One Year!!!

Just me!! Grilling and Chilling!!
(The toughest and Gristle-iest Steaks ever!!)

Hey family! 

Well it´s Monday again!  How are you all doing!  I am here just chugging along!  Things are going great and my companion and I are really getting along well. We are working together and learning a lot of things together!!! It was kind of funny this week we both completed month marks.  The only difference was she completed a month in the mission and I completed a year... I think she felt kind of lame but I tried not to make a big deal out of my year mark so that she wouldn´t feel so bad.  Hopefully it worked. 

This week was pretty uneventful besides completing my year mark in the mission.  The morning of my year mark I was really sick the morning I woke up.  I couldn´t even get through our companion prayer I said "Amen!!" right in the middle of our prayer and RAN to the bathroom. It was nice knowing that I have been sick for almost a year now.  The thing that is funny is I have been to the doctor twice for this problem and nothing has changed... I think my guts are just tired of dealing with some of the food we have to eat, that's all. But being a little sicker than usual on my year mark didn´t even bother me, just knowing that I completed a YEAR  in my mission makes everything so much better. Ha ha! 

My Companion, me, Veronica and Elder ?
Veronica is the sister of the Guatapi family that we brought to baptism last week!

The Quintanilla Family
Carolina, Stalin and their Children

Well this week we also had thee baptisms.  The Quintanilla family and Veronica got baptised. It was practically a miracle that they all got baptized!  I am just so happy that we were able to help them.  Well I wrote about them a lot in my letters that I am about to send but I guess I will tell you a little about them. The Quintanilla family is an awesome family.  Stalin and Carolina were the ones who got baptized and they are just great.  Stalin is the twin of Corey Smith... the only difference is he speaks Spanish but they both got baptized and Carolina was so prepared I don´t even think we taught her anything.

Every time we would ask how her reading was in the Book of Mormon was she would start to cry and I was just so surprised at how big her faith was.  She really is a great person and I was so happy that we were able to find her.  The Lord is always preparing people and if he trusts us he is willing to put them into our paths. She also lives in the same house as her mom and her sisters but she lives on the second floor and her whole family is against her and her husband getting baptized.  I had a bad dream the night before their baptisms that they came to us saying that they didn´t want to get baptized and that they couldn´t because their family would disown them.  Well when I woke up it was all so real!!! I even asked my companion if that really happened and she laughed and told me no.  But Saturday came and they both got baptized. 

Veronica is the sister of the Guatapi family and she has been listening to us for about three weeks now and when we asked her if she wanted to be baptized she didn´t even hesitate in saying yes.  After the baptism they all bore their testimonies.  They each said that they were so grateful that missionaries had come into their lives and that their lives were changed for the better.  I was so touched and started to cry during each of their testimonies... I am so grateful that I am here and that I am able to share these experiences with every one that I teach... There is something so fulfilling about teaching these people.  I can´t even explain it.  When we teach and they understand I just feel so edified.... or uplifted or full of light.  It is such a good feeling to have and I just want to teach more and more and more. 

Preach My Gospel says:   "Dear Fellow Missionary: We compliment you on the great opportunity you have to be a missionary. There is no more compelling work than this, nor any which brings greater satisfaction." And as I was reading the scriptures this morning a verse caught my eye... I marked this scripture at the beginning of my mission and when I read it again I was so happy to find that I can honestly say that I have felt this:  Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.  (D & C 50:22)

 There was some rejoicing together at our baptisms on Saturday night and really this experience is changing me more that I ever thought it would.  I am becoming more familiar with my Savior Jesus Christ.  I know he lives and he loves us.  I know that he loves each of his children her on earth.  And when we serve them... he blesses us.  I am so grateful for this opportunity... I am so grateful that I was called to serve. 

Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)

Sorry this letter was so jumbled and crazy... Next week will be better I promise.