"Tudo na BÊNÇÃO!" [12/3/14]

Haha I can´t believe Mom mentioned about my ´´Homecoming Talk´´ already in a letter. I still have 1/3 left on the mission! But it´s crazy that it´s already December... Where is the time going?

So, everyone wrote me about Thanksgiving and Dad wished me a ´´Happy Thanksgiving´´ after doing a search on the Internet that Brazilians celebrate Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, that source was wrong - at least in the state of São Paulo. The natural man in me wanted to go crazy last Thursday night because of the Holiday, but I wasn´t able to justify it. I tried marking a dinner with a recent convert in the ward where I am now and bringing an investigator, but it didn't work out... Soooo, I bought ice-cream and the closest thing Brasil has to peanut butter, and had a ´´Thanksgiving dessert´´ on Friday morning with the four Elders in our house - two Brasilians and one Argentinian. I explained to them as we ate ice cream that each of them had to talk about what they are most grateful for... Haha I took some pictures of how lame it was - but that´s just how the mission is. Definitely a Thanksgiving I won´t forget. Haha

So, I seriously got the greatest news last Tuesday morning with Transfers. Not only did I return back to living with one of my favorite companions, but I returned back to THE SAME STAKE AS SOCORRO!!! Whooohooooooooo!! Seriously, I about dropped to the ground and past out like Ammon did when he got the news. Ohhhh, this past week has been good. I´m excited for the work here in my area (called Nova Vinhedo), the Stake President who I love, and to keep a good eye on Socorro so they can become a ward. Yesterday we had a Zone Meeting and invited the Stake President to participate. Before the meeting, we met with him to talk about what the zone is needing and what he wants from us. He left the meeting with us and spit out fire in the zone meeting when we called on him to bare his testimony. ´´This Sunday I´m taking a picture of all of you in this zone (its Stake Conference). We´re finally going to make history here! ... Your leaders are INSPIRED!!´´ He bore testimony of us! Haha it was pretty awesome. Everyone left the meeting pumped up. His wife also attended and made a bunch of brazilian sweets for the zone. It got me thinking about you, mom and dad. I'm sure dad meets with the Zone Leaders. It would be pretty cool if you could have a connection with all of the missionaries in the Columbus Ohio North Stake. I know mom is always helping out the Mission President with big projects, but it would be cool if it were on a smaller level. All of the missionaries here now love ´´Presidente e Irmã Kawai.´´

In the words of so many Pastors here, ´´Fica na bênção!´´ or, ´´Stay in the blessing!´´ Haha it makes me laugh every time.
I love you.

Elder Welch

Pregnant Again [11/24/14]

Well, the transfer call came last night... Looks like I´ll be giving birth tomorrow for the 100th time. Haha I got a little break this past transfer from training, but I´m excited to go back to it. There´s nothing that gets me more pumped up then receiving some GREENIE BLOOD! In reality, it was what I was needing because this past transfer was brutal. I feel almost unaccomplished because I´ll be leaving this city again, empty handed. Man, I feel like Alma passing through this city of Jundiaí without baptizing someone. I´m going to return with Amaleck however, and tear this city to shreds. At least I hope I can return before the end of this mission. But for now, Eduardo stands as the only convert in this area.

Interviews with our Mission President were this week. To tell you the truth, I prepared almost an entire month for this conversation with him. I´ve been trying to understand the Atonement better because of the phrase Ch. 1 of PMG that says your desire to Preach will increase as your understanding of the Atonement increases. I´ll try to put some of my thoughts down in this email.

-Because of the many blessings I've had in my life, I have been feeling recently how I could look an investigator in the eye and bear testimony of the atonement when they are past addiction in hard-drugs, separated from a spouse for 1 week, or a death that happened yesterday because of the neighborhood gang. Yes, these all happened this past month. I thought to myself, how I could console a companion fighting to stay alive because of parents anti-mormon? A recent-convert of the ward struggling with a testimony? Or a young sister who wants to return to church but can´t seem to enter because of the memories her and her husband had in the chapel, before he just recently died?

-After a good conversation with President Perrotti, he looked at me and said, ´´It´s incredible, isn´t it?´´

Haha I was so confused. I was looking for a big, life-changing, miraculous answer to many prayers, type of response. Instead of this, he talked about blessings. He simply said, ´´Feel what they feel and then bear testimony of you feel... You´ve been incredibly blessed because of the Restored Gospel.´´

I don´t write this to ´´brag´´ about how awesome my life has been, but rather just to say how grateful I am. I have a testimony of hope for the future that others don't have. I´ve never understood why The Lord allowed the most important book of these Latter-Days begin with the words, ´´...having been born of Goodly Parents´´ but I´m starting to feel what Nephi felt. Being so far away from my family causes me to reflect often on these words written in The Book of Mormon.

With Nephi, I too was ´´born of goodly parents.´´ And because of these two parents, we have been protected and blessed, happy and healthy, united and strong as a family in these Last Days. How grateful I am to be your son. My life has been a 20 year testimony of the blessings of a loving Savior. How grateful I am to represent  Him for the second time around this holiday season.

I bear testimony as well that we are all ´´born of goodly (Heavenly) parents.´´ That the blessings of heaven are accessible to all those who love and choose to obey. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Begotten. He is the Chosen One. And is the One I choose to follow.

Thank you mom and dad for your faithfulness. I hope the family has a great Thanksgiving dinner together. I wish I could be with you, but don´t want to just quite yet, haha. As Brigham Young told the saints in the late 1800´s, ´´Now is the time to Labor! Let the fire of your covenant which you made in the House of The Lord BURN in your hearts like fire unquenchable.´´ That fire is green, baby. And it´s in me. Haha

Abraços!

Elder Welch

Fogo nos Ossos (Fire in the Bones) [11/17/14]

Man, this week I had the taste of real joy. To start, who remembers Eduardo from Jundiaí?? The one that prayed with us for about 20 minutes and then received an answer that The Church was true. Well, I went on an exchange with the Elders in the center of the city last week and they told me they had a service project planned with him Wednesday morning. AGGHGHHHHHHHHH!!! haha I was so pumped. I was a little bit nervous to see him. haha

The visit was incredible. We sat down near his house when we showed because he was running some quick errands in the morning. He showed up on his moto and stopped in front of us. As he was taking off his helmet, he said,

´´Sorry to run behind, I was running a couple of.... OHHHHHHH!!! ELDER ELCCKKKKKKEERRRR!!! OOOOOHHHHHH!!!!´´

Haha oh man, I didnt know if I should laugh bc he still cant pronounce my name or cry because I was so happy. Haha he jumped off his bike and gave me a big hug for about 10 seconds. ´´Im strong! Im still strong in the church!´´ he exclaimed. Aghh man, haha, it was such a good feeling.

He immediately cancelled the service project and asked if we could sit down and talk. My companion agreed.

He told me that he has received the Aaronic Priesthood, that he blesses the Sacrament almost every week, that he gave the closing prayer in Sacrament mtg last month, and has already baptized his mom and dad in the temple. Haha he still has that ´´recent convert fire.´´ I was proud to call him, ´´My convert´´ (in reality, he´s the Lord´s...)

I could write forever about the conversation we had, but Ill end with this.

As we were leaving the house, we planned on going to the temple together in March when he will receive his endowment. I had to explain to him that I wouldn't be able to visit him but that I would continue to write him. As I was leaving the door, he gave a hug. In this hug, he started to cry.

After, I looked at him. With tears still in his eyes, he barely got out, ´´Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm finally happy.´´

Ive never felt so much joy in my life. This work is incredible.

One more of my investigators was baptized this week in my old area. I love this work!!

Yesterday was the Primary Program in our ward here. I started laughing to myself when it started because I remembered how I would lean over and tell Matt to go and participate every, single year. Haha for some reason, even when Matt has 18 years, I still think its funny....

Hope you all have a good week! Love,

Elder ´´Fogo nos Ossos´´ Welch

Tradições

With Halloween last week, Thanksgiving just around the corner, and then Christmas, my thoughts have been on ´´traditions´´ - the good ones and the bad. It kind of makes me sad that Brasil doesn´t celebrate either Halloween or Thanksgiving, I think because it was always so fun for me to be around the family, but tudo bem.

We visited a less active family this week who wasn´t home on Halloween night. The friends of the less active however were in front of her house talking, so I began to talk with them. Quickly realizing that they didn't want anything to do with us, I said, ´´Can you tell Sister Maria that we passed by and wanted to wish her a Happy Halloween.´´ Ohhhhhhh wow I was dominated by one of the ladies. ´´YOU CALL YOURSELF A REPRESENTATIVE OF CHRIST, AND THEN WISH PEOPLE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN! .... (a lot more commentary happened, as you can imagine)

´´Oh no! You don´t understand. I´m from America. There, its more of a day to be around your family and eat candy.´´

Before I could even finish explaining myself, she burned me to the ground, haha. Without any further explanation necessary, I apologized for offending her and walked away to go buy some candy. Haha, man I was destroyed. I later bought ice cream and small Brasilian candy bars with my companion as we sat down and talked about our families.  We later got back to our house, planned, and went to bed.

He told me later that I was going to die from all of the candy that I ate. ´´You don´t understand, today is Halloween... Its what you do.´´ Haha I hope all of you had a Happy Halloween.

Fortunately and unfortunately, I think there exists a lot of traditions in the lives of members. Some being good, others better, and some, best. But I also think there exists some that need to be thought about and changed. For example.

Prayer is a tradition that should happen every morning and night, in family and personally.

The beginning of a prayer however, ´´Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day...´´ (or the Brasilians say, ´´...thank you for one more day of life...´´) seems to always be said as the first thing. I´ve been thinking for the past several months about this and have recognized some of my habits, or ´´traditions,´´ that I do without any feeling. I´ve examined and changed in so many of them because The Book of Mormon talks so much about this.

The thing that Ive been most grateful for this however is the relationship that has grown with my Heavenly Father. I hope in these last five minutes, I can explain myself well.

One thing that ALWAYS, and I mean always, bothered me about dad is that he never gave me answers to questions that I had. Never. Haha he would always lead me to where I could find the answer or remind me of something that had already happened to me that would, as well, lead me to the right answer. Well, my Mission President is the same way.

Last month, I seriously gave the greatest report on my zone known to all mankind. At the very end of the report, I asked a simple question, ´´President, we are having trouble carrying investigators to church on a consistent basis. Do you have any suggestions?´´

It was the only question I asked him! Haha. AND, I gave him the challenges of each area and missionary, with my plan to help each.

He replied, ´´You have the right to receive revelation for your zone.´´

I seriously almost punched the screen... (not really) because I thought he would give me some incredible answer. A month later, I realized that I asked the ´´wrong question.´´

I´ve thought a lot about this since then about the types of questions I ask Heavenly Father now. They need thought. They need action. Christ taught this principle to Oliver Cowdery. Instead of simply asking, ´´´President, do you have any suggestions?´´ I could have made it better

The simple question of, ´´Lord, is The Book of Mormon true?´´ doesn't give me the same response it gave me 6 years ago. Now, when I want to reconfirm my testimony of The Book of Mormon, I ask questions like:

-I understand that Joseph Smith had a third grade education when he started the translation. How did he come up with _____

Luta!

Man, the mission is such a blessing. I always thought I would go and serve a mission and then return a ´´changed man.´´ Haha which is true for anyone that serves, but what I failed to think of was all of the situations I would be put in to cause that growth to take place.

Tuesday morning last week I was transferred back to JUNDIAÍ! Haha but to tell you the truth, I wasn´t very happy. I'mnot serving in the center of the city like I was back in January, but in a city called Colônia, which is about 20 minutes away from the center, walking. It´s hard to put all of my feelings in an email, but Heavenly Father definitely has been listening to my prayers about my desire to better know the Savior. If you don´t want to pass through challenges, don´t pray to get to know the Master. Haha

I had surgery on on of my big toes this week. It was a mini surgery but sent me to the bed the entire week (I´ll send pictures next week). The surgeon looked at my foot, numbed it all up, and hunked out practically the entire nail! I was laying down when he did it, and then sat up to talk to him about the Restoration... Haha you know, you always gotta be preaching the gospel. But when I sat up, I almost immediately fell back down. I about fainted! Haha he shouted at my companion to get me water and told me to lay back down. YOU PULLED MY ENTIRE NAIL OFF! I thought to myself. Hahah I made a joke out of it a little bit later... Man, the smallest touch of the foot on the ground this week sent that big toe bleeding for hours.

As a missionary, Ive always missed the family, but it´s never been a problem that I couldn't focus. But let me tell ya, when you´re in pain, in a country far away from your mom, you really start to get homesick... Man. Haha seriously. The only other time this happened to me was in Georgia when I picked up e. coli and lost 10 pounds that one week.

 

Because I knew I was going to be in the house the whole week, I thought to myself, ´´How can I invite others unto Christ?´´ Being cut off from all human contact, just my companion and I, I thought to myself that I would invite myself to come closer to Christ. I picked up the book ´´Jesus, The Christ´´ thinking I would draw closer to the Savior learning about His life.

I learned a lot of things this week that strengthened my testimony and gratitude for Jesus. I learned a bunch about the ´´Pre-mortal´´ and ´´Mortal Christ´´ and thought a lot about the parables and miracles he gave/performed.

But the lesson above it all came from a self reflection at the end of the week. I picked up The Book of Mormon and read the story of Moroni at the end of his life (because I was feeling pretty lonely too... haha). The Spirit that cheered me up and the excitement I had about ´´next week´´ (when I can leave the house on my feet) was at an all time high. I thought to myself, ´´I haven´t felt this all of this week in my studies of a book written by an Apostle, in the temple, only about Jesus Christ.

 

I got news from recent converts in a different area that they recently got divorced. That really threw a javelin in my heart. The email I sent them was to read the Book of Mormon everyday.

 

Sister Bosler told me last week that her Mission President used to have a huge list of "to-do's" for missionaries to complete when they returned  home from their mission. After some time on the mission, he shortened it down to one simple thing. Read The Book of Mormon everyday.

 

With the testimony of Joseph Smith, I add mine. Anyone who reads The Book of Mormon and abides by it´s precepts, will come unto the Savior more than he will reading any other book. I know the book was written for our day. It helped me this week be more happy and excited more than a book written by an Apostle of The Lord, in the temple, solely about the life of the Master did in a week´s long story.

Love you all! I hope you keep reading The Book of Mormon everyday!

Elder Welch 

1 v 16 Upset

Man! seriously, I was 99% sure that I would be staying here in Cosmópolis. After all, I just got here a little over three weeks ago, but the Lord has called me a different way. I´ll be packing up my things here in a couple of hours and will hit the train station tomorrow morning.

I learned two things this week that I would like to mention. First is related to the talk that was given in General Conference about Patriarchal Blessings. The question he made was, "If I continue the way I´m living (even if it be a righteous life), will the blessings in my Patriarchal Blessing happen?" I thought a lot about that this week, and today I realized something so simple. (it seems to always happen on pday...)

We were leaving the house this morning after our studies and, as always, we knelt in prayer. (btw, it hurts to kneel bc my toenails touch the floor... wimpy huh? I pray with my feet up in the air - it´s gotta look pretty funny.) One of the Elders said the prayer and he said, "Please put just one person in our path that is prepared." - A simple prayer, right?

I remember this morning I thought to myself, "noooo. Why did you say that? It´s pday, I´m more tired than a koala bear (btw, I fell asleep this week standing up on the bus... Yes, I was hugging a pole, standing up, sleeping... Crazy how much the mission wipes you out physically) and I don´t want to look for people to teach today. We´re going to get our hair cut, send an email to our families, buy groceries and then come home..."

The Spirit put a funny thought in my head that I later laughed about. "Don´t say amen then." I was thinking about it throughout the entire rest of his prayer until he finished. I paused, delayed saying amen, later committing myself to the prayer overcoming selfishness. I said amen, which I knew signified I would do my part to "fulfill" the prayer. I was walking just an hour ago as we passed two guys. I remembered the prayer, thought to myself, "Man! I didn't want to say ´amen´ anyway." And let them pass by. This happened with probably 5 or six more people. I repented later and started talking to some of the people in the road - wow. Talk about rejection. Haha
But, the last man was the elect. He is married with 4 kids. Already has a Book of Mormon and invited us to visit him... The other missionaries will visit him because I will be transferred tomorrow.

In all, it was a really powerful lesson to me. "If I keep living the way I am, will the blessings I ask for in my prayers happen?" Our prayers need to have action. Its incredible how much prayer is changing me and deepening my conversion to Jesus Christ. "Amen" is the signature to our prayers. The convenient you can almost think of it.

The other story doesn't give time to tell now. Sorry but it deals with being a Rep. of Christ and not a Representative of anything or anyone else.

I love you all. Keep serving and magnifying your callings!

Elder Welch

Who Can Put a Price Tag on a Mother? (10/6/14)

My friend Elder L. Tom Perry won it this past weekend with the best quote. After he talked about the mother´s role in the family, I had to bow my head and thank Heavenly Father for our awesome mom. Seriously, I tell all my companions about you.

To start out, I received Mom´s awesome package this week that seriously felt like Christmas. That package was ´´bom demais!´´ Thanks for including all of those ties, videos of Christ and pictures (especially of the weddings of Ashley, Brittany and you with dad.) Let me stop there for a second... Holy cow, I don't know why you guys never had pictures of your wedding up in the house but I laughed so hard! I looked at dad and seriously thought it was me back in the 70´s! I showed the other 3 Elders in our house saying, ´´Who would've known that my Dad was so good looking back in the olden days...´´ They looked at the picture and then looked at me. Recognizing that it look like how dad looked I started bobbing my head up and down and just said, ´´Thank you for calling me beautiful.´´

Haha but Ashley, I also received your package with that sweet Brazilian shirt! Whoooop! Seriously, I was showing it off to my companions. I´ve been getting a good use out of it at night.

And just to do a quick follow up - I want to hear about how the family nights are going with Preach My Gospel. I've been spending the past month chapter 10 on trying to better my teaching to help little primary kids understand the missionary lessons. Every day I take a part of chapter 3 and try to "dumb" it down to the language and some good questions and scriptures that would make sense. As for me this month, I have written much because I haven't learned anything extravagant buuuuuutttt its helping. But I want to hear how its going with you guys! Especially with Matt who´ll be leaving here in one year! whaaa whaaaaa!

I sent some pictures of how the week was. The theme of "opposition in all things" these past couple of months continued this week. I seriously never knew how much pain a simple nail on your hand or foot could have. The baby in me came out this week, but it didn't stop me. Joseph Smith once said that "no unhallowed hand could stop this work from progressing." With him, I add my on, "No toenail can stop this work..." Haha it sounds so wimpy, but ohhh man. If I could just tell you about the pain it causes. I bought a good pair of Nephi sandals that I'm wearing (you can see them in the picture of the baptism)

The baptism with conference was the highlight of the week. I met Osvaldo three weeks ago as I came to hear that he´s been an investigator for over 10 years. I thought to myself, ´´ohh man... What can I do differently?´´

I spent a few days before I visited him, thinking about what would be the best way to help him out. After many prayers, the answer came. "Just be happy."

I showed up happier than a little boy on Christmas morning to his door. He invited us in. We just asked him questions about happiness and taught a 2 minute lesson at the end on how the Restoration is the only way to true happiness.

He loved it. The Spirit testified of the truth, and his good friend baptized on Friday.

With conference, my favorite talk was President Uchtdorf. His simple question of "Lord, is it I?" was the greatest question and talk I think I've heard.

Love you all!

Elder Welch

"Vamos Pular Juntos, Irmão!"

Saturday night at 9:45, we received a call from the Ward Mission Leader saying, ´´Oh! I forgot. Tomorrow the Bishopric wants us to talk about Missionary Work. You guys are going to give the talks.´´ Haha I didn't have a problem with it, but imagine my companion who just arrived in Brasil this week! Haha his name is Elder Jensen - he was waiting for his visa for 8 months in the Anaheim Mission in California. Haha I felt so bad for him because he had 30 minutes to prepare a talk the night before in Portuguese. I helped him out Sunday morning with some of the translation. He gave a great talk on Faith. I was proud of him. (By the way, I just did the math - he´s my 15th companion on my mission already! Can you believe that?? Haha Ive lived with a lot of people from all around the world...)

After thinking, I decided to talk about excitement. I looked up examples in the scriptures of people that accepted a call from the Lord with excitement. I highlighted the apostles leaving their boats ´´immediately´´ when the Lord called them and Oliver Cowdery´s testimony of the Book of Mormon (when he said, ´´these days are never to be forgotten´´). I finished it with a story about our family history. Elder Heber C. Kimball was in the Kirtland temple with the Prophet Joesph Smith, when the Spirit whispered to Joseph to call Elder Kimball on a mission to England. A month later, he arrived in England, being the first missionary there of this dispensation. The book, ´´Nosso Legado´´ tells the story that before the boat stopped, Elder Kimball jumped off the boat and exclaimed, ´´Im the first on in this land to carry the message of the Restoration.`` I beat my chest as I talked about this story and gave the ward permission that they can have a little bit of pride about our calling to share the gospel.

I then told them the story of the foot race that happened, and who won that race. George D. Watt, my 4th grandfather on mom´s side. I talked about the blessings of the Restoration that have just happened in my life, all because of the excitement of one missionary who answered the Prophets call almost 2 hundred years ago.

 

The ward got excited, called a missionary meeting together and we got to WORK yesterday night! The term now is, ´´Let´s jump together off this ship.´´

 

I´ve got fire in the bones baby! I love being a missionary 

Love,

Elder Welch

 One of the schools we taught at in Socorro

Another class we taught in Socorro

Felicidade

I´m a happy man. ´´Happy happy happy.´´ Seriously, in my new ward last night we had a fireside where the Ward Mission Leader invited President and Sister Perrotti. They rocked the talks out of the park talking about happiness. President Perrotti asked two questions at the pulpit:

-What do you do when you are happy?

-And when you are happy, what do you do?

I began to think about the times in my life when I was the happiest. I thought about the Dublin Coffman basketball game my senior year when we pulled out the win by 3 to win the conference. I thought about my first home run in baseball. I thought about going to Cedar Point with my friends and family traditions, especially Christmas times... 

I just returned home the day before from Socorro. I was transferred last week, but received permission to return Friday night to perform the baptism and participate in the wedding of Delson and Cris, some of my favorite investigators of all time.

Saturday, while I was returning back to my new area, I pulled out my journal to write down some of my feelings. Man, I felt like Mormon at the end of his life writing in my journal because there´s a chance that I won´t ever see this place again (however, in the future Ill save up some money to return). Anyway, I realized how much I loved Socorro.

In the bible dictionary in Portuguese under ´´Joy´´ it talks about being free. Free from sin and guilt, which only is possible through Jesus Christ. Last night I started to think about my ´´freedom´´ and realized how flat out happy I am now in my life. Haha I wanted to stand up and start doing the ´´eagle.´´ Yes, I'm having challenges with a lot of things, some of the hardest things in my life to be frank, but I'm free. I'm free from all of my sins, I'm free from all of my guilt, and I'm even free from allembarrassment. (The only thing that seems to still haunt me is the dropped interception I had against Coffman Junior year... Yes, I still have dreams about that). 

I'm so grateful for the Restoration of the Priesthood. I recognized recently that no one on the earth can fully repent without the help of the Priesthood. Nonmembers NEED this freedom that can only come through the gate of baptism. Members need this freedom that only comes through the Sacrament - both administered by the Aaronic Priesthood.

-I've talked a little bit about the opposition that's happening in this work right now. This week, my toe nails took a wrong turn... I have the WORST ingrown toenail that I tried to take care of at a doctor, but it got worse this week. I had a mini surgery this morning at a salão of a member to get everything to normal. Talk about pain... HOLY SMOKES! The toenails are SO SENSITIVE! Haha I about cried from pain. And to keep it from hurting so bad, I about bit my finger off - you know, to put the pain somewhere else to not think about the actual pain. Haha I'm wearing sandals now this week - I´ll be a true servant of Jesus Christ this week. Ill send some pictures next week. Also, a monkey either pooped on me this week or threw a tiny fruit on my shoulder as I walked under "his" tree. (See picture)

-REESE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you so much! Haha send me pictures if you can next week of her with her birthday cake.

I gave one last push for Alfonso, inviting him to be baptized on Friday night but he didn't show up... I felt terrible and apologized to his wife. I don't feel like I did everything I could've. Ill be fasting every fast Sunday until his baptism with her. Ill always write them letters every week to try to baptize at the end of my mission before returning home... Feel free to participate!

Even with the sadness of some of the wrong decisions people make with their agency, I'm still happy to be a missionary. As dad said today in his letter to me, I also say, ´´The gospel is true and I love it.´´ I´m a happy, happy man. (you can argue about the man part of the sentence, but have certainty that I'm a happy missionary)

Elder Welch

Sunburnt Neck

Monkey poop or fruit that dropped on my shirt!

Baptism for Delson and Cris

Fire in the Bones!

I was with my Mission President yesterday where we read some scriptures in Jeremiah together. We started in the first chapter, verse 10, where the Lord tells Jeremiah that his job is the "hunk out, take down, and destroy" kingdoms and governments, and then to "build up and plant" the Kingdom of God. We later finished in Jer. 20:9 where he writes that he´s got ´´FIRE IN THE BONES!´´ I feel the same way. Here´s why.

It´s quite intense to say the least, but opposition is happening just about everyday. After the incident happened with the car trying to spray us while it was raining, we had a member of another church write us a letter returning a Book of Mormon. It was shoved in the front door of the house where we have church and started with, "Do you want to know the TRUTH?!" followed by a boat load of scriptures. Man, this church is so arrogant here in Socorro. It´s hard to love them, but it´s what Christ would do.

I learned an interesting lesson this week about a birds. We were traveling for a meeting in Campinas where one of the missionaries I was sitting by noticed 10-15 birds flying around in a circle in the distance. He joked that someone died out there (it was in the middle of nowhere) and that was because the birds were flying above him. Nature not being my strong subject, I asked him really what was going on (he´s going to work for a zoo when he grows up I think). He told me that out in the ´´desert´´ when the sun hits the rocks, it causes a heat wave to rise (it´s hotter closer to rocks than the ground for example). And when the birds are going to travel to hunt for food, they find a big rock and fly in circles around it in order to elevate themselves higher in the air. This is because the hot air rises, making it easier for the birds too, to rise.

I thought a lot about that this week as I thought it was pretty cool. I saw the difference it makes with my new companion, Elder Nascimento. We came from an area that was just about dead. He was working hard but didn't see the results he would've liked to have see. He was finally transferred here in Socorro where he seriously is so happy. Haha its funny to hear him talk to other missionaries about the area of Socorro. ´´Im in Zion now baby!`` he always says. I realized how the attitudes of missionaries help elevate others to a higher level. To have a higher vision and more excitement to reach newer heights. Socorro for Elder Nascimento is like a big rock in the desert for the birds. He´s a missionary with a vision reaching heights he´s never thought were before possible.

With these thoughts, Ive spent a lot of time on my knees trying to catch the vision our Savior has. It's a great life being a missionary. I love studying and applying the life of Jesus Christ in my life. What a privilege it is to help others come unto Him. It's difficult, really tiring, but I'm excited. I'm livin´the dream with FIRE IN MY BONES!

Here comes another miracle week!

Elder Welch

Transfer Call

Nooooooooooo!! Last night we were at an investigator´s house who was making us dinner when our phone started to ring. I looked at who was calling and it read, ´´Presidente Perrotti.´´ dum dum dummmmmm

He thanked me for the work thats happening in Socorro and the progress of the area, and then took a deep breath. Haha oh man! I knew it was coming. And then he said it. Ill be getting transferred. Haha ahhhh man it killed me. He said it like this, ´´Look Elder Welch... I'm going to have to transfer you.``

Followed by a deep exhale by me. Haha man. Allow me to explain.

Three weeks ago the Branch here celebrated it´s 6th year since becoming a branch from a group (they were a group for four years). They invited the old Branch President, Stake President and Mission President to give talks three weeks ago, but President Perrotti wasn´t able to make it. They marked with him and Sister Perrotti to give talks two weeks ago instead (where they invited me to give the first talk... That's a whole different story. Haha talk about being nervous). I sent the picture home last week (I forgot an explanation) in my email of us at lunch with some of the members and President and Sister Perrotti after church. They were treated like all-stars, as they rightly should be. They are so awesome. Anyway, two weeks ago everyone jumped all over President and Sister Perrotti saying that it was absolutely necessary that I stayed in Socorro for at least one more transfer. It was a little over the top which made me feel bad because I felt that President and Sister Perrotti would think that I set them up to do that. I talked to them afterwards, which they understood I wouldn't do that. Anyway, I felt a little bitembarrassed but super loved at the same time.

This week the houses we visited, the members we left to teach with and the meals we ate said that they had a certainty that Elder Jara and I would stay here together for at least 6 more weeks - leaving us comfortable. One member tried to have the President promise her that I would stay... haha

But, on the phone call last night he explained something a little bit different that will happen. We´re going to pick up one more missionary  tomorrow in Campinas and work in a trio here in Socorro for three weeks. And then after the three weeks, Ill leave to go to another area. President Perrotti told me to start telling the members now so they wont have a heart attack if I were to be transferred tomorrow. It´s going to be weird these three weeks, but definitely a lot of fun. We have a few weddings to accomplish and I have some mighty praying and fasting to do for Afonso... Here I come baby!

This week we taught one more english class of 40 students. It´s incredible to see the opportunities that are opening up. I went by the mission office this past week to get a box of 50 Books of Mormon in english so I could start teaching them. We finished the week with 58 referrals not contacted at the end of yesterday. FIFTY-EIGHT! Haha Preach My Gospel tells you to try to finish the week with 0. There's so much planning to be done its not even funny. I'm not going to lie, it´s SUPER overwhelming. Haha sometimes when we´re not careful, we get super stressed out here.

To give you the news on one of our investigators that I love is named Riessa. She´s seriously a warrior. She has 16 years with a kid who´s almost 2. Yes, there's no error there. Shes 16 with a two year old baby boy. Yesterday was her second time at church, where shes soaking it all in. It has to be so hard for her, even in church attending Relief Society instead of Young Womens. After she had her kid (and her boyfriend abandoned her, of course) her mom kicked her out of the house with her kid, where she lived on the street! She dropped out of school because of the challenges with her kid and eventually moved in with her aunt. Her story is like one Broadway would make a movie out of in New York. Its such a blessing to be a part of her life, especially at this time. Only the Savior can help, and we´re so happy to share His message and His gospel with her.

She got a job this week, where the boss said, ´´you get one day off, what day do you want?´´ The day before we taught her about the Sabbath Day where she told her boss, ´´I want Sunday off so I can go to church.´´ OOHHHHH YEAHHHH! THAT´S MY INVESTIGATOR BABY!!

To end with, I was walking on the side walk today with Elder Jara with umbrellas. It rained all last night and this morning as were were walking. We looked in front of us where a car sped up to pass another car and hit a puddle next to us in order to spray water all over our white shirts... Haha it was so obvious what he tried to do - luckily, we passed the puddle a couple of seconds before and we only got a little wet.

I walked away on FIRE! I was so pumped! haha not mad, but pumped up. I looked at Elder Jara and said, ´´Ohhhh yeah.. I love me some opposition!´´

This is the Lord´s work and I testify that it´s accelerating. But the enemy too, is accelerating his... Time to choose what side we´re on and play for His team! Vamos

´´Who´s on the Lord´s side, who?´´

Love,

Elder Welch

Fogo!!! (8/25/14)

Wow, last night I had probably the greatest conversation with one of my companions on the mission. This guy seriously was a blood thirsty Lamanite a year ago. It was the most incredible conversation I have ever heard in my life. I made a joke to him that I did Tae Kwon Do and could beat him up if he tried any of his tricks on me and he stopped me in the road and said, ´´Elder, the gospel didn't change my life. The gospel changed my heart. I don't have any more desires to do nothing bad. Just to do good everyday.``

And so it is, as the scripture says in Mosiah - ´´...no more desire to do evil, but to do good continually.´´

I seriously love this man. I was so full of hope that every person in the world can become a member of the Christ´s church, last night as he told me some of the things he and his friends used to do. He´s really careful to not say anything he will regret, and I could tell there's a lot more, and a lot worse things he has done in his life, but I got the gist of it. Seriously, my companion is going to be the next prophet!

The Lord is blessing our desires to ´´open up our vision´´ and see things as Christ sees them. To say the truth, Ive been pretty arrogant (inwardly) about my area here in Socorro. It´s been more than 3 months when our key indicators are the highest in the mission. We have missionaries and leaders in different areas of the mission calling us to see what we are doing. The area of Socorro has a lot of fame now in the mission. But with that, I learned to be humble. I was frustrated last week because I wasn´t ´´progressing.´´ The numbers were there, and the highest in the mission, but I didn't feel like the Lord was accepting our work here. It was because I fell complacent and wasn't trying to improve. I was measuring my success after the success of others.

Well, with these prayers to open up our eyes and see what's possible, we taught a English class of 70 the first lesson. Haha 70 people at one time! WHoooooo! And we got invited to come back tonight. It wouldn't be legal in the United States, but here they are totally fine with it.

With the incredible change in my companions life and his faith to pave the way, I really feel like we will see miracles in the mission field aqui logo logo...

Love,

Elder Welch

Number 10 (8/18/2014)

Man, I feel like I´m in a time tunnel. I feel like I wrote this yesterday, but the end of august and the start of September gets me PUMPED UP! Haha it´s football season! WHooooooooo! Haha Matt sent me a picture of the beloved number 10 he´s going to wear this year. I was so happy to see that, haha. Dad told me that 2adays ended and school started, so the season must start here next weekend? Fill me in on the details, I´ll be cheering all the way down here in Brasil.

I hear the coaches are pretty rough on Matt. I thought about the challenges I had with coaches in High School, and also about Dustin, Ashley, and Brittany. It's unfortunates, but it seems to always be like this. If I could give any advice it would just to do things the right way. To use the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith, in whom Matt was named after, ´´We teach them correct principals to govern themselves.´´ Apply the principals of hard work and teamwork and let the coaches govern themselves. Haha I hope that makes sense. The memories come from the way you feel in respect to what you did, not how much playing time. Its something I'm starting to learn on the mission. My success isn't how many people I baptize, but the work I put in and the feelings I have after is always the things I remember - about the areas Ive served in, the members Ive served with, and the people Ive helped. Doing things right will never be in vain. Your chances of playing time, or baptizing, are a lot higher when you do things the way He asks them to be done.

I was also really impressed to hear that Matt is going to the temple on a monthly basis. I loved hearing that he has a recommended usage temple recommend. Its a sign of worthiness, or manliness. I read a scripture this morning in D&C about how learning our duty and doing our duty allows us to be worthy to stand at the last day.

Dad! Holy cow, I think your last letter to me was the greatest letter you have written while being on the mission. Its because you talked about YOUR mission! About Auroa Diana and the decision she made the day of her baptism. I think your situation would've been harder because the baptismal font was already filled! There´s something special I learned from reading your letter. I felt connected in some way to her because you taught her. I think that's part of why we should keep a journal. I'm so engaged to your stories when you were younger, I think because you're my parents. I hope you and mom have started and are still writing in your journals at least once each week. Two scriptures to motivate is 2 Nephi 25:26 and the last verse in Jacob.

I don't have any advice with zone conference. The few things that are on my mind are about 1. vision (vision to baptize and strengthen units) and 2. accomplishing goals. I think Chapter 1 or 8 of PMG would give you some inspiration.

I'm also excited to hear about your PMG family nights. Dustin's FHE when he returned home from his mission about ´´diligence´´ I can still remember. Keep it up! I would like to hear about the things you are learning.

Sorry this is the second week without me talking much about the week. I'm currently working on helping some of these men with the Aaronic priesthood receive the higher so that he can open up a ward here in January! Our goal is set. The stake president visited us yesterday and talked to me for 50 minutes on how to save Socorro. I'm pumped up for the season not only because Football is starting, but also because these are the Last Days baby! Whoooooo!

I'm so grateful to represent my Savior. I love Him

Elder Welch

Oh yeah (8/11/2014)

This week was crazy. I told Grandma McFerson in a letter I just wrote, "sorry this email is so short. Life would be a lot easier as a missionary if His work wasn´t hastening." But on that note, it also wouldn´t be as exciting.

Man, it´s incredible to see the forces of good and evil as a missionary. Something incredibly miraculous happens, and then something devastating accompanies it. It´s a bipolar life - 2 Nephi 2:11

After last week´s crazy finish, The Lord opened up some big time communication for us. Julia, the older sister in the picture of the baptism, is seriously the shyest person I´ve ever met in my entire life! She´s also one of the sweetest, nicest sisters in the world.

Anyway, get this. The shyest person I think on this planet opened her mouth at school to her English teacher about us! She said something like an American missionary is visiting her house who talks English. The teacher flipped out with excitement and invited us to come to the school and talk with him. Well, wasn´t just with him, but his entire class of 15 students. But it wasn´t just the students... the principal of the school also sat in WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT! Haha they asked us what we do. I obviously had to talk about baptism. Haha I talked about just about everything without inviting them to be baptized because the Spirit restrained me, saying I couldn't do that in a school. But, I said we would like to help you guys be baptized in Christ's Church. We received all of their contact information and will pass by this week!

Buuuuuttttt the superintendent took a picture with us and is putting it in the newspaper with a date for us to come back and talk to the ENTIRE school! 900 students with their families... Uhmmm... 

Vamos lá então!

Love ya all,

Elder Welch

Preach My Gospel learning this week: The first sentence of chapter one of PMG under the section of ´´Baptism and Confirmation´´ really hit home with me this week. I´ve read a bunch of scriptures lately on how to magnify your calling (and received awesome letters from mom and how she´s reeeallllly going above and beyond with this) and realized how simple my purpose is as a missionary. To baptize and confirm people members of His church! Elder Bednar said also regarding your purpose, ´´if you don´t invite, you don´t understand.´´ This is one of the three goals I made for year number two on the mission. My head doesn´t hit the pillow at night until I invited at least one person to be baptized and confirmed. I´ve gotta turn in to a machine full of dishing out invitations.

Prestação de Contas (8/4/2014)

First things first, happy birthday to Elder McNamara. The big 2-1 this week! Man, its crazy to think that he only has a few more months AND that Elder Persinger is coming home THIS MONTH! I can´t believe it.

Well, this week was CRAZY! The craziest week on the mission happened to me this week on Friday night. But before I get in to this madness, let´s start with something a little bit lighter.

Socorro has a lot of farms. There's only 35,000 people in the city and I always joke that I think there´s more cows and chickens than humans. I also told my mission president that if he keeps me here until the end of the mission, I´ll baptize the 34,900 that aren´t members... Haha man this area has so much potential. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago we got a phone call from the Elders Quorum President with a referral. It was a family that he works nearby in a farm. We visited them one night and really got along well. The family is incredibly shy, but at the same time, incredibly awesome. We sat in their humble home, away from all human and growth civilization, with cows, chickens, birds, pigs, dogs, cats, and just about every other type of animal. At the end of the lesson, I explained that I always had a desire to catch a chicken by the leg and milk a cow... Well, last pday we got invited.

Haha it was so much fun, and yes, I succeeded. It was so weird at first, and I was completely clueless as to what I was doing, but it was a lot of fun. They were laughing at us the entire time too because they could see the confusion on our faces. Anyway, here's some pictures. (I didn't catch a pig (they're SO FAST) but one of the members of the family caught one and let me hold it. Everything else however, I managed to do. I felt like a true farmer's boy. (with an incredible farmer's tan)).

So we started off the week thinking 5 people were going to be baptized on Saturday. Slowly but surely, Satan had his (fake) hand in the mix of everything and only one person stood standing by the end of Friday night.

Januária is the mom of a family of 5. She received an answer to her prayer about the church and desired to be baptized. She made us bread, bbq´d for us, and bought us a cake. She LOVED us!

Friday night we brought Elderes from a different city to do the interview, and then you wouldn't believe what happened.

She was SO PUMPED! But while she was being interviewed, THE PASTOR OF HER OLD CHURCH SHOWED UP!

This church has "Elders" that are like the bishops and the pastors are like the Stake Presidents. Imagine, the stake president of this church showing up at the door while she was being interviewed.

Januária passed the interview and left the room with a huge smile. "Elder Welch! Elder Welch!"

She was caught by surprise...

To make a long story short, and an incredibly spiritual experience sacred, the power of the Priesthood is real. He not only "dissed" us for 45 minutes, but straight up blasphemed before God. The Spirit gave us the approval and after a command to close his mouth and leave, he immediately obeyed. The Spirit testified of the reality of the Restoration of Christ´s authority. We felt like Nephi when he shocked his brothers when they murmured about building a ship and Joseph Smith in the chamber when everyone was speaking in fowl language.

We left the house a little bit later with the baptismal record in hand, everyone amazed and quiet. We returned Saturday morning just to tell her congrats and the details when she wasn´t in the house.

I´m still not sure exactly what happened, but I think some sort of deal was made. Something like, "We won´t bother you anymore, and will sustain your decision to be baptized, if you make just one more visit at our church."

Well, she went to that church (one of the biggest in Socorro) where the "Stake President" of a Pastor preached for two hours. I still don't know what he said at that podium, but I have a certainty that he shredded us in front of the hundreds of people in the congregation.

Januáira returned home and called us "Angels of light sent from the devil." She told us to never return, that we are wasting our lives away in Brasil, and to stop bringing other souls to an everlasting burning. It was incredibly sad. The immediate reaction I had was anger at that Pastor. I turned my thoughts to the Savior, repented for my feelings, and shook off the week with 5 precious souls falling through the week of their baptism.

I thought a lot about this experience and the type of report one day we will give to our Savior, Jesus Christ. I´ve been praying ever since that the Pastor one day will search for repentance, and that the Lord will freely give the forgiveness he desperately needs.

I love the Savior and know He lives. Like Dad wrote me a couple of months ago, "Surely the work of the Lord is hastening, but we can´t underestimate the hastening of the work of the enemy." I testify that this is true. That those who aren't among the Saints, "will kick against the pricks" and will one day stand accountable before God.

I love you all. Stand firm in the faith you have and the testimony you have received. It´s true. It's so true. And one day we will be rewarded for the blessings of enduring to the end.

Elder Welch

I finally got the package from Adam and Brittany - WHOOOO!!!! Thank you!! The shirt was awesome - I love it!  But the best thing, as always, is the pictures of the family!  I showed a bunch of people the pictures!

Gospel of Change! (7/28/2014)

Well the greenie fire just got hotter this week... Where in the world are these missionaries coming from? I thought I was the ´´chosen generation´´ President Hinckley referred to. Haha my new companion is from Argentina and a lot of fun. His always laughing and looking at me to know what he should do next - really humble. The thing I love the most about him is his past.

Anyway, my companion was baptized at age 8 and fell inactive at 12 because one Sunday he decided to play soccer instead of going to church. This decision led him to do the same thing the next Sunday... And so on and so forth until he had 19 years. Eight months ago the missionaries in his ward invited him to return to church. This hardcore punk returned after just one simple invitation, and eight months later is my companion. Talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Whoooo! I love it. His got higher expectations than my other companion. I dont know how thats possible but instead of disagreeing with him, Im trying to match his faith. What a blessing it is!

Samira finally was baptized! After 5 years of being taught, she made the decision to stop smoking. Whoopp! But Afonso still is hard as a rock... Here we go one more week!

Love you all!

Elder Welch

Brasileiros Bem-vindo!

Gostaríamos de saudar todos os novos seguidores brasileiros e dar um grito especial para os mais novos membros do ramo Socorro! Parabéns por ter sido batizado!

E obrigado a todos aqueles que tomaram cuidado tão bem de Elder Welch - ele ama servindo em Socorro!

amor, 

A família Welch

"Are You from Germany??"

I seriously can´t tell you how many times I´ve been questioned the past two weeks if I was from Germany. Haha it's crazy. Brasil is still so embarrassed about what happened during the World Cup. Haha even if I was German, I wouldn´t tell anyone because I seriously wouldn´t make it home alive. Anyway, Dad wrote me about Germany´s team and how they´ve been preparing for 16 years for this World Cup. I liked the twist he put on it and how he related it to the Gospel.

Last week I wrote about how tired I was. How was that a prophecy... Haha this week by far was the most tiring week on the mission. We had two baptisms that got moved an HOUR BEFORE the baptism to another city, one hour away. Because we´re a Branch here, our baptismal font is a swimming pool outside. And let me tell ya, if I didn´t have such a strong desire to baptize down here, I would stop teaching all of our investigators. It´s seriously Antartica! Haha and because they were kids that were baptized this week, we went all the way to the capella in ´´Bragança´´ in order to have the baptism inside.

It was a baptism never to be forgotten. We baptized Giovanna (the third Giovanna we´ve baptized in 6 weeks!) who was a daughter of a less active member. We found her trying to reactivate her grandpa, ``Dino´´, who speaks 10 LANGUAGES! Yes, 10. Haha he´s the smartest man alive. His memory is literally a computer. Anyway, we found out that Dino´s wife isn´t a member also! Samira, Dino´s wife, will follow the example of her granddaughter we hope this Saturday. It´s been three days since she´s stopped smoking. What a miracle because she was smoking like it was her job two weeks ago.

The other baptism was a baptism for the Branch. João Paulo, if you can remember by his face, was the man who was rubbing his stomach in the background of our skype call during Mother´s day. Haha the one that wouldn´t put his shirt down and was messing around with Matt. Anyway, he´s the dad of the little girl (Maria Erika) that was baptized. He and his family asked me almost two months ago that they wanted me to baptize her. In that moment I was so excited - who wouldn´t be?! João Paulo was less active but he, along with his wife, desired that their daughter was baptized. The Spirit told me however to gently decline his invitation and invite him to perform the baptism. ´´I´m honored that you guys chose me, but families are meant to be eternal. João Paulo, eternal life for Maria won´t be the same if you´re not there with her.´´ He was silent for a really long time. To make an incredible, miracle story short (and after a lot of tears shed by his wife), he straightened up his act, worked with the Branch President, and baptized his daughter! YEAAAHHHHHH!! I love me some FAM-A-LEEEES!!!

However, about these miracle stories, one has still ceased to happen. 4 in a half months ago, one of the sisters in the Branch looked at me in the eyes and said, ´´Finally! Finally the missionary has arrived. Finally the missionary is here to baptize Afonso.´´

Afonso is the husband of this sister. He´s been taught and taught and taught for 14 stinkin´ years! Yesterday we received the transfer call and guess who´s staying.... OH YEAHH BABYY!!! Unfortunately, Elder Amancio is leaving, but the good news is, I´ll be training again. ´´Buuurrrrrrrnnn baby burrrrnnnnn´´ (with greenie fire).

Anyway, the weight that´s on my shoulders about Afonso seriously haunts me! Ive taught him everything! He´s felt the spirit and knows everything is true. He comes to church every Sunday. The members invite him to be baptized.... Haha seriously, send me some ideas. Pray for him. Fast for him. Do what ever you can to help him out because it´s seriously so heavy on my shoulders... I know the Lord will provide the way however.

Love you all! Send me your Preach my Gospel thoughts please!