HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD. you are kinda the best. i kinda look up to you in every single way.

FIRST OF ALL I HAVE THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS. Desző was baptized ladies and gentlemen. It was the most perfect day in the whole entire world. I didn't have time to write about it last week, but I have just seriously never meet a more pure person in my whole entire life. His only desire is to follow Christ, and do what he is supposed to for the rest of his life. He bore his testimony after his baptism and talked about how he grew up as an orphan, and how he never received love from anyone in his life, but here, in this church, he has found that love. You could say that my heart shattered into a million pieces, cause that might be an accurate way to describe it. Ah I just want to take Dezső back home with me to America in my pocket so you can all just meet this human being. I AM IN LOVE WITH HIM LITERALLY. 

We got to take a ROAD TRIP to Pécs for splits, which I know means nothing to you people, but like think of the most beautiful place in the world, then forget about it because you are wrong if you haven't been to Pécs. 

We had a zone day this week because we performed a MIRACLE and had 5 baptisms in the budapest zone this transfer. The day was nothing but fantastic, and we got to play mafia and unfortunately I had to lead and explain the game, and like I am just not funny, so that was a rough point in everyones day. it's okay though. We got passed it. 

I had the privilege of sitting through 12 hours of meetings in the last 3 days. I love meetings yay. BUT our mission President is the most amazing human and every single time I am in a room with him I just feel so much love, and I have such a strong testimony that that man is called of God specifically to serve in the Hungary Budapest Mission. maybe I can bring him home in my pocket too so all of you can see this greatness in real life? 

IT WAS MY COMPANIONS 20TH BIRTHDAY SHE HAS BECOME AN ADULT AND NOW WE DO ADULTY THINGS CAUSE WE ARE ADULTS.

Quick story:

Two days ago we went tracting and got into this building, and there was this door that said it was a business, and i was like, "no Sister Morris we definitely aren't knocking on that it is a business you goon" and she was like "no lets give it a shot"  and so obviously i said "no way Sister Morris you are wrong" and we went on to the next door.... K,  no actually we knocked on the business door and this guy named Gyula came out and we asked if he had heard about the Mormon church and he said he had heard nothing but good. (which number one is a miracle cause that just doesn't happen out here.) Anyway, he said that he was busy, but to come back tomorrow. which almost every single person says to us, BUT yesterday we got home after the longest day of our life, and we were ready to sit down for some nice language study. But, then I got that dang prompting to go back to Gyulas house. Anyway you all know where this is going, but we went back, by the grace of god, got let into the building again, walked straight up to his door, and he let us right on in. I just was shocked at how much the spirit led that lesson with Gyula. We were able to talk all about God, prayers, and faith to recieve answers. I think the number one disconnect with people not recieving answers to their prayers in any religion, is a lack of action that follows. They ask, and then they do NOTHING about it. Sincere heart, real intent, means that you are willing to act on any tiny answer you recieve, and to actually act. The lesson was amazing, and I felt so blessed that we followed those little promptings once again. He also might of asked me to marry him at the end of the lesson but listen that is not important.

Hey esto es español que ustedes me miran hey!

-Swenson nővér

1.   So, what are your pday plans today?

boat ride on the DUNA. WE ARE SO EXCITED. 

2.  Do you do anything on a regular basis for Family night?

honestly no sajnos

3.  What do you usually do in your ward on Sunday?  Do you go to Relief Society, Young Women's?

just the usual sacrament meeting, then the investigator sunday school class, then relief society. haha sometimes we get to go to young womens if they need a translator and its the best thing in the world.

4.  Is Pest or Buda bigger?

Pest

5.  How long do you get to exercise for?

usually around 30 minutes 
6. Do you ever have lessons with the Elders there too?

the only time that has happened to me is when it was a hand off lesson, like when we have to give one of our investigators over because they life in the elders area

7.  If you had to pick a food that was Hungary...Like America is hot dogs and apple pie...what would it. Be?

uhm, probably pörkölt, leves, and turó rudis

8.  What food are you looking forward to eating when you get home?

a home made meal of mash potatoes and gravy by my amazing mother

9.  How hot has it been lately?  Is it pretty humid?

it is hotter than literal hell. 

10.  Did you know I think about You ALL THE TIME?????  LOve you so much.

hi i think about you at least 46 times more. 

NINCS SOK IDŐM BOCS BARATAIM

Where is time going? holy cow.  I dont have lots of time, but I will hit the highlights of the week real quick
- we went to Esztergom last pday, and i say slovakia with my own eyes. also everyone needs to stop what theyre doing right now, save up money to go to hungary, SPECIFICALLY to see esztergom. it was that pretty ladies and gentleman.

- no cats in the apartment this week. GOD BLESS AMERICA
- we got a car because we are spoiled and air conditioning exists if you guys didnt know that
- Desző is getting baptised on FrIdAy and i have never felt SUCH A JOY IN MY LIFE. he is so excited, so prepared, and so cute
- it poured rain and sister morris and i (are you proud of me for my correct grammar mom?) stood in it because thats what you do as a missioanry for fun
- we had interviews with president yesterday and i need you all to know that i dont know a better man on this earth. that man is amazing. also we celebrated by going to hummis bar which brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. :')

ALSOOOO i finished the new testament this week, and I just wanted to say how amazing that book is. It is such a blessing that we have VOLUMES of scriptures talking about Christ's life, and talking about his perfect examples, and his teachings. also the teachings of paul, and his apostles. there is such a spirit that comes from studying about Jesus Christ. It gave me such a motivation to continue on in being one of his disciples. I absolutely LOVE being a full time missionary. It is beyond insane to me that my time is running down so quickly (but then i feel like i have been here for my whole life so i guess that makes sense?) i feel seriously honored every day to wear christs name on my chest, and to bring anyone that will listen the message of complete joy that comes through jesus christ. I love my mission. I love Jesus Christ, my older brother. 

HAGS



-swenson nővér



1.  Pday activity today?
GELERT HEGY. ah its going to be so pretty!

2.  When you go grocery shopping do you usually get everything for the week, or do you go and get stuff like daily?
we get everything for the week at one time!

3.  Did you say that you are learning how to do that Hungarian Embroidery?  I think about that all of the time when I look at the table runner that you sent me.  :) yes i am learning how to do it!! its not too hard but it takes years haha but i learned how to do it so i can defintiely teach you :)

4.  Have you ever used a sewing machine?  Did you like it? 
like in my life? haha yes probably, and i mean yah i liked it haha

5.  At your ward, are there more Hungarian speaking folks, or more English speaking folks?
its honestly a big half and half split!

6.  Does Hungary have a lot of immigrants?
uhmmm. honestly not a ton!

7.  What is your favorite part of going on splits?
getting to know the sisters, seriously and seeing beautiful places

8.  ARe you still running for your exercise?
yes i cant live without it haha 

9.  What was the holiday Hungary celebrated on Monday?
pentecost!!! some catholic thing!

This week started out only in the most perfect way!!

This week started out only in the most perfect way. After emaling we got to go over to our mission presidents home,  and we cooked with Sister Szabadkai, She taught us how to make my favorite hungarian food, hortobágyi palacsinták. we made dinner, and then our two coolest investigators, Krisztián and Dorina came over to have dinner with us and the Szabadkais, then they stayed and had family home evening with all of us.. It was such an amazing night, President Szabadkai is just such a great individual, and it was such a pleasure to bring our investigators over, and have a lesson with two people I look up to in my life. 

The next day we got to go over to my FAVORITE member's home, her name is Zsuzsi and she is practically American. She is the stake relief society president. She showed us how to make Lesco, and we talked a lot about my favorite talk from not last conference, but the one before that by J. Devyn Cornish, 'Am I good enough?' When president Kearon of the seventy was here, I asked him what his definition of "do your best" meant. because that phrase has always has bothered me. Like what the heck is your best? His answer struck such a chord in me. He said that doing your best means not becoming complacent, it was such a good lesson.

Yesterday we had this Womens Conference, and twi speakers from the world congress of families came to speak to us.  Sister Morris and I prepared the refreshments for after, and you could say that we should start a catering business.

So the worst situation that I could even dream of happened last night. So, we finally made it home last night, and as I was walking up the stairs there was a stupid cat sitting there, and so like obviously I hiss at it so that it knows it's place and then it ran away. We get into our apartment and I walk into my room and the literal spawn of satan was ON MY BED. The cat had run into our freaking apartment. We tore our room apart trying to get it to run out. I had a lightsaber in one hand, and an umbrella in the other, trying to lead it towards the door. but like heres the thing,  It kept jumping and trying to climb my wall and that thing was getting AIR. I had no clue that cats could do that and it was freaking me out. I did the bravest thing I have ever done, and I got a towel, and I literally went over and picked up the slothy creature. It was just as terrible as I had imagined. The animal melted like a stupid slinky in my hands. I am still recovering from this situation, so please be sensitive in your comments and your concerns. 

sok 

szeretettel

lindsi "the brave" swenson

Questions:
1.  Pday activity today? ESZTERGOM!!!!!! president gave us permission to go to this bazilika that is on the border of slovakia and hungary, we are SO excited

2.  Have you done any family history work whilst yo are on your mission? that answer is a no haha 

3.  What does your companion want to be when she grow up?  Where is she going to go to school? she wants to be a buisness woman, and she is going to BYU hahaha yess
4.  Do yo remember how to drive? honestly, haha maybe? i hope so! haha 

5.  Do you text people a lot to make appointments etc? it depends on the investigator, but yes!

6.  Has anyone ever mentioned getting iPads for your mission?  Would that be a helpful thing to have to do the lessons, etc? i do not want ipads hahaha and i do not really think we are getting them anytime soon, but it could happen? 

7.  I asked last week about your craziest Door approach response...you typed "A man..... and then nothing.  I have had so many people ask me about that....Do you know what you were going to say? oh shoot hahaha i do not remember excactly what i was going to say, but i guess we just get a lot of weird things with tracting. haha i would say my weirdest tracting door response was when a speedo bácsi who only had one finger, told me that the forbidden fruit on the tree of life was actually sex. that was fun. 

8.  Do hungarians generally like outdoor activities, i.e. Biking, camping, hiking?? yes! it definitely depends on where you are serving but for sure!
9.  Do Hungarians eat slowly at dinner? haha not really that i have noticed, no

10.  Did you know that you have the most beautiful Blue eyes EVER????  Love you so much. did you know that i MISS YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY?

Talk less, Smile more.

I have no time my friends and family, so this is going to be so quick, I am sorry, I know you all were just anxiously waiting the whole entire week for updates from me, but I have failed you. and if you could all stop YELLING AT ME. that would be nice. 

+~!!!!!HiGhLiGhTz!!!!!~+

1. we, the Pest sisters living in the 13th district, by the side of the Duna, are the proud new owners of a brand new, SAMSUNG MICROWAVE. ladies and gentleman dreams come true. it's stainless steel :')

2. we had splits in Dunaújváros and got fagyi a total of 3 times in a 24 hour split. if you do the math then yes you will realize that that is too much, but that i have no shame. 

3. We weekly planned by the Duna, and realized once again how we are WAY TOO BLESSED. 

This week I have realized the overwhelming power of the spirit in our work. I am so thankful to be able to be an instrument in the hands of God, and to be here in this beautiful ország. If you just let him, God will guide you, he will lift you, and he will help you. I believe that with my whole heart. 

sok szeretettel homies

Swenson nővér

1.  Pday activity today? we are cooking with sister szabadkai!! she is teaching us how to make my favorite meal hortobágyi palacsinták. 

2.  What do you do at district meetings? we ususally just takl about our work, our investigators, then we have some spiritual thing that elder jones does!

3.  Do any of the missionaries in Hungary have a car?  A bicycle???? cars? no one! bicycle, there are a couple of companionships!

4.  Do people in Hungary generally have their own cars, or do they use public transportation? uhm a lot of people just use public transportation for sure. 

5.  What is the funniest "no" you have ever gotten at a doorway? hahah probably the time that the man told me that he is a

6.  What time do you have to be in to your apartment for the night?  What time does it get dark? we have to be in our apartment by 9, and it has started to get dark around like 7ish? maybe a little later?

7.  Does your companion speak any other language? nope

8.  Does your mission president's wife speak English very well? yes she does, she is amazing

9.  How many times did you eat with members this past week? actually none this past week.

10.  YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!! i adore youuuuu 

You can change your life if you can choose to be happy.

This week we had the absolute pleasure of having a member of the Presidency of the Quorum of the Seventy come and visit our mission. My testimony of prophets and apostles has been magnified this week. From the moment that Elder Kearon walked into the room you could literally feel that he was called of God. It was such an amazing feeling to be standing with a group of missionaries, who had all been searching for questions to be answered in a conference, with one of God's chosen prophets. i will absolutely NEVER forget this week. The things that I learned are beyond too lengthy to write in an email, but I do want to focus on one(or maybe two) of the points.

We THRIVE in opposition: you guys, think for about two seconds of the history of our church. Have we ever had a nice, flower lined path to walk unharmed to our destination? The answer is absolutely not. If you look at us statistically, we are so small, but that is what I am so grateful for. We do fantastic when we face impossible odds. I was thinking a lot about Joseph Smith. He lived a whole LIFE of opposition after his earth altering moment in the Sacred Grove, But I am nothing but thankful for that man's tenacity, For him facing the impossible odds that layed before him. Because of joseph Smith, I can be here today in Hungary, facing my impossible odds, and witnessing God's miracles every single day of my life. We as latter day saints thrive in opposition. Elder Kearon talked about Elder Ballard's perspective. His attitude when they go out to work is "lets go out and get ridiculed" this stemming from the apostle paul in the new testament. I LOVED that. I know that the normal world is a little bit different than missionary life, and you aren't having people reject you constantly about your beliefs, but we all face little types of opposition daily. and I think we should all apply Elder Ballards perspective. and hey, think of who we are taking all of this opposition for. It's worth it friends.

On a lighter note hahahah I GOT TO TALK TO MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER AND PERFECT FAMILY AND CANDACE YESTERDAY and it was too good to be true. I feel it apropos to give my amazing mother the shout out she deserves. Every single time I show the hungarian people the picture of my mother, I tell that that she is the most Christ like person I have ever met in my life.

She is never not giving of herself, to help other people. She has been my rock out here on my mission, sends me more packages than I deserve.  There hasn't been a week where i didn't have a perfect email from her, and she wakes up at literally 3 in the morning every week to chat with me. I adore her, i want to be half as  good of a person as she is, and I get to see her IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS.

sok szeretettel barataim, sok szeretettel

swenson nővér 

1.  So, what did you end up doing after your phone call for Mother's Day?

we got fed the most fantastic AMERICAN dinner (that involved hidden valley ranch) :') in the whole world. we even got a brownie trifle for dessert, GOD BLESS AMERICANS

 2.  What do you have planned for Pday today?

we are going to go to heros square with the elders wayyyy rad investigators. i am super excited!

 3.  What is the balance of Hungarians and Americans in your ward?  Are there any other nationalities that are pretty prevalent?

uhm, there is definitely more hungarians than americans, there is a guy from japan, and a couple of people from africa! but nothing much other than that!

 4.  Have the Elders in your district been out for a long time?  Except the greeny...Don't you have one of those? uhm not really actually! elder ure has been out for 4 months more than i have, then everyone else is at lease 2 groups below me!

 5.  When the American members have you over for dinner do they make American ish foods?

yes they do because americans just get it.

 6. When was the last time you had a pizza?

honestly, probably on the night we celebrated the night before the night before christmas in veszprém!

 7.  Do they celebrate Mother's Day in Hungary?

yes they do but its a week before american mothers day

 8.  Do you go to ward council in this ward?

we do as missionarys, yes, but me and sister morris live an hour away from the church and the elders live like 3 minutes away so they usually go.

 9.  Do you have a good ward mission leader in your ward?

yah he is doing great!

 10.  You are BEAUTIFUL.  Seeing you today made my mamma heart burst at the seams.  Love you so much.

you already know i love you, SO MUCH MORE. it was so good talking to you. 

Repült a hetünk.

But really this week went by so fast. That could be because pday wasn't on a tuesday this week but like why am I even typing this out nobody cares hahah. 

I don't have too much time, but this week on Thursday we had a photographer come and take pictures of me and sister Morris, like doing missionary work, So basically I am going to be the cover of the next Preach my Gospel people. Anette (the photographer) is the coolest human ever. She is from Australia, served her mission in Germany, and was so fun to be with all day. It was fun because we got to take her to see this investigator  named Dávid in the hospital. It was fantastic because the hospital we took her too was the sketchiest thing, like basically this huge unfinished building, and we just like walked right into davids place in the hospital. welcome to Hungary friends. 

We got to go to PÉCS for splits this week. Pécs is like the coveted city in our mission, It is where our mission president and his wife are from.  There is a reason why it is coveted. That place is beyond gorgeous. I went on splits with cute Sister Christiansen who is in her first transfer. We did this sort of finding where we flip a coin to tell us whether to turn left, or right, or where to go. 

I have officially become a néni this week. I learned how to do kézi munka and now all I do on public transportation is hand stitch little flowers into a cloth. mom are you proud of me? :')

We had this huge miracle this week!!!!!! We had a family of 10 come into our branch house this week and tell us that they wanted to be baptized!!! and that would be really cool if that really happened but it didnt, I just dont have anything else exciting to say this week so I thought i would throw something like that in here. I am sorry. i am not funny I keep forgetting that. 

SOK SZERETETTEL,

swenson nővér 

1.  Pday activity

we are going to ZARA. which is my favorite place in this ország, and then we are buying a board game with the elders and playing it all day and so basically its my perfect day haha 

2.  What has been your favorite Pday activity on your mission so far?

haha we were literally just talking about this!! i have to say the time during christmas when we went to Székesfehérvár and did a trap house, and played monopoly, or when we got to go to Tihany with a member and hike next to the balaton. 

3.  Have you ever given your testimony in the Pest ward?

yes i have! and its actually SO weird because i spoke it in hungarian and they translated it to english, and it was so weird to like, hear my hungarian thoughts coming back at me in english?

4.  What did you have for dinner last night?

haha i was lame and just made some eggs, nothing too exciting

5.  Do they have sushi in Hungary?

YES. but i have yet to go because none of my comps like sushi. :(

6.  Do most families live in apartments?

haha yah mostly everyone lives in a 10 story kinda thing. 

7.  How big is the Young women's group in your ward?

there is like 1 hungarian, and 2 americans!

8.  Did you have any good dreams this week?

honestly i cant remember haha i am so sorry. 

9.  Does the MTC feel like a lifetime ago?

hahahah yes and no, time does not make sense out here honestly. 

10.  You know how much you are loved....right?

every single day.