Heather: The Elder have done an excellent job of job of giving spiritual messages at the beginning of our YSA activities Friday night. This one by Elders Bennion and Nielson involved Elders Clark and Galland and one of the YSA guys. Of course it was all in Hungarian so we don't really know what it was  about -- something like not worring about what other people say or think about you, just what Heavenly Father knows about you. They had fun doing it and we had fun watching.

These 3 cuties are Virág, Hanna, and Dalma and they were the cutest girls at the Farsang party. Norm had fun practicing his face painting skills. Farsang is the Hungarian winter carnival that is somewhat like our Halloween.

Here we are playing the wheels on the bus go round and round -- well not really -- it was a new game  called electricity! Domi and Niki came to the party and Domi was disappointed to tears that Kira and Hunor were not there! He  really liked playing Do You Love Your Neighbor though. 

Just to prove....We really are CANADIANS

Norm: Well...here we are....skating in Hungary. Got the pictures to prove it. We didn't break any records...but thank goodness we didn't break any bones either.

I can tell you one thing...These new fandangled skates they have these days don't know sweet fannie nothin about skating..... now why do you suppose that is?....I want my old ones back.......and I think their Zamboni must have been on the fritz as well.

Another thing we noticed. Got some strange looks. We were the oldest ones on the rink.........by about half a century. 

A Bennion Birthday

Managed to keep the smoke detectors from activating as Elder Bennion turns 21. He has just 3 weeks left to complete his mission in Hungary

Amazing day in Primary

She blew us all away. This little 4 yr. old was asked to give the opening prayer in primary and the Primary President was going to help her. They started out together, then with arms folded this little brown eyed princess took over, leaving the President speechless. It was a textbook prayer and you would not believe the magyarul. This was her second time in primary and the daughter of an investigator.

This little girl in the red dress loves to come to primary too. Her dad brings her and he too is an investigator.

Sister Szabadkai does marvelous participation activities with the children and they get right into it. The children are so quick to pick up the words and actions of any new song. We love the Primary. It is the high lite of our Sunday.

Primary President Benko Zsuzsanna looks on, as do the proud investigator parents from the lobby. Oh how the children steal our hearts and how the parents love to see their kids enjoying the spirit of Primary. What better testimony??

Preparing fo Farsang

Farsang is the Hungarian end of winter festival. There are parties, great food and the children dress up in costume as well as some adults. There is a special Suti made that is much like a donut without a hole. The center is filled with home made jam, usually apricot. You can see that the llama is dressed for the festivities.

Elders Galland and Clark gave a great spiritual message at the beginning of our YSA Activity. Zita was wrapped in plastic wrap to show how Satan can trap us with his seemingly innocent temptations. The elders used a scripture to illustrate how the atonement of the Savior can free us from Satans bonds. Their presentation had a clear message for the youth.

The evening was spent learning how to face, arm and hand paint. We are going to do some face painting next Saturday at the Branch Primary Farsang Party. We have some talented painters in our group. Gotta watch that Elder Galland though....I think there is a suttle message being sent here, to a certain someone back home.

Fanyi and Cinthia realy had fun doing each others faces....colorful girls. I think we are ready for Farsang.

Cobblestones and Plastic Trikes

Norm: You can hear them coming a block away. Hollow plastic wheels on the cobblestones. " Lloookk aatt mmee ggoo"

" Ya.....hang on mom... this hill is a steep one....I could end up in Croatia! "

" You carry it Dad....it was your idea..... my brain is rattled to mush."

Heavenly Father Loves Us

Credit Arie Van De Graaff, Cartoonist for this insiteful bit of humor. But you know....it is not all that far fetched. I'm convinced that one talk could last the entire length of a mission. Just make sure to use a different translator each time. That presents a whole different message. What that message is??........Nem Tudom

Winter Olympics...a 2011 re-run

Norm: After thirteen months at this YSA assignment we find we are running out of new ideas, so we recycled a few of the old activities that proved quite popular. This was the night of the Winter Olympics. Elders Clark and Galland presented our opening ceremonies with the "Armour of God" theme presentation. Notice how effective the shield of faith proved to be from the darts of the adversary.

First event was the ski slalom. Looks like Elder Galland is about to bif it. Yes the next frame was not pretty.

The bobsled run always gets the adrenalin going and we are always glad when we can return the chairs back to the office intact.

The Nordic trac event. Hula hoops for snowshoes. What do you think judges....is that red team player a little close to the target. But hey, shes an investigator. What can we say.

The hockey game got very intense with checking on the boards and high sticking. The Hungarians insisted hockey be pronounced "Hoki". This grated on my Canuck sensitivities. It was a 2-2 game till the red team broke the tie in the dying seconds.

The Red Team take the event, but they considered themselves all winners.
We couldn't agree more.
Give them a round of applause.

Olé......Barátok

Norm: As part of the training in the English class, Branch members take turns in presenting a brief spiritual message and testimony. This is this weeks beginners class. Plisz Beatrix addresses the class of Elders Bennion and Clark.

And here we are at the Tex Mex welcoming our two new Elders.
Elder Galland, Elder Rollingson, Sister Rollingson, Elder Bennion and introducing Elder Nielson (Orem, Utah)
and Elder Clark (SPANISH Fork, Utah)

The Week that Was

Heather: This past week was great! We had a lovely lunch with all the Elders at Solymosi, Marika's bright apartment. She made a finom gulyas that we all really loved. We loved her cheerful eating nook! Afterward we talked about the blessings of the Gospel and her beloved Peter. It has been just over 2 months since his death and she misses him so much. Marika teaches in Primary now and the kids just love her.

Friday we had a great group of kids and Gabi taught us how to make friendship bracelets. She was the only member of the Church there besides the Elders and was very busy trying to show everyone how to tie the knots for the bracelets. Not all of us caught on! We had a good time together and are grateful for the support we receive from Gabi and the Elders. We learned today that we will be loosing two of our Elders in the latest transfers. Elder May will be going to Dunaújváros and Elder Mullen is assigned as Zone Leader in Budapest.

On Sunday my star piano student, Veronika, was called and sustained as the Branch pianist. Veronica is very talented, she can play a piece of music by heart in with just a few tries. She will be a great asset to the Branch  as she learns to play all the hymns. I hope she will then teach others to play. We received a beautiful keyboard from the Harmon Foundation just before Christmas that will  be a big help to her learning to play. Our next challenge is to get her baptized!   

Spring is in the Air

Heather: I love seeing flowers bloom in the middle of January, even if they are pansies. This winter has been much more mild that last winter -- so far! The tulips I planted are also just showing their green noses in my boxes. Meanwhile last year's geraniums are still growing in the stairwell window. Friday I bought hyacinths and tulips at Tesco and had a quick look at their seed display. Spring is coming and I will be able to plant again!!

Norm: Well speaking of spring...there it was..."Right before my very eyes" . Now I gotta tell you. Since leaving Wyoming I have not ever seen a pickup truck any bigger than a Ranger or a Toyota Tundra here in Hungary.... But there it was, big as life itself, right off the show room floor....a Lariat Super Duty F350 with duelies.

Well I was drooling on the Skoda dashboard...and it had British Columbia license plates!! I'm still scratching my head.

Did I ever tell you about the time I passed the  Ferrari out on the motorway??? Well I have to admit that he passed me twice, but I passed him once ( he had stopped for gas you see) Well maybe if I wash the Skoda it will go faster.