Baptizing a Mormon Monk!

My week went very well.
I had the opportunity to travel to
Geneva last Tuesday which was a great
experience. I love being able to be
around the leaders of the mission and
we received great council from our
mission president on gratitude.
He paralleled chapters 22 and 24 in
Mosiah, and how the people of Limhi
and the people of Alma both escaped
Lamanite bondage, but how one did in
through their own efforts, and the others
did it through working hard and
continually praying to the Lord.
It is interesting to see that in
chapter 22 there are zero references
to deity, whereas there are over 20
in chapter 24. Although I know
that the Lord will always take care
of us, I know we receive blessings
that much more quickly when we show
the Lord our gratitude! I also had
the opportunity to teach about the new
contacting approach we implemented,
and I really was happy to have the chance
to teach others. Its funny, I have
really grown to love teaching, especially
in English!
Our zone meeting went really well as well.
It was great to have the whole zone
together and we all had the chance to go
out and have Kebabs together!
The baptism of our ami Frederick actually
did not take place last Sunday. We
felt that we wanted to make sure he was
completely prepared before making such a
sacred covenant with our Heavenly Father.
We have changed the date for the 22
of March, such in just 3 weeks. I will
still be here since it is still this
transfer which will be great! The sad
thing was is that it was his birthday the
1st, the original date of his baptism, and
he was left with no plans when we decided
to move it. So, my companion and I threw
him a birthday party at the church last
night with all the members he is friends
with! It was so great! A member made a
cake for him, and everyone brought
something to share and we had a
potluck! Frederick was very excited about
it and was very understanding about
us changing the date, and has the desire
to be ready to be baptized on the 22!
Although I didn't get to see our ami
baptized this week, I did get to see
someone I taught once be baptized.
Last week for preparation day, we went
to KFC, yes, there is one if Lyon,
and we to a little castle that the
"Mormon monk's" friend actually owns.
We hung out there and on the way home,
I was in front with the other 4
missionaries in back, Jean Marie and I
were talking and he told me he
wanted to be baptized. That night,
the St. Etienne elders fixed a date
with him and he was baptized last
Saturday! I was able to be one of the
witnesses and I gave a talk.
I cant believe this man, who had been
a monk for 8 years, decided to be
baptized and is already sharing the
gospel with his friends! It was such
a great experience and I am so grateful
for it!
This week we have a zone conference
in Geneva, and also another zone leader
council where a member of the area 70
will be at both. So I have the privileged
of going to Geneva again this week which
will be great! We have a long of great
things planned for this week and I am so
grateful for this chance to be where I
am right now!

Elder Clayton H. Welch