Moving on

It's been several weeks since we've heard more than a quick hello from Josh so I didn't feel like we had enough information for a new post. I'll fill everyone in on the last month or so from Hungary, plus I'm posting some of the pictures he's sent over. He sure looks grown up!

In the end of October, Josh and his companion, Elder Christensen, were involved in the baptism of one of their investigators. (See post about baptism) Shortly after that, Josh's companion went home. His name is Devin Christensen and he is from Wyoming. He was very kind to send us an email when he got home to say hello. He is working, going to school, and adjusting to "normal" life. Josh's new companion is Elder Cheney. I've asked some questions about him but the short emails we've gotten haven't included that information yet. I did hear that he and Josh are a good match for a companionship. They are allowed to exercise together for a certain amount of time each day and put together a workout routine they are both apparently happy about. We received this fun bit of information a few weeks back:

(11/16)

Well to start off this week I'm now the new Pécs Branch Ping Pong champion. Boo-ya. I was told that Hungarians are really good ping pong players but I got to learn from Mr Ken Hosch himself, so I killed them with the slices and smashes. lol. I got a trophy from the branch president which I need pics with.

I'm serving in the same district as a missionary from Hamburg I think. I am trying to use some of my german while I talk with him but it usually stops after guten tag. wie gehts du denn? Then he answers and we go to English.
You'll have to get me Caseys address when he gets it so that I can send him some letters. I miss that guy. He and i were really great friends. Tell him I say hi and good luck if you get the chance before I get too.
Love you guys. Can you believe that I will be able to call you guys in about a month, I cant wait. I also still need my other contacts. Just cause this pair is getting kind of old and i need a good pair to not screw up my eyes for lasik surgery when I get home.
Well Love you lots.
Love Elder Hosch
AKA Joshy

Then 11/23, the Monday before Thanksgiving, he wrote just a quick email saying it wasn't a normal p-day because they were having a super p-day on Thursday (Thanksgiving) and he'd write more later.

11/30
We asked Josh if he'd gotten mail forwarded from the mission office in Budapest in case some people sent mail there. He said he hadn't gotten anything from us that we'd sent there, I don't know if he's gotten mail others might have sent there. If you sent mail to the mission office address and haven't gotten anything back yet, that may be why. I'll be sure to post his actual address from now on. Josh did say that he is getting the language and his struggle now is with the lingo but that will come, too. He also said that homesickness isn't as bad as it was at first, that is easing up, as well. Yeah! His super p-day wasn't in Budapest because that is just too far away, it was in Pécs. They watched Monsters vs. Aliens (remember they can watch a cartoon movie each transfer) and they played squash. Here's his email about super p-day:

Ya for super P-day we went to Pécs and played some squash, its really similar to raquetball. We all decided to do that because I'm serving in the same district as a German and he wanted to play. His name is Baumgartl Elder. Well then after playing squash we made some food like some type of Hungarian soup with all kinds of stuff in it but then we watched Monsters vs Aliens. That movie was so funny. WHAT THE FLAGNARD. Translated its MI A BRUTTYÓ, but I have no idea where the translation came from cause that's not really even a word.
Funny story with the sqaush that I just remembered. We got two courts and in one while playing I got a ball wedged up somehow in between the beams so I used the other ball to get it down and that somehow got stuck right next to it then I was real smart and started throwing up my shoe and it also got stuck up there. I went to try my other one but the others stopped me and we got the front desk and they told us there is a pole that is near there. So we used that and got down all the stuff. What a day.
I miss putting up christmas stuff around this time of year.

Well on Dec 9th I have my next transfer and I'm not sure that I will be staying in komlo although I would like to just to keep serving with this district and especially my comp right now. I hope I get to go to Budapest so that I can play some basketball.
We dont know when the next zone conference will be cause we don't find out until the transfers.
Man it's so hard to go every day without my music and guitar and basketball--all of that was so much of my life that I feel like a part of me is missing now that I am restricted to use it or be in accordance with any of them.
But anywho things are going pretty good. I'm trying to learn this dang lingo.. I had to give a lesson yeserday in church. That was fun. It was not hard in the sense that I was scared to give it just felt dumb cause I still cant speak very well. Love you daddy thanks for writing. TTY next week. and call you in a few.
Love Joshy

This week he sent another really quick email:

Nothing really new is going on that would take much to write or seem to be of any importance, but I am moving to Dunaújvaros on Wednesday and will be serving with Elder Wilcox. I went on splits with him up in that city and he is our zone leader. What they are doing is putting only one zone leader (ZL) to a zone and I get to serve with them, but what's cool is that the ZLs go on splits with every companionship in his zone and so I'll get to go on splits a lot and we also have a car and so I might get a license. I don't know for sure what all it will entail while serving with a zone leader but I kind of get the benefits while not being one myself so I think it will be a good transfer. Too bad I won't be able to keep serving with Elder Cheney. We are really great friends and I think it's cool but then also sucks. That's mostly because he's being moved to Pécs and Komló is getting shut down. The problem the mission has is that more missionaries are going out than coming in so some areas that aren't very big or the most productive are closing, so it sucks.
But the members don't feed us that often and the only thing that I have eaten that is pretty wierd is this like liver soup. I didn't realize what it was until I ate like half of it because I failed to ask what it was but it was ok, nothing I'll ever go out of my way to eat again. It's hard to turn down food without ever being mean. But I dont know the word for allergic. lol. Other than that I don't really know what else to say, I love you and I'll write you and let you know whats going on in my new city.
Love you, Bye
Love Josh

BUDAPEST FROM THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CITY: This is the view from the place Josh and the other missionaries were taken the night they arrived in Budapest. Just beautiful.