Rocky theme song.

  2 years ago...... 1 young man embarked on a journey to a land far away. He left his family and friends with a prayer and a purpose but he had no idea what he was getting himself into.  He was pushed past his limits, he sweat and bled and worked as hard as he could.  2 years later he is a changed man. The young boy that embarked on this journey is emerging a new man ready to take on his life. He knows who he is and what he stands for. He's learned more than he can explain and wouldn't trade it for anything. He emerges triumphant and successful. Tired and tried. Ready to take on the rest of his life.   

#SZABO2016 is here ladies and gentleman. 

Greatness. 

Goodness. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I33u_EHLI3w

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLcJHC9J7l4

Elder Szabo 

Sorry.

Hey because of a crazy pday trip yesterday we didn't have time to write so I hopped on today to let you know. See you next week! 

Elder Szabo is a ridiculous person.

  Good and bad news this week family... GOOD NEWS You will still be seeing me on the 17th of August as planned. BAD NEWS they denied my second extension..... Back story??? 

   

         Yes you read that right. I tried... well more I joked about extending again and then it almost became a thing... So we were in the office for my comps regular interview (my last interview is scheduled for the 16 of August at 1:30 in case you were wondering and wanted your mind blown) and him and president walk out of the office and then the aps start telling him about how a mini missionary won't be able to serve and they didn't know what they were going to do so me being my ridiculous self said President you got me until the 7th of September and he said without hesitation what about the 28th... I said sorry pres but I have school. Then he explained how an extension works and how he has to call the missionary department and then they decide whether someone can extend or not and I told him to do it. Then he had another interview so he went in his office and I put a sticky note on the door that said Elder Szabo Sep 7th and told the aps to bug him about it and didn't think anything was going to happen because of it. Then a couple days later we got a text from president saying he'd talked to the missionary department and it was too late to change the ticket without charge so it got denied... I was THIS CLOSE to getting a second extension but guess the Lord wants me to go home so home I will go. 2 more weeks... 

      Other than that... we should be having a baptism this week. Unfortunately It's breaking my streak of having a baptism the last week of the transfer but beggars can't be choosers. He's doing really good. He's a 12 year old kid and can't pay attention to anything and only really comes for his sister but why did all of us come to church when we were kids... I know I wasn't coming for the 2 hours of lessons and meager servings.... Now I fast every week and try to get everyone to stay for 3 hours so how the tables have turned... He'll become a really strong member he just needs to get his own testimony like we all need too. Speaking of church I had to teach combined 3rd hour this week and may or may have not forgotten I had it until an hour before church during my studies but AT LEAST I remembered! I don't like giving lessons as a missionary because my style is to shift attention and have videos and activities and things like that and it's hard when I don't have any access to any of that stuff. I would give it a 6 out of 10. Not terrible but not life changing. It was on the manual the church released about teaching in the way of the Savior... The bishop got up and said the lesson will be by Brother so and so and the missionaries aka me. and the guy stands up so I think oh he actually prepares something but he just stood up for about 2 minutes and went off about something then turned the time over to me... Good thing I remembered. 

      The other big news is that we got p day trips taken away. Not entirely but we can't go on long trips anymore... Long story but we were mostly to blame because of all our travels. Lots went into it one of the things being our district disunity but that's a story for another time. We may or may not have freaked out last night when we found of why it all went down. My comp called president to see the rules and why it happened and we got shut down on going on our trip today and basically any other ones we had planned so my last couple p days are going to be boring. We went bowling today... Lame. What do you do. 

     That's about it. I have two weeks. Be grateful if I have anything to write about next week I won't say anything in 2 weeks because i'll see you all 3 days after. So you only have to read one more email after this... 

I love you all and will see you in t minus 16 days... #trunkyisadisease 

I GOT THE PACKAGE.

I apologize for being a terrible son and human being. I got the package it was wonderful thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you 

Like Dad always says gifts are not my love language and the last couple weeks have just kind of flown by and I forget to write about it. Turns out the mission didn't change me as much as you thought.... #2moreyearswilldothetrick #worstsonever 

    This week..... We actually had some lessons surprisingly. Enzo the referral we got from one of the girls in the ward is doing great. We had three lessons with him. He's 12 so it's pretty simple luckily he doesn't smoke heinous amounts of crack cocaine and doesn't have to worry about paying his tithing for a while so we are just working on trying to get him a testimony and not have to rely on his sister so much. We were able to help him accept a date this week and it's the 13 of August. If it goes down it'll be the fourth transfer in a row that I get a baptism on the last week of the transfer. So cheers to having absolutely no work but pulling out some baptisms on the crazy mission I've had. 

       In other news our ward does not function at all and we only had 5 people in third hour.... but i didn't have to teach a lesson this week so bravo! Next week I will probably have to teach a combined third hour with everyone... The bishop walked up to me and handed me this teaching like the Savior package and said we're having combined third hour and if this member who is supposed to teach it doesn't show you're up.... Luckily he mixed up the weeks and it's not until next week so I have some time to prepare. Blows my mind that a 20 year old has to get up and teach a bunch of people that have been members for a while. I could go off for a while but i'll save you the soap box stand. 

     In other other news I have 3 weeks left. 

     Have a great week. 

30 days....

Family. 

       This week was slow. 

       We had Zone Training. 

 

       We had English Course.

 

       We had 1 lesson besides english course.

       We contact A LOT. 

       We went a whole week without getting a normal lesson. On Saturday we had a lesson and I realized that had been our first one since last Saturday.... You could say we have too much work to handle right now. :) But good news about that lesson is it is a referral from a member. A girl in our ward brought us her 12 year old brother and he is super cool. First time I've ever taught a 12 year old on my mission so learning as we go but it was a good lesson and he came to all 3 hours  of church this week. Should be getting baptized in a month or so as well we are hoping to start reteaching her father who was taking lessons a little bit ago. As well a kid in our English course showed up to church on Sunday and we are going to have a lesson with him this week. So it was a super slow week but it ended on a good note and hopefully we can get something going this week. Like i said before I have not taught a lot on my mission but I have had to give so many talks and lessons in church... Last week I had to give a talk and teach second hour... This week I went into the Sunday school class and realized all the youth weren't in there even though they didn't have  a teacher for their class and so I walked in to see what they were doing and they said oh Elder Szabo has the lesson... So unplanned I had to give a lesson then go to priesthood and if we have enough aaronic priesthood the bishop takes them into his office and has us teach them and this week we had enough so..... I got to teach third hour as well. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I love teaching but 2 hours straight burned me out. Especially because I wasn't prepared at all. The bishop opened his office and said we are just preparing you for a calling with youth when you get home laughed and walked away..... I will be able to do anything you ask when I get back. My homecoming talk is going to be a piece of cake! and it's in english!!!! I forget I speak a foreign language sometimes.... So normal now. Other great news. My boy Gjergj got the priesthood and passed the sacrament! Awesome. He is a baller. When we were giving him the priesthood the bishop finished the written exact part and then started into the blessing and said Vellai Pali and Gjergj said Yes? hahahaha I had to stop myself from busting up. They did it all over again just because of that. It was so funny. Other than that we are just contacting the day away. Sun rise sun set we be on the street. No one is talking to us either... It's like when I was Elbasan and i'm not sleeping at all lately. God knows how you push you doesn't' he ? :) 

I love you all. Have a great week. 

Went on an adventure... See you in 36 days anyways...

Hey family... We went to a peninsula close to Durres and hung out with the Berat youth that were there so we got back late and I don't have much time to write... 

      All you need to know is we have absolutely no work. We street contacted and handed out English course fliers. 

      Gjergj is doing good and is getting the priesthood next week. 

       I gave a talk and had to give the lesson in second hour... I may not have taught many lessons in my mission but I have had to give way too many talks and lessons in church. This mission has been member prep... Missionary prep need not apply.... Albania. 

    Other than that I only have 5 weeks left and i'll see all of you soon so don't complain about not getting a long letter. I love all of you. 

       Strive for greatness. Keep the commandments. Smile 

Love Elder Szabo 

Mission conference pictures