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)
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