Feasting

This week started off a bit slow, Elder Priest got sick, so he had to take some rest time. Then one of the secretaries got pretty sick as well (tip, only buy sushi at legit sushi places) so I spent one or two days basically on splits full time with the other secretary while they stayed at home or went to the doctors. On that note, I realize I always forget to give companion info so before anyone reminds me I forgot I will. His name is Elder Priest, he is from Mesa, Arizona, has been here in Hungary a little over a year. He is a cross country runner, so he used to run 20 miles every morning back home. He is super nice and outgoing. At first it was a little weird because most of my companions for the past year have been quieter like me, so it was strange to have someone talking all the time. We get a long super well though.

We had 2 more missionaries go home this week, so we got another delicious dinner with the Szabadkai's.

We were able to meet with a couple of people and have some lessons, but with the sickness and other stuff going on we didn't get to do a ton of missionary work this week. On Wednesday I was going through hard core I haven't been tracting in 3 days withdrawels, so maybe it will be a good thing to get straight back to BYU when I go back, because I probably will go crazy if nothing is going on. I was able to get a lot of studying in though, which is a plus. I read through Our Heritage (getting close to my goal of finishing the missionary library), it was really good, nice to see all of church history lined up next to each other. What especially stuck out to me was the incredible work of the early church members as they established the church. eventually in Utah. And then the statement by President Kimball that we must lengthen out stride. We must not let our contributions and efforts be any less then that of those early saints.

Also, a continuous theme I have been running into and studying over the past few months is the House of Israel. I had a really good talk with Elder Priest the other day about Jews, and it changed my outlook a lot. In the past when I have met someone that is Jewish I haven't really known what to say, but now I might say something like, "Hey my brother from Judah! I'm Elder Parkinson from Ephraim, the Lord's promises towards our people are beginning to be fulfilled. We have a message and a book written for your people announcing that as long promised God is once more gathering the scattered House of Israel and restoring them as his covenant people." The hope of the gathering after many years of being scattered is one of the central messages in the scriptures, and especially in those pertaining to the last days. This is now being fulfilled.

I also found this pearl in Psalms 106:19-20 : They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

Don't be an ox. Don't eat grass. We have way better options.

We also had a run in with a con man. Long story. Another one to ask me about when I get home.

Have a great week!

Love

Parkinson Elder