. I have found the answer, Like Russel M. Nelson talked about, to eternal joy. and that is why I am still here, why I keep on keeping on, because this message has the power to absolutely change lives. The Atonement has the power to change lives, and how thankful am I for that. I am NOWHERE near perfect, or near the person I want to be, but with my Heavenly Father, and my older brother Jesus Christ, I can strive to be that person every day.

 I just feel really blessed, and really so much gratitude to my Heavenly Father for leading me to a mission, making me go through these difficult things, and helping me to grow, and become better, every step of the way. My mission has changed my life. this gospel has changed my life. Jesus Christ has saved my life, and that is really why I am here.  "i could never thank them enough"

SOK SZERETETTEL, 

Swenson Nővér

1.  What did you do on your Pday?

gordon nővér got super sick today, so we just worked on memory books. and hey guess what, nothin has changed. i HATE arts and crafts haha

2.  Did you get to watch all of the sessions of conference?

not yet!! we will watch sunday night next sunday! 

3.  When is your next zone meeting?
probably after next transfer!!! on the 17!

4.  How often do you wash your hair in Hungary?

haha idk like every 3 days.. is that gross? haha

5.  What time do you have to be back in your apartment?

9

6.  How far do you think you walk in one day?

im not sure honestly!! a lot!

7.  Are you feeling pretty good about your hungarian?  Which is harder, talking or reading Hungarian?

for me FOR SURE talking. i can read, and understand, and study hungarian so easily, but talking is really hard for me. but im at a point now where i can definitely get all of my points across, and speak for sure!

8.  How are your Pday clothes holding up?

i am going to have to be buying stuff!

9.  Do you ever play the piano at church?

not yet. HOLLER. 
10.  Did you know that you are BEAUTIFUL?  Really, truly, one hundred percent through and through beautiful!!!

i love you so much!!

"Dont think about life too much, just enjoy it"

"Dont think about life too much, just enjoy it" this is advice i just got from a hungarian we talked to on the train. Wow i am just reminded every single day how cool missions are.

This week was intense.  On Tuesday we had a fake emergency thing that we thought was real.  We had to pack all of our stuff up and leave our homes in 90 minutes. We all thought it was real, and I was pretty sure I was going to be going to a different mission haha it was sooo intense. We had to go straight to the branch house with all of our stuff and wait for a text from President, waiting to see if we were all going to be kicked out of Hungary, haha so what did our district decide to do? make a music video of course. BEST day!!

One day whilst tracting in szandeszőlős, a man tried to give me and my companions a diseased kitten. If that little experience doesn't sum up Hungary, idk what does.

So here is the thing you guys. missions are hard. It is not an easy thing to be away from your families for one and a half to two years haha not easy at all. I was having kind of a hard week this week (nobody worry haha I am so fine!) but I was talking to my companions, and just kind of  telling them what was going on, and they suggested that I get a blessing. ah. that is the most humbling thing ever. I do not like to ask for help, I do not like to feel like a burden to people, I do not like to show and or tell people that I have weaknesses. I haaaate it. but I knew that a blessing was the answer. The last couple of days I had been pouring out my heart to my Heavenly Father, asking for help and comfort, but I never gave him the opportunity to help and comfort me. I am so grateful to have received a blessing, and so incredibly humbled. Missions are hard you guys. missions are so hard. but I do not have to do ANY of this alone. Even when I feel so alone, when I feel like no one here gets me, when I am tempted to feel like I  am not good enough, I know that my Savior not only knows exactly how I feel, rather he is right beside me, extending his hand to pick me up. Instead of me trying to stand up all on my own, I can reach out and just take his outstretched hands. The whole time I have been writing this I have been thinking of Ether 12:27. We are given these weaknesses so we will be humble. so we will turn to our Father in Heaven. What a humbling, incredible thing to know how imperfect I am, and how perfect God is. 

SOK SOK SOK szeretettel,

Swenson Nővér 

1.  What did you crazy sisters do for your P-Day?

BUDAPEST!! we had a doctors appointment we had to go to, and so we are currently emailing in a little internet cafe in budapest 

2.  Do all three of you sleep in the same bedroom?

igennnn

3.  Do you usually tract some every day?

yes we tract at least an hour every day!

4.  Do you all cook your own food, or do you cook as a group for your meals?

we kinda do a lot of both!! its really fun we make lots of hungarian food like tejfölös csirke and lots of yummy things like that

5.  What is the next Hungarian Holiday?

im... actually not sure hahah i suck

6.  How is the running going?  Does Brantley like to run?

they let me run every other day so life is good! yes she does!

7. Do you write in your journal every day?

.... yes, totalllllly.... haha yes actually mostly!

8.  What are you going to do to watch general conference?

branch house!

9.  How is the guitar playing going?
i. love. my. guitar. 
10.  Did you know how much your laugh adds to my life.  You are just a happy, person.  IT seems you make the choice to be happy every day.  Love that.