"Bringing Them to the Knowledge of Their Fathers"

Brittany´s letter last week to me was awesome. The way she talked about the atonement and being grateful for challenges caused me to write a little bit in my journal. I learned a lot and felt the spirit bem forte. Thanks for the letter and update on the family.

Adam, também, was awesome. The best thing you wrote deserves to be in Chapter 8 of Preach My Gospel. ´´If your´re mindful of your time, you waste as little as possible.´´ Genius. And you asked me about the worst thing Ive eaten. I seriously haven't eaten ONE thing I haven't liked. Everything is seriously so good. I'm gaining weight like its my job unfortunately. So, I made a goal with an investigator this week that he drops his habit of smoking and I'll drop my habit of eating desserts. Ohhh man... If I could tell you how many cakes and cookies we received from the members this week... The worst idea ever! But I'm hanging in there. My companion is going hammer time in the kitchen while I eat fruit in the corner...

Dad- sorry to hear about being empty nesters. Haha but I enjoyed the simple letter you wrote about eating s'mores with gma and gpa McFerson and Ashley and Joe and their family. One thing I miss is eating dinner on Sunday outside, and then just sitting at the table and talking for an hour (usually eating an entire package of Oreos...)

And mom, Haha I received a message that I have FOUR packages in Campinas! WHOOOOOPPPPP! Butttt, I have to wait one more week to receive them. Haha oh man, I've been waiting so long for these pictures of the family. I can live without the peanut butter, but without the pictures. Thanks for sending them. And yes, the secretary in Campinas is the best spot to send things. Its actually a mission rule to send everything there.

Well, well, well, we got the transfer call last night.... AND I´M STAYING IN SOCORRO!!! Yeahhhhhhhhhhh! We were with our Branch President yesterday in the car when our leaders called and he pulled over on the side of the road to listen in. After he heard our leader say that we are staying, we started screaming with us. Haha it was so funny. He said, "Yess!! Mais vinte batismos!! Mais cem batismos!" Haha he said 20 more baptisms... paused... and then said 100 more baptisms. Haha he helps us out so much here. I'm grateful for the trust the Lord and our Mission President have in us to work here in the tiny town of Socorro.

We received a rule this week that we have to stay in our house this week when Brasil is playing in the World Cup. Last week Socorro started decorating the entire town with flags and different things to get ready for this week. They put up things just about on the church house too! They're crazy! Haha but our mission president made it really clear that we have to stay inside each time Brasil is playing. Mixture of safety and unproductivity. Happy studying for me!

In Preach My Gospel, Chapter 10, it starts out quoting a scripture in D&C 11:21. The Lord promised that we could persuade people (convert them) by the way we talk. This hit me hard the past couple of weeks, knowing that I could literally, (not me but the Spirit) convert someone that would generally not accept the restored gospel. What I have to do to prepare for these things is something I have begun on my own each morning and night. I know the Lord is hastening His work, I just need to keep up with His pace. 

With these pastors and other members of churches, I really have a firm hope that they´ll be baptized and remain active. Seriously, if one more person tells me "I was born catholic, Ill die a catholic" (or any other religion) I'm going to go ninja on their faces. The Scripture in Helaman 15:7-8, and throughout all of the Book of Mormon, about trying to convince the Laminites of the incorrectness of their fathers is exactly what I'm doing. "Have you ever stopped to think that what your parents taught you is wrong?" Sure it´s harsh, but eternity hangs in the balance.

As I strive to become more like the Savior, His purpose becomes my purpose.

I'm living the dream as the greenie fire continues to motivate us do everything we can.

Love,

Elder Welch

There´s some KILLER videos of the life of Christ on lds.org. I want so badly to watch them, but know that I will miss time on the computer that I could write family. I usually watch one every p-day. If you can however, (for my birthday?? YEeee!!) is burn them on to a couple discs and send them to me. We have a mini DVD player in our apartment and I could watch them when I work out in the morning. Seriously, they'll motivate me to cut off this fat on my "love handles."