Elder Jake Hough, 1.7.19--week 24

"Joint Bouncing Hungary edition, angels and trumpets"

SZIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAGGGGGGGGGIEEEEESSSSSS!

Finally, I have found time to email yall, and it is not easy. This mission is literally a game of how do I want to use how little time I have?? And guess what the catch is: You never win!! Mwahahaha! but seriously, it is super hard to mamage your time on this mission. Best time to get better os the present!

Hope yalls new years was dope! We had big fireworks, and when we went tracting the next day (probalby not the best use of time) and in one ten story we ran into 6 9/10 naked men hung over, and no one was interested, but we did it!

It also poured snow on us  3 days ago, and it has frozen over into ice, so its a hazard to even walk on the streets haha! But weve only had one wipe out in our companionship, today, so that is good statistics!!

Funny story, we got lost in the gheto part of our town looking up a former investigator at night (Pretty sketchy it was) and we find a guy on the street, so we go up to him, talk to him, and find out he is drunk, and we say we are looking for this street, and he is like, I dont have good phone, I ask friend. So he goes into the bar to get a friend he comes out and we teach them a bit as we talk as they look for the street which was in a TOTALLY DIFERENT subdivision (crud) and then to dude invites us into the bar...I say we only believe in water we dont drink and he takes us in, and buys us two waters and gives them to us (bottled of course). Beck Elder was needing some water before that interaction. So we got water in a bar in Tatbánya, and then walked out, realizing the lord is providing our sustanance in this great work. Super weird feeling being in a bar but it was really really cool experience, and the first drunk guy became and investigator!

One cool experience I had was on exchanges with the zone leaders, and we were focusing on geting to the restoration on the street with people we meet in under 1 minute and to talk about it with everyone we meet, because to some degree people know the gospel of jesus christ, the plan of salvation, the commandments, but the RESTORATION is the one lesson and one part of our church that REALLY separates us from others. So I stopped this couple on the street, young couple, and I gave a question what makes you happy, or what is the most important thing in your life, and they both said happiness. So I was like wow thats awesome, we also love happiness and strive to have it in our lives constantly, and its important to god that we have happiness because he loves us. In fact, there was a boy named joseph smith that was searching for happiness...and I tied it into the first vision, and asked if they wanted to hear more about our church and about what this means fro them and both were like heck yeah were down. So we got 2 NEW INVESTIGATORS from it! Super awesome, that number is HUGE for Hungary. All because I focused on the things we are supposed to work on as missionaries. Super cool. Also, I have learned how weird it would be to be an english speaking missionary, because we had a guy that we talked to that started speaking english and he knew enough to speak with us, and I realized in that meeting how simply I say things in english, that I would probably never say that wa in english it is so simple, but that I am translating from Hungarian to english...super weird thought, I am only a hungarian missionary! No English! "No Capes!" (a reference from "The Incredibles").

In other news, our golden investigator is getting baptized on the 19th!! He passed his interview, still has some trials he is working through, but he is FIRM in his faith in Jesus Christ and it is really exciting that we will be having that in a couple weeks! Itll be a good boost for the branch as well! 

A final thought for yall as I finish this week, is that I would highly HIGHLY encourage yall to study the last general conference. If we wnat to talk about historical conferences, this was it. Not just because of the church change, but because there are so many vital and crucial talks in that session, that its hard to not get excited for the second coming. Read them and ponder over what it is that we need to do to stay in the boat as the storms get stronger and the waves get bigger! I know this church is true, despite my troubles and trials (he is struggling healthwise--please pray for him!), I know in whom I have trusted, and will gladly proclaim His name to the ends of the earth. I love yall, hope yall have a wonderful week, and I will really try to get another email out next week! 

Sziasztok!

Hough Elder

Dopest family in the entire country at their house for new years (and a surprise birthday party :)

(to the parents)

the problem I face now is physically I am shutting dow. I am sleeping 8 hours a day, excercising, etc, but it just is more and more a drag to get energy in the beginnning of the day, and last night I was in the middle of VERBALLY praying to Heavenly Father and I fell asleep from 9:30 to 10:20 when beck elder climbed in bed, but that also meant I didnt call the zone leaders to check and see if they were safe when I was suposed to do that, so that means that this is now affecting the calling I have and it is really hard to figure out. I dont know. I want to sleep earlier but I cant, because of the district leader responsibilities and journal and dishes after diner and huuuuuuuuuuh......its really REALLY hard AGH haha! Im still having fun but this isnt good. My health is not where it needs to be.

Im hydrating as much as I can, 2 liters is the goal every day, but it was so bad that on thursday I was with the area mental health advisor for europe (I'm so grateful he used this resource) on the phone talking about why and what and how to fix it. He was impressed with my 45 bpm heart rate and rightfully guessed I was a cross runner, but this whole sitch is a lot of things piling. First, I have 70% less sunlight here than in texas, and it is affecting me. Winter depression we could say. Not DEPRESSION, but symptoms. 2, I am a runner, and lots and lots of missionaries that a runners or swimmers that come on missions and dont run or swim also struggle with anxiety or depression. Thats also not helping. And on top of this I am not sleeping well, and not eating the best because of the cruddy fridge we have haha!! SOOOOOOOOOOO, yeah. Other than those I am good!! I "feel like a dog chasing a car, once I catch it I wont know what to do with myself", in relation to figuring out what to do. Im waking up at night, just getting up exhausted. So thats everything that I can think of, but this is still an even bigger testimony of the fact I am being sustained by the Lord, because I wouldnt be able to do this without his help. NO WAY. 

There was only 9 yesterday in church for fast and testimony meeting, and we may lose 2 to inactivitiy and family situation. We are trying hard to keep it together, but its tough. Toughest area, numbers wise, toughest area mission wise in eastern europe. (!!!) Read a scripture in Jeremiah 16:14-16 that proves that. WE are not harvesting here in hungary. We are hunting and fishing, getting people from out of rocks and caves. There is comfort in that fact that I was called to do that.