What a Wonderful World!

Two Brothers UNITE!!

ELDER BUBBA COMES HOME TODAY!!!!!!!!!!

ONE WEEK!

A week full of prison, the temple, Bern,
and great members has made this past
week was one of the best weeks of my
mission! Its crazy how just when you
think that the mission can't get any
better it does.
So as usual, we worked a lot with the
members this week. That has actually been
a big focus for us, because the ward has
actually been going through a difficult
time with the recent change in bishops.
I went to prison for the first time in
my life this week; as a visitor, not a
prisoner of course! We got a referral
from a member I know in Geneva of a friend
in the prison here who wanted to meet
with us. Long story short, we went
through about 5 security checks and I
felt like I was in the movies. It was a
way cool experience though and the guy
was actually way nice!
So, as I mentioned last week, I lost
my passport and I had to go to Bern to get
a new one. While waiting in line at the
embassy, I met a rad girl whose mom is
from Minnesota but she is half Swedish
and grew up there. Turns out she is a
snowboarding instructor here in
Switzerland and offered to take me
snowboarding
out here whenever I come back in winter;
that was rad. THEN, while we are
talking, the mission president's wife
calls me and says, "Elder Welch, since you
are already in Bern, the mission president
and I thought it would be nice if you
had the time to go to the temple."
I couldn't believe it! Another long story
short, one of the best moments of my mission.
I love the temple. Going through
a session in French was also one of the
greatest things ever and being able to
ask the lord to accept my mission and having
the feeling of the Holy Ghost telling me
it was, was something I will never forget.
I will be eternally
grateful for this experience.
Other than that, this week was full of
great missionary work.
This upcoming week, my last week in the
mission field, should be a great one.
We are going to Montreux today,
the most beautiful city in the world.
Tomorrow we have zone conference.
I will be going to Geneva this Tuesday
so I can go to the institute there so
I can so goodbye to people, I will
spend my last preparation day in Geneva
and be getting a kebab with the mission
president and his wife (Their first and
Last as they tell me)! I love the mission.
Have a great week and I look forward
to seeing you next Thursday!
Love,
Elder Clayton Henderson Welch

Less than 2 WEEKS!!!

So I haven't smelled the smell of cow poop
for a long time spending the last 8+
months in Geneva, which is a smell I have
familiarized myself with throughout
the last week being here in Yverdon,
Switzerland, aka. the smallest city in the
mission, nestled in the Swiss alps and
beautiful countryside. Its actually
going very well though. The last week
was great and I have had a good time
getting to know the area and members,
despite the fact that I know I will
already leaving all of this again in 2 weeks.
We visited more members this past week
that I have in any other week throughout
my mission. I think we visited 12 f
amilies in the past week. I did eat
raclette twice as well which was a real
treat. Raclette is the greatest thing
in the world. Melted cheese on top of
potatoes. That is real Switzerland.
We didn't have to many lessons throughout
the week to amis, but this week should
be better. We do have an ami, J, who
is a sweet dude from the Dominican
Republic here with Corn Rows. He is
planning to be baptized the 6th, but that
will probably be pushed back a bit.
One way rad thing about Yverdon though
is that the Elders Quorum President has
a farm outside of Yverdon where
missionaries help him with service every
Saturday morning for 4 hours.
It is sweet. Milking cows in Switzerland,
moving hay, and chopping wood. We will
actually be doing in twice this week!
Other than that, we will just be working
hard on advancing the Lord's work here
in Yverdon, and I will be working on
finishing off strong!

Have a great week

Love Always,
Elder Clayton H. Welch

3 WEEKS!

I received my last transfer call this week!
You are not going to believe it but
I am being transferred to Yverdon,
Switzerland for the last 3 weeks of my
mission and I will be serving with Elder B,
a great missionary who has been
out about 5 months now I think.
I really thought I was going to be
finishing here in Geneva, but there was a
problem with one of the apartments here
and it looks as though the Lord has
something else in mind for me.
I am very excited though to be able
to work in one more city before the
end of my mission.
Yverdon is a small Swiss city and is
very Swiss, but there are actually
quite a few members there and a
nice chapel. I think we have a car
and we have bikes too so maybe I will
get to ride bike a little bit after all.
This past week has been great,
though a little hard saying goodbye
to members and friends I have known over
the last 8 months here in Geneva.
I think that's why missionaries usually
move around often because its hard when
you get really close to people to say
goodbye.
The last week was really a standard
missionary week. We did a little finding
and we did quite a bit of teaching.
We have quite a few amis here whom I very
excited to see progress and to here from
in the future.
I really don't know what this next week
has in store. I will be going to
Yverdon tomorrow, church on Sunday,
and the rest is a mystery! I haven't not
known what I was going to do for a week
for a while so I am very excited to
finish this last part of my mission!
I am really just excited to see you
and everyone else!
Love always,
Elder Clayton H. Welch

4 Weeks!

baptism: an amazing new convert from England at her baptism on monday


eating one of the greatest foods ever made: Kebabs



snowycar: at church I blocked the office elders car with snow



There is snow all over the place here;
its crazy! I love it. I am not going to
lie, snowboarding comes into my mind
every-time I look outside, but its alright,
the holes in each of my shoes causing
my feet to be soaked instantly gets rid
of that desire; ha ha.
But seriously though, everything is
going so well here in Geneva.
The good thing with all of this snow
is that it isn't too cold though.
This last week was great.
I had the chance to go on an exchange
with my old companion Elder B who
is one of my best friends here.
It went very well and it was great
to just talk with him again.
I had become pretty serious while an
assistant, so it was a nice chance to
make it up to him by being more myself.
I also had interviews this week with
the mission president. It was great to
talk with him and learn from him again.
He is a great man.
We had another great experience this
week with a member. Her name is A
and she is the oldest daughter of one
of my favorite families here. She is 31
and is married to a non-member and has
4 kids. She has been kind of active over
the last years, but in the last 4 months
her testimony has just exploded. She
bore her testimony in church last week
for the first time in her life! Well,
when she came home from the church on
new years eve her neighbor who had been
drinking started asking her questions
about our church. She said that there
were missionaries to help explain these
questions. So, she invited us over and
we went and visited the family Friday
night. He didn't really remember much of
the conversation and was very skeptical
of us, but thanks to this member and her
sincere testimony, this husband and wife
opened up and became very interested.
I know that this family wouldn't have
listened to us if it wasn't for this
member and it is another proof for me
that as we talk to our friends about what
we know in this life, not only does our
testimony grow but we help so many
others in the process!
This week should be great.
It should be pretty traditional with a
lot of finding and teaching and hopefully
baptizing soon.
Actually, transfer calls are this next
Monday and believe it or not I could be
transferred for the last 3 weeks of my
mission. There are certain reasons why,
mainly with apartments, but I will let
you know next week where I will be
finishing my mission!
Thanks for all of your love and support.
I hope you have a great week.
Have a great week and I look forward to
seeing you soon!
Love always,
Elder Clayton H. Welch