19th Birthday

 This week has FLOWN by! On Monday my favorite members in the ward and my recent convert Porters/Cody Cousin took Elder Nelson and I to the beach down here. It is called Pensacola Beach and it was by far the prettiest beach I have ever seen. I will definitely be coming back here for a beach vacation, so pretty! That night we also got to do family home evening with the same family and we carved pumpkins! I never really did much carving when I was back home. It was really fun to do it here, the only problem was that pumpkins only last like 2 days here and then the humidity molds them all up...nasty!  On Tuesday Elder Nelson and I had tradeoffs with the zone leaders, I stayed in Fox Run with Elder Wilkey. We had an awesome district meeting and then went and talked to TJ about getting his patriarchal blessing.  We also gave him a blessing because he was going to get surgery on his leg on the 18th. We then got pizza for dinner and finished the night off with some volleyball up at the church with some nonmembers and some less actives. On Wednesday we helped Cody move and that was about it. This whole week we really were focusing on trying to find people to teach because Elder Nelson and I baptized all of our investigators that we had so we didn’t have much to do. We found two women that a member referred us to.  We taught them the first half of the restoration, she bawled like a baby which was awesome that she felt the Spirit so strongly. However, they both fell off of the face of the earth. I will give more updates on them next week. Friday of course was my birthday! 19 years old already! I had a birthday party over at the Porters where I opened presents, had PAPA MURPHYS J and watched a video where my family was wishing me a happy birthday! I cried like a little baby ha-ha. Thank you to all who wished me a happy birthday this week as well! On Saturday I had a tradeoff with Elder Spencer, a new missionary. We stayed in Fox Run as well, not much happened that day.  I did buy a pair of clippers and now cut my own hair! My mom and sister probably think I’m crazy with how picky I use to be when they would cut my hair. I find myself doing a good job too! Cosmetology is in my blood!

This week I wanted to share something that I have come to love...obedience. I strive for it! I have unfortunately seen the effects of having an obedient companion and disobedient companion. If ya’ll remember me saying at the beginning of my mission, 'obedience brings blessings, perfect obedience brings miracles'...it’s true but I have a new saying that I like better.  "Obedience brings happiness".  It may be hard and at times not very desirable, but it is the most enjoyable thing that I have found on my mission. Second, only to seeing someone walk into the waters of baptism. Remember a few of the Lord's commissions. "Be of good cheer", the Lord wants us happy and it’s a commandment. Then in Matthew 5 and in 3 Nephi 12 the Lord says, "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in Heaven ("and I" in 3 Nephi) is perfect." Take both of those commandments and munch them together! Eternal happiness! I love and miss ya’ll and again I thank you for the birthday wishes!

All is well!

Elder Welch