Jan. 12-18, 2020 Winter is here!

It started snowing today and Winter has arrived in Vienna.  It is our P-Day and we shopped early before the storm came and thought we would just stay in today and get things done at home.  We got a text that the mission office wanted a group photo today and so we ventured out and went to Maria Hilfestrasse - the main shopping district in Vienna and where the missionaries go to do street finding.  It is always fun to meet up with the missionaries and then our District went to McDonald's for lunch together.  Only second time we have been to McDonald's in the past 18 months.  Then they asked if we would go to the Institute with them for an appointment - so, the afternoon became a little more than we had planned and P-Day once again was spent with the missionaries!  It is great to serve.

So, I have been cooking and baking the rest of the day and evening getting ready for Sunday dinner, Monday District Council and Zone Conference.  Now the favorite part of Saturday, writing this Blog and sharing my thoughts for the week.

Sunday Dinners with the missionaries continues to be one of the highlights of our week.  We really enjoy having them in our home and getting to know them better.   We had Elder's Coleman and Hyde on Sunday.  Elder Coleman is from Idaho Falls, ID (where Russ is from) and Elder Hyde is from Preston, England.  So, lots of things to talk about and share stories.  Elder Coleman asked if they could come over on Tuesday for their P-Day and learn to cook some new recipes. 

They came on Tuesday and I shared with them my Caramel Dip and Hummus Dip recipe.  It was fun to be with them and then I fixed them lunch and we samples the Caramel Dip with apples and the hummus with chips.  I sent the rest home with them and they were happy.  Elder Coleman said he really wanted to get an Austrian Trockten Jacket.  We had found one the week before at an antique shop but it was too small for Russ.  We took them over to the shop and it was a perfect fit for him.  He was so excited.  It even came with two pairs of dress slacks and he got all of it for $7. So nice to make someone happy with little things.

Monday was District Council and the end of a Transfer so we took the traditional photo of the group.  The chairs show how many transfers you have been on your mission.  We have a pretty young group.  Each chair represents 6 weeks.  We just completed 18 months on our mission - we are the longest serving in the group.
Elder Grimmett takes the safe route and does not stand on a stack of chairs.  I can't say it is very good on the chairs to be stacked and to have the weight on them, but the missionaries like to do this.

We learn so much from these young missionaries.  They work so hard we love their faithfulness, knowledge, craziness, spiritual awareness and testimonies.  We have come to really enjoy the time we spend with them on Monday's.

Monday night was FHE with the YSA and we watched a Fireside that was held on Sunday evening in Provo, UT.  We made the regular waffles with fried potatoes and fruit and they really enjoyed it.  A few missionaries helped us prepare it and again, it makes our time serving to wonderful when we are with them.

Tuesday's are P-Day for the young missionaries.  They gather at the Institute to call home and write their emails.  It is usually buzzing with lots of talking and just enjoying their day of rest.  I decided to take ingredients to make Calzone's for dinner. I made 4 large Calzones filled with grilled chicken, cheese and sauce and they turned out great.  We shared them with those that were there and they were very grateful.  

We have spent a lot of time taking care of apartment and missionary needs the past few weeks.  It seems like since the first of the year we have had a lot of repairs and broken things.  It took us over a week to find and purchase a new washing machine for one of the apartments, but we finally were able to get the right size and it was delivered and installed this week.  Lots of shopping as we replace bedding, dishes, vacuums, cleaning supplies, etc.  We just do not have big stores that you can find everything you need.  We have to go to many stores and even then it is hard to find some things.  We have ordered on Amazon, but even that is an ordeal.  Many things cannot be shipped to Austria so we finally figured out to have it shipped to our mission office in Munich and then they will bring it to Zone Conferences.  Patience and perseverance have become important for survival. 

We had a visit from Elder and Sister Homer who serve in the mission office in Munich.  They brought one of our new missionaries and also some bed mattresses for one of the apartments.  It is always so good to visit with other missionary couples.  We took them to dinner and then took them to their hotel.  With parking so difficult for visitors in Vienna, we had them park the mission van in our parking garage and then took them to their hotel.  We picked them up early on Friday morning and they were off to a busy day of apartment inspections on their way back to Munich.  They will be completing their mission at the end of February.  Elder and Sister Mecham (from Arizona) who we came from the MTC with 18 months ago returned home on Jan. 16.  It is becoming very real that we are in the last 12 weeks of our mission.  With that said, we will be loosing two additional missionary couples in February and that will put us down to 6 couples.  If you know of anyone who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Retired, at least one knows some German, PLEASE tell them how much they are needed to serve as Senior Missionaries in the Alpine German Speaking Mission.  It is one of the most beautiful missions in the Church.  It is an experience that will change their life forever and it will be a blessing to their family.  How is that for an advertisement!

We went to St. Polton, a city about an hour away on Friday to check on an apartment and deliver supplies.  We were so excited to see Elder Janousek who arrived on Wednesday to serve in that city.  We served for 10 months with him in Germany and we will end our mission with him.  It was a great reunion and he continues to be a very dedicated missionary. 

 We decided to take a back road home and not the highway.  We took a road that followed the Danube River.  We stopped off in a little city called Tulln am Donau.  It is on the river and a really cute city center.  They have beautiful gardens and parks along the river that will be nice to see in the Spring.  This is a big statue on a hill overlooking the river that depicts the spot where a Royal family member met this princess and they then married.  This monument was erected in their honor. 

This is looking out from the top out to the river.  Viking River cruises has a port there as well as smaller river boats that you can take day cruises on.  They are closed for the Winter and will begin the first of April.  We are hoping to take a day trip before we leave to come home.   It was really nice to see a new place, even if it was sooo cold we did not stay long.
It was a great day, but a long day as well.  I came home and took a quick nap before we had to go to the Institute.  Often we take the stairs instead of the elevator when we are going down.  It was dark and I thought I was at the bottom and took a step and fell down the last stair and onto the landing.  I fell on the same side that I fell on 5 months ago just after we arrived in Vienna.  It has not healed completely.  Russ asked if I was OK.  I said, "I am in pain."  I really wanted to lay there and cry, but knew that would not do any good.  I just wanted to go back to my apartment.  Russ said, "OK then, let me help you up, we need to get to the train."  So, I picked myself up and off we went.  It is times like this that I think of my angel mother and her example of strength, courage and determination.  Today is her birthday, she would be 96 years old.  I know she watches over me and is cheering me on.

I only have one more Institute class for this Semester and it has been a great experience for me.  I have a small class, but the past two weeks have been worth all of the effort.  It is so wonderful to see students learning and feeling the spirit that bears witness of truth.  Our lesson this week was on the First Vision of Joseph Smith and the role of Jesus Christ in that vision.  The Church will be commemorating the 200 anniversary of this event in April 2020.  Pres. Russell M. Nelson has asked the members of the Church to prepare for this event by studying the account of the First Vision in the Pearl of Great Price.  The Church has also made available additional resources to study in preparing for this event.  6 Podcasts have been created that are well worth your time and efforts to listen, study and ponder.  I promise you will learn things you have never heard before. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/inspiration/latter-day-saints-channel/listen/series/the-first-vision-a-joseph-smith-papers-podcast?lang=eng&cid=email-IN_010520_CTA2c

"The Second coming of Christ is mentioned over 1,500 times in the Old Testament and 300 times in the New Testament.  If God thought this subject that important, he must have wanted us to do something about it."  Elder Sterling W. Sill

Why do we need to prepare others and not just ourselves for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?
Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "What if the day of His coming were tomorrow?  If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow - through our premature death or through His unexpected coming - what would we do today?  What confessions would we make?  What practices would we discontinue?  What accounts would we settle?  What forgivenesses would we extend?  What testimonies would we bear?
If we would do those things then, why not now?  Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained?  If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them."
The Parable of the 10 Virgins found in Matthew 25:1-13 is a great parable that teaches us about preparing to meet the Savior?  The Lord said, "And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins." (D&C 45:56)

I am so grateful to be able to study the scriptures and the words of living Prophets to help me be prepared for the coming days.   As Lehi in the Book of Mormon said, "And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them." 1 Nephi 8:37
And so, with all the feeling of a tender parent, grandparent, friend, teacher, and missionary, I would ask that you read and study The First Vision, Ask questions about The Book of Mormon and share your testimony of Jesus Christ with others.  As you do this you will be prepared for the days ahead.

Viel Liebe,
The Grimmett's