Come Unto Him

Hey Y'all! :D

"I wander through the still of night,

When solitude is ev'rywhere--

Alone, beneath the starry light,

And yet I know that God is there."

Atlanta temple grounds in bloom

We have had a pretty crazy week! First off, I'll share with you about Eddie. On Monday last week the Lord gave him a trial that I think probably took him to his knees. On Wednesday he texted us and said that a lot of things had happened and because of this sudden debt he would have to start working more. This meant he wouldn't be able to come to church or meet with us as often as he could have. We were very sad. We told Eddie that if he trusted in the Lord and went to church this Sunday that He would send blessings down and help him. At that time he said no to our invitation, however, he still wanted to meet with us. He said that "there was something to" the lessons that he couldn't pin-point (the spirit testifying of course!). After a couple days of texting, we helped him recognize the feelings he was getting when he came to church and met with us was from the spirit and that this was true. We set up a time to meet with him at the church and give him a picture book version of the Book of Mormon to help his studies. There, we asked him what he thought of everything. It took him a second, but after a little he told us that "he wanted to go closer to there." "there" was the temple which he pointed at. :D He knew he wanted it, and even though he still had questions and doubts, the spirit was testifying to him that this church was true! We committed him to come to church and this time he accepted. He went to 2 hours before he had to go to work. This was a huge sacrifice because he only got 3 hours of sleep so he could attend. While there, one of his questions about the Holy Ghost and it's role in the Godhead was answered with powerful testimonies in sacrament meeting and an amazing lesson in Sunday school. It's amazing to see what the Lord did when Eddie just took a step of faith and attended church. :)

"I kneel upon the grass and pray;

An answer comes without a voice.

It takes my burden all away

And makes my aching heart rejoice"

Wednesday proved for a pretty miracle-filled day. We were in an apartment complex trying to contact former investigators and knock around them when we came across a distraught woman. She had her door open and she was talking to a worker in Portuguese. The man left pretty soon and we decided to come up and ask her what was wrong and if we could offer a prayer. She looked at us gratefully and told us all about how her and her two children had moved form Brazil just a month ago, and that in that month they have had so many problems with their apartment. The current problem was that it was infested with rats! She went on for a little and then asked us to pray for her. We did, and then shared with her a scripture from the Book of Mormon. She ended up being interested! :D We gave her one and got her number. She told us she would be interested in us coming by after her and her kids moved out of their apartment. It was really cool to see how the Lord used us as instruments to brighten her day.

"When I am filled with strong desire

And ask a boon of him, I see

No miracle of living fire,

But what I ask flows into me.

And when the tempest rages high

I feel no arm around me thrust,

But ev'ry storm goes rolling by

When I repose in him my trust."

On Friday we went to Mission Leadership Council for all the Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders in the mission. There, we talked a lot about how we could better push forward with the work. One thing that was brought up quite frequently was finding and how we can always be finding in every situation. Finding between appointments was specifically mentioned. So, trying to be obedient missionaries, Sister Davies and I did exactly that when our appointment after the meeting fell through. We knew we were in the apartment complex for a reason, and the Lord truly showed us!

After the appointment didn't answer her door, we turned to the building across the street and knocked the first floor. Nothing. Then we knocked the second and last floor. And it wasn't until we got to the last door that we met our new investigator and the reason we were in that complex. His name is Terry. When we told him who we were and shared with him some of our message he said he wanted to learn more and to know if it was true. We taught him a little about the Book of Mormon, and had him read Moroni 10:3-5. We then asked him if he wanted to know if the book was true and if God had again called a prophet. He said yes! :D We then set up an appointment with him for this next Sunday. :D

"It matters not what may befall,

What threat'ning hand hangs over me;

He is my rampart through it all,

My refuge from mine enemy.

Come unto him all ye depressed,

Ye erring souls whose eyes are dim,

Ye weary ones who long for rest.

Come unto him! Come unto him!"

This week truly has been miracle filled. But one thing I noticed was that it was only filled with miracles when we made the active decision to trust in the Lord and act on that trust. This has been brought up a lot, especially since I have returned from my mission. The Lord can do nothing until we trust him, and if I have learned anything in the past 14 months, it's just that. We need to trust in him. Every time I share my story of coming home and going back out people look at me and are like "wow! you are so strong!" "you are so brave!" "I could never have done that." And I mean yeah, what I had to go through in the past few months and what I'm still going through is rough. But by no means does that mean I am this big strong person for going through this trial. It only means that is how the Lord taught me to trust in Him. Each of us learns in different ways to Trust in the Lord. For me, that included me going home, then accepting the call again to return. But that was a specific trial for me. Every one of us has our own unique stories. Or own ways of learning to trust in God that no one else could have done. Perhaps they aren't as dramatic, but they are just as important. There is a scripture I came across in 2Nephi that I love it says:

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation."

Christ truly is my strength and salvation. He has been the reason I have been able to bare all the trails that have come upon me. He has helped me learn to trust in God. And although I am still far from perfect, I am grateful everyday for the trials that have come upon me. I love Christ, I love my Heavenly Father. And most of all, I love who I have become when I trusted in them. :)

Y'all's Southern Bell,

Sister Welch

Look at this amazing sunset we saw at the temple!

Pictures from Leadership Council meeting.