Branch Party, Hungarian Night

 So we Americans thought it would be a great idea to have a branch party with a Hungarian theme since it was close to the national holiday.  The Branch President liked the idea because he said Hungarians are not very patriotic. We were happy all went well.  We were a bit nervous because the man who was cooking cancelled 2 days before and we couldn't find anyone to teach Hungarian dancing.  But Roberta, the RS president, stepped right up and figured a new menu and cooked it.  The members volunteered to read poetry and sing songs.  We had a couple of games that the members did also.  Above is Tomas and Dorie (YSA) who did a Hungarian history trivia game and Roberta did a game where each table put a puzzle together and had to say where the picture was in Hungary.  We ate (the RS sisters brought desserts) and the BP set up a film to watch outside that was about King Stephen.  We invited Mission President Smith and Sister Smith since they were coming for Branch Conference on Sunday.

 Our chapel is turned into a multipurpose room for the party.  We had about 40 come and maybe 10 were non-members.

 The next day we invited the Smiths to Sunday dinner.  We have dinner every Sunday and invite the missionaries (8 of us) and they try to invite investigators.  We had one investigator there plus Dorie and Tomas.  This was Tomas' last Sunday before he left for college.

 The group at Sunday dinner.  We have a nice dining room and we can seat quite a few.

Sister Kennedy, Sister Magda, Sister Smith, President Smith, Elder Brown, Elder Cutler

Debrecen Parade

 Here is Debrecen there is a flower parade to celebrate the national  holiday on August 20.  One thousand years ago King Stephen made Hungary a Christian nation and I think Hungary was founded then.  The parade was pretty impressive.  It started about 8 am with hundreds of decorated bicycles.  This is looking at it out our living room window.  Of course, we wanted to see it better so went down to the church and watched it there.  The church is only about one block from our apartment.

 I'll just put in a few pictures of the parade even though I took lots.  This float depicts the crown and has a bent cross on top.  I'm not sure what the significance of the bent cross is--I think it was hidden for a while and when they found it the cross was bent.

 I liked this one.

 These fork lifts were decorated with fresh flowers.  There were lots of nice floats--all made from flowers--mostly straw flowers, some fresh.

 The sisters and elders did some "tabling" in front of the church during the parade.  L-R, Sister Magda, Dorie (YSA), Elder Brown, Elder Cutler, Sister Kennedy, Elder Steel

 One of many many colorful marching groups.  I think this group was twirling batons.

 There were lots of costumed groups in the parade from different countries.  These costumes were some of the most beautiful.  They were from the Ukraine.

Had to put in the McDonald's float.  McDonalds are everywhere.  It has been in Hungary 25 years.

Lots of Photos of Hortobagy

 Virgil cracking a whip the elders bought in Hortobagy.  Virgil bought one also.  That seems to be the item elders buy here.

We went to Hortobagy on our P-day.  We went on this wagon ride out onto the plains.

 Hungarian grey cattle.  A herdsman in traditional dress.

 Long-haired pigs.

 Thatched roof barn.

 Herdsman

 Curly-horned goats

 Steel Nover hanging out with the hay.

 Zip line Hungarian style. Note that it's hanging from a big bird. There were a bunch of games and rides and booths set up for this weekend there.  The 20th is Hungary's national holiday and Hortobagy celebrates it with the Bridge Festival.  Debrecen has a flower festival.

 Making funnel bread

 Wrapping funnel bread

 Buying funnel bread

 Cooking funnel bread over the coals

Virgil's best Hungarian kalap.  

We had a great day in Hortobagy.  We will probably go back next year to watch their equestrian competitions

Cemetery walk

 When we walk in the morning, we often walk to a really nice huge cemetery.  These little flower shops are lined up in front of the cemetery for shopping convenience for the cemetery goers.  The people here really take good care of the graves.

Miskolc/Lillafured

 We attended a zone conference in Miskolc which was so great being there with all those wonderful young missionaries.Afterwards we four senior missionaries went to lunch at Lillafured which is a beautiful hotel on a lake in a beautiful setting.  This is in the lobby of the hotel.

 

The dining room in the hotel.  We didn't eat here but ate next door.

 Beautiful Lillafured.  We met a man in a giftshop who pointed at our badges and said "Mormons, Salt Lake City" in very broken English.  We said Yeh and were excited.  We don't even speak broken Hungarian.  My next photo disappearred?  but we ate plum fruit soup there.  Nagyon jo!

Random photos from the week

 This is Atilla.  He is the man we do bible study with.  He will be leaving for China in a couple of weeks.  He is really a good man and we hope he learns to love the BOM as well as the Bible.

 Every Saturday at 6 in sports night on the chapel lawn.  The elders and sisters play with whoever shows up.  The other night it started raining and they kept on playing.

 We had to go into Budapest last Sunday and Monday to get our Visas.  The Carpenters (on the left) who are the office couple took us on a little sightseeing tour.  We went on top of Castle Hill which overlooks Budapest--what a beautiful view.  The Smiths (on the right) also had to go in.  They were with us at the MTC.

 The Parliament Buildilng

 Steels and Smiths

 The Parliament Building at night--one gorgeous building!

 They put us up in a hotel again.  This is the view off our room.

 Went to lunch with the Smiths, Carpenters, and Sister Smith--the Mission President's wife.

Back in Debrecen at YSA.  We played Pictionary with play dough.  Pretty hilarious.  This is a competitive group.  We wouldn't dare keep score. Tomas at the end does not want his picture taken.

 This is the forest where we walk every day.  It is about 3 blocks from our apartment and is quite large with several trail weaving through it.  They say you can't get lost but we've gone on some loooong walks working our way out.

 "Tabling" or "streeting with the Elders and Sisters.  We love the young missionaries.  Elder Cutler, Elder Brown, Sister Kennedy, Sister Magda.

Sister Kennedy playing on her ukelele and singing from the hymn book while "streeting."  She is outgoing and a lot of fun.