A Spiritual Feast in Hungary

We just finished an incredible four plus days of self-reliance in Hungary with an amazing Self-Reliance missionary couple, Elder and Sister Bradshaw.  We met strong priesthood leaders and were constantly uplifted and led by the Holy Ghost.

With Elder and Sister Bradshaw, new Self-Reliance missionaries in Hungary.  The Danube and the Parliament building behind us.

Our week started in Frankfurt where we worked on Monday and Tuesday.  On Monday, I substituted for our manager, Thomas King, in his weekly management meeting while he was in Spain.  By Tuesday morning, Thomas was back and we were able to have a workday together, our first in a while and our last for the next several weeks.  We were able to get caught up on a few things and we finalized our travel plans for the next several weeks until the middle of October.

We also received our official travel plans for the end of our mission.  We will be returning on Thursday, November 16, arriving in Salt Lake City at 7:07 pm.

On Monday evening we were able to enjoy a quiet family home evening at home.  We chose to watch a DVD of “Testaments”, a movie about the visit of the Savior to the Americas that the Church filmed several years ago.  Once again the Holy Ghost bore witness to us of the reality and power of our Savior.

On Wednesday morning we left for our first ever trip to Hungary.  We flew into Vienna, Austria and from there took a train to Gyor, Hungary, where our Self-Reliance couple is based.  This was faster and much cheaper than flying into Budapest, Hungary.

We struggled to understand the train connections at first. We were told that the train station was in the airport.  However, it was just a small station that went to the main train station in Vienna.  Finally we got on our train, an hour later than planned, but without further complications. 

We took the 74 minute train ride in a compartment for six passengers. Our compartment had only Sister Rueckert and I and one other passenger, Brian.  We had a very pleasant conversation with Brian, a single Jewish lawyer.  He was from Toronto and vacationing in Europe.  At the end of the trip he accepted some pass along cards and we exchanged business cards.  We hope that we were able to plant a few seeds.

Train to Gyor, Hungary from Vienna, Austria with our new friend, Brian

We arrived at the train station in Gyor, not sure where to find Elder and Sister Bradshaw who were meeting us.  It turned out they were on one side of the train station and we were on the other.  Once we got connected, we had a very enjoyable dinner with them and the Hungary translation manager and his wife.  We ate at a boat restaurant on the Danube River with yummy Hungarian food.  That included a cold, sweet strawberry soup to start things off.  The Hungarians have amazing soups of all kinds.  I had a Hungarian Goulash meal, but not a soup.

Where the Danube and the ? River meet near Gyor, Hungary

Dinner in Gyor, Hungary

Cold Strawberry Soup, dessert before dinner

Hungarian Goulash with Dumplings

The next morning we went to visit the translation office, getting to know the supervisor of translation for Hungary.  As we discussed our need for subtitles on the Self-Reliance videos, we authorized them to spend a small amount of budget to do the Hungarian subtitles on the My Foundation videos.  He had the first one ready for us the next day.

We then went into Budapest, nearly a two hour trip, and met with the mission president.  He is a wonderful man who had a strong understanding of the Self-Reliance initiative.  He wanted to know how he could help Self-Reliance in the two districts under his responsibility.  We discussed the importance of the District Committees and discussed doctrine.  We also shared ideas about how self-reliance can be part of missionary work, including preparing returning missionaries.  This was a totally uplifting visit and we left feeling blessed to have this great leader in Hungary.

We spent the later afternoon visiting some sites in Budapest.  We saw some beautiful views, an old Church and Castle Hill.  We were fortunate to see a film crew doing some filming and even saw some horses and riders from the filming.  As we drove to and from Budapest, we had non-stop conversation with the Bradshaws.

Matthias Church - Roman Catholic built in 1015

Overlooking the Danube and the Parliament building in Budapest, Hungary

Close up of the Parliament Building

Horses and riders at Castle Hill

By the Matthias Fountain near Buda's Castle

We have found instant friendship with Elder and Sister Bradshaw.  They are an amazing missionary couple from Beaver, Utah.  Throughout these past few days we have been impressed with their strong missionary spirit and faith.  They are making things happen in such a short time in Hungary.  I just want to share one of the tender mercies that they have already experienced.

Elder Bradshaw served the past 4 or 5 years as a bishop in the Beaver prison/jail.  He shared many miraculous experiences that he had in helping inmates to change their lives and their hearts.  In this process he has gotten to know Elder Bruce Hafen very well.  Elder Hafen is an emeritus member of the 1^st Quorum of the Seventy who supervised the work with inmates for the Church.  After receiving their mission call, Elder Hafen  shared his personal notes and experiences when creating the first stake in Hungary 12 years ago.  He also wrote a letter of introduction for Elder Bradshaw to the stake president in Hungary.  All of this has helped open doors with the stake president, which we have found very beneficial.  We continue to see how the Lord is in the details of all that we do.  He certainly has been involved in preparing Elder and Sister Bradshaw to be the right people to be our first Self-Reliance missionaries in Hungary.

One of the advantages of spending time together, even in the car, is the chance to get to know these special details.  Certainly we have taken advantage of this time with the Bradshaws to not only share thoughts about Self-Reliance but to also get to know them on a very personal basis.

The next morning we went to the apartment of Elder and Sister Bradshaw.  They had arrived in Hungary less than two weeks previous and had not yet been in their apartment for one week.  We started training from our prepared agenda..   Finally we left to participate in a district self-reliance event in the district to the south of them.  On the way we stopped in the city of Sopron and visited with a senior couple, who also recently arrived in Hungary.  They showed us around, including a visit to an old Roman wall from 200 AD that has recently been discovered.  As we started our little tour, we were hit with a thunderstorm that drenched all of us, even with umbrellas.  It made for a very memorable activity that will not be soon forgotten.

Roman wall dating back to 200 AD

Sister Allmen, our thunderstorm tour guide with a broken umbrella

Sisters Bradshaw and Rueckert drying out their shoes after the thunderstorm

After we dried out a little, we proceeded to the district self-reliance event.   This turned out to be a very uplifting experience.  In attendance was the district president and one of his counselors, two branch presidents with one counselor each, the district SR specialist, district RS president, four SR participants and two more proselyting missionaries.   We spent the first portion of the meeting reviewing SR doctrine.  As each sub group discussed D&C 104;15-17, the spirit bore strong witness of the purpose and truth of the self-reliance doctrine.  As we shared some of the next steps to better implement the initiative in this district, the District president and branch presidents were fully supportive and accepted the commitments that we suggested.

District Leaders discussing the Doctrine of Self-Reliance

Outside of the Church with the District President and District Self-Reliance Specialist

We went not knowing what to expect, but the spirit guided the meeting and we were all edified.  Already one of the branches has returned with a proposed date for a self-reliance devotional in their branch.  We finished with immense gratitude in our hearts to be able to witness the power of God in that meeting.

We then began our drive to the other end of Hungary for activities on Saturday.  We stopped in Budapest for the night after driving for almost 3 hours.  We left the next morning early to participate in a Hungarian fair in Edelény.  There we met with Elder and Sister Moser, humanitarian missionaries, and a group of Roma (gypsies) that they have been helping in a gardening initiative.  Generally, the Roma people have been severely persecuted in Hungary and throughout Europe.  However, this group is trying to be a productive part of society.  We will begin involving them in self-reliance groups at their request.  We found them to be delightful.  They prepared their food from the vegetables that they had grown in their gardens, which are part of the humanitarian project.  Last year they had won first place in the food competition of this festival.  After being fed by them this year, we believe that their chances this year are very good also.  We were also able to watch some Hungarian dancers and music as part of the festival.

Award winning Hungarian Soup cooked by the Roma

Cooking sauce for the pasta

Roma people preparing food

Eating the soup from the Romas at the Hungarian Festival 

Young Hungarian Dancers

A little older Hungarian Dancers

After the festival we drove to Miskolc where we held another Self-Reliance event in this district on the eastern part of Hungary.   In this meeting we had four separate self-reliance specialists, one branch president and six missionaries (4 junior, 2 senior).  Although the meeting went well, we did not feel the same level of commitment that came form the priesthood leaders on the previous day.  We could feel the lack of the priesthood keys.  It gave us something to discuss and problem solve with the Bradshaws.

Presenting to the District of Debrecen

After finishing this meeting, we began the 4 hour drive back to Gyor.  We decided to take an alternative route, following the Danube River on the north of the Country.  It was a beautiful drive and it gave us a chance to cross the river briefly to visit the country of Slovakia.  Along the way we found an amazing Catholic Basilica.

River Danube, with Slovakia on the other side

Elder and Sister Bradshaw with Slovakian Flag flying on monument 

In Slovakia

Estzercom Basilica, largest Church and building in Hungary

Sunday morning we went to the Gyor ward and participated in a Self-Reliance presentation during priesthood and relief society time.  We invited E/S Bradshaw to participate in part of the presentation with us.  Once again the spirit was strong.  A large group of members, almost 50, attended.  Many of them committed to bring a friend to the Self-Reliance devotional scheduled for the following Sunday.  The bishop finished our meeting with an inspiring commitment to what we were sharing.  Once again we felt extremely blessed to see individuals embracing the self-reliance doctrine and processes that we shared.

We then drove back to Budapest and participated in a meeting of the Budapest Stake Self-Reliance Committee.  This was led by the stake president that had been introduced to Elder Bradshaw.  This stake had held one SR group at the end of last year, but had been fairly inactive in Self-Reliance this year.  As we shared doctrine with the Committee, the stake president’s vision was opened and he took charge of the meeting.  He committed to share this type of doctrinal discussion with his bishops and asked the stake relief society president to do the same with the sisters.  We just sat back in awe as he used his priesthood keys to do so much more than we had ever hoped for.

Budapest Stake Self-Reliance Committee meeting, including a few participants by Zoom

As we completed our four days of meetings with both districts, the mission president and the Budapest stake, we feel that there is much hope for the future of Hungary and the Self-Reliance initiative.  They are in good hands with the watchful care of Elder and Sister Bradshaw and very capable priesthood leaders.  We couldn’t have scripted a better visit and training opportunity with Elder and Sister Bradshaw.  They are the right people to help strengthen strong priesthood leadership and implement the self-reliance initiative fully in this blessed country.

Elder and Sister Bradshaw with Sister Rueckert outside of our train back to  Vienna

After our meetings, we went to the train station and boarded a train back to Vienna.  It is while riding on this train that I am writing this blog.

A continuation of our journey will be included next week.