They came and LOVED it!

Hi,
I'm getting along in the office just fine. Well, I  think anyway...Ha ha! But no, I really like it. It's a lot of fun and I am learning a ton. My week was good. A little crazy. We are changing offices and stuff so it's been a little busy and we have changes coming up and stuff so we have been trying to get everything ready for that. We aren't moving too far. We are moving to the same office building as the South and Central missions. We are going to share a floor with the Central Mission Office. I guess it's just that where we are is just super expensive and it would be easier for the area if we were all together or something. Idk. But president and Sister Watts are not too excited about it. It is kinda going to stink because where we are now, we are like two blocks down the street from President`s house—but whatever.

I have also been busy because the system we have had for turning in and reporting baptismal records has really stunk so President has put me in charge of getting it all worked out and it has been kinda rough, but we`re gettin there. I have made up an excel program to keep track of all of the records by week, zone and area and by name of the baptism. This way we can keep track of every single baptism and make sure that they get in before the end of the month. But the only problem is the cooperation of the Elders. It's kinda frustrating how they are just kinda lazy about it sometimes.  We`re getting it to where it's a just a system for the whole mission. It will just take a little time for everybody to get used to it.

Now about getting changed, I'm not sure. I was before, but with a few things that have gone on, I don't know anymore. We will have to see how things turn out. But it's nothing really. Just some stuff that has gone down, but I can't really say that yet, cuz nothings really happened yet. I think I`ll still be outta here. But we`ll see.

OH YEAH!!! I have been thinking about this for the past two weeks that today was going to be Bryan's birthday so I could tell him Happy Birthday and look at me, the usual Hayden, I forgot!!!!!! But anyway, even though it`s not the first thing I said, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!

The date of the changes that I will be coming home will be  January 16th and I will fly out the next morning and should be getting home around 4pm or 6pm, depending on the flight.  I don't think I'm going to extend. but it just depends on how things go. I think if I extend, it is thirty days from my expected release date which is January 12th. So, the first of Feb. I think...idk.  And that`s not a baggy thought at all is it? Geez Mom! That question along with Avery begging you if I can please come home!  That about made me cry! Ha ha ha! But— no Mom don't worry about it. I'm good. Just so ya know, I was talking about this with Abby and Taylor the other week, but we can now count down on fingers! and now with almost two down!  OK—enough of that though.

Well, I'm not gonna lie, Guatemala is pretty darn cool.  I just decided for sure the other day that I am going to come back here after the mission and anyone that wants to come with me is invited. You don't even have to worry about being unsafe, cuz one of my absolute best friends in Guatemala is our taxi driver E. He is the one that drove Matt and his mom around and everything and he will keep us safe for sure while we are in the capital, and outside of the capital you don't even really have to worry about it at all. Mom, I think you would be fine. Especially now that I know the capital. We can get around just fine and with E. he is just flat out the man! I love that guy! And he would love it if we came down and he could take care of us. And we could go to Dolores too!!!!!!!!!! Ha ha ha!  And yeah, President does say not to come and get the missionaries. Instead he says to come back after.

But also what is cool is that on Thursday night we had our weekly activity night in the church and our new family came and LOVED it!!! They had so much fun. Our new ward mission leader taught the lesson and he is incredible!! His name is M. and he is preparing to go on his mission but he is so amazing!  That family is doing so well! They are so awesome! They are reading the Book of Mormon and they love it and they have such good questions and everything. If I leave, my companion is for sure going to baptize them. Same with E. they are having problems with getting married, but they are going to get through it and he is still waiting for his new job.....but we`ll see. I hope everything works out.

The mission is kinda tiring, I'm not gonna lie. But I love it. I wouldn't change it for the world. Elder P. really is a good missionary. He is working miracles in what has had the reputation of being THE worst area in the mission for years and years. He is doing an awesome job.

Alright, well I best get going. My time is going out. But I will talk to you next week. Oh and holy cow! when is Mothers Day? WOOO HOOOO!!! I am really going to talk to you soon!  But what day is it?
So talk to you then!

Love you! Bye

Living after the manner of HAPPINESS!

We received this letter in the mail from Hayden the other day and I thought I would share it. What a great kid! I miss him so much! He is such a wonderful person and has always been so sweet to us. We are so grateful and blessed that he is indeed one of our best friends...... How lucky we are! I think that he may be able to write a longer letter, however, I do not think it gets much better than this!   CA


Mom and Dad,

So, I'm just sitting here in the office waiting for the Finance Elders to get back from the bank so that they can give us our money to go to the post office so I decided I should write you a little note to be able to send off today.

I just want to tell you how much I love you two and how thankful I am for all that you do for me. You are seriously the best parents in the world. I truly miss you two soooo much. You are two of my best friends and I am so happy to be able to say that you mean the world to me and although I do miss you so much, I would not trade this time for the world. I know that if it weren't for you, I would not be here and I would not be seeing the blessings that serving the Lord, serving other people, and the Gospel itself brings. I am so thankful for the home that you two have created so that I could grow up knowing such happiness. But not only knowing such happiness but learning how to gain that happiness for myself in my own life. Thank you.

I promise I will write you a longer better letter another day but N and B just showed up so we've got to get running. I love you so much! Have a great day and tell everyone hi for me and that I love them too.

Con Amor,

Elder Welch

P. S. Talk to ya on Mother's Day!

Hahaha! Hahahaha!

Hi all, 

So—Yeah the photos of your Seatle trip came through. Is that a freaking Nirvana museum?!?!?! Ha ha! Holy cow!!! Yeah...we are definitely going back there. You have no idea how much I miss music!!! How are you guys doing?As far as the Mario Mustache...Haha that is stinkin hilarious! Man I miss you guys and your shananagans! Ha ha! Any other doosies for the week?That's pretty dang good. 

I thought until yesterday that my week was going to be a whole lot less interesting than yours, but yesterday was quite the day! Ha ha! I won't tell ya the whole story, maybe someday, I have a detailed story written in my journal. It is a super long story.One day you will have the privilege to read it but I can't help not telling you at all. It was seriously one of the craziest, most un-real experiences I have ever had in my life, even in Guatemala City. All I`ll say is that I saw a straight up all-out transvestite brawl!!!! It was both hysterical and scary at the same time! You can't even imagine! Hahaha!  Hahahaha!  But other than that, my week has been pretty boring. 

They still haven't called E. about his interview and J. and M. are still having problems getting married but with them we are hoping to know by Monday or Tuesday. We also found a new family though that is SO amazing! They are evangelical and they have SUCH good questions! We have only taught them twice, but when we went back the second time I had studied a ton to answer their questions cuz I knew it was important for them.  I showed them the answer for every one of their questions in the Bible —cuz that's what they know well—and then showed them in the Book of Mormon how it says the same thing but in a way that can't be misinterpreted because it is the pure doctrine of Christ. They loved it! They are already getting such a big testimony of the Book of Mormon. But they were not able to come to church this Sunday, which stunk. But that's OK. I know they`re going to get baptized. Maybe not while I'm here, but I am setting my comp up with a ton of baptisms for this next change! I better get going here though, I love you so much and I hope you have an awesome week. I was going to send the package to you this week, but I have some more weight I can use up for the same price so I'm going to find some more stuff to stick in and Ill send it soon.

 

Con amor,

Elder Welch

My Spring Break...... A little different than yours :)

Alright, so these are some pics from last p-day. We went to IHOP for breakfast and I ordered the strawberry-banana french toast and it was SOOOOOOOOOO good. I thought I had died and gone straight to spirit paradise! (apostate?....nah, I dont think so) Ha ha! But pretty much everyone else got that too. 

And then we went bowling 

Elder T. kicked all our butts though. He`s good!

I had to learn how to bowl a new way cuz I was curving it without a curve ball! Ha ha!. It was tough. 

Alright, so I really don't have too much to tell this week. We have been able to find some new investigators and we now have two people with baptismal dates. J.— his wife is a member and we are hopefully going to marry them and then he is going to get baptized, and the other one is with a lady named M. I really hope her date doesn't fall, but it's kind of looking that way. She really wants to get baptized and she is doing really well. She can't read, so that's a little tough but the only thing that is keeping her back is her husband. He doesn't want to get married. But I think we are going to be able to get through to him. She thought that we weren't even going to be able to get him to talk to us but we did. We taught them both together, and even though he didn't want to, he really liked it— I could tell. He`s just one of those guys that has never been religious and has a hard time admitting that that he likes it. Idk...he`s kind of a funny guy. And he has a real drinking and smoking problem. 

But other good news! This week they are going to call E. for his job interview so if it all works out we might be able to put a date with him this week and I might be able to see him get baptized before I leave!!!!!! (if of course I'm even leaving this change, but I'm pretty sure I am) But I would be SOOOOOOO happy if that happened. I LOVE that family so much and I have really been able to watch that man gain a testimony by making sacrifices. It has been so amazing to watch. But it might end up just like Dolores and he will end up getting baptized a week or two after I leave. Ha ha. But that's OK. The thing is that he has a testimony and he gets baptized.

 

So, there are a couple things that I wrote down so I wouldn't forget to tell you, kinda dumb, but that's OK. 

So, first of all, I have forgotten to tell you about this every week since I came to the office, partly because I wanted to get a picture to send to you of it first, but......drum roll........THE GUATEMALA CITY HOLE IS IN MY AREA!!!!!!!! Ha ha ha! It is so crazy! It is awesome! It is seriously like around the corner and two blocks down from the chapel! When I first walked through there, Elder C. didn't tell me anything and I was just like walking and looking around and I just like stopped and was like, I know this place. This looks familiar. Just by like the buildings around and then I looked at the corner of the intersection and I saw that there was an entire house missing and I was like, "HOLY CRAP! Is this the hole?!" and he was like, "Oh yeah...I forgot to tell you." Ha ha! But it is so cool! 

Other thing, just kinda funny, so we we're driving down the street on our way to the office and I saw this huge sign of "Boss", supposedly a new show on TNT. and I said hmmm...that sure does look like a show my family might get obsessed with. ha ha So my question is, are you? ha ha Well I guess maybe you don't know yet cuz I saw it came out like two or three days ago, but still.... 

And No— we are not obsessed with it —at least not yet! :) We have not even heard of it...funny how he knows what is on TV and we do not. Must be missing a little TV watching and hoping we will watch it for him and tell him if it is any good. 

And the last thing, I have a research project for dad! Ha ha! I know, I'm sure that's all you want to hear. But here`s the deal. So in the office we have a TON of good music that I want to put on my iPod before I leave the office but all of the computers are windows. So, I was wandering if you could research a little on how I could get that off and put it onto my iPod without having to reformat it and losing all of my music and pictures that are on there cuz I want all of that. Especially the Christmas music!!! and there is no Macintosh around, as far as I know.....so that would be awesome if you could figure that out! 

Oh and I did buy myself something for Easter Mom!  I actually had ordered them before you told me that though...oops, but I ordered some SICK leather scripture covers for my Spanish scriptures! They are SO tight! I will have to send you a picture next week. Alright, well I best be off. My time is up. 

I hope you guys are relaxing it up up there in Spokane (or however you spell it! ha ha) I miss you guys a ton! You are all the best and I love you so much! Well, we`ll talk to ya next week.

 

Con amor,

Elder Welch

Hey eddy body!

First of all thanks everybody for the letters! You are the best. But second, I don't have a lot of time cuz our time got cut short today and I wanted to read all of your letters. So I will use the time I have to answer your questions and then I will tell you about today's SICK!!!! P-day next week. 


So, First answer: 
(Hayden tells me all about where he lives and where the office is. I am not going to put it on the blog. I would rather be safe than sorry. If you would like to look it up on Google Earth —email me and I will give you the information.)


We live in a gated colony that is SUPER nice called ----. It is in Zone ---- of Guatemala city and all of zone ---is our area. But where we live is so secluded that we have to take a taxi to and from the area. the office is in zone --- in the ------. building. you can look it up on google earth. ---------. It is super big and it takes like forty five minutes to get there from the house. 


Answer 2:
No.  I haven't gotten to drive yet. I haven't had to.  But, I think this Monday I might because I have to take my comp to the dentist. 


Answer 3:
E. is doing AWESOME!!! He went to conference and loved it and said that it cleard up all the doubts he had. So now the only thing holding him back is his job.  We are fasting with them— on his orders— so that it will work out! Ha ha ha! He is awesome!!! He has already put in his papers and everything. 


My comp is still my comp, but I think I'm getting better with him. I learned to juggle the other day. Today I went to eat at Ihop and we went bowling!


 Alright my time is about to run out!!! Love you so much and I'll send pictures next week!!! You are the best!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk to ya next week!

Con amor,
Elder Welch

ps. Tell Michelle and Phillip hi and that I love them a ton!!!

The office is definitely what I needed at this time in my mission.

Hi,

I am great. Was that not a sick session of conference?! Ha ha! How are you all doing? Yeah, those two were incredible talks! So what's up with the fam? How's everything going? How's the conference ....conference..... par-tay?

I got like four pictures and I got the video message but it doesn't come through. The computer doesn't read the file for some reason.  So I didn't see the video. That little girl is the cutest stinkin thing I have seen in my entire life! I miss her SOOOO much!!!! And Ha ha! Oh boy! If she doesn't like strangers...she is going to hate me then when she finally meets me. Ha ha! I cannot wait to see her again!

But anyway, sounds like my week has not been near as eventful as yours. Ha ha ha ha! 

So it's good here in the office. It was kinda weird at first, but now it's normal And I am learning a ton about everything! It is really good. I need to send you a copy of the book cover I made for the mission and all this stuff. It is pretty sweet!  The office is definitely what I needed at this time in my mission. 

There´s really not a ton to tell about my week it has been just a bunch of really early mornings having to wake Elders up and coordinate all their travel and everything. We had another group that had to come to the capital to work out their residency this week so I let my companion try to organize it so he could learn. It got done......barely.Ha ha! It was kinda a disaster. We had people everywhere. I ended up having to take over for the return travels cuz Elder T. told me I had to. Ha ha ha ha! But...idk...he´s still learning. Guess I just need to teach better! It was change week so that was a little different, but it was not near as crazy as it has been. Definitely got it down by now. Ha ha! And now that I have learned so much in the office I can focus on making things better and it is really nice. But my job is not done! I still need to teach my companion a lot though. 

I know how things are and what people are saying but I think I might be outta here after this change! It's pretty crazy! I sure don't think I'm coming back here by the end—thanks for the confidence though Mom. Ha ha ha ha! But...... who knows what is going to happen to me next change!!! I sure hope I'll be ready for whatever it is. Idk...I'm not really feelin too ready for much lately. I still have SO much to learn— it is ridiculous. I still feel like I barely entered the mission. I think Elder B, Elder T, and I are outta here next change! That is half the office! It will be so crazy!!! Oh— and You have to go to T´s Welcome home!!!! I'm not sure when it's going to be. Like within five weeks. But I will let you know when it gets closer. 

And as for sister Watts, she is the BEST! Idk about her loving me that much, but I sure do love her! I am going to miss her a ton!!! And president Watts! 

Oh yeah!!! E. is getting offered another job!!! we showed up at his house and the first thing I did was ask him if he had any questions or anything he wanted to tell us and he said, "Yes, I want to do another fast." I asked him why... and he told us that tomorrow and next Sunday he has vacation from school so he can come to church. He also added that  he is also getting offered a new job. If he gets the new job he can have Saturdays off work to be able to study on Saturdays and have Sundays off to go to church and he was super excited!!! I am so happy for that! I love them so much!!!! I sure hope everything works out alright!

Oh yeah!!!!! Big news!!! I totally forgot and it was the biggest thing that has happened all week! Well, so you know how the Hilux got stolen right? So....we got a new truck!!!! It is sweet! I haven't driven it yet. But I am going to! And I am super nervous! It is a manual! And its a smaller truck, but it's a diesel engine. I am SUPER excited to try it out! 

OK, I will definitely mail you the package I have. I have to get going though, 

And mom...I know you were praying for me during those missionary talks this morning, and I'm pretty darn sure you were crying too! Ha ha ha ha! . I love you so much! You are the best! You are always there for me no matter what— I KNOW it! I have definitely felt your prayers lately. Love you so much! Alright —Talk to you next week!!!!!!!!!!!!

Con amor,

Elder Welch