Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Busy wonderful week

Commet ta vu? Oh man, this week was great.
You asked me a few questions so I will try
to respond to them. The art museum was great!
I found out that it is the second largest,
in terms on monetaryvalue on their products,
in all of France, next to the Louvre! It was
beautiful. The modern art exhibit was
closed so we plan on going back because
they have many Claude Monet paintings, as
well as several Picasso.
Are you getting fed by the members occasionally?
Funny question. Not really, but I did
eat at the Bishops the other day and he asked
me that question. I asked him if he wanted to
know honestly, and I told him no. The funny
part is, that in Priesthood the other day he
made an announcement as well as the ward mission
leader that the ward wasn't helping us enough
and that they need to start feeding
us and supporting us both spiritually, and
physically. So, that should change soon.
But thank you so much for the euros!
It was so nice of you. How are the
new shoes working out – are they comfortable?
They are actually my Sunday shoes
and for special occasions so I only wear
them occasionally, and by old Sunday
shoes I wear to work in now. And they are
French, if that answers your questions.
The French are about style first,
then comfort!
Are you still using the smoothie maker and
eating plenty of fruits and veggies?
Not as much, but I am going to make a goal
to start using it more. But I really am
glad to be in Lyon and I am having
a great time.

This week was one of, if the not the,
busiest weeks of my mission and I am so
grateful for it. This week I taught
21 lessons! It was so great! The Lord
blessed us enormously and I am so
grateful for His help in this great
work. We also found 6 more of the Lord's
choice children who are searching for
the truth who are excited to learn more.
I am so grateful for this opportunity
to have this occasion to teach my
brothers and sisters.
Our ami Frederick's baptism is this
Saturday which I am very grateful for.
We our having his home teacher Brother
Coulon, the hippie, baptize him which will
be great! He has prepared himself very
well and I am excited to see him make
this sacred covenant with the Lord.

I want to take a minute and share an
experience I had this week; an experience
that has helped my testimony grow, and
was a confirming witness to me of the
priesthood on the earth today.
Well, on Wednesday night, the night of
transfers, we had just gotten back into our
apartment after a long day of buying
people metro passes and making sure elders
and sisters caught their trains and
buying them train tickets. So we got in
and during our planning at about 9:15
we received a call from the sisters in our
district that one of the sisters was
having a serious panic attack and was on
the floor shaking uncontrollably. They
told us to come now and that all she was
asking for was for a priesthood blessing.
We ran to their apartment, while calling
the mission president at the same time who
told us to go in and give her a blessing,
because we were unable to find a member
that lived close to us at that short of
notice. We went in and my companion
immediately anointed the oil and prepared
this sister for a priesthood blessing.
I then proceeded to give this sister a
priesthood blessing of health and comfort.
I testify to you that I was not the one
giving this blessing, but it was the Lord
working through me. I was unaware of the
words I was saying and literally, as I
said the words "relax and be healed," this
sister missionary instantly stopped shaking.
I bear testimony to you with all my heart
that I witnessed the immediate healing of
this sister through the power and authority
that I have with the privilege of serving
others. I know that the priesthood is real
and is the power to act in the name of God
on this earth. I know that through faith,
we can be literally healed if it be the will
of the Lord. I am so grateful for this
experience and pray that you may also be able
to have an experience as wonderful as this.
I know that God lives and he still
acts today.

This week will be great. We have a zone
leader council in Geneva tomorrow,
where I have the privileged of teaching
about a new contacting method for 40
minutes. We also have a zone meeting on
Thursday here in Lyon where my companion
and myself will be teaching about the
things we learn at zone leader
council. I am excited for these
experiences for these occasions to
continue to be spiritually edified.

I pray that you have a great week!
I can't believe it has been about a year.
Elder Clayton Henderson Welch

1 comment:

mamasteph said...

Okay, I am totally wiping the tears off my cheeks right now. He is one amazing kid--what an incredible experience! I am so proud of him!