Monday January 28, 2013

Hola Family!!!!

Well i exploded........ We had a activity on friday we rented the sport park in front of our house and we planned on having some games and fun there. well we left our last lesson a little late and i was worried that we would be late and the people who would be coming would see that no one was there and leave so we flew changed grabbed the volleyball net and in my haste forgot the keys. we get to the park and i realize my mistake. so i ask my companion if he had by chance grabed the keys on his way out he answered me no. so now frustrated with myself realize what the next step is so with my companion watching me i grab a rock and break the small window in order to open the door. i begin to clean up and then them bomb shell . . . . . .  my dear sweet companion walks in with the keys dangling from his fingers. "you see that is why i should be in charge" i was tempted to hit him with the broom that i had in my hand but i just threw it to the ground and with a solid kick split it in two. all i could do was stare at him knowing that what ever words i could say would just slide off his unpenitrable armor of pride. i grabbed two brothers who had came to play, one of them being Javier. and told him to keep Elder Narvaez out of my sight for the rest of the evening. i then went with the other brother to buy a sheet of glass and calk in order to replace the broken window.......... i hope you understand a little better now what i am up against. but you are right the only thing i can do is bend to his standards and try to lift him higher. 

we got to planning session and i was once again tempted to just ignore the fact that we needed to do it but not once in my mission have i missed a planning session and i wasnt going to let this son of god get to me so we sat and i prayed and then said you want control you have it tell me what are we going to do tomorrow. being saturday we had baptism and it didnt even cross his mind so i just listened and listened and then when he had finished saying his great plan on how we were going to work the next day all i said was . . . . "and the baptism where does that fit in" he turned red and began to erase everything he had written. but that didnt stop him..... i dont credit it entirely because of him but last week we had a attendance of 21 people in church. yesterday 12 i try and i try but i cant break him. and it isnt just me this week we had two work visits one from the district leader and the other from the zone leader to try and help him out but the result was the same. 

Cristian, the young man i told you about from last week accepted a baptismal date but talking with president dorius i realized that he needs the written permission of President Monson in order to be baptized so that is out of my hands now and i just hope and pray that my companion can handle it. yesterday evening i received a call from a unknown number at almost 1030 at night i was surprised by the lateness but even more surprised by the caller it was Elder Torres from the area presidency he called asking about our group and we talked a little about our church situation. 21 people dont fit in our small room anymore so they are looking into a house to rent. i also took the chance and asked about cristian. he told me that because it was an accident that he only had to be interviewed my the area presidency and that it didnt have to go that far up to the prophet that made me feel a little better but i still wish i could be here to see it. 

this week i ask that you pray more for the area than for me. ME i can handle it but what really scares me is the area that i will be leaving. remember that i love you all so much and that despite everything i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday January 21, 2013

Hola Familia!!!!

UGHHHHH! i have never been happier but so stressed out in my life. We had a awesome week no thanks to my dear companion, but hey you have to take the good with the bad. to be honest it was one of the best weeks i have had in Sayan. a ton of lessons a few baptismal dates, and we had the first convert baptism in our group on saturday. Yaldrina Mildred Torres Retuerto came in to the fold of god. she will be a great leader and speaking of leaders we got the green light to start forming auxiliary organizations in our group. i am very excited but my companion isnt.

in response to your comment dad i am actually more worried for this small flock than ever. the day of transfers we had a duo interview with president dorius where he practically said . . . . Elder Welch is in charge do what he says and you will get on fine. but my companion has yet to grasp that. I have yet to explode yet i just smile and say OK even though doing what you say will take us from "San Jeronimo" (small pueblo about 15 minutes to the west of Sayan) to Quintay (other pueblo about 15 minutes to the EAST of Sayan) its fine because i know that if i dont say yes you will throw a fit and not even want to leave the house. Well we went and returned and we did it all in vain. i was ticked. . . . . . . i honestly dont know what else to do with my companion. president always calls asking about some business and we always end with the same sad story...... my companion. I told president my concerns about not only my companion but also his capability to run this group when i am gone. president gave me a couple lashings with a simple statement "do you really think god will let anything happen to this delicate group?" he is right. 

We had another record breaking week. 22 people crammed into our small sacrament room. we had a high counsel member come from Huacho and he told me that he would express my concerns about the "not enough space" problem to the Stake President. so we may be moving our little group to a more stable/permanent place. we have already started the search for a space to rent. We have a sweet lady named DORIS, (she is sweet just for the name) who offered to give us a lot of land in order to build a church. i tried to explain to her that it would be a few years before we were looking for a lot to build on, that it all depended on the church attendance and baptism output that we have. she too taught me a good lesson "Elder Welch if it is the lords will can even you stop it?" it is true so i called up president dorius and he gave me the permission so i now have my name and my signature on a land title for our future church to be built on. 

Yesterday we taught a new young man and all i can say is wow. he has had a rough last few weeks and mostly thanks to alcohol. he was playing with a pistol while he was drunk and accidentally shot his friend in the head . . . . obviously he didnt live. he was almost sent to prison for man slaughter but the judge recognized that it was a accident. we knocked on his door and without saying anything he told us to come in. he then explained that he had been on his knees praying when he heard us knocking on the door. he had been begging god for another chance. a chance to change his life and turn things around. . . . . i know what you  mean dad when you said that it is always the last contact of the day when it is 9.20 and on your way home that is always the golden one.

Well fam i love you all and remember that i am always working as hard as i can!!!

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday January 14, 2013

Hola Familia!!!!!!!

Well all is said and done. i sent you my flight plan today and as you can see it is scheduled for the 19th of February. i will be leaving my beloved land at 1.25 in the morning and arriving in a unknown and uncharted place at noon. it feels so weird to be on the other end of the scales. i remember when we flew into peru there was a sister missionary who was returning home with us. and man did that day seem like a lifetime away. . . . well here we are. 

i am trying hard not to count down the days but my companion is making that hard for me. as i told you on thursday he is without doubt the most special companion i have ever had. Elder Narvaez has about 2 months in the mission and has yet to really understand why he is here. the good part is that he wants to work so there is no problem in that aspect but the problem is that he doesnt know how to work. and wont accept my advise on how to be and do better. we had a total of 19 lessons in the first week together and in all the 19 lessons i think i talked about 1 hour in all. he has this attitude of taking control and then never giving me a chance to drive. he teaches things so so so so so so complicated that sometime even I have a hard time understanding what he is trying to say. but .......... we did finally have a breakthrough yesterday. we had a conference in Huacho and after that i sat in my chair and refused to get up until he sat and talked for a bit. i wasnt really sure what i was going to say that i hadnt already said but i remembered a training we received from president Dorius when i first go to the mission.......... the thesis was "THE DIFERENCE BETWEEN PERFECT AND EXACT"

Perfect- you define as "Excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement, entirely without flaws diffects or shortcomings."

Exact- "Strictly accurate or correct, precise, as opposed to approximate."

But is it possible to be exact and not perfect??????? 

Absolutely!!!!!! God didnt send us here to be perfect . . . . but to be exact. perfect is without mistakeless exact however is precise. i tried to help my companion see that being perfect is impossible but that if we both can be exact we would be able to hit the target more times than not. and . . . . . . . HE UNDERSTOOD. he promised to be humble and allow us to help each other out. but now comes your own study and application. study the scriptures and conference talks on Perfect and Exact and i know it will help you out a ton with your goal of being 100% i dont tell you more because i have started to write my homecoming talk and this subject is part of it. LET US BE EXACT in all that we do.

I love you all so so much and remember (do i even have to say it anymore :) ) I AM WORKING AS HARD AS I CAN AND WILL DO SO UNTIL I AM DEAD.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday January 7, 2013

Hola Familia!!!!

Well i am starting my last transfer a little bumbed down. I was hoping to finish my mission with Elder Villalba at my side but that wasnt gods will for us so i am staying and he is going to Huaral. i will be with a missionary named Elder Narvaez he is from Bolivia. I am bumbed but that is how the mission is . . . . unexpected. the good part is that i am staying in Sayan. i will be able to see just how much we can make this little town bloom.

This week was the opposite than you guys it was full heat. i dont remember ever being so hot in my mision and the worst part is that there isnt a lake or a sail boat to refresh me with like in past summers. it is wierd to think that you guys are in snow and just for the record i am good for a trade. send some snow my way and i will send the sun. we finally experienced the rain that i had heard so much about. and it is true what they say about the temp of the water. it almost seemed warm. 

the good news of this week is that i got my package. but it was a long and painful process to get it out of Serpost. normaly the mission takes care of it for us but for some reason i had to come personaly to get it. i stood in 3 different lines for a space of 2 and a half hours. i honestly couldnt feel from my knees down. but . . . . . i got it and i love it. it will make for some interesting pdays. i just hope my new companion will be as fun loving as Elder Villalba.

and on another side note. since i had to come to Lima today i am going to buy a new suit. mine has served well for almost 4 years but it is time to put her down. and i got to get spiffy for the times ahead :) 

i had hoped to see President Dorius today but i didnt get the chance so i have no news on my flight but i think i am just going to go with the flow and see what he wants me to do. i will be on a plane sometime between the 19th and the 26th so when you had better take your tent and propane stove to the airport with you just in case. but you will have to be the ones to brake the news to daren sjoblom. . . . . good luck

speeking on going with the flow i fell in the canal this week. . . . . it is a funny and fairly stupid story on how it happened but the best part is that my companion had it all on film, so i have atleast one movie to share when i get home.

Well fam it is off to another week of work. remember how much i love you and miss every single one of you. but most importantly remember that no matter what time i have i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday December 31, 2012

Hola Familia!!!

Well my wish was answered kinda . . . . . i got a letter today telling me that this transfer is going to last until th 26th but obviously that makes some problems for crystal who has her tickets so i had to call president and tell him to get me on a plane on the 19th. he got a good laugh out of that. after so many many times i have asked him to extend i have to go home early. the only sad part is that i will miss the last week which is all the tours and trips to see the sights of lima but i figure seeing my family is better than seeing some old buildings.

we had a . . . . ok week this week. we dropped in attendance a little but we are excited to build them up again. we also had a visit from the stake president this week. he came and worked a day with us. he wanted to get to know the people and see the progress he also came and looked at some places that he wants to use for our church. we are growing slowly but surely.

last week we taught a lady named sarai who was anything but Sayan friendly. she attacked basically anything we said. but the worst part is that we were teaching a group of people 5 or 6 others were listening to all the things she was saying most of which were lies, obviously she grew up in a different church but i dont remember which. it was so hard to teach with the spirit with her there. but we did our best only hoping that they would be able to find something that they liked from the lesson.  at the end our our lesson we had given a (i cant remember the name in english) the little book that talks about the plan of salvation. but without knowing the need she had of it. well this week we found Sarai in Sayan once again (she is from chambara which is a tiny pueblo about 10 minutes outside of sayan) but her attitude had changed a ton. that little book had struck some chords and she wanted to know more. she even offer to pay our passage to chambara so we could teach her mom. earlier this year her brother was killed and that little book gave her the hope that she didnt find in anyother church. it was cool once again to see how the spirit uses us like puppets sometimes. i gave her that book without thinking twice about it, never knowing the affect it would have in her life but obviously god did. that is my testimony this week that god really does know and love each of us. 

it was sooooooo cool to see you this week, my companion was angry that i didnt let him say hi but i hope one day you will be able to meet in person. i want you to do something with us. we were looking at our calender this week and i realized i only have 4 weeks left to baptise. because as of right now we dont have dates for this week or the next. we have people ready but not willing to do it. so we have set the goal to fast every sunday and we want you to INVITE you to do the same. if you decide to do it please do it with our little congregation in mind. by the time i board my plane we have put the inspired goal of 30 active members in sayan we are at 7 right now. keep us in your prayers this week

i love you family and remember i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. sorry i havent been keeping you up to date. but i have used my card a few times in the last few weeks i hope it isnt too late to be telling you.

p.s.s. i have a package waiting for me in serpost that i have to go and get i hope it is christmas but you never know.

Monday December 24, 2012

Hola familia!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

unfortunately i am running short on time this week we finally had some baptisms and in one matter of speaking i am judge jury and executioner in our tiny little group in Sayan. so i was about all the papers and records from here to there i even got to talk for a second with the stake president from Ventanilla. man i miss him and his family. but i do have enough time to tell you that i will be calling home via skype at 6p.m. my time 4p.m. your time and we are going to be able to talk for 1 hour and 15 minutes i guess that it isnt too bad that i wont be able to give you details this week seeing that we will be able to talk face to face here shortly. 

i do want to tell you that we had a jump in attendance this week last week 11 and this week 16 we have started to look for a house to rent for our chapel because the small front room of Javier and lilianas house just doesnt cut it anymore. we had every child on the lap of someone and 3 people including myself standing 16 people in as room the size of our family room no air conditioning and no room for a fan makes for one hot sacrament meeting especially since the thermometer out side our house read 102 degrees. my companion was joking that it wouldnt be bread but toast in the sacrament prayer and i had to agree with him. 

yesterday we had a awesome activity too. the entire zone came from huacho, huaura, and vegueta and we had a small share in the town square here in Sayan. one of the investigators from huacho donated over 70 soccer balls and we gave them out to all the kids as they passed through the square. it was a huge mess of people and unfortunately we didnt have enough ball for all but i felt good to be able to help out a little. after everything had calmed down we (my companion and i) sat back and watched as all the kids played with their new christmas gift. some of them with their only christmas gift. i had some moms mad at me because we didnt give them one but hey first come kinda thing right. 

well fam i will SEE you soon but just know that i love you and that i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday December 17, 2012

Hola familia!!!

hey how is it going!! i hope you had a good week because we tried to too. we had a better week this week and we did start to see some fruits of our labors. this last tuesday we had a Multi zone conference, president dorius came to huacho and shared the day with us. my friend and brother Elder Guerrero, who is now the AP gave a awesome talk on what we should give this christmas season. i commited once again like so many times in my mission that i was going to give all of myself to the lord this christmas season. he also shared the chrismas story but focused in on the part of the shepherds. they brought "good tidings of great joy" he asked us if it had ended with the birth of christ. or if it ended with is resurection. all of us present knew the answer..... no. we as missionaries and members of the only true church on the face of the earth still share good tidings of great joy. maybe not the same as those angels of long ago but we have new tidings. we have the book of mormon. we have the restauration. we have a living prophet who guides and directs us. we have the hope of life after this but most importantly we have a hope for a life with our families.  . . . . after him president dorius stood and made us all a little trunky he spoke on families he asked a few of us to share our christmas memories from home. some shared of feasts or fire crackers some of homemade cookies after building snowmen. president called on me and i was suprised on what memorie came to my mind. "in my family we would gather around the christmas tree on christmas eve we would read the christmas story and we would sing the christmas songs." . . . . . MAN i am so greatful i have the family i do. so many good memories so many laughs brought by tears. 

my letter this week is hard for me to write. so i am going to cut it short.

i hope you have a very very merry christmas i hope you all (be it a few or many) can gather around the christmas tree this year and sing some songs for me. i am sure grandma nelson will be there, in fact i know she will be.

i love you family and always remember that i am working as hard as i can

Landon

Monday December 10, 2012

Hola Familia!!!

It was a eye opening week this week. since all my bad experiences in the last week i have lost my good attitude eventhough i am in a area that is like a bag of popcorn. you just got to add the heat of the spirit and one by one people start to change dramatically. Thursday we had companionship inventory like we do everyweek but this one was different. we both expressed how we are tired and bored. tired of walking and walking but not seeing the success we hoped and prayed for. bored of the same old routine, that mission work had lost its fireworks and had become a spark. it was a very depressing morning. but you will be happy to know that it didnt last long. i spent the day thursday thinking about the discussion we had in the morning and i knew that if we stayed like that it was going to be a long few months that i have left. so we started to study. and eventhough we weren`t better immediatly we did get better. and today after our companionship study we but some goals for the next week. and i am very excited.

"Now this was the faith of those of whom i have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in god continually." Alma 57:27 that is going to be my theme in this week. but i do need your help with prayers. we have been having trouble getting people to come to church on sunday. they all listen to us they read and pray but when it comes to church attendance they never make it. keep that part in your prayers and i will be firm on my end and i know that in these next few weeks we will see a improvement in that aspect of the work.

in answer to your question dad i hope you have a little room in the corner of your tent in all your camping trips because i know that is one thing i miss more than i can express. fresh nights warm fires and the nice feeling you get on a camp out. and even though will be leaving 100+ tempatures going home to 4 feet of snow i would be honored to Klondike with my amazing dad anytime. 

I have been thinking that it will be a while before i can go to the singles ward too. i miss sitting next to my parents in sacrament meeting so tell daren sjoblom not to shoo me away too quickly.

NEXT WEEK KEEP YOUR CELL PHONES ON JUST IN CASE :) the sad part is that in Sayan i am almost sure that there is not going to be Skype but i will keep digging and maybe the Zone Leaders will let us come to Huaura in order to call. i will keep you up to date. but until then know that i love you all and i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday December 3, 2012

Hola familia!!!

this was a rough week for peru. well in my eyes that is. i got my package, one of them that is. it had the pants in them and what was my beautiful nieces and nephues pictures and letters. but for the first time in my mission they the mail workers in peru opened my package and cut every single paper right through the middle. HOW STUPID. what damage could a single sheat of paper do to you. but every single freaking page was ruined by careless hands. even logans sweet picture of a church was ruined how is it that people can be so mean. and then to and insult to injury we stayed in huaura until wednesday afternoon for a meeting we had in the stake center. well tuesday night while we slept someone broke into our house and stole all my money and one of the suitcases of my companion, with all his clothes and mission memories, including his journal that was filled with 20 months of experiences. this week was the first week i really hated being in peru. but i hated it for the bad people that are here and not for the good ones. so needless to say it was a sad week. but needless to say we got to Sayan and started to work. 

well we are growing. no baptisms yet for our small group in Sayan but we are growing this week we had a attendance of 10 people so that is always a good sign. but i have started to see that sayan is alot like Huaura, a ton of yes`s but not very much fulfilling. but that is in the sense of investigators. Javier and Liliana are going strong as ever Javier fasted for the first time and his testimony on sunday was amazing it is increadible to see how much he has changed over such a short amount of time. i remember two months ago we found him drunk but since that day he has not touched the bottle. he even gave me his wisky flask as a memory and this last week we took it to the river and watched it float away. he is amazing and i honestly think one of the best converts i have ever seen. 

i am washing by hand but yet to bleed my fingers. i try to wash 2 times a week that way i dont have to wash as much but sometimes time doesnt last long enough and i am washing just one pair of garments i will need for the next day. even though we are in Sayan we still have to come to Huacho every monday and tuesday so that takes about 2 hours out of my time but it is worth it otherwise i wouldnt be writing you.

it seems like everyday i have dreams of being home and being with all of you guys but i need you to do me a favor. pray that the dreams will stop because everyday it seems more and more real but i still need to be here and now. i am so excited to be on my way home but at the same time i cant be there yet. have a good week fam and know that i love you and miss you all so so so much but remember that i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. i need to ask a favor. will you send something to my companion. . . . it isnt important what just something to make him feel love we have for him. his full name is Ulises Jose Alberto Villalba Paredes. thanks love ya

Monday November 26, 2012

Hola Familia!!!

Another week come and gone and i have to say it was a good week even though we didnt have much time to work but that is all going to change starting tuesday. WHY!?!?! . . . . . . . . drumroll please . . . . . . . .  I am going to Sayan it is going to be my only responsibility from here on out. the only bad part is that to make that possible like i said last week they had to absorb Centintella that now doesnt exist. i just hope the members of Huaura can take care of them better than they do for themselves. but going to sayan isnt the best part . . . . . . . . i am going with ELDER VILLALBA!!!!!! they didnt spit us up. and opening a new area means that he will most likely be my last companion. WOO HOO i just hope he can last 7 hole months with me. one thing is for sure he is the companion that has lasted the longest.

we spent the week getting everything set in sayan and that in itself is another miracle in the progress of Sayan. i am not sure if i told you last week but we are going to be our own Pensionistas. we have to cook and wash all our clothes. so keep that small fact in your prayers but i want to share the experience we had with you. we went looking and didnt have much success in finding a room. the only one we found that was at least decent was a one room 0 windows basically garage that they had refurbished. well what can you do we just got to work getting everything in order to move into our new room. well this last week i was looking at some info in my agenda and i saw the number from a room i Sayan that we called but were asking way to much for the rent. well my good friend "Spirit" said to me. "why dont you call him and see if he wont drop the price" so i called and i started to explain that we are missionaries and that we aren´t even in the room for the most part of the day. he cut me off mid sentence and said "missionaries from what church" and in that moment i had lost hope because i knew that our neighbors (also his renters) were catholic missionaries so i was certain that he was going to refuse our offer. but with all the pride i could muster i said "LA IGLESIA DE JESUCRISTO DE LOS SANTOS DE LOS ULTIMOS DIAS" and his response was almost angelical. "oh well well then you are my brothren. i am a member of the church in Huacho." come to find out not just a member but the stake patriarch. well long story short he was willing to drop the price almost 50% from what he was asking. now we have a small house two rooms a small kitchen. nothing more or less than what we need. 

i spent my birthday buying the stove and fridge and all the other appliances we are going to need in Sayan and i must say it was a good birthday. also thursday morning i received permission to go fishing with one of our converts that was a cool experience too. the tide washed in a ton of tiny fish that got traped in the rocks well we used them for bait and look at what i caught. "lenguado" is the name of that fish. and my convert sold it for 26 soles not a bad catch huh.

as for your questions mom i am sorry to say no package yet but tomorrow i am going to Lima for the transfer meeting and so i will be able to see if it is in the offices. as for my release date i have known for a little while but i have been debating telling you for fear that if i do it will all become real that my mission is coming to a close. kinda like when i got my call and it only hit me after i did my facebook update haha. Elder Landon R. Welch is due to be released the 19th of february. (unfortunately) but tell bro sjoblom that i still have 3 months left and not to rush me :) and then tell him that i love him and his family. 

well fam it is off to pack and hit the road we are going to try to get all our stuff to sayan today so that means alot of car rides. but remember that i miss you a ton, that i love you more, and that i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday November 19, 2012

Hola Familia!!!

wow what a week. we had our first offical meeting in sayan. and what a spiritually powerful day. i dont think i have felt the spirit so strong since the start of my mission. my companion gave a talk and spoke on how every great thing in the church started out small and humble. it brought a beautiful spirit to our "small and Humble" room where we held the meeting and i couldnt help but thinking that it was the same in this case, that sayan eventhough humble now will be something great in the future. friday i spent the day looking for appartments in sayan i think it is going to be unavoidable now. i cant imagine a sayan without elder villalba but i guess that is how life as a missionary is. 

we had a interesting pday last week i saw things i never had imagined. if you look at the pictures i sent there is one that says "CARAL" it is spelt with plants and the interesting part about these plants i that they dont have roots. they just sit on the surface of the sand and some how live. it is a old Jaredite village that dates back to almos 5000 years before christ. it made me laugh as our tour guide said that they werent sure how they got here. . . . . Well my friend would you like to know? because you see i have this book that can tell you all you want to know about these people where they came from how they got here how they died. you just have to read and pray to know if it is true. but unfortunatly i didnt have the chance to talk to him.

the other fotos of the kids are two of he kids of Javier and Liliana and as you can see they are too small to be baptised they have a daughter who is 10 years old and is already baptised but javier looks forward to baptising his other kids. one thing is sure is that Sayan is a bomb waiting to burst.

as for other news they decided to combine our group in Centinela and Huaura into one i was worried about the members from Centinela. i wasnt sure how they would be able to attend but lo and behold they made the sacrifices to do it and i didnt miss a single one yesterday. that makes my load a little lighter.

well fam it is off to rest i love you and remember that i am working as hard as i can

Elder Landon R. Welch

 

 

Monday November 12, 2012

Hola Familia!!!

wow what a stressful but spiritually fulfilling week. to be short THEY GOT MARRIED AND BAPTIZED and the best part is that they did it on the same day so the 11th of november will be a day for them to remember forever. but now comes the miracles. wednesday we went to sayan and only found Hermana Liliana in home. she invited us in but seemed to be faking her smile. and we soon discovered why. she explained how Javier had lost his job and that was  why he wasnt home . . . he was out looking for a job. she then explained how they wouldnt have enough money to pay for their wedding papers that needed to be presented the next day. we did our best to show them a strong face and left not knowing what we were going to do. it was too late to ask the ward to cover the costs and i was lost i said a little prayer in my heart and accepted the will of the lord. 

that evening we had ward counsel and as i stood to talk about sayan, which was one of the hardest things i had to do, i began to cry like the baby i am. the stress had come crushing down and that little couple in sayan was the straw that broke the camels back. i explained that even though we had worked very hard and did everything humanly possible . . . we were not going to have a group in sayan. then with out saying a word. our little old ward mission leader stood and offered us 10 soles. and that was the ice breaker. one by one the members of the ward counsel stood and gave me a little something. i offered my thanks but told them that i couldnt accept it because Liliana and Javier wouldnt be able to pay them back. they told me that it wasnt important. that was a awesome experience for me. 

next miracle, we sent them the money and everything was a-ok. then thursday night we get a call. from the town hall telling us that the couple that we were going to marry was missing 1 dumb document and that they would not be able to be married. once again a huge lump came to my throat and practically begging i ask the young lady to look again . . . . nothing. i say a quick prayer and ask once again . . . the young lady now losing her patience looked and nothing. then from nowhere the idea came to have her look in the file of Javiers Uncle that lives in Huaura and . . . . . it was there. i was so happy i once again cried. 

but the best part of this week end is the testimony Javier gave after his baptism. he is going to be a great leader in Zion. 

well fam you are probably asking why so early and the reason is that we are going to go to caral today for pday so i am off but know that i love you and that i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. no packages yet:(

p.s.s. my companion is from paraguay.

Monday, November 5th, 2012

Hola Familia!!

i finally had a good connection and i took advantage of it by sending you a few pictures they are all from sayan except the one where i am cooking that was our experiment with strawberry crapes. and it turned out good.

we had another stress filled week but . . . . i love it. i know that god uses experiences like these to make us stronger for the trials ahead so i guess we will just keep working and watch out for the stumbling blocks. in one of the pictures i am standing with a sign that says "remember that those in house are waiting for you, DONT RUSH" it was a special feeling to read that sign and know that it applied to more than just the cars that were on that busy road. i am trying to take in every moment as it comes but let me tell you my life has never been more filled than it is now. in the last 2 weeks i think that maybe 1 time i have made it to bed before midnight. and let me tell you it is taking its tole. keep my energy in your prayers because my batteries are wearing out. 

that made me remember when trever was little he would always say it needs batteries well trev let me tell you that your Elder Uncle needs new batteries. but that small fact has been a spiritual boost for me i now understand more want nefi said in the last verse of the first chapter of 1 nefi i really do experience tender mercies everyday. i am tired but i am not going to quit dont you worry. i know that the lord is strengthening me everyday more so that i can keep fulfilling my duties. 

 

thats is a awesome experience that you had dad. i too have found my self in the right place at the right time to meet people that chad knew and touched in arequipa be it companions or members they all have something nice to say about my brother. i can only imagine how special that was for you because i know it was special for her. i love my dad and i am grateful for the missionary he was. i think that helps me see the missionary i need to be.

well fam it is off the futbol and some delicious fruit. stay safe and know that i love you and that i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch 

Monday October 29, 2012

Hola Familia!!

We are all set and ready to go. Lilian Diaz received her birth certificate and later today she is going to the town hall to present her papers and then it will be just a matter of waiting until her wedding day. to be honest i think i am more excited than they are. yesterday i went to sayan with the Bishop from our ward in Huaura and the made fast friends with Javier so that will me a huge help for him in the rough times to come.

but with good news always comes some bad news. i am pretty sure that this will be my last transfer with my companion. president dorius has asked us to start looking for rooms and pensions for the new companionship that will be coming to Huaura. . . . that usually meens that i will be with one elder and my companion will be put with the other. that is a bullet to the heart i was hoping that Elder Villalba would be my last companion but it seems that the lord has other plans for him. he has been the companion that has put up with me for the longest time. all of my other companions only lasted 2 transfers but he has suffered almost 3. he is a good guy. ..... he also wants me to tell you hi, and let you know he is taking good care of me.

since i was a boy Sundays have always been the most relaxed day of the week but now it is the most stressful. i have sacrament meetings at 9, 11, and 3 that i have to attend. i have ward counsel at 12.30 and leader training in Huaura at 6. and every once in a while the stake president will invite me to bishopric training that usually starts around 730. my Sundays are from one side of my area to the other and back again. but . . . . . to be honest i love it . i have waited my whole mission for a experience like this and i am not going to miss a second of it. yesterday we organized the Relief society in Centinela and they went right to work. planning activities and visiting teachers, i had to excuse myself to go to the other meeting but come to find out they stayed there for another 3 hours after i had left. when we got home the phone was ringing off the hook. the sweet president was calling to approve their ideas so that they could go to work. it has been a miracle to see how the spirit has worked in them these last few months. 

i currently teach mission prep and i have a average of 17 young men and women in attendance. and the coolest part is that i baptized more than half of them. these brothers and sisters really have been prepared by angels for us. and i am so glad i got to be part.

the fruit goes through its seasons like all other place in the world but no matter what time of year it is you can always find something good to eat. there is one that i particularly like. it is called Pacay. it looks like a huge pea pod. but the only difference is that when you open it up it looks like cotton candy inside. it is beyond sweet. sometimes we walk from Sayan to andahuasi. along the way their is cane sugar that you can cut and peal. we chew on the center sucking out all the sugary juice and spit out the core. it is honestly a heaven on earth. and the strawberries . . . . . i have already told you about them but i cant help it they are so big and so juicy that i cant resist. but unfortunately they are going out of season. but we always find one or two that were overlooked. 

well fam my companion and i are going to go to the beach today. and we are just going to chill. nothing dangerous just peace and quiet. i love you and remember i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. i always try sending pictures but the connection is always slow. i will keep trying.

p.s.s. i am sending a letter home today one is for trevor and the other i would appreciate it if you could pass it one to the Jones family so that they can get it to Kyle.