update on Elder Jake Hough, 9.25.18--week 9

"I'm so excited to be leaving. It is what Heavenly Father needs me doing right now and I have had a personal witness of that fact, so do not worry about me! I am in the Lord's hands, the safest in the universe!" ~Hough Elder

Jake left the Missionary Training Center in Utah, yesterday morning. Somehow, as is his special luck, he was pulled aside and had to go through an intense security check--at the Salt Lake City airport of all places. As if they've never seen a clean cut young man in a suit and tie before. ?? They patted down his tie among other things and went through his carry-on bag--all 35 pounds of it. (He got "pegged" in the College Station Airport, also, when he was flying to Utah. They had to pat him down all over and they unpacked his entire carry on and then, once they deemed it okay, they made HIM put it all back in, causing Jake to be one of the last passengers to board and a little bit frazzled. Poor guy.)  Maybe the security check yesterday wouldn't have been such a big deal, except he lost about 30 minutes of time to call home because of it. But by some miracle, there was a delay in their flight to Amsterdam and we got about that much time back to talk to each other before he left.

When Jake first called, I told him call Cooper at school. Coop had mentioned to his 4th, 5th and 6th period teachers that his brother, who he hadn't talked to in 2 months, was getting ready to fly to Hungary for two years and was able to call briefly before he left. They were all pretty understanding about that. Wouldn't you know that Jake called at the end of Cooper's German class in 6th period, taught by a wonderful teacher who attends the College Station 3rd ward--the ward we used to live in. :) I was touched when he told me what she said. Cooper approached her before class saying that his brother might be calling before he leaves the country on his mission and before he could say another word, Frau Allen put up her hand and said, "Say no more. When the call comes in you just point to your phone and go right outside to take that call."

Because of the flight delay, Jake was able to talk to Jared at work and then again back at home with me. He actually caught JJ after school and I drove to the bus stop where Karcyn and Calvin would be dropped off so he could catch them, too. Jake was just minutes from boarding. It would be close! I couldn't believe the blessing of being able to connect Jake with his younger siblings. I certainly didn't anticipate that happening! Karcyn got off (while trying to manage and balance a big broken binder full of books and folders and her viola) and got into the car. But there was no Calvin. When I asked her where he was, she said she didn't know and didn't see him on the bus. Ahhh!! I gave the phone to her to talk to Jake as I drove her home while looking for Calvin at the previous bus stops.

As we got closer to the house, I finally had to say goodbye to Jake--he was steps away from the gangway and I had to find Calvin. Jake was SO bummed he couldn't talk to his little buddy. (Turns out when I pulled in the driveway with Karcyn, Calvin was calling. He thought I was substituting that day and was going to pick him up. Ohhhh. Darn it, darn it!! I had thought about working until I learned Jake was leaving that day and got out of it. Poor kid. So I drove to go pick him up feeling terrible about the misunderstanding and that he was the only family member who didn't get to talk to Jake--which he actually took in good stride.)

I wanted to share one thing that Jake mentioned in our call yesterday. I'm a little worried about him going to the mission field, fresh out of the MTC, ready to rock 'n roll and being with a companion who is tired, burned out and has lost their excitement and motivation, settling instead for being cynical. I don't want Jake to EVER become cynical and told him to please pray against those discouraging thoughts and to not let anyone make him feel that way. To that, Jake responded that he's already decided there are THREE things he's going to tell every companion he gets, regardless of where those other young men are on their mission journey. 

1) I'm so happy to be here and I'm going to work hard.

2) We're not talking bad about anyone, especially other missionaries.

3) I love you and can't wait to get to know you better as we preach the gospel together.

I just received these "Proof of Life" pictures from Sister Hettinger, wife of the mission president. 

And I wept tears of joy when I saw them! Jake and his "older big sisters" look fabulous!! I'm so grateful for their safe arrival and can't wait to hear how everything unfolds!

What a beautiful city! What a wonderful work!

This is it. This is what Jake's been planning his whole life for. And this has been my mission--to raise a missionary ready to hit the ground running in whatever field of labor the Lord needs him. 

Elder Jake Hough, 9.19.18--week 8

The End of The World...As Well As My Stay at The MTC

SZIAAAAAAAA AAGGGGGGGGGIEEEEEESSSS! 

Good luck to my Aggies as they take on Alabama on the road. And congratulations to BYU for winning ON THE ROAD against #6 in the nation Wisconsin, that is such a special occasion and I am happy for all those who enjoyed that success!

Well, this week literally blinked by, it was just last wednesday and now here I am, typing out my last email to y'all before I enter the mission field of Hungary....I am just in shock at how fast time flies and how many good friends you make in the MTC, leaving in 5 days is going to be way harder than I thought it would be. Every day this week is a last for me, I have already started packing.....its wild. But I did receive my flight plans! Got them late friday night, and I'm leaving monday at 10:15am and the flight from SLC to Amsterdam is 12 hours, and I get there at 9:15am, layover for about 3 hours, then another 3 hour flight to Hungary, get there about 1 pm their time, I am so excited! I just learned by experience that "Perfect love casteth out all  fear" and I am just so excited now and not scared to serve! I promise as a representative of Jesus Christ to y'all as you reach out to others in love and to serve them and to do as the Savior Jesus Christ would, you will find that the things that are scary to you, the things that are hard, the things that are weighing down your minds and hearts because of the troubling things that can transpire in life, all these things will be wiped away by the Savior's merciful Atonement that allows us to become better and more like Him. Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles said once that 

"STRENGTH FROM HIS GRACE GIVES US POWER TO BECOME"

I just love that. It is so true, through his grace and Atonement we are able to BECOME. Become better, become more loving, caring, patient, meek, humble, submissive, selfless, and ultimately more like He is. that is the mission statement of the MTC: "Become as He is". I know this to be true, and that as we study Christ's teachings and doctrines in the Book of Mormon and in the Bible, we will come to understand Him more and will inherently come closer to Him, and as I was saying earlier, all the worries and strifes of life will be wiped away as we come to love others and love the Savior. "Perfect love casteth out ALL FEAR." Not just a little, ALL. Such a powerful promise from our Loving Heavenly Father. 

Alright, so I know y'all read the title above and you are probably wondering why I said the end of the world. Well, as of the beginning of last week, a massive, MASSIVE fire was started in Payson Canyon. HUGE. Since then, it has been blowing 40-50 miles an hour consistently driving it further into populated areas and other parts of the mountains. Some of the Noverek (Hungarian sisters) have family in Salem and Elk Ridge and have pictures of the bright orange flames literally in their back yard as they are evacuating their house. It is a humbling picture. On day we were walking outside doing an SYL walk (Speak your language practice) we could see the red flames from the MTC twenty miles away from Payson Canyon. I'll attcah pictures but it is a humbling sight to see. It literally feels like Vesuvius went off and we are getting rained down on by ash. Because saturday we did. We were outside and even inside it smelled like SMOKE. It looked like smoke, and the rooms inside even smelled bad. and it was snowing ash from 20 miles away. and to make matters worse, the Payson Canyon fire AND a second fire converged to make a big one, which as of saturday was only 4% contained. Well everyone was praying and fasting that I knew of, and we get outside sunday and there is NO SMOKE. None, I was baffled. It was all gone. I then hear that saturday night was Miracle Sunday morning, becuase the trenches the Fire Fighters were digging to keep it back, even with 50 mph winds, the line held and it didn't move, and though the forecast showed no rain, a rainstorm came in onto the flames and helped make it smaller. Literally one of the coolest things to hear about and to know that Heavenly Father gives us these things, natural disasters, trials, so that we can see His hand in our lives and to be grateful for His love, and to just know He is there. It was a raw experience.

Also, Neil L Andersen came yesterday to talk to us about an odd subject, but he talked about the temple. And he said a lot of stuff that is not appropriate to share on a mass email due to the sacredness of it, but one promise he made to us missionaries is one I would like to convey to y'all, because it is a promise from an Apostle of The Lord Jesus Christ, and is from God to His children, he said "If you will go to the temple in a spirit of humility and a spirit of searching, and love for the temple, you will come to have a surety of the knowledge that there is indeed life after death, and that this is not the end, but a small part of the Plan of Salvation, God's Plan of Happiness to His children. It will not all come at once, but as you are patient with yourself and willing to learn, you WILL come to know this to be true." What a promise! I loved that. And he made the point that you cannot compare you physical or temporal learning and progression to your spiritual progression. They are intertwined and important yes but everyone learns temporally and spiritually very differently. Patience with ourselves and with God when learning of things that are spiritual which are Eternal, is one of the greatest attributes to have, and I would invite y'all to work on being patient with yourself and God as you go through you life, to really just trust in Him, and His timing. Another Andersen quote, "You don't know everything, but you know ENOUGH." I know this to be true.

If there is one thing I could end with, that has been impressed upon my mind to share with y'all that has really helped me through the MTC, that has really helped me to have a change of heart and a coming closer to Christ in my time here, is this: God, our Eternal Father, the most magnificent Being in the universe, love each of us individually. He could be doing anything he wants to, yet, He loves us on an individual level because we are His spirit children, so much so that He gave us the opportunity to come to Earth, to receive a body. to gain experience and to really feel snippets and pieces of what it is like to be Him. He gave us families, which enables us to have and to experience the joy of bringing spirits to this world, and to be a parents as He is, and He knew that in all this joy and happiness that we experience because of life, there would be harder times. We would have doubts. Fears. worries. Insecurities. Physical Ailments. Afflictions. Temptations. But Heavenly Father loves you, and me, and the people of Hungary and the World so much, that He sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to Atone for the fears, worries, insecurities, physical ailments, afflictions, and temptations of all who have lived, live now, and will yet live on this Earth. He took upon Him all that so that we could turn to Him, and ask Him for strength, comfort, peace, guidance, and forgiveness through that infinite Atonement. And because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I am able to make mistakes, and to feel down, and to experience these things, so that I may be able to know the joy and peace that comes from Christ. And you are too. Heavenly Father also loves us so much that he gave us a record of His children in Ancient America, that holds the fulness of His Gospel or teachings that will enable us to return to live in His indescribably magnificent presence as we live by His gospel. The Book of Mormon, the record I mentioned previous, is true, and it has POWER in it. the stories and experiences of those people and prophets of old are for ME AND YOU to come closer to Christ. without that book, I would be lost on the waves of the world, with no sense of direction and purpose. But becuase of it, I have a compass in my life to tell me which way to sail safely the seas of life. I know this to be true. I implore each of you who reads this, and promise you, that if you read this book-whether for the first time or the 25th time-if you read it with an intent and a desire to come closer to Christ and to know what you must do to return to our Heavenly Father's presence And if you pray on your knees, and ask, plead with Heavenly Father if what you read was true, and I promise when you do, you will feel the love of God stronger than ever testify to you that what you read was true. The joy I have from this Gospel is real, I cannot deny it, I would die rather than deny what I know to be true. I am humbled and boggled that my Father in Heaven trusts ME, a 18 year old boy, still unsure of many things, to teach this beautiful message of Eternal Happiness and Salvation to His Hungarian children. I am honored and sunk to my knees every night in gratitude for this opportunity. I love y'all, I love the Hungarians, and I love my God. I cannot imagine what Hungary will be like, but I know they need this message. And only I can take it to them in my broken Hungarian. May God be y support over these next months. I turn to what the prophet Nephi says at the end of his message to his people in the Book of Mormon: "The Lord has commanded me, and I must obey."

isten áldja meg a magyarokat és mindannyian! Jézus Krisztus evangéliuma igaz! Ő él! 

Sok sok szeretettel!

Hough Elder 

District Selfie with Sharp Nover (their third teacher--she led the missionaries through the pre-MTC program/experience as well before they even arrived in Provo.)

 Hosting the new missionaries coming to the MTC last Wednesday.

Yay for middle school orchestra fundraisers!! Jake said the chocolate bars I sent the district were "Well received!!" :)

 Studying the Book of Mormon in Hungarian "Other Side of Heaven" style.

Elder Soltis--English speaking elder, but native HUNGARIAN from Vesprem! He is awesome!

As I was getting this post ready to send out, I received this picture below in my email. It wasn't from Jake, but from friends of our family--taken today. The guy in the middle in the red shirt was JARED'S MTC companion, Shane Johnson, 25 years ago. He and his wife, Brandi, were dropping off their son and first missionary, Trey, for his report day. I don't know where they were or what they were doing, but Trey said,  "Mom, look. I think that's Jake." (I'm impressed Trey would recognize Jake--the kids don't know each other that well.) So Brandi called out, "Is that Elder Hough?" When Jake saw them, he ran over and gave them all hugs. Brandi said it was such a tender mercy for them as they were saying their goodbyes to Trey. It was a tender mercy for me, too. So glad another dad and mom could give Jake a hug when I couldn't! 

Elder Jake Hough, 9.12.18--week 7

SZIAAAAAA AGGGGGGIEEESSSS! and of course, ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE A COUGAR!! LETS GO! Before I start the email I wnat to give a shout out to the CSHS (College Station High School) Cross Country team, who has dominated their last two meets from what I hear and are well on their way to exceeding their expectations for state, their last meet at the Hewitt Kiwanis Invitational was a sweep, I'll let the numbers speak for themselves:

1- CSHS 28 pts 
2- Killeen Ellison 81 pts 
3- Austin Westlake 105 pts
4- Belton 109 pts
5- Corsicana 109 pts

CSHS top finishers 
Benn- 15:52.4
McGinnis- 16:00.9
Sid- 16:15.4
Reichmann- 16:42.9
Lindahl- 16:58.1
Hazelwood- 17:21.1

All finished in the top 20 

Guys, I want y'all to know I am BEYOND stoked and excited for y'all. That is getting into Lovejoy territory more than it ever has, so keep up the work. I wish I was there to watch, but I know that y'all will do great and I am so proud of y'all and happy for the success y'all are having! Enjoy it Seniors its gone before you know it!

Alright. This week, as most, was just mind blowing! i have never seen Heavenly Fathers love for me individually, and for the Sister Missionaries in my district more than I have this week. It was a rough week. It really was. But the experiences we have had because of it and the emotions that have been shared and the charity that has been felt between everyone has brought us closer as a family than anything else could, and that is what the Gospel is about. Bringing everyone closer together as we come closer to Christ. Because as You and I come closer to Christ, we come closer to each other because we are going in the same direction. We had a few sisters this week have a hard go, and it was a ROUGH week, I didn't know the 3rd week till you leave is the hardest but it is. Anyway, we were in class and some of the sisters expressed that they were having a hard time feeling of God's Love in their lives, because of how hard the mission life is, and that prayers theyve had haven't been answered and we sat in a circle and read scriptures with each other. I shared my keystone scripture Alma 38:5 (And now my son Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as ye shall put your trust in God, you shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day) with them and told the story behind that scripture which was when I collapsed at Region and was in the hospital, but I told them the whole emotion behind the story, and how I cam across the scripture in the hospital bed, and that I at one point when I couldn't think or breathe right after the incident that I thought I was going to die I was so scared, and then not knowing what was wrong was the hardest not answer to a question. But I told them that I had learned a hard lesson in trusting in God and His plan for me, and we just discussed scriptures like that and that spirit was so strong I teared up. I didn't cry because I don't bawl, but some tears of empathy and charity for my fellow sisters were shed, and it was a tender and very spiritual experience. I realized the possibility that I could be put on a different flight than the Sisters (being assigned) in two days which would mean I would have to say good bye at the MTC, and as I thought about it, I can honestly say that they are my sisters. Older Sisters I have never had until now. The road of that realationship and dynamic has been rough, mainly cause I work hard, and they do too but they are the most savage roasters on the planet (sorry dad you pale in comparison theyd destroy you) and I have had to learn to REALLY just go with the flow with them and to laugh at myself and to just recognize fun where it is and for what its worth, and because of that journey with these sisters and the fact I wont see them in Hungary because of mission rules, I will probably cry when I say bye, honestly. And I'm ok with that. If you asked me if I would've wanted a district full of sisters before my mission I would have said heck no. But I can say with the honesty of my heart that I would have it no other way. I wouldn't.

I got sick this week. Flu season is upon us. But I wasn't flu sick, just really bad headache, runny nose, drainage and ACHING EVERYWHERE it was not fun. It got to the point where I almost fell walking back to my room on saturday night and I asked my good friend Yasli Mitchell for a blessing of healing, yasli Johnson to anoint and all the yasli to bless. Mitchell had never done one, and he did awesome with it I was really proud of him. Well, that was right before I went to bed so we said prayers and then went to bed. I prayed again for the healing from that blessing. and then in the morening, after the cobwebs were shaken off I realized every single symptom I had the night before was GONE. Vanished. Drainage and cold doesn't normally go away by itself from my experience that fast. That was overnight. I know that the Melchezidek Priesthood that Yasli johnson, MacKay and Mitchell held worthily is what healed me from my ailment. And The whole floor is sick now, but I am fine, thankfully. What a testimony builder of the power of the Priesthood in our lives, and if any of you have worries, concerns, stresses, or sicknesses that are ailing you, go to those who hold the priesthood: Dads, brothers, ministering Brothers, and ask for that blessing, and I promise as Christ repeatedly says in the New Testament "According to thy faith", you will be healed, and if not immediately, don't worry! The Lord knows exactly what you need and when you need it. Persevere with patience and you shall not fail. I promise you that. (In another message, Jake said: There is an elder one floor below us who is quarantined because of the Roto Virus that has been going around Provo and American Fork. He is bedridden he is so sick cant even go home and apparently it is airborne hence such serious quarantine. Pray I don't get it before leaving!) 

A final thought before I finish this email, We had Robert C Gay of the Presidency of the 70 come last night to speak to us. Well, his wife spoke, then he gets up very quietly and says "well, in true missionary fashion, I ripped up my talk just two minutes ago, and would like to convey what the lord needs you to hear this night." I got chills when he said that and was like here we go. He spoke by the Holy Ghost, no notes, nothing but his scriptures and the Spirit, and he answered a question I have had for a week or two in the first 5 minutes of his address. But what I want to tell y'all and have y'all really think about this week are these two quotes that work hand in hand:

"You can live by COVENANT or by CONVENIENCE"---Robert C Gay

"If something we think, say, do, or see/watch alienates us from the Holy Spirit of Revelation and of God, then we SHOULD NOT DO IT. It is not for us."---Elder Bednar

I love y'all so much, next week I'll let y'all know where I fly out to and when and with who and it's so exciting! I love this gospel, and I love my Savior. He died for me, and this mission is literally the least of what I could do to try to repay that debt I owe to Him. Love those around you, and just smile, its the plan of happiness after all!

Sziasztok!

Hough Elder

Photo shoot Friday!

BEST DISTRICT selfie with FIEL NOVER (one of our instructors)!

"Trifle not with sacred things." Haha!

Look who I ran into at the MTC?! (Jared and Dallin Garlick's cousin!!) (Friends in our old ward)

Guess the drink 2.0. (I call it dragon juice:)

Hough Elder

Also funny story, I made Fox 13 as a missionary lol! I'll send you the link with me and the turkish on camera. It was so funny. "Riiiiiiiiiiighht THERE!" (a reference from "The Incredibles") is what you'll be saying haha! 

View news clip HERE.

Elder Jake Hough, 9.5.18--week 6

Itt a nagy email, remelem szeretetek neki! (Here is the big email, hope y'all like it!)

Szia AGGGGIELLLLAAAAND! Focsi ido van! (It's Football season!)

Hope all is well in the promised land of the south, football and otherwise, I heard that the Aggies took a win this last week which is awesome! though, it ALWAYS starts this way, so we'll have to wait and see how it goes with Jimbo haha!

This week was AMAZING! Everytime I start thinking the MTC is getting comfortable or monotonous in the daily routine Heavenly Father probably chuckles to himself and says, "monotonous you say? Well, have fun with this". He has a sense of humor no doubt, because of this story that happened this week that was the highlight of the week not for the trial it was but because of the outcome. So I have been carrying my 2 inch binder full of piano music around with me to play when the 5 minutes opportunity to tickle the ivories comes up and I can do that, but it doesn't fit in my scripture bag cause its a 2 inch binder, so I have to carry it, and it's heavy. Another missionary and I have come up with an engineering idea for piano music accesibilty and such to incorporate into pianos but I will keep that to myself for now so no one takes my million dollar idea haha. But one day, I think monday last week, I lost the binder. Straight up, I couldn't find it, I had jsut moved into my room with the Turkish Elders who ARE THE BEST oh my goodness I love them all so much and they are so amazing. But I checked my old room and then I literally looked on every square inch of the room I was then in, in bags, in drawers under beds-Mom, you would be tearing up with pride at how well I scanned these rooms, it was that thorough-and I couldn't find it....I was getting frantic at this point. Not outwardly, but internally. I then realized I should say a prayer and ask for help to know where to look, because Heavenly Father will not help us in our endeavors if we are not ENDEAVORING for them, we must be moving in some sort of direction or he cannot tell us which way to go. So I started looking in every MTC lost and found there was, which with the fact of no free time in the MTC was a feat, and quite a burden for those with me, but they all graciously helped me look basically everywhere I had been with it, and as wednesday came and went, so did friday, and nothing had been found, though the entire time I had been praying morning, night, and everyday. I was still happy and having fun of course, but the nagging urgency to find my binder of music that wasn't for me even I brought it for the Hungarians to be blessed by Gospel Arrangments, was creeping into the forefront of my mind more and more steadily. Finally, saturday morning afterour morning class, I still had not found it. I was really saddened and dissappointed, but at this point of it being almost a week of not finding it, I was in the computer lab on our floor that we frequent often to write emails, read emails, and practice language online. I was preparing for a lesson or something along those lines when one of the Noverek (Frandsen Nover) was by the desk in the lab, and says "Uh, Hough Elder, is your binder big and blue?" Confused I turned my head and said "why yes it is, why do you ask?" She responded with " Because it's right here." The binder had been in the most obvious spot of the entire MTC, but because of it's generic look and size everyone, even other teachers and missionaries had assumed it to be a teachers binder and had left it untouched until we came across it. I checked and it was indeed my binder full of music. 

At that moment, I knew in my heart and mind that Heavenly Father knows each of us on a personal level that can only be described as perfect. He is our literal father, and loves us with a capacity only infinity can understand, and that week he was testing me, trying to see if I would be faithful to him and trust in His will, and to have the faith. And now I can testify to y'all that he is indeed our Father, and loves each of us, and if we ask with sincere hearts and real intent the desires of our hearts whether that be questions, concerns, life trials or afflictions, even the deepest cry a person can ask "Why?" If we ask in faith, then ACT in faith, He will guide or steps whether we know it or not, and some questions are answered in 2 days, 20 years, or after this life, but ALL questions are answered. God Loves each and every one of you, and He loves the Hungarian people so much that he is sending me, a member of His church from College Station Texas, to preach and proclaim His word to them that they may have eternal life. That is just a particle of evidence that shows His love for us. I want each of you, I invite each of you who read this, to sometime this week, whether now or tonight or in two nights, to get down on your knees, and ask your Father in Heaven the desires of your hearts. Any problems or concerns or stresses you have, give them to Him, and ask for answers or help to those quieries. I promise, that as you ask in faith, then ACT in faith, whether that be searching for an answer yourself or searching the Book of Mormon with that question in the front cover or even just continual prayer and listening after that prayer, I promise that He WILL answer you. In one way or another He will. I know this to be true. The words to a hymn will suffice to end this thought "Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side; With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change he faithful will remain." (Hymn 124 Be Still my Soul).

Another cool thing that happened this week was that our district had an experience in class on Saturday that was ridiculously funny on so many levels given the variety of savagery and personality on our class, that caused all of us including Squire testver to laugh for literally an hour of class. It was that funny and just fed off of everyone. I have never laughed so hard or long in my life. The details of the why are not appropriate to diclose in this mass email or other emails, but it was a time for us to come closer as a district as the last 19 day countdown is upon us, and that has some of us worried more than excited so it was a good thing we could spend some time laughing together. 

There is so much more that happened this week that I can't write down, but this Gospel, the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith is true. I know this with all my heart. I am humbled by the opportunity to be a fulltime servant of my Savior and to bring these glad tidings of great joy to the Hungarian people. 

til next week! Szeretek Titeket!

Hough Elder

Yasli (Elder) Johnson (one of the Turkish roomies) and I in the morning

Me and Elder Cook (from serving in the Houston temple and First day at the airport) he left today for California spanish Speaking

 Yasli Mitchell and I literally best friends he is so awesome

The district monday night, I finally get to hug someone in a Picture! ;)

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 :)