Tutti parlano Italiano

Good morning!!!

Oh, the Winters family Christmas party. That is wonderful that it was at our house. It was so cool for me to open up my email and see all the pictures of all the cousins. Oh, that's so good. So fun, so fun. I wish I were there. .........but I'm here and it's wonderful. :)  We had a similar ward Christmas party kind of thing---we just had Gemeinde Essen---ward lunch? What would you call it? After church yesterday. YUM.

So, the week!

We went to the Zenelis last week and shared the new Christmas video (You've seen it, right??? christmas.mormon.org), then went to a Krampus Lauf with the Feldbachers. (Shudder.) I don't like those. The Krampus are the devil(s) that come before St. Nikolaus comes. Ew. They're awful looking things. One grabbed me and dragged me into the middle of the street........sigh. Then let me go. Shudder, again.

Tausch: I went to ITALY. Well, Süd Tirol. (The people there are VERY adamant that they are NOT Italy.  They are Süd Tirol.) It was CRAZY: you get EVERYTHING in German and in Italian. It was so funny. Absolutely gorgeous. Cold, cold, cold, and lots of fun. Sister Jaursch was super sweet. Sister Siems was training her. But yeah, it was good.

Then Thursday, we got up at 5 a.m. so we could catch a train to Brenner, which is the border, then up to Innsbruck, then to Salzburg. We came out to where the bus stop was behind SBG Bahnhof, and there was the whole group of missionaries that had come over from Wien, and there was SISTER ANGELOUDIS. I DIED. I love that girl so much. It was probably the last time I'll see her before I go home. But she attacked me and we talked and talked and talked. And I got a picture with both of my Sister As. :) Sister Arnold was, of course, also there.

The conference was great. President and Sister Kohler are WONDERFUL. I love them. We watched Meet the Mormons for the second half. (President Kohler pulled some strings to get the only copy floating around Europe.) Oh, goodness, it was incredible. I cried, especially with the Candy Bomber. Just being HERE, having been in Germany, being so close to it all, and the people, and ah, it was incredible.

Visited the Ts for lunch this week. We are sneakily trying to teach Bruder T (nonmember) in our spiritual thoughts. :)

E.....fell out. And then I. We're a little frustrated with her. Pray for I, please? :)

BUT. The Hs! WE met with them and started teaching about the Restoration and then BRUDER H CAME TO CHURCH


. Oh, my goodness. I don't know what changed, but he came. It was incredible.

Sunday was wonderful. We watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, then had Sacrament Meeting. Then Gemeinde Essen after church, then we practiced our song for next week---we, the missionaries---and then I did my video and taught. Then studies—studies were great. And beautiful. There's a section in PMG under the Plan of Salvation that lists chapters where the Book of Mormon prophets testify of Christ. It's just fun going through these right before Christmas. Also, President Packer's talk this last conference—SO GOOD.

Anyways. I’m going on Tausch with Sister Arnold this week in Linz. Mmmmm.....all of the good things.

That's about it. I LOVE you!

Love,

Sister Beth Winters