Hey guys,

 I'm doing great! Really!My Spanish is better and I am a lot happier. Me and my comp are getting along a lot better now and yeah, it is just great.  This week was a pretty normal week! But none the less it was great!! My Spanish is really coming a long now and I love it. I'm finally dreaming in Spanish :) haha! I am having a great time here. Anyway, I hope everything is great! Everyone is either working or leaving for a fun family vacation ;) So I'll keep it short this week and try to send some photos. But, _____ is going to church each week now. Pray that she will have a desire to be baptized. She knows everythinbg is true. She is just having a hard time changing her religion due to tradition. But, I know she will be baptized. We have changed her life none the less and I love what she is becoming.

Anyway, I love you guys so much and I think and pray for you each and everyday. I can feel your prayers and your help I love you all! Have an amazing week!!! Oh!! And one other thing! I just found out that we are going to Cordoba tonight to do tramites! Paperwork for my being legal here in Argentina. I'm pretty dang excited for that!

Bye Guys!!

Love Elder Welch

Piles of meat and orange soda….life is good! 

Photos from Rita

 A recent convert friend of Taylor sent me a couple of photos of him this week. She takes good care of him. I love to see his cute face as much as I can. I thought you might enjoy the photos also. CA

Photo taken Thursday of last week. 

Photo taken yesterday.

Tons and Tons better….

Good moooorning Vietnaamm!!! 

What am I doing? No mucho :) Solamente aprendiendo esta idioma y enseñando los mas capos de las personas aqui en Catamarca :) 

How is everyone there doing??  Ha ha!  Just kidding, I just read all of your emails so I know :) It sounds like you are all doing great and I am so grateful for it :) So, first of all this week has been TONS and TONS better. I'm doing great now, really!  Every letter I got last week was exactly what I needed. It made me realize how much support I really do have from you guys and most of all the Savior. So yeah I'm doing a lot better.! ALOT :) 

Yeah (Mom) we´re eating well. Maybe a little too well ;) No just kidding  we normally always have a big lunch....never really breakfast or dinner. But, always a big lunch. Like today we had an asado and it was so amazing!  It was my first one!! POR FREAKING FIN. If you do not know what an asado is it is just a big fire and a bunch of meat. Ha ha! I have cereal. Oh!! and PB and J with the peanut butter you sent me. It's perfect, we can't get peanut butter here at least I have not seen it yet so thanks for sending it with me Mom! The weather right now is HOT, actually a lot like Utah! 

My companion and I have been working super hard to find new investigators and we have a lot.  Seriously this work is amazing. It is perfect and it is the Lords work. There is not one thing about going on a mission that is bad. It stretches who you are physically, mentally, and spiritually; and It also prepares you for your future family, wife, and work life. There are so many more things that I just can't list but trust me, I am so lucky that I am here and there is no where I would rather be. This mission is what I need and God is blessing me in ways that I could never have even imagined. Hermana ______ finally went to church this Sunday and she loved it :) Hermana_______bore her testimony and when I looked out at the congregation I saw _______ almost in tears. This fast and testimony meeting was so amazing and I hadn't felt that strong of a spirit since I've been in the MTC. It was amazing. Anyway, Hermana _________is still struggling with some things and I we really need you to pray for them both. 

Anyway, I CAN feel everyone of your prayers and please know that they are not going unnoticed. I can feel your prayers, your fasting, your faith, and everything you are doing for me. Thank you so much!   I love you all and I pray for you all of the time. You guys are perfect and I am so glad I have this life with you all.  Pray always for anything and everything. I have a solid testimony that Heavenly Father HEARS and answers your prayers. He never abandons you no matter what. Jesus Christ and His atonement is for you. This is something we all must always remember. I learned in the MTC that people tend to think of repentance as a terrible and awful thing that we HAVE to do. Rather, it is the complete opposite. God gave us His son so that we can be clean from every sin, trial, and affliction we have in our lives. Repentance is a beautiful thing it is essential and it is a gift from God. Christ is always with us. He will NEVER leave you. No matter what the circumstance. Please don't take this for granted and use His atonement. His arm of mercy is reaching towards you. I am so grateful for this amazing gospel. I love all you you guys and I love this mission. I love the people here in Catamarca:) I love my Savior I know He lives. I love my Heavenly Father, I know He too lives and He truly does answer every prayer. I love you all and have an amazing week!!! This week will go by even faster than last….. Chau!!!!

Love, Elder Welch 

My first Asado! 

Transfers and I am Staying

Hey everyone!!!! 

I'm sorry I'm really running short on time today. There were A LOT of perfect letters and so I have just been reading mostly. But seriously thank you all for writing me:)  Everything you all said was exactly what I needed and that isn't a joke. It's true that this last week was pretty rough. I had some pretty bad homesickness and there were missionaries who I really loved that left for transfers.  And I guess it's like Mom said before I've just been feeling alone. However, It's hard to explain, I just feel different today. I am better than I have ever been right now and I want to let you all know that.  Bob sent the perfect letter and it just idk...was perfect. You are all perfect and thank you for everything!

SO, With our investigators.They were struggling during this last week but we had a really good talk with them yesterday and I think they are finally realizing what they already know to be true. So please keep them in your prayers. Thank you everyone. Sorry this is so short again. I love you guys and I will talk to you next week. OHH!!! And I have the same companion!! He didn't leave!! WOOOH! Its going to be awesome :) anyway, I love you all and have a great week!!! 

Elder Welch

Saying goodbye to the Elder's who left Catamarca

Surprise Phone Call

I received a phone call today from a women who lives in Layton. She and her son went to Cordoba for the temple dedication. Her son served in Taylor's mission while the temple was being built but left before it was finished. He actually served in Taylor's area and lived in the exact same apartment. He stopped by to see it and they ran into Taylor and his companion. It actually turned out to be quite a blessing for both of them.  The Returned Missionary had worked with a women while he was there who was finally getting baptized that week. When she found out he was in town she wanted him to baptize her. He did not have any white pants, he and Taylor were about the same size so he borrowed his baptismal clothes. It was a blessing for Taylor because he was having a low week and the mother was able to give him a pep talk and explain that her son had a hard time with the language and that he did not pick it up until six to nine months into the mission. She then pointed out how fluent he is now and encouraged Taylor that it would all be OK and that he would get there. I am grateful for the photos that she sent me from their visit and the other photos are the outside of Taylor's apartment. It was a nice phone call. I appreciate the tender mercies that Heavenly Father never ceases to send us if we are looking. 

Baptism and The Day of Independence

Hey guys!!!! 

Ahhh!!! This week has been great!!!! We had intercambios and my companion was from Brazil. We worked together for two days and it was so so fun:) It was great!!! We also used bikes so my legs were super tired:) But, anyway, It was amazing and we are even better friends than before:) As far as me looking tired, I'm fine. I'm sleeping great and everything really. We work hard. Idk what it is. I think it's just the mission life…. haha.

Anyway, today is the Day of Independence here in Argentina!! It has been great! We had a big party as a ward at the church and ate locro. Its like a soup. And I'm pretty sure it had cow stomach in it....haha I'm not sure :) anyway. It seriously was amazing. We had a party with dancing and everything. :)

The baptism last night was muyyyyyy muy lindo. Freaking capo. It honestly was so great and I felt the spirit so strongly :) The best part was when I looked up at Belens brother who was watching her get baptized and right as she came out of the water he just had the biggest smile and almost started crying. He is twelve, He's super cool:) I stood in the circle with my Companion and the Bishop to give him the Priesthood about a month ago! And that was pretty cool too.

I just want to tell you all that I am safe and I am in good hands. I want to tell you and testify that Heavenly Father hears you when you cry out to Him. You may not feel like it sometimes. It might take a while. But, He knows all things. He knows you personally and He knows what you are concerned about. His Son Jesus Christ suffered for the things in your life that are dark. He is there with you. He knows you. It isn't something we all just say, he literally is there and He knows exactly what you are going through. He wants to help, and He WILL help. Do what is right and Have faith in Him always. Persevarar hasta el fin. Endure to the end. There are hard times in our lives but we will get through them with our families friends, the Holy Ghost, God the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ. I Love you all and I am always here for you. :) I am not dead to the world. I am quite the opposite, I am living with it.  I am always thinking of you and I hope you never forget me ;) Because I will forever be with you all :) I love you and thanks for all of your prayers.

Love Elder Welch :)

Helping to bring in the Locro for the Ward Independence Day Party

The Locro

Chocolate treats-part of the celebration

Yum!

Rita and President Alliaud Taylor's Mission President

Such a Special Experience

This week has been fast again...like always. My companion has been sick with the same crap that I had. So that sucks. However, it doesn't mean there hasn't been great things! :) Those investigators that I told you guys about last week that came with us to the Stake Conference are progressing pretty well. They are doing great! The only thing is that they are having trouble with changing from Catholic traditions. However, they know that what we are teaching is true. They´ve told us they know. They have been reading the Book of Mormon and the pamphlets we have been giving them. Both of them said that they had dreams about us and our religion and they said they are feeling things that they have never felt before in their lives. We explained to them that it is the Holy Ghost testifying that what we are teaching them is true. They are amazing people guys and I want nothing more than for them to except this gospel. So, please pray and fast for them to have a desire and be willing to do whatever it takes in order to gain a testimony in this gospel and ultimately get baptized. Oh!!! and their names are ________(twenty four single with an hijo) and ______ (the mother)  Also, please pray for me to progress in this language. I have seen a lot of progress in this last week and I thank you for your prayers and fasting. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and for the Gift of Tongues.

In other news..haha;) Elder Rivera and I have a stinking baptism on the twenty forth for a nine year old girl named Belen! We´ve been working with her since I've been here. All of her family are members (converts) and she was the only one not baptized that is of age. So, anyway. I have my first for sure baptism!! Wooohoo!

Yesterday was the temple dedication!...it was AMAZING. We watched it in our Stake Center. Elder D Todd Christopherson spoke in Spanish and it was such a special experience. (His Spanish is so good) Also, President Uchtdorf was there. He had an Argentine translate for him. It was amazing. We went to two sessions. The 9 o clock and the 3 o clock. One thing I want to share is this. President Uchtdorf talked about how we all must have our goals set on the temple. Our eyes need to be fixed on the temple always and we must always have a temple recommend. If we do this, if we have in our possession always a temple recommend and live worthily of it, we cannot falter. A temple recommend shows to our Lord and Savior that we are living our life how he would have us live it. It is proof that we are doing what is right. I loved his talk yesterday. It's that simple. If there are those who do not have a recommend. Make changes in your life to do so. Have a change of heart and ¨"Be born of God" Mosiah 27:25. We all need to be focused on the temple. I know that temples give us power on Earth that lessens that of the adversary. It gives us strength in our families and in our relationships. Please if you have one, go to the temple. Make it a goal in your life. You will be blessed and I can promise you that. I am so grateful to have temples on this Earth today. I love my Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. They are Real. They love us and they are always there for us no matter what we have done. I love you all and I hope everything is going well :) I will talk to you all next week!! love you!!

Love Elder Welch :)

All of the following photos were sent to me from a new convert in Taylor's area, she is a good friend to the missionaries there and takes care of Elder Welch.  

We had a big basketball game and ate pizza for P-day last week. 

A refreshing snack from Rita a new convert and friend to all of the missionaries here.

A snack from Rita

Elder Welch with his companion Elder Riveria from Peru