Guten Tag one last time & that brings tears to my eyes even when I type it.
I will try not to be too sentimental but be warned that it will be difficult. We tried bearing our testimonies in Sacrament Mtg. yesterday & we both lost it (me more than Elder Harris even though he had to translate for me). We have truly come to love these people & the missionaries that serve & have served here. We hope that some of them will come & visit us & Elder Harris promised in his testimony to provide them with a warm bed & a dinner cooked by yours truly if they do.
On Mon.,Dec. 14 we had a third couple join us for FHE & then they also came the following Monday. We were so happy because we have been trying & trying to get them to come. They have many challenges in their lives but with the support of the ward members & missionaries they seem to be headed in the right direction.
Last month I reported that we were doing apartment checks here in the Stake. We were going to do half & the Toolsons were going to do the other half. That all changed when the Toolsons returned home due to a medical issue. We then assumed their share so we have been very busy. We have completed eleven & have three more to do & up until yesterday when transfers were announced that would have been four more but they are taking the missionaries out of Bayreuth so we won’t have to go there.
Well, I know that all of you are dying to know how our adventure in Vienna turned out. One word describes it Wunderbar!!! We know we missed a lot & we can’t identify some of our pictures but considering the time spent (really only one full day), it was more than we were hoping for. After checking into the Hotel, we rushed over to the nearby Schönenbrunn Palace to the Christmasmarkt that was being held in the courtyard. Then later when all the people had left, Elder Harris took the tripod & took some wonderful pictures of the lights.
We got up early on Christmas & hopped on a tour bus & did the green route, then the red route & then the blue route. We figure we probably saw it all but it happened so fast that we weren’t sure what we saw until we came home & matched our pictures with the Vienna book we bought. We also took a tour of the Opera House which I loved. They gave out so much information that it was hard to process it all but it was awesome.
We also connected with Sister Puzey & her companion, Sister Dunker for a cup of tea & bowl of soup in the Opera House Restaurant. We had a delightful visit but wished it could have been longer. They are going great guns in Wien (Vienna). They had a baptism last week & are teaching up a storm. She (Sister Puzey) has not lost her enthusiasm or her wonderful smile.
That night we went to a concert in the Schönenbrunn Palace Complex. What a Vienna musical feast it was (Mozart & Strauss, a chamber music ensemble consisting of 11 players plus a conductor, 2 soloists—a soprano & a baritone—who did duets, too & 2 ballet dancers--a husband & wife team). We sat on the fourth row so we were really into the ambience of the whole experience, at least I was & Elder Harris appreciated the Strauss.
We will let our pictures tell the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy them. Needless to say, we will long remember our Christmas in Vienna which by the way is the fifth most visited city in the world.
Our New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day (my birthday) were also memorable. We spent New Year’s Eve at the Dautels (Raymond & Beate, Jared, Kristin, Anne, Alicia & Katelyn, Richie (home from London) & Rike (home from Utah). Elder Harris played Wii with everyone. I played Mexican Train with everyone who wasn’t playing Wii. We did fondue (cheese, oil, soup) to beef, pork, chicken, & bread. There were several dips for not only the fondued food but cut up veggies. Yummy! We also played Mafia, toasted each other when the New Year arrived, watched fireworks, made New Year’s Resolutions & had a spiritual thought & prayer before leaving for home at 1:30 A.M.
We were at the Preisses again for my birthday dinner. It was delicious as expected. She made my favorite cake for dessert. It is to die for. When I get home I’m going to try to make it if I can find all the ingredients. She gave me the recipe last year.
Well, that about sums up the year. We will be riding the train to Frankfurt to pick up a new car for the mission sometime this week, probably Wed. or Thurs. We will see you very soon & at this point we really believe that it’s going to happen. Please pray for our safe return. Thanks for your many words of encouragement during our mission. We love you!!!
Auf Wiedersehen,
Elder & Sister Harris, Gary & Renee, Dad & Mom, Gpa & Gma
I will try not to be too sentimental but be warned that it will be difficult. We tried bearing our testimonies in Sacrament Mtg. yesterday & we both lost it (me more than Elder Harris even though he had to translate for me). We have truly come to love these people & the missionaries that serve & have served here. We hope that some of them will come & visit us & Elder Harris promised in his testimony to provide them with a warm bed & a dinner cooked by yours truly if they do.
On Mon.,Dec. 14 we had a third couple join us for FHE & then they also came the following Monday. We were so happy because we have been trying & trying to get them to come. They have many challenges in their lives but with the support of the ward members & missionaries they seem to be headed in the right direction.
Last month I reported that we were doing apartment checks here in the Stake. We were going to do half & the Toolsons were going to do the other half. That all changed when the Toolsons returned home due to a medical issue. We then assumed their share so we have been very busy. We have completed eleven & have three more to do & up until yesterday when transfers were announced that would have been four more but they are taking the missionaries out of Bayreuth so we won’t have to go there.
Well, I know that all of you are dying to know how our adventure in Vienna turned out. One word describes it Wunderbar!!! We know we missed a lot & we can’t identify some of our pictures but considering the time spent (really only one full day), it was more than we were hoping for. After checking into the Hotel, we rushed over to the nearby Schönenbrunn Palace to the Christmasmarkt that was being held in the courtyard. Then later when all the people had left, Elder Harris took the tripod & took some wonderful pictures of the lights.
We got up early on Christmas & hopped on a tour bus & did the green route, then the red route & then the blue route. We figure we probably saw it all but it happened so fast that we weren’t sure what we saw until we came home & matched our pictures with the Vienna book we bought. We also took a tour of the Opera House which I loved. They gave out so much information that it was hard to process it all but it was awesome.
We also connected with Sister Puzey & her companion, Sister Dunker for a cup of tea & bowl of soup in the Opera House Restaurant. We had a delightful visit but wished it could have been longer. They are going great guns in Wien (Vienna). They had a baptism last week & are teaching up a storm. She (Sister Puzey) has not lost her enthusiasm or her wonderful smile.
That night we went to a concert in the Schönenbrunn Palace Complex. What a Vienna musical feast it was (Mozart & Strauss, a chamber music ensemble consisting of 11 players plus a conductor, 2 soloists—a soprano & a baritone—who did duets, too & 2 ballet dancers--a husband & wife team). We sat on the fourth row so we were really into the ambience of the whole experience, at least I was & Elder Harris appreciated the Strauss.
We will let our pictures tell the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy them. Needless to say, we will long remember our Christmas in Vienna which by the way is the fifth most visited city in the world.
Our New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day (my birthday) were also memorable. We spent New Year’s Eve at the Dautels (Raymond & Beate, Jared, Kristin, Anne, Alicia & Katelyn, Richie (home from London) & Rike (home from Utah). Elder Harris played Wii with everyone. I played Mexican Train with everyone who wasn’t playing Wii. We did fondue (cheese, oil, soup) to beef, pork, chicken, & bread. There were several dips for not only the fondued food but cut up veggies. Yummy! We also played Mafia, toasted each other when the New Year arrived, watched fireworks, made New Year’s Resolutions & had a spiritual thought & prayer before leaving for home at 1:30 A.M.
We were at the Preisses again for my birthday dinner. It was delicious as expected. She made my favorite cake for dessert. It is to die for. When I get home I’m going to try to make it if I can find all the ingredients. She gave me the recipe last year.
Well, that about sums up the year. We will be riding the train to Frankfurt to pick up a new car for the mission sometime this week, probably Wed. or Thurs. We will see you very soon & at this point we really believe that it’s going to happen. Please pray for our safe return. Thanks for your many words of encouragement during our mission. We love you!!!
Auf Wiedersehen,
Elder & Sister Harris, Gary & Renee, Dad & Mom, Gpa & Gma
Danube River Skyline
Opera House
Opera House 2
Prater Park
Schonenbrunn Christmasmarkt
Schonenbrunn Palace
Spanish Horses Arena
St. Francis of Assisi Church
United Nations Building
Vienna Rathaus
