Hungary YSA -1

August 14. Okay, family and friends, I warned there would be lots of pictures coming up. We had a great week in Dobogoko, Hungary, a beautiful village in the hills north of Budapest. The conference was attended by youth from Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Czech republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, a couple from Cyprus and a small smattering from Great Britain and the USA. There were 9 senior couples present as well from all of these countries. Each day there was a morning devotional, then breakfast, then Institute classes for 2 hours, then lunch, then a 1 hour workshop, then an activity which I will describe. Evening has some meeting  or spiritual component. We had a fireside from Pres. Southwick, stake president in Budapest, a fireside with Elder Axel Leimer, area authority from Germany, a fireside from Henry Kosak, Institute director in Eastern Europe, [past in Russia for 7 years and a mission president in Germany]. We had talent shows, dances for the YSA, a wonderful testimony meeting and other activities. So many wonderful people to meet and talk to , and we certainly got close to all the Romanians and Moldovans. So this blog will be spread over 3 posts , to get all the pictures in. I will speak of our travel home at the end, which was not pleasant. But the conference was wonderful. To speak and hear so many people bear testimony of Jesus Christ from so many countries was inspiring and faith promoting to both Deb and I.

Another picture of the first night gathering , pre activity

Deb and I supervised an activity in the forest. 2 people were blindfolded , each had a guide and had to be led, no touching, to a meeting place where stones were exchanged, then led back to the start. Here is Diana Gogu leading Sevghi Savran

Katalina, in the middle, leading Nikki Thompson

Group from Czech republic, waiting

Funniest team, did not work together well

Deb giving instructions

Maria Gorea, showing off

Maria, leading Nicolae Pascari, from Bălți

Most of our group , post activity, Deb, Maria, Nikki, Diana, Sevghi, Nicolae and me

The motto and theme of the conference. This is from a quote, well known to missionaries, where no unhallowed hand can stop the work of God.
As you can see, the setting was beautiful and the young people were great.