Farewell Sioux City

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Wow! I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! I have been so blessed this past week and a half. But first off I need to tell you that I am being transferred tomorrow morning. I am really sad I have to leave Sioux City, where I have spent 6 months of my mission here.
I had an amazing Christmas! I got to talk to my family and it was great to hear from them.
Last night I was able to be a part of a miracle. I had the opportunity of Baptizing Joylynn Davidson, a 9 year old native american girl who we have been teaching. Her sister Lydia also was baptized. It was truly a tender mercy of the Lord. I am so happy for them and the beautiful spirit they have about them. Being a part of their Baptism has made everything worth to me. I am sad I have to leave my friends of Sioux City, but I know that I came back here for a reason. I'll go where the Lord wants me to go as the hymn declares. I am grateful to be a missionary and I will make the most of these last 3 months I have to hold this sacred calling.
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain

From Jeff's Mission Photos, Part 2

SIOUX CITY ZONE – December 3, 2009 Back: Elder Mackay – Elder Morain – Elder Bringham – Elder Jennings Elder Truman – Elder Richards – Elder Perazzo – Elder McConnel – Elder Gates Elder Diamond – Elder Gibson – Elder Wray – Elder Vidrine Front: Elder Thomas – Elder C. Jones – Sister Shields – Sister Evans Hermana Murphy – Hermana Madsen – President & Sister Talbot Sister & Elder Phillips – Elder Blanchard – Elder Phillips

HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas America!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope all of you are having a jolly Christmas. I had quite the week! For the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to Confirm the Holy Ghost. This family lives in our ward boundaries but was taught by the spanish speaking sisters. On Tuesday they had a wedding for the parents and immediatley following their wedding they got baptized, along with their daughter Breanna. So on Sunday in Sacrament meeting I was asked to confirm Breanna. I was pretty nervous when I was asked to perform this ordinance. But I said a prayer asking my Heavenly Father to help me communicate what he would say to Breanna. As I was confirming her, a miracle happened, and I said words I never would have said to her, and I knew it was the spirit speaking through me. I am so thankful for this opportunity of being a full time missionary. I have grown so much because I am doing things I never would have had the opportunity of doing, if hadn't been for me being on a mission.
I am so happy at this Christmas time. I feel the Christmas spirit as I give of my time to my Savior, who is the reason we celebrate Christmas. I testify that He Lives and is there for each and everyone of us. I know this because he has been there for me when I pray to him, when no one else has been there for me, he has always been there. He has gotten me through the hardest times of my life and I have come to know him better as I've reached out to him during my trials.
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain

Winter Quarters Temple Trip!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

How has everybody been? I hope everyone is having a special Christmas Season. This last week has been amazing for me. I was able to have the opportunity of a lifetime on Friday. I got to go to the Winter Quarters Temple with Ignacio Bustamante as he got his Endowments out. He was my ward mission leader when I was trained in the Sioux City 2nd ward, he was baptized about 2 years ago. So I was able to go to the Endowment session with him and it was a very spiritual experience. It was my 2nd time going to the Winter Quarters Temple and we got to see the Mormon Trail Center, which is the visitor center with all the church history from Winter Quarters. There is such a strong spirit in Winter Quarters. I feel a deep gratitude for the Pioneers that stayed in Winter Quarters and I was able to see some of the sacrifices they made there.
As I was in the Temple with Ignacio, I remembered an experience I had when I was at BYU Idaho. For my interview to submit my papers for my mission with my Stake President, he brang all the prospective missionaries into his office. My Stake president asked all of us why were we going on a mission. A couple of us answered with some good responses, but not what he was looking for. He then told all of us to stand up and walk over to the big window. As he drew back the curtains, we saw the lights shining brightly from the Rexburg Temple. He then pointed to the temple and said "That is why we are going on a mission. To bring people to the temple." So as I was in the Temple with Ignacio, I felt the spirit so strong, as I remembered what my Stake President had told me. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to be a full time missionary here in Iowa. I have seen miracles come to pass before my eyes. I know this church is true.
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain

Happy Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day America!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Hows everybody been? I have been better than ever here in Sioux City! We had our investigators with a baptismal date come to church on sunday! A Native American family has 2 kids that are getting baptized hopefully on December 29th, which is the mom's birthday. It was so good to see them come to church and feel the spirit there.
On Thursday we had our Christmas Zone Conference! We got to drive down to Des Moines for it and got together with 5 zones in the mission! It was probably the biggest gathering of missionaries I've been a part of so far. We had a talent show which was hilarious haha. I was in a couple skits and it was a lot of fun. There are so many talented missionaries in our mission. It was so good to see missionaries that I hadn't seen in forever...and it might be the last time for some I see on the mission. We had slideshow which was pretty funny as well. I am going to miss alot of these missionaries that I've gotten to know out here. Their examples and friendship mean so much to me and I will never forget them.
Last night we got to watch The First Presidency Christmas Devotional. I am hoping all of you got to see it because it was amazing. I escpecialy enjoyed President Monson's story of the drama at the Atlanta Georgia Airport. I recommend everyone to check that out if you didn't get to see it. I love Christmas time and the special spirit I feel with it.
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain