Elder Jake Hough, 8.29.18--week 5

SZIA AGGIELAND!! WHOOOOOOP!

Football is starting soon for BYU which means A and M is starting soon, so GIG EM! 

Aniother fantastic week at the MTC, though long some days, it has flown by, and the days are feeling like days and the weeks are feeling like days, it is slowly accelerating to the end of my stay. in two weeks I receive my flight plans, and then that is my last week. Whoa. It is so strange that time flies here yet it never feels like it does, and then all of a sudden I'm writing home and I think "Wow, that was a fast week. Cool!" Not a ton has happened this week to me persay, just persevering through hard things like language struggles, and learning much more grammar principles such as command form and hogy clauses, don't worry about it, jsut know they are pretty advanced grammar principles but they use them ALL THE TIME in Hungary, so they are pretty necessary. I'll have a pic of the Imperative command grammar stuff so you can see what it kinda does. 

This was a great week because we got to spend time with all our German brothers and sisters one last time before they flew out to continue their missions in Germany, Frankfurt and Berlin and Alpine, which is interesting because that means I would have been in Reagan, Riley, and Colton's zone (friends of Jake's from CS) if I had gone at the same time, kinda cool, because that also means I know the same branch president, President Hendersen. But I was up late on Sunday night til about 11:15 helping the Germans in my room and on the floor pack and finish getting prepped to leave, and then I was up at 5:20 since they were up showering and vaccumuming the floors before they left. So I already knew monday would be long which it was. But I got pics with my room Companions, Elder Saunders and Elder Wood, who are both going to BYU! So I'll see them there after the mission which I was really happy about since they are so cool. We helped them get their bags to the outside and as they walked around the residence corner after final hugs and good lucks, one of the Zone Leaders choking back tears, cupped his hands t o his mouth and yelled "HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!" to the leaving elders, and they stopped, visibly wiped some tears and yelled "HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!" back. It was a very tender moment for everyone, since we have all become so close in relationship and perpose. But as I walked in from that experienced I realized something: The pre earth life was jsut like the MTC. Almost a perfect reflection of it. Because The MTC you can only progress so far in language and teaching skills, and the same went in THe pre earth life. We also had family and friends that we loved and had become close to in the pre earth life and for those of us that are kids to our parents, we had to say goodbye for a time as we watched them go down to earth to gain experience and to grow and to become as our Heavenly Father is. And that is the same with the mission. We gain all of the experience for life and the growth in the mission fields we serve in, and though it is sad to see people go from the MTC, I felt more joy for them that they are able to fulfill their purpose and to go do the greatest work there is in existence, bringing souls to their Savior, Redeemer and Master Jesus Christ. It was a really cool realization I had and helped to ease the pain of the Germans leaving.

This week was also my half way mark through the MTC by days, yet I am halfway through my 6th MTC week of 9, so it's a little funky but it feels good to be getting prepared to leave. I'm ready but I have more language to learn. But on top of the Germans leaving, we gained 5 albanian elders, 3 turkish  elders and 4 bulgarian elders! And I had to move from my room with the Germans to room with the Turkish elders who are AMAZING too, they are so fun to be around and I love them jsut as much as the Germans before them. And today after I finish writing these we gain 46 NEW GERMAN MISSIONARIES. That is a TON. But it will be really good too to have a full floor filled, we'll just have to set the examples of obedience for them since that was a big help to me and will be for them as well. 

One thing I have also noticed, is that the Sisters in my district are very emotional. Much more so than I am. I don't have any clue why but maybe cause they are sisters. Anyway, they took the germans leaving really hard, and so the day they flew out we were taking a break in our afternoon class, and I look out the window and couldn't believe what I saw: The MTC puts up country falgs every day, and there in the front center of them, was the GERMAN AND HUNGARIAN flag next to each other. That had never happened in the 6 weeks we had been there. It gave me chills just seeing it, because I knew there were 50 plus country flags they cycle through every day and there are like 20 flag poles so not every flag is up every day. That was of great comfort for the Noverek to see, and it really was a testament to us that God knows each of His children individually, and that He knows exactly how to help us in our times of need. It is true and that was proof of that. Such a cool experience.

Alright, That was it for this week, but my challenge to y'all is to go through the Book of Mormon, and underline every time that Christ says "I will". You will be surprised by what you find. And ask yourselves this week this question or ponder it: "How will I be the one?" Another phrase that is almost exactly the same we all know is "Here am I, send me."

Szeretek Titeket! WHHHHOOOOOOOP! This gospel is so true and I cannot deny the knowledge I have of it! 

Hough Elder

Also for those of you who took a guess at the drink, it was POMEGRANATE BLUEBERRY....yeah.That isn't scary at all haha!

(Here's a picture of the mystery beverage in case you missed last week!)

The Trifecta Companionship! Elder Wood, Jake and Elder Saunders the night before the German missionaries left the country.

The German and Hungarian Flags flying together!

The Hungarian District in front of the flags (I bought each of the sister missionaries a silver Hungarian necklace has a "halfway to Hungary" gift. It looks like they might be wearing them in this picture. They got them the day the German missionaries left when they were all so sad. I received two personal emails today from the sisters telling me that the necklaces and notes made them all cry because they were such a wonderful surprise on an otherwise difficult day. Just another amazing manifestation of God's love for each of us individually and of His divine timing. That package was actually "late" based on mailing/travel standards. But the Lord knew exactly when it needed to be there.)

The district after volleyball on Saturday night.

Moving out of 417...

New bed set up. 

 Command form grammar principle (tooooooooough)

Only semi good stuff to eat at the MTC lol

Elder Jake Hough, 8.22.18--week 4

Szzzziiiiiaaaaa Aggie-eim! WHOOP!

This week was awesome! Not just because it's awesome to be on a mission, but because of all the opportunities I have had in just this week to come closer to the Savior to really learn what His Atonement is all about, and how to apply it and to really work with the Savior in the bringing salvation to the souls of men through lessons and personal struggle and experience, it has been a humbling get on your knees and ask for help and forgiveness for sure. But If I can do it, you can too. I exhort all of you that if there is anything in y'alls life that is hard, that you can't quite seem to figure out because it is something you have never experienced or it is just straight up hard and seems like a trial in your life, go to the one person in existence that understands your every emotion and is waiting for you to just ask what to do. Jesus will, through your pleadings and cries, because your "tears are counted in the economy of heaven" (Elder Kearon), He will succor you and help you through your trials, even to making your yoke light upon your back. I know it to be true. I have experienced it and have felt that in my life recently and it has been such an amazing week feeling the amount of love God has for everyone of His children. Truly immense. 

Ok, sorry for the tangent, I felt it was needed. Onto the week!

The German elders are leaving next monday and I will have no companions to room with officially, so that is coming up. These elders are just amazing and I love em, they are gonna kill it out in Berlin and Frankfurt and the Alpine mission. Also, for this last week, we have had the option of choosing who to teach out of two of our teachers as investigators, and our tripanionship (the sisters and I) have gone 0-2 on picking who would not be sick, so we have been teaching last minute lessons in Hungarian ALL WEEK. Pretty stressful but we have done well because of the Spirit in the lessons, which has been a fun experience but not fun as in not being prepared haha.

Sister Christensen and I performed! We made it in and got a letter saying we were to perform in the senior missionary welcome devotional, so not a big devotional on Sunday, but we performed in front of the MTC presidency and the senior missionaries incoming and it went great! We couldn't record it sadly, but we got a recording of our last run through before we performed that I will attach to the end of the email, hopefully it downloads ok. I love the song for the spirit of it, so humble and worshipful. Simple in prayer but mighty in spirit. The seniors loved it and the MTC presidency thought it was incredible, which is always a good sign! Also, I signed up on the accompanying list for any singer or performer and I got a note on my desk that was from a French Sister who wanted me to acompany her singing and I was like sure and so I'm trying out with her tomorrow! That was a pleasant surprise for sure haha. I wanted to play the piano more, and when  you ask you shall recieve haha!

On a funnier note, in class one day we were practicing language and we all decided who was most like what Avenger from the Civil War movie, and it was funny because our teacher Squire Testver was SO ACCURATE with it. I was vision, which was funny since he was like "you are nuetral in a lot of stuff" and I said "touche". Wight Nover didn't like affiliating with Iron Man but she has those sarcastic comments that make Iron Man Iron Man, and My companions are black panther and black widow, which is also hilarious. It was a fun day to just laugh with each other for sure. Sometimes in the MTC, you need days like that. 

But yesterday, our devotional was especially special, because we got word through a leaked source it would be someone big, and it was. We had D Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles speak to us!! I was literally dancing in my seat with excitement, and I felt the spirit before he came into the room, it was such a special occasion. But what is even more special is what he talked about, which was something no one expected. He talked to us about how to address The Church. Quoting the prophet Russell M Nelson frequently, Elder Christofferson said "The Lord has made it known to me [President Nelson] the importance of calling the church by it's true name, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We discourage the use of 'Mormon' or 'LDS' church...The Lord is not pleased with the misuse of His Church's name. He calls each of us to repentance." Wow. There was a lot more in the talk but holy cowboy! We are witnessing revelation in action from the prophet of God's church on the earth today, just as Joseph Smith during the Restoration era of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, when they received all that revelation about the Word of Wisdom and Tithing, that is what is happening now. What a momentous time to be alive when Heavenly Father speaks to His children through a living prophet today. Such a blessing. 

I love y'all, and the weeks in the MTC are coming to a close! Within a month I'll be crossing the Atlantic Ocean...that is so exciting! God's work is going forth to all nations! I love the Gospel and the blessings that come from it and I know that this church is true!

til jovo hetten (Next week)!

Hough Elder

Country shirt!    

District selfie

Temple pic!

 "Tri"panionship at the Big Map

 Guess the drink :)

Elder Jake Hough, 8.15.18--week 3

Sziastok Aggie-aim (My Aggies)!

So much has happened this week and it was a ride, so fun! I'm already in my 4th week here at the MTC and holy moley after this week I'm on the downhill to Hungary!! That is crazy! It seems like yesterday I got my call in the mail and was reading it for the first time, and now I'm a little over a month until I enter the country. So grateful that time is nonexistent most the time here haha. I'm really gonna focus on the last 3 or 4 days because those are the ones that stand out to me in terms of experiences in the week. 

First, In our last lesson teaching a friend of the church Katalin, We asked how she liked chruch since we invited her to go with her son. She said it was good and that it was a little long. Most people say that so I said "igen, harminc ora nagyan hozzu!" She looked at me ad said "HARMINC ORA?!" My sentence translated was oh yeah, 30 hours is long!"....Jaj (oh no) hahahaha. It was ciki (awkward) and Christensen Nover shot me a look and was like "HAROM ELDER!" (3) and I was laughing after that it was the first big language miscommunication I'd had and at least it was numbers and not something important like baptism or the Atonement of Jesus Christ haha!

Second, the MTC choir is so much fun! sure I can't sing, that's obvious to anyone sitting within a five seat radius, but I go for the spirit of the songs and for the director, Brother Agot. He is an institute teacher at BYU (maybe I'll get him!) and he has the face of michael from the office and a humor of John Bytheway, he's pretty epic. Anyways, the song we sang for the devotional last night (more on that later) is "More Holiness give Me." A great song, one that I never really listened to the lyrics or tried to understand them until the MTC, and all the hymns are so powerful, scriptures of their own, if you ever read the Book of Mormon and are like "Hey, I need something else to read to spiritually uplift me and bring me closer to my Savior in deed and in thought," read some of the hymns like a poem. So powerful. Anyway, Brother Agot is an institute teacher and is so knowledgeable about these hymns and where they came from. So, he treated us to the history and story behind this hymn, and I would like to now share it with you as the main part of my message this week, because it was so powerful to me. I want you all to think about how you can exhibit and exemplify Christ like love in your lives as you read this story. 

Philip Bliss was a man of no small talents, as in his day in the early 1800's he was an LDS song writer, and would always follow these preachers of other churches around as they preached and write songs that he felt inspired to write from these sermons. Eventually, one day in his home ward he got up and told everyone that he was about to sing them his personal prayer, a song that he thought of everyday and continued to keep in his heart throughout his life. He found the key and starting note on the piano and sang these words: 

"More Holiness give me, more strivings within, more patience in suff'ring, more sorrow for sin, more faith in my savior, more sense of his care, more joy in his service, more purpose in prayer. More gratitude give me, more trust in the Lord, more pride in his glory, more hope in his word, more tears for his sorrows, more pain at his grief, more meekness in trial, more praise for relief. More purity give me, more strength to o'ercome, more freedom from earth-stains, more longing for home, more fit for the Kingdom, more used would I be, more blessed and holy-More, Savior, like thee." The congregation was teary eyed and stunned at the poignancy of his words, and he silently walked back to his seat and the meeting went on. 

Years later, Bliss and his wife were on a train to go perform songs somewhere in the states and were crossing a wooden bridge over a ravine, when the truss gave out with half the train on the bridge and half not. Because of this and the train being a coal train, the back end pulled the entire front down into the ravine, pouring the flames and coals into the connected cars. Bliss was one of the 12 that made it out of the train window when it settled at the bottom of the ravine. As he was gaining sense of the situation the cars of the train slowly started catching fire one by one. Then, doing the quick head count of the people who got out, he realized his wife was not among them, and without hesitation went back into the car they were in during the accident. He found her pinned down by the seat in front them, her legs crushed. He tried and tried and tried with all his might to free her but to no avail. The seat would not move. And, as if from a tragic movie scene, their car also caught fire from the decsending flames of the engine. His wife probably told him to go and take care of their children, and he said 4 words to her: "I'm not leaving you." now, can you imagine the conversation they were having at this moment? His wife knew she was dead, and that he was free to get out if he went then, but he said "I. WILL. not. leave you." Philip Bliss, with the choice to get out with his life and to take care of his family, out of pure love to his wife stayed with her, because he didn't want her to die alone. And so he did, and burned alive right next to her. But he didn't just write his prayer song for us, he LIVED it for himself. "More fit for the Kingdom, More Savior Like Thee." He lived his words to his dying breath. What an example to all of us. Not to jump into flames, but in our own lives to really live what we talk about and teach to others, to be more christ like, and what's more Christ like than living the line "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend." How will y'all "lay down" your life for your friends? Neighbors? People you don't know but know are children of the Living God like you and me? That's my challenge for this week. 

On a little brighter note (literally), Christensen Nover and I are auditioning for the Sunday Devotional with the arrangement from last week! It's polished, locked, and loaded, so Next week you'll hear more about that! And the german elder leave in 2 weeks, and I'll be all alone with the Polish. Which since they're on a different schedule than I am will make it interesting (as in different P-day, classes, etc)! The Lord Jesus Christ directs His church though, I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is true, and I encourage each of you to find out for yourself that is true, through the Book of Mormon, whether you have read it or not it has a tangible power that cannot be denied, because it is of God. I love y'all, and I can't wait to tell about next week! 

Szeretek vagytok! (I love y'all!)

Hough Elder

Baba es nagymamak! (Baby and Grandmas...its a joke in the District hahaha!)

Flame red sunset from the raging wildfires and smoke around us in the mountains!

By far the BEST BARQS product ever invented!

Petersen Elder and I

Group Pic after Tuesday Devotional with Patrick Kearon of the 70 Presidency!! (My kids know Elder Kearon best for his "Sting of the Scorpion" message https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-08-004-the-sting-of-the-scorpion?lang=eng)

Look who IIII FOUND!! (Elder McClaws!) (Our friend's nephew's best friend--haha!--going to Hungary/Romania arrived a couple weeks before Jake, speaking Romanian :)

Elder Jake Hough, 8.8.18--week 2

Sziastok! (Literally Hello y'all in Hungarian :D)

This last week was even CRAZIER than the first, for many reasons, of which I will get to soon. But I wanted to start with my testimony that God and His Son Jesus Christ live, and direct their church through a living prophet today, Russell M Nelson. He Loves us all and wants us to return to live with Him again. Alright, onto the week.

First off the MTC is AMAZING and I love it here. It's harder than anything else I've done, but it's amazing. It's the simplest yet most complicated way to live life. But to start off, I want ya'll to know: Temple cafeteria food is manna in the wilderness, it is DIVINE (agreed!!!). After our initiatories today we had some food and OOOOOOOOH Man it was tokeletes (perfect). Makes me kinda not wanna go back to MTC cafeteria food....hehe. But the initiatory ordinances pour out blessings so much s that I have to keep going back to catch them all they are so great, one of my favorite parts of the temple. 

So last thursday was Christensen and Reynolds nover ("Sister" in Hungarian) and I's last chance to teach our person, Edit (one of our teachers). We had talked for three lessons about basically the same thing, just going into detail about the Holy Ghost, what it feels like and how to tell if it's in your life, and we taught her prayer. Well I felt strongly in planning for our last lesson that we should talk about the restoration and invite her to be baptized, cause it says in Preach My Gospel (standard curriculum for missionaries) that you should "Never hesitate to extend the invitation to baptism after the first lesson, even if they haven't read the BoM (Book of Mormon) yet, because that is how powerful the spirit can testify Brothers and Sisters. So I felt this and brought it up in comp(anion) study, but the sisters both felt we shouldn't, and I didn't want to argue and the whole companion situation is still getting used to so I didn't say anything but almost felt myself saying the invitation out loud the spirit was constraining me that much. I asked them again and more firmly one of the sisters said no we shouldn't. So, a little frustrated I gave up trying to get them on board. I thought it out before the lesson, and I felt my entire being seemingly screaming at me to ask her to be baptized. She's prayed and read the scriptures and asked. The invitation had to be made. But we get into the lesson and nothing came out. I kept my mouth shut, because I was afraid at what the sisters would say if I went against what we had "agreed" on. There was a pause in conversation and I still didn't do it, and I'll be honest, I felt AWFUL the rest of the day. I had just denied someone the opportunity to come unto Christ because I was SCARED of what the sisters would say. It was role play, yes, but it might as well have been a real investigator, and I couldve held that opportunity from them because of my fear of man, not God. I got on my knees that night and pleaded for forgiveness, and my words to you that are from the late prophet Thomas S Monson: "NEVER, EVER, postpone a prompting." EVER. Act on the promptings of the spirit and you will never go astray. I know this to be true. But I learned from it, and have vowed to not do it again.

Also this week my musical abilities are being put to the test thank GOODNESS! I've wanted to play piano this entire time and only on friday last week did I find out that Christensen Nover plays violin and she is GOOD. REALLY GOOD. So we found an arrangement and are practicing it for a tuesday or sunday devitional, which would be in front of possibly general authorites and 2200 missionaries...much bigger than I'm used to. But with the Lord all things are possible, I am just really grateful for the opportunity to play the piano at this point. That arrangement if you wnat to look it up and listen to it is Amazing Grace/As now we take the Sacrament/How Great Thou Art medley. It is gorgeous, simple yet powerful, and As Now we Take the Sacrament is offically my favorite hymn because of this arrangement. It's so thoughtful and deep. I encourage you to look the medley up. It's by a man by the last name of McCabe. And my german companion Elder Suanders can play cello, and we just got Steven Sharp Nelsons A poor Wayfaring arrangement, and we'll do that before the end of the month. My good friend Elder Delpontone left for Anaheim California ASL mission this week, yesterday actually, and he is AMAZING. Even if he is going to alabama (Roll Tide?) I love him so much he's an inspiration to me and a true friend. I'll have a pic of us attached. (Also for those of you who went and read the Christlike Character Talk, that is the similar title but not anywhere NEAR the same address. I learned after I emailed about it that "Character of Christ" is a MTC specific address, and I'll ask around to see where I can get it. Bocsi akkor az!)

There is so much I want to say but I can't say it all, you'll have to get a lot of it when I get back, and itll be in my journals, but I want y'all to know that the adversary is cunning. He is the Master of making you feel icky, sad, and inadequate but most importantly, like you don't measure up. That happened this week where one day I was feeling unaturally down about the language and as a class we had already made weekly plans for the rest of the MTC language wise, and I felt like I wasn't doing enough. Then I was reading in the Hungarian Triple combo (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price all in one book) (Which I have and it's beautiful) and I was pointing out some grammar that started to make sense to Delpontone, the elder I'm close with. He then turned to me and said that is a miracle you can understand that already just 14 days in. And I said thanks and all but then it clicked: Satan hadn't tried to get me by saying YOU CANT DO IT, he almost got me by saying YOU ARENT DOING ENOUGH. Which is crazy to see. So be looking for that in yalls life. If you ever feel like you aren't doing enough, or you could be doing more, pray to know if there is anything, ask someone else, and if you are doing enough and that is just you feeling like personally you arent doing enough yet you are, don't get tooo ahead of yourself, or Satan can use that against you. 

I love yall and wish I could say more but there is too much, but know that Christ died for YOU, and that they want you to use that Atonement of Christ to come closer to Him.

Til next week! Sziastok es szeretek vagytok! WHOOP! (Texas A&M Aggies will yell this as an expression of approval or excitement ;)

Hough Elder

Squire Testver and Hungarian District (group of missionaries going to the same mission) selfie.

The Hungarian District (in other words, Jake and six sister missionaries :)

Group photo with the zone (a group of several different districts at the Missionary Training Center)

 Squire Testver--He's so fun!

 Elders Delpontone and Hough

 Elders in the zone all before the ASL missionaries left

Elder Jake Hough, 8.1.18--week 1

Hello Everyone!

This is Jenn writing. I just wanted to share a few things as we begin this journey with Jake. First of all, thank you for coming along! It means a great deal to Jake and his parents. If you were accidentally added or if at any time you don't wish to receive these emails, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. 

Any comments or explanations I make will be in red. If you have any questions about anything, again, let me know! 

Below is Jake's contact information:

Email: jacob.hough@myldsmail.net

Mailing address (until September 25, 2018):

Elder Jacob Allan Hough

SEP 25 HUN-BUD

2005 North 900 East Unit #173

Provo, Utah 84602

Mailing address (after September 25, 2018):

Elder Jacob Allan Hough

Hajnoczy Jozsef utca 14

1122 Budapest

Hungary

Over these next two years, I know it would mean a lot for him to hear encouraging words from you and if what he has shared has touched you or taught you in any way. If you do email or write him, I'm sure he will write you back when he has a chance, but with only one day a week to dedicate a little bit of time to letter writing, it might be a while before he can respond. Thanks for your patience there!

Also, this will be the LONGEST email, so no need to panic. :)

If you'll indulge me, I just wanted to share a special experience from the day Jake reported to the Missionary Training Center. Jake flew out of the small College Station airport last Wednesday. He had a connection in Dallas and then flew to Salt Lake City, Utah, where my parents (Allan and Cindy Lee) were waiting to pick him up. They took him out for a quick bite to eat and then they went straight to Provo for his report time of 12:45pm.

The Sunday before Jake left, our friend, Kendall, told us that his sister, Annette, is a greeter at the MTC. He asked us what Jake's report time was and said he'd pass it on to his sister, on the off chance they cross paths.

This was the experience related to me by Kendall's wife, Jennifer, who was visiting family in Utah when she called me Wednesday night. Jennifer told me she had just come from Annette's house and as she shared the experience with Jennifer, Annette couldn't do it without getting a little emotional. 

There were 404 missionaries who reported to the MTC that day. There is someone assigned for each one and the greeters don't get to choose who they greet. Jennifer's sister-in-law only knew that "Jake Hough from Texas, who was going to Hungary" was arriving at 12:45. (Note: the MTC greeted over 400 missionaries on that day from 12:30-1:30pm. The incoming missionaries were assigned to one of four groups and arrived in 15 minute increments. You do the math!! That's efficiency at its finest!!) Well 12:45 came and went. No sign of him. 12:50 came and went. A couple more minutes passed and then a car pulled up on Annette's side (there were two lines for vehicles to be in). Annette asked if this was a Sister or Elder arriving. My dad (Grandpa Lee) said it was an Elder. Annette then asked what mission and when she heard Hungary Budapest, she stopped and asked, "Jake Hough?" (First of all, Hough is not a last name easily pronounced. So we're always impressed when people get it the first time. But the fact that this woman knew his whole name and was waiting for him made my dad choke up with tears). Jake was thrilled to meet his friend's aunt and squeezed her hand for a long time. Annette said he looked great, that he's so excited, and that he's going to do a great work! She continued to tell Jennifer that they see SO many missionaries come and go from all walks of life, but said you can just tell that Jake is pure to the core. So clean and pure. 

We were so touched by this assessment of Jake from someone who spent maybe a minute with him before sending him on his way which, by the way, we've heard that it's down to 9 minutes from curb/drop off to classroom!!!

I hope Jake recognized the magnitude of that special greeting the moment he arrived at the MTC--orchestrated by his loving Heavenly Father who always knows the exact place Jake is and what he needs (it's the same for all of us). And I hope it carried him through the coming days because Jake got totally hit with the unexpected!! After receiving his email this afternoon, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Maybe a little of both!! 

Without further ado....

Sziastok y'all!

Wow. It has been so, darn CRAZY this last week. Tons has happened and there are a ton of changes that I've had out of the gate that I was not expecting at all, so I'll try to go through a lot of it. It started at the Dallas airport, because I got there and saw an elder with his nametag going home to ogden. I found out he's Elder Corrigan. He was in Brazil but had serious health problems. Sad, but he went out and served. Then another elder showed up later by the name of Cook, and I froze. We had worked in the Houston Temple together before we left, and we were leaving for the MTC the same day!! that was awesome, we got to sit next to each other on the plane to Salt Lake and we've been friends ever since, and we still bump into each other often so that is awesome. Also I saw Elder Manley (Jake's friend from College Station!) yesterday! Which is the day before he left, that was fun to see someone from home. He's doing great. Left this morning I think. 

So when I first got here and was shown to get into the "military line" of papers and name tags and all that fun stuff (my tag looks sweet by the way I'll attach a picture) I got my companion assignment. Whooh yeah Elder Coles who I met through the Pre MTC!*....eh no. It wasn't him. He is delayed from the MTC until OCTOBER which means I have no companion for the 9 weeks I am in attendance at the MTC. (Missionaries exist in companionships--sometimes trios in short-term extenuating circumstances. They are always in pairs and always together!) So yeah, wasn't expecting that to happen! I have a special and very rare situation of being a "Solo Missionary", meaning my rules are you just can't be alone or with a single female, there has to be two. Well, that's not too bad. Except the Hungarian district is me and 6 other sisters (Noverek). So I am alone with sisters for about 8 of the 16 hours a day for 9 weeks...OI! I was feeling a little uncomfortable by this point, and then to top it off I teach with two sisters, and my roommates are all German-speaking, which means two things. 1) I am the only Hungarian Elder of the 2200 missionaries in the MTC, and 2) I have no one to practice the language with outside of classes. 

The Sisters are AMAZING, I love em they are so fun to be around and to learn with. And the German Elders are amazing too. They are really loud sometimes but they are fun! Ha! I just was not expecting to be in the position I am in is all. The first few days were weird getting used to the 16 hours a day working and the eating schedule and keeping track of notes and it's a whole new way of living that frankly I took a few days to adjust and didn't know if I was adequate and those things. I was having heavy self esteem and confidence issues in my abilities--it was rough. But I read from Ether 12 verse 27 and that scripture came ALIVE for me. It took on a whole new meaning. I'm ok now, through fervent prayer!

the language of Hungarian is beautiful, but very difficult. I love it so much. It'll take me a bit to get it down and even by the end of the nine weeks it'll be rough going into the country. I am always tired by the end of the day and I just pass out, it's a new tired I never expected. But the Lord sanctifies our efforts. I know that to be true. Hope ya'll are all ok and well, I love ya'll and talk to ya next week!

Sziastok!

Hough Elder

*Two months ago, we learned that Jake was part of a new Pre-MTC program (along with his fellow Hungarian missionaries) that the church is piloting. One of the his instructors from the MTC contacted him to let him know they would be working, one-on-one, for about an hour or so each week. Topics during their video meetings would include, among other things, his language training and making personal goals before he even arrives at the MTC. It's a very impressive program and because of it Jake was able to bear his testimony in Hungarian during his farewell talk the Sunday before he left.

Meeting elders in the Dallas airport.

A quick pic with Elder Manley before he left the MTC. 

The sweet name tag! 

The Hungarian speaking district. Which one of these is not like the others?

[Below is the letter Jake wrote to the family. I asked him if I could include it and he said yes.]

Hello fellow movie quotians! 

I have been restraining the quotes all week and it bugs me, but no one gets them, and if you didn't hear, I have no companion. Yep you heard right! I am officially "in downtown coolsville, population: me" (quote from Iron Giant ;). I am the only Hungarian elder cause my comp got delayed for whatever reason, which is so sad I wanted to meet him, and also sad because I am officially alone among so many. Which means I am district leader by Default! I have sister companions for teaching which actually is not bad, they have really good insights. We've taught 3 lessons to a person who wants to hear the gospel and for the most part, we've done great! Except we don't speak in fluent yet (our 10 year old, Calvin, commented that before long Jake isn't going to remember how to communicate in English :) and we can't understand what she says to us when she asks a question. :) You really have to learn to rely on the spirit to teach, they (the MTC instructors) have been emphasizing that a TON. "Don't get in the way of the spirit. Let there be silence for the spirit. Teach true, pure and simple truths so the spirit can teach." It's an interesting change to teaching for sure. 

I want y'all to know I was so grateful for the package (we mailed one off Tuesday last week while Jake was in the car, actually :) with personal letters and a small album with family pictures and encouraging church quotes. It arrived Thursday on his first full day). I was not feeling good about myself and when I got that package with y'alls letters I felt much better, it was noticeably different for sure. if you are ever having a hard time with ANYTHING, get on your knees, stop letting pride or discomfort get in the way of accessing the Atonement of Jesus Christ for strength beyond your capacity. That is how I got past my trial of fitting in and adjusting at the MTC. 

I haven’t fully adjusted but I’m more adjusted than the first four days which really made me doubt myself cause it was SOOOOO much thrown at me at once it was ridiculous. I realize I’m alone, I’m with sisters and the next day I get the assignment of district leader so woooooh! I was sinking fast, trying to bail out the water but to no avail. It was on the 3rd day that I realized I needed to repent for my lack of faith in Christ and his enabling atonement and to start using it in my everyday life. Every night now I have an accounting with God about what I did good and what I needed to repent for and be better for, and I pray every morning through the atonement for strength beyond my own, and the talk I heard that changed my life forever and still does is Elder Bednars “character of Christ.” try finding it and watching it for family home evening or on Sunday, it’s powerful. It really has changed my life. 

It's still different but I am doing much better because of prayer and pleading every night for strength beyond my own and you can have that, too. The pictures you sent are great, I was laughing hard at some of those! Haha! I want y'all to know I love you and that even though I do miss y'all, it's not debilitating for me. I can focus on the work while still missing which is a blessing in disguise for sure.

Love you all! God lives and his Son Jesus Christ governs his church through the prophet today Russell M Nelson. I know this to be true. 

til next week! Sziastok!

Hough Elder

With Grandma Lee who leaves on her 6th mission with Grandpa on Dec. 10th--this time to Iceland!

Jake's closet at the MTC which Jared reports has not changed in the 25 years since he was there. :) 

This is what it means to be a "solo missionary."

https://www.lds.org/new-era/2017/10/a-christlike-character?lang=eng

The talk by Elder Bednar (one of the Twelve Apostles) he was referring to.