CHRISTMAS GREETING

May you all have a Holy and Peaceful Christmas!

This Christmas in the Year of our Lord, 2013, we feel especially blessed to celebrate this sacred season with new friends.  John and I have made a conscious choice not to decorate our apartment or worry about presents for each other.  In past years, we have loved having a shining Christmas tree and our small displays of Nativity scenes throughout our house.  We loved the shopping, baking, and all the "Drum und Dran" (outer signs of Christmas) of the season.

This year we can honestly say that we have Christmas in our hearts and the joy we feel is so much greater than ever before.  Being called as Disciples of Christ has touched us in many unexpected ways.  We have learned to love more deeply, sacrifice more fully, and feel such a fullness of gratitude for our beloved Savior.  We would sing with the choirs in heaven "Wonderful! Counselor!  The Mighty God!  The Prince of Peace".  

Our love for family and friends at home is peacefully contained within the knowledge that our Father in Heaven will look over you and keep you in the next months to come.

May your joy be full.  May you take a minute to reflect on the greatest Gift of all...the babe in Bethlehem that made it possible for us to return to our heavenly home.   

Frohliche Weihnacten!  Alles Gute zum Neuen Jahr!

Elder and Sister Didenhover

First Presidency Christmas Card 2013

SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT

Merry Christmas!

The long traditional carol from Austria "Silent Night, Holy Night" is by custom never sung before midnight, Christmas Eve in Austria. 

Sing it by your tree for us.  We are keeping Christmas in our hearts this year and forgoing any holiday decorations. We will think of you, dear friends.


 May your New Year be bright !  


Love, Elder and Sister Didenhover

LINZ NATIVITIES 2013

We found out there are 200 displays throughout Linz this Christmas season.  CHRISTMAS is such a big event all during Advent in Austria. 

The Linz Ward has about 205 displayed this year.  Some years they have had much more.  Most of the the creches are hand made (not the lanterns).  For some this is  a year long project making their own creches and even figures.  

  Right now I am listening to the brass quartet.  I wish I could video tape it.  The sound is so typical Austria and you can almost imagine being in a chalet in the mountains with tons of snow outside and a roaring fire inside. 

The sets were amazing and varied.

Brother Didenhover acted as a guide.

Sister Mayer (center, next to me) is the wonderful lady in charge. She is standing
next to one of the several creches that she made.

She also gives classes on how to create one of these detailed nativity scenes.

Today is the last day and most of the visitors seem to be here today.

Each is offered cake or cookies (bakery quality) and a drink of something hot or room temperature.  They even have little cafe tables set up.   We love the Linz Ward.  The people are warm and friendly and welcoming.  They serve one another so eagerly.  

OBEDIENCE

It always amazes me how thoughtful and insightful our young missionaries are.  

Sister Wunderli and Sister Peterson

We had a district meeting yesterday in which Sister Peterson and Sister Wunderli gave a short, but powerful presentation on "Obedience".  Sister Peterson quoted Elder Uchtdorf:

"Isn't it true that we often get so busy?  And, sad to say, we even wear our busyness as a
badge of honor, as though being busy, by itself, was an accomplishment or sign of a superior life.  Is it?  I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem.  I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished.  I can't see it.  Instead I see the compassionate and caring Son of God purposefully living each day.  When He interacted with those around Him, they felt important and loved.  He knew the infinite value of the people He met." (Ensign Nov.2012)

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

One of my heroes in life is Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965).  One of his famous quotes is:

"The most good we can do is the good God would have us do".

Albert Schweitzer

 His life was a firm example of that.  He had a doctorate in philosophy and a doctorate in theology. He was a published author, a renowned concert organist, and advanced in music theory.  In 1905 he began medical studies.  He had come to realize that God wanted him to do "His good", which was as a doctor in the Congo.  He spent the rest of his life mostly in Lamberene Congo helping the poor and needy as a physician.
He used all the proceeds from royalties to pay for the building of a hospital there.  When he received the Nobel Peace Prize, he used that money to start a hospital for lepers.  He obeyed God's desire for him to serve in a remote, and dangerous place.

As I think of the multiple examples of great obedience throughout the scriptures, I realize that each day I need to pray to know Heavenly Father's will for me.  What must I do this day?

Only as I study the scriptures, pray earnestly, and avail myself of the Holy Ghost's promptings can I be truly obedient.  Rules are easy to follow.  But to know God's will and do it each day is the greater challenge for missionaries and all covenant people.  This I learned from two sweet missionaries from Texas and Hungary.

Blessings come as we seek to know and do God's will.

Have a good, purposeful day today!