tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17078019111136898802024-03-05T17:35:41.396-08:00And So It Goes...in the Ecuador Guayaquil North MissionJessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-50051912287942738972014-02-01T10:09:00.000-08:002014-02-01T10:09:20.925-08:00The Best News EverWell I must have done something right.... I don't know if anyone can deserve these kind of blessings in their lifetime... But I am <span style="font-size: large;"><b>so grateful </b><span style="font-size: small;">that I choose to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">February 8th 2012</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">This morning I checked my Facebook messages which I kind of dread doing sometimes but I got a message from one of my dear friends down in Ecuador telling me that one of the families that we baptized was getting sealed today..... </span></span><br />
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"Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God."<br />
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I started crying when I read that email.... This family truly was prepared for the gospel in every sense when Hermana Climaco and I found them.... I am still so grateful that we found them and that we never ever gave up on them. <br />
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I opened another email from another family that was baptized with me and who have been struggling to get to church ever since... I was worried what they would have to say to me... But to my astonishment this family is now making it to church and also is in the process of making plans to get sealed in the temple as well....<br />
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"Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."<br />
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I am so proud of these great families.... I know that they will do wonderful things for the Lord. I am so blessed... And I am so happy that I choose to serve a mission for my Lord and Savior. His blessings are infinite. And I am still being blessed for my service as a missionary. I have never regretted answering the <b>Call to Serve</b>. <br />
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<br />Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-8832518797160786842013-08-12T17:52:00.002-07:002013-08-12T17:57:10.032-07:00This is IT!!!! or...Dreams really do come True!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Well... I don`t know what I should be feeling right now... but I am feeling it... I am coming home in no time!!! I honestly can`t believe that this is it! Seeing mom`s email that says: 'nine days!' just makes my head spin... I feel like I have been gone FOR-EV-ER and I have imagined and dreamed about this coming week for a long time.... I just hope that the plane doesn`t crash! ha ha</span><br />
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This week was pretty good. I completed my 18 month mark in the field and on Thursday morning I saw a card on my desk and my month counter was flipped to the last one! My companion made a card that just said, thanks for being her companion and she said that she has learned a lot from me.. I just hope that`s true... I feel like I make so many mistakes that I don`t even know what she could possibly learn from me. We're still alive... that`s all I can say! ha ha</div>
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Ummm This week went by really fast I am trying to remember the things that happened but my mind has just gone blank! Oh yes I remember a couple of things. We had interchanges this week I got to go with a new sister her name is Sister Perez... No she is not my old companion she only has like 8 weeks in the field and she is from Mesa. She is really cute and funny. </div>
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My companion and I got a call Thursday night saying that we were going to have interchanges and that we had to be in the stake center tomorrow at 12 in the afternoon so my companion freaked out after we got that phone call but in the end it was really fun having the interchange. Hermana Perez and I stayed up till about 1 in the morning just talking and talking and talking. She told me about how she joined the church and how no one else in her family is a member of the church. She said that the first month of her mission was really difficult because her family didn`t really understand why she was here and what she was doing. She said that her siblings and her parents sent her quite a few emails saying things like, "If you come home, it`s okay... We won`t judge you for it." And she said she was really close to going home. That made me feel bad, but happy that she didn't! </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">But, we had fun and in the morning she asked me if I would help her study how to teach the Plan of Salvation. As I was talking and explaining with the scriptures that I use, she was just writing it all down... I don`t really think the way I teach is that great but just thinking of how far I have come from where I started really makes me realize that the Lord has helped me out so much (D&C 84:80). </span></div>
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This past week I was thinking about many of the people that I have gotten to know and how much I am going to miss them. I was re-reading one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon, Alma 26, and I came across three verses that really touched me-</div>
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I just love those scriptures and that it mentions that Alma and his brethern suffered.... Missionary work isn`t for sissys and I am not going to lie and say I loved every single second of my mission... But I will say that it was <b>worth it </b>and all of the ups and downs really have shaped me into a better person. Anyone who is thinking about serving a mission and is kind of dragging their feet just pray about it and talk to your Bishop and before you know it you will be out in the field. Because it`s the best thing you can do, not only for the Lord but for yourself as well. </div>
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I know that the Church is true... I know that Joseph Smith restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ back on the earth and we have a living prophet on the earth today. I know that Christ lives and He loves us. I know that He died for us and He rose again so that we can have a way to return home to our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for Him and His sacrifice for me. His mission on earth was His whole life and He never complained and He never ever stopped doing the Lord`s will. I am trying to be more like Him.</div>
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I love this work and I am so happy that I answered the call to serve. </div>
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I love you all more than I miss you... I will see you soon! (I mean it!!)</div>
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Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)</div>
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P.S. sorry my camera didn`t work... i had to have my companion email me a couple of pictures-__- she didn`t have pretty ones.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-I1npCAmMsV4OIHRf3GFo6EFjzclgCISKUxWk46xj4_KjQK8ZGLiohxpJ0PRz9hwcmnKMs1k4byhuj_LnewYwBD2QiY3DbFuLMVF0lGPAH3QvppR8_QB67Q79ivPRE1c8hG2cOYWt24n/s1600/DSC08892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-I1npCAmMsV4OIHRf3GFo6EFjzclgCISKUxWk46xj4_KjQK8ZGLiohxpJ0PRz9hwcmnKMs1k4byhuj_LnewYwBD2QiY3DbFuLMVF0lGPAH3QvppR8_QB67Q79ivPRE1c8hG2cOYWt24n/s400/DSC08892.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazy Sisters!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRblMJqoWUGAPi797bjypAePnkVp7m_UoJafC-hykLn1XGXHd32zVAaK5ZMh87ek-cZrJvxYUzAfMoNeM3qwN4LwEJYPGbdu5XfMH10_HdlT3aTfYLBAnYAtuisBBYAQ3CV_MiP6ZM-JU/s1600/DSC08890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRblMJqoWUGAPi797bjypAePnkVp7m_UoJafC-hykLn1XGXHd32zVAaK5ZMh87ek-cZrJvxYUzAfMoNeM3qwN4LwEJYPGbdu5XfMH10_HdlT3aTfYLBAnYAtuisBBYAQ3CV_MiP6ZM-JU/s400/DSC08890.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends!</td></tr>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-50517880610298910912013-08-07T17:10:00.001-07:002013-08-07T17:10:41.881-07:00The End is Near<br />
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Well how are you all doing??? I am really in a different world... I can`t believe that the time keeps flying by... Just when I feel like I have got everything down I have to get ready to leave... It isn`t really fair... But that is how life goes! Just when we feel like we have gotten things down they release us from a calling, or we finish the class that we were taking or whatever it is... We have got to move on. When people ask me how long I have in the mission... I really don`t like to tell them that I am going home really soon... It makes me feel really bad... <b>Mom and Dad we have to come back!!!! </b></div>
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Well what else... My companion completed 2 months today in the field... I asked her how she felt this morning as I saw her flip her month counter chart that I made her and she looked at me and said... -normal- ... Yeah.. I guess that`s kind of how the mission goes for the first months we feel like the time is just dragging along and for me I would like to slow down reality a little bit more.. </div>
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Well today we went to the Malecon... It is like a huge walk way on the River Guayas that is here in Guayaquil. It was kinda fun haha! And when you are talking to your companion it makes it GREAT!! I could see my old area from the walkway and It brought back many many memories of Good Old Duran... the ward that I served in for five months that is just across the river. I almost started to cry thinking that I can`t personally say goodbye to those amazing people before I leave. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are en el malecon. You can see Duran in the far left!! Ja Ja!</td></tr>
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This P-day and the past three P-days I have been writing letters to ALL of my converts and sending a picture and it is a lot of work. But it is bringing back many many memories of the wonderful people that I have gotten to know here. It just makes me realize that God loves ALL of His children. Because many of the letters that I have written have made me cry just thinking... When am I going to see them again! </div>
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I don`t know if I told you guys but last week my poor companion was having a bad week. I would find her really quiet at times and at other times I felt like she was giving me the silent treatment. Well when we were in church we had just finished teaching our Gospel Principals class because our Ward Mission Leader was M.I.A for the third Sunday in a row. As we finished the class one of our investigators asked my companion what was wrong. (I had already asked her that like six times during the weekend but she didn`t seem to want to respond so I stopped bothering her with the same question.) After the investigator asked her what was wrong she opened up to the whole class and said that she was having problems at home. </div>
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I was offended at first that she wasn`t opening up to me and that she spilt to the whole class what her problem was... but I was grateful at the same time because if he wouldn`t have asked her I don`t think I would have ever found out what was happening to her. Her mother left home right before she came on her mission and I am sure that it is really bothering her not having the support of her mother during the two months she has been out here. Her father has also stopped going to church and now her siblings are not going either. It really broke my heart just thinking about how unfair life is!!! Here I am coming from one of the best families in the world and I find myself crying over little things that don`t matter or complaining because the email wasn`t long enough.... But I really have the best support system anyone could ask for. Thanks for your examples and for your prayers.... I know that the Lord is helping everyone of his missionaries and he blesses the families that send the missionaries as well. </div>
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I have just stopped to think about the blessings that you all have received while I have been gone... And there are a lot to be mentioned... But top on my list is Taylor. I don`t know if you all have realized it... But in almost every email that you all have sent me you have mentioned that Taylor is talking so much better... I just can`t wait to get home and hear her talk to me. I have prayed for her for a long time and I know that my prayers are being answered... I just hope that you all are recognizing the blessings that the Lord is sending our way. </div>
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I know that he has blessed me so much during my service as a missionary... I just wish I had the time to tell you all of the blessings I have received!!! I know that my life has been changed forever and I will never ever regret answering the call to serve. </div>
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Love you all so much!!! See you soon!!! </div>
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Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)</div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-15613332072541281562013-08-07T16:40:00.000-07:002013-08-07T16:40:27.018-07:00We are only human!!<br />
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Well hey family! <div>
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How are you all doing? Things here for me are going along just smoothy! I am developing a lot of patience this week... Just when I think I have got the patience thing down.... I feel like everyone just wants to try Hermana Welch`s patience today... It`s really nice. </div>
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This week we have been looking for more people to teach, the few that we have are not really progressing like we would like them too... But that is okay we just need to work a little harder with them so that they can start working with us. </div>
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Well we have been working with a guy who`s name is Sergio. He is 21 years old and is a really great guy. He lives with his mother and his sister. When we first met him he told us that his dad had died about two years ago and we have been teaching him all about the Plan of Salvation. He seemed to be drinking it all up and loving it all until we scheduled a lesson for Saturday. Just when we were about to head over to his house we called and mentioned that we were running a little behind and would be there fifteen minutes after our scheduled appointment date. </div>
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Well his sister answered the phone and told us that Sergio had just left with one of his friends. Well GREAT! So we debated and debated whether we should just go over to his house or not and finally we started walking to his house. When we got there his sister looked at us like, "Uhhh what are you two doing here?" It was a little bit disconcerting. But we invited her to church and she said that she would coordinate with Sergio to come to church with us... </div>
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Well long story short she never coordinated and when we called them on Sunday in the afternoon his sister once again answered the phone and when she told Sergio we were on the phone she informed us that he didn`t want to come out of his room to answer the call -___-</div>
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Man does that make me want to cry when people just loose interest for whatever reason and refuse to even talk to us... We are praying and hoping that Sergio is still willing to listen to us and that he was just in a bad mood that day. </div>
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Well right after we got that bit of sad news we had to go to the chapel because we had a ward activity. As we were on our way to the chapel my companion said in a joking tone... I bet that our ward mission leader hasn`t even planned anything. And lo and behold... she was right. </div>
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When we got to the chapel there was no one there and our ward mission leader showed up 20 minutes late and the members started trickling in... The only members that showed up were the ones we called practically begging them to come and join us and our ONE investigator that was there. </div>
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The first thing that our ward mission leader told my companion and I to do was to organize the agenda and we both looked at him with a look of surprise because he had a whole week to plan and coordinate everything. Well we put our names down to give little spiritual thoughts and we also put our ward mission leaders name down. </div>
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When we showed him the agenda he saw his name down to participate and he said, "Noooo" in the most outraged tone ever. We then mentioned that it was just a spiritual thought. He got even more upset and rudely said, "No! I am not giving a talk." Then my companion said, "Well then we are not either... You should be the one who has this all figured out. You can give the only talk." </div>
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Our ward mission leader gave a haughty laugh and said, "yeah.. we`ll see" I was actually really embarrassed because we were in a room with a bunch of members and my companion is popping off. I just wanted to say.... "Heyyy... we are missionaries... we have to be nice!!! But I kept quiet." </div>
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As our ward mission leader was then directing the meeting he announced that Hermana Orihuela would give the first and only talk followed by testimonies of other brethren that were there. My companion got all red in the face and flustered and delivered a small talk but during her whole talk she was kind of reaming the members and telling them that they have to help us more with missionary work. It just wasn`t done in that great of a spirit. I am continuing to try and keep it all cool. </div>
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Oh funny story. I have to make this quick... Well as we were teaching our new convert Fernando he had a friend over. I think his friend has some kind of nervous problems because he has lots of nervous ticks... His nervous ticks made a really interesting lesson for us. As we started to sing the first hymn to start the lesson Frank took off his tennis shoe and with his white sock he would stomp hitting his heel on the floor like five times in a row and then he would stop and put his foot back in his shoe and then shake his hands like he had Parkinson's... It was just a little scary, and when ever my companion would talk or read a verse from the scriptures he would start shaking even more or pound his foot even harder on the ground...</div>
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Well sorry that this email was a downer, heck I only have like 26 days left!!! Even though some weeks like this one was really tough, I love this work! I just love what I do and the fact that this is all coming to an end so soon is bitter sweet. I know that this church is true and I know that if we are faithful and obedient we will be blessed. </div>
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<b>A shout out to my cousin Kurk who will be joining me in the work pretty soon!!! Good luck with everything!!! </b></div>
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I love you all more than I miss you!!!<br />
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Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess) </div>
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P.S. sorry no pictures this week... i forgot my camera-__-</div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-59363783028403954102013-07-23T09:47:00.003-07:002013-07-23T09:59:30.865-07:00SE HIZO BOLITA!!!!<br />
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Well family!!! How in the heck are all of you! I am doing really really really great! Because we finally had a baptism here!!! yay!!! It really is a miracle. So we are happy. OH I almost forgot!<br />
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TAYLOR!!! Happy birth-a-day to you!!!! happy birth-a-day to you!!!! happy birth-a-day dear Tay-a-lor!!!! Happy birth-a-day tooooooo youuuuuuu! (I like the way dad always sings happy birthday... you have to sing it like he does when you read that to her) But Taylor I can`t believe that you are 20... you all are growing up so fast... I don`t know what I am going to do when I get home!!! I can`t believe it! All the nieces that I don`t know are walking... When I left Alice and Adalynn couldn`t even really talk.... So a lot has changed since I left. </div>
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Well this week we had an awesome week... But I feel like I have never recuperated from last Monday night when I arranged everything for my companion`s birthday. Well Monday night after we got back at around 9:00 p.m. we planned the next day and then I called our District Leader and gave him our little report. After that I "got ready for bed" and I stayed at my desk "writing in my journal" and so did my companion... I then realized at about 10:15 that she wasn`t going to bed... So I told her I was tired and that we should have companionship prayer... We had prayer and then as I went to my bed she stayed at her desk..... </div>
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My Companion and I celebrating her birthday (on our p-day) by wearing Jerseys<br />
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Well I stayed in bed trying not to go to sleep because I had balloons to blow up and things to put out on her desk. She didn`t quit writing in her journal until 11:10. So when she finally came to bed and started breathing heavily I was soooooooooooooooooo tired!!!! I blew up the balloons in the dark and as silently as I possibly could... Which is no easy task and I wrote her a little letter and arranged some things that I had bought and made for her on her desk. And I went to bed. -_____- </div>
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When the alarm clock rang it rang a little too soon for me but my companion was really really happy. I had also arranged to have a little lesson with a few investigators that we have but in reality it was more like a little birthday party. They served us dinner and we sang happy birthday. Here in South America they first sing the happy birthday song in Spanish and then they sing the song in English... (I know I find that kind of weird too) But when they all sing in English it goes something like this, "Heppi berthdey tuu yui" someone always pipes in "tu yui tu yui" and their accents while they sing just make me laugh super hard. It is really fun. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE cake with the magical Frosting!!</td></tr>
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But the funniest part about the night was that little cake. So I guess that our investigators forgot to buy candles and the lights go out all the time here so there is always one ancient candle stashed in the kitchen cupboards somewhere. Well I don`t know what happened to the candle but when they brought out a giant pink crooked candle on top of that little chocolate cake we all burst out laughing. It was really funny. And after we all sang there is an<br />
other tradition that the birthday kid has to take a bite out of the cake so I took the liberty of shoving the cake in my companion`s face... But it must have been some magical frosting because it didn`t stick to my companion`s face... She just made a dent in the cake. It was hilarious... You kind of had to be there... But my companion had THE BEST birthday. </div>
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Well some other news.... We had a baptism por fin!!!! (finally) It really was a miracle. Well we have been visiting this guy named Fernando. He is about 42 years old and the missionaries have been visiting him for about five years... Well when we went to visit him we found out that this guy has a huge fear of his family so that is why he never has gotten baptized. </div>
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Well we have only taught him for about two weeks and we finally found a teaching record on this guy--but it was incomplete. (future missionaries always update your area book!) The two companionships that took the time to write two lines on this guy said the same thing that we had found, the missionaries taught him for about three weeks until he said he didn`t know how to tell his family about his baptism, so the missionaries stopped teaching him. Well we prepared him for an interview and the day before the interview I was asking what the Sabbath day was and things like that to see if he needed some refreshing when I asked him about tithing he said he was paying his tithing... Uhhhhh what??? This guy pays tithing??? </div>
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I then testified to Fernando that paying tithing is much harder than making the decision to be baptized. We told him that he didn`t have to be afraid and that he could do it. He looked like he was about to cry. It was a good lesson. The next day at our interview he came out of the interview with his eyes wide open like he was scared to death and then Elder Randall then said, "Hermanas, Fernando is ready to be baptized--<i><b>tomorrow</b></i>!" Well trying to contain our excitement, we congratulated him and started making calls to organize everything.</div>
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Well this is where the story gets good... (If you have endured through this entire email... I congratulate you!) The baptism went really well until Fernando stepped into the water. The man who was baptizing him is named Carlos and it was his first time baptizing anyone... so I was a little bit nervous about everything. As he finished the prayer and we all said amen opening our eyes to see the ordinance performed we saw Hermano Fernando crouch down into a cannon ball position instead of working with Carlos and laying down peacefully in the water like he should have. Well the two witnesses calmly informed Fernando that he had to lean back while Carlos holds him up. So the prayer was said again and we all opened our eyes to another spectacle. Fernando then leaped back plugging his nose and practically jumping at the same time splashing water everywhere and poor Carlos practically threw his hands up!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brother Fernando (on my left) and Brother Carlos (on his left)<br />
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Well four more times and i just felt more and more nervous the whole time seeing that these two were not able to get it done. It was so hilarious that I almost burst out laughing... My companion then said in my ear, "porque se hizo bolita" why is he forming himself into a ball? After about 3 more times the bishop came up and closed the curtain and then he took about four brethren back to help them out. During those 15 minutes with the curtain closed we just heard splashing and splashing and more splashing. </div>
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When they opened the curtains again we saw that Fernando seemed a little tired and then I noticed that ANOTHER brother was in the water with them to help with this baptism. When the prayer was said again we opened our eyes with anticipation to see Fernando lean back with the help of Hermano Carlos. Then the other brother who was in the water t suddenly pushed Fernando into the water so that his whole body went under. It was so dramatic... But every time my companion and I even think about that baptism we can`t help but burst out laughing. Ohhh good times!!!!! </div>
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Well i gtg love you all so much!!!!</div>
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Love Hermana Welch #1 (jess)</div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-10897062257827235832013-07-16T17:51:00.001-07:002013-07-16T17:53:04.500-07:00HEY!!! <br />
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Well well well... Here we are in the middle of July!!! The month is flying by!!! I just can`t believe it!!! All of your emails are making me super trunky!!! ha ha... Everyone is saying ONE MONTH LEFT! So I am trying to be really focused. Well... what happened this week that is worth mentioning...</div>
Ummm my companion is going to turn 21 tomorrow... So I have been really sneaky and trying to get some things for her... But it is super hard when we have to go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time. And it is hard when we have to see and hear each other at all times... But I have been staying up late and doing little things at night so that I can put somethings out on her desk tomorrow. She seems pretty happy. She left a note in my agenda the other day that said,<br />
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"There isn`t a better way to start the mission than with a good friend. I really do consider you more than just a companion. Thanks for your example and for teaching me everything to be a better missionary. You really do mean a lot to me and I am happy for you because you are going to see your family soon but I am sad that I have to have a different companion. I will always remember you. With love- Hna.Orihuela"<br />
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Sometimes when I read the letters or notes that my companions leave me, I wonder what example I am giving them, I just hope that they learn something. And when they thank me for the little things it just makes me think... Isn`t this what friends do for each other... but I guess that some people don`t know how to be friends... they just add people on facebook and call it good! ja ja</div>
My old companion, Hermana Perez told me that she washes all the dishes alone and eats alone and teaches alone!!! She also told me that she feels alone!!! Poor thing... I guess that her companion isn`t that great of a companion yet... But at the beginning of my mission I wasn`t that great of a companion either... But that is why we are here... Too learn how to be better people. I know that I have changed a lot...</div>
My companion and I were talking about family experiences one day and I am so happy and grateful for the great family that I have. She asked me how my brothers and sisters are and I told her experiences about each one of them to describe how my family is. I told her about Jon, perfect Jonathan, not wanting to eat on the road trip because mom and dad bought the food on a Sunday. I also told her that he couldn`t say Christopher when he was little and that he called Chis babe for a long time and the name stuck and some of our aunts and cousins still call him babe.<br />
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I then told her about Chris` "too yait too yait!" story and about Bradley and the "cops get down" and also about Bradley biting everyone when Nick was born. I then told her about Nick and his binkie for the first four years of his life and his red pants and his poems. I then told her about Taylor and her excellent memory and then I told her about Emilee and her "very gentalyyyyyyyyyyyyyy", a very pretty little song that she made up when she was 3 as we were decorating Easter eggs.</div>
So my companion thinks that we have an awesome family... It`s a hard one to beat. IMHO (mom you are going to have to translate my quick references of these experiences so that my <b><i>thousands</i></b> of blog readers will understand! <b>;) </b></div>
And now she uses the phrase "too yait too yait"! For example, we are visiting a lot of less active members here so that we can teach their non member family or we can help them come back to church and one day we were in the house of a less active member and his mom was dressed really nicely and we were trying to teach her a bit. She is about 55 years old and she was so distracted I was wondering what she was waiting and then we heard the doorbell ring. </div>
Well, in walked a 60 year old bald fat guy and they were walking hand in hand. When they sat down together on the couch we realized that they were going to go on a date. -.- When we walked out of the house I looked at my companion and asked, "She isn`t married to him right??? It looks like they are dating..." My companion then said in English, "Too yait too yait" I laughed so hard... Too yait is right... How sad it is to date when you are old and fat!!!! man that stinks... There are slim pickings if you ask me! </div>
What else happened this week... Sorry that this letter isn`t making any sense... I am emailing while emailing so it is kind of difficult. This might not be funny to those of you who don`t speak Spanish but here it goes... This week I was singing a song that one of my companions used to sing... I have only heard the song once on the radio here... But it goes something like this... "Si hubo terremoto... Si hubo terremoto da da da da da.. da da da da da da...." What I have been singing for almost 8 months is, "If there was an earthquake... If there was an earthquake... da da da da da... da da da da da da...." </div>
When my companion heard me singing she then said... "What in the world are you singing"... I then sang a little louder trying to put the words together and she then burst out laughing so hard that there were tears in her eyes... she then said "nooo hermana.... Subete mi moto" I then was so confused.... What... it isn`t, "If there was an earthquake" and she then said, "NNOOOO the song says, get on my motorcycle!!!" We laughed so hard for about 5 minutes. </div>
Well I am sorry my time is up!!! But I love you all so much!!!! I hope that you all have a great week and that everything goes your way!!! I know that this church is true and that if we are faithful God will bless us even more than we can imagine.<br />
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Love you all more than I miss you. </div>
Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess) sorry there is no picture-__-</div>
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From the Editor: So! If you care at all, here are the family references: Jonathan was about 7 years old. We had four children with Nick being a brand new baby. We were living in Omaha at the time and had been asked to speak in a branch that was about 50 miles away. No problem right? Well, yes I am lazy and I thought, we will get ready and run through McDonald's on the way there so that we can make it to Sacrament Meeting on time! (I'm sure it started about 9:00) Well as Brad was making the order he asked Jonathan what he wanted. A small voice from the back of the van replied, I don't want anything. Um.... we're sorry Jonathan, you have such lousy parents that are leading you down the wrong path, but really what do you want? I'm not hungry. So, there was the first mistake we made with him! LOL </div>
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Next is Chris' story of too yait, too yait! Another Sacrament meeting story. This time, I passed. He was realllllly thirsty and about 3 years old, he wanted a drink realllly bad. I told him he would have to wait till after the sacrament was passed. This did not satisfy him and he pestered and pestered until he finally figured out that he wasn't going to get the drink. And he began to pout. He was pretty good at pouting. After the sacrament was passed, I whispered sweetly in his ear that now we could go get a drink! TOO YAIT, TOO YAIT! was his emphatic response like it was going to make me feel bad that we didn't have to leave the chapel! </div>
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Bradley's story entails another very bad moment in mothering. We had a chevy astro van that we tooled around in in those days and there was a great spot for a little guy to stand in between the two captain chairs in the front. He would stand there and hang on to the chairs with both his arms and watch for patrolmen. He had eagle eyes and would holler in the raspiest kid voice you ever heard: <b>COPS! </b> GET DOWN!! It was so funny. Unless of course you are opposed to little people not being fastened down in their seats. I know I am now! But if it makes you feel any better we lived in Cody, Wyoming so there weren't too many accidents on the road. And you have to remember that I grew up with my mom's arm for a seat belt. When she hit the breaks she put her arm out and hit me in the chest at the same time! I know it's no excuse, but it's all I've got! </div>
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Nicholas had the most stubborn personality as a kid. He only would wear read pants. I finally broke down and accepted the fact that he was not going to wear anything else so I began to buy only red pants! He LOVED the Red Power Ranger. He also had a memory that wouldn't quit and memorized poem after poem in his pre-school. He also liked to perform, one time I had to drag everyone to the pediatrician because Taylor was sick, he told the Dr. that he could do the Michigan Ragg and then proceeded to do it all across the room. Dr. Jameson looked at me and said, "don't you ever give this kid any attention?!?" Too funny! And--Nick loved his binkie. I don't know if he was really four when we got rid of it, but he could do some great tricks with it! </div>
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Jessica didn't put this one in, but I will. When we would have scripture study before she could read, she would want to take a turn. and it went something like this: And it came to pass....and then a story about rabbits in the sage brush would make it's way into the narrative.</div>
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Taylor was born with a cleft palateand has hadd difficulty speaking and still doesn't talk in a way that is too intelligible, but she does have an amazing memory and she really helps me out. If I forget anything, she lets me know about it! </div>
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Emilee doesn't think this is a very great story, but she was the singingest baby you ever saw! We were dying eggs one Easter and her cute little song was a little along the lines of a winnie the pooh number, "very gentallllly" she sang over and over as she encouraged us all to be so careful with the eggs as they might break. Anyway, way more than you wanted to know, but once you get me started, I can't stop!! </div>
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It is almost time for me to be done with Jessica's blog. What a blessing it has been for me. I can't wait to see her, but I get a little weepy to think that these experiences will end soon. Thanks to everyone for reading and for caring and for being our friends. Cindy. </div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-37859533913433017082013-07-09T20:30:00.000-07:002013-07-09T20:35:29.573-07:00INDEPENDENCE DAY!!<br />
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HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!</div>
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Well hey family how are you doing??? I hope that everyone is doing really really well. I am just doing great. Today we cleaned the apartment for like 4 hours... That is just the best way to spend your preparation day... But sometimes I just can`t stand living in a dirty apartment. I know I am just passing through and I am not going to live here forever. But why can`t we treat these apartments like they are our homes. The last sisters that were here in this area I don`t think ever cleaned... But I am just ranting..... Okay I am over it. </div>
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Today I woke up and my companion said, "Feliz 17 meses!!!" Uhhhhh WHAT!!!! That sure woke me up!!!! I jumped out of bed and was so happy!!! I still am happy but I honestly can`t believe it!!! 17 months away from home!!! I can`t believe it! That is a really long time. My companion keeps saying I am so jealous of you!!! But I just ask her... "When did you start your mission?" and she says... "last month" and then I say... "That`s right... I have been here a while so don`t be jealous... You will be home before you know it." It is pretty neat being this close to coming home...</div>
Well this week we had some pretty crazy things happen... Let me first think of what to tell you all... At a lunch appointment that we had my companion was really silent when she was eating and I had to do all of the talking. It kind of made me think that something had to have happened because she usually isn`t that quiet. We came out of the lunch appointment and my companion said that she was lucky that she didn`t throw up during our lunch time. I then said that the food wasn`t that bad and then she told me what had happened. She said as she was eating the beans and rice she was only on about the fourth spoonful when she crunched down on something really hard. </div>
She then secretly slipped the hard substance out of her mouth when she noticed that it was a piece of something purple. She then asked me... Hermana do you remember what color the sister`s nails were?..... and I did remember.... They were purple!!!! I then said, "Noooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!" If that isn`t gross I don`t know what is!!!! My poor companion... she only has three weeks in the field and is having lots of luck with the food! haha</div>
My companion says that she hears me making noises in my sleep. She says she constantly hears me whispering/sighing, "aye aye aye" I don`t know why I constantly am saying aye aye aye.... I think that I am just kind of stressed! haha Speaking of stressed... This past Tuesday at our District reunion our zone leaders called us in the other room while our District Leader was teaching to check our Area Book we showed them our agendas and after they gave us a few suggestions on how we can improve, Elder Suarez asked, "Hermanas, how do you feel in your area?" </div>
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I was looking at my companion and waiting for her to answer because if she didn`t I would have burst out crying. When she realized that I was waiting for her to respond she then looked at Elder Suarez and told him that things were not going as well as we would like in the blessed area of, "Las Americas." When she started describing what was happening I actually started to feel my eyes well up with tears... She started saying how everyone that the other Hermanas were teaching are never home and now they don`t answer their phones when we call. All of the people that we contact are super rude and slam the doors in our face. It is just not a very happy place to be a missionary. </div>
Then Elder Suarez turned to me and his eyes got three times bigger when he saw that I was on the verge of tears and timidly asked.... "Hermana Welch how do you feel in your area?"..... I couldn`t even speak because if I did I would sob or make a noise that could be even more embarrassing so like a nerd I just gave him a BIG thumbs down. He then nodded his head not sure if he should ask me more or just move on so after about three LONG seconds of silence he told us to sit down and he would give us a couple of pointers on how to work in La Kennedy, especially Las Americas. </div>
My area is really hard because there are malls and every kind of business in our area and there is also a huge airport in the middle of our area... So the people who live here are really rich... Or they like to think they are. But Elder Suarez told us that our area was one of the hardest in the Kennedy. I was actually really surprised to hear that and I wrote down all of his suggestions. We are doing better and are now more motivated to work. I am happy to be here and I know that I have to learn a few more lessons before I can come home. </div>
Well my time is up. I really hope that this email goes through. I know that this church is true and I am so happy to be a part of this great work. The Lord expects a lot from us and I know that I have to give more than what I am giving him now. But most of all I know that he loves us and wants us to be happy. That is why he sent His Son to die for us. I am so grateful for the atonement in my life so that we can repent and be made clean again. I know that this Church is true. </div>
I love you all more than I miss you.</div>
Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">P.S. Happy fourth of July!!! 2 Nephi 2:27</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"></span>Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-4272572557670971782013-07-09T15:32:00.002-07:002013-07-09T20:35:02.861-07:00I love my new area :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Companion and I in our little apartment</td></tr>
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Hey family!!!</div>
Can you all believe that July is here!!! This will be the second Fourth of July that I have missed. That means that I am winding down! Haha! How is your summer going? I hope that you all are enjoying your hot summers... Here it is getting "colder" when I say colder I really mean... It`s not THAT hot... because it is still pretty hot. But things are going well here. We are just not having that much luck finding new people to teach... So that is kind of discouraging... I really do miss Manta when we don`t have anyone to teach. I kind of get tired of ringing door bells and knocking on doors all day and hearing the same thing over and over and over again...</div>
For example, "No I don`t have time." Or... "No I`m Catholic, or Evangelical or whatever they are...." or the classic, "I`m on my way out of the house... maybe some other time." But with all of these excuses... I don`t ever regret coming here to Ecuador... I am so happy that I made the decision to come and I know that no effort is ever wasted... I have hope that we will talk to the right person or knock on the right door and someone will let us in... We just have to be patient and loooonnnnggg suffering and keep trying. There are lots of people here that are looking for the truth in their lives... We just have to show them that we have this truth and we have what can bring them peace in their lives. </div>
This week we have had our handful of let downs... We are trying to contact the old investigators that the other sisters had in this area... But now that we are new they don`t seem to want to meet with us. First we had a set visit with an older man named Lenin... When we got to his house at 3:30 a woman came to the door and rudely asked us, "What do you want?" We told her with a smile on our faces that we would like to talk to Lenin... She gave us an annoyed look and out came Lenin and said without even saying hello, "Girls I told you over the phone that I can`t meet with you until after 5... because I go and visit my kids and my grand kids... I just don`t have time right now..." He was about to turn around and go inside but I stopped him by saying, "Uhhh you told us yesterday that 3:30 would work for you and now we are here... Can you please just give us a couple of minutes?" He only said that the game was on and shut the door... We took a deep breath and I complained to my companion about how rude people can be and we kept working... I can keep working but I haven`t really gotten down the no complaining part.... I need to follow Nephi`s* example a little more. </div>
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Well the next day we went to visit a woman called Fannie and her son Pedro... Fannie told us that she would be in her house at 7:00 that evening so we go to her house in hopes of having a visit and teaching a lesson with her. Well when we got to her house we knocked on the door and someone asked from inside... "Who is it?" Then after we replied the missionaries there was some uncontrollable laughter from inside the house. Well a different kid of Fannie`s came out of the house but he didn`t open the front door... He came out on the roof of his house. We asked if his mom was home and he told us that she had left the house and had locked the door and they couldn`t open the door or let anyone in and they also couldn`t open the door and leave either. We set up another appointment and asked him to pass along the message that we stopped by and he smiled and said that he would. </div>
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Welllll... as we were at the corner looking at our planners deciding where to go we saw a woman pass by us and knock on the same door we had just knocked on... And lo and behold... it opened and she entered the house that was "locked". She then left the house about 15 seconds later with the same kid that lied to us and told us that the door was locked.... I was so tempted to say to him, "some lock on that door you have". But I didn`t... I just smiled at him as he looked at us in horror realizing that we were still on the same street. It`s always nice to catch them in their lies... But it doesn`t really make things any better in the end. I would rather just be the stupid one than realize that many people lie to us everyday. </div>
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One good thing about this area is that the members have money and give us really good food. So that is always a nice thing. But I don`t think my companion likes Ecuadorian food very much. She always leaves the houses saying... Well that wasn`t that great... And I want to look at her and say, "ARE YOU SERIOUS? THAT WAS DELICIOUS!!!" But then I have to admit... I must be used to many worse things so I am sure I would have said the same thing if I came here right at the beginning of my mission... I guess my tongue has lost it`s sense of taste for bad food... Because we just have to eat it. </div>
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This week we ate with different sisters from the ward and it was kind of funny. We went to a sisters house and she is married to a man from China. She has a lot of Chinese things in her house and I was hoping for a Chinese dish or something different. She showed us pictures of her husband and then she told us that he is a Buddhist and prohibits her from going to church. Man would that be difficult! But she said that her husband understands a little bit more now and she gets to go to church sometimes. She then started saying that her family eats really healthy and that they eat all natural foods. Well her lunch wasn`t what I would consider all natural or healthy. She served us a pile of rice with cut up hot dogs in it... As we ate I just told myself... At least it isn`t chicken`s feet. -__-</div>
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Sorry I don`t have that much news this area is pretty normal... We are in the city and the food is pretty normal and the people are too... but they all have one thing in common... They all need the gospel... and that`s why I am here... Today I went to the doctor because I have had a cold/cough for more than three weeks now and at the front desk when they asked me where I worked... It felt pretty good to say, "I work for the Church if Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints... I`m a missionary" It`s the best job anyone can have! I love this work and I am truly grateful that I am a part of it... I know that this church is true and every effort is worth it.<br />
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Love you all more than I miss you! </div>
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Love, Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)</div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-82853068301289652562013-06-24T21:28:00.002-07:002013-06-24T21:50:50.661-07:00Surprise transfer to Kennedy!<br />
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How are you all doing. Things here are just going along swimmingly... Well, let me take that back!! Actually this week has been crazy!!! On Tuesday, when we were in our district meeting, our zone leaders got a call and left the room. When they came back into the room they stopped the district meeting that we were having and said, "We have to stop the meeting!" We all looked at them in silence and they turned to me and told me that I had to go home and pack my bags because I have transfers... </div>
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WHYYYYYYY??????????????? I asked them if they were serious like three times and yes they were definitely serious. So I went home and packed my bags in an hour and a half (Which is record timing and a miracle) and then we went back to Manta and got in a bus and traveled for three hours until we got to Guayaquil. When we got to Guayaquil the assistants came to me and told me that I would be opening an area in the Kennedy and that I would also be training....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and all my bags!<br />
It is kind of embarrassing how many things I have.<br />
I worked out a sweat organizing everything and packing it all!</td></tr>
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The Kennedy is one of the hardest zones in the mission and I am in the same zone as those who are in the office and the assistants are in my zone as well... And on top of all that I have to train a new sister missionary...... Brrriiing me my brown pants!!!! *</div>
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I went to the new house where I will be living and the companionship that is living in the house showed me around the area a little bit... But they were too worried about writing letters to their recent converts and the members and so they didn't have time to show me very much of the area... I was just a little ticked off... But it`s okay. I will live. Well the whole night I couldn`t sleep and my poor companion has to go back to Jaramijo with a companion who doesn`t speak practically any Spanish... So she is pretty sad... But she will live. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My old companion, Hermana Perez with a note on her forehead that says:<br />
"NO TO THE STEPMOTHERS!!!"<br />
Training a new missionary takes 12 weeks and we were only together for six weeks,<br />
so Hermana Perez will finish her training with a "stepmother."</td></tr>
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The next day I had to go to a reunion to receive my new companion. As I was in the reunion I saw my old companion... The one I trained, Hermana Peralta and this will be her second time training! I am so proud of her... She really has come a long way. As we were conversing, in walked the new missionaries... There were five Americans and three Latinas.... I smiled at all of them and then one of the gringas looked at me and gasped and said, "I read your blog!!!" .... WHAT???? I then said, "Well this is a little embarrassing!" and she replied, "No it`s a great blog... I read it every week!" I don`t know how she found my blog because she lives in Florida. But she seems like a great missionary (because she reads my blog!! haha!) who is ready to go to work!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my old companion (in the white blouse) Hermana Peralta.<br />
We are in the terminal with our 'daughters.' The 'family tree' of my mission.<br />
My two 'daughters' Hermana Perez and Hermana Peralta and my 'granddaughter'...<br />
I don't remember her name! I am a terrible 'grandmother!'</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new companion, Hermana Orihuela, the third sister that I will train in the mission<br />
(on the right) and Hermana Peralta and her new companion.</td></tr>
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Then we had our reunion with the president and he talked alot about how we should act when we are on the mission. He talked about the rules and things we should expect. He then talked about when we end the mission. He took off his tag and held it up in the air. He then said you are living on a higher plain now than when you go home. But that doesn`t mean that you should live at a lower level when you go home. </div>
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He then talked about how wearing the badge makes us different. He said he has seen missionaries when they have the badges and right when they take them off. He mentioned that he can practically see the difference and he can definitely feel the difference! I just started crying when he was speaking because it`s true!!! I feel like I am a different person now than I was before I had the badge. I am so glad to be a missionary and especially in this great dispensation....</div>
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Speaking of being a missionary... How about that devotional last night?... I hope it is recorded somewhere because I want to watch it again and again and again... I just started crying when I saw ALL THOSE MISSIONARIES in the choir. If that isn`t impressive I don`t know what is... I am so happy that the first presidency talked about how the members can help us in the work... I am in a new area and we need so much help from the members right now... Everyone has big fancy gates around their houses with electric wires on the top and when we ring their door bells there is no way that they will let us in. They usually just hang up on us right after we present ourselves...</div>
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I miss Jaramijo, but we are going to keep working hard here in Kennedy!!! I have got to go but I love you all so much and I hope that you all are doing really really well!!!! I know that this Church is true and I am so grateful to be a part of it!!!</div>
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Love you all more than I miss you! </div>
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Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)</div>
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* brrrring me my brown pants refers to an old pirate joke! </div>
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Cindy Welch, mother and current editor of the 'blog'</div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-4828526722462203162013-06-24T16:14:00.000-07:002013-06-24T16:19:55.763-07:00Little Miracles!<br />
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Hey family!! </div>
I hope that you all are doing really well and that you have all had a great week.. How are your vacations going?? How was Father´s Day? Things here were pretty normal... For father's day everyone got drunk and danced and that was about it. So that is cool I guess. Dad I hope that you had a great day yesterday...You were thought of here in Ecuador, Jaramijo.</div>
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Things here are going really really well. I am really happy here with my companion. She is great and never ever complains. So I love that about her. We are teaching a really great family and their kids are going to be baptized this coming Saturday and it is a miracle that these kids are getting baptized. The reason that the whole family is not getting baptized is because the parents are not married... So we are going to do something to raise fifty bucks so that they can get married. Hopefully we get something together soon.</div>
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But the fact that this family even wants to get baptized is a miracle. This family has five boys and they all are like little Bart Simsons. Which means they are terrible... But we love them all and they are getting better. Well we hadn´t had the chance to talk to the father because he went out of town for fifteen days to work and try to win some money. (Fifteen days is an eternity in the mission especially when you have monthly goals to meet.) So we kept teaching Elizabeth, his wife, and her kids. Well she told us that she wanted to be baptized and that she would like for her children to be baptized as well...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the little 'Barts!'<br />
Jeremias and Luis Andres</td></tr>
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When Elizabeth's husband, Wilfrido, returned from his trip my companion and I were fasting and praying for the Lord to soften his heart because he dosen´t like religion and thinks that those who go to church are hypocrites.... Well we taught him the Restoration and he really was interested in the lesson and when it was over we asked him what he thought and he said that he thought it was true.... My companion and I looked at each other and then I invited them all to be baptized and they all accepted.... It really was a miracle... Not just that this family accepted to be baptized but that they all have a sincere desire to know the truth.... </div>
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Another little miracle that we had this past week was when we went to visit Anderson. We have been working with this less active family, they have a boy who is twelve years old and he wants to get baptized but his parents say that he doesn´t know enough to get baptized. We are trying to teach him but every time we do his mother comes in and tells Anderson that he has a chore to do or he has to run and do some stupid thing... But it is just so that he can´t listen... It is really frustrating. </div>
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Well he went to his baptismal interview which was very surprising because his mother said, "He has so much homework that I shouldn´t be letting him go..." but we convinced her and he came. He passed the interview and came out saying that he really was excited to be baptized... Well when we dropped him off it was almost nine o´clock so we went back the next day to talk to his parents and his mom told us that he was NOT going to be baptized and that we had brain washed him! THAT was a first in my mission... I have never been accused of brain washing and I never expected to hear that from a member! Well we talked to her, we used the scriptures and showed her the scripture, "Suffer the little children to come unto me." when Christ said that in the Americas and in Jerusalem... Well she was out of words and excuses, the spirit was so strong... she said that it was fine, Anderson could be baptized. So we are really, really happy for that poor little kid. The sweetest thing happened at his baptism... After he was baptized our ward mission leader who was conducting the baptism asked Anderson if he would like to say a few words. Anderson stood up and said, "I felt really good during my baptism and I am really happy." He was smiling so big and then his little chin started to quiver and he burst out crying saying that he felt really good and then he thanked his mom for letting him be baptized... It was a really tender moment and his mom was crying and I was crying and like everyone was crying... and it was just really good. </div>
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I know that these little kids are really important for the Lord and that he loves the little children. I am glad that I am able to help his children here in Ecuador and I know that the Lord lives and loves all of us, and wants us to return home to him. I love this work and I know that by small and simple means great things are brought to pass, because I have seen it my whole mission! </div>
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Well I have to go. But I love you all more than I miss you!!!</div>
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Love Hermana Welch (Jess)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My companion in the kitchen of a sister who cooks for us!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">uhhhh, my companion's eyebrows after I waxed them. <br />
Let's just say I am retiring from the waxing thing!!!</td></tr>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-17518832993076395752013-06-11T15:51:00.002-07:002013-06-11T15:51:55.293-07:00I'm glad I'm a Mormon!<br />
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Hey Family! <div>
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I hope that you all are doing well and that you all are enjoying your summer. Here in Ecuador it is getting cooler... But it feels like summer to me because it is still HOT!! This week was such a good week for my companion and I. Well mostly a joyous week for me because I completed my 16 month mark! I am not counting down the days till I can come home but I am excited to see you all in August! </div>
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This week we had an interchange for one day with the other sisters in our zone.. That is always fun and it was nice to be in their sector for a day. They are working in the city here in Manta and we are on the outskirts of town so the people in our sector are a lot more humble than those in the city. So being in their zone made me very thankful that we are in the country. My companion was really nervous the whole day leading up to the exchange. She kept asking me if the things she does are okay... It was pretty funny. I just had to tell her, "Hermana we preach the same things they do... It is going to be fine." </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Exchanges<br />My companion is 3rd from the left and I am 2nd from the right! <br />Beautiful 'Hermanas!'</td></tr>
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After we had our little interchange my companion and I rode the bus back to Jaramijo and when I walked into the house and I put my bag of stuff on my bed I saw a little note from her that said, "Happy Sixteen Months!" and I had completely forgotten that I had completed the 16 months... Well I whooped pretty loud and started doing a victory dance while punching the air with my fists and then I saw my companion out of the corner of my eye and realized that she was not dancing. So I quickly composed myself remembering that my companion only has one month in the field. But it was a happy three second celebration none the less! </div>
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This week we almost died in a little motorcycle carriage thing that people drive around here. We have to ride a little carriage thing around here in Jaramijo because they are cheaper than the taxis and since we don´t have bikes or cars and our area is so huge it is the best thing we've got! Well here in my area there are a whole bunch of huge hills that are deadly steep... They remind me a lot of 'suicide' hill in Lovell but here the 'suicide' hills are everywhere and there is no other way to go. We had to get to a house pretty quick for an appointment because we were running late so we stopped a motorcycle taxi and jumped in. This guy was driving pretty fast to get us where we wanted to go and when we were approaching the hill we had to go down I thought that this guy was going to slow down a little. WRONG! As we were descending my companion and I had to hold on for our dear lives!!! My companion started screaming and I started laughing out of the nervousness that I had. It was the equivalent of a roller coaster ride... The only difference between this roller coaster ride and the one in California Adventure was the cost was only 50 cents and our lives were in danger!!</div>
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The motorcycle taxi thing was moving pretty fast down the hill and with my companions screaming and my hysterical laughter I think that we scared the driver. He suddenly tried to screech to a stop in the middle of the hill and then he practically lost control of his motor cycle and we swayed pretty badly almost driving off the left side of the road and into a brick house. Luckily he gained control and we didn´t crash to our deaths. But it was a pretty exciting day for us. </div>
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The other night as we were walking to our apartment at the end of the day we saw a little group gathered on the side of the road with a little stage set up and there were about thirty plastic chairs set up, there was an Evangelical group singing songs and there were quite a few people spinning in circles... It was quite a spectacle... As we walked away I realized that they were praising the Lord by their spinning around and around. As we walked away my companion and I laughed a bit about that and I wondered ... How do these people become convinced that spinning around in circles like a child trying to get dizzy is a way to praise the Lord? </div>
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My companion and I went to our apartment and began our planning as we were studying we could hear the music getting louder and louder until we heard the singer introduce a man who had traveled all the way from Guayaquil to preach to them. Well when he started preaching it was pretty chill... then he started preaching more and more and he started screaming things like, "SAVE US LORD!!!" and "BROTHERS AND SISTERS <b>REPENT</b>!" I thought, "well this is the climax!" So we ran out to our balcony to see him preach and as we were out on our balcony watching the preacher we saw him get more and more agitated... Then he started saying things like "BROTHERS AND SISTERS DANCE AND JUMP! THE <b>SPIRIT</b> IS <b><i>HERE!!!</i></b>" and then when I thought things couldn´t get any crazier the preacher started screaming, "<b>CORRE!!! CORRE!!!! CORRE!!!</b>" (run, run run) and soon enough the whole congregation got up and started running around like crazies... It was pretty weird and the piano was playing some pretty energetic music... </div>
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Well the scene was pretty entertaining but it made me pretty sad to see how confused people are... I am so glad that I am in the Church of Jesus Christ. I know that he lives and that he loves us. I am so grateful to be a missionary and that I can preach and teach and know that what I am saying is true because I feel it every time I testify. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and that Joseph Smith restored the church. </div>
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I love you all more than I miss you! </div>
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Love Hermana Welch (Jess) </div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-35659408857782916082013-06-03T21:21:00.000-07:002013-06-03T21:29:40.747-07:00Hello Family! Hi Friends!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Hey Family!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Well this week went by really well... We finished it up with two baptisms so that is always nice when you are a missionary. This week was a weekend when we were all waiting to see if we had transfers or not and it is official. I will be part of the Ecuador Guayaquil West Mission starting July 1st. I am kind of sad about that because I will have my exit interview with different mission president... So the president that I will finish with won´t see where I was when I started and where I am now... But I guess that is okay. At least I know how much I have changed and I am still changing a whole bunch. Hopefully I finish my mission the way the Lord wants me to! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul and Cesar took the plunge!</td></tr>
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Getting a little carried away, trying on Baptismal clothes!!!</h4>
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I only have about three months left here in Ecuador... and I honestly can´t believe it! Just 12 more weeks and I am done! I remember entering the MTC and thinking can I go home now!?! But now I am just so happy that I was able to serve here in Ecuador, I have learned so much. </div>
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This week we ate at a members house and she was pretty happy to have us. Her husband is less active and she is pretty sad and doesn`t know how to help him. I asked her how long her husband had been less active for and she commented that he quit going to church after she got her foot amputated...</div>
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My companion and I both looked at each other and then we looked at her and my companion said, "You.... you only have one foot?" The sister started to laugh and she said, "I thought you two knew!!!" Well it took us by surprise! She then stood up and showed us part of her leg and she began telling us how she had her foot amputated. She told us that she had a tumor that was eating the cartilage in her ankle and the doctors couldn`t remove the tumor without destroying her foot so they cut it off. </div>
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She then asked if we wanted to see her leg. My companion said YES!!! I was a little reluctant but I also agreed. I felt so bad for her when she showed us her poor little leg. She also commented that her husband has a prosthetic leg as well. I have met one too many people down here in South America that have had their legs or arms amputated. It is a hard life and as we finished up our lunch we talked to this faithful sister a little more and we left. </div>
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As we walked away my companion and I were a little silent and I commented that I have nothing to complain about. My companion said the same thing. We then talked about how hard it must be for her and her family. But the thing that impressed me the most about this sister is she is the happiest member that we have in the ward. I really don`t know how she does it but she doesn`t let anything get her down. It takes a pretty strong person not to complain about their circumstances when others have so much more.</div>
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This week we made some visits with the Relief Society President and the Young Women's President and they showed us some inactive families that we should visit every once in a while and try to get them to come back to church. It was pretty sad visiting these families. They know that the church is true and for one reason or another they have fallen away. (It seems to be a trend here in Jaramijo because almost EVERYONE is not going to church) </div>
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But what surprised me even more was three of the families that we visited had entered the temple and have been sealed and have forgotten the covenants that they have made there They haven´t been to church in over three years. We are working with these families because they have a couple of kids who are at the age to be baptized. We were teaching an 11 year old and his parents and sharing scriptures and doing our best to motivate them to come back to church. When we closed the lesson I asked their child if he could say the closing prayer and he didn´t even know how to pray. -___- It was pretty sad because as I was teaching him I almost started to get teary eyed thinking, your mom should have taught you this! I hope that these parents realize the responsibility they have to raise their children with not only physical protection but spiritual protection as well. </div>
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There are two scriptures that I love to share with families that are less active and whose children don´t know anything about the gospel. They both are in the Bible the first one is in Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." </div>
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Many of the parents that we find who have fallen away from the gospel usually have children who are in need of an attitude change. Many of these families are looking for a way to help their families and don´t know how. The second scripture is found in Isaiah 54:13 "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children." When ever we share that scripture the whole lesson changes and the parents then realize WHY they need the gospel in their lives.</div>
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I am so grateful for parents who have taught me the gospel in such a way that I want to keep living the gospel. I am so glad that we have a prophet on the earth today. I know that God lives and that he loves us. I know that Christ lived and died for us and that thanks to him we can live again. I love you all more than I miss you! </div>
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Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess) </div>
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P.S. </div>
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The first photo is of our baptism, Paul and Cesar took the plunge!!! </div>
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The other two photos are showing that we got a little carried away seeing what baptismal clothes would fit Cesar and Paul. </div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-6295232795871437162013-05-28T12:29:00.002-07:002013-05-28T14:58:19.919-07:00Hello! From Ecuador!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermana Barbie <br />
(haha I had to say that, you know...I am a proud mom!)</td></tr>
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Well this week went by way too fast!!! I don`t know where all the time goes in the mission but things are flying by! Today my companion and I went to a museum and it was fun. It is about forty five minutes away from where we are living but it was worth the trip. The funnest part was when we got out of the museum part there were a bunch of little shops and I bought some things. So it was worth the trip! We actually have to go back because there were a couple of more things that I wanted to buy but all I heard was that the museum was free to enter so I didn`t bring that much to spend. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Museum</td></tr>
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This past week my companion celebrated her first month mark and her birthday this week. She turned twenty three and we celebrated with some members. Actually we didn`t really plan anything and one member called us out of the blue and said, "Hey! Bring the birthday girl over here so that we can celebrate." So we went over to Hermano Byron`s house, this family is pretty poor they live in a house made of bamboo but they are really nice to us. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermana Perez's Birthday!! </td></tr>
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Well this family obviously doesn`t have money to spare and when we got to their house they had dinner for us and we were not even expecting anything! They were so nice and it made me want to cry! But then Hermano Byron called us again and my companion answered the phone and he didn`t even ask which companion was talking and he asked, "Hey what`s the name of your companion again?" And my companion said... "Uhh my name is Hermana Perez." And Hermano Byron super embarrassed said he was sorry that he didn`t remember our names. It was pretty funny, and the next thing we knew was he brought in a cute little cake that said Happy Birthday Hermana Perez. So she had a pretty good birthday... But my poor companion will celebrate two birthdays in the field. Luckily when I turn twenty three I will be home. </div>
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We are working with quite a few families here in Jaramijo and almost all of the families that we are working with ARE NOT MARRIED!!!! That is something that I will just never ever understand. I thought every girl wanted to get married... But as I have been working more and more with the people here in Ecuador... I am finding that that is not the case.... I don`t know, getting married is still one of my biggest dreams and I hope that lots of people have that goal in their lives... All the apostles and prophets testify that the key to strong families are happy marriages... I know that is the case and there are lots of families here that are just missing that one little step... "Mawage"... (You have to say that like the Princess Bride.) </div>
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We are working with four families that want to be baptized... But they are not married... Well we all know that after we are baptized we promise to live the Lord`s commandments and so these happy couples have to get married before their baptism... That is the downer... These families don`t have the money to get married... It costs 65 dollars and I would be happy to pay for one or two marriages... But that isn`t the way that I should work with these families... If they really want to get baptzed they will raise and save the money on their own so that they can be baptized... It is just a waiting game now... Yes we are motivating them and teaching them so that they understand the importance of marriage but it is still difficult to teach them in such a way that they are willing to change their lives. </div>
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My companion and I are doing really really well... But we had some pretty crazy things happen to us this week... Well someone invited us to eat crab and he only gave us a spoon to eat the crab... Uhhhh I wanted to ask.... "Sir, where I am from we eat crab with a bib and we have a hammer to smash and open the crab shells with...... <span style="font-size: xx-small;">could you please help me open the crab shells???" </span>But I was too embarrassed to ask so I just used all my strength and broke open the crab with my bare hands.... (It reminded me of the Seinfeld episode when Jerry is on a date and his date breaks open the crab with her hairy hands... ) Well I was pretty proud of myself... Until I started eating a little more of my crab and I thought to myself.... "Wow this crab is really really red..... And this crab meat tastes a little like.... blood???????" And then I looked down at my hand and my thumb was bleeding like crazy!!! </div>
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Can I just say that it was such a weird experience cutting myself here in South America... If I was in the United States I would have washed my hands with soap and water and I would have patched the wound up with a band aid or something.... Well here it is completely different.... As I was at the bucket washing my hand (Yes these people don`t have running water so I stand at a bucket and they pour pitchers of water over my bleeding finger) I was babying my finger and letting the blood drip and drip and drip.. But then our investigator came up and he squeezed the life out of my thumb and my finger kept gushing and gushing blood... I thought to my self.... "Any minute now..... any minute now the blood is going to stop running and he is going to STOP squeezing my thumb!!!" But I patiently waited until it seemed like I was going to die from losing so much blood. My thumb finally stopped bleeding and he handed me an old dirty shirt and said, "Put pressure on it." And walked away..... Luckily I am still alive to tell the tale and my thumb is okay....at least for now!<br />
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Love you more than I miss you!!!</div>
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Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess) </div>
Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-1431443038897379742013-05-21T17:37:00.002-07:002013-05-21T17:41:38.391-07:00Jaramijo.....Mas Alla<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Well well well... This week has gone by so well I can´t even complain! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Haha! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> My companion and I just got back from shopping for the two weeks that are ahead of us and it was pretty fun. Here in Manta there are a few shops that sell cool things and I bought a couple of things to bring home... I hope you all like them. If you don´t..... Well too bad because they are bought and paid for. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This week we had some pretty good experiences. Here in Jaramijo we are having lots and lots of adventures. Being in little poor towns is always more fun than being in the city. There is more fun to be had. And the people are always more willing to listen as well. So we are loving Jaramijo.<br />Here in this ward we eat with the members and they are sooooo poor it just breaks my heart. They give us a plate full of rice and some of them can´t even pay for a piece of chicken or meat to go with the rice so we have eaten rice and a fried egg a couple of times this week. But at least it is something that is safe to eat. We have been served a couple of crazy things the last two weeks. But I am getting so I can eat just about anything and it doesn't bother me anymore....<br />.....Almost. Last week we went to a members house and we walked up the three rickety wooden steps into her bamboo house on stilts and we sat at her little plastic table waiting to be served. Well she usually leaves the room when we eat. She served us soup and rice with a fried egg. But as I dug into the soup thinking this was going to be a normal meal I realized... Uhhh this isn´t what I thought it was... She had served us some kind of gelatin soup.... All I could figure out was it was a bone that had cartilage and fat in some kind of broth. I don´t know what animal it was from but as I was wondering to myself, "how am I going to eat this?" when I realized, "Hey.... she isn´t here!!!!" So I happily dished out the cartilage and put it into a plastic bag and shoved it into my backpack.... You know... to "eat" it later.... But I actually just threw it to some dog in the road. So that is always nice when I have a way out of eating scary things. </span><br />
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This is me taking care of the scary food!</h4>
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A close up of the gelatin soup. </h4>
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We found SIXTY BUCKS!!!!</h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A wonderful thing happened this week as my companion and I were walking on the road, I was busy talking and my companion said... LOOK LOOK!!! And she bent down and grabbed a twenty dollar bill that was just lying in the dirt road! I then told her that is a fake that is a fake bill Hermana. But lo and behold it was REAL!!! And what was even crazier was we found TWO MORE TWENTY DOLLAR BILLS!!!! So we are saving the sixty bucks that we found to give to someone who really needs the help. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, this Sunday, was totally awesome!!! We were sitting in sacrament meeting and I started counting all of our investigators that were there, I finished counting and we had NINE investigators at church!!! NINE!!! I don´t remember the last time that we had nine in a sacrament meeting. But what was even cooler was we were just counting the adults... Because two families came and if we counted their kids our numbers would have been 18 for Investigators that attended Sacrament Meeting! It was a great Sunday... and then we entered Relief Society.... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our relief society president is a little interesting... She is familiar with the seven sisters that come to relief society, (yes only seven sisters are present in the third hour) But this Sunday we had three investigators there... and our Relief Society president only gave a warm welcome to the mother in law of one of the sisters in our ward.... I raised my hand to say... "Hey we have got three visitors here!!!" But she didn´t call on me... So I just kept to myself... But what I should have done was just shouted out that we had more visitors present. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In smaller branches the teachers have a tendency to just read from the manual... Well this is a problem because in our little town there are a lot of people who can´t read. Sometimes the lessons are a little bit of a challenge... Especially since the manual we are studying is complicated for someone with little or no education.... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well the teacher stood and just started her lesson by saying, "Hey sister so and so can you read the next three paragraphs?" I was a little bit frustrated. Then the teacher called on one of our investigators to read she asked, "Uhhh tell me your name? Okay... Daisey, do you know how to read?" ........ As the words left the teachers mouth I was infuriated!!! What kind of question is that???? It was not just the question... it was the tone of this teachers voice that set me off... She was so degrading as she asked the question.... can you read?... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And what was worse was when the teacher asked the question our relief society president started laughing! It was so obnoxious and RUDE!!! She had to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter... Our little investigator said, "Yes... I like to read!" And gladly read the paragraph. Then our next investigator had to read and she stumbled on a couple of words and every time she stumbled or stuttered over what she was reading our relief society president once again had a giggling fit. I was so upset and mad.... How could someone possible be SO RUDE as to laugh at someone who is 27 years old struggling to read!!!!!!????!!!!!! Well I just had to grin and bear it... I just hope that these investigators that were present come back.... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All I can say is the church is true and it´s members are imperfect... I should be more patient with others and just let things slide but it is quite a challenge... So I am working on it. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well my time is up but i hope you enjoy the photos.... </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love Hermana Welch (Jess) </span></div>
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Maybe we could stand to lose a little weight!! In our defense, the ropes to our 'new' hammock in our beautiful seaside apartment are really old! </h4>
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The new trainers!! With so many new missionaries in the field, anyone with 6 weeks is a trainer!!</h4>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-45761768828720441832013-05-13T16:34:00.001-07:002013-05-13T16:37:50.335-07:00Duran to Jaramijo<br />
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Well Happy Mother´s Day and happy Monday! I hope that things are going great for you all and that you had a wonderful past 2 weeks. Sorry that I didn´t have a chance to write last week... I was kind of busy! But we are on today and we are doing great.<br />
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I am going to give you all an update on what happened last week. It was probably one of the best weeks on my mission. Well.... Hermana Peralta and I were enjoying our last week together... (We actually didn´t know it would be our last week together but it was a great week.) We met a new investigator who is friends with a member in our ward who went on a mission about 15 years ago. We were waiting for our investigator to show up to the house of the member and while we were waiting the member brought out all of her mission pictures to show us. All of her pictures were in a gift bag and all the pictures were rumpled and crinkled and I mentioned why she didn´t have the pictures in an album. </div>
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Well that was the wrong question to ask... she then started to cry and told us that she doesn´t like to look at her mission pictures that much because it makes her all depressed and sad. I just looked at her and thought... Uhhh why would your mission pictures make you sad??? She then started talking about all of the trials that came into her life after her mission. Well for a sister missionary talking to a returned missionary about all of the trials that are going to come into your life after your mission makes you kind of nervous. </div>
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But as she started talking about all of the trials in her life it was easy to see why she was so sad... she was choosing to live a life that was not in accordance to the way of life that she had been preaching all of her mission... I thought it was very very interesting but it was very easy to see why she had suffered so much. It made me think of Mosiah 2:41 that says, "Remember the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God." </div>
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The best and the worst part about last week was when I had to say goodbye to those that got baptized when I was in Duran. On Sunday morning I got a call from the assistants saying that my companion and I had to be in the terminal in two hours. They told us that we didn´t have to bring any bags. So we went to church and then right after sacrament meeting we had to catch a taxi and go to the terminal. </div>
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We went to the terminal and picked up two other sister missionaries and brought them back to our house for the night. But as we were at the terminal the assistants told me that I would be having transfers the next morning and that I needed to pack my bags that night. Well Sunday dragged along and along some more until 7:00 creeped in. I told a couple of my converts that I had transfers and they seemed pretty sad and I was sad too... I don´t know it is kind of hard to have an area change when you have been in an area for so long. </div>
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At around 8:30 Sunday night we ran to the Quintanilla´s house and when we walked in their house they looked at me kind of confused... Why are you coming so late? You only have 30 minutes to visit with us. And then Stalin said.... </div>
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DON´T TELL ME YOU'RE LEAVING!!!! When I told them that it was true he said that I had to say goodbye to his kids. So my companion and I and he and his wife went back into the kids room and they woke up their kids and told them that I was leaving. They both gave me a hug and then I turned around and Stalin and Carolina were crying so hard!!! </div>
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Well I burst out crying and I gave them both hugs. (Yes I know sister missionaries are not suppose to hug guys... But I gave Stalin a hug.) We all cried and they both told me that they would never forget me and that they were so sad to see me go. I was just a blubbering mess and I couldn´t hold back the tears. </div>
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It was probably one of the sweetest experiences in my entire mission. I have never felt such a love for anyone but my family... They mean so much to me and I just feel like I was sent to Ecuador just for them... I really felt the love of the Lord as I was saying good bye to them. </div>
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Well Monday morning we went to the Temple and all the sisters that were not already training sister missionaries were there... I was wondering when they were going to send me to another area with one of the sister missionaries... But as all of the new sisters from the MTC came out of the elevator we all realized that... WE ALL ARE TRAINING!!! Ahhh not again!! But I will just have to suck it up!!! </div>
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Well my new companion is from Peru, and her name is Hermana Perez and she is 22 years old. In this group of sisters that we got there were about 5 or 6 that were nineteen. So that is exciting... and they must be really, really, really brave. </div>
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Well when they presented me to my companion the President announced that I would also be opening an area... ... great... And now we are in Jaramijo and things are going really well. We are in a little town and there are bamboo houses EVERYWHERE! These people are so poor it just makes me want to cry. I haven´t been in an area this poor since I started my mission. So it takes me back. </div>
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My companion is awesome and she doesn´t cry and she is tough and she isn´t afraid to talk during the lessons. (A complete opposite of me! I think I cried everyday and I didn´t say anything during the lessons either. Haha!) </div>
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Well I have to wrap this up. I love you all so much and I had such a good time talking to you all yesterday! It was a great day and it is so weird to think that in just three months I will be home! I can´t believe it, but the time has flown by and I am enjoying the work. I love you all more than I miss you! </div>
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Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess) </div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-2296470979737705402013-04-23T15:40:00.000-07:002013-04-23T15:40:27.898-07:00Conferences and old Acquaintances<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Lr1WrDdUy1xguNODtYlI0hBVoSWeeA2Cg-nJ1IBFx5U_Tk1TUpHEYfB-gOp0rFeV-RP26j4iKECv_rFUlneKFjts_4GkD2Ir7ACUWgqPoOgjpExAh-3EjjEJ3LQs_vkywiGXJ9PwLON6/s1600/SAM_1357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Lr1WrDdUy1xguNODtYlI0hBVoSWeeA2Cg-nJ1IBFx5U_Tk1TUpHEYfB-gOp0rFeV-RP26j4iKECv_rFUlneKFjts_4GkD2Ir7ACUWgqPoOgjpExAh-3EjjEJ3LQs_vkywiGXJ9PwLON6/s320/SAM_1357.JPG" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Hermana Welch, Unknown person who just got baptized and Hermana ?<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(I am sure that Jessica has mentioned her companion's name, but all I can find as I <br />go back is, "My companion!" So why include the picture? Because she never sends any and I am desperate for a picture!!) </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Hey Family! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> How are you all doing! I am doing great! Things are really going great for my companion and I. We started a new transfer today, last night we were waiting for a call that never came from our zone leaders to tell us if we had transfers or not. I was so sure that I was going to get transferred, I washed all of my clothes and was picking things up and then I realized... Uhhh it is 11:00... They would have called me by now. So I went to bed. This will be the longest time I have ever been in the same area. I have never been in an area for more than three transfers at a time. (A transfer is 6 weeks) So that is pretty interesting for me. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> This week was just a blast!!!! We had a conference with the President on Friday. We had to travel for about 45 minutes to get to the chapel where the conference was but it was really cool. We were there with six other zones. It was really nice to see so many friends that I haven`t seen in FOREVER!!! Hermana Schlosser was there with the girl she is training and a lot of other elders and sisters were there. It was nice to see everyone. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> Our President is usually pretty serious whenever we have conferences but this time he was really happy and was joking with us the whole time. I had a really good time. He made some announcements and answered a lot of questions that all of us had. It was just a good time to spend with our President. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> The President also gave time to the missionaries who are going home so that they could bear their testimonies. It is pretty cool seeing them go home. Seeing how much they have changed and how they are ready to face a different time in their lives. One elder said, "my family says I have changed... But no one knows how much I have changed but me. I am a different person and I never want to go back and be who I was when I started my mission." It was a pretty powerful testimony and I feel the same way. The mission makes really good changes in our lives and hopefully in the lives of those we serve here as well. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> The weirdest thing about being in that conference with everyone was that it dawned on me that I am not one of the new missionaries anymore. When people ask me how much time I have left on my mission and I tell them that I go home in August they always say... Wow ya mismo! (Wow really soon!) And it really makes me think.... Have I really been away from home for over a year, or is this just some dream and I am going to wake up and be in the Provo MTC again? (How horrible would that be? ha ha)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> The President also showed the baptismal numbers of all of the zones that were present. There were a lot of zones that had zeros for the wards they are serving in. I was really surprised. We are in a South American mission... How is it possible that we are not baptizing? It was nice to see when he put our zone up on the projector, the Duran ward (my area), always had their goal met. I know I am not the best sister missionary, but I am really trying to give my all and not let anyone down.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> This Sunday I had an interesting experience happen to me... As my companion and I walked out of the chapel on Sunday I saw two members from one of my old areas outside. They were dressed in church clothes and one of them told me that they had just visited their Grandma who lives here in Duran. We talked for a little bit but I noticed they were lingering for quite a bit. They asked if I was headed back to my area and I told them yes we had to go. They then told us that they could accompany us back. I told them no we were fine and I told them to say hi to everyone back in the ward. They said sure. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> As I was about to get into the taxi I shook their hands and one of them secretly put something in his hand and handed it off to me while my companion was distracted and getting in the taxi. I turned quickly and got in the taxi. As the taxi rolled away from them I gave my companion the note and told her to read it. She opened the little scrap of paper and read, "Hermana Welch, you have transfers tonight. Call me and let me know if you got transferred. Will you do it?" and on the back side it had his number and by his name he drew a heart!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> My companion then looked at me and asked, "When did he give this to you? I didn`t even notice!" I told her that he slipped it in my hand when we shook hands goodbye! She then started laughing and asked me... "What is he thinking? Does he really think that anything is going to happen between you two?" I then told her... Well he wasn`t thinking. We laughed it off... But I was actually kind of offended that he would think </span><br />
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that I would break the rules to inform him where I was being transferred too. People are crazy. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> Well my time is up... I love you all so much. I am so grateful to be a missionary and I know that this work is worth every effort. The church is true and I am very happy to be here in Ecuador preaching and teaching what I know to be true. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">I love you all more than I miss you!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-62866727945999053492013-04-15T16:13:00.005-07:002013-04-15T16:13:49.800-07:00Presidente?.?. Hola?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well how are you all doing this wonderful Monday afternoon? Things for me are just fine. The weeks just keep on going and going and going because this week I completed my 14 month mark. It is weird hearing people say, "Falta poco" (lack a little, or just a little left) about my time here on the mission. It is pretty cool, but weird at the same time. Especially when I hear myself saying to my companion, "The time goes by so fast." When that thought leaves my mouth I just think.... Did I really just say that? But it`s true, sometimes the days seem like weeks and then other days they seem like hours. But I prefer to tell her the upside of things ha ha.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> This morning we went to the Historical Park. This park has a zoo and we have heard from quite a few people that it is a really neat place. Well, we have to call and ask for permission to go to this area. It is always a little scary calling the president. Because...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">1-The phone call is in Spanish and talking on the phone in a second language is always more difficult than talking in person.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">2- Sometimes the President isn`t always in the best mood when we call.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Having that information in mind when I called the President it was last Sunday night at around 9:40 at night. He answered and I said 'hi' and nervously asked if my companion and I could go to the Historical Park. He then asked me if I had been to the park before and I replied saying, 'no'... Well then there was a grand silence.... I started saying... Hola? Hola? Uhhhh.... Presidente? No escucho. Then I walked into another room in our house and I heard his voice very faintly but I couldn`t hear very well..... and then he hung up on me.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> Well we also have a rule in the mission,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">3- you can only call the president one time if it is not an emergency. Two times if you or your companion is really sick and needs medical attention right away. Three times if your companion ran away. Four times if you or your companion died. So.... I, like a smarty pants called him one more time because the call "dropped." Well, he didn`t answer me a second time.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">So, we thought we would try again this week. My companion called him last night and he answered and when she asked if we could go to the Historical Park again he kind of got a little touchy and said, "No, you two went last week!" My companion explained what happened on our end of the phone call and so he gave us permission to go. So all excited about going to the zoo we went to bed early and got up super early to clean the whole house and then we left early in a taxi. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> Well when we got to the park it was awfully lonely... There were only two cars outside. Well we walked inside and there was no one there we hollered and called and finally a woman came out with a mean look on her face and rudely told us that the park was closed..... .....what?..... Closed... how can this be? So we disappointingly turned around and went to the mall. The stupid park is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.... So I will never get to go.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> What else happened this week. We had a baptism. We have been teaching a family for a while now and the problem is Jovanna and Fransisco are not married, so Jovanna cannot get baptised. She is 58 years old and she has been coming to church with us for five weeks now. She also brought her granddaughter along to church a couple of times. So we baptized her granddaughter. Hows that for lucky? Hopefully we can encourage Fransisco to marry the woman he has been living with for more than 30 years!!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> I am sorry I just don`t get the whole, "We don`t want to get married" excuse.... What is it people... What is it? Tell me I am willing to listen and understand, but why don`t you</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i><b>want</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">to get married? You have a family and you have been together more than enough time to test the waters. I guess I will never understand.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> . .</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well I gtg, I love you all and I know that the Church is true. I love this work even though sometimes it is a little tough. But it is good to have a challenge once in a while.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> :)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love you more than I miss you! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love Hermana Welch #1 (jess)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span>Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-9080070312119214862013-04-15T15:59:00.001-07:002013-04-15T15:59:30.118-07:00General Conference Fiestas!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey family! </span><br />
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How is everything going? From your emails it sounds like things are going great! And yes I agree General Conference was just so awesome! It is like the Superbowl for us as missionaries! Not only do we get to sit down and watch something, but we get to hear from our Prophet! My favorite talk was from President Monson. His talk on obedience really was just for me. I have been dragging my feet obeying some of the mission rules and justifying on how that rule is only for "some" missionaries but I am not included in that category... He made me realize that we need to keep doing our best no matter what rule or commandment it may be. </div>
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I also really liked Sister Dalton´s talk as well. "What e´re thou art act well thy part" I have been kind of grumpy the last couple of weeks. It is hard being a missionary in the first place but when you are working with a new missionary it makes the job that much harder. I am trying to teach her how to work, but sometimes she doesn't seem to want to learn... We haven´t really been getting that much support from the ward and I am kind of sick of asking people to help us out. So Sister Dalton made me realize that I need to suck it up and deal with it... But deal with it while smiling! ha ha!! That is still a work in progress. I kind of forgot that it was about time for her and her counselors to get released... It is always sad when the callings change... But you learn to love the next ones called and it is all great in the end. </div>
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One thing that I still am not used to is the translations on top of the voices of the apostles and our Prophet. I am just so used to their voices and it is annoying when you have a translation on top of your first language. They really deliver their talks with so much passion and love and the translations always fall short. But I am glad that the whole world can listen to our Prophet´s message in their own language, it is such a blessing. Our church really is growing and I am still in awe at how many youth are putting in their papers and wanting to serve the Lord! It is awesome!</div>
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From your emails last week it made me realize that I am forgetting ALOT! When mom and dad were explaining what food you had for Easter Dinner and telling me what kind of spices you used and cooked with my mind was completely blank... Tarragon??? Fennel??? Arugula??? <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Prosciutto??? Did I once know what that food was or are you all using different spices... Or am I turning into an uncultured swine down here? Reading those emails again made me realize that I have been gone for a LONG LONG time. Today I completed my 14 month mark... If that isn´t a long time... I don´t know what is!!! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Well I have to go... The hour for our emailing time is always so short.... There is never enough time. So I will close with my testimony. I know that this church is true... I know that we have a living Prophet on the earth today and that he leads and guides us. I am so grateful to be a missionary and teach and testify about this great gospel all day long. This work is literally a miracle! If you think about it... Sending out 18 and 19 year old kids out to preach the gospel is crazy... But the church is true and the Lord trusts us. I love you all so much more than I miss you!!! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Love Hermana Welch (Jess)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Alma 26:35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God...</span></div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-41776626910024591972013-04-02T10:32:00.001-07:002013-04-02T10:34:59.466-07:00Happy Easter!!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well well well....
Another week has come and gone!!!! This week was really a whirlwind! It
seemed like an eternity and like no time passed at all at the same time!
So, I have learned that that is kind of how the mission is, but I am still not
used to it! I hope you all enjoyed the Easter weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week Hermana
Bu came and visited us. Well she actually was waiting for her new
companion from the MTC to get here. She stayed with us from Monday to
Wednesday morning. It is so much fun to be in a trio. We stayed up
till about 2:00 every night just talking. OHH that made the 6:30 alarm was the
worst... but we got to catch up on our sleep today. It was really fun
being with Hermana Bu this week, she started her mission the same time I did.
She was there in the Airport and she and I were together for two days at the
beginning of our missions. I couldn’t speak ANY SPANISH and we both were
scared to death. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She really has
grown into a great missionary and I hope that she can say the same for
me. We shared experiences about the mission and how things have changed
for us and how much we feel like we have grown. She even told me that she
was surprised about how well my Spanish is. That was THE biggest
compliment. She saw how I was when I started and so it was nice to hear
her nice words and just having her stay with us…this is an exciting time in our
missions, when the president has trusted us enough to train new missionaries.
To have someone to talk to that is at the same point of the mission that you
are is just great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a missionary
you are always either learning from someone, or in a small way in a position
over someone, you don’t necessarily feel that you can be a ‘peer’ with your
companions and it is great to talk to someone that knows exactly what you’re
saying!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She also told me
something really really funny about the very first day in Ecuador that I never
knew. When I arrived at the airport here in Ecuador I had some minor
setbacks. All the missionaries from the Colombia MTC arrived an hour earlier
than my flight. Well even though they arrived only an hour earlier you
have to take into account going through customs and having people check your
passport.... And when I got to Ecuador there was NO ONE in the entire airport
who spoke any English... I don’t know what the deal was but I was delayed
almost 45 minutes by some guy checking my passport and asking me stuff I didn’t
understand. So the customs check took even longer than it normally does!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So two hours later
I finally got out of the Airport. And found the bus waiting for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was full of new missionaries who had
been WAITING--ForEVER!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hermana
Bu was in that bus and she explained her side of the story. She was
sitting in the bus with 10 Elders from the MTC for TWO HOURS WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING.
She then told me that when I finally came out of the airport doors, with the
President and his wife and the assistants, all of the Elders in the bus started
shouting saying, "Wow! Look, look! There she is!!!" "Wow she is
so pretty!" She said they all were pressed up against the windows
like they had been stuck on a bus for 2 hours!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha-ha!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said
it was pretty funny to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought it was funny too, if not a little embarrassing, I couldn’t believe that
the President made them wait in the bus for two hours... That seems like cruel
and unusual punishment!! I’m sure he didn’t think it would take as long as it
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was funny hearing her side
of the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The other great
thing that happened this week was…EASTER!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I can tell you how Ecuador celebrates Easter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here they call it
the Semana Santa, or the Holy Week. Since there are so many Catholics
down here the Catholic traditions have kind of become the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>traditions for everyone. Not too many
years back, the Catholics didn’t eat dark meat during the whole week they just
ate fish. That is the first tradition... No meat. On Sunday before
Easter, on Palm Sunday they all go to church with Palm branches to recognize
that special day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then on Friday,
Saturday or Sunday they have this soup called Fanesca... Well it has 12 grains
and it is such a heavy soup and it has fish... Not the best combination if you
ask me but it was interesting. On Friday everyone walks to seven
different churches to remember Christ and his suffering. Then on Saturday you
can’t shower because if you do you will turn into a fish... I don’t know how
that tradition got slipped in there but there it is. And on Sunday
everyone goes to church.... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now I know you are
asking yourself, where are the Easter eggs and the candy and the Easter
bunny? Well I asked the same question... They don’t do any of that.
And when people asked me what I do for Easter if felt kind of dumb saying...
Well we paint hard-boiled eggs, and on Sunday morning we have a basket that an
Easter bunny fills with chocolate bunnies and eggs and... Everyone seemed to be
waiting for something more. And as I thought about it I was a little bit
chagrined as well!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that is
what we do... I assured them that we go to church on Sunday to remember the Savior.
But one Pastor of a different faith abruptly asked me... "Do you even
believe in Jesus?" I laughed because it was kind of hard to respond
to him because he couldn’t stop mentioning the Easter Bunny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did the Easter Bunny get in there
anyway?!?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a pretty good
question!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then on Sunday when
my companion and I went to church with our new converts we were expecting at
least one talk directed to the theme of Easter... but not one speaker talked
about Easter... If that isn’t a crime I don’t know what is!! All of our
recent converts after church kept asking... "It’s Easter Sunday
right?".... Yes... yes it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>OK, Speakers, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we get that
we celebrate Easter every Sunday when we take the Sacrament, but can’t we make
a special mention of it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
it’s worth that!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">On another note, I
am getting really excited for General Conference to come. There isn’t a
time that is more valued by missionaries than General Conference time. I
have never been so excited for General Conference in my life!!! And I hope all
of our investigators come so that they can really feel the spirit while hearing
Apostles and our Prophet speak. What a blessing it is to have a living
Prophet on the earth today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I hope that you all
had a wonderful Easter and I am so grateful that we can remember this time for
our Lord and Savior. If it were not for Him we would have no way of
returning back to live with our Father in Heaven again. I am so grateful
for his sacrifice and I am so glad to be in His service. I have learned so much
during this time as a missionary and I have so much more to learn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I love you all more
than I miss you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Have a great week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Love Hermana Welch
#1 (Jess)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-90061933024699908822013-03-25T15:51:00.002-07:002013-03-25T15:51:52.028-07:001 2 3<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey family!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> Well how have things been going this week for you all... I can`t believe that Charlotte is getting bigger... From the pictures everyone looks really great. I can`t believe how big all of my nieces and nephews are getting.... It isn`t fair that I am missing them growing up... But I tell myself that it would have been the same if I was in school... But that isn`t all the way true... Because at least I would be able to face time with you all. Facetiming on the mission is out of the question</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Yesterday in church we had a visitor who I will never ever forget. We got to church at 7:45 and the Bishop came out and told us that we had an investigator in the chapel... Uhhh we looked in the chapel expecting to see someone that we had invited to church and it was a woman in a full length cream colored dress with sunglasses on sitting in the front row. We told the bishop that we had never seen her before but we would talk to her anyway.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">We walked in and I asked her her name and she said... "How does it go again... 1, 2, 3, Veronica." Right then and there I knew that this was going to be an interesting Sacrament Meeting. Well as the meeting started she would lift her hands to about shoulder height and wave them as if she was shooing away a fly. Or other times she would wave her hands like she was directing the music. When we took the sacrament she took the bread and in the complete silence she said in quite a loud voice, "THIS IS FOR MY BROTHER." and she just held the bread. Then when the water came she took the cup and said, "I`LL DRINK THIS FOR MY BROTHER." Man, the second time was a little disconcerting. But what was worse was we had another investigator who came in late so I was sitting by my companion who was sitting by our investigator who was sitting by this interesting woman. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well the whole sacrament meeting I thought "Man.... What are we going to do if she gets up and screams or something..." right as that thought came into my mind, she stood up and turned to face the crowd and she said, "1, 2, 3, HOMES!" and started taking a one-two step kind of move in the aisle... Man I felt my heart in my throat pounding and pounding and pounding and she sat down so abruptly like nothing happened. Well what do we do.. Do we escort her out... or do we act like nothing happened.... I was so surprised but all she did for the rest of the meeting was wave her hands like she was directing music. Ahhh sometimes we experience the craziest things!!!! .</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This week was pretty interesting. My companion and I have been having some trouble getting people to accept to be baptized. Well we came home one day and after we gave our report over the phone to our District leader I looked at my companion and said.... What is wrong here?.... I am not happy with our work, what are we doing wrong? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well the next morning I studied the 12 week training program that all of the missionaries have to go through. I looked at all of the goals that we have to complete. There is a page of things that we have to verify and rate ourselves to see if we are really working sufficiently as missionaries. The thing that is interesting about this verification is we have to do the same verification three times during the 12 weeks of training. This is so that we can REMEMBER what we need to know!! I looked at our numbers and analyzed where we were going wrong.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">We only have the rating of 2 out of 5 on two goals. The first goal is, "During the first lesson, I invite my investigators to be baptized." and the second one is, "I invite my investigators to be baptized with a baptismal date no later than the second lesson." Reading those goals it just sounds so absurd... how are people going to accept to be baptised during the first lesson?... this is never ever going to work. Well we watched the Preach my Gospel videos again and the way they invite people to be baptized is, "If you come to find that these things are true, will you be baptized?" That is the question... Anyone who is really searching for the truth obviously would say yes. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well since we analyzed and studied some more we decided that we should just ask this question to EVERYONE! So that is what we have been doing and you know what?... IT IS WORKING!! We are meeting so many people who are saying, "Si" to our crazy leap of faith baptismal challenge. There really are people who are searching for the truth... You might run into them all the time... But we have to ask the right questions to know if they are really interested in changing their life. So that was a pretty neat experience that we have had... I know to all of the returned missionaries it is a no brainer... But sometimes this sister missionary lacks the faith to actually ask the question... But at least we know that the worst thing that can happen is they will say no! So there is no harm in trying right?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Last night we received a phone call from the assistants at 12:00 at night asking if we had an extra mattress in our house. I groggily told them no and they said thanks and hung up. Then about an hour later our zone leaders called and told me that we had to be at the Terminal at 11:00 in the morning and be ready to receive another sister missionary until her new companion comes. There are lots of new missionaries who are entering into the field. And lots of missionaries have to train these new missionaries. It is hard work. But at the terminal this morning there were five more sisters who are going to train. There are still more elders coming to the field, it is pretty interesting to see how everyone is doing and who is training and who is going home. It is crazy how the time flies.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well I gtg I love you all so much !!!! love, hermana welch</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-77043318160623931312013-03-20T14:59:00.002-07:002013-03-20T15:06:43.685-07:00HABEMUS PAPAM!!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey family,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well the big news for the Catholic Church has finally come to an end. They picked the Pope and everything is settled! It is so funny because my companion is from Argentina and apparently the new pope is from Argentina too. People always ask her, "Well how do you feel that the new pope is from Argentina?" And she looks at them and says... "Uhhh I`m a Mormon... So I feel pretty normal thanks for asking." I guess that everyone thinks that she should be pleased or something....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This week when we were contacting I made the mistake of mentioning to someone, who is Catholic, that their church was in the process of picking a new pope. She then replied saying in the snappiest tone you can imagine, "HE RESIGNED FOR MEDICAL REASONS." I was so shocked that she snapped at me like that and I said, "Yeah I believe you and I never mentioned that he resigned... I just said your church was having some excitement. That's all." Well needless to say she didn`t let us inside to explain more about the truth. And I have stopped mentioning that they have got a new pope... Its a touchy subject...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This week went by really well... Well that is an overstatement. But the week passed so that is a plus! We are having some trouble getting people to actually accept a baptismal date... So that is frustrating since you need a baptism date to baptize someone! So basically we are contacting and contacting and people don`t want to listen or lie to us and say they do and are never there when we go back to visit them... So all in all we are working and are waiting for the results. (If you couldn`t tell... I am not a very patient person!)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">But my companion is getting really good at teaching... I am really impressed by her progress and I am even more pleased when she is happy at the end of the day. Going on a mission is a huge change and she is taking everything in stride. When we practice in the morning she gets so frustrated with her teaching and then when we are in the lessons I know that the Lord is blessing her. It is pretty neat, I just wish she could realize how much she has progressed! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This week I was pretty down, we have been working hard and have been praying extra hard to be able to find someone to teach who is prepared to hear the gospel and who can be baptized and every lesson we go to I just think in my mind... "Well she doen`t want to listen to us." Or "He will never get baptized" and I was prejudging everyone before we really gave them the chance to read or pray about the things we were teaching and on Friday we were headed to visit one woman who we bumped into contacting. She had heard the missionaries before and couldn`t get baptized because she isn`t married.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> (She is living with someone.)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well when we were on our way to this lesson I was just frustrated and was thinking to myself... Why are we even meeting with this lady... We are wasting our time with her.... she isn`t married and can`t progress like we want her to. Well when we got to the lesson we talked about having faith in Christ and how we can be clean again of all our sins through His atoning sacrifice. As we were teaching her she mentioned that she felt guilty for somethings in her life. I told her that she could become clean again, I was about to go on, but her chin started to quiver and tears immediately streamed down her face. I felt so bad for her.... I couldn`t believe that I was so selfish earlier and didn`t even want to go visit with her just because she can`t be baptized. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I felt the spirit so strongly, I knew that the Lord loved her and wanted her to know of His love and I was really humbled by the Lord in that moment. I don`t know what He has in store for these people but I don`t have the right to choose who I will serve and who I will not serve. I am on the Lord's errand.... Not my errand. This is His work... not mine... As I testified to her I almost lost it and started to cry but I know that the Lord lead us to her house in this time of her great need. As we left her house I felt such a peace knowing that we could help her... Maybe not in the way that we had intended but we are not in charge. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The words of a hymn immediately came to mind...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="line" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; text-align: center;">
Have I done any good in the world today?<br />
Have I helped anyone in need?<br />
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?<br />
If not, I have failed indeed.<br />
Has anyone's burden been lighter today<br />
Because I was willing to share?<br />
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?<br />
When they needed my help was I there?<br />
Then wake up and do something more<br />
Than dream of your mansion above.<br />
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,<br />
A blessing of duty and love.</div>
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I really need to wake up and do something more! I hope that this week I will do a little better and I am so glad that I was able to have this experience this week. I know that the Lord is correcting me and teaching me so much and I have so much more to learn. </div>
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<div class="line" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; text-align: left;">
I love you all more than I miss you! </div>
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Love, Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)</div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-5855174824661684862013-03-12T16:18:00.000-07:002013-03-12T16:22:47.181-07:00Happy Birthday!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey family!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well it`s Monday again!!! Nick, happy birthday!!! Hope all your dreams come true! I will be there for you next birthday! Well things here are going great! We are just chugging along with the work and hope that everything turns out okay. Sometimes I wonder if what we are doing will bring any results and then the Lord just helps us along so we don`t have to wonder or worry if our work is worth the effort.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This past week my companion completed two months in the mission and I completed 13 months in the mission. I tried to make her two month mark the coolest day ever but everything I do is kind of useless because she feels like she has a LOOOONNNGGG time to go before she finishes her mission. Especially when the people here ask how much time she has before she can go home. When she says, "I still have 16 months left." people here always make faces like... "Are you serious???" One investigator even said, "The mission thing is an obligation... No one in their right mind would voluntarily do this... right?" When we told him... "No, haha we signed up for this", he seemed to think we were crazy... But I even thought I was crazy when I first got here to Ecuador...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well.... It is hotter than Hades and it is raining like crazy and I don`t know why people live here... No the real question is why the people don`t have air conditioning. Because I could live here... (wait...I am living here!) But it would be nicer if air conditioning existed. Also these people drink HOT soup before every lunch and dinner... That is something I will never understand. AND they drink this hot thing called "colada" which is the grossest concoction on the planet. They make it out of cooked oats that they liquefy with milk and then they add fruit to it. It`s gross you're not missing anything. But when it is really hot I don`t know why they serve us more hot things to eat. It is cruel and unusual punishment to me. "Can we just have like a salad or something?" -kid from Nacho Libre (that line has so much more meaning to me now)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well what else happened... My compànion almost got bit by a dog.... We both got really sick yesterday and were up all night from the bad food we ate... not fun... But we are better. Everyone lies to us and says they are not home or not available to listen to us. But besides all of that we are really happy and it`s because we know what we are doing is right. And the gospel is true! That is all that matters!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This week Beatriz got baptized... Yes it was a miracle. That woman was so hard to figure out. One day she would be happy with everything we said and would be a little optimistic about her baptismal date. Then the next day she would be opposed to everything we said and ask really difficult questions that were practically impossible to answer let alone in Spanish. But through all the ups and downs she took the plunge. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Her baptisms was kind of a flop though. We told everyone in the ward 7:00. People the baptism is going to start at 7:00 on the dot!!! So please be there to support us. Well we got to the chapel at 6:45 and as we stepped out of the dirty bus, Beatriz was just pulling up to the church on her motorcycle. We went inside and showed her the baptismal font and her baptismal dress and then we waited for the people to show up... And we waited some more. When 7:30 rolled along I then called the Bishop asking where in the world he was since he was going to baptize Beatriz. He told us he was on his way. After that phone call I started calling other church members like crazy trying to persuade/ask/beg/plead them to come... And everyone said NO!!!! Ahhhhh then I received a phone call from our ward mission leader saying that he was really sick and couldn`t come to the baptism either. So not only did I have to say the opening prayer and lead the music and give a talk I had to DIRECT THE BAPTISM!!! It was kind of awkward saying, "And now I am going to talk a little bit about baptism and after I finish talking we are going to have the baptismal ordinance performed by Bishop...." But it turned out okay considering it was a complete disaster.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">But after Beatriz changed back into her dry clothes she came into the room and her three year old daughter ran up to her and gave her a big hug saying, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" It was pretty cute but those kids are so smart. It was Beatriz`s birthday... it was the day she was born again!! It really touched me and I was so grateful to have played a little part in helping Beatriz along the way. I am so grateful to be a missionary and I know that there is lots of work to do and only FIVE MONTHS to give it my all!!! Wish me luck!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love you all more than I miss you! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love Hermana Welch #1 (Jess)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><br />
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-74043169777171697452013-03-04T13:58:00.000-08:002013-03-04T13:58:14.663-08:00Keep the Sabbath Day Holy People!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Familia!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well well well... It`s Monday again!!! The time just goes by way way way too fast!!!! Because next week I complete 13 months in the mission... I honestly can`t believe how long I have been gone away from home. I am kind of nervous about the way I look... I have little wrinkles at the corners of my eyes because we can`t use sunglasses and the sun just makes me feel like my eyes are burning out of their sockets so I squint a lot. The back of my neck is a nice crispy burnt color and my hair is so long and scraggly that I look like.... I don`t know... I just look scary! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Today I finally mustered up the courage to cut my hair... I have wanted to cut my hair for a while now. And I have been scouting out all the hole in the wall barber shops here, and I finally found a decent looking salon and the lady there seems like she kind of knows how to cut hair. (The problem is that there are always cross dressers and I want a woman to cut my hair...) Well we went today and they were closed... My companion then said, "Maybe this is a sign that you shouldn`t cut your hair..." That then freaked me out... I found myself asking, "Where is your cousin when you need her?" So Tiffanie, you are missed!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well this week we had wonderful news... Beatriz had her baptismal interview and she said that she wants to be baptized! I think I need to show a little more faith in the whole conversion process... Sometimes I don`t believe that others want to live the gospel or I show a little bit of surprise when people actually accept what we are teaching. But if everything goes according to plan we will have a baptism this Friday. I am just so in awe... We found her tracting about a month and a half ago and the initial contact wasn`t that great. She didn`t want to let us inside but I was looking through my old planner trying to see if I missed going back to visit some of the contacts that we had and I don`t know why but we went to the house of Beatriz. So I am so glad that the Lord always is willing to help us remember the people we have to go back and visit.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">We have only been teaching her for two and a half weeks and she is ready and has read quite a bit of the Book of Mormon. She had quite a few doubts about Joseph Smith and we just told her to keep reading after we had taught her the restoration again. And now she has a testimony of not only Joseph Smith but of Thomas S. Monson as well. In church this Sunday she stayed for the classes after Sacrament Meeting and she said that she felt really good in all of the meetings. Basically it`s a miracle! Haha</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">But Sunday was kind of a hard day for me yesterday. Well I have seven new members in this ward that I helped baptize and only three of the seven showed up... So after church we went to look for them... The Quintanilla family woke up late and decided not to come. When we talked to them a little bit more about the importance of the Sabbath Day Carolina looked like she was about to cry. It is so weird... but people don`t realize how much Sunday effects the whole week. When we were with the Quintanilla family they were so sad!!! I was just so shocked at how obvious it was! Go to church....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">But I was even more sad when we went to the Guatapi`s house. THEY HAD THEIR BAKERY OPEN!!! My heart jumped to my throat and I felt that tears were on the verge of spilling over. I said a quick prayer PLEADING with the Lord that he would help me know what to say. I just was so sad that they had opened up their Bakery... But as we walked closer to the bakery I felt something whisper...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">this isn`t your job... </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I then looked at my companion and asked her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">what should we do... She told me, "We should ask the Bishop what to do... Because this isn`t our responsibility anymore." So we went and talked to the Bishop and he said he would talk to them. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I am just really really surprised at how Satan works on all of us. People know what is good and they know what is bad. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b>"And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men." </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">But somehow Satan always gets us to justify what is right and wrong. It just makes me pretty sad that people fall and don`t trust the Lord enough to wait for his blessings... Keeping the Sabbath Day holy isn`t that hard. But Satan gets us to justify the little things... Because even he knows that "by small means are great things brought to pass." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The way we keep the Sabbath day holy shows how deep our conversion really is. "The importance of a sacred day for man to rest from his temporal labors, contemplate the word of the Lord, and assemble for public worship is a major item in a person’s spiritual development. Furthermore,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b>a decay in the national religious life always follows any tendency toward carelessness in the matter of Sabbath observance.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The existence of a weekly holy day is a most important safeguard; it leaves a constant reminder to the individual of his need for spiritual sustenance and his duty before God, and serves as a witness to the world that there is such a thing as revealed religion."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Soooo... Long story short... keep the Sabbath Day Holy. I don`t have any more time but I just want to say that I know that this church is true and I am learning more and more everyday. I am learning more from looking at the lives of others and seeing how the gospel is changing their lives because it is pretty hard to see the changes in ourselves. I am happy to be here in Ecuador and I know that there are many more who are waiting for the gospel... So take a chance and open your mouth and share your testimony... and "You shall not be confounded before men" I know this to be true!!! I love this gospel.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love Hermana Welch (Jess)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-61697008071508929692013-02-25T15:05:00.001-08:002013-02-25T15:06:42.686-08:00: )<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Well it´s Monday again! (I know I say that every week but I can´t believe how fast the weeks pass by) Tell Claire happy birthday and I can´t wait to finally meet her when I get home. I can´t believe that she is one and from Dad´s email it sounds like Adalynn talks a lot. That is something that I can´t imagine. When I left she was just saying words and trying to communicate. Pretty crazy how fast they grow. </span><br />
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This week was pretty uneventful but we are still doing well and my companion is now talking quite a bit more than she did when she first got here. And I understand her a little bit better, there is something about being a missionary and having to raise your voice because I feel like I talk twice as loud as I did when I got here. When I first started talking to people I was nervous when they had to ask me to repeat myself. I thought it was because my Spanish was so bad but then my companion told me that it was because I was talking too softly. Well now I have to tell my companion the same thing. So we are getting better with that little detail. </div>
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We have been tracting and tracting and tracting some more and we are not doing so hot with finding new people who want to hear what we have to say. But I am sick of being lied to!!! Man these people are sneaky... or my companion and I are the most gullible people on the planet. We knock on a door and someone opens the door and we try our best to get inside and teach but usually that doesn´t happen... So we set up another appointment with them and when we return it never works out like we thought it would. When we knock on the door the people we talked to either send a kid to lie for them saying that their mom is sleeping or their dad just left. And we even have it to where we knock on the door and the same person answers and then quickly says... "Let me go turn off what is on the stove" and then they shut the door and when my companion and I are standing there waiting for a couple of minutes we realize.... WOW... they are not going to answer the door again. Even after we knock on the door and ring the doorbell again... It is pretty ridiculous but we are not giving up that easily!!!! </div>
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When the people lie to us I always sing, "Just you wait Henry Higgins just you wait.... You'll be sorry for the day...." And I can´t remember how the rest of the song goes but I usually make something up. My companion asked me yesterday what the song meant and then she made a face when I told her and asked.... "Tell me again why you sing the song?" I guess I am a big nerd and singing that song full of revenge just makes me feel better... </div>
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This week we got caught in the rain and it was CRAZY!!! Ecuador really gets some rain!!! I just can´t believe it! It is like the movies when the day is fine and then three seconds there is a crack of thunder and rain just pours. (I thought the movies were just being dramatic... But it really rains like that!) Well luckily the mission gave us new umbrellas that we can collapse down to fit into our back packs because I hated walking around with the long umbrellas... I felt like I was carrying around a sword all day hanging on the side of my backpack. But do you think that the people show us any mercy when it is raining? NO!!! People ask us what we are doing out in the rain and when we say we are missionaries they make a face like... Well you must be stupid!!! One old man even told us, "Maybe the rain a signal from God telling you to go home!" I laughed pretty hard when he said that!! </div>
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We have been teaching a woman called Beatriz and she has received ALL the lessons and she even reads the Book of Mormon. She told us that when she reads the book she knows that it is true. Well the only problem is that she doesn´t want to be baptized. So that is a big hold up. She even came to church yesterday so we are going to see what she says today. But when we were asking her if she had any questions for us she had quite a few questions about Joseph Smith. We explained the Restoration again so that she would remember what we had taught her. I then asked her if she believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet and she said she wasn´t sure. I then told her that the Book of Mormon is evidence that Joseph Smith is a prophet. Well she told us that she would pray about it again. So we are pretty nervous about what she is going to tell us tonight. But I still don´t get how people can say that they believe that the Book of Mormon is true and not accept Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. </div>
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We have been visiting the Quintanilla family and it is pretty neat to go over to their house now. They have changed so much. They don´t yell at their kids as much as they used to, they are really nicer to one another... It is just amazing how the gospel blesses the lives of EVERYONE! They are teaching their children how to pray. Jeremy their son is about 5 years old and he says a pretty good prayer but gets stuck in the middle and then repeats what his dad says. Well last night we all burst out laughing because Hermano Stalin said, "Bendice las hermanas para que ellas pueden encontrar mas personas." (Help the sisters that they can find more people to teach.) and Jeremy repeated, "Bendice las hermanas para que ellas pueden encontrar mas esposos." (Help the sisters that they can find more husbands.) We all were laughing so hard that we had to start the prayer over again. But it is so neat to see them teaching their children how to pray. We all are kneeling in a circle and it is so awesome to be a part of that experience with them. </div>
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Experiences like these make all the super hot hard days of work worth it. I am so grateful for this experience and I am seeing how the gospel b<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">lesses us. <a class="bookmark-anchor dontHighlight" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1707801911113689880" name="41" style="background-color: #f9f6ed; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"> Mosiah 2:</a><span class="verse" style="background-color: #f9f6ed; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">41 </span><i><span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; line-height: 22px;">And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and </span>happy<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; line-height: 22px;"> state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are </span>blessed<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; line-height: 22px;"> in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out </span>faithful<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; line-height: 22px;"> to the end they are received into </span>heaven<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; line-height: 22px;">, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.</span></i></span></div>
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Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1707801911113689880.post-67413521650811195532013-02-18T16:53:00.004-08:002013-02-18T16:55:17.878-08:00You signed up for this! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Hey family! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> How have you all been? I hope that things are going really well. From your emails it sounds like you are all really busy. Well I am still trying to get caught up on all of the letters that I have been receiving.... If anyone has written me a hand written letter and still hasn`t gotten a response... I am so sorry... I am working on it. But there is little time here in the mission and now that I am training a new sister the little time that I had is now gone! Hopefully I will finish a couple and get them out soon. But thanks so much for writing me! It really makes me so happy to read your letters.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> This week my companion and I have been working hard to find new people to teach. We had three baptisms this past Saturday and now we are back to the drawing board. We are teaching a teenager named Stephany but I don`t really like teaching people who are not 18 years old because no matter how strong of a testimony these kids have sometimes their parents just don`t want them to get baptized... So sometimes we are working with people who will never ever have permission to be baptized while we are in this area. So we are still looking for more people.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> It is pretty hard some days to keep working hard no matter what we are faced with... This last week we met a couple of people who were pretty rude to us last week. Usually the people here are pretty nice but last week it seemed like every house we knocked on the people seemed to be really mean or upset with us. As soon as my companion said, "Hi, how are you" to one women she practically screamed at us and said "why can`t you people leave us alone!" I then told her that she didn`t have to be rude and she then said even madder, "Well you girls knocked on my door this morning!!!" And she then waved a Jehovah`s Witness pamphlet in our face. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> My companion looked like she was about to cry because this lady was really rude! But she calmed down when we apologized for bugging her. But I just have to tell myself... You signed up for this... you signed up for this.... Just take it and smile. So we smiled and miraculously she accepted another visit from us. We will see if she is actually home when we go back to her house.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> Carnival was last week we don`t have this holiday in the United States but it is when everyone gets water and has water fights for three days straight. They also buy colorful powders and smear it or throw it on everyone or they crack eggs on each others heads. I thought it looked pretty fun and wanted to participate but we received strict instructions NOT TO GET INVOLVED. So I couldn`t celebrate Carnival with the rest of Ecuador. My companion and I only got wet once because as we were walking by some drunk men they all started shouting "AGUA AGUA AGUA!!!!" I was just glad that they threw water on us and not beer or eggs or dye. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> We have been visiting our converts lately and the Guatapi family has their family in town. They were pretty nervous about having their family come into town because they used to get drunk with their brother... And now their brother has no one to get drunk with. Well we went over to their house and asked how they all were and if we could share a quick scripture with the family. Well they told us that their brother was upstairs alone... Drunk and mad because he was drunk alone. Then brother Guatapi said, "We explained the Word of Wisdom to him and he didn`t want to listen to us..." Then I saw the pamphlet out on their table and I was so proud of our little family! They are so great and are doing the best they can. We told them that the Lord is probably really proud of them for sticking up to their values and staying strong. I was really surprised that they actually wanted to share with their brother the gospel. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> We also visited the Quintanilla family that was baptized last week. They have been receiving a lot of opposition from their family since they got baptized... But they are happy. Carolina said that ever since we talked to them about the gospel she has been happier. She always gets emotional whenever she talks about how the gospel has changed her life... But I am so happy that I met these wonderful people. I am so glad that I am on my mission right now and I know that I am supposed to be here. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> Well I love you all more than I miss you!!!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Love, Hermana Welch (Jess)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span>Jessica Welchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05535792114623205077noreply@blogger.com0