BYUH international student shares her experiences as she battled feelings of loneliness and overcame her fears with her faith
As an outgoing person who loves making friends, BYUH international student Eniko Kis, a freshman from Hungary majoring in psychology, expected she would have a hard time adjusting to campus life since it was a change from her life in central Europe. She shared her story of facing life’s bitter lemons as she began a life away from home and how she triumphs over challenges with her friend’s help.
Representing Hungary
Hungarians are known as smart and hardworking people, as famous scientists are from their country, said Kis. A simple Google search brought up more than 40 famous Hungarian scientists. She said, “I didn’t even know that, but I am so proud.”
However, Kis said one of the things Hungarians struggle with is being united. She said they do not support each other enough and can be negative. But despite the flaws of people in her country, Kis said Hungary is a beautiful country, and she is proud of it.
Kis said she is from the city of Kecskemét where people living there experience all four seasons. But she said the climate has changed some from when she was younger. Kis also said the landscapes, historical buildings and attractions in Hungary are beautiful and are worthy of visiting. “We are famous for wine and food,” said Kis. Her favorite dish is called goulash, a flavorful soup with vegetables and meat that requires four hours of cooking, she said.
The struggle of being peculiar
Kis said before coming to Hawaii, she was given a priesthood blessing. The blessing given to her was for her to be able to create and build her own path. She said her Relief Society president, back in Hungary, told her it would be hard, “But it is possible with God,” Kis said.
Kis also said as the only student from her hometown, she feels proud to be able to represent her country here at BYU-Hawaii. She added despite being proud, she sometimes feels lonely. Kis said, “It’s definitely a challenge. Sometimes I feel lonely and it’s hard.” She said she uses the resources available on campus, such as the Counseling Center. “I am not afraid to share my feelings, and [I] ask for help when I need help,” she said.
Kis said finding friends who she can rely on and trust is one of the most important things a student like her should do. She said even though she is very sociable and easy to become friends with, she only has four friends she can rely on and they can rely on her as well. She said, “I focus on quality instead of quantity. I never had millions of friends.”
Kis said she wanted to find a good close friend like she had in Hungary. “I think one of the things we need to do is we have to be very open, get to know new people and get out of our comfort zone.” She also said, “If we just stay in our room and isolate ourselves, we will never experience new things and learn.
Having faith in Christ
Kis also shared how her faith in Christ helped her in her life here in Hawaii. “My faith in Jesus Christ is my source.” She said whenever she has a hard time, she visits the temple to feel peace. She also said reading the scriptures helps her to keep the companionship of the spirit. “Never isolate yourself from God. Draw closer to Him, talk to Him and He will help you,” she said.
Kis shared her conversion story. “I lived a normal life outside of the church, but I always felt that something was missing.” She said she felt broken and she began questioning her purpose and wondered if life was only about suffering and pain. She said, “I met a friend through this positivity activity. I did not know that he was a member.” She said her friend invited her to attend a church activity where they talked about how God created everything for us.
Kis said after a few weeks, missionaries came to the restaurant where she was working. She said the missionaries also invited her to the same activity his friend told her about. “I went to the activity, and after that, I started attending church." Kis said she continued taking lessons with the missionaries, and when she received her own personal spiritual witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, she accepted the invitation was baptized on her birthday.
Letting God prevail
Kis said after two years, she served a full-time mission in the England Manchester Mission and her mission president was a former professor at BYUH. Kis said during her last interview with her mission president, she expressed her desire to apply for BYU-Pathway Worldwide. She said, “I was waiting for him to give me counsel about my future, but all he said was to let him know if I want to study at BYU-Hawaii.” After coming home, Kis said she continued to pursue BYU-Pathway, working and traveling at the same time forgetting the conversation she had with her mission president.
Kis said she was living her dream in Switzerland, working for a family, when her vision for her life changed last year when she visited her Hungarian friends here in Hawaii. Kis said she was able to experience the aloha spirit and felt as if it was God’s plan for her to study at BYUH. She said she decided to enroll, but she was denied the first time. “It was hard. They rejected me before Christmas,” she said. During those times, Kis said she had a hard time trusting God’s timing and believing in His promised blessings for her future. She also said despite the obstacles she faced, she was still blessed and grateful. “I think this is one thing we need to remind ourselves that what we have right now is one of the things we have prayed for,” she said.
Healthy friendships
Victoria Angeles, a freshman from Montalban Rizal, Philippines, majoring in graphic design, said she met Kis a few days after school started. She said she went for a walk on the beach, saw a pair of shoes and a bottle of water and sat down not far away from it. “I saw a girl farther away walking, and I thought the [shoes and water bottle] was hers,” she said. “She came close to me and took her stuff. I wanna make new friends, so I talked to her.” Angeles said she was about to go back to the campus, so she asked Kis if they could walk together.
Angeles said she admires Kis for being passionate about everything and for knowing what she wants in life. She said Kis knows how to empathize with people and gives her all in everything. “She is like the one who balances my life,” she said. Angeles also said Kis reminds her to hope for everything to be okay when things are hard and she does the same for Kis in return.
Angeles also shared a lesson she learned from Kis she said, “One thing she taught me is you have limitless capacity and nothing is impossible.”
Yen-Tung Su, a freshman from Taiwan majoring in psychology, also expressed her admiration for Kis she said, “She is super willing to share her stories and express her feelings.” Su also said she feels comfortable listening to Kis because she knows she is expressing who she truly is. “She’s really honest,” Su said.
Angeles encouraged people to get to know Kis before drawing conclusions about he. She said, “I think people have noticed that she’s different. But for me, I find her unique.” Angeles added it's important, “See the good in everyone."