I never know how to start these things out, so let's just go for it...

Things are great here in Buda! I'm so happy to be back in this city. It really is one of my favorites. There are just so many beautiful sights to see, which makes tracting so much more fun! We just go out adventure tracting in the hills and it's the best. We've been pretty tied up with different tasks, so we haven't been able to our proselyting too much, but we still have people to teach and the work is still going!

We got to visit the Southwicks this week (President Southwick is the Stake President). His family is hilarious! He is from Idaho and he married a Hungarian woman. They have 3 boys, ages 12, 9, and 6 and they speak Hungarian and English about equally. They speak the funniest Hunglish I've ever heard! It's great language practice for us.

We had a great lesson with some people from India (in English, so that was nice) and afterward, we went to a YSA activity with them. We had a waffle eating contest and I came in 1st with 11 waffles. Elder Allred still holds the record with 12. I'll let him keep the record. 11 is enough for me!

Our ward is one of the biggest in the country with around 100 people in church each week. I had an opportunity to bear my testimony and introduce myself a little bit last Sunday so that was nice. I already love it here!

I'm figuring things out here in the office but man, I never expected to deal with some of the problems we have to deal with. We're closing down several apartments throughout the country and it's our job to go and pick up all the stuff that belongs to the mission, communicate with the landlords, meet with them, and terminate our contracts. My Hungarian legal vocabulary was less than practiced before this point, so the learning curve for this particular assignment has been steep and slick. I like the fast pace though. We're always busy.

We sent home a huge group of fantastic missionaries this last week, including my trainer, Elder Jones, one of my other companions, Elder Harris, and some of my best friends in the mission including the sisters who entered the MTC with me. I've made some incredible friends on my mission, and I'm so excited to continue those relationships after the mission!

There's a missionary leadership council meeting this next week and all of the Hungarian and Romanian leadership will meet here in Buda for that. That means that Sister Colt will be here! That also means that I WON'T be here! I get to go on a little exchange for 36ish hours in a city called Tatabanya with Elder Peery until Sister Colt is back in Romania. Sometimes life puts you in some funny situations, doesn't it?

Robi's baptism will be happening on the 25th in Szombathely, and President Hettinger gave Elder Suggs and I permission to take the van and drive out there. We'll be spending the night in Sopron, so I'll get to see Elder Hudson again! It'll be so fun!

Life is great. I'm stressed out of my mind trying to do everything that needs to get done, but I'm also as happy as ever. I'm grateful to be serving with Elder Suggs, who is a great listener and a great missionary, and I'm grateful to be serving in this unique position. It's completely different from what I'm used to, but it has also been very enjoyable to work so closely with such a great group of incredible people. 

Thank you all for your love and support! Missionary life is just the best. I love it!

Sok szeretettel,

Burnett Elder

Hungarian for the week: bérleti szerződés means rental agreement. Fun to say, not to deal with.