Packages, Health, Fleas and Walking.....

Hey Guys,

So, Not too eventful of a week, so I'll start by answering the questions you had Mom.

Packages: I only got the one but it was the best! I am saving a lot of it for my next change to see where I go. But you don't have to buy new if the other one doesn´t come. That would be way too much money! Vans, I can't decide which ones!  Sorry, ask Lexi, she´ll probably know which ones I would like to have. Cuz after all, we all know she knows me better than I do! But for real, I have no preference. And we were in a paca, (the Guatemalan version of a thrift store) today and I found a brand new pair of ecco´s for 130 quetzals! That´s less than twenty bucks!!! But I didn´t have any money. So we´re going to go back next week to see if they´re still there. But my shoes are holding up just fine so far. There are quite a few elders with the same shoes that I have and they have had them for over a year and they are still like almost perfect.  I think I'll be good. 

Health: I am absolutely fine. My stomach is happy. Well...this week not so much cuz I don´t have any money! Somebody has been robbing money from our cards. They took over 600 quetz from mine and they were supposed to send me cash in pouch but it never came and they were supposed to put our new money for this month on our zone leaders´ cards today so we could get it out but they didnt do that either. So I got sick of not eating so I splurged at pizza hut today with my personal card when we went as a zone! But I'm fine. We´ll get it all worked out I'm sure. Our new cards are supposed to come with pouch this Thursday so we´ll see if they end up doing that...but you never know...

Fleas: I haven´t had them, I may have had like a couple bites, but that´s it. Other elders have had them pretty bad though, so we´ll see how long I can evade them. 

Walking:  I don´t really walk too much...our area is not really too big. It´s one of the smaller ones. 

Oh and the pictures, They didn´t make me homesick. Well of course they did a little...but I loved them! I always love the pictures. So yeah, you can keep sending them for sure.

So anyway, I dont have too much more time, but I'll try and tell you some more about things around here. Elder N. and I have just been working hard with our investigators that have dates. 

When we went to pick one of the ladies up yesterday for church she came out in like her nicest dress and all ready and happier than we´ve seen her yet.  During church she seemed like she was already a member in all the classes and stuff, like answering and asking questions and everything! It was way cool. 

We have family night with a family in the ward that reminds me of being home every time I go there! The G. family. They are way cool and like everyone of them speaks at least a little English. The kids are fluent. But we had a family night with them and with the family that is going to get baptized this Saturday and it was awesome! 

So that´s pretty much all that has happened. Oh and the hermana from my district that was in Polochik for a long time lent me all of her  Kekchi books and her kid´s picture Book of Mormon and stuff so that is pretty much all I have been studying for the past week! It's the best. I can understand a good portion of it now when I read it. There are only three people in my zone that speak it and I hardly ever see them, so I havent got to practice speaking yet or anything. So, if I don't end up getting sent somewhere that speaks Kekchi...I´ve wasted about a week of study...but that´s ok. There are still Kekchi people here in the capital every once in a while that I can contact...

So, that´s pretty much all that is going on down here. So that´s nuts that Utah is going to have a bunch of flooding. I heard about that from somebody I can't remember right now, but that´s nuts. And I did hear about those tornados! That is crazy! This week we had our Priesthood and Relief Society meetings combined and it was like a whole lesson on catastrophe preparedness and all this stuff. It was pretty nuts. And President and Hermana Torres are really pushing that we get our emergency bags put together. Which I still have to do! So I guess I better huh? Alright, well I'm over time. I better go. But, it was good to hear how things are going! Thanks for writting! I love you all a ton. And I'll let you all know next week if I'm going to have a change or not. Love you all!

Love,

Elder Welch

Working with Neddy again!!!

Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What´s up everybody?! So...I´m not gonna lie, I didn´t take the time to read everybodies notes. I decided to print it out and read the rest of them later and take the time to look at the pictures instead —so that I could see them and also have time to write. 

So, It seems like the party sure was quite the shin-dig! I´m pretty jealous that I missed out on that one! It sure did look like the party of the century! Looks like you guys had quite the week. 

My week wasn´t really quite so eventfull...But we are doing really well though, at least I think we are. Our goal as a zone for this change was sixteen baptisms again and just by ourselves Elder N. and I are going to have six by the end of the change! I think we´re doing pretty well. The whole zone is doing really well. If all the dates we have and everything really go through, we will end up with 21! instead of our goal of 16! We got like 17 last change —I think—and the zone that got the next highest baptisms got 8! So we´re kicking some butt! Haha. 

What is awesome is that this change with Elder N. is completely different from the last. Before it kinda just seemed like we were working just so we didn´t get yelled at by the zone leaders. Elder N. kinda has a tendencey to work like that too —sometimes—but we´re working on it! But yeah so we have six people going to get baptized this change, one for sure the next change and a whole bunch more possibilities that we are trying to work real hard with but —who knows? But other than that it´s been a really uneventfull week. 

Yesterday I had to give another talk in sacrament meeting. Let´s just say it went a lot smoother than last time! I actually didn´t have to write anything down this time! I´m back to the old ´I can just get up and talk´ thing! Well of course I prepared (mom) But I didn´t have to write everthing down! 

And also, Elder N. and I went to a baptism of the other elders in our district and I had three people ask me how long I had in the mission and everytime someone asks we always tell them to guess and each time they all three guessed over a year! Haha!  One thought that I was Elder N´s senior companion and one thought that we were the Zone leaders! It was pretty darn funny. Elder N. was rolling. 

But everything is going awesome lately! I cannot beleive that this change is pretty much coming to an end! Only one more p-day and I will know if I am going to have a change or not! This change has gone by SUPER fast! It is crazy! It kinda sucks thought cuz Elder N. and I keep talking about how bad we want to stay here for just like one more change so that we can keep things rolling the way they are now. But at the same time I want to go out of the capital. I don´t know. It´s kinda crazy. I love it here though. We are doing awesome and I love the members and the investigators. Oh! I went to Neddy´s house yesterday again to talk to him because after that whole deal we kinda pretty much dropped him cuz he didn´t really want to listen to us anymore but I went and talked to him. I talked to him and he told me that he is willing to do everything necessary to be baptized! So I´m going to start working really hard with him again! I was pretty excited about that! And he is going through the process to remove all his tatoos and everything! That made me super happy! But yep...that´s pretty much it! 

OH! Nope! I got the package from you guys! I got it on Thursday! Thanks! It´s the best! Oh and Abby, did you make that bracelet? I figure you did. I just about threw it out with the Easter grass! But I wear it all the time! (the only rule I break just so ya know...shhhhh) And I LOVED the card from Avery! Ha ha ha —and the one from you too Abby! Well I hope that everything is going well! If everyone is still there visiting tell them all hi and thanks for everything!!! You guys are all the best! I think about you all the time! Especially on Sundays after church! I remember the backyard BBQ´s and playing ping-pong! Alright, well my time´s up! I better go! I love you all so so so much! Thank you so much for everything! I´ll talk to ya next week!

Love,

Elder Welch

P.S. If you´re looking for stuff to fill that package with, you could send my vans!  I sure do miss them and I don´t know why I didn´t bring them! But if not, don´t worry. It´s just a luxury. I´m really not too worried about it. LOVE YA!!!!

Happy Birthday Granny Mae!

Hey everybody!

 So, first of all, story about dad...HILARIOUS! I can totally picture that going down in my head right now! Second of all, Changes aren't this week. We are just starting our fourth week and changes are every 6. But I can not believe that I am already starting my fourth week with Elder N! This change has flown by like crazy! And actually, as much as I want to get out of the capital, I will be way sad if I get a change this time. All of the investigators that I actually found myself and have taught from the beginning, they are getting so close to baptism. We have five scheduled for the end of this change, but we have like a ton more that Elder N and I have found that won't be able to get baptized until like the beginning of next change! So we are working way hard to get them prepared for their baptism and also we are both praying that we stay here another change cuz we are kickin some butt! Ha ha. But Elder N. thinks I´m getting changed out and he´s going to stay here and train...but who knows...we´ll see. But everything is going really well! We definitely have to work our little tooshies off these last three weeks though! We have put some pretty high goals and idk if we´re going to be able to accomplish them! But if we do we´ll be doing awesome!

So, I pretty much told you about the apartment, Idk what else you want me to tell ya mom...but it's nice. I like it. I definitely am enjoying the hot shower and the washing machine! I have some pictures of the view from our deck but I don't think I'm going to be able to have time to send them with this email but we are going to get pictures printed today so I will send you those.

So, other than that I don't think there´s really much to tell. And I´m just about outta time so I better go! I'll have more time to write next week. Sorry!!! I had to work out some problems with my church credit card today that took a bunch of my time.

But alright, I love you all a ton! And I think about you all all the time! I'm pretty jealous of all you lucky ducks that get to go to the biggest party to ever hit old Heber City! Ha ha ha! Happy 100th Birthday Granny Mae!

 Love you all! Adios!

Love,

Elder Welch

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

Mother's Day Call

It was a great Mother's Day! It was wonderful for everyone to get to talk to Hayden. Bryan and Whitney came over and Lexi was here as well. He even got to talk to Grandma and Grandpa Murdock. It was so nice to hear his voice and ask questions and share our love for each other. Here are a few of the highlights of the conversation.

• Hayden loves his new companion Elder N.
• He said that yesterday (Saturday) was the best day of the mission so -far! He and Elder N. contacted some new great investigators and they had a very spiritual day.
• His apartment is very small,  at first he really did not like his apartment or his area but now he is growing to love it.
• He is in an area where the members are strong and there is a lot of wards and a couple of stakes.
• His shower has an attachment that heats up the water so he has warm showers not cold.
• When Hayden and Elder M. first got their  apartment it had cockroaches but now it doesn't —He did not say how they fixed that.
• Elder M. and all of the other Elders in Hayden's district  got fleas somehow Hayden was the only one that avoided them. I guess we will see in future months if he is actually "flea resistant".
• He says that the mosquitoes are really bad in Guatemala.
• Some of the doorbells on the houses shock you!
• He told Taylor that he does not care if he uses his golf shoes while he is gone.......Taylor says woo-hoo!
• He cooks all of his own food. And has not gotten sick yet.
• He can buy most things at a store that is similar to WalMart and is owned by WalMart.
• He loves the fresh fruit and the markets in Guatemala.
• He says that the people are very hospitable.
• He dislikes the milk---it is the unrefrigerated kind in a box like you can get at Gosner's Cheese Factory....the funny thing is that before he went he loved to get "boxed" milk when we would go to Logan.
• He does his own laundry but a lady lets them borrow her washing machine
• Bryan says Hayden is speaking Spanish very well.
• I asked him if Sister Torres is as Happy as she looks in her Photos....he said yes she is and always smiling unless of course you are doing something you should not be doing.
• He sends his emails from an internet cafe.
• He had an interview with President Torres the other day and is very curious where he will end up next transfer...if he will stay or go.
• His baptism with N. fell through and he was very disappointed about that. N. was having some issues.
• He has enjoyed seeing Elder D. and has had a few walks down memory lane with him. He said the other day that they were laughing and saying how funny it was that not to long ago they were sitting together on a bench in a dug out playing little league baseball— and now they are both traveling the streets of Guatemala together. It is nice for Hayden to have a true friend when he is that far from home!
• He said over and over that even though he thinks of home all of the time-that he knows he is where he is supposed to be.
• He wanted me to tell everyone how much he loves each and everyone of you and thank you for supporting him. 
• Last but not least he said everyone PLEASE WRITE!!!!
• It was hard to say Good bye.......

What a good kid he is!!!

New Photos of April Zone Conference

I found the following photographs on President and Hermana Torres' Blog. 

They are photographs of April's zone conference. 

You can click on each photograph and it will take you to a link where they can be enlarged and you can zoom in up close.  

Carol Anne

Hayden is at the far back table on the very left back row. 

President and Hermana Torres. I never see Sister Torres without a huge smile.
She has got to be the happiest person I have ever seen.

Hayden (of course on the left -front) and his last companion Elder M. on the front right.

Hayden and his goofy face that we have all seen so many times!

This is a photo of Hayden's Zone, President and Hermana Torres and the AP's.
 Elder D.  (Hayden's good friend from home and one of the current AP's)  is standing next to Hayden.   Elder W. (One of the other AP's who just finished his mission and left to go home.) is on the far back row on the left. Elder M. (Hayden's first companion in his first area in the mission field  Las Victorias.) is in the middle on the back row  and Edler B. (Hayden's zone leader and the Elder that  he went on divisions  with around General Conference time —and LOVED)  is next to Hayden on the Left. 

Hey everybody!!!

Once again I can't beleive another week has gone by! Oh! before I forget again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYAN! I was going to tell you last week but I guess I got distracted...Just so you know I didn't forget about ya. And Taylor, Congrats on the calling man! Thats awesome. You´ll tear it up. (Note from Carol Anne: Taylor was called to be the Teacher's Quorum President.)

But so, first of all, my phone call. So the thing is I guess you guys are supposed to call me instead of me calling you. I don't know why but that's the deal. So idk like who all is going to be there or whatever, but I'm going to leave that up to you guys to figure out. Ha ha ha. So I guess the best time for us for you to call is at 2.00 PM on Sunday. And we´re on the same time as you guys so at two o'clock your time too. I really hope that is ok with you guys! But if not...tough! Ha ha ha! Cuz you HAVE to call me!  But yeah, the number to call is, ****** So I hope everything works out alright. Sorry it's such late notice, but they just let us know too. 

So secondly, changes— My new companion is Elder N. He is from Tegulsigalpa, Honduras. He is awesome!!! And now I have to speak Spanish all day! Woo hoo! I am so excited to have him as a companion, he is a great missionary and the work is going great! There is such a great feeling in my home, in my area and in our ward.  We have like five people we are so close to putting dates with and we have found like 8 new possibilities just since the change!!! So I'm hoping this change is going to be amazing! But yeah, Elder N. only has 9 months in the mission and he has been senior companion most of his mission and has already trained and now he is a district leader. And he is like pretty much training me to be district leader— Ha ha ha— he is so funny. But these last few days have been so awesome!!! We are working way hard! Like our numbers haven't been so high— but it's because we are really trying to look for the people that are going to progress and that have been prepared for us. So I'm hoping we are going to tear it up this change! But anyway...so how´s everything going with the fam? I miss all ya´ll!  I think that that package is in the mission office. I think it came last week but we didn't get pouch last week because of the change conference, but I think I should be getting it this Thursday. I still haven't gotten E's letter finished cuz we´ve been workin' our little butts off! 

We played ping pong today for p-day and it reminded me of the summer afternoons, evenings, nights, and midnights of playing ping pong in the backyard with everybody!  Elder N is dang good! He and I played a ton. It's been way too long! He gave me a run for my money! I have pictures! But I'm going to get a ton printed today so I will send you all hard copies of pictures soon. I hope all is well! I am doing really well and I love you all so much! Can't wait to talk to you on Sunday!!! Sunday and two o'clock in the afternoon at the number *****. I am so stoaked!  And I hope I get to talk to all of you! But Bryan, one rule, no making fun of the Spanish........Ha ha ha ha. Alright, well I love you all so much and I will talk to you— LIKE FOR REALS!!!! on Sunday! 

Love,

Elder Welch