3 Months

I can't believe I have been gone for 3 months now,
I am 1/8Th done and it feels like I have just barely started!
But its true what they say, when you are being
obedient and working hard time flies by!
That's awesome that you had the missionaries over for dinner,
I am sure they really enjoyed your company. We
eat at a members only like once a week because,
well because I am in Northern France where people are a little
more "cold," but I love it when I do get to!
The people are so awesome, I love them!
We ate at my favorite members flat on Sunday night.
His name is Bernard, he is probably 35, a painter (mom, you
would love his paintings) and used to be a musician.
He is kind of inactive, he goes once every 3 weeks,
but he is such an awesome member. We only got to be
there for an hour though with a spiritual thought included.
Its awesome you got to have them there. The only
thing better I could say you could do more for
them is get them some referrals, nothing is better than
a referral from a member.
If nothing else, it helps your friends understand more
about why we believe what we believe.

I'm sorry its so cold there, but its humid here and
I would happily exchange the weather!

as for me everything is awesome. My companion,
Elder Current is way cool, a lot like Sam Barrett,
but he just worries about things to much; which isn't
necessarily a bad thing as a missionary.
But like you have seen from the
pictures, this place is soo beautiful.
I can't wait to show you someday. We
are super busy and talking to so many people.
We are teaching a lot of Africans, a sweet Chinese
couple who are making us dinner tonight, and a couple
of French guys. I don't know if any of them are serious
about the gospel, but I pray that they realize how true
it is and that they be so much happier with the
gospel in their lives!

Thank you so much for your emails,
I love hearing from you.

Love,
Elder Bubba

"Wife Drops"

This week has been so good for me though!  I will start off with last
preparation day.  Last Wednesday, we went to the Museum of Metz. 
It is so cool. 
The basement has all the original roman baths that were in the city in like the
1600's and they build the building around it.  I took some pictures I can send
soon.   But it had a lot of awesome stuff about the history of Metz so I am glad
I went.

But heres a good story for you.  Last
Sunday, the first day I am wearing my just dry cleaned suit pants, no jacket
though, thankfully.  We went to go visit some less actives in Thionville, a
pretty big ville  about 30 minutes away.  When we were going from building to
building it started to rain, and then it started to pour!  But its ok, because
when your on your mission and your working and it starts to rain they count as
"wife drops," or in other words, the more you get the hotter your wife will be. 
So, as it pouring we take off sprinting from one building to another of
apartments, and this women starts yelling our her window, "vit, vit!" (faster,
faster!)  So, i cut through the grass around the building, plant my left foot
and... my foot slips and I just go sliding, baseball slide style, through the
grass like a slip and slide.  I swear I had to have slipped 8 feet!  So, I got a
huge grass stain on my shirt but I got it out, and my pants I am actually
wearing right now so its all good.  BUT, I just want you to be prepared for how
beautiful my wife is going to be since I not only got rained on but I slid
through the mud for this great and glorious work!

But seriously, everything is so good!

Thank you for sending those pictures too mom,
yes, they worked.  Trey is a classic.
( I put this so everyone would know you can email him pictures:)
 

It's so 'Bro'

Just a quick post about an email I received from Clay today. He sounded very happy and like the same 'chill' Bubba that we all know and love. He said, "Everything is so bro." Bro meaning good in French. :)

I asked him what his favorite food or thing was that he has experienced so far, and he said that it would have to be the great architecture and the cobblestone streets. I'm sure it must be a lot different than the terrible roads with potholes that we are all experiencing (especially here after a long Minnesota winter!). So, here are two photos of the gorgeous architecture in Metz.

Bonjour from Elder Bubba

Here are some tidbits from Elder Bubbas's email today.
He seems to be doing so well and knows that this
mission is where he should be,  isn't that great?



It is really
awesome that I am where Grandpa Welch is from.  I wish I could talk to
him about it but I guess I have to wait a while for that.
I just wish I knew what ville he is from.  Do you think you could find
out for me?  And I think I should just order some new name tags and
spell my name: Elder Welsch because I have someone
like everyday tell me my name is spelled wrong or if I have relatives from
around here. I just tell them, in very poor French, actually my relatives are
from here but they changed it when they moved to America.
People are always so
excited to hear that, like I have finally found my way home , haha.

 I am staying healthy, don't worry.  I don't think I am losing weight but I 
run about a mile every morning by the river with my companion
so I am staying in shape.  And I do eat fruits and vegetables often.
Fruits are always the desert 
when we eat with the French people, its awesome.

The blitz was awesome!  I went on an exchange with Elder Hitchenson,
the other "football player" of the mission.  He is fro, San Diego and
played tackle in high school and is the only big guy in our mission,
he is like 6'4" and 275.  
But thats what everyone I meet asks me, "Did you play football American,
its funny because in two hours of contacting  people on the streets,
we had 14 finding lessons!  Thats where you give a couple minute
explanation on the restoration and why we, the missionaries are there,
bear testimony, and the ask 
them to do something like pray for themselves to see if these things
are true.  14!  It was awesome. Also port a porting we got let into a house
and taught a lesson to a man named Franch.

Its true, all 
things are possible through the help of the lord if we are willing to put our 
trust in him!  If you want, you can read one of my favorites.  Its actually the 
whole chapter of Ether 3; it shows that we have to humble ourselves and
have faith, and God will give us miracles.  Then, at the end it talks about the 
importance of gaining knowledge and the urim and thumim.  And then,
read Ether  12: 4,6,12.  It talks about hope, which is my favorite, and faith. 
I love the Book of Mormon.

Elder Bubba's Mother's Day Call

It was so great to get to talk with Elder Bubba Sunday. It was funny because in France Mother's Day isn't for two weeks and until the mission president emailed about phone calls home this week he didn't know it was going to be Mother's day. So I guess he is definitely immersed into the French culture already.

He is in Metz where they go to church there one week in the ward and then alternate weeks they travel to Forbach, Germany where they meet with the branch in their mission. The ward that meets in the same building actually speaks German.

He says Metz, France is beautiful and loves the architecture. I guess they built it up a lot during WWI when the Germans were fighting the French hoping to get Germans to move there. Actually it is from around that area that Elder Bubba's great-grandpa Welch and his family is from. I remember hearing him (GGpa Welch) tell stories of that war and how the land kept changing hands between France and Germany. The Welches were German. It is great how that is where his first area is. Maybe he will come across relatives, who knows.

He got stuck in Chicago for an extra day due to a late plane but took charge and got them in a hotel. Because of that he only got to spend 1 day in Geneva before heading to Metz. He says his companion is great and he is really enjoying his experience. He spoke some French for us and he sounded great. What a romantic sounding language. He says he understands a lot but as always once you are in the culture speaking it is different than in class and you have to catch on to some of it by speaking it.

He loves the food. He told us he and his companion had had Nachos with French cheese for lunch. We all got a hoot out of that. He said at the mission home they served Taco salad so we asked if he was sure he was in Europe not Mexico!

It was awesome to hear him laugh and hear how excited he was about what he was doing , and how happy he seemed. When he was ready to hang up he said, "Well, I'll talk to you at Christmas time" we all groaned and he laughed. He said the time was flying by for him so that didn't seem so far away. Great attitude!

He would love to hear from everyone and is sending a package home soon. With chocolate!
So put in requests ;)

If I remember more I'll add on. It was a wonderful phone call.

address update

There is an addition to the address in Metz.

Elder Clayton Welch
11 square de pontiffroy
F-57000 Metz
FRANCE

Elder Bubba's first email from the mission field

Metz, France is #1

I'm am doing so good!  Before I write to much, sorry for any 
grammatical mistakes, I just found out that French keyboards are different than 
in America, so I feel like I am in second grade all over again.

But I am here in Metz, France; it is soo beautiful here!  You would be surprised 
to hear how well I am living.  We are spoiled in Metz!  It is just my companion 
and I in our apartment.  My companion is Elder Current, he is awesome!  He 
reminds me a lot of Sam.  But it is just us in our apartment, but there are two 
sisters in our ville as well.  We have the Metz Ward, and a branch about an hour 
away.  It is the Forbach Branch and believe it or not we meet in Germany for 
church!  I haven't been yet, but this Sunday we plan on it.

But we are spoiled  
because we have a washer & a dryer in our apartment, the biggest apartment in 
the mission, and a car (even though we only take it out a couple times a week).  
I will actually be the one driving in about 2 weeks because an American drivers 
license is only good for a year in France.  But everything is soo great.  The 
food is so good too.  I think I have a baguette and French cheese at every meal!

My French is coming slow, but its funny talking to people because they just 
stare at you and try to figure out what you are saying, I think it makes them 
more prone to listen.  But I am working hard with the language and it will come.
I am having plenty of fun out here too and there is nowhere else I 
would rather be.

this is actually really hard typing on this keyboard, haha, you  have to 
hold down shift to do a period!  What is that about!  :)

our address here in Metz is:

Elder Clayton Welch
11 square de pontiffroy
F-57000 Metz
FRANCE

but you can just send stuff through the mission home if you prefer!  But I hope 
all is well and I will talk to you soon!
Love,
Your son,
Elder Clayton Henderson Welch

Elder Bubba is in Metz, France

We received this nice letter from the SWI-GEN mission president
and thought we would share it with you:

Welch Family,

We are writing you to inform you that Elder Welch has arrived safely in Geneva and is
now in his first area in Metz, France with his trainer Elder Current.

We will try to take good care of this great son of yours. Weekly we hear from them
through letters, and every three weeks we see them in either personal interviews or
in a Zone conference training session. In between, we try to keep in touch with
phone calls -- especially with our newest missionaries in the work. More important
than all these efforts, we join our prayers with yours for these dear young people
morning, noon, and night. We have learned that our Heavenly Father protects and
guides the missionaries in a truly miraculous way as they strive to be obedient and
faithful.

Switzerland Geneva Mission

Where is Elder Bubba

Since Elder Bubba did not have his first assignment address when
he called from the airport, here is the mission home address where
we send letters for now:

Elder Clayton Henderson Welch
Switzerland Geneva Mission
8, Chemin William Barbey
CH - 1292 Chambesy (GE)
SWITZERLAND
Phone: 41-22-758-9470