Monday August 29, 2011

Hola familia!!!!

wow do i have a story for you. let me just start by saying that Jose Miguel Chapoñan Santisteban and Cinthya Mariluz Vador Iparraguirre, were baptised on saturday!!! but it was anything but stress free. Elder Portillo and i were put in charge of filling the font and getting the keys to open the church and that is where all the drama started. the baptism was scheduled for 2 30 in the afternoon so we figured we should go to the church around 1 that will give us enough time to fill the font, and clean up a little bit before everyone shows up. we get there and open the church, and one thing that is really weird is that this church (unlike anyother church in peru) has a alarm system . . . . that we didnt know about. i am sure you can see where this is going. the alarm went off and not only does it start a siren that is really anoying, but it also sends a signal to the police, and wouldn´t you know it just our luck, the nearest police station was 2 blocks away. within minutes there were three police cars in front of the church, and chad as my witness the last place you want to be in peru is infront of a peruvian police officer, they only have one rule shoot to wound, because if they are wounded you can still put them in jail. they begin screaming over the microphone that pretty much lie down on the ground or die. so of course we took the first option, they put us in handcuffs and almost got us in their cars, when who should come around the corner, (thankfully) the second counselor of our branch presidency. they get everything straightened out and the police leave. and then i notice all the people. there were probably 300 people watching it all.

i was so close to seeing my first peruvian jail..... and i never want to be that close agian.

that is awesome about carson, congradulate him for me, and find out what mission too. i had alot of elders in my distrcit in the mtc that are in mexico. the weather is cold and rainy. we are out of lima and yes we do see alot of wildlife, not just dogs. my area is kinda like a little oasis. there is a little bit of jungle, and even a few rivers.i can actually say (without lying) that this area is actually really pretty. i will try to send some pictures but once again slow internet. my stomach is still kinda sick but i am more or less used to it. the fruit is amazingly delicious, but the rules are the same, if you cant peal it you cant eat it. but for the majority, i eat oranges, mandarinas, bananas, mangos, pineapples, and jocute (it is a fruit kinda like a coconut, hard on the out side but soft on the inside, but has a much better taste). mom you will be happy to know that i have grown to like sweet potatoes, they eat them alot here and i think i am more accostomed to it rather than like it. but tomatoes is another story. i love tomatoes now!!!!! the vegtables are like the fruit, they all seem to have a better taste here. i have eaten vegetables that i am sure i would have never eaten before my mission and they are all pretty good. one thing that i have come to LOVE is a little pepper called rocoto. (chad will know what i am talking about) it is tiny but it is powerful. they put rocoto, onions and lemon juice together and eat it with almost everything, and i have fallen in love with it. we do have many storms but none to scary, and yes i have felt alot of earthquakes, some of them are quite strong too. in almost every building there is a sign that says that this building is earthquake safe. and yes there are flowers of every color shape and smell. i would take pictures of them but i am not ready to feel that gay yet. :)

well it is off to fruit then futbol i love you all, thank you for the prayers not only for me but for my investigators i know that they are helping. and always remember i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday August 22, 2011

hola familia!!!

Well it was a kinda stressful week, man i wish peru was a little more moderinzed. but hey i am just glad i am here :) unfortunatly the baptism that we had for this past saturday fell through. what happend is: last week after the baptism of Romina and Karen, we left the baptismal font filled because the other ward had a baptism the next day. well after their baptism they forgot to empty the font . . . and peru water is very very contaminated as is, just add about 6 weeks of sitting and you have a potion that could kill anything. you could see things swimming in the water on saturday when we showed up and so needless to say we needed to empty and fill it again. but that isn`t the end of the story. we empty it and we clean it out and we are ready to fill it again when the branch president tells us that the water meter was stolen and we cant fill it. great. so we post pone it for sunday. . . but the story goes on. sacrament is the last meeting of our block of meetings so normaly elder portillo and i will go and bring people to church for the first two hours. we get to church at 11 and are ready to start sacrament when cinthya (the woman that we are supposed to baptise) comes and tells us that Jose (her husband) doesnt want to get baptised anymore. . . . now what do we do??? we asked her why and she told us that he didnt feel prepared yet, that he still had things in his past that was holding him down. we go and find him talk to him and we are hoping that this next week we will be able to drown him. pray for him please, that he can feel the peace that only this gospel brings.

this last week i have been more sick than usual. but none the less we worked harder than ever. we have 17 new investigators that we have found this last week and honestly i have a good feeling about all of them.

today is transfers and i dont think i will be trasfered but you can never be to sure in this work i will let you know what happens. but being transfers my time has been cut again. and once again the internet is incredably slow, so no pictures today.

I love you all and always remember that i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday August 15, 2011

Hola Familia

i finally wet my pants!!!!! this last saturday we had 2 baptisims and it was everything and more than i imagined. it was almost perfect. the only problem was that for about 30 minutes we were kinda scared that one of them wasnt going to show up. there names are Romina and karen, karen lives far from the church and it took her longer than expected to show up. we were supposed to start at 7 but 7 15 rolls around and nothing yet. 7 25 and we were on our knees begging that nothing bad had happened and that she would be here soon. we were just about to start when she walked through the door. scary but in the end almost perfect. we have been working with a couple named jose and cinthya. good news they are going to be married this friday and baptised friday!! wow i love this area.

to answer your questions mom my living conditions are kinda different in this area. we live in a appartment and yes we have a pentionista, but only for breakfast and lunch. dinner we are on our own, but normaly we dont have problems with finding a family who will take pitty on us and feed us. i am still loosing weight, no matter how much i eat i lose weight. i figured it out a few days ago that since starting my mission i have lost 15 kilos or almost 30 pounds!!! sometimes i am kinda scared that i have a parasite because honestly most days i dont feel too good. kinda sick to my stomach a lot. i love the food, maybe it is just the food doesnt love me. every month the mission supplies each of the missionaries a liahona, and that has a few of the news and articles from the ensign, new era, and friend but usually sometime during p day my companion and i go to a internet and read the "going ons" on lds.org.

honestly mom, my days are brighter than ever. ya maybe i dont feel good and i am tired and my body hurts, but i couldnt be happier. we helped another of our couples, Carla and Elvis, build their house this week. and after a little while we took a break they bought some inca cola and we just talked for a few minutes. they asked us what it felt like being a missionary, teaching and helping people all day every day. elder portillo and i responded almost at the same time, we feel better than any other time of our lives. they asked us why and i expalined that the opportunity to help and change lives is worth all the sacrifices. and honestly the only things i crave are

1. pot pies mmmmm QUE RICO

2. thin mints

and 3. turkey jerky

the internet is really slow today so i am sorry no pictures yet but next week i will send some of both baptisims. . . i hope

i love you all, and always remember i am working as hard as i can

Elder Landon R. Welch

August 9, 2011

hola Familia!!!!

wow what a week. another one gone by with a lot of success. we are working harder now than anyother time in my mission, but honestly it doesn´t seem like work. i have decided that the opportunity to change peoples lives can never be considered work. the reason i am writing a day later isnt because p day changed, it is because i have become the presidents personal band aid. i went on exchanges with one of the assistants yesterday so president could go with the other to solve some problems they are having in

my companion is awesome!! he loves to work and that makes me happy. the two weeks i was with elder gonzales seemed like a lifetime because it was a fight everyday to get him out of bed and ready to work. but elder portillo is spot on, a great missionary, and with a good spirit.

the area is booming, and honestly it is a fight sometimes to keep it from getting out of control. our Branch is one of the best in all the mission, and that sure does help alot. we rairly are walking alone, we always seem to have a extra companion, and i love it.

we have a few baptism dates set. one for a girl named romina, she is 16, and being 16 we need parental permission to baptise her. elder portillo has been trying to get permission for almost 3 months (almost as long as i have been in the field!!) but finally her mother concented. woo hoo her baptism is for this friday and i hope and pray that nothing goes wrong!!!

well i love you all dont ever forget that i am working as hard as i can.
chau
Elder Landon R. Welch

August 1, 2011

hola Familia!!!

wow what a week, faster than ever!! i have changed to a area called Trapiche, in the zone Sam Felipe. and i think i have finally had a tast of why south america is mission heaven. day and night difference between my old area. this week alone we had more lessons than we had in 6 weeks. . . 47 to be exact. we have 1 baptism scheduled for next saturday and 6 more in the next 2 weeks. and the ward here. . . . amazing much better than the ward san german II.

my companions name is elder portillo from guatemala. he has the same amount of time in the mission as i do, and i am currently surving as senior companion. the only down side of this change is that they changed elder gonzales also. so what ever work we had in lampa de oro is now in the hands of two new missionaries, and you saw the pictures that area is kinda confusing.

hmmm i can only imagine what the next (at least) three weeks will bring? the lessons we had this week were just slightly less than amazing. we felt the spirit in almost everyone. we tought old folks and young folks. extreamly rich folks and of course increadably poor ones. but the work continues. and there is always something more we can do.

well mom to answer your question, there is one thing that i have realized over the past 6 months and that is . . . really we dont know how much affect we have on people. we just need to try our hardest to make sure it is a good affect. i recently read a talk from general conferance a few years back (but i dont remember who or when) but he told a story about a man who thought his mission was a failure. he had only baptised one person in two years, and the thought he had wasted 2 years of his life. well come to find out down the line he had a hand in over 250 baptisms and growing. really we can change peoples lifes just by how we are. just by smiling as they pass us on the street. and when we have the courage to open our mouths and share what we know. that affect will grow and grow and grow with out end.

and now dad . . . big trouble mister. i better have a huge email from you next week. i want to know all about scout camp and the expieriences you are having with them and also the other people that you have changed their lives. just by that last sentance alone i know for sure i am loosing my english :) i hope it makes sence, i am not really sure another way to write it.

I love you all and no matter what, come hell or high water, or bad gas :) i am working as hard as i can!!

Chau

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. the pictures

i am in peru but it is amazing that is the first llama i have found yet.

the little girls are cute and all but either i am going crazy or the little one looks alot like lils!!! Right? to be honest i am not sure what lily looks like now i am sure she has changed, but the picture i have of her is alot like this little girl named melanie.

July 26th, 2011

hola familia!!

how are you all doing??? i am doing pretty good. it has been a very
dramatic week to say the least and it all ended with president pulling
me from my beloved mountain to solve some problems with a different
companionship more commenly known as a emergency transfer. i have yet
to find out where i am being moved to or who my new companion will be.
but president told me that he needed my help so i will go and i will
do.

as for work wise this week has been kinda slow. i have been franticly
trying to teach elder gonzales the area before i move so alot of
walking not very much teaching. but i feel that elder gonzales is up
for the task. i just hope he can make some magic happen in lampa de
oro.

i am glad to hear everything went according to plan with the wedding
and that finaly my baby sister is married!! i called it, 3 months and
you will be engaged and 6 months you will be married!!! well i am
almost to my 6 month mark!!! and that is kinda crazy in itself.

i am running out of time and i still need to write the president but i
hope i will have a few more stories for you next week

i love you all and no mater what no matter where i am working as hard as i can

chau
Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. i have looked everywhere but i cańt find the paper with all the
addresses of my family. could you please send it to me again.

Monday July 18, 2011

Hola Familia!!!!!

Well last week was transfers but i didnt change i am still in Lampa de Oro. however elder guerrero changed he is now in a area called ventanilla, it is really close to the ocean so it is really cold but i guess in his first week there he has had 3 baptisms and has 2 more on the calender for the next week!! crazy the work is really moving in ventanilla. my new companions is elder Gonzales. he is from santa cruz bolivia. even though he has a year and a half i am the senior companion. (i am just guessing it is because i have more time in the area). but so far we seem to be getting along. unlike elder guerrero he knows no spanish. but i guess that is a good thing it will force me to learn more spanish.

i cant believe my baby sister is getting married this week!! crazy how life continues to go on even though i am not there. :) i thought i was your only entertainment. no but seriously carrie way to go. i am glad that you have found a great guy but you need to promise me (one of you) that you will send me pictures of the wedding. and also have a card board cut out of me in the line. (that part is a joke) but hey look at the bright side if it is a cardboard cut out of me i cant go hide in the bathroom. (i am not admiting anything.)

well the work in lampa is still tough as ever. we had a inca in church this week and he was our first one for probably 3 or 4 weeks. but elder gonzales has a few good ideas on how to get the area moving so i guess we will just work and see. i really do love being a missionary, even though sometimes the work is more than i can handle. but i always look to second nefi 25 ´´we are saved after all we can do´´ and i really believe that with all my heart.

well it is off to fruit and then futbol!!!! i love you all, talk to you next week. always remember that i will be working as hard as i can.

chao

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday July 11, 2011

Hola Familia,

well i dont know if i am getting transfered or not. . . . the zone
leaders are going to meet us at the church later and tell us but as of
right now i have no idea i hope not but at the same time it would be
nice to be in a little easier area. who ever said south america is a
baptism heaven is a lier.....

but we just keep on trying. we had more lessons than anyother area in
the mission this week but this intire transfer we have had 0 baptisms
and only 1 person in church. we have a few baptismal dates on the
calander but if they dont go to church they cant be baptised.

my time has been cut and i only have 1 hour to write but just for
this week only. so i will write more next week and send some pictures.

i love you all and i am working as hard as i can.
chao,
Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. i did not get a email from dad this week. i am not sure if you
sent one or if i just did not get it???

Monday July 4, 2011

Hola Familia
well . . . i am not sure what to think of this week. it was hard to say the least and i want to share a expierience with you.
thursday was one of the hardest days of my mission yet. we had probably 6 or 7 lessons set and all of them fell through and i was sick of it. my companion always has a positive attitude (but you know me i am usually pretty negative when things arn`t going my way. and i only get grummpier when people are happy around me). so it was another day of cursing under my breath i cursed my companion my investigators the fact that i was sweating my back pack seemed really heavy, and the freaking stairs never seemed to end. i had about had it.
we get back to our room and directly after planning i go out to my balcony to calm down and just kinda figure out what i need to do to make the next day better and i came to the conclusion that i had done every thing i could all i just needed was help so i asked . . . and the following expierinece happened. it felt like someone was talking to me and later i figured out who it was. it said: " i know you don´t like to sweat and i know that for you it is something that really disgusts you. but do you remember the time i sweat blood? i know that sometimes your companion bugs you but do you remember my companion his name was judas? i know that your backpack is heavy but do you remember the cross i had to carry? your tired of climbing stairs, do you remember my walk to calvary as i was spit on and hit. and i know that sometimes your hands hurt from knocking doors to no avail. do you remember the time they nailed my hands to a cross? but elder welch the big difference between me and you is i did it alone, so you didn`t have to. so just one more question why did it take you so long to ask?"
mom i just want you to know that you gave your lession in church for a reason not only did you help your young women but you helped me too. we aren't alone don't ever forget that.
the last week of this transfer and i am kinda worried. our area has just started to move and i want to be here when it bursts into a missionary heaven. but all is in the hands of god.
i love you all and know that i am working as hard as i can.
Elder Landon R. Welch
p.s. the pictures
we went for a eye check up this week and we got to explore a little bit of downtown lima and we found this little cathedral but apparently it is pretty popular.
this picture is of the baptism from last week and the lawnmower is in the chaple :) it is the only place they have to store it.
and the last one is of jessica and jannet. we are teaching their parents but i just thought it was a great picture to show a little more about the people here. they are humble and as you can see from this picture they don`t have much to play with, just dirt. sad but they are happy good testimony builder.
and the last on is of two people you should recognize. it is jacob and i and yes we are in the MTC so it is a little old. but i wasn`t sure if i sent it to you or not.
i love you!!!

Monday June 27, 2011

Hola Familia!!

Well i am happy to report that nothing out of the ordinary happend to me this week not one injury or one misfortune. and i found my watch yes the one that was stolen the exact same one. we were walking one day and along the roads there are bericades to keep cars on the road. and there it was just how i last saw it. woo hoo that alone made my week.

but what a week in general. this last thursday was my first zone conference and it was one of the best days of my mission. i am really blessed to have such a great man as my mission president. he told us story after story and i have never laughed so hard but at the same time feel the spirit so strong. i want to share one story in particular with you all.

He told us that one of the first few weeks he was here in peru he tore his achilies tendon and was stuck in the hospital for about a week. (not the same situation but it sounds familiar with my eye) he told us that he would lay in bed all day staring at the ceiling asking why??? why was he called to be a mission president and open a new mission if he was just bound to lie all day in a bed. (again sounds familiar) the next part is the part that really struck me because the same thing happened to me. he said he felt the words come to his mind "you are in my hands you are my servent and i will do with you as seems me good. you are stronger than you were before and you have a greater desire to serve. all you have to do is let go and let me do my work" increadable expierience and in that moment i felt a special connection with him. what a great man i only know one better that is my dad. i love you buddy.

well we had a baptism date with JULINO but unfortunatly he was unable to attend to church so we will have to push it a week back. the only problem with that is next week is transfers. pray that neither myself or elder guerrero get transfered but if we do just goes to show that we are needed in a different area for a different person.

i love you all and i am still working as hard as i can.

chao
Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. the pictures
the one is of the president. just wanted you to know that even though he is really spiritual he is also alot like a kid too.
the one of the baptism. it was not our investigator but elder guerrero got to baptise her. and the other guy in the picture is named Andy. and if you look close his nametag says "elder welch" he just wanted to be in the picture.
the other is of elder guerrero and peche we found this old police helmet one day wile working and had a mini photo shoot.
and the other well i just thought it was a perfect discription of the average day for me. :)

Monday June 20, 2011

Hola Familia !!!!!
hmmm what a week
but i have a confession Friday i taught no lessons.......... i did nothing but break rocks for hermano bendayan thus the photos. Friday night i was so sore and Saturday also bur i had never felt better in my life. the thanks that he and his family had is enough to do it all over a gain he is a awesome man!!!!
but one even better is my dad
FELIEZ DIA PAPI TE AMO MUCHO, you are THE best man i know i just wish i could do more than bold my text to express how much i love you. just know that i will work my hardest and i will never give up.
we have a progressing investigator!!!! he is 19 does not have a girlfriend (which is a miracle in Peru) and he is studying to be a neurosurgeon. crazy smart kid his name is Julino and i really believe he will be my first baptism in Peru!!! but i have to tell you a story about when we were teaching him : we had a appointment with him on Wednesday and we were teaching him about Joseph Smith, when his mother walks in and begins to yell at us. what garbage are you teaching my son. blah blah blah and we are taught that when this happens we cannot do anything but bear testimony and leave. so we do so and i know that it was not me talking because i do not really remember what i said. but after i had finished you could feel a change in the room and with tears in her eyes she asked us to continue. we got both of them to commit to attend church with us. and the best part is they did!!!!
another little story for you but you have to promise you wont get upset and start to worry because i guess it is a pretty routine thing here.... i got mugged. they did not have weapons but still when it happens we are told just to give them what they want. we were walking home thursday after our coordination meeting with the bishop. and i have sent you pictures of where i am living and so you know it is a little Ghetto. well they came at us from behind and asked us for our money. Now.... i understand most of what people say to me but for some reason i did not understand that. so i looked back over my shoulder and asked them what they said. and on hit me in the back. it hurt but they were kinda drunk so it did not do much. so i gave them the 3 soles i had in my pocket (about 1 dollar) and my watch. and we went our ways. kinda fun huh but do not worry it was bound to happen sometime i just got it done sooner than most
Hmmm FRUIT have i told you how much i love the fruit here??? and that is where i am going right now.
I LOVE YOU ALL so so much and always remember i am working as hard as i can
chao
Elder Landon R. Welch
p.s. the photo with the toe: that is elder guerreros toe and his little buddy we named timmy... that is why you have to wear sandels in the shower.
the dancers: that is at the stake center on Saturday it was a dance they did for fathers day.

Monday June 13, 2011

Hola Familia!!

How are you all???

i am so so so much better. i can finally work and it has never felt better. i never want to be stuck in my house again too much happened and i am afraid to say that for the past 3 weeks the devil has been doing his job very well. the first thing that we did when we found out we could work was go and visit our old investigatores. and out of all of them (about 10) we were only able to talk to 2. so that was a little bit of a let down. but i knew that it was bound to happen 3 weeks without contact... something was bound to happen.

but to celebrate our return to work Hermana Margarita (my Pentionista) wanted to cook something special. and she remembered that i told her that i liked penut butter. well i am sure you can guess that in peru they do not use pennut butter too much. well i am sure you can tell where this story is going. we get back to the house (Friday was the first day we got to work) and Hermana calls us "Your pennut butter is ready" and i will never forget the smell as i walked in to the kitchen. she had put the pennut butter in a pan and cooked it with chicken..... like seasoning. i can now officially say that i know exactly how you felt when i cooked lemon pepper eggs. :) it was positivly horrible the worst smell and taste i have ever tasted. but it was my special meal so i ate it all.

i cannot believe it is time for arrons camp again!! that was honestly one of the best weeks of my life. so many spiritual experiences to experience and lessons to be learned at that camp. i just wish i could have gone to it with my dad. that would have been the one thing that would have made it perfect.

ok now my little words of wisdom time. . . remember that wheather you have a name tag or not we are all missionaries. our church really is a church based off of missionary work. here in peru i have finally realized how small our church is. but even there in Utah there are people looking for the gospel. they just need their missionary to bring it to them. you all know them you work with them. you are friends with them. and i know that all you need is to have faith in the converting power of this gospel. so your tareita (little homework) talk to them do not be forceful just loving.

well i am off to play a little soccer woo hoo pray that i do not hurt myself.

i love you all

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday June 6, 2001

Hola Familia!!

well i will cut to the chase and tell you that my eye is doing much better. my ulcer is getting smaller and it looks as if it will heal completely. thank you priesthood and your amazing power. the doctor said i might have cataracts from it but i figure we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

i have one question that has been on my mind all week. are you still doing family home evening with Buckners? me stuck in my house for the past few weeks i have been able to participate in FHE here and i thought last week that i have not heard much about the buckners lately. how are you all doing how is gram how is jess oh how i miss painting and the laughs.

yes i got the JERKY!!!!!!!!! and the COOKIES!!!!! and it was almost as good as heaven will be. but peruanos do not like jerky. i gave them a little bit to try and only one was able to down it. mmmmm more for me haha. :)

i am not sure when you are sending the next package and even if it is not for a while that is fine but in the next package you send can you please send me some multi vitamins. i am almost out and no matter where i look i cannot find any here.

Elder Guerrero is the Senior Companion (he is also the DL i do not know why but that calling is always following me, i was the DL in the MTC TWICE, my companion in arizona was the DL and now my companion here is DL CRAZY). because he is a native. he was only in the MTC for 3 weeks so really he has been in the ´´field´´ for 3 months where i have only been here for 2.

being stuck in your house is not fun especially as a missionary. but i just want you to know that i have had a lot of time to study these past few weeks and i have learned alot. one day i was reading a talk by Bruce R. McConkie, he was a great speaker and one of my favorites, about our measure of decipleship. he said that ´´we can mesure our decipleship by how diligently and sincerely, how often and seriously, we study the words given by heavenly father through joseph smith.´´ i know he was a prophet and he, through the gift and power of god, gave us the things that we need to eventually have a happy life here and in the here after. i love that man and his incredible sacrifice to bring about this work. and also as Elder McConkie said ´´You cannot testify about Joseph Smith the REVEALER without testifying of who he revealed.´´ I KNOW christ lives. and i know that day by day he is walking next to me. I KNOW that he really is involved with everything that happens in this gospel and in particular this work. i love being a missionary. i am so happy to be here and even though in this moment i cannot work i know that soon i will be back out there working my hardest in a work that has no end.

I love you all ALWAYS remember that.

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. i tried to attach pictures but this internet is really slow so i will try again next week :)

Monday May 30, 2011

Hola Familia

well it has been a week of a lot of sitting. i wasn´t able to leave my house for fear of the dust and pollution that is here in lima so i read alot and i slept alot. so there wasn´t too much excitement this week. but the lord with his tender mercies gave us our first ``inca`` this is a term for a investigator who is progressing and is able to be baptized.

we have been teaching her (Lili) for as long as i have been in the mission but because she is so busy we have only been able to have 3 lessons with her in 5 weeks. we were almost to the point of dropping her just because we couldn´t see her progressing. but thanks to the spirt we decided to do one more lesson with her last sunday (not yesterday a week ago yesterday) and it went great. she had some questions about the book of mormon but we were able to solve them and the lesson was progressing very nicely. we got to the invitation part and we became very discouraged.

``will you be able to go to church with us next sunday?``

``i don´t think so i have work at night and sunday day is the only time i have to do things for me``

we were speechless.... so we said our goodbyes and we were thinking that that would be the last time we saw her. but once again thanks to the lord and his mercy she called us on saturday and said that the more she thought about it. the more she felt she needed to go to church with us (thank you spirit). and she asked if we could stop by on our way and pick her up. Yes Yes we can :) so no real work by me but it just goes to show that when the lord has a work that needs to be done he will do it with or with out Elder Chambom (that is me). :)

ok answers time:

my eye is not doing very good. when i first got it it was really small and easy to manage. but the doctor gave me the wrong type of eye drops so my ulcer got bigger. i went to the cornea specialist yesterday and he said that it was a miracle that i wasn´t blind. scary. but i´m not telling you this to make you worried. the doctor gave me some drops and said (very confidantly) that tomorrow when i go back for my appointment he will be very suprised if it isn´t atleast 50 percent better. but he also said that if it isn´t a corneal transplant is the next step and i was talking to president Dorius and he said that if that is the case they will send me back to the states for it. and hopefully i will beable to return after i´m recovered.

my companion is actually younger than i am. he came in to the mission on the 17th of february and i came in on the 16th so i´m one day older than my papa.

well this week was a ok week :) and i have high hopes for the future.

always remember that i love you and that no matter what, eye or no eye, we (elder guerrero, the lord and i) are working as hard as we can in a work that has no end.

i´ll talk to you soon, siempre de Dios

Elder Landon R. Welch