Zone Photos

From Jeff's Mission

CEDAR RAPIDS ZONE – JULY 28, 2009

Back: Elder C. Bird – Elder Kimball – Elder Ward – Elder Gashler – Elder A. Anderson
Elder Matthews – Elder Lunceford – Elder Heywood – Elder Furgason
Elder Marshall – Elder Morain – Elder Wray – Elder McConnel – Elder Alexander

Middle: Elder Thomas – Elder & Sister Harvey – President & Sister Talbot
Sister & Elder Babcock – Sister Hofheins – Sister Jardine
Brother Brown – Elder Fellows

Front: Elder DeVries – Elder Trotter – Elder Van Wagoner – Elder Gillespie

From Jeff's Mission

A Day in the Life of Elder Morain

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Holler from Waterloo! How has everybody been? I have had a crazy past couple days! So since i last emailed ya on Wednesday, a lot has happened. I said goodbye to Elder Gillespie thursday morning. I got to be in Cedar Rapids for the day! My new companion is Elder Saunders and he is from Ogden Utah! He has only 6 weeks left on his mission so that means I will be staying here in Waterloo for at least 3 more months! I am so happy that I will get to stay here for so long. I really love it here in Waterloo.
So friday night our Bishop took us over to a wedding reception for this couple in our ward. It was good for my comp to meet a lot of the members there. The couple will be moving to rexburg to go to BYU Idaho soon. I had a fun time with all the members there so thats always good.
I had the opportunity to speak in Sacrament meeting yesterday! I spoke on Missionary Work and the importance of member missionary work and fellowshipping new converts. It was my 4th time speaking in a Sacrament meeting on my mission. The members said I did good so I hope it inspired them to do missionary work. We had a lesson with our investigator Arielle and her sister Marissa in a members home! They had us all over for dinner and then we taught a lesson. It went really well so I am hopeful for Arielle to progress towards baptism soon!
I am so grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary here and get to know these amazing people. Until next week,
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain

Waterloo Round 2!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Well, how has everybody been the past week and a half? I have been magnificent. This morning I recieved the phone call from the Assistants. I was informed I am staying in Waterloo for 6 more weeks! Since my companion, Elder Gillespie is going home on friday, I am getting my new companion tomorrow.
On Saturday we had a special opportunity to go to Cedar Rapids for a baptism. It was for someone that Elder Gillespie taught at the beginning of his mission so we got permission to go to it. It was a great experience. I found out some good news that day too. Heather Burg is getting baptized this saturday! She was my investigator when I was in Ames! She had been dating a member of the ward for like 7 years and has been coming to church with him forever. It is an absolute miracle she has decided to finally get baptized. I am so happy for her in making this commitment in her life.
I had another opportunity to give a blessing this week. It was was my 5th time and a very spiritual experience. On Monday night we went to a members home and they asked us to help them with Fathers blessings for the new school year. The spirit was so strong as we blessed all the kids. It was just an amazing experience to be a part of.
Well, as I bid farewell to my companion Elder Gillespie, who I have known since I met him in Sioux City at the very beginning of my mission, I will be saying goodbye to my best friend out here and a hero to me. He has taught me so much and I will never forget the experiences we have had together.
Until next monday,
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain

Live from Waterloo Iowa, it's Monday Morning!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Hows everybody been eh? I've been spectacular. We had a good week here in Waterloo. On Thursday night we had an amazing lesson with Arielle. We went over the strength for youth pamphlet with her and challenged her that if she lived the values taught in it for a month she will recognize her life has been blessed by living the values. She came to church yesterday and she said she learned a lot. Throughout my life I have slowly come to figure out that by living the gospel we really are blessed. On my mission especially as I've seen the people I teach change their lives around by living the teachings we taught them. It is such a testimony builder for me.
At our district meeting we watched the movie that is shown when you go to the MTC with your parents and say goodbye. This coming wednesday August 19th I will be hitting my 17 month mark from that very day I said goodbye to my parents. I cannot believe how fast time has flown. As I see my companion Elder Gillespie get ready to go home...in 10 days, I realize how short 2 years on a mission can be.
I want to thank all of you that have supported me thus far on my mission. I hope to hear from you and hear how your life has changed these past 17 months. Because mine sure has. Until next wednesday...
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain

"Move your body like a Cyclone"

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

How has everybody been? I sure would love to hear from ya. It has been a while since I've heard from anyone. But I sure am thankful for the prayers being offered in my behalf. I can testify that I feel those prayers answered as I witness the miracles on my mission.
On Saturday night I got to go to the wedding reception of some members from Iowa City! They had their reception at our church building in Cedar Falls. It was great to see some members that I grew to love as I served them in Iowa City.
On friday night we had a lesson with our investigator Arielle. It went really well and the best part is she came to church yesterday! She stayed for all 3 hours. During the 3rd hour of church they got up and said that the tornado warnings were going off and told us to go get the kids out of the primary room and bring them into the cultural hall(so they can be away from the windows if the tornado came through) A tornado touched down in Hudson Iowa, just 8 miles from where we were. I am thankful we were all safe in the church. That can be used as an analogy. When we stay strong in the gospel and go to church we will be protected from the adversary. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary for this church. Thank you all for the support you give me in my mission.
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain

Welcome to August America!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

How has everybody been? I've been just fantastic. I got to go to Cedar Rapids on Tuesday for Zone Conference! It was a really great time. I had my interview with my mission president. He said since Elder Gillespie is going home, he gurantees me that I will stay next transfer here in Waterloo! I'm grateful cuz I absolutley love it here! There are so many awesome people here. Oh, on my way back from zone conference, in Cedar Rapids I saw someone I would not expect. I saw my recent convert Hayden Mayfield from Iowa City just walkin down the street! He disapeared as we made a turn so I didn't get to stop and talk to him. But what are the chances of that? I thought that was pretty crazy.

So this weekend we got to have 2 priests with us as part of the Called To Serve program. They got to experience what missionary life is like to prepare them for their own missions. It was amazing to see the excitement they had for going on a mission. We had a blast together. I hope elder gillespie and I gave them a good taste of what a mission is all about.
On Saturday night Elder Gillespie asked me to give him a blessing. It was only my 3rd time sealing the annointing. It was a really spiritual experience as I felt the words from Our Heavenly Father go through me as I pronounced the blessing. The priesthood power is so real. I can say without a doubt that I know this church is true. I am so thankful for my mission that has provided me with these special experiences that will always stay close to my heart.
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain