Sister Elizabeth Winters: Time flies!

Truth. I cannot believe that it's already Christmas. I just flew to England yesterday, right?

To the best parents in the world:

This week basically flew by. We went to the Wien Christkindlmarkts at Schönbrunn, Rathaus and Karlsplatz. It was incredible. They work the whole year to create so many little things (or big things) to sell. And there are all sorts of everything. It was so cool.

On Tuesday afternoon, we went to Graz! Oh, man. The train ride down there was about two hours long, but we could still see out the window, and it was gorgeous. Oh my goodness. And Graz......I loved it. It has a really well set up transportation system with buses and straßenbahns, but it's small enough that the city and the people don't feel as rushed as I feel like I am in Wien. And it's just a really pretty city. :) Sister Regnier and I had a good time. We visited a member on Tuesday night, who was extremely nice and an awesome member missionary. We were there to share the family mission plan with her, but she just told us about all the things she's trying to do to bring the gospel to other people. I was really impressed by her.

Wednesday was fun. We went to a Chinese restaurant for the "two year baptism birthday" of one of the members. Then we went to contact a less active, who wasn't home; then we went back towards the middle of the city and to visit a member---who was soo sweet. She was struggling with some things, and so we shared that scripture that you sent me, Mom, Alma 36:3. It was such a good discussion. AH! Graz is so pretty.

Meanwhile, back at home, Sister Scoggin and Sister Judd had some awesome lessons with a former investigator, and one potential whom we had found while street contacting a while back. And both of them became new investigators, which is wonderful! We had a fun sleepover in our apartment that night. Our apartment is definitely big enough to sleep four sisters there.

Thursday was the Christmas conference! It was SO much fun. :) We played chimes that Sister Miles brought, and then just sang some Christmas hymns. Seriously. All the time on my mission, I realize again and again how much I love music, and how grateful I am that it is such a big part of my life. We watched part of the Christmas devotional, then at the end, they handed out packages. I got both of the ones you sent me, Mom---the big one and the one with contacts in them. The other thing is, I also got the package that I'd ordered from the Church a couple months ago, with Spanish scriptures (!) and scripture covers in them. And we ordered supplies, and a box of Book of Mormons is not light by any means. Soooo......we had a ton to carry home. But first! We went to the Rathaus (city hall) and went caroling! which was fun, and then we left and came home. Thank goodness for the elders, who helped carry so much to our apartment.

Saturday was...interesting. We had an appointment with C in the morning, which was a little rough. Some of the problems in her life just got a lot worse---that morning, a couple hours before we came to her---so it was a little rough. And I just ache for her, but we can't do anything to help her that way. And she needs to pray. I don't know how much she realizes that she needs to, but she really does.

Saturday night was the ward Christmas party. And yes, we wore our dirndls, and yes, we sang with Sonja. :) It was so fun. Everyone loved our dirndls, which made me really happy. I played piano for the Christmas songs that we sang gemeinsam (together), which also means I get to keep the copies of the music! SO happy. :) We sang the traditional Austrian Christmas songs, some of which I learned in high school. Oh, goodness. I am always SO happy for any chance I can have to play piano. And to have these songs, which I loved in high school, and that we really sing them here.....was just incredible.

Yesterday was so good. We had church, but unfortunately, none of our investigators came. FHV (Relief Society) was good---we talked about the talk "Four Titles," by President Uchtdorf, and then in Sunday School (Gospel Doctrine), The Proclamation on the Family. After church, we (the four missionaries) went Christmas caroling with some of the ward members to some less active members. It was so much fun. :) And really, really sweet.

This week will definitely be very weird, with Christmas starting tomorrow, and lasting for three days. I'm really, really, really grateful for my perspective now. When we have people over at our house for Christmas Eve, sometimes, for me, it was hard to think that we'd have people over for something that is very family-centered. But I am realizing now how grateful I am that members have invited us over, because if we weren't, we would have no place to go for Christmas. Literally. We can't just stay inside, and we aren't allowed to go dooring, so on Christmas, we'd just walk around trying to talk with people, which would be okay, but hard. So I'm just really grateful that we have appointments, that the members are willing to let the missionaries come hang out with them on Christmas---all three days of Christmas.

This week is about Christ. He loves us so much. And I am so, so, so grateful to be serving Him at this special time of year. It is a huge blessing. It's hard to be away from you, but it's what Dad told me last year: I am doing something wonderful---I'm here to bring people closer to Christ, and that's the point.

I LOVE YOU. So much. And I will talk with you on Wednesday!!

Love, love, love, love, love,

Sister Beth Winters.

Snowy Graz