What’s Up with the Whites in Croatia?

I'm Dreaming of a 'White Christmas' Part 2

Mission updates: December 21-January 3, 2026

I realize that most of the pictures I share show the joyful, fun, or scenic moments of our mission. And those moments are real. But there are also many hard, exhausting, sad, and stretching days. I simply try not to dwell on them.

I don’t want to give the impression that everything is wonderful all the time. There is much we miss about living in the comfort of our own home—setting our own schedule, doing things in our own way, and enjoying quiet. At our age, following agendas and adapting constantly can be challenging. We live in a noisy apartment with a large barking dog above us. For four nights in a row, very loud, city-style fireworks went off outside our bedroom window until after 1:00 a.m. Our warm water doesn’t last long enough for showers or even doing dishes. We have no dryer and sometimes it takes our clothes 3 days to dry in the winter. Our branch faces many challenges, and at times the missionaries are expected to carry more than they reasonably can.

Yes, there are difficult and stretching moments on this mission. We miss important family events, and there are times our hearts ache deeply for our family.

And yet—would we trade this experience? No. We are growing, learning, and becoming. And for that, we are truly grateful.

I tried my luck at baking in Croatia, their flour is such a different texture and I still can't predict my oven. Even so, Swedish traditions keep me happy during this season and shared them with others.

This is a good view from our Old Town bell tower of some of our city. We climbed up with our missionaries for a P-day view. 

We took our missionaries out for a fun traditional dinner in Old town. Cevapi is a favorite for most of them. 

We didn't have much for decorations, but were able to still make if feel like Christmas for all of us. We had so much fun. We tried to keep them so busy they didn't have time to miss their families too much. They all went home Christmas night (here) to talk with their families. We were able to facetime all of our family also. That was wonderful to see them all, and it felt like we were a part of home that day! 

When they walked in for Christmas Eve, I told them they had to be like my grandkids and do the grandkid party for 2 hours. We had fun, had hot chocolate and it felt like home for all of us. I did bring the Swedish Garland from home that my daughter Lisa gave me last year!

Sister Price who's identical twin is already home, but she remained happy and we played games and laughed and read scriptures and stayed so busy and it was full of love. Sister Call just new and has such a great attitude. She giggles all the time. 

It was such joy for us to try to keep everyone from being homesick. We ended up having a wonderful Christmas all together. This will be one for the memory book for us. Full of love, missing family, but knowing we are where we have chosen, sharing missionary love, spiritual talks, laughing and eating and keeping these beautiful people full of food and joy. 

Later Christmas afternoon our good friends the Fernandes family had us over for a delicious turkey dinner! This is Freddy!

                This is our Relief Society Presidents family, Zveki (in yellow) 

Our son Derek sent us this beautiful picture of a rainbow right over our road in Ivins. That helped us know that good things are still shining on us there! From our house to our good friends the Crumps! 

This was an amazing place. We had been told if there was any way we could get to Slovenia to see this live nativity in a cave, we should do it. (about 4 hours away from Zadar) So we purchased the tickets way ahead and went with two other couples, the Ivancich's from CA (they are on the coast by us in Split on their mission and the Schmidt's from UT who are in Osijek. We visited the largest Castle built into a cave in the world. The cave nativity was fantastic!

The Castle 

It goes way back into this cave. Built strictly for protection. It would have been so very cold and moldy! I'm grateful to be born in our century. 

A train ride takes you almost 2 miles into the most magnificent cave. It is called the Postojnska Jama. We ran into another missionary couple also. No coincidences. 

There were professional opera singers singing Ave Maria, and harps and beautiful etherial angel music, we then walk about 1 1/2 miles to different scenes and music. I wish it would let me add the videos with music. 

See what I mean! What a great way to end the Christmas season! 

We are truly grateful for all of these beautiful countries we get to see! 

Then again, with 4,000 people visiting the cave each day, and we live 4 hours away in Zadar Croatia, and this family lives in Serbia 6 hours away in a different direction, we run into them again. What are the odds? The Andersen's. He came up and gave us a hug and now in the past 6 months we have run into them 3 times. This is Jane who I met at the youth conference and just love! No coincidences! 

          On our way home we stopped in Lublijana, Slovenia for just a couple of hours. 

                     We visited a Franciscan Church of the Annunciation. 

            We were treated to the thick hot chocolate, just like melted chocolate!

Croatia does fireworks at New Years like I've never seen. Our entire city was exploding and they do the big ones everywhere! 

Then New Years Day, we spent all day with our missionaries, having great dinners, visiting a quaint town and playing card games. 

Touching the famous toe of Bishop Gregory of Nin, there are 3 famous toes to touch in Croatia, we have done two. Elder Warncke just got his 3rd with this one! Great luck for life now!

This city was the first royal capital of Croatia. Also has Queen's beach and medicinal mud. 

Sometimes we just walk around and say, can you believe where we are? We never take it for granted! 

                        These are our mission leaders Pres. and Sister Cordray. He sent this picture at                                         the change of the year, not sure how the time was like that? They are                                                      done with their 3 years at the end of June. 

Last of all, this is our final district council with Sister Katelyn Price. We have loved having her with us. These goodbyes break my heart! 

Ok these holiday blogs took me forever, but we have had such rich experiences through the season. It was so good to visit with all of our children and grandchildren and they are doing such a good job of supporting us and making us feel loved. 

Remember what is most important and live your life to make it the most important! Love to all of you.