Becoming a Southern Bell: Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing!

Hey Y'all!

So this week was pretty amazing. :) To start it off, we had Zone Conference. It was an amazing experience, especially since it was all about faith. The faith to accomplish our goals. The faith to find, teach, and baptize. The faith to basically be a missionary and know that God is going to help us. I didn't really realize it, but this message was exactly what I needed. This area, however amazing, is still very new. We don't have many investigators and it has been a little frustrating to go out and work with little success. However, as we were in this conference we listened to a talk by Elder Anderson to mission presidents. He told them to have their missionaries keep praying for and expecting baptisms as we go out. He told the story of some missionaries who took the challenge of their mission president to pray for and expect a baptism by the end of the month. Miraculously, they got one the last day of the month! As we listened to this, the thought came to my companion and I's mind that we should do the same thing for this transfer. We left that meeting with renewed vigor to go out and find that one person to teach and baptize by the end of this transfer. :)

And I hope by thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

So we set out, faith high to accomplish our goals and find the one person. The first two days, well they didn't end as we had expected. We worked hard. During weekly planning we talked a long time about our goals and what we felt we could accomplish. On Wednesday we found one or two okay potentials but they weren't interested in meeting us. But we didn't let it get us down!

Jesus Sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God.

On Friday things took a complete 180! We scheduled out to go an tract a TON. Like more than I have ever tracted in my mission. But our hopes were high to find people and we set out. We first contacted a referral from a member. His name is "M" who lives across the street with his fiance. We pulled over at the side of the house and before we could even walk up the steps a man came out. He was "M"! :D We talked with him, and told him that we heard he had just moved in and wanted to know if he would like to hear a message about Christ. He asked what kind of message and we gave a very brief restoration. He agreed with everything! :D He even talked about how it would be important to have Christs original church back on the earth. We were super excited! :D He asked about the Book of Mormons we were holding and said he saw a Spanish version in the house they were renting from relatives. He wanted to read it but it was in Spanish. We gave him and English copy and talked more about it. :) He then told us to call him and set up a time for us to come back! How cool?! :D

After an amazing start to our day, it just got better. We went tracting on this once street and found so many people! One was even a lady who was taking the lessons but stopped. Her daughter died recently and she wanted to know what our belief was on the Plan of Salvation. We talked a while with her and she told us she wanted to attend church some time. :D By the end of the day our spirits were high and we had exceeded three of our goals we set for the day!

He, to rescue me form danger,

interpose His precious blood.

This week has truly been a test of faith. However, no week as a missionary isn't a test of faith. :) We work hard, trying with all our might to bring souls back home. Sometimes, well a lot of the time, we experience rejection. At the end of zone conference we watched a video to missionaries about the Atonement. Elder Holland speaks at one point and, like usual, is super powerful. :) He says the reason he believes that missionary work is so hard, is because "Salvation was not a cheep experience." Jesus Christ atoned for us all. He suffered for us all. We are declaring that, but it won't be easy. The atonement wasn't easy. We need to understand even a fraction of that sorrow that he felt to really know the beauty of this plan. Missionary work isn't suppose to be easy. It's suppose to be hard. But the rewards are the sweet fruits of everlasting life for us and those who do listen and follow Christ. We really are being richly blessed, but we have to experience these hard trials as missionaries to appreciate the blessings. I know that's true, and I know that as long as we keep working we will see more miracles. :)

Y'all's Southern Bell,

Sister Welch