Getting colder

Salut
Commet va tu? 


Trey's football game sounded like it was really fun and I am glad to
hear that they are already off to another great year.  Do you know
if they are ranked in the state or not?  That's funny that Trey played
with his helmet off; its funny that that happened to both of us!
Its good though, it makes a good story to tell.  Well worth a fat lip. 
I always hated doing those autographs after the game though, haha.

Everything here is going very well.  Switzerland is so much different
than France!  I love them both but I think I like Switzerland better
though.  The people are a little more closed surprisingly, but the
country is just so beautiful and the people are just so great
when you get to know them.It actually has been cold the last week. 
It was crazy.  It was hot one day, making it necessary to wear
just a short sleeve shirt, and then the very next day it was cold
enough for a sweater and a suit jacket.  Its crazy
how fast the temperature can change but I like the cold so it is good. 
I think I am going to go and buy that coat from C&A, a British store
I really like, after I finish my emails.  It is 100 francs, so just under
a 100 dollars. 

Right now we have one baptismal date which has been changed to
the 12th because of our inability to get him to church.  We are
working really hard on changing that and hopefully we can hit
our goal of having the baptism on the 12th.We are adding a lot of
new amis, and I am trying my best to do the Lord's work to 
the best of my abilities.  As a person I fall short, but with the
Lord's help I know I can find those people whom he has prepared.

 I am currently serving with Elder Barber for a reason, and 
that reason may very well be that I need to step up my French and
be a leader as a missionary.  He is just so different from my other
two companions, but I know another attribute I am gaining from him
is patience which will be very beneficial in the future. 
But he really is a great missionary and I hope to see the good work
bring us closer together.

I met the sweetest guy yesterday.  He started yelling at us from his
window and when I asked him what he does for work he invited us
up and he ended up being this sweet surrealist painter!  He was so rad! 
We talked for a long time and although he isn't to interested in the
gospel he gave me one of his sketches for free; it is of him after leaving
the Vietnam war with just his backpack and the mountains in the
background.  It kind of reminds me of the little adventure I am 
on now.  I will try to send you a picture of it.  

I really am happy and I do love doing this work.

I am glad you enjoyed the 
pictures and I think I might send that card home here in a couple
of weeks.  It is filled up.  I already have the 2 gb card you sent me
pops so no worries about buying another.


Elder Clayton H. Welch

Finally Missionary Pictures!

Asst. to the Pres. Elder Greaves and Elder Bubba
(PV friends)

The Church in Metz, France.
"The most beautiful church I have ever seen inside."

"A picture I took from a bridge in Metz.
It has only been changes into black and white.
It is really is this beautiful.
Oh not to mention the best
kebab place in the world, "Colo Kebab"
is just down the road where you can get
a kebab, fries and coke for just 5 euros!"

His testimony

BARACK THE VOTE!
"Headline on top, "How He changes America."
"Barack and me chilling in Metz."

"Me eating the infamous Coco Kebab on one of our balconies in Metz, France."

"Myself and Elder McKnight. My first baptism."

"The greatest family ever after ours of course. They were baptized Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008."
In Metz, France.

Gospel Brings Happiness

I am so grateful for my knowledge of the Plan of God, 
and the role of Jesus Christ in this plan.  I know 
with all my heart and mind that this gospel is true.  
This gospel is something that brings happiness when 
nothing seems right.  I can't even tell you how much 
this gospel brings to my life.  If you ever feel down, 
study the atonement.  We will all live again because 
of our older brother Jesus, the Christ.  Be strong.  
Your examples will bring so many unto Christ. 
  
This week was good.  Both of our baptismal dates have 
been pushed back to the 5th, so hopefully we can better
prepare them.  The Piguet family was baptized on Saturday 
and it is so amazing to know that they will be blessed 
because of their decision. Yeah, my companion is a lot 
different than me.  Thank you for your words of 
encouragement.  I know that we are here together for 
a reason.  And I can't tell you how much better my 
French has gotten in the last week.  I don't know 
how our why.  I taught the lesson in Priesthood on 
Sunday on the plan of salvation and the revelation 
of Joseph Smith to a bunch of really smart Swiss French men 
and it was perfect!  Its crazy how much the Lord helps us.


I bought a sweater today because it is getting cold and 
I found a jacket I want to buy that's only 100 francs, 
very very cheap for Switzerland. Its under 100 dollars, 
so I think i will get that this next preparation day.  
I pulled out money the other day for Swiss legality.    
I am truly blessed.
 
Elder Clayton Henderson Welch

Qoui de neuf?

Qoui de neuf?  Whats up?  Thank you as usual for your great emails!
I loved them! Before I write to much sorry for any typing errors.
I am used to the key boards in France and the ones here are German.
It is actually just like the American keyboard, but just has the y and
z switched. But it is still way hard! 

Bienne is great!  The language barrier really doesn´t exist:  Everyone
seems to speak either French or English.  But it is way nice to
be in Switzerland.  It is such a beautiful country and everything
seems to be run very well, although, everything is very expensive. 
I did pull out 50 francs today to buy post cards and stamps and
I may have to use some personal money for trains this week 
because I have to get my train tickets reimbursed each week,
and I had to buy a "demi-carte" which allows me to get half off
on all trains in Switzerland.  We take trains a lot, probably every
day for about 20 minutes because it is a lot 
easier to do work in a little ville that is actually French. 
That is because 
for the most part the little towns outside of Bienne/Biel are either
one or the other.

Yeah, my companion is pretty sweet.  He is a lot different than me,
but that is good.  He has been out for a little over a year. 
I am not going to lie, he is really quite and kind of into animation
cartoons. I do feel like the senior companion and do most of the
talking.  Its good for me though. it will help me out in the long run. 
I really do like being the one pretty much in charge, 
but that probably isn´t always good.The work here is already
going great!  They already had a baptismal date set 
when I got here, but that one is pretty week because
he doesn´t come to church.  But actually, last week, like my
second day here, a man started talking to use 
in the gare, train station, and said he had talked with
missionaries in the past but was unable to be baptised
because he was living with his girlfriend.  He is 
from the country Georgia, and that was actually 8 years ago. 
We have been teaching him all week and we actually fixed
a date for baptism for him on the 28th of this month! 
His name is Emil and he is a great man.  It is amazing the 
many miracles I see each day.  I love being a missionary.

Elder Clayton H. Welch

ps.  I am mailing you some pictures today!

Transfered

Yes, we still have the car here, but we travel by train to Nancy
and Luxembourg.  I go to Nancy at least once a week which is
an hour train ride.  There are 8 missionaries there when we
play football.  I wasn't to sore this time which was nice.

Luxembourg was sweet!  It was just like being in America.
I cant even explain how sweet of a country it was.   
We will have to go there when we all come back.

So now, the big news.  We received transfer
calls this morningfrom President and
I am being transfered.
I am going to Bienne, Switzerland!  I am stoked.
I  will be serving with Elder Barber who I here is the
funniest missionary in our mission.  I am stoked.
I am not going to lie, it is very hard going two  
transfers with the same companion.
3 months of somebody
literally every second of the day.

But Bienne sounds sweet.  It actually is in our mission
and the  Zurich Mission.  About 60% of the people
speak Swiss Germanwhile the other 40% speak French.
It will be hard, but good.
We go on transfers all the time supposedly
with the other mission
and do porting(door to door) and contacting.   
I am very excited for this new adventure.

My new address is:
Elder Clayton H. Welch
Les Missionaires 
Madretschstrasse 122
CH-2503 Bienne 
SWITZERLAND

I think that is it, but I am not sure.
You should probably just mail stuff to  the mission home
if you do for this next week. I don't know if I will be able
to come back for the baptism,
though I hope I do.  It is on the 13th though.

I only had 30 minutes this week though because
this place is closing,
so I didn't get a chance to respond to anyone.
Tell everyone I say hey and that I hope
all is well.  Tell Trey I said great job.

Elder Clayton H. Welch