As I start this email I have to tell you that I don’t even
know the feelings that are inside of me right now. I feel like I am feeling
everything at once and I have no idea how to wrap my head around it. I am so
happy. So excited. Seriously can’t wait and then I realize… Wait. I can’t
leave. I love this county. I never want to go home, but the day has come and I
have put in my time.
I will start with saything that this last week has been
amazing. It has been a perfect finish and I would not have wanted to end in any
other way. We were able to see miracles and have some really amazing
experiences. I was able to go on splits in Nyiregyhaza my first city for the
last time and had an amazing time. We worked so hard and it felt so good to
just give it everything I had. To speak Hungarian and to show Nyiregyhaza what
I have become.
Later in the week, I also went on splits with Elder Gentry. (My
missionary that I trained.) It was a really cool experience. We both just
looked at each other and were like... where did the time go? We worked all day
long. We didn’t meet with anyone and usually those are the worst days ever. But
once again it felt so good to just tract a little more in my totally broken and
destroyed shoes. I love him and I am going to miss him.
The last really amazing thing that happened was we were able
to give another one of our investigators a baptismal date. Her name is Edit and
she is really amazing. She wants to learn and it was such a cool feeling to
have her accept her date on my last full working day as a missionary. It was a
cherry on top. We found her this transfer on a train and now she is going to be
baptized. Seriously so cool!
The rest of the week consisted of a lot of goodbyes and a
lot of feelings that I don’t quite get. I’m going home? I didn’t even think
this day would come. It was hard to say goodbye to all the people I have come
to love her, especially Sára. She is such an amazing person and I am so excited
for her to be baptized and feel the amazing power of the Gospel that I have
come to know so well over my mission. It was hard saying goodbye but it will be
a good reunion when I come back.
I thought about what I wanted to write for my last email and
a couple thoughts came to mind.
Over my mission I have become a totally different person. 2
years ago if I saw myself I probably wouldn’t even recognize who I was. My
mission has changed my life and I can’t write in words how grateful I am for
these years in this crazy place.
I wanted to talk a little about the things that I have
learned over my mission.
I have learned to be patient. With companions,
investigators, people that are rude, rules, and with myself.
I have learned how to be obedient and to follow God and his
leaders that He has called. It was hard but I now know that obedience is the
key to receiving God’s blessings.
I have learned how to be dedicated to something. This is for
the language, the work, anything. I now can look at a problem and tackle it
without thinking... ehh this is hard, can I actually do this? Yes, Yes I can. I
just gotta do it.
I have learned how to have a good attitude even when life is
pretty sucky and you pretty much have nothing around you that would make you
happy. Life is great. You just have to make the decision. Missionary work is
hard, but you just have to learn to love it.
I have learned to endure hardship. I have learned the Hungarian
language from rock bottom. I have learned how to work all the way until the
end. I have learned how to endure and love a companion. Enduring to the end is
one of the sweetest feelings ever.
I have learned that choosing the right is always better. The
right will always make you happy so why choose the wrong? which doesn’t make
you happy. We all just have to see the bigger picture.
I have learned what true happiness is. Its not the happiness
that is there just for a little and is a little burst of joy. It’s a constant
state of mind. The gospel makes us happy and if life is hard, dive deeper into
the Gospel, serve, be happy... and then you will wake up one day and say wow...
I really am happy.
I have learned and am still learning to be humble. I am not
perfect in anything but I am trying to be, and because of Jesus Christ, one day
I can be perfect. That’s the key to it all, as long as you are trying. It’s
working; you are growing and it will come. I have spent many days thinking
about myself and those were the hard days and now I have learned to catch
myself, and say hey… Stop thinking about yourself and go do something for
someone else. Like I said I am not perfect but I am working towards it.
I have learned how to be grateful. It’s hard to always count
your blessings but when you take the time to do so... your eyes are opened to
how merciful God really is.
I have learned how to control my emotions. I have been put
in situations where 2 years ago I would have FLIPPED... or done something
stupid or acted like a child and thrown a hissy fit... I am not saying I don’t
make mistakes and am now this totally calm and reserved person. It’s still hard,
but I have learned to be calm. Talk things out and just be straight up with
people. I have also learned to overcome sadness, stress, and others. This is
one is still in the process like most of these but it’s getting there.
I have learned how to pray and how to have a true
relationship with my Heavenly Father.
My testimony has become rock solid. I would never be able to
deny the truthfulness of the Gospel.
I have become stronger against temptation by learning what I
need to do to strengthen my walls so nothing can tempt me to make a bad choice.
I have learned how to do hard things with the help of the
Lord. I can rely on him and I know that I can do all things through him.
The last thing that I would like to talk about it how I learned
to be grateful for my trials. It is not easy to look a trial in the face and
say “hey thanks you’re the best”, but it is what helps you grow. It is the key
to progression and I can say that I would not be the person I am today without
going through the trials of a mission.
I would like to finish with a poem that my mom sent me a
long time ago that I put on the back of my planner for this transfer.
To some there comes a call to love a people
A nation, a land or race that is not their own.
The pages of two calendars will measure
The lives they have touched and if they have really grown.
And more than one has come and gone unnoticed.
They find it hard to love a strangers land.
They some how lost the vision they arrived with
When others built on rock, they built on sand.
But those who learned to give, and then keep on giving.
And take their worst’s and turn them into best,
Are those who learned that life’s most sacred treasures
Are won by those who have learned to serve the rest.
If you have been called
You better know the reason.
Without that knowledge your time is useless there.
The Master knows the answers and questions,
He will help you,
But the cross is yours to bear
To some there comes a call
To love a people
A nation, a land or race that’s not their own.
And when it’s done with eyes of tears
They will tell you
This Nations mine.
This land has become my HOME.
I have loved my mission. I can’t believe its over. I
love you all so much. Thank you for your support and thank you for all you have
done for me the past two years.
I will see you all soon.
Sok Szeretettel,
Ure Elder
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