Merry Christmas!

We hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas!! We have been in CDA/Spokane for the last couple of days. Our drive up from Iceberg wasn't too eventful and for that I am very grateful! We saw lots of people in the ditch. We took it slow and easy and didn't have any problems. Our typically 7 hours drive was about 9 1/2 hours, but I am not complaining because we saved on gas! We spent only $35 on gas one way!! Awesome!

Christmas Eve was spent out with my mom. Everyone was there and us sisters really did have a nice time talking and catching up. Corbin, Jarrin, and Keeley played with each other all day, which was nice. This is the first time Corbin was really able to play cooperatively with his cousins instead of doing his own thing. Naomi and her family along with Maranda showed up late as the severe winter storm that was hitting Spokane really slowed their drive from the airport. Unforunately we didn't get to stay very long after they finally arrived because of the snow- it was accumulating at 1" an hour and was pretty heavy. As it was, we had to avoid I-90 because of four major accidents that had the freeway at a stand still. We took backroads to get to Tim's parents and it took us 2 hours! We will be spending more time with them later this next week.

Today was a nice Christmas morning, a long nap for Carisa, and a wonderful Christmas dinner all in Hayden with Tim's family. I hope everyone else had a lovely Christmas as well!

We are going to be in Spokane until the 3rd of January. If you are in the area and want to hang with us, we have our cell with us- 208-227-4910- give us a call! I will be posting Christmas pictures here in a day or two- we realized that I left the camera at my Mom's- opps!

If I don't post again by next weekend- Have a memorable and Happy New Year!!

Love you all!

The Hetzlers

Elder Joseph B Wirthlin Passed Away

Elder Worthlin passed away last night and has joined his wife, who passed on two years ago.

I am grateful for his testimony and teachings. I have been especially touched by the last several conference addresses he's given. They have really touched my heart and helped me to look at life differently. I am grateful he was able to deliver these last sermons before his passing.

May the Lord be with his family and may they have peace and comfort during this holiday season.

From Deseret News:

"Joseph Bitner Wirthlin (11 June 1917 – 1 December 2008) was an American businessman, religious leader and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was sustained to the Quorum on October 4, 1986, and ordained an apostle on October 9, 1986 by Thomas S. Monson, following the death of Church President Spencer W. Kimball. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Wirthlin was accepted by the church membership as a prophet, seer, and revelator.

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Wirthlin was the son of Joseph L. Wirthlin, who was also an LDS Church general authority. He was a half-first cousin of late Church President Gordon B. Hinckley; the two cousins attended the same LDS Church congregation as children. Wirthlin played American football as a running back for the University of Utah.

As a young man, Wirthlin earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. As a standout high school quarterback, Wirthlin was offered a football scholarship at the University of Utah, but deferred it and served as a missionary in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland from 1936 to 1939, returning to Utah just before the outbreak of World War II. He played halfback for Utah following his mission.

Before his call as a general authority, Wirthlin was a prominent business leader in Salt Lake City. He was also president of a trade association in Utah.

For over nine years (May 25, 1955 – June 7, 1964) Wirthlin was the bishop of the Bonneville Ward in Salt Lake City. The same day he was released as bishop he was called to serve in the stake high council, being set apart by Joseph Fielding Smith.

On December 6, 1964, Wirthlin was set apart by LeGrand Richards as second counselor to Russell M. Nelson in the Salt Lake Bonneville Stake Presidency; Wirthlin was Nelson's counselor until Nelson's release in June 1971.

Wirthlin's call to the Quorum of the Twelve came very shortly after his call to serve in the presidency of the seventy. Wirthlin became a general authority of the church in 1975, when he was called to serve as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was the last individual called as an Assistant to the Twelve before the position was discontinued in 1976.

With the death of Hinckley in 2008, Wirthlin became the oldest living apostle.
Wirthlin married Elisa Young Rogers on May 26, 1941, in the Salt Lake Temple. She died in August 2006 of causes incident to age.

On 1 December 2008, Wirthlin had gone to bed at his Salt Lake City home, and died peacefully at about 11:30 pm of causes incident to age."

Quiet Thanksgiving

Well, we were stranded here in Iceberg for Thanksgiving, but you know, it didn't turn out so bad. We tried to find others stuck here, but I think we were the only family left in our whole complex on Thursday!

I actually enjoyed our quiet Thanksgiving. Usually we are with family and there are 20 or so people and I am either coralling children or doing at least half of the cooking. By the end of the night I am so exhausted and stressed out.

With just us four we sat down and played games while I cooked dinner. It was fun and it was non stressful. It was sooo nice! I wasn't totally worn down by the end of the night. All I can say was it was quite refreshing for a change! After our little feast we played more games and watched Christmas movies. I felt like we really had quality time as a family.

For Black Friday/ Weekend Tim and I went shopping at the Dollar Stores in Idaho Falls for Corbin and Tekara's Christmas gifts. After our drainage pipes in our basement home back in Spokane went out in mid- October and caused over $2,000 worth of damage, we are on a very, very tight budget just for living expenses. We are going to employ Julie Eggelston's great Advent calendar idea to help make the holidays more about family & service than gifts. Isn't that how it should be anyway?

For Christmas we will be up in Spokane/Coeur D Alene for a week. We are really looking forward to seeing family and friends again. We also have to do some drywalling in our basement to finish off all the repairs from the pipes.

If anyone is looking for personalized, inexpensive gifts I can do all kinds of vinyl gifts for you! Everything is 25$ or less. Check out my other blog www.empressivedesigns.blogspot.com or my etsy in the right bar.

Happy Holidays!