First Week in Hungary

Sziasztok barátaim és családom,

After our last few days in the MTC, I have finally arrived in Hungary and I couldn't be happier to be here!!  We landed in the Liszt Ferenc (Franz Liszt) airport around noon Hungary time, met our mission president and his wife (the Szabadkai's), then drove to the mission home in Budapest.  While we were all sitting around, filling out papers and such, the Assistants took us out one by one to share the gospel on the street for a while!  It was kind of terrifying at first, but most people actually listened to me and my choppy Hungarian!  We came back to the mission home, had a three-course Hungarian dinner made by Sister Szabadkai, went to look at some views of Budapest and then headed to a hotel.  The next day, we almost immediately found out who our new companions (our trainers) are and where we are going to spend the next ten weeks in Hungary.  I was assigned to Nyíregyháza, a small city up by the Ukrainian boarder.  We took a three hour train ride there through the country-side, and when we arrived at 4:30, it had already gotten dark and it was snowing.  The skies are always grey here in Nyíregyháza and the town in some areas looks suspiciously communistic, though there is some very cool Viennese-looking architecture toward the belváros (the city center).

The strange hodge-podge of architecture is actually one of the really cool and unique aspects of Hungary.  You can definitely sense the former presence of the Austro-Hungarian empire in certain districts with cobblestone streets, Schönbrunn-yellow administrative buildings, and really beautiful churches and cathedrals, but then all the cracks are filled in with Soviet, 10 story grey apartment buildings (I live in one of these with my new companion, Stringham Elder from Santa Quinn, Utah, except ours is painted pink (sometimes they paint the communist buildings gaudy colors to make them seem more fun or something like that)).  Then they also have this 70's vibe going strong and you find it in weird places.  Seriously, quite a few buildings could actually fit right in in a Brady Bunch episode (maybe when they show Mr. Brady's architectural firm building in the city?).  As far as society goes, I talked to one missionary who compared it to America in the late 50's.  People aren't super tolerant when it comes to outsiders, but they all really do have good hearts, deep down.

There aren't a whole lot of Mormons here, but the ones who are are really inspiring and have strong testimonies.  Stringham Elder and I do a lot of door-to-door approaches. I have really felt the Lord strengthen my testimony and courage since I've been here.  I am always amazed at the love He has for me and the empowering strength He gives me.  I know He is there, I know His gospel is back on the earth!

Sok szeretettel,

Martin Elder

Last gym time at the MTC

Entire zone at the MTC

Arrival in Hungary

Me and the other two elders originally assigned to Russia

At a church in Budapest 

The view from our hotel in Budapest

This is our bedroom.

This is the main room of our lakás. 

This was the first church member that I had a meal with in Hugnary. 

Her name is Judit, she is really nice and makes great pörkölt.

These are those ten stories I was talking about, and with the fun colors!

Communist elevators!

The view from the back of our apartment. 

Our beautiful street. This picture also includes that grey sky I was talking about.

The belváros in Nyíregyháza