Here are a bunch of pictures from Ugljan island that we hiked last week in Zadar.

Hey good people,

It finally snowed! After having a 60 degree Christmas, it was quite a shift to get 6 inches of snow throughout the day yesterday (Sunday). It snowed all day, so at about 4 pm we grabbed 2 snow shovels that we conveniently own (even though we live in an apartment) and set off around town, looking for people to help. It was a blast. So many families were out with sleds and dogs and shovels and skates and everything else you could imagine about winter activities. It's really cool because in Karlovac, the old part of town is surrounded by this huge star shaped moat that was used hundreds of years ago when Karlovac was a fortress thing. Now the moat is empty, and all along inside it are little parks and benches and such, and the sides are perfect for sledding. It was a beautiful night last night. We weren't gonna go outside at first, either, since I am feeling pretty sick, but I sucked it up and we had a great time. Little bakas (grandmas) loved us. One lady brought us tea and cookies (rosehip herbal tea -- nasty), and one of our member families brought us inside for these delicious cake things called mađarica. It felt so good to just serve some people.

Another bonus about yesterday was that a man that the elders are teaching came to church yesterday and handed Sister Walker and me two huge Milka chocolate bars and said it was for our lovely singing at the Christmas party last weekend. We already have eaten one. People are so great.

My exchange last week with Sister Yardley was thankfully, very successful. We were both pretty nervous since we came to Croatia together just a month ago, and we weren't sure if we could even communicate with people on our own yet. But we did! It was such a surprise. I am absolutely certain that the Lord helped us understand the people that we spoke with, because I have never understood that much of what people are saying here before. We had some awesome conversations that day. I'm grateful for the challenge that we were given, and I know that the Lord qualifies his servants in their time of need.

Christmas was wonderful too, and filled with food! It was so good also to be able to Skype my family. I miss you all, but it's okay. 

Okay, well, I'm out! Thanks for keeping up with me!

Fraza dana:

Sretna nova godina! (sret-nah nove-ah goe-dee-nah) -- Happy new year!

Love,

Sestra Watts

Aaaan this was how we spent our Christmas Eve... I have played Settlers of Catan about 12 times 

since being here, and 4 were on Christmas Eve and Christmas. You'd be so proud! I wanted to die.

Finally, our beautiful Christmas breakfast. We ate so much. And the last pic is normal in our apartment. The Ritter Sport was less than a buck, the fancy stuff about $2, and the Milka we got from an investigator of the elders. Probably also around $2. I love Europe!!!