Surprise!

Hello!

Since this week was Visitors' Center training, and the training didn't start until Wednesday, I had my regular preparation day on Tuesday, and I get one today too! So you get to hear from me again.

So, in my last email, I told you that Sister Lewis and I had the opportunity to take the new Mission Presidents on a tour of the MTC before their training started. We learned some fun facts about the MTC and I just wanted to share them with you. Here they are:

• 1778 missionaries are here right now (At the end of June)
• The MTC's total capacity is 3200. (That's how many beds there are.)
• 51 languages are taught here.
• 539 missionaries check in today (Wednesday, June 22)
• Construction that's going on right now is updating electrical, air conditioning, plumbing, etc, so that the MTC will last another 30 years.
• MTC was built in 1976

This past Monday, the elders in our district left for Virginia. I miss them so much! It's funny how close we got in only 3 weeks. They were all so kind before they left, and wrote letters to Sister Lewis and me. Elder Ch'ng, from Australia, even gave me a little koala pencil grip because I wrote him his first and only letter in the MTC. I hope his family writes him more while he's in the field. And Elder Parry's girlfriend's little sister (did you follow that) drew a picture of me and a flower, which she sent to him and he gave to me. So cute. Of course I had to write her back and draw a picture too. Those elders were really like family by the time they left. Hopefully they can take a temple trip to DC.

Before I forget, here's the quotes and things I've learned the past 10 days:

His purpose can motivate the rest of my life.

"The day I became truly free is the day I decided to give to the Lord the one thing He couldn't take from me: agency." - President Packer

The Lord of the vineyard is already int he vineyard inviting us to come work with him.

Mosiah 5:9 Read this and ask yourself, "Do you know the voice calling you?" and "How can you better recognize the voice?" These are things I've asked myself lately.

Mosiah 5:12 Read this and ask, "Are you called by his name? Are you truly a Christian, or Christ's friend?" These are also questions I've asked myself.

There's another thing I wanted to include, since I have the time. It's a poem that Sister Peterson, our Branch President's wife, gave me. Her friend wrote it, and it is so touching.

It's called "Times of Refreshing: 1820" by Allie Howe.

A wisp of the new morning

Washes across his face

And turns him

To wooded temples.

The way along,

Winged harbingers lighten above,

Through, among, back and before,

As alert, anxious buds

Await nativities.

Under his boot, and on,

Dar leaf-mold, dew-dampened, patient,

A teeming earth secures.

Hearing his step,

The stone beside quickens

To its rolling,

And the showered-clean air,

Ecstatic,

Freshens millennia past,

Whispers everlastings.

Ancient in days, the awakening mother

Lifts

Against his supplicant knees;

And a breath above,

Reigning all the space around,

The Holiest of Holies

Unveil

And Joseph sups from Their Presence...

It's beautiful, isn't it? My favorite part is when the earth lifts to catch his knees as he kneels. I love the symbolism and imagery in this poem.

Okay now some business stuff. Can you send me Grandma's and Nana's addresses, please? Also, keep an eye out for an Elder Devries and an Elder White, both going to Las Vegas, East. Can you also find out how many miles it is from Our house to the DC Visitors' Center? Thanks.

(Miles via freeway is 2450.  As the bird flies 2076.)

ALI WALKER: Write me! (Did you get my letter that I sent you about the note on the fence situation? If not, write me and I'll tell you the story. It's funny.)

One last thing. And it's important: I will be calling home on July 4th between 10:30pm and 11pm Utah time. If Mom's still at camp, I'll still call home and talk to whomever is there, then get her number and call her at camp. If you could be ready, and let her know, that would be great. Thanks!

Love you all,

Sister Welch

Time Flies

June 28, 2011

Dear Family,

This week has been the fastest yet at the MTC.  I have been so busy and so blessed!  Here's what happened:

Monday (a week ago): Sister Lewis and I were trained to give tours to the new Mission Presidents of the MTC.  They received their training last week, which meant that the first presidency, all of the apostles, and many general authorities were here to train them.  There was an even stronger Spirit here for those special days.

Tuesday: Preparation Day.  Nothing too eventful.  Just a great devotional by Elder Sybrowsky about walking WITH the Savior during our missions.

Wednesday: We gave tours.  Mission Presidents are truly some of the most consecrated people on earth and I could feel their strength. (And how overwhelmed they were.  :])

Thursday: We taught three "investigators." I love teaching!  I also shook Elder Christofferson's hand.  It felt like a hand, but it was an incredible experience, because as I looked into his eyes, I had the confirmation that he is an apostle of the Lord, and that those he serves with are also men of God.

Friday: Elder Bednar spoke to us. I wish I had more time to write about his wonderful, wonderful talk.  What a teacher he is!

Sunday: I ate lunch with Preident Brown, the president of the MTC.  He has an incredible memory; he knew the names of all of the 57 branch presidents here.  (And his favorite midnight snack is fruit, toast, and milk.  Just a sidenote.)

Really quick, could you send me personal stories about how tithing has blessed your life.

Dad - How'd your talk go?

Spencer - how's camp and your class?

Mom - How are you liking camp?

Ben - how's your summer going?  Any job yet?

Well, you'll have to get my spiritual thoughts next week.  I'm out of time.  Love you all!!

-Katherine, Sister Welch

So Much Joy

June 21, 2011

Dear Family:

So much joy this week!  I don’t even know where to start.  First of all, I don’t think I’ve ever cried so many happy tears in so few days.  It’s cleansing, in a way and refreshing.  I think Sister Lewis and I keep the tissue companies in business just between the two of us.  And it’s great.

Most of those tears, well, many of those tears, were during out devotional last Tuesday.  Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary General President, came to speak to us and we had pretty good seats, but right before it started, an usher asked us if we’d like to sit in the front.  We said yes of course, and he moved us to the two seats directly in front of the pulpit.  It was amazing to be so close and see the tears well up in her eyes, and feel her spirit.  And her talk was wonderful and just what I needed to feel.  While introducing her, the mentioned that she served with her husband while he was the Mission President of the Washington, D.C. South Mission.  Sister Lewis and I were able to speak with them briefly afterwards and they know the Matsumori’s and asked us to give them a hug.  When I say speak, it was really the Wixom’s who were speaking as we were trying to gain our composure.  President Wixom said, “You know, the elders are great, but you sisters are SHAZAM!”  Even though it was meant to be funny, it made me cry all the more.  They are incredible people and even from talking to them for a brief moment, I was inspired by their goodness.

Later in the week Sister Lewis and I received the news that we were asked to give tours of the MTC to the new Mission presidents and their wives!  This is really the best time of year that I could be here because so many General Authorities and many if not all of the Apostles are going to be at the MTC to train the New mission president.  And I get to give them tours.  Wow.  What a tender mercy.  And I just realized that will be happening tomorrow, which would have already passed when you get this.  Crazy!

Another tender mercy is that no one in my zone plays the piano, so I am the pianist on Sunday.  That is such a blessing.  I was having serious withdrawals when I came here, and Sister Lewis was good to let me find a piano once when we had time after lunch so that I could play.  It really is therapy for me and I wish I had the time to put in a couple of hours into a session.  :)

It’s interesting to see the other ways I’ve had to adjust as well.  Usually, I’m pretty adaptable, but in the past I’ve always had the piano, or family and friends that I could talk to in order to work things out.  Sometimes I just need to talk to someone who knows me in order to process what I’m feeling or experiencing.  I couldn’t do that here, except with my Heavenly Father.  All I had was prayer, and after having a pretty difficult, humbling and confusing couple of days, that is what I turned to in a way that I haven’t before.  And it is so exciting because this is the type of growth that I was hoping for!  It’s been such a blessing.  I’ve always known that blessings follow obedience but I realized that deeper blessings follow deeper obedience.

The days following this prayer were the best yet at the MTC.  My mind was clear and I had the perspective back, and my relationship with Sister Lewis has become even stronger.  My testimony: Prayer is real and such a blessing.

On a completely different note, this is the end of week two without sugar.  I’m debating between stuffing myself with ice cream from the ice cream bar my last Sunday here or going my whole mission without sugar.  It would be so neat to say that I didn’t eat sugar for a year and a half.  But then again, ice cream is one of the better things in life . . . so, we’ll see.

Speaking of sugar, Sister Lewis and I made a candy card for the elders in our district this past weekend.  Some of them have really been struggling and all of them could use the love so we went to the bookstore, bought a bunch of candy bars, and I went to work putting my poetry skills and creativity to good use.  Here’s what we came up with:  (the words in quotes are the candy bars.) (Oh and we’re really working on calling them elders, not guys)  OK Here it is:

Dear Guys . . . Elders . . . “whatchamacallits”

Here’s a little “symphony” that we made up today

Hope it’s not a “shocker”, what we have to say.

Elder Parry’s hiding some sweet “twix” up his sleeve

Elder Zajac (“Mike and Ike”) we’ll be sad to see him leave

Elder Pickup – “York”indness is something we admire

Elder Firth has “mounds” of jokes of which we’ll never tire.

Elder Ch’ng’s “snickers” make us “Laffy taffy” and that’s ‘good as’

And Elder Collett is always a “almond joy” it’s a gift that he has

So remember…

If you’re a “Mr. Goodbar” and gospel “nerd” on your mission

You’ll come home a “Big Hunk” and “Skor” women who like kissin’.

So don’t forget the gospel’s true.”U-no” it with all your “sweethearts”

And that’s worth more than “100 grand” so let it be who you are.

You’re an in”spree”ation to us.

Love,

Sister Welch + Sister Lewis

(a.k.a. “Hot Tamales”)

So there it is full of inside jokes and everything.  As a side note, ‘good as” isn’t a candy bar; it’s just a phrase that Elder Ch’ng uses.  Apparently, in Australia, it means “cool” but he found out that in America it doesn’t sound quite the same.  I’m glad everyone appreciated the humor though . . . and the candy.

Oh, funny story.  This one’s for Madison mostly, but I think everyone will enjoy it There’s and Elder here from DC and he is about as black as it gets and I love it.  He’s so funny and I’m positive he has a crush on Sister Lewis because he’s shameless about it.  Anyway, one day he found out my first name and the next thing I know, he starts calling me K-dub!   We’re not supposed to give nicknames but I couldn’t help my shocked, excited face, and so now, that’s always what he calls me.  He came up to me today and is like. “K-dub, Wazzup doggy?”  It made me laugh, then he talked to us for a minute and before he left, he held out his fist for me to pound and said “Stay black.  Peace.”  Oh Elder Finnell.  What a crack-up.

One of our teachers, Brother Curtis, is also a crack-up.  He got home from his mission in October, but he’s one of those people who would be a missionary for life if he could.  His roommate works at the MTC too, and the other day, he was telling us about a conversation they were having over breakfast about haow they were going to meet the needs of the eggs.”  Oh wow, considering the place I am right now, I did laugh but oh wow.  What a character.

Well now for my favorite quotes.  Learning experiences of the week:

Rosemary Wixom-

You stand as a witness when you wear his name on your chest.  You are a witness when you wear his name in your heart.

Celestial living comes through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Exaltation: being filled with light and truth.

Doctrine applied to people is what converts people.

We need to look with spiritual eyes and listen with spiritual ears. –Elder Holland

Do not rob God from making you what you were designed to be. – Mary Cook

Elder Scott: If you feel distance from the Lord, it’s because of something you’ve done.

Enduring to the end is the principle that comes after every ordinance.  It’s continuing to strive to be like Jesus Christ in a world that is not Christ-like.

Symbolism to think about.  Jesus Christ is the Word. People need communication to exist.  We need the Savior to live as well.

Symbolism: Brother of Jared brought rocks to the Lord (Rock of our Redeemer, the Rock) to light the way (Lord is my light).  I wish I had more time to go into detail because I love symbolism, but you can ponder on that.

I love you all!!!

-Sister Welch

Seeing the "Opportunities" Everyday

Cause missionaries can't have problems.

My computer wasn't working today, andit onlygave me4 minutes, so I'm going to have to snail mail you. And tell Ben to print his emails and send them to me, and not to email me any more, because I didn't read them due to my silly cmputer and don't have time. Also, send your emails to me via snail mail. I really don't have enough time to read and write. Sorry!!! I'll write you today and it should get to you soon. So much has happened in the past week and I'm loving it here.



-Love, Katherine

Seeing the MTC Everyday

Dear Family,

First of all, I want to tell you that I LOVE the MTC. The word that comes to mind when I think about it is glorious. I understand now why they want missionaries to come here before they go out into the field. It's like Nauvoo in the way that it's a little piece of Zion. We're all here for the same cause and we're all unified in that purpose of inviting people to come to Christ.

Bah! So much to tell you and so little time! The computer will automatically kick me off in 30 minutes, and that's down to 21 minutes now, so I'm sorry if this is rushed and incoherent at parts.

Anyway, I'm in a district with 6 other elders, plus my companion, and all of the elders are going to Richmond, Virginia. It's only been a week, and they feel like family now-6 adopted little brothers. They are Elder Firth and Elder Ch'ng, Elder Collett and Elder Parry, Elder Pickup and Elder Zajac.

Elder Firth is our district leader, even though he's the youngest in the group and he is a spiritual powerhouse! He's extremely obedient and just a natural leader. I'm so impressed with his dedication and eloquence when explaining the gospel.

Elder Ch'ng is Chinese, but he's from Australia, and has an Australian accent. It's an interesting mix, but it works for him. Funny story about Elder Ch'ng: We do a lot of role playing and for one of these role plays, he decided to be a Southern Baptist. So imagine Asian Elder Ch'ng, with an Australian accent, trying to talk with a Southern drawal. Needless to say, he sent me into a giggle fit (and all of the other elders) and the role play didn't last very long. Oh wow, it was funny.

Elder Collett is the oldest, he's 20, and it's funny how much a year will do for an Elder's maturity. I think it's Elder Collett's personality too, but he is so meek and willing to learn, and I can learn so much from his example! He's also the most homesick and I wish I could talk to him, or write him a note or help him or something! But it's hard when we're constantly with our companions and I'm trying to respect the appropriate elder/sister relationship rules. So he's just been mentioned quite a bit in my prayers.

His companion, Elder Parry, reminds me a lot of Uncle Craig. He's just really personable, and charismatic, and someone all of the Elders look up to. He gets so excited about the gospel, and the activities we do, and I love that!

Elder Pickup is so much like Dale it scares me. Same mannerisms, same way of talk, same claim to have perfect pitch when he's not even close to having relative pitch. It makes me laugh. He's one of my favorites. (Which they all are, really)

Elder Zajac is the embodiment of lurpiness. He can make me laugh quicker than anyone else in our district and he and I just hit it off the first day. And his voice sounds exactly like Kohor from the Testament movie. But he's such a sweetheart, and tries harder than anyone I've seen.

As for my companion, she's wonderful. Her name is Sister Janell Lewis, and she worked with Steve Hall (home teacher). She's actually 28, and I'm learning so much from her. She's the youngest of 11, pretty independent because she's been on her own for so long, and our goals usually have to do with working on companionship unity. Both of us aren't used to being attached at the hip to someone. Especially a stranger. But we're definitely not strangers anymore, and we get along really well.

Okay, so 6 minutes left. AHHH!

What I've learned: Obedience is the principle/power that unlocks doors and gives knowledge needed for eternal life.

The Spirit is the way lessons stop being mine and become HIS.

Heavenly Father sees us as the glorious beings we can become.

On essentials there must be unity. On nonessentials there must be liberty. But in all things there must be charity. -B.H. Roberts (I think)

Preach My Gospel p.52: Jesus was PREPARED and willing.

Revelation motivates.

If the Lord needs someone to run an errand for him, I want him to know that I'll run that errand. -President Monson.

Accept and claim challenges as a treasure hunt for the talents within you.

Don't underestimate the power that comes from personal righteousness.

And a Father's day quote:

From Elder Holland's talk in a 1999 conference. I'm breaking it up into two

thoughts since they occur at different points in the talk, but here you go: 

"I am a father, inadequate to be sure, but I cannot comprehend the burden it must have been for God in His heaven to witness the deep suffering and Crucifixion of His Beloved Son in such a manner. His every impulse and instinct must have been to stop it, to send angels to intervene—but He did not intervene. He endured what He saw because it was the only way that a saving, vicarious payment could be made for the sins of all His other children from Adam and Eve to the end of the world. I am eternally grateful for a perfect Father and His perfect Son, neither of whom shrank from the bitter cup nor forsook the rest of us who are imperfect, who fall short and stumble, who too often miss the mark.

In considering such beauty of the “at-one-ment” in that first Easter season, we are reminded that this relationship between Christ and His Father is one of the sweetest and most moving themes running through the Savior’s ministry. Jesus’ entire being, His complete purpose and delight, were centered in pleasing His Father and obeying His will. Of Him He seemed always to be thinking; to Him He seemed always to be praying. Unlike us, He needed no crisis, no discouraging shift in events to direct His hopes heavenward. He was already instinctively, longingly looking that way.

In that most burdensome moment of all human history, with blood appearing at every pore and an anguished cry upon His lips, Christ sought Him whom He had always sought—His Father. “Abba,” He cried, “Papa,” or from the lips of a younger child, “Daddy.”

This is such a personal moment it almost seems a sacrilege to cite it. A Son in unrelieved pain, a Father His only true source of strength, both of them staying the course, making it through the night—together." 

In summary, I love it here, and I love the people, and I love you all!

-Katherine; Sister Welch