Anyway, I don't even know what happened this week. On Monday we had a zone activity so we spent it playing volleyball, football, and kickball. It was so fun and I am very competitive so it was fun for me. On Wednesday is when I found out I would be coming to U of M and I'm going to be here during the Ann Arbor art fair so we are planning hard for that right now. Every time I get transferred I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. That'll pass eventually...hopefully. Anyway, Monday through Thursday was spent saying bye to my amazing friends in Lapeer and packing up my life from the last 6 months. Then we went to transfers on Friday and I got a new companion named Sister Straatman. We came out together so we are going to hit our 11 months and year mark together!! How cool is that? We are over the Ann Arbor 2nd ward and the YSA ward on campus so Sundays are busy days. It is officially turning into summertime. It was 90 degrees when we got in the car today so I am dying. A little fun fact is there is no parking in Ann Arbor so the church pays for a parking spot in someone's backyard 4 blocks away so I'm getting my exercise in. 

This letter is a bit boring but I'm tired and my brain is mush so I hope everyone has a happy Memorial Day!! Love you all!!

Trust in the Lord

Love,

Sister Welch ♡

I'm gonna be honest, Monday was not that fun. We were going to have a district activity by going to the Detroit Zoo but the APs said no so we couldn't. We still wanted to do something but the Elders in my district that live an hour away threw a fit and didn't want to drive to the middle so we had to drive to them... Let's just say we spent most of our p day in the car and I'd rather spend it doing something else. We didn't even have time to go grocery shopping!! Anyway, enough complaining.

On Tuesday we picked up a family to start teaching!! that's 5 new people right there!! That was super cool because Sister Stevens and I have been praying for a family to teach specifically this transfer and we found one!! Prayer works!! In total this week we have found 7 people!! That is the most I've found in a week of my whole mission!! 

On Wednesday we went to District Council and afterward, the highlight of the day was when we went to Walmart to get some of the essentials. To preface this, if you know me you know that I LOVE Otter pops! In Lapeer, they have been completely sold out forever so I've been on the hunt. Well, we were getting some milk and I look over and there was just one box of otter pops in the middle of nowhere. I was so happy I made Sister Stevens take a picture of me with the box. 

Thursday was SO fun!! We had a Sister Training Leader council at the mission home. My Mission President's wife told me to get there an hour early so that I could curl her hair! So we did and I did her hair. It was very fun for me and some other Sisters got there early so they just came to the bathroom and sat and watched me. Never thought I would do that on my mission. At the STL council I was talking to some of the Sisters about transfer news because I still don't know where I'm going. This whole transfer I've been pretty positive I was going to Toledo Ohio so I was talking to the Sister that was staying there and asked her if we were going to be companions and she said no because she already knows who she's getting. So, Toledo is out of the running. That night we had a member meal with the Gibsons and their son, Rulon literally just got off his mission 2 days earlier so we were comparing missions and it was pretty fun. They have 2 other boys out on missions and as we were sitting there eating, Sister Gibson told me that she has engaged me to her son Adam. I was embarrassed. Anyway, during dinner their son Ammon wanted to play volleyball outside so we quickly ran outside and dominated a 16-year-old and an RM at volleyball. We also put our friend Terry on date for baptism!! It was so cool! We were just calling to have a lesson and we weren't planning to put him on date at all but then the Spirit kept telling us to so we did! 

Friday was SOOO fun but so sad. We went to service at my absolute favorite place with my favorite people named Pete and Dave. Pete bought us lunch from my favorite restaurant and we "tested" a ping pong table that they were auctioning. They are just THE funniest people I've ever met. I was almost peeing my pants they were just cracking jokes left and right. 

Saturday was a pretty average Saturday but a good one. Yesterday was my last Sunday in the Lapeer ward. I had only told one member and they decided to announce it in Sunday School. It was really tender and I'm already so sad to be leaving the ward. 

For dinner we went to the Gough family and somehow we started talking about weed and with being in Michigan, you learn really fast if someone is smoking the good stuff or the cheap stuff. So the mom asked the difference and we got to explain it to her. 

The Sacrament meeting was really special because there was a missionary farewell and homecoming so it was all about missionary work and the whole time I was just thinking "Wow I love my mission and I don't want to go home." It's crazy to me how much I love it considering I did not want to go on one!! But it has been the best decision I have ever made and I wouldn't change it for the world!! 

This week is transfers so next time you hear from me I'll be in my new area! Stay tuned!!

Trust in the Lord

Love,

Sister Welch ♡

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On Monday at about 4:30 Sister Todd who lives in Flint called us and invited us to play pickleball with them and the Flint district so we hurried and got our stuff together and drove over to Flint. We played a few rounds of pickleball and then they brought sandwich stuff so we had dinner with them too. Afterward, we played volleyball and it was SO fun!! 

Tuesday was an interesting day... a few days earlier we got a referral for a kid named Ethan. I think I mentioned him last week but anyway, he doesn't live in our mission so we had to have a pass-off lesson with him and the Elders that live in his area. Before this Zoom lesson, we had only had phone call lessons so he had never seen what me or Sister Stevens looked like. To preface, I had my hair in 2 French braids because it was super hot on Tuesday. That detail will be important later. Anyway, we are on the call with the Elders waiting for Ethan and right as he entered he looks at us and says "You two are gorgeous!" Right off the bat, we were embarrassed because the Elders were just there and we didn't know what to say. Right after that he looks at the Elders and said "You two should date the girls" and one of the elders literally goes "maybe in two years." I was baffled. Some of the lines he pulled on both of us were as follows. "Sister Stevens your brown hair is making my eyes glow" "Sister Welch your braids look freaking hot" "Can I still call your phone number to plan our wedding?" "let's decide who the prettier one is" "Please bless that Sister Welch will be my girlfriend" Needless to say...very interesting. 

On Wednesday, we had interviews with President and Sister Johnson and we found out a little bit of transfer news. Let's just say he told me if I stayed in the Lapeer for any longer, they would call me as Relief Society president. Pres did pull a prank and told me that there was a spot in Tiffin opening up that fits me and then he just wheezed thinking he was the funniest guy ever. 

On Friday we went over to Gina and Andromeda's house and Andromeda asked me if it was ok to be a member of the church and also be into astrology. I said yes and she said, "That's good to know for future reference." I got so excited I almost cried but she said it very fast so I couldn't react. 

On Saturday we were over at our friend Peggy's house. It was our first time over there and as we were leaving she wanted to show us her plants in her backyard. She lives right on the lake and has ducks walking to get to the lake quite frequently so as she was showing us these flowers a duck was walking in front of us and one of her dogs runs up and starts attacking the duck. The poor thing already had a hurt wing so it couldn't get away but Peggy grabbed the dog and put it inside. Me and Sister Steven are awful people and couldn't stop laughing. Peggy told us we could take some of her lilacs which we both love so our apartment smells scrumptious. 

Sunday was soo good!! We had 2 recent converts at church and Andromeda and Peggy came too!! The best feeling in the world is seeing your friends change and become happier because of the gospel. I was a bawling mess in church because sometimes you just miss your mom especially when everyone is with theirs and talking about theirs. 

One of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon is when the stripling warriors are telling Moroni that they aren't afraid to die because of the faith of their mothers and they didn't doubt what their mothers taught them. The moral of the story is moms are SO important so go hug your mom for me because I can't and tell them you love them. 

Trust in the Lord

Love,

Sister Welch ♡

This week was a good one! We had zone conference and our discussion went pretty well. It went way too long but people said it was good so I'll take it!! 

Wednesday we went tracting in our area with our district leader and it was actually pretty fun! We ended up finding two people to start teaching and one of their names is Tara! It's meant to be! 

On Thursday it was my 10-month mark!! I can't believe I have already been living in Michigan/Ohio for 10 months!! Like what?? I still feel like I have only been out for 3 months! And to think I'm one of the older sisters in my mission!! 

Friday was a day of service! We did 4 hours at the restore shop and then we did some service for a recent convert named Gina and her daughter Andromeda who we are teaching and man do I love them!! They are so cool and it's so fun to teach them. They ask really good questions and I feel like I get more out of the lessons than they do sometimes hahaha. 

On Saturday we went out to dinner with a member named Sister Fuentes to Applebee's. It was so good!! 

Sunday was a good one (mostly) our ward mission leader called us fat AGAIN!! 2 for 2 with this one! I'm boutta punch someone but I'm learning patience and charity so pray for me!! 

Anyway, I love you all so much and everyone give your mom a huge hug for me for Mother's Day!! 

Trust in the Lord 

Love,

Sister Welch ♡

This week has been pretty average but a good one. We went on exchanges so I was in Flint with Sister Brinkerhoff. It was super fun!! 

We went to Flint district council and while we were leaving the elders drove by us and threw a water bottle at me and he got me pretty good. I'm planning my revenge...

This week we have also been planning our zone conference discussion for tomorrow so pray for us.

This last Sunday was the 5th Sunday of the month so it was a super good service!! We had one of our recent converts bring his girlfriend who isn't a member and after Sister Stevens spoke, she came up to us crying and said she really needed to be there that day and that she will come back so that was cool!! 

Anyway, I don't have much to report on this week but I absolutely love serving the Lord!! I've learned so much and am so grateful for all the blessings God gives me!! GOD IS SO GOOD!! 

I love you all!! 

Trust the Lord

Love, 

Sister Welch♡

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