Elder Jake Hough, 11.26.18--week 18

SZIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAA AGGGGIEEEEESSSSS!!! 

WHOOOOOOOP to the 7 OT (overtimes) SEC History game (A&M) against LSU at home, that sounds so legendary and Im so happy that that was a success! LETS GO BABY!

We are cruising herr in Tatabánya, and we have a potential for 3 baptismal dates and are always finding new investigators daily, yesterday we literally found 2 in under 1 hour who were sincere and the conversations werent 3 minutes, it was amaying to see the lord putoting those people in our paths.

Funny story from this week, we had a group of smoking and drinkng teenagers coming by us on the street by Sarberki Lakotelep, and I out of no where go "SZIA SRÁCOK! A barataim es en..." and they all just STOPPED. I literally said hello my dudes! and proceeded to go into our talk with them haha! One of them was pricked in his heart and it was really obvious to see compared to his other friends, and we set up with him and plan to teach him later, so that was really cool! I love this work and the opposition I see everyday, because I know in those moments that "I have been seen worthy to suffer in the name of the Lord" (Acts 5:41). I Love yall, keep up the work!

Hough Elder

(To the parents)

Youll love this story. So we needed to be in Pest (Budapest is actually two different cities Buda and Pest similar to Bryan College Station J) for Peery elders (dental) appointment and we found out my bike didnt work, and the only train that would get us there in time left in 8 minutes from that moment my bike wouldnt work, and it was 1.3 miles away. Well we try fixing it, and then Peery is like were done, and I say to him "let me run." They (his two companions) had two bikes so I said let me run and he looks at me for a second like no, and says no and I say give me a chance, and then he says RUN and I take off down the street in proselyting cloths and a Huge fur coat with dress shoes on in The mine city in Hungary, and I cruised apparently cause I got there in time to buy tickets and hold the train for Peery elder to put the bikes and lock them up, and so that mile had to have been somewhere around sub five, cause I couldnt breathe for 25 minutes afterwards, but we MADE it and all of a sudden in the bathroom trying not to die i thought "IM THE FLASH" and just laughed and kept coughing. It was pretty legendary to watch according to Peery Elder on the bike that I kept pace with. He said it was the craziest thing hed see, and I was just like I want to run and we need to make this train and we did. SO that was fun haha!

Im excited for the christmas call too! Believe it or not I have NOT opened the package you gave me (back in September before he left the MTC because we knew we wouldn't be able to send him anything) but that is a miracle in and of its self because I am DYING to know what it is. The only bump with the call is that we have to be at a members house, and if I  move cities across country, I would be in a city I dont know and then it would be really hard to do it, but it would still happen because president would still give me the time for sure. But yeah, The next transfer is honestly a wild card. Well see! Im also putting together a gift for yall as well on christmas, so youll just have to wait as well! 

So I got a call friday night from the branch president and he gave me the assignemtn to talk in church for 10-15 minutes in Sacrament metting in HUNGARIAN, with 24 hours to choose a conference talk and write out my thoughts in english and then translate into Hungarian....hoooo ha it was not easy. if there is anything I am weakest in, it is public speaking like talks. I hate them. Not because of what it is, but because I never get more comfortable with it, it is always the same reaction. I was nervous and shook as usual on the stand and spoke too fast, but I did it, and the branch loved it, and I actually spoke on talking on christs name too haha! (I just gave a talk on that topic two weeks ago) The branch president when I asked what I could do to improve in the language said "I could give you a 20 minute talk" the savage haha i love him hes hilarious!

Also, we had a 5 hour freeying cold rain tracting and streeting GRIND two days ago and its gonna be like that for a while because it is dark at 5 and we are out until 8-9, and its so fun to suffer for the Lord and walk around looking for those ready. Its a fun feeling, and so is hitting the brick bed I sllep on at nights haha im just so tired.

Other than that we are doing awesome, I appreciate why you spend so much time planning meals now and the work is moving forward, its so great. This is the best life right now just serving God. No worries except about how to bring others unto christ and that is all I want right now!

Elder Jake Hough, 11.19.18--week 17

SZIAAAAAAAA AGGGGIEEEEESSSSS!!  

No time this week, but the tripanionship is dope, Baer Elder is from Houston, and it is snowing in Tatbánya in November....I am a little scared about that hahaa! I know this church is true and that God lives and that Russell M Nelson is a prophet of God! Pray to know this for yourself as well! Love yall!

Hough Elder  

 

(to the parents)

Robi, now is good haha! He wasnt responding to our texts and calls at ALL for a solid week which scared the HECK out of us, so when our other progressing investigator dropped through on the lesson we had planned to look Robi up at his house and talk to him, and set up a Bap(tism) plan for him to be baptized on the eset (?) day. In Hungary, not planned look up success is in the 30s (%), but we found him, he was ho9me, we talked to him, he is super busy works nightss, and afternoons, and also sleeps when church is, but we promised him belssings if he came, so he came!! Were meeting THIS WEEK to teach the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity, we are praying so hard this isnt a huge akadaj for him. Thanks for your prayers, I cant ask for them, but you can do them of your own free will and choice!   

It snowed today on our way to the branch house and mall, and I got a haircut FINALLY. It was SO long at just 3 months, it was a successful haircut I say. In HUNGARIAN! I was a little scared though ahaha! I still feel new because I am haha! One thing some wise missionary told me was "act like you know what you are doing, and eventually you will know exactly what you are doing. And others will think that too". 

This is so fun haha! But its about to get REAL cold up in here in a month or two.

I was at the Dallas airport on Thursday morning when I got a text from Shane Hinckley--a friend from our previous College Station ward. Attached was a picture of Jake and a new Elder I haven't seen before. Shane said that his brother and sister-in-law just arrived in Budapest on their new service mission and sent the picture of Jake sitting down to share with me. It was such a fun, unexpected surprise!  And then, just a couple hours after that, I received a picture of Jake standing in his coat with the same elder from an unknown number. I told the sender thank you very much--whoever they were! It was Sister Hinckley (in the Budapest mission office). Jake told us in his email yesterday that Sister Hinckley and Sister Hettinger (mission president's wife) are sisters!!! :) 

(Love his coat!!)

(Jake's looking a little too relaxed here if you ask me! Haha! ;)

Elder Jake Hough, 11.13.18--week 16

OK. here comes the week. And its a lot. For starters, the day I emailed yall (last week), we got a call late which is not normal for us from a member, Lala, awesome guy. He told us that someone in TBánya posted on facebook that there are 2 white american kids walking around the city trying to force their way into apartments and homes at 8 pm (For the record, 8 pm is like super late for hungarians, they never come to doors after that but we are asked to preach unitl 9, so we go forth anyway!), and that they are aggressive and dangerous and are not good people. That was not good to hear at first, because then people wouldnt listen to us before we actually talked. But after we went back out the next day adn hit a door of a man who said he had SEEN the post and slammed the door in our faces, I laughed. I laughed out loud and Peery Elder was like you ok and I was like "yeah, jsut thanking Satan for his stupidity!" He said I dont get it. I then explained that Satan is scared of what we are doing in Tatabánya and that he doesnt want us to continue to work hard, but by doing so he actually made the work more efficient and faster and effective because now those that wouldnt have accepted the gospel wont waste our time trying to bible bash and we will really find those that are being prepared to receive the gospel in this life. That was really funny but true, and so yeah. That really helped instead of hurt. 

A cool thing was when our investigator Robi heard about the facebook thing or saw it in our lesson with him, he looked at us and said "Így tovább", the dopest thing ever. Continue like this. Push through basically. If our investigator has that faith with only three lessons, we should have the same faith as well. So cool to hear that from him. 

Alright, so Transfer calls. This was crazyság. We got a call from the zone leaders tuesday night saying that one of them was going to Budapest to become AP (assistant to the president of the mission), and the other is dying (nearing the end of his mission and going home) in a few days, so we literally us three were going to man Győr and Tatbánya (an hour train ride each way) for 6 days bouncing back and forth between cities to teach investigators and work and that required packing and travel and crazy logistics. Weve been doing that and its been crazy but fun for sure. tripanionships are trickier in the field than in the MTC I learned this week haha! But yeah, Huber elder dies tomorrow, and we were hoping peery or I did not get transferred this time because that would mean we go to Tatabánya today, pack as fast as possible, then leave tomorrow. Luckily, that did not happen, so we are together the 12 weeks, but I had the worst feeling I was leaving which thankfully didnt happen, but something did happen that was crazy and that no one expected: Peery, Me, and another elder are gonna be a TRIPANIONSHIP for the next transfer! THat was crazy. Baer Elder, whose grandma I served with in the Houston texas temple (!!!). But yeah, that is gonna be awesome we meet up tomorrow, but that also presents some problems. The first being our tiny fridge is NOT big enough for three, barely big enough for 2 as it is, and we have the smallest apartment ever haha! Itll be an adventurous 5 weeks though for sure! Funny how the Lord definitely has a sense of humor because I was in a tri(panionship) for the MTC, one transfer free, and now Im BACK IN IT WOOH! 

Love yall!! This church is TRUE!! No way it isn't!!

Hough Elder

 Visiting some "dope castles" in Gyor. 

The Gang (Hungarian district from the MTC) is back together for a moment at Stake Conference!! Except they're missing one sister! :(

Elder Jake Hough, 11.5.18--week 15

Hellllloooooo Aggieeeeessss!

No time today, but a quick story. Its about russian girls and moosyuitos. We went to a city called orosylany (russian girl) To look up an investigator. Well we get there, she isnt there, and we find out later at the train station the train we paid for didnt exist, and there were NO MORE TRAINS GOING HOME and it was 830 at night super cold, no taxis in sight, and this smooching teenager couple comes up with the same problems, they say follow us to the bus stop, then we follow them, and then we ruin into this dudes homie names Mosyuito and he says the last bus is in 2 minutes and we get there right as the LAST bus pulls up for the night. It couldve been bad, but those things allfit perfectly toghether to get us home. The lord was watching out for us and that realyization makes me so grateful for him watching out for us haha! We wouldve froyen to death walking home seriously it couldve been bad. But there were so many miracles this week, the Lord is in the Details! Look to him, and ask for help in all things and he will provide! Love yall!

Hough Edler

(To the parents)

Pday was awesome we visited the barlong (cave), the turul statue (Mythical hungarian bird) and the kilátás (the look out). That thing was sketch and super high up and the wind was making it sway it was so dope haha you (dad) wouldnt have done it though jsut saying it was a bit scary but safe none the less,. And we could see all of Tataábánya from that mountain it was so cool to look out on our city like that. Also, we found a bowling place that we may tryí out next pday, today is too packed but next pday for sure.

We met with our investigator Robi for a second lesson, and he prayed vocally for the first time, it was amaying to hear and the spirit was so strong because we knew that Heavenly Father was listening. It was amaying. He is progressing so well its unreal. We fasted for him (as did the Hough family yesterday) and a couple other investigators to be in church or have a rendkivül (out of the ordinary) exoereience. And every single prayer and person received those thi8ngs. Robi and 4 OTHER INVESTGATORS were in church, the branch was flipping out and are getting their stuff together and realiying we are serious missionaries and are trying to help them and they are starting to do their stuff an it is literally on fire right now we are seeing miracles every day. Its amaying really. To be able to participate and be the means by which miracles come to pass. Its so humbling and rewarding. I definitely felt a peice of the joy ammon felt in Alma 26 yersteday. 

I am also seeing strides in myself to be more humble in choice and decision making and I am really trying to find the middle ground between being an outgoing person like I am and talking to people, and talking les as in talking with a purpose and not yapping my trap. But its a process, and the first thing is always being put to the test because Peery and I want to do it right, but sometiómes our opinions dont line up as expected and I am really trying to be hunmble in those situations. Its going good. 

Also I learned my first hungarian dish that will put you to sleep its sooooo goood. Its called Rakokrumpli, "Stacked potatoes." Its heaven dad. Its so good. 

Thats awesome about (CSHS) Cross Country (they took 11th place at State)! I finally learned how to say that in Hungarian: Rövidtáv futás (Short distance runing as compared to marathons).