Dec. 15-21, 2019 Countdown to Christmas

I have to keep asking myself what "retirement" looks like because after a week like we have had, I would not consider myself retired from anything.  I have been worried about returning home and what we will do and today I am looking forward to just having a rest. 

We were out shopping today for last minute items for our Zone Conference, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dinners - because today is the last day for us that the stores will be open with us in Salzburg on Sunday and Monday and then the stores all close for Tues. - Thurs. due to the Christmas Holiday and we could not find a parking place.  Russ said, "it is too bad we are not handicap to park in all of the empty places.".  I said, "I am so thankful we are not needing those parking places and that we have been blessed with good health and are able to be serving in Austria at this time.  It was a reality check for me and just allowed me to think and be grateful for the blessings in my life.   With that said, I am learning I have to be more patient (and that is really hard) because we are aging and that is an adventure every day.  It has taken a lot of planning, especially with a major event to begin the week and then having enough refrigerator space to store it all. That means, shop for one event and then start over and shop and cook again for the next.

 Sunday evening we had a Stake musical fireside to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.  Some of our missionaries were asked to sing and they asked me to play the piano for them.  With only Sunday to learn the music, it was a little rocky on my part.  The missionaries did awesome - they have beautiful voices.  I got through the first song and said I would redeem myself with the second much easier song.  Well, they dimmed the lights and there was not a light over the piano and I started to play and then I could not see the music.  It was a new song that I had just learned that day and so I did not know it well enough to not see the music.  Again, their voices were like angels and they did great.  I was on overload mentally and I felt really bad that I was not able to do better for them.  Well, they called and asked if I would play at Zone Conference for them to sing it there and I laughed and said, that is double punishment and that they did not have to ask me to make me feel good.  They are so loving and have wonderful spirits and they must be really desperate.  We will see.

 There is an excitement in Vienna with the missionaries that  is so fun to be a part of.  We have a new District leader, Elder Cooper and he is really making a difference.  I call him the gentle giant.  Our meetings are inspiring and we are so united as a District.  It is definitely making a difference with the work and teaching that they are doing. 

 Wednesday night was the YSA Christmas Party at the Institute.  I was asked last Thursday while I was out of town if I could prepare the meal for the evening.  I was already very busy getting all of the food for our Zone Conference and was not sure how we would be able to do it all.  So, we shopped on Tuesday and then I baked the rest of the day until we left at 9:00 PM.  I made Chocolate Almond balls, no-bake cookies, ginger cookies, white chocolate cranberry cookies, English Dainties and caramel dip for the apples. 

 The Elder's were ready and willing to help - especially to be the taste testers.  They were the best kitchen help on Wednesday as we prepared the rest of the meal and set up the tables for the dinner. 

Elder Grimmett with Elder's Bennett, Koch, Cooper and Coleman

So we served a traditional Austrian Christmas meal with
Pork and Chicken Schnitzel, parsley potatoes, salad and bread.  They wanted to begin the evening with hot Christmas punch and cookies.  They ended the evening with French toast dessert.
The Elder's were hard at work peeling 20 pounds of potatoes.  I was not going to peel them, but they were there and wanted to help so I put them to work.  Fun time for everyone. Oh, time in the kitchen together is so much more than just cooking - great lessons learned together.

YSA getting ready for a group picture

They had a musical program to begin the night and then did a White Elephant gift exchange.  Then they had dinner - by this time it was 9:00 PM and then their Dessert and clean-up.  We left the building at 11:00 and they were still doing some dishes.  We did not get home until 11:45.  It was a very long day but enjoyed by all who came.  We had about 50 in attendance.

We walked through the closed market at the end of the evening to get to our Tram.  Most of the lights were off except for the tree and the building and it was beautiful.  It was nice not being filled with people and just enjoying the beauty of the season.

Our District had a street display on Wednesday as well and so I made granola bars and made 30 packages for them to give out with Light The Worlds cards.  I did not have time to  go, but Russ delivered them and spent a little time with them.

With the Wednesday event done, it was time to concentrate on Zone Conference and Christmas.  Lots of planning and shopping.

 One of the favorite foods of the missionaries in Germany and Austria is a Doner Kebab.  There are Doner shops on every street.  It has been a tradition in our family for the past 30 years to have "A Night in Bethlehem" on Christmas Eve.  We have always had a Texas twist on the meal, but a trip to the Middle Eastern market was always a highlight to get fresh Pita bread, olives, dates and baklava.  So, I have now learned how the meat is really cooked and the other foods that they eat with it.  What an experience this week has been. 

Doner sliced chicken

So on Tuesday I started the marinade for the chicken.  It is yogurt based with lots of delicious spices.  Then you put it on a large skewer - I only had two of the stands so we alternated with skewers and a roasted pan.  The secret is tightly layering the chicken pieces on top of each other.  Then you bake it to perfection and slice is very thin.  We cooked 24 pounds of meat, sliced it and have it packaged and ready for Monday.  We will serve it in Pida bread (not pita pocket).  It is a large round bread that is sliced like a hamburger bun but different texture and larger.  It is then filled with yogurt sauce or hummus, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, cucumber, carrots, corn, and meat.  I will show pictures next week of the finished product.  We will also serve rice, stuffed grape leaves and an assortment of nuts, fruits, olives and cheeses.  We will serve fruit breads for dessert.

 Friday was an experience I will never forget.  I have been looking forward to this day for about 6 weeks.  My friend, Beirosa, a Kurdish woman living in Vienna came and showed me how to make the stuffed grape leaves.  We made about 400 rolls in 5 hours.  I had the Sister missionaries come and help and we had a wonderful experience as we all learned together.  Beirosa brought her whole family and they played and watched as we learned from her. 

 We learned about a lot of spices and blends.  One of the favorites in the meat was pomegranite oil.  It is AMAZING.  We mixed rice, hamburger, garlic, tomatoes, parsley oil, tomato paste and lots of spices to make the filling.

filling mixture

 Assembly line being set up.  Meat, grape leaves and pot to cook in.

Learning how to fill and roll

It took us each about 10 tries before we got the process down.  I wanted to fill them too full - bigger is better, and she would laugh and say, too full.  She speaks Kurdish and some German.  We had fun even if we do not communicate well.  We make it work with both of our limited vocabularies.  Love fills in the difference.

 We filled two large pots with the filled leaves.

Cooking in tomato broth

The next step is to fill with a spiced tomato broth.  They cook for about an hour and the aroma is wonderful.  I felt so bad her family had to be there so long.  The kids played UNO and kept occupied most of the time.  I told them they could leave and i could cook them, but her husband said, "no, we will stay till the end."  He was the official tester and taster to make sure they were OK.  The missionaries are invested in this meal and they are looking forward to eating their creations.  I love when we can share each others cultures and learn from one another.  Their 9 year old son, was recently baptized in our Church and they come with him every week.  He has been asked to speak in Church on Sunday as part of the Christmas program.  They have asked us to come and hear him.  We will be there to support him and to also be with his parents.   I am so grateful for this opportunity and once again - so much more than cooking took place in the kitchen today. 

 We were so tired when we left the building at 9:00 PM but

Christmas Market booth

 so grateful for the delightful
experience we were able to have.  We walked one last time through the Christmas market on our way home.  I love the lights of Christmas and the festive spirit that is there.  It is kind of magical that we walk through this wonderland on our way home.  I am so glad to have been able to be in Vienna for Christmas this year.  Millions of people come from all over the world to see the Christmas markets.  We were glad to see the few that we did.

Picture at the Heart Tree

Mini gourmet market down town.  We walked through this market on Saturday.  It was a very rainy day and we took a little walk to see a few more markets.  We did not last long.  It was cold and wet and going to dinner was a lot more inviting.  The car is packed and ready for us to go to Church and then drive to Salzburg for Zone Conference that will be on Monday.  We are looking forward to being with the other missionaries and also to have the lunch served.  It will be a new experience for many of the missionaries.  I hope we have fun with it.

Of all the booths at the Christmas Markets, this booth is my favorite.  I am drawn to it every time we walk through.  It is a booth with light - tea light candle containers.  I have thought about why I like this booth so much and why I am drawn to the LIGHT.  We are here in the Alpine German Speaking Mission to spread the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Light of Christ is given to each one of us when we come to this earth.  It is through this light that we seek Him and come to know Him.  In that process, we choose to follow His teachings and make covenants that will allow us to return to our Father in Heaven.  Jesus Christ is the Light and Life of this World.  He lives! It is through Him that we can find peace, comfort, happiness and Joy.  He is the Prince of Peace.  We wish each of you a Joyous Christmas.  2019 has been a year of many blessings, trials, challenges and joys.  Because of the blessings of Jesus Christ we have been able to not only get through each of these experiences, but we have been strengthened and magnified in what we have been asked to do.
Continue to invite Jesus Christ in your life through your obedience and serving others.  As we do so, we will have the Christmas spirit with us every day of our lives.  Be a Light to the World.

Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's