Dear Family,
Reading mom’s letter this week made me start tearing
up. I’ve always been a “cry-baby”,
but surprisingly I haven’t cried much on my mission. I guess tears don’t come out very easily when you’re smiling
so big that your cheeks close your eyes up. Anyway, I had an impression to write ya’ll a letter this
week while I was reading mom’s letter.
Who can deny a prompting from God?
First things first - Matt… I’m so proud of you. I seriously can’t find the words to
tell you how proud you make me.
Your letter made me want to do the “double dream hands” dance with my
mouth opened (like we would while watching YouTube). Hearing that news was the best thing that’s happened on my
mission. I love you. I keep being reminded of deciding not
to play baseball senior year to lift and hang out with you more. That was probably the best decision I
have ever made in my life. I am so
grateful for those last 4 months that we had to hang out. I look up to you, BIG time! Keep spending time on your knees
talking WITH Heavenly Father (not “at”).
Keep me updated on how things are going with you and Big Marsh – let me
know if you need help with anything, even if it’s something small like bearing
my testimony on a certain principle.
I’m so happy to hear that you have “Risen from the Dust” and
taken on this challenge to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year! It’s a lot more than we’re used to
reading, but I promise your testimony will grow to be like Nephi’s –
UNSHAKEABLE. This gospel is true;
it’s so true. And the Book of
Mormon is literally the Words of Christ.
Treat them like that. I can
never put them down on the ground now.
That book changed my life before my mission and is now shaping my life
as a missionary. It’s literally
“DA BOM!”
I got your awesome package, mom! Holy cow, you’re so awesome! My companion started laughing when he saw some of your
writing, “Who loves you? Your mama ‘wuvvvvs’ you!” Haha, and thank you so much for the healthy food. My companion and I have a “cheat night”
every Monday night now after planning.
I proposed the idea to him by calling it “Treat yo’self night” as part
of our “Family Home Evening”.
Haha, he’s getting really healthy now too, and asks me “Elder, what are
we going to ‘treat’ ourselves to on family night?” Its usually ice cream with
some sort of topping on it. We usually buy something on P-Day for later that
night. Sounds lame, but it’s a fun
tradition.
Mom… my arm is reached out right now to “nail it!” Seriously though, you skipping make-up
to take the sacrament made me so happy!
I wish I would’ve taken the sacrament more seriously when I was
blessing, preparing and passing it while in High School. I start looking forward to it as soon
as Wednesday nights now as I try to realign my will with the Savior’s. If we prepare ourselves each week to
take it, repenting of those sins of commission and even omission, taking the
sacrament can be the most spiritual experience of our weeks. I invite everyone in the family to
spiritually prepare themselves Saturday afternoon/evening (in between football
games) to partake of the sacrament worthily this Sunday. I promise that you will feel the spirit
more abundantly not only during that meeting, but as well as throughout the
week. It will be unlike anything
you’ve ever really experienced.
The Primary Program was yesterday and made me think of
Boston and Reese. Man do I miss
them! They’re the first pictures
in my photo album mom sent me and I love showing them off to investigators.
I think about all of you individually, at different points
throughout the weeks and months, depending on whose face I decide to sleep on
at night. It’s kind of weird how I
realize that I love you more, being away from you. I’m so blessed to be apart of this awesome family. I love my nametag because it has
Christ’s name on it, but also I love it because it has “Welch” on it. I’m proud to be a Welch!
Stay faithful family!
I love you all so much!
Elder Welch
P.S. Instead of writing me at Thanksgiving about how “grateful
you are for me”, think of someone else that could use it, and write them a
letter. Handwrite it, make it
short, and then feel good about it.
I have too many blessings right now – give some to other people who
don’t have the same assurance of hope that we do, that we can be a family
forever.
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