JOSEPH GOES ON HIS MISSION

Dear Family,

So much going on each and every day, I need to stop and mention a few things,.  We have had high school and college graduations.   There have been visits from all over from family and grandkids and there have been some momentous events as well.

The most significant events however there are two grandsons who entered the MTC to serve their missions. This will be about Joseph Taylor Wirthlin, Mike and Rayanne's, son who has been called to serve in the Berlin Germany and mission. Here is a picture of Elder Wirthlin as he prepares to enter the MTC with his German flag lapel pin.

I must say we were tickled when he received his call  to the Berlin- Germany mission. There has been a long tradition of members of the Wirthlin family serving in German-speaking missions since the 1870s. My great-grandfather, Leopold Wirthlin,  a Swiss convert and immigrant, returned to Switzerland and served a 14 months mission. He left behind a wife and several children in humble circumstances, returned because of sickness in the family. But while there, he accomplished much good and found success working among the people of Switzerland.

My uncles served in the Swiss-German mission with my uncle Joseph coming home because of the first world war.   His son Joseph (Elder Wirthlin) , served in the Swiss German mission and had to  leave at the outbreak of World War II. His younger brothers, Richard and David, served in  the Swiss- Austrian mission. David and I served in the Swiss-Austin Mission together. My brother Alvin and my sister Barbara served in that mission as well. There have been numerous second cousins who also  served missions in German-speaking countries. However with my eight sons, no one was called to Germany but they served all over the world.

 

It does not matter where you serve that much but I must say one does adopt the countries he serves in and they always hold a warm place in your heart  and we are tickled when others go ro the same place of missionary activity.

Here is a photo of  Opa (me), Joseph, and his proud dad, Mike at one of our get-togethers. Joseph gave a wonderful talk at his missionary farewell and his sisters participated in the program as well. We took Joseph and his family to Sigfrieds, a German like restaurant in Salt Lake, to experience a first taste of German cooking. We had Sauerkraut, Wurst and Spaetzle.  We then went through the Salt Lake Temple together

Suz worked her magic and made special German flag cupcakes for the for the get together following the farewell service.

Elder Wirthlin has been in the MTC three weeks and is beginning to include German expressions in his emails home.  Good luck Elder Wirthlin, we are all proud of you,

Love, Opa