Into the Wild

Some of your questions:
you must be traveling separate from
the mission president or are you
driving with him and his wife?
Actually we are. The mission
Presidents wife has a bad back
so they need to stop more frequently
and we also had to bring missionaries
home with us after the conferences to
Geneva because they were going home.
Are they visiting other parts of the
mission while you and your companion
run it or what? A little, when they
do interviews and we do exchanges.
You must be putting on a lot of miles
on the car with all the traveling you
have been doing. What kind of car do
you use? We have a Clio; its silver
and about a year old. I think we are
getting a new one though. The mission
president and us have unlimited
kilometers as well.
Do you have to have one elder stand
behind when you back like they do here
in the states? Ha ha, you know it.
Its great. We avoid backing up situations
as much as possible, even if it means
parking really far away.
I had the chance to finish this week off
today by going to Mt. Blanc! It was
amazing, though, it was the first time
in a while I had feelings of
homesickness. It honestly felt like I
was at a ski resort on the top of the
mountain, ready to snowboard. Even though
it is the end of July, it is still
covered in snow and we had to wear coats.
It is the highest peak/point in all
of Europe. We went with the mission
president and his wife, and the mission
president actually payed for us;
he is way to nice. But we had a great
time and I got tons of great pictures.
This week was full of zone conferences
as well. Being in Metz, France again,
where I started my mission, for the
Nancy Zone conference was amazing.
After a little over 5 hours in the car
we got there and I got to eat my favorite
Kebab in the whole mission; Coco Kebabs.
It was soo good!
The city is so beautiful and is one of
my favorites in France. I also went to
Yverdon for zone conference on Tuesday,
and then we had a zone conference here
on Wednesday. They all went very well,
and we had the chance to teach on
adjusting teaching to meets investigators
needs. I just love being able to see
all the missionaries in the mission.
On Friday I had an exchange with a Zone
Leader from Lausanne, which went very
well, though most of the time was spent
doing service.
Saturday I actually did an exchange with
one of the office elders, so I was an
English speaking missionary for the day,
though, my companion was from Belgium
so we spoke french the whole time.
We went to Lausanne to do some stuff for
the mission, but then had a great time
of teaching that night.
Church, all 6 hours of it, was great!
Although its tiring, its a great way to
feel the spirit.
This week we have only one exchange here
in Geneva with the zone leaders from
Nancy. Apart from that, we will being
working on the transfer with the mission
president. I think I know who my
companion will be, but I can't say because
we haven't finished praying about it.
It is such a great opportunity to work
alongside the mission president during
transfers and see the hand of the Lord
literally direct this work.
I look forward to this week, and all the
revelation we will receive!

Have a great week and
try something knew EVERY day!

Elder Clayton Welch
ps. attached is a pic at Mt. Blanc

Surrounded by Angels

It was another great week here in Geneva.
Although I didn't spend much time here in
Geneva this week, I had a great week on
exchanges, a zone conference, and the
lessons we had.
Tuesday night we drove up to Grenoble,
France for an exchange with the zone
leaders there. We were a little pressed
for time so we grabbed some McDonald's
in the middle of the drive and drove the
rest of the way. I don't know how I
ever did it before my mission, but
sitting there after eating McDonald's
was not the best feeling in the world;
maybe its a sign of getting old!
I had a pretty good exchange up in
Grenoble with Elder Guerrero, and then
drove back Wednesday night.
Thursday, we got everything ready for
all of the zone conferences and
taught our Brazilian investigator
here. It went soo well! She is
getting so close to baptism, and is
someone who will be solid in the
church all of her life!
Friday morning we got up at 5 so
that we could drive to Lyon for a
zone conference there.
The zone conference went very well.
We had the chance to teach and do an
activity about adjusting teachings
to meet peoples needs. We then
stayed after the zone conference
in Lyon on Friday and had an
exchange with the Zone Leaders there.
It was SO great to be in Lyon again;
Lyon is probably my favorite city in
the mission.
I had probably the best experience
of my mission on Friday night. I got
to go contacting in the middle of
downtown Lyon with Landry, the man
I taught in Lyon who was baptized
about 3 months ago. It was the
greatest experience, seeing this
24 year old convert testify of the
restoration of the gospel of Jesus
Christ to complete strangers on the
road! I literally felt as though
angels surrounded us and lifted us
up with each word we said.
I don't think I have ever spoken to
people with such ease and with the
spirit so strong. It was amazing.
To make it better, we ate lunch there
the next day and he told us how he
is preparing to go on a mission as
soon as possible!
He has been recently called to serve
in the Elders Quorum Presidency,
and is doing great!
We came home from Lyon on Saturday
night, and then yesterday we went
to church and ate at a great
members home. It was a great week!

This week will be crazy.
At about 4 o'clock today, my
companion and myself will be driving
up to Metz, France, the city where
I started my mission, to go to the
zone conference that will be held
there. We will get there at about
9 tonight and will attend zone
conference there tomorrow and then
drive back home.
Wednesday morning we will go to the
zone conference in Lausanne, and
then on Thursday we will attend
the zone conference here in Geneva.
Friday I will be on an exchange with
a zone leader from Lausanne here in
Geneva, and then on Saturday
I will be on an exchange with one
of the office elders.
This week I will only be with my
companion in the car and at
church on Sunday. It will be a very
busy week, but it should be great!


Have I been to Luxembourg or Belgium?
I have been to Luxembourg twice, once
for a full day, but I have never been
to Belgium. I do live with a Belge (sp?)
though. He makes good
waffles actually! haha.
Just so you know, I spent 18 euros last
week because we went to an adventure
park last preperation day. It was
climbing in trees with harnesses with
ziplines and all! It was amazing!

Love,
Elder Bubba

Crazy Busy

This week went very well,especially
the 3 exchanges we had this week,
and the transition of the mission
Presidents.
This week was filled with more
meetings with President Murdock
about the things we have been
focusing on in the mission,
concerns we have that we might
need to change, and also focusing
on the upcoming zone conferences
we will have in the upcoming weeks.
A difference in mission presidents
is that President Murdock likes
to have things planned out much
further in advance. We are already
working on next transfers calendar,
and making sure everything is ready
to go.
We recently found out that we will
actually be having a visit from Elder
Kopischke next month. Elder Kopischke
is a member of the first quorum of
the seventy. He visited with Elder
Bednar to our mission last year, and
it will be great to have a visit
from him again. It will be crazy
working that close with a general
authority for 4 days. I am way
excited for the opportunity.
This week, we had 3 exchanges.
I had two here in Geneva that went
very well with Elder Asay and Elder
Robinson. They went very well and
we saw a bunch of great things
this week! I also had an exchange
with a Zone Leader in Yverdon.
He is a great missionary.
It is the only city though
with bikes, and I, after not having
ridden a bike since I was like 14,
was very sore after that exchange.
It was great though. IT was way
nice to ride around Switzerland on
bike though and I wish I could do
it more often.
As for this week, we have two
exchanges planned. I will be in
Grenoble on Wednesday, and I will be
in Lyon on Saturday with. There is
also a zone conference in Lyon this
Friday, so I will be going
there all day Friday and Saturday.
With that, I will only be in Geneva
4 days this week: preparation day,
Sunday with 6plus hours of church,
and two days to work on some
reports here.
It should be a crazy busy week,
but should be a great time!

Sorry if this email is all over
the place. I kept having to do
answer questions for the mission
president and also answering calls
about some missionaries moving in a city.

Elder Clayton Welch

Happy 4th of July

So the changing of mission Presidents
this week was quite the experience!
I would venture to say that almost
everything that happened this week
derives from this event.

We spent the good part of Monday night
and Tuesday night preparing the
presentation for President and Sister
Murdock. The Presentation actually
ended up being really good.
I can actually send you a copy of it;
it will give you a look into whats
going on in the mission.

Wednesday we spent actually cleaning
the mission home and cars, hanging up
flags, and making everything look
nice for when the Murdocks got here.

I am not going to lie, going to the
airport with President Peterson to
pick up President and Sister Murdock
on Wednesday night was way weird; haaha,
it was great though and I am really
grateful to have been apart of it.
We got to take some pictures that
night together and then said good bye
to the Petersons.

Thursday we met with President and
Sister Murdock from about 10-4 oclock,
and then random other times since then,
trying to fill them in on everything
in the mission. I am sure it is
overwhelming for them, but their are
handling it very well.

On Saturday I found out it was the
4th of July that morning making
calls to zone leaders and we planned
on eating hot dogs because it was the
only "American" thing we had in
the fridge. Turns out that someone
threw them away. All of a sudden
President Murdock walks in our
kitchen and said, "How does Mcdonalds
sound to you Elders; my treat!"
I couldn't believe it! He is so
nice and I know that he
was truly called by God to be here.

Other than that, the week was spent
working on reports for the mission
and taking care of things here with
a couple of lessons. It was a
great week and I look forward to
the coming week. We are working
on zone conferences as well as
going on three exchanges.
It will be great, I will have
3 days to really get
out and talk to people.
I am excited!

Love always,
Elder Clayton Welch