Busy Busy Sick but Still Busy

You both asked some questions,
so as usual, I will make my attempts
at answering them:
So how did all the transfer activity
go this past week?
Very Well
As smooth as you had hoped and planned?
Yes, except for a little craziness with
trying to get the missionaries going
home to the temple ( I wasn't there,
just the mission president and his wife)
That must bring some reality to
you to see four former
companions returning home.
It was pretty crazy, but a little
anti-climatic.
So what was the reason to go from
7 to 3 zones?
We actually went to 4. I might
have mistyped that last week.
There are 3 major reasons:
There are 4 stakes in the mission
and we wanted one zone for each
stake, so we can work more closely
with the stake presidents. Also,
we have a lot of new missionaries
we needed those zone leaders in
senior companion positions.
Also, based on the leadership
in the mission, or current lack
thereof, we felt that by putting
the strongest leaders would better
stimulate the younger missionaries.
Will that make it easier to do zone
conferences and reduce some of the
administrative stuff or just not
enough leadership with the shrinking
number of missionaries. We will
actually probably travel just as
much, haha.
Based on what we’ve heard it
sounded like your mission was
having great success.
Why did the number of
missionaries go down.
We are having a lot of success,
but they are reducing
missionaries in europe in general
by about 70%. For example,
in there Paris
mission there are 150 missionaries,
but by the end of the year, they
will be at 90; we will be at about 85.
Pops, I think you should turn in the
durango for that tax rebate, and get
a car that gets a lot better gas
mileage. Get a mini cooper or
something, haha. They are all
over here.

So I hope that responds to the
questions you have and lets you
know a little better what is
going on in my life.
With 16 missionaries going home
this week, 4 of which being my
former companions, receiving 8
new missionaries in the mission,
and receiving a new companion,
making me the "senior" assistant
with a mission President who has
been here for a month, made this
week a little busy. Not to
mention having gotten strep (sp?).
Actually, I dont know if that is
what it is, but myself and
my companion have it and will be
going to the doctor; don't worry!

As for my week, it was primarilly
occupied with the picking up the new
missionaries from the airport,
doing their legality, teaching them
about the mission, taking them
contacting, and eating with them.
The new missionaries are great!
I love seeing the great Elders
and Sisters the Lord has prepared
and sent to this mission.
Taking the returning missionaries
to the airport is always weird.
Everytime I feel like I am just
taking a trip. With as much
traveling we do here, it
wouldn't be that big of a change!
Other than that, we have been
primarily focused on getting
the mission ready
for the transfer.
This transfer will be crazy.
We will be having a mission tour
with Elder Kopischke of the 70
for four days, and we will be
traveling with him, having 3
zone conferences. We will also
be going on 11 exchanges this
transfer, trying to stimulate
some of the struggling areas
in the mission, which will be
very tiring.
As for this week, we have a zone
leader council tomorrow, then we
will be driving the 5 and a half
hours to Nancy for an exchange
with the zone leaders there on
Wednesday, then driving back
Thursday to have another exchange
on Friday. It should be a great
week though, and I am looking
forward to see the Lord pour out
blessings this week as I work
hard on trying to better serve the
Lord.

I love the quote you shared mom:
“Sometimes God calms the storm…
sometimes he lets
the storms rage and calms the child.”
I personally need to better learn to
remember that.
Have a great week and always
remember you are loved!
Keep trying new things for me!
Love always,
Elder Clayton Henderson Welch