Monday, January 25, 2010

I moved into a new home!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Hows everybody been eh? I have some news for ya. This morning we moved out of the members home we were living with and moved into another members home! Her name is Sister Hatch and she is 88 years old living by her self. I can actually give the address to ya
609 35th St. SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
That will most likely be my address till I go home! So anyways I am excited to live with Sister Hatch it will sure be a big step up from my last living situation haha.
We had a miracle happen this week. We set a baptismal date with our investigator Morgan Maher and her fiance Paul! They are so amazing. They have some obstacles to overcome before they can be baptized but I have faith they can do it. Morgan is 19 and Paul is 20 and they were found by tracting before I got there. We have taught them a lot and are really intersted in what we have to say.
I am lovin it here in Cedar Rapids! At St. Lukes Hospital we help out escorting patients when they walk in the main entrance. We are still helping the Harveys with their flood house, it is really close to being finished! But I just found out Sister Harvey only has 3-6 months to live. Since the cancer is spread through her whole body there is nothing else they can do. I am amazed at their positive attitude despite this trial their going through. I am reminded that life can be so short, so "Find Joy in the Journey Now" as President Monson teaches us. I am thankful for this opportunity to be a full time missionary here in Cedar Rapids. There are truly so many incredible people here.
Keep it Real
LO
VE Elder Morain

Monday, January 18, 2010

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day America!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Hows everybody been? I had a very happy 21st birthday on Saturday, thanks to those who remembered me and making my birthday a happy one. I had a happy week as well! On Tuesday we had our Zone Conference. It was so good to be taught by our mission leaders, I felt the spirit really strong. On Wednesday I had my interview with my mission president. This one was special because I got my new temple recommend. Mine is expiring and since I am going to Nauvoo on February 2nd(ground hog day!) with the missionaries I was in the MTC with I got a new one. That will be a great experience I am looking forward to.
I received some tragic news on Thursday morning. Sister Harvey, who is a senior missionary in my district, has Cancer throughout her whole body. She just started some radiation treatments so we'll see how that goes. She is a sweet lady and I respect her so much. We worked on her house that got flooded out and its coming along but probably will not be done in time for us to move in. So we most likely will be moving in with another member, I don't know any details yet but I'll keep ya posted.
On Sunday we had a returning missionary give his homecoming talk. It hit me hard on how soon I will be giving mine. This Tuesday I hit 22 months out, I can't believe how time has flown.
Last night we visited our investigators Morgan and her mom Kris. They seemed really interested in what we said about The Restoration of our church. Morgan texted us when we got home,and she said, "I want to be baptized into the Mormon religion." I've never got a text like that before! I hope we can continue to prepare her for baptism, I am so excited for her. I love being a missionary and be a part of the miracles the Lord performs.
Keep it Real
LO
VE Elder Morain

Monday, January 11, 2010

My 21st Birthday has arrived America!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Hows everybody been? I have been livin the dream here in Cedar Rapids! I am approaching a milestone in my life this Saturday January 16th, my 21st BIRTHDAY! What better place to be on my 21st Birthday than in Cedar Rapids serving the sweet people here. I can't believe I'll be 21 years old already because being 20 went by like nobodys business.
Well, yesterday I found out some crazy news. The member family that I am living with told us that we need to be moved out by the end of January! It was pretty unexpected, but there son is moving back in with them so he needs the room were staying in. So we don't know where we will be living but we have a few options. There is a senior missionary couple here in Cedar Rapids who are serving from their home. They have like 4 houses here in Cedar Rapids and some were damaged by the Flood of 2008. The missionaries here have been helping them fix up one of their houses and the senior couple will allow 4 missionaries to live in it when its finished. I went over there on tuesday and helped out on the house and it is really close to being done. So one of the options is we might get to live there, but its up to our mission president. The other options are we find an apartment to live in, or another member who is able to have us live in their home. So I'll let ya know more when I find out.
Wednesday was a day I thought would never come for me. I got a phone call who some missionaries call their, "Trunky Call" It is when the mission secretary calls and asks if you will be flying home or being picked up by your parents. So I told her I will be flying into the San Jose International Airport. I have served with many missionaries at the time they recieved their "Trunky Call" and I always told myself that day is far off in my future. Man how time flies on the mission.
Well, I hope all of you have a specatular week and I would love to hear from ya sometime. I'll let ya know how my Birthday goes next time. Thanks for everything you do for me out here in my mission.
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain

[From Jeff's Dad: Jeff is looking for a (male) roommate to join him at BYU-Idaho for Spring semester 2010. Reply to gmorain@gmail.com if you are interested.]

Monday, January 4, 2010

Holler from Cedar Rapids Iowa!

Dear Elder Morain Fan Club,

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, I am pleased to announce that my wildest dreams have come true. I am now serving in the Cedar Rapids 1st Ward! My entire mission I have heard good things about Cedar Rapids 1st ward and now I am livin the dream! Cedar Rapids is the 2nd biggest city in the state of Iowa(2nd to Des Moines). Its population is about 130,000 people! Some of you may remember from the news that Cedar Rapids got the worst of the Flood in the summer of 2008. I heard it was the 2nd worst natural disaster in the nation,(2nd to Katrina) You can still see flood damage around downtown.
Anyways, my companion is Elder Paulson!!! He is such a stud. He is from Saratoga Springs Utah! He just got done being trained so some call me his "greenie buster' haha. I am so excited to serve with him here in Cedar Rapids!
We live in a members home, and this is the first time I have lived in a members home on my mission. The family is the Gillmores and we live in a pretty small bedroom. I got the top bunk of our bunk bed haha. It will be a good experience for me. I will be driving a 2007 chevy Malibu, the same car I drove when I was being trained. We only get it every other week though so we walk every other week. But I am just so excited to be here in Cedar Rapids!
On New Years Day we did service at St. Lukes Hospital! We get to help out there every week. On my mission I have developed a love for hospitals haha. I just love being in them lol.
Well, I got here at the perfect time because on Saturday we had a baptism! Another 9 year old girl got baptized! Her name is Becky Davis, and her brother is serving a mission in the California, Sacramento Mission. So look for an Elder Davis out there k? Her whole family was recently re-activated. Her brother on a mission, decided to change his life around and started coming back to church. Then his dad started coming back and got to baptize his daughter. His wife is not yet a member but we are teaching her.
I have been so blessed on my mission to witness some amazing miracles in peoples lives.
Keep it real
LO
VE Elder Morain