Las Victorias Week 2

Hey everybody!

So, you know how I said I would have the whole picture thing down this time so I would have more time? Yeah, well I didn't —sorry! I'm still trying to figure it out. I still don't really know if my pictures went through. If they did, I actually didn't attatch the ones last week that I wanted to but that's ok. So the pictures—The first one is of my district in the MTC. The second one is me and Josh at the MTC.  That was way cool that we got to see each other and take that picture! (Note from Carol Anne: Josh is Hayden's friend, snowboarding buddy and Lexi's cousin. They entered the MTC on the same day.)  And then the next ones if I remember right, were also of the district at the MTC.

I'm going to try to send some more pictures this time too. 

(Note from Carol Anne: You can click on the photographs to see a larger version.)

My district at the CCM,

A really pretty tree —that I know you will love Mom,

  And then one of my district here in Las Victorias in McDonalds of all places! Ha ha ha!

But anyway, things are going really well.  So we have this couple that we are baptizing next month!!! They are way cool. It's the doctor one that I'm pretty sure I told you about. They are getting married on the 15th, baptized on the 16th and confirmed on the 17th! It's the best! And then we have another guy that just told us yesterday that he wants to try and get baptized by the 16th too— which is really good! He put his own date but I don't know if he´s gonna be able to do it cuz he is living with this member lady so they have to get married before he can get baptized. Kinda weird, but hey at least he wants to get baptized. Then we also have this other family that we are working on. La Familia P. They have a ton of problems though, but I want to baptize these kids SO bad! There is a twelve year old, J C, he´s way smart and then a 15 year old, N.— N. is amazing! He´s been playing the guitar for only six months and he is incredible. He only has a guitar that is missing a string though and he can still rock out on it! And he is way good at break dancing! But they have some pretty big problems. Their mom is actually one of them. Not the biggest —but still one of them. So if you would just pray for them and especially for N. Pray for his safety if you could. I know that sounds a little sketchy but don't worry —ha ha ha— its no big deal. I just know prayers need to be specific. But yeah, and then we have like five or six other investigators that are pretty close to getting baptismal dates which is awesome! cuz in the last six weeks the whole mission only had like 18 baptisms or something!

So....I had a big list of stuff that I wanted to write about but you know me....I left it at the house!  Just kidding, I am actually really responsible now believe it or not...but I really did leave it— ha ha. 

Oh, I did get ALL of your Dear Elders! Well at least I think all of them. I don't know if you sent any Lexi Lou but I got a bunch from the fam. I guess they all came to the mission home instead of the CCM so they've been holding them for me.

So I get pouch every Thursday so that's when I'll be getting your stuff. Also, concerning pouch,  my companion says you can send normal letters through pouch, it doesn't have to be just one sheet of paper. Idk why they said that if it's not true—but thats what he said. So you still can't send pictures and stuff , the rule is it can't be anything other than paper.


(Note from Carol Anne: Hayden's companion is mistaken—It is important to follow the pouch rules listed in the "Where to Write Hayden" section of this blog. Found on the right panel. If we do not obey the rules the pouch system will be done away with. So thank you for following the rules!)

So How is everyone doing? You all sound like your doing alright from your Dear Elders. Minus the fact that everyone in the family has had a NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE! since I've been gone!

(Note from Carol Anne: Bruce had his emergency surgery, Abby and I got in a wreck and Bryan, Whitney and Avery had a Carbon Monoxide leak in their apartment! Ha Ha —as Hayden would say!)

Yes, EVEN Taylor—sounds like you got pretty close to being killed by Mom! Ha ha ha!


(Note from Carol Anne: Taylor decided to skip school and join a community protest without the consent of his mother!!!)

And Taylor what the heck is up with you busting the phone ya dumb bumb! Love ya man!! Ha ha ha!


(Note from Carol Anne: Hayden passed on his phone to Taylor when he left and Taylor broke the screen within a week.)

Oh— I can receive pictures and videos through my email too if you wanna send them that way. But also I need more hard copies of pictures of the fam cuz the only one I have is the one with dad in the star costume!!! HA HA HA HA!!!! Still cracks me up everytime! And of course I would love more from you to Lexi!

But for real I am doing really well! I say that in every letter I send but with no fail I get a letter in reply from Mom saying, "Are you doing ok? I really can't tell from your letters."....so....I AM DOING AWESOME MOM!!! Ha ha ha.  I miss you guys a ton of course but I am doing awesome.

Just keep me updated on everything! Oh and the Dear Elders do work really well so you can keep doing that. But I do love hand written ones too— so whichever way you prefer.

Well,  I better go so I can get these pictures all ready and sent off. Love you all so much and I always think about all of you! Your all in my prayers always. Love you so much!

Love,

Elder Welch

I am in.....Las Victorias!!!

Hey Everybody!

I'm new to this whole picture thing so it's taken me a while to get it down and I had double the emails cuz I didn't do it last week —so I don't have a lot of time this week. But we have an hour here instead of a half an hour so next time it will be a ton better! I'm doing really well! I'm really like a missionary now! —ha ha ha! So I am in an area called Las Victorias. It is actually  really nice. (Note from Carol Anne: Las Victorias is just out side of the capital Guatemala City. So he was not on the red bus after all!) The members in the ward are way cool! Like half of them speak English so that's cool. But I think the Spanish is coming alright. I kinda got thrown into the fire though cuz both me and my companion, his name is Elder M.  but we are both new in the area and the last two elders were on the program to give talks yesterday so....yeah...I had to give a talk in sacrament meeting my first Sunday in the feild! —ha ha ha!  I thought it was really good though and I got a ton of compliments.  Idk if they were just out of pity or what—ha ha ha!  Everybody always doesn't beleive me when I say I've only been out like five days though.  I've had like five or six people guess that I've been out for like five or six months.... so I guess that's alright. But I really am doing well. I have my first fecha bautismal (baptismal date) for the sixteenth of this month it's a way cool family and the dad is a doctor so we talk about medical school and stuff —haha. (Note from Carol Anne: Hayden really wants to be a doctor-so this interests him.) I  have another one hopefully coming up in the next few days. Alright I better go— but mom, I just want to say that you really were inspired. That is amazing to me. But don't worry, you were right.

I love you all so much! Thanks for all your support! 

This is Elder  B! He was my best friend in the CCM!

Con amor,

Elder Welch

Photographs from the mission home....

We still do not have news on WHERE Hayden is..... But we did get some new photographs from his welcome lunch at the mission home. Look at the slideshow below to see his happy little face!  I included some photos of M. D.  just for fun (M.  is one of Hayden's friends from home)—From what I can tell he is at a different lunch than Hayden.  I am sure that if Hayden had the chance to cross paths with M. he would have been  delighted to see him and it would be an exciting reunion. Hayden and M. emailed a bit before he left for the mission field and M. having a few months under his belt—helped him to know of a few things he should bring, what to expect and informed him that he would be waiting for him to arrive. Twenty new missionaries and trainers were at the luncheon. What a fun day!

Carol Anne

P.S. Excuse the spelling errors in the captions -such as "there" instead "their"and"edler" instead of "elder" :)

I was in a hurry and now I do not know how to edit it! Oops! Oh well it is all about the photos—right!?!

HAYDEN HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!!!!

TODAY IS THE DAY THAT HAYDEN LEFT THE CCM!!!

For those of you checking for Hayden's email today—You will have to wait awhile!  I do not know if he will be able to email today or not.Today is the day that he is headed out of the CCM and into the big wide world of Guatemala!!!! No more big fences, locked gates and armed guards for protection. Now is the time to put on the armor of God and get to work!!! As soon as I get the word where he has been assigned and who his new companion is I will let you know!

The following is an email that I received form another Guatemala North Missionary Mom. Her son has been out over a year now. It is kind of interesting and gives us a glimpse of what Hade maybe going through today. I believe there are five Elders and one Sister leaving the CCM for Guatemala North today.


Carol Anne,

D. spent his entire MTC experience in Provo and didn't go to the CCM (because it was overloaded with Latino missionaries) so I don't know if they will be able to email today or not.  I don't think D. did, but he had just called us from the airport on his way to Guatemala, so his experience was a little different.

Sister Torres will also (probably) post pictures soon of the new missionaries coming into the mission.  That's so fun!!  When D. went she posted them the same night at about 10:30 and it was such a blessing because then I actually saw a picture of him in Guatemala.  However, most of the moms have had  to wait a week or more until they are posted.  So just keep checking her blog!!

D. will also be getting a new companion.  He didn't say anything about training.  He has been training a new missionary (Elder J.).  He was with Elder J. for 2 changes and now Elder J. is leaving with D. staying. So I don't know if he will still be a trainer for this change.  He has been in San Jeronimo since the end of September. 

If your son gets Elders F. and H., he will be so lucky!!  Elder F. is Tongan and has the Tongan personality!  They are great elders.  I didn't realize they were MTC companions!  Now they get to finish their missions together as trainers! That is so cool.  If Elder Welch does go there, my D. will be his District leader  :)

I can't wait to hear!  The change conference is at 8:00 in the morning, so they will be up and on their way from the CCM early!

If he trains in the city, he will be out doing missionary work tonight.  If he goes to Salama with Hess and Fusi, he will travel about 5 hours to Coban, then another 2 back to Salama.  If he goes to Peten, he will be on a bus for about 9 hours!  In this mission, missionaries NEVER travel alone.  He will always have someone with him, even when he is a seasoned missionary.  There's a lot of "shifting" in the past couple of days with missionaries going to the city to get new missionaries, missionaries going to the change conference to find out where they are going, etc, then they will get on the bus or whatever transportation they have and head out.  

It's fun to think today:  will he take a taxi to an area in the city and getting right to work or spend the day on the bus seeing the country!

B.

Another fun note is that Elder M. D. got released from being a Zone leader this change and is headed to the Capital (maybe  to be a trainer). That would be weird if Hayden ended up with Elder D!!! or on the rare occasion a few Elders have gone straight to the mountains and Kechi country......Just having a little fun speculating. 

This I KNOW he will go where he is supposed to go and he will be willing to do it in typical Hayden style—STOKED!!!

We will just wait and see......I will let you know as soon as I know! 

Carol Anne

I just can’t wait to actually get out into the field!

Hey everybody!

I seriously cannot believe how fast these past couple weeks have gone by! I have less than a week here at the CCM! There are a few people even starting to pack! I am so stoked! So first I wanna tell you a story that Michelle's story reminded me of. (Note from Carol Anne: Hayden’s Aunt Michelle is a ward missionary and shared a story with him of her experiences.)  

This Monday we got the chance to go out and proselyte —so me and my Latino companion Elder  C. were walking down the street and this first area we were in was awfull!!! The people were way mean! But we were walking down the street and there was this old lady walking the opposite way so we walked up and Elder C. was just like "buenos dias" and this old lady FREAKED! She just started screaming about how she is on her way and that is NOT the way you try to start a conversation with someone and she can't believe how awful we are and how rude we are and all this stuff— like screaming at the top of her lungs! We were just like "esta bien, gracias hermana. Buenos dias" and we just like hauled cheeks outta there! Ha ha ha! But then we went to a different area and we found quite a few people that were really interested and were really good references— I think. So everything is going well! I will try and get a letter written for E. this week and send it. I think that will mean more. I will send it next week. So Edgar keeps asking Lexi about the Book of Mormon? That’s so sweet! I’ll get it as soon as I can! 

(Note from Carol Anne: E. is a man that Hayden worked with at the restaurant before he left on his mission. He taught E. English for quite some time and Edgar taught Hayden some Spanish. It really helped Hayden and I think it has helped Hayden have more success with the language. Edgar was very interested in Hayden’s mission and this sparked his interest in the gospel. Hayden gave him some church videos before he left. Lexi worked with Hayden at the restaurant with E. and is still in contact with him and Edgar keeps asking Lexi for a Book of Mormon.)

So tell me everything that’s going on. I feel kinda left out and that a lot has been going on that I don’t know about! idk why but if so...let me know! (Note from Carol Anne: I have not been completely forthright on how bad Bruce was and that he was still struggling after surgery and such…..Guess he is pretty perceptive…..) I love you all so much and I miss you a ton always! I am really having an awesome time though. I just can’t wait to actually get out into the field! It can’t come fast enough but at the same time I can’t believe how fast it has gone!  I only have 11/12ths of the mish left!!! —Ha ha ha ha—Alright well I better go. I love you all sooooo much and thank you so much for all of your support! You guys are the best and I always think about you guys!

con amor,

Elder Welch

A letter to Grandma and Grandpa Murdock March 2nd 2011

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

Thanks so much for the letter! It was the first actual written letter I received and it was the best! Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. They do not give us a whole lot of time to write and it takes forever with the mailing system here for the letters to get places. So I do not know when you will be getting this. My mom said that she has sent me like three letters but it has been four weeks and they still haven't gotten here so— either I will be in the field by the time you get this or it might not even get to you! So I sure hope it does!

Everything is really great here at the CCM! I really love it a lot. Guatemala is absolutely beautiful! I wish I would have been able to see that show you were talking about. It is amazing here. The other day, well I guess it was a week ago today. We got to go out to the central market of Guatemala City and it was so incredible! You would have really loved it. It is just so huge and filled with all these booths of people selling all these handmade things and then there is like this underground part that is just filled with all kinds of fruits and vegetables and all kinds of food from all over Guatemala. It was so interesting! And then after that we went to the central mall of Guatemala City and it was just like I was back in the US. The mall was huge and it had like all the same stores as malls in the US. My companion and I got Subway and a Cinnabun which was so weird after eating Guatemalan food for three weeks! The food here is real good though for the most part.

The people here are really nice. We change out missionaries every three weeks so every three weeks a new group of Latino missionaries come in. I made a lot of really good friends from the last group of Latinos. I think it was just because it was our first, but I had a lot more friends out of that group. Also the other people are really nice too! Our second week here we got to go and kind of proselyte at the central plaza and it was amazing how receptive all of the people were. Even if they were on their way somewhere they would stop and come to talk to me and my Latino companion. I do not know if my mom has told you but here in the CCM we have both a North American companion and a Latino companion. My old Latino companion was Elder G. He was from here in Guatemala he was a really good guy and we got a few people who were really interested and we referred them to the missionaries in the area so I was really excited about that!

So anyway, I am super bummed that I am missing all the hubbub with Granny Mae's party! It sounds like it is going to be quite the shin-dig! Any party that calls for four gallons of ham sauce has really got to be something! Sorry I did not get you a talk written Grandpa....I'm sure you wouldn't have wanted it anyway though because I bet not many people would understand my Spanish and it would probably be hard for me to write one in English. I'm getting to the point that my English is slipping because I'm learning a ton of Spanish but my Spanish is still real bad —so now I'm just kind of having a hard time speaking in general! Alright, well I miss you both so much I wish I could just come over for Sunday dinner sometimes, but that will have to wait. I know I'm supposed to be here and I'm loving it and learning so much! Keep writing! I love hearing from you and hearing all that is going on. Tell everyone that I say hi and I love you all so much. Thank you so much for everything. You have taught me so much that has helped me so much —even this far. Thank you and I love you.

Love,

Elder Welch

5th Week in the CCM—I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Hey everybody!

Sorry I really do not have to much time! I got an email from Jordan  (Note from Carol Anne: J. Duke—his best friend who is serving a mission in Lima Peru.)  quite a few others but...I LOVE YOU ALL!!! You are the best and I miss you a ton! I am doing really well. This whole AP thing definitely is keeping me busy though! It is crazy!  The whole CCM is going through a lot of changes and President is gone this week so Elder Sorensen and I are kinda on our own! Ha ha ha! So— Mom Elder Martino has talked to us twice! Yesterday and two weeks ago. He is awesome!!! I really like him and every time he talks I understand every word!


(Note from Carol Anne: Elder James B. Martino is a General Authority who is touring Hayden's mission. He is the 2nd counselor in the area presidency. Elder Martino has been speaking and teaching in the missions of Guatemala.  I asked Hayden if he had been able to hear Elder Martino speak yet. Hayden really likes Elder Martino! Elder Martino was sustained a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on April 4, 2009, at age 57. He has served as a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Southwest Area. He is currently serving as 2nd counselor in the Central America Area. Another cool note about Elder Martino is that he was born in Denton Texas—a place  where Bryan served on his mission. Elder Martino is a huge influence in the Guatemala mission efforts. He served his own mission in this area when he was young. I am sure that we will hear more from Hayden about Elder Martino in the future.) 

I am so amazed that my letters got there so fast! I wish yours would get here that fast! Ha ha ha! Still haven't got even one! I did get one Dear Elder letter from Mom, Abby and Taylor though. I got them last Wednesday! I loved them! Thanks a ton!


(Note from Carol Anne: I have sent five Dear Elders all together and 4 before this letter that I sent with Abby and Taylor—wish he would get them all —urgh!) 

Well I miss you all so much! I really am doing great! Two more weeks until I leave the CCM and am out in field!!!! I can't wait! Well I love you a whole ton. They are kickin" me off so I got to go.

Love you so so so much!

Elder Welch

Holy Cow!

(Note from Carol Anne: I just got this letter in the mail from Hayden today. Some of the information is "old news" and it is a duplicate of his previous emails—however there are a few added details so I put it in again.)

2/9/11

Hey Everybody,

All I have to say is HOLY COW! What the heck?! I leave and it is like the flood gates open for crazy stuff! I realize your happy cuz I am gone —but —Geez! Ya do not need to party so much that you wreck the van! But for real that is kind of scary. I am glad that the thing with dad might turn out better in the long run....but still that is nuts. Please keep me posted though on how everything works out. If I got home and found out something like this had happened and you did not tell me about it.....I would be so mad!!! So good call mom! Ha Ha! I am glad to know you and Abby are alright! How about the van? Is it done for? or just getting fixed or what?
So Abby I heard your play went well.

2/16/11

Hey sorry, I got interrupted last week. I can not remember why but it must have been pretty important. —Ha Ha —Just Kidding! But I really have been busy lately. I have been having a lot of fun though as well. I have made a lot of friends with the Latinos! I am actually sitting here with them right now. They are so hilarious! They all love teaching us Spanish but they all give Elder Sorenson a hard time because he never speaks it. I am really trying to get him to but he never will. For me the Spanish is coming really well! Last Sunday I was able to understand the whole meeting and yesterday one of the members of the area seventy Elder Martino came and usually I use the translator headphone that they give us, I decided not to use them and I understood the whole thing! I was even answering questions and everything! It was like the meeting that I have gotten the most out of since I have been here so far! I took almost two pages of notes. The notes were really funny though. I was trying to write them in English at first, but I was just trying to write as fast as I could so I was not really thinking and they ended up being half in Spanish and half in English! It was hilarious.

Oh yeah, but I did not get to tell you everything about the Central Park today in my email. So it was yesterday and it was the best ever! The drive there was way cool! We all crammed onto a bus and it was way full! Like all of the seats were full and there were people standing and crammed in as tight as they could. It was the BEST!—Ha Ha—But when we got there it was so cool. Like I said in my email— the first few people we approached Elder Godoy pretty much talked to but after that I talked more than I thought I was going to. We got four appointments for investigators to meet with the missionaries in our area not including the one I gave the Book of Mormon to. I learned more in those couple of hours than I did any other day. One day out there is like four or five in here just because they were real investigators and because English did not exist. It was really a relief because I could just speak all the Spanish I could cuz when I speak it with my companion Elder Sorenson he doesn't really understand and Elder Godoy does not really speak any English so it was nice to go out with him and be challenged to speak all Spanish.

2/18/11

Hey! Sorry! Got cut off again! So I finally got sick! I slept for like 14 hours yesterday! But I am feeling better now. I did not just get sick because I am a gringo either because there were a bunch of Latinos that got sick too. Yesterday there were like ten or fifteen of us stuck in bed. It was nuts! But things are still going really well! The Spanish is still going really well. All of the Latinos are leaving to the field on Monday so all of my new friends are going to be out of here so that is going to stink. I am going to keep in touch with a lot of them though, and more will be getting here on Thursday and the new North Americans get here on Wednesday so that will be fun too!

I'm really doing well though. We get to go to the temple grounds tomorrow to contact people outside of the temple grounds. On Tuesday we are going to the market place—I am way excited for that! It is just going to be our district because that is after everyone leaves  and the new ones come in. So, we won't have Latino companions to help us. It is going to be way tough but really good!

So, I don't know how long this will take to get to you—tell me when you email when you get it so I know how long it takes. I am sending it off tomorrow Saturday Feb. 19th. I still have not got a Dear Elder. I thought you said you sent one-but maybe not. I got one from Lexi but all it said was let her know when I got it so she knew how long it took. I got it last Wednesday though, after I emailed.

Alright, well I better get going so I can get this sent off finally. Make sure to let me know what is goin' on back in little ol' Heber City. Make sure to let me know how dad is doing! I'm guessing since I did not get a report about him this week he is doing alright.....How are Whitney, Bryan and Avery doing? I heard Jerry quit the Jazz!!!! What the heck?! If that aint a sign of the times I do not know what is! And I heard there were like three earthquakes in Saratogo Springs. That's nuts! Alright well, just let me know how everything is going. I love you all so much and miss you a ton. Tell everyone I say hi and that I am doing well. (If anyone is wondering.) Ha ha! Thanks for all your support EVERYBODY! Taylor and Abby included! You two be good and don't get into to much trouble.  And everyone take care of yourselves! I am hoping this week has been a little less crazy! Alright, well I better go for real this time. Love you all!

Love,

Elder Welch