My name is Elder Welch. I am a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. I am currently serving a full time mission, sharing the gospel with the people of Lima Peru West. Here you will read about my experiences in my letters home. Please feel free to write comments, but know I wont see them until I get home in February 2013.

Monday, October 01, 2012

Monday October 1, 2012

Hola Familia!!!!!

what a week. . . it was a disappointing week here in Huaura but a awesome week in Sayan. this last Saturday we, along with the entire world fasted. my companion and i always fast every satruday in order to have a increase in attendance on sunday. . . . but the sad part is that it never worked. so yesterday i was done. i told god that i was going to TEST him and i promised that it would be my last fast if we didnt have investigators in church. we went to houses Sunday to put in our part we got to church and . . . .goose egg. there was no one there. i took that as my answer. i was kinda fed up and the worst part is that i was so fed up i didnt see the miracles that occurred in front of my face until i was finishing up the day by writing in my journal. and i want to share them with you.

1- in the middle of our second hour Edith cabanilla showed up with her sister who is member. we had never taught her  before. but as we began to talk you could see the desire she has to change her life. . . but i didnt see it because my eyes were blinded by stubbornness.

2- toward the end of our block of meetings we were standing by the door when two humbly dressed men walk in my first thought was . . . they want money . . . but as they began to share their  experience you could hear the hurt they felt and the powerful statement "i want to turn my life over to god because he gave me another chance" was proof of it. Hermano Crispin said many powerful wonderful things but i didnt hear them because my ears were deafened by rage.

3- we found Isabel Aya had returned from out of town. she was a baptism that got away from elder carlos and i. but even though we had lost contact she had been strengthening her testimony all along you could feel the spirit strongly as she accepted a new baptismal date with more desire than ever but i didnt sense it because my senses were cut off by numbness.

4- it was a miracle in itself that we found Elida Leon. she was in the street calling her mom when we crossed paths. she is the mother of a family we have been teaching. she informed us that it was Jeffersons birthday (her son who is 14 years old now) and invited us over to share. it was a warming sensation as we sang happy birthday to him and as he cut the cake. it felt something like home and even more so as Elida and Lionel expressed their gratitude to us and even naming us members of the family but i couldnt feel it because my heart was sealed by betrayal.

in short family god does answer our prayers but not in the way we want them to be answered i wanted something completely different than he did and thanks to this little experience i now understand a little better the phrase "not my will but thine be done."  I am so grateful for a patient god and a loving family. 

well fam it is off to cut my hair and then . . . . maybe a nap who knows :) i love you all and remember i am working as hard as i can

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. the fotos are all from sayan that is a tree i am standing in front of and it is the biggest tree i have ever seen. the old guy is our mission leader and he is a goof but his stories will have to wait a few months. 
 



 

p.s.s. please will you send me another pair of pants i bought one pair here in peru but it isnt the same as the good ole USA. the last size you sent me now fits me perfect i believe it was a 34 i would check but it might be kind uncomfortable for the other people here in our crowded internet :D love ya

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