Bonne Année! (Happy New Year!)

Hey Guys!

At the Ward New Year's Party

It sounds like it was a pretty quick week for all of us! With the new year coming in, and all the festivities and food associated with it, it moves pretty fast. This last week was a pretty good one for us here in Luxembourg. We finally got to see Steven again, and he's doing great, we had a little New Year's Eve party at church, with movies and dancing and everything, New Year's Day we mostly spent at the Rodriguez' place, where got to watch How to Train Your Dragon 2 (in French) and eat lots of delicious food. The next day we had a cleaning check for our apartment, and weekly planning. Saturday the senior couple came back with a few supplies for us, and Sunday we had lunch with the Elenes family. Aside from that, we spent all the rest of our time out talking to people in the street and knocking on their doors (or, mostly just pushing their sonnerie buttons). It's been a couple rough weeks here in Luxembourg, as far as teaching goes. I feel like Elder Jenness and I are both working hard to be the best, most obedient missionaries that we can be, but between the cold, the holidays, and the language barriers, we've been struggling to find many people who will take a few minutes to listen to our message. It's interesting, kind of frustrating sometimes how that happens. It seems like when we're really trying our hardest, working consistently and diligently to fulfill our potential, that's often when the real trials come. To me, that's because, when we're the closest to achieving and receiving the blessings that our Father in heaven has for us, that's when the Adversary tries HIS hardest to stop us from making it to that point. Breaking through that barrier, breaking free of that hold is what makes all the difference. I've been reading Jesus the Christ a lot lately, and in there, you can really see, time and time again, how Christ is able to do that. To put off the natural man, to resist temptation, to confound those who oppose him. It makes you really see why it's after Him that we try to model ourselves. That's one of my biggest goals for this year, to better understand my Savoir so that I can better follow his example.

Luxembourg in Snow
(Courtesy Luxembourg Tourist Office Facebook Page)

Aside from that, with the New Year, I've set a bunch of goals. We have this thing in the mission (and probably most missions) called "six months to sexy", which is pretty self-explanatory. Lots more exercising and a few less kebabs... I'm flossing every day, and I'm trying to read my scriptures a little every night before bed, to build that habit. They say that it's the last quarter of your mission that will really set the habits that will affect you through the rest of your life, so I'm trying to do my best to set myself up for success.

I'm glad that you guys got my package! I was SO excited to be able to finally send you guys something. I wanted to keep it a surprise, and it sounds like it worked. :) The flag I sent, unfortunately, was too tall to fit in the box, so I had to cut it down a little... I hope it's still kind of useful. And I wanted to add a couple little P.S. to the package:

Tyler: I got that happy buddha here in Lux at a Christmas market! So, not only is it good luck to rub his belly, but it's from Luxembourg too! I was just a few cents short of being able to buy a bigger one, so I hope you don't lose him! Remember to smile as much as he does. :)

Kevin: That Arc de Triomphe is really special. It was given to me at the beginning of my mission by the Poznanski's, who are some of my favorite people in the world. They wanted us all to have to remind us of what Napoleon said, that we "will only return home under arches of victory". (It sounds cooler in French.) It represents the idea of finishing a full two year mission and doing it with honor.

Brian: Sorry that there wasn't a little extra present in there for you. I was trying to make it all fair for everyone, I just got you a present for your birthday. I hope you still had fun with you Kinder surprise eggs!

Anyway, I hope that got some smiles going, I had lots of fun trying to gather it all together. Sorry I forgot a letter for the bird, I always forget that we have one... I've only got a few weeks left here in Luxembourg, normally, so I'm trying to take advantage of what time I have left. Thanks for all the pictures and emails, they really help me look forward to P-day. Keep going on the school work and all that. Keep praying and reading those scriptures. :) Have a good week! 

Elder Bigler

Hot Car Photo of the Week (Does everyone drive one of these in Luxembourg?)

Lotus in Luxembourg