December 23rd, 2013

So, as it turns out we have a very short time to email to confirm skype plan. Which Im super happy about because other wise I wouldn't get to wish a Merry Christmas those that won't be at home when I skype. So,

Merry Christmas!

This year will be my favorite Christmas ever, I already know it. I hope each of you take the time to have the right focus this year so that its the best Christmas ever as well.

A quick Christmas thought. Why was it so important to God for Shepherds to learn about Christ's birth that he sent Angels to them? Or that wise men should come following a special star?

I think there is a simple answer. Its because he loves us. He loves all of us. The shepherds told others about what they saw and the wise men gave the rich and kingly a credible source to hear about Christ as well. Or Heavenly Father loves us so much, He wants everyone to hear about our Savior, Jesus Christ. In fact, the people in America learned about Christs birth too. Samuel prophesied about Christ and gave a sign for Christs birth. 

I wish you all the merriest Christmas and hope you can all feel the Spirit of Christ at this time.

Love, 

Elder Shoop

December 16th

Hello! I hope everyone had a great week and is enjoying this wonderful time of year. It was another great week here in Szolnok, we got to meet with many people. Its so great getting to teach a christmasy, Christ based, message to people this time of year.

This week we worked a lot with younger people. We did a presentation at a school, took blankets and caroled at the youth ward of a hospital, and taught a lesson to 3 very young girls (more about that later). As I realized how much we did with the younger age group it made me think of when Christ visited the Americas, "he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them."

Of those three things I listed above, I think the one that really touched me the most was the program with the 3 little girls, approximately ages 13, 9, and 4. You all might be wondering why we were teaching 3 little girls without their parents. First off, we did have another male in the room and we did have parents consent (to my understanding) so we were following all the rules. Anyways, these children were found tracting. Their parents were initially interested but to our knowledge arent interested anymore. They have other siblings too and I think there is an older sister that is interested too (Im note sure on the details, we just inherited this family from the companionship that closed down).

Back to the lesson, Elder Shuck and I were running late, so when we didnt show up on time, these three little girls all went over to the branch house hoping to find us there. Elder Smith, a senior missionary, was at the branch house and called us over. This alone touched me a lot. I dont think these children have been shown the love they should have been shown in their lives. In fact, Im not sure how kind the parents are to these children. It was really touching to me that these three girls went over to the branch house when we didnt show up. It told me that they must really really want what we bring to them, and they probably dont even understand much, especially the youngest. I think what makes them so desirous to meet with us is the love they feel and kindness. They go to church and different activities and when they do people are so kind to them and I think they really feel loved.

For the lesson we just had a few minutes of attention span from them to teach a short lesson on faith based off of how Nephi built the boat, we talked little about prayer too. But as we were there in the lesson, I kind of envisioned young Amy Julie and Becky in the shoes of these girls, i envisioned these three little girls being my sisters and I just wanted them to have the love and family and happiness that my sisters had growing up. I hope this is making sense. I was just really filled with love for these girls and wanted the best for them.

Change. Its really important, I have found, to do a personal inventory. Take some time and go through your life. Find the things that you want to change and make better the most and then make a game plan for how to make them better. I started that recently and one focus was the langauge. I realized that I feel behind with the language and made some decisions to change that. As a result of that I was able to understand church a lot better than I have previously yesterday. Repentance is 100% Christ based, and part of that is that we need to change our selves. Repentance is change, not just the actions, but the intent. When we make an action plan to change, and these changes put our actions in closer alignment with Christ's will, we begin the process of repentance. Along with this we go to God in prayer and with faith in Christ we can be forgiven.

This week me and Elder Shuck stayed together, but we moved apartments. The other companionship that was in it before didnt leave it the cleanest, but we really like the new apartment and it has much better beds. It has been a bit busy trying to get everything figured out, having had inherited the closed companionships investigators.

In Hungary, Christmas is a huge deal. In fact, the day before Christmas and the day after are also both considered holiday days. The main down town area is lit up and there is a big Christmas tree. There are also a bunch of stands set up selling Chistmas things, its a really fun time of year. Theres no snow on the ground, but its been around 32 f. everyday. 

I really appreciate all of your great support and love. Keep it up, being awesome. 

Sok szeretettel

Elder Shoop

December 10th, 2013

Awesome transfers, because me and Elder Shuck get to stay together here in Szolnok for another transfer! Additionally, 10 or so missionaries are dying (going home) this transfer. We are getting a bunch of new missionaries next transfer but this transfer none, because of this, the other Elder companionship here in Szolnok is getting temporarily shut down. SO, Elder Shuck and I are inheriting all of the other companionship's investigators, which is way awesome.

This last week was virtue. Well, to be perfectly honest, I didnt focus to much on virtue. Virtue is awesome and super important, but I honestly didnt study it like I could have. Instead, I learned a lot about repentance. I found it in Mosiah Ch. 4:2-3. Just 2 verses, but I read those 2 and thought about them, and talked about them a lot. Its awesome to me how much meaning can come from the scriptures when we really study them and when we come to love them and know the story and people. I encourage you all to read these verses.

I had an incredible opportunity to get to attend a baptism this last weekend for Sipós Gyúla. I wish you all could have seen him and his wife and felt the spirit there. It really was a special feeling being there, an Istentöl érzés as I would say in Hungarian (feeling from God). The wife was so excited, so incredibley excited and more than that, happy and I would say filled with joy. The family members had slowly joined the church, to my knowledge, one at a time, as they each gained individual testimonies, he is the 8th in the family to get baptized, I believe his grandson was the first one years ago that got baptized. He was not baptized when his wife was, to my understanding, because he didnt yet know for himself that this was the restored church. It was such a happy and awesome occation, tons of Branch members were present, it was great. Thinking of this, here is a related verse:

Mos. 3:17 "And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent."

While standing there at the font I had the thought come to me "Ezert itt vagyok." Which is embarasing because its gramatically incorect in Hungarian, the gramatically correct form "Ezert vagyok itt" would mean, "this is why I am here."

It has taken a few weeks but I really have come to love Szolnok so much. There are so many great branch members and Elder Shuck and I have recently been meeting with some awesome people who are investigating. It is so awesome to get to be inheriting a bunch of new investigators because I am so excited to get to meet and really love all these new people.

I want to share an experience, Ill try to keep it short. One specific day a few weeks ago we prayed to know where to go. After tracting in this inspired area for awhile and finding little success we decided to do someting else, stopping part way down the street we were on. Yesterday we tracted into someone who initially told us to come back tomorrow but then re-opened the door and invited us in. After we met for awhile she then called her mother (the grandmother) and the grandmother invited us over, so the son walked with us over and showed us where the (grandmother) lived. The grandmother lived at the end of the street that we stopped half way down a few weeks earlier. I am not sure what would have happened if we had kept going down that street a few weeks ago, neither do I know whether or not the son, mother, or grandmother will ever accept the restored gospel, but what I do believe is that the Lord has prepared specific people to find the gosple and that dispite our weeknesses He directs this work.

I could tell you everything I do in these emails but it wouldnt be enough, to know what my life is like you need to get to meet these peole, talk with them, their lives, who they are, they are so wonderful, and its there lives that I get to be a part of. These people are amazing, I wish you could meet any of them. Yes the work is hard. But its worth it because of the people. I wish you all the best throughout your struggles this next week, despite them all, just remember who you are struggling for.

Sok szeretettel
Elder Shoop

Dec. 1, 2013

Wow! Its december already! I hope everyones thanksgiving was awesome and that no one got permanent damage from the ward turkey bowls. A little bit short on time today, sorry if the mail emails are getting shorter as I have been emailing Mom and Dad more recently, sorry, Mom and Dad get priority.

So, this week was charity, and wow has it been a charity focus for me. I have really found that as I think and study these topics God really helps me learn a lot about them. Heres a quick experience from yesterday, I think its awesome and it ties into charity so Ill share it.

Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting in the branch. I dont know if I have talked about this, but these branches are sometimes small, but super super close knit and the members all really are family to each other (for the most part). Atleast, in the 2 branches Ive been in so far. Also, Hungarians are very open and blunt, its awesome. So, during the meeting one of the men in the branch was baring his testimony and talked a bit about how everyone was family here and how everyone always had arms out reached. Then (while the man is still up there) one of the nénis (nay-nee, an old lady) in the congregation said that we should all stand up and give each other a hug. So we did. It was awesome! Not everyone stood up and gave a hug, and it seemed kind of funny to some the Hungarians too, but it was great. Just awesome. I love Hungary. These people are amazing, incredible people, theyre so nice! I really just love it here, it is a special place on this Earth.

And that is what its about. When we have charity, and really understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, then we can follow our Heavenly Father's will for us. It has been a strugle for me, and I have had to work and pray a lot recently. But when I have been able to focus on loving the people, that is when it goes well.

As usual, I have some scriptures. 1Ne 19:9 "And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of me." Christ set the perfect example of charity for us. He suffered everything for us, our sins and pains, and through it all he had perfect charity even for those that put him through it.

Ether 12: 27, 28, 35-37 are great too. We can and need to have charity despite our weakness.

The work has started to pick up a bit here in Szolnok, me and my companion are starting to be able to bless some more people I think. I passed my 6 month mark this last week, really crazy how time flies. Its been amazing and I have learned so much and experienced so many amazing incredible things. I am so greatful for this time I get to be a missionary and represent my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today, later, well be celebrating thanksgiving American style. The senior couple here is awesome and is doing so much for it, they couldnt find a full turkey but they did find precut turkey, so atleast well have turkey. Im making my fudge (hopefully it turns out using the ingredients I found) and apple sauce.

I went on splits twice this last week. Once with Elder. Nabrotsky, who is a zone leader. You might remember that name, he is a great friend of mine here inthe field and we have a lot in common, he was my zone leader when I was in Eger and we have gone on splits together before. i was in Szeged for the splits, way awesome place we did a ton of great work. Then I went on splits with the other comp. here in Szolnok, I was with Elder Loveday who goes home soon, I learned a ton from him, hes great too.

There is a transfer this next week so Ill be emailing on Tuesday, itll be interesting to see what happens for transfers. The language is really starting to come I think. Me and Shuck Elder speak the language a ton together which is super useful, for example, when I started this paragraph I could only think of the Hungarian work for transfer and took a second or two to remember the English word, cool stuff.

I wish you and your families the best this next week. Christmas season is here, remember in the rush to take time for things that really matter.

Sok szeretettel
Elder Shoop

November 25th, 2013

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great week. I know I did. It wasnt easy at all, but it was great. Something I learned in the MTC is that our life experiences are what the Lord uses to help us grow in the ways that we need to. This week as we thought about hope a little bit, me and my companion were given experiences that definitely tested our hope and helped us grow a lot.

There was a specific scripture that was really important to me this last week. Its Moroni 7:35-37, Im not gonna quote all of it, but these 3 verses were super important to me this last week, heres the part of the verses I foccused on: "...and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased? (35) Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved? (37) Behold I say unto you, Nay:..."

Miracles, angels, the power of the Holy Ghost, are all worth it to God "so long as...there shall be one man..." One man! One of us, any of us, are worth the performing of miracles, ministering of angels, and the power of the Holy Ghost! Doesnt that just put it in perspective? I think so.

So ya, this last week was kind of hard here in Szolnok. My companionship had 11 cancelled or dogged programs. But we met with a few people, and as long as we are doing Gods work, and Gods work in its entirety is worth it for just one person, my time spent working here is very worth it. Even if that one person is just me. But its not just me.

Im gonna quote something from my journal entry last night, itll sound a lot like the experience I explained last week, because they are very similair.

"Then we were off to have a program with Mark. Well when we [rang his door bell], he cancelled, so we had 3 hrs. of finding time. Wow, it was rough. Just not really getting much at all, a few stairways we never even got/went into, including a 44 [doorbell] place. After about 2 hrs., we prayed, and kept going. Still nothing much (though I shouldnt say that because maybe we really were making a difference) but we hadnt set up any [solid] future programs, hadnt gotten any phone numbers, or held any programs. We kept going till we had 20 minutes left and decided to street home. Throughout the experience Elder Shuck and myself both tried and worked on new approaches. The last person we met before we got home, on the end of the bridge, was the one that counted though. He legitemately seemed interested int he restored gospel, asked what was restored, and took a BOM. We got his number to set up a program later. What an experience to show how God works. We do our part, He does His."

So at first we had a rough time. But the very last person we talked to was the one that made it worth it, for me atleast. And thats hope, "WHen you have hope, you work thorugh trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good." (PMG, 117)

This last week we went to Szeged for zone conference, a pretty big city. It was cool, I was inspired to really try to become the missionary I want to be.

There is no thanksgiving here, but in Hungary they celebrate Christmas on 2 different days, Dec. 6th and Dec. 25. Dec. 6th is for Santa (Mikulas) and 25th is focussed on Christ, way cool.

This year Ill be having thanksgiving next Monday, on Dec. the 2nd, with my mission district and a hungarian who loves America. Itll be way good and Im gonna try to make fudge for it.

For this years thanksgiving I want to be a part of the alphabet thanksgiving game. Ill start with c, I am grateful for családok (families), then Ill skip to r, I am grateful for remény (hope). Hopefully that wont throw off the circle too much.

I hope you all are doing well, happy thanksgiving.

Love, Elder Shoop

(PS, next week is Charity)

November 18th, 2013

Szolnok is awesome! It really is an incredible city. Since we were re-opening the companionship, Elder Shuck and I have basically started from scratch. It has not been the easiest thing in the world. However, missionary work isnt easy. Missionary work is the act of bringing salvation to others, it takes work, but it is fulfilling and completely worth it.

All of the missionaries in Hungary have been given a special challenge/assignment until the end of the year. It is something the mission did last year that the missionaries really liked so we're doing it again. Every week we are going to be focussing on a different Christ-like atribute. Starting in order from the attributes presented in Preach My Gospel. So, this next week is actually the second week, this last week was Faith. We are asked to read, study, ponder, write in our journals, ect. about the attribute of the week.

Christmas is about Christ. Its a fun time of the year, but Christ is the focal point. That is what makes this a special assignment. For Christmas this year, as a mission, we are going to be focussing on becoming more Christ like, trying to develope these Christ like atributes more in our lives. And so, I would like to ask you all for a special gift. I would love it if you all would do this with me, and with the Hungary, Budapest mission. For Christmas this year, I wont get to be with any of you, but for Christmas this year we can all do something together. 

I know you all might not have time to spend tons of time everyday studying the scritputes  or what not. But what I am asking is that you try what you can to focus on these attributes with me. Maybe its just a verse every day. Maybe your family home eveing thought each week is on the attribute. Maybe one night each week you take time to say a special prayer to God and focus on that attribute in your prayer. Maybe you just think about trying to apply these attributes more in your lives. Whatever little bit you can do would be awesome. I'll talk a bit about the attribute each week in my email, but I would also love to hear any insights, scriptures, experiences, or thoughts from any of you, if you choose to do this.

This week was Faith. I want to share a scripture that for me is closely related to faith. Jacob 4:7 "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things." 

Honestly, faith has been pretty big this last week, and right along with that, humility. Like I said at the top, its hard work. We are trying to find people, trying to get things going, starting with 0 investigators. And, it requires a lot of faith. I have definitely found, that as I try to excersize faith to do this work, I have to humble myself. Faith leads to action. You can believe something, but faith is when you act. And when you act in faith you humble yourself to the Lords will. Humility is a different week, a different attribute, but I think my biggest take away thinking about faith this week, is how related faith and humility are.

Next week is Hope, but Id encourage you to look into faith for today and start hope tomorrow.

So, a little about Szolnok. Its a large city Id say, there are a few buildings almost 20 stories tall. Definitely bigger than Eger was. There are two rivers that go through it so a couple of well used bridges. It is very flat, which is super strange to me becuase Im not used to it at all. There is a fair amount of land on either side of the rivers that is not built on, people go fishing or take their dogs to play in the river, its cool, theres a path that runs along stretches of the river, amaing to walk along. There were about 25ish people at church on Sunday, so there is room to grow, but just amazing and super nice people that I love already. And there is a chior we get to sing in.

A bit more details on the work. We started with nothing, but have already set up 10 or so programs for this next week. Our goal is to have 11 investigators by the end of this next week. So, the work is definitely paying off. One lady with her son even started to cry as we talked to her on the street and told her about the Book of Mormon and how it answers lifes questions. She gladly set up with us to learn more. The people are here. The are literally starving and thirsting for the gospel, they need it. In our short time we have found lots of interested people.

One experience from yesterday. We had a 3 hour block of time when we were going to be finding around early night time/afternoon. We prayerfully set about and started working. We were really trying, doing our best, to follow the Spirit, work productively, but it was just not going too well, Im not sure if we had really found anyone. I said a silent prayer in my heart. We were working, we were trying. And, after more time, we found someone. In the 3 hours, we set up 1 program. Just one, but that one made it all worth it, and I have hope that that was the one person God wanted us to find that night.

Unfortunately I cant send pictures in emails while im in Szolnok because the computers here apparently arent good for our memory cards. But, hey, that means you get to read more words in my emails. 

I wish you all the best, thanks for your continued support and love.

Elder Shoop