R.I.P. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

It has been quite a week for me and for the church as a whole. As many of you know Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin passed away Monday night at the age of 91. I had the opportunity to watch his funeral on Friday. It was a very spiritual service and I was touched as I watched it. I especially liked the part when President Monson spoke of his experience talking with the Head Coach of The University of Utah. The Coach told the prophet that the back of every helmet on the Utes team will have the initials "J.B.W." for Joseph B. Wirthlin. As some of you may have heard last night on the Bowl Selection Show the University of Utah will be playing in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. I encourage you to watch it and see what they say about the initials. Anyways, I will miss Elder Wirthlin, I've enjoyed his talks in conference over the years and as I study them now they mean so much more to me.
Last Monday I told you about a member family in my ward who has a son on a mission. Later on that Monday I received a call telling me the outcome. The Quorumn of the 12 Apostles met monday to discuss him and decided to reassign him from the Taiwan, Tapei mission to the California, Oakland Mandarin Speaking Mission! I am really excited for him because Oakland is only 1 hour north from where I live! So it's been exciting to talk with his family and help them be happy about the reassignment instead of feel sad.
On Wednesday I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Elder Gillespie in Story City! I stayed the night in a members home and that was a fun experience! It was cool being in a new town and meeting new members in their branch.
Yesterday was exciting! We went to PEC in the morning and the High Priest Group Leader Elwynn Taylor invited us to his home afterward. He works for Iowa State and is a Weather Man, he is like a really big deal. He showed us his interview he had on CNN during the Floods in Cedar Rapids Iowa! So if he is on CNN you know he's a big deal haha. Well, as he was showing us the weather reports he got a phone call from Channel 8 News(the local CBS here in the central Iowa area) asking him if they could film an interview with him! Channel 8 News is actually the best local news in the nation, because more people watch their news, than any other people watch their local news! So he told Channel 8 to come over to his house and film the interview! So they invited us to stay and watch it. It was really cool cuz I'm all about that kinda stuff haha. He told the news that it's going to be way cold this winter, just as cold as last winter! And ever since I got here to Iowa I've been hearing stories of how cold last winter has been, so I'm scared haha.
Well, last night I got to watch The First Presidency Christmas Devotional! It was really inspiring and motivated me to think more about the true meaning of Christmas this year. Being out on a mission is really helping me this Christmas Season to think more of Jesus Christ instead of all the Santa Claus stuff. I encourage all of you to give service to others this Christmas season and get lost in the true Christmas spirit. As we serve others more, I've found that we are so much happier than if we just thought of ourselves.
My next P-day is December 17th, that Wednesday is the day before Transfers. My Mission President already told me I have a good chance of getting transferred, so make sure to send letters to the mission office, and not directly to my apartment. Thank you so much for all of the support you give me. I feel the blessings of the prayers that our offered in my behalf daily. I truly know that God does answer your Prayers.
Keep it Real
LO
VE Elder Morain