We went to the temple today!!

What up eddybody!!!

So....I can´t believe how long it's been since I talked to you! It seems like forever! But for reals, there´s really not a whole lot to tell you about since Sunday...But I´ll do my best.

So, like just a little while after I got off the phone with you guys and Elder N. talked with his family for a little while, we went to this appointment with this family and put baptismal dates with all four of them! That was pretty cool. As of right now, the date is for the 4th of June, but we might try and make it at the end of this month if we can get them to feel ready enough by then. 

Also, we went to the temple today! That was way good. It felt like forever since I´d been. But we had to wake up at like four in the morning to get there on time. Elder N. took like almost an hour to shower and only left me like ten minutes to get ready! That wasn´t too fun. 

(Note from Carol Anne: All of Hayden's siblings at this point are saying, "What goes around comes around little Hayden". He has always been our longest "showerer" leaving no hot water for the rest of us. Oh the great lessons a mission teaches!)

But then, as a zone, we all smashed into this little mini van (there were twelve of us and the driver) and drove to the temple and the driver didn´t even know his way around so we had to stop like more than ten times to ask directions!!! But then we finally got there and it was way wierd to be back there by the CCM. We saw a few of the leaders from over there and talked to them. Then after the temple we went accross the street to the distribution center and I bought hard cover Books of Mormon and Hymnals for the family we just put dates with and I bought a few other things just for like teaching and stuff. Oh and a Book of Mormon in English for this investigator that we are teaching in English. Its pretty nuts cuz he prefers to recieve the lessons in English so I usually try and go on divisions with people who speak English to teach him and it throws me into a loop everytime I start teaching in English. Every once in a while I will just start teaching in Spanish! But he is crazy. He is from Guatemala but he started speaking English when he was 14 and he also knows French, German, and he knows a little bit of Italian, Russian and Japanese! He´s pretty nuts. 

After the Distribution Center we walked down the road and ate at Wendy´s. I seriously eat more American fast food here in Guatemala than I ever did at home! I need to get out of the capital before I get fat!!! But after that we just caught the bus back to our zone and just came here. So that´s pretty much what has happened since I talked to you.

I went on divisions yesterday but it was a pretty crappy day cuz every single one of our appointments fell through!

But anyway...thanks for the tips about the pants!

(Note from Carol Anne: He ruined two pair of pants by having an ink pen that leaked in the pockets. I told him to try the hairspray trick.)

 I sure will try it. I sure hope that aerosol or however you spell it hairspray even exists in Guatemala.

Oh and about the fleas,

 (Note from Carol Anne: Everyone in Hayden's district including his last companion got fleas but Hayden somehow avoided them. I wanted to know how he managed to avoid them. I also had another missionary mom tell me that if you eat Bananas it keeps them a way. I was curious if Hayden had eaten a lot of bananas to see if this was true.)

I don´t especially eat a whole lot of bananas but I did buy like a couple bushels in like my first three weeks or so, ( Note from Carol Anne: LOL— I think that might count as a lot!!! He He!) and also there are these little stores here called tiendas. They´re like the Guatemalan equivilant of like a convinient store, but there are like at least three for every block I swear! But anyway, there is this one in this one area that sells chocolate covered bananas, strawberries, pinapple and coconut and the bananas are my favorite and they only cost on quet! So maybe that´s it...idk. But yeah, chocolate dipped fruit is like way popular around these parts. Its the best!!! Another reason why I need to get out of the capital so I don´t get fat!!! 

Anyway, so in my hurry to get out of the house this morning I forgot to bring my camera so I guess I will have to send my pictures next week. I have one of me and Elder D. and me and Elder N. and the ones of us playing ping pong and stuff so I´ll send those next week.

Oh yeah, and if you really are putting that box together, that cord that you sent me doesn´t work for the MP3 player. Idk why. I don´t know if you sent me the actual apple brand ipod or what sorry, I'll go check. But just so you know, I might have you pick me up a new charger. And you can use the money out of my debit account. But don´t like go and get it quite yet. I'm going to check and make sure what's up with it first. 

But alright, I gotta get going. It was really amazing talking to all of you on Sunday! Thanks a ton for calling! and wasting all your money on all those dang calling cards! I know those are expensive! (Note from Carol Anne: We got them from the Spanish Market....only way to go! It only cost us nine dollars! Guess we did not tell him. He is such a good kid always worrying about the cost of things and trying to pay his own way—as not to put a burden on us in anyway.)

Oh and I didn´t hear the story about Dad trying to talk to the girl at Pepe´s but I would really love to! Ha ha ha. (Note from Carol Anne: Bruce trying to communicate with a girl in his words, "Who spoke as much English as he spoke Spanish."...Funny story!)

Oh and so give it to me straight Bryan, how´s the Spanish for real? And don´t you lie to me! And also I tried to cut it down on the ¨ha ha´s¨ (Bryan) So I hope you enjoyed the letter this time...

Alright, but really, thank you for everything you do for me! And I can´t wait to hear from you again next week! The weeks are really flying by already it´s crazy! So before you know it I'll be writting you again and then after that I´ll be home. Not! ¨Haha¨ —(Just for you Bryan) 

Alright— I love you all! I hope you have a good week!

Love,

Elder Welch