Hello Family!
I'm so glad to hear all is going well and that you are all having a great Christmas season! I'm so excited for Joe and Megan and how far they are along! Marian should be getting pretty close too, right?! On a mission you lose all sense of time and what happens at home and it is terrible! I promise i read your emails and love every last bit of them:) So, as far as traditions go, here in Ukraine, the New Year celebration is the big holiday of the season and takes precedence over Christmas. The people really drink a lot and that night is supposedly not a very sober night for the people here so the mission heads home a little earlier that day to avoid it. The branches in the area though have invited all of the teenage members in Ukraine over to our city for a Ball that goes through out the night until 7am. I guess they do service, dance, and all sorts of fun stuff as an alternative to what the rest of the country does. Its really a great idea and they usually have a good turn out, about 300 last time. We of course, are not allowed to go to it but our branch is having a Christmas party this Saturday which i was informed i would be playing at which should be great fun. This last Sunday i had the opportunity to play for sacrament meeting, Sunday school, and then Primary. It was pretty fun to be able to do that. I guess there is a shortage of pianists here or something so they would come and ask me. This evening we have a Christmas fireside in Donetsk with president Fry and then tomorrow we have all the missionaries in the Donetsk area come for a Christmas celebration for the missionaries which will also be fun I'm sure. This is a great time of year for remembering Christ and his birth and what was to come. President talked to the branch yesterday about sharing the gift we have been given and that is to share our testimonies of the restored gospel with others. That is one thing i would encourage you all to do and that i will do too, to find at least one person not of our faith and share your testimony. I know that no matter how simple it may sound, as long as it is sincere, the lord will carry to the hearts of those who are ready. This church is true and the gospel of Jesus Christ is the way to true happiness. I know this with all my heart. I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas! I miss you and i am grateful for you all and what you have done for me and taught me. I love you and look forward to talking to you soon! have a (soon to be) MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)
With Love,
Elder Ostler
