Tally Thanksgiving

   Monday we were in the office from 7:30 am till 5:45 pm helping President Smith with things! It was wild! We were talking about the next few transfers and what our plans are and what things we feel would benefit the mission! A Lot of it was just raw ideas we were throwing out there so President said he was going to think about it and we would talk about when he got back from Destin. We were given time to make up for our lost p-day on another day of the week, but we didn't find any open time to do it! I guess thats a good problem! November flew by! Its crazy how fast time is moving, We traveled over 3000 miles this month!(get it??? time moving...3000 miles, man i crack myself up) 

 Tuesday we had district meeting! It went really good! We did our conference call with the whole mission, helped move the Christmas tree into the Mission Home, and then headed to Cottondale and meet up with the Dothan Zone Leaders. I went with Elder Crook back to Tally! Im so privileged to be able to go on exchanges with missionaries that are of a high caliber! Its very humbling and exciting to be able to learn from them! I love it! I learned a lot from the day that i spent with Elder Crook! He's a great missionary! 

   Wednesday we worked for a bit then headed back to Cottondale to exchange back! We didn't have much going on! 

   THANKSGIVING!!!!! What a great day! We went and played turkey bowl with some members from our ward and the missionaries from 2nd ward and 3rd ward! It was a lot of fun! Half of us didn't have cleats so we were slipping and sliding all over the place, but worth it! We lost on a touchdown pass that the guy dropped but said he caught! Clearly he dropped it! But oh well! I guess he will have to answer to Heavenly Father for lying to a bunch of missionaries! After football, we went out to the Patton's in-laws! (By the way Ben and Kasey Patton; AKA: the coolest members in the mission are having a kid! We going to get them to name him {if its a boy} Nicholas Landon Patton! [Coolest name ever} ) There was a lot of people there! The food was great, but they keep bringing us more and more! I was going to blow!! I had people coming and checking to see if i had eaten all of my "Greens". Then we went to President Austin's house and fellowshipped the people there! Some of President and Sister Smith's kids came to visit so we went over there and taught them a Thanksgiving lesson! Super fun to be able to get to meet them! Then we went and taught Sister Hughes! Man i can even tell you how amazing her lesson was! It was so powerful! Probably the strongest lesson on my mission! We had been teaching a lesson to all the members about trials and relating trials to baking a pumpkin pie! But for some reason we taught it a different way, but Elder Sorenson and I were on the same page! We were clicking!! The spirit was amazing in that room! We said stuff that i needed to hear myself personally! It was amazing! I may have needed that lesson more then Sister Hughes did! It was amazing the spirit and the guidance we were given in that lesson! When i stood up to leave i felt the words,"Ask her if she would like a blessing!" but before I could get the words out of my mouth Elder Sorenson asked her, its nice to have companions that can hear and follow prompting. So amazing that when you and your companion are unified with each other and the Spirit how powerfully you can teach and testify! 

   Friday we went on exchanges with Panama City Zone Leaders!I went with Elder Truman to the PCB. We just contacted all day but one fun thing that happened was when we were out tracting we were walking down the street and some lady pulled her car over. When that happens it usually isn't a good thing so I was getting ready to go on defense mode. She rolled her window down and said "do you like key lime pie?" My first thought was, great this lady is going to throw a pie in our faces. However she just gave us a free one, nice lady! 

   So on Saturday we headed for Mexico Beach where we were meeting up to exchange back! Once we traded off we went back to Tally and went and taught Celine! She has been going through some trials with school and work and her parents so we were able to share some really good talks with her through out the week and we talked about them and she sorta just vented to us! You could tell she needed to just talk! So we just talked about life and how our Father in Heaven lets things happen to us so we can grow! I felt prompted to refer her to a mormon message titled "Mountains to climb" so I did and then a little after i thought that Elder Sorenson said he was going to do it Wow! Lightening strikes again, the power of being unified and both recognizing the spirit and following it! We talked a lot about the talk from Jeffery R. Holland, "Cast Not Away Therefor Thy Confidence" (Powerful talk y'all should go read if you never have) but she is staying strong and fighting back against Satan! She's amazing! Sunday was great! Church was good! Riley (Lauren Ladles boyfriend) came again! Like his 4th or 5th time! We haven't been able to teach him but have a FHE set up tomorrow with him in the Ladles home! We are pumped! He's a great kid! Super strong faith in Christ! We actually gave Celine a blessing for what i already talked about too. She's staying strong! Thats all for this week, know I love and miss everybody and that All is well. Oh also go watch the video on christmas.mormon.org ! Super good! About the true meaning of Christmas! Then share it! #sharethegift! We are doing it as missionaries and trying to spread the true meaning of Christmas! It's a powerful video!! You'll love it! :) Hope you enjoy!! 

    Elder Welch