#12 Debrecen: A New Assignment

For P-day, on Monday, we went to Hortobagy and went whipping. (Here are some pictures, cool place, fun time)

On Tuesday we started with an awesome daily exchange with the Nyíregyháza elders in Debrecen. I worked with Elder Hudson on bearing testimony and finding hope in missionary work. I was really great, and we even found a new investigator. -- Then I went home -- And while I was getting ready for Zone Conference the next day, before I went to bed, I got a text from President Hettinger that said, "Elder Morgan, can I call you in 20 minutes?" So I laid on the couch and stared at my phone for 20 minutes and then I picked up the phone and President Hettinger told me that he wanted me to come to Buda tomorrow, which I replied, "I am coming to Buda tomorrow, I have Zone Conference." He said, "No, I want you to pack up all your stuff and move to Buda tomorrow because Elder Burnett is leaving the office and we want you to be one of the office Elders assigned with Elder Udy." I hung up the phone and was really sad. I packed up my stuff, which took me till 11:45... so I didn't get very much sleep that night. We had to be to the train center really early in the morning, because we had to be in Buda early, and so we had to wake up at 3:30 am and catch the early slow train and take our 5 hour train ride to Buda Pest. So we walked for an hour with all my bags to the train station, through the freezing rain.

Wednesday zone conference went well, because of travel I was tired and quite out of it, but I feel like the training that Elder Seeley and I gave was pretty alright. I also had my interview with President Hettinger and he told me that working in the office was a chance to be a leader. I'm trying to believe that, but it's tough because were I want to be is in the mission field tracting, teaching, and helping other missionaries teach the gospel; not doing paperwork all day. After my interview I was commanded into the hands of Elder Burnett and Elder Udy and I haven't left the office ever since. 

So that's where I am now, in Buda. I'm an office secretary now so instead of being a real missionary, I just buy plane tickets for Romanian missionaries, manage referrals, and submit and organize baptismal records, and help senior couples organize and find apartments for missionaries. Elder Burnett has been training me I can say that I'm supper happy about it. Since Wednesday afternoon we have been here all day everyday from 7 to 9 planning travel and other things for the new transfer that is happening this week. I hope it won't be this way all of the time, in theory, when things wind down, we will only be here from 10 till 2 Tuesday through Friday; and so we will have afternoons/evenings to do missionary work. I hope it gets better because I'm not really enjoying it. I just want to be a normal missionary who can go tracting. I'm with Elder Udy -- a silver lining -- we were together in the MTC and now here in the office together. I'm trying to look on the bright side, like at least I don't have to do Elder Udy's job which is the immigration stuff, which is way harder.

A bright side of being in Buda is going to church in Buda. On Sunday in the Buda Ward we had after church a big lunch after the 3 block schedule. It was fun to see and start getting to know all of the 80 members. I got to visit with Brother and Sister Swenson, I know them from when I was in Kispest in the spring, it was good to catch up with them. Following the Lunch they held a Christmas concert. I was drafted to sing with the other missionaries so I just sang along with Elder Burnett. It was cool. The primary kids (there are tones of little kids and youth here) put on this cute nativity and Samuel the Lamanite presentation. It was a lot of fun.

I hope you all have a good week, thank you for the Christmas packages. I love you all. Thanks for the prayers.

Love elder Morgan