New Photos from Hayden's last area Las Victorias!!!

Hey! I couldn´t get the pictures from S´s baptism that we had the week before last. They are on another Elder´s camera but I'll try to get them. These our from my last zone activity in Las Victorias and Elder N. and his Zone showed up too. It was the best!!! This is in a mall Tikal Futura. It was way fun. And the last one, I think, is me and Elder Taco. I thought you all would think that was funny. We are like way good freinds! and we are in the same group. We leave at the same time.

So great to see Hayden being a little crazy and having fun!!! 

Hayden's zone in Las Victorias

For those of you who do not know Hayden LOVES bowling and is really quite good at it. He owns his own ball and everything!!! He and Jordon Duke used to go bowling all the time. So he must have been in heaven!

Elder Taco and Elder Welch

I have a change! But where?

Hey everybody!

This change flew by! It seems like I just got here like two weeks ago! So, for the news, I HAVE A CHANGE! I am soooo sad about that one! I did not want this change to come! We are seriously just starting to see the effects of our hard work here! We have a family of gold that I am leaving! And another lady and her son! They are all so amazing, and we have done awesome with them! All six should be baptized within the next three to four weeks, and it is going to be awesome! But I´m not going to get to be here to see it!  But I know that Elder M. will keep it up here. He´s an awesome guy! But also, we have just barely started to get a lot of support from the members. Something we´ve been trying so hard to get since I got here! Like this week we have members scheduled to do visits with us like every day! This area is changing so much! And I feel like I am not even close to finished with what I could do here! It is such a weird feeling! But, I guess I just prepare to do the same thing wherever I get sent right? I have no idea where I´m going to get sent though! I feel like I might just be a capitol elder my whole mission — but idk. There are ten people leaving Petén I know, so maybe I´ll get sent up there. Who knows?

So, That really stinks about everybody getting sick! I sure hope they all don´t get sent home! (Note from Carol Anne: Several of Hayden's friends in missions around the world are sick right now.) That would be terrible! But as for my health, I am totally fine. Like— I haven´t even really gotten sick once. I got a little food poisoning twice, and that was from the food they gave us at Zone Conference when I first got into the mission. But other than that, I have been totally fine! It is way awesome here. Elder M. and I have eaten so well here! Hamburgers with bbq sauce from Walmart!!! Ha ha ha! and fajitas and a whole bunch of awesome stuff...yeah...I´m a pretty dang good cook if I do say so myself! Ha ha ha! Just kidding. But yeah, I am doing awesome!

That is so awesome to hear how everything is going so well with school and everything for everyone though! That is so good! I miss you guys a ton! But I know before I know it, I´ll be right there hangin' out with all of you again. These eight months have flown by!!! It is crazy how fast it has gone! Especially this last change! It went by WAY too fast! Well, I better get going. I love you all so much! Thank you for all of your prayers and support. It really means a lot to me! I will let you all know where I end up next week!

Love,

Elder Welch

PS.  In the next package, there is this puzzle thing that Elder M. had that was incredible! I think G-ma Murdock gave it to dad or something one time. It is of the plan of salvation. It is a round wooden puzzle thing. If you could find one in Spanish that would be incredible!!!! Alright, I love you so much! Talk to you next week!

This change has flown by!

Hey!!!

Holy Crud! Mom, it´s not just you. This change has flown by! We only have a week and a half left before it´s over! We find out if we have changes this Sunday! I´m almost ninety percent sure though that I am staying here. We are just starting to get things picked up. It is awesome! We have a ton of possibilities for this coming change. We just found a family of four —last night actually —and they are amazing! They are actually the sister of our branch president and her family, but they hardly know anything about the church, and they were like SO happy after the lesson that we had with them last night. And all the mom, would say was stuff like ¨this is exactly what I´ve been wondering about and looking for¨. And like ¨that answers so many doubts I have had!¨ It was so awesome! So we are hoping that they are going to really progress!

Oh, but before I forget, I will answer your questions. The weather hasn´t been terrible. Here in Fiscal we don´t get too much rain. In Las Victorias we got a ton! But here —no. The other area in our district is like on the other side of the valley and they get quite a bit of rain, but we don't, usually. Yesterday and today though there have been some pretty dang good rainstorms though. They don´t last very long and they come out of nowhere, but they are huge! Like rivers through the streets huge!  That was a normal occurence in Las Victorias, but here it is pretty crazy. And right now I can hear the thunder and it is pretty dang loud, so I hope we don´t get poured on on the way home. Especially because we have our food from Walmart! Oh yeah, I have to tell you. You´re all gonna say I am way stupid, but I don´t even care. I made a purchase today at Walmart. A WAFFLE IRON!!! Ha ha ha ha ha! I bought it with my card so I can take it from area to area and it's just a little guy so it can fit in my luggage! Ha ha! I wasn´t going to do it but it was only like ten or fifteen bucks and it is going to be like heaven!!!

Anyways, As far as my favorite scripture, it would have to be Alma 29:1. I know, pretty over used missionary scripture, but I love it.

So anyway, I cannot beleive that freaking school is starting!!! That is so nuts to me! Before I know it it´s going to be snowing again back there at home! I also can´t beleive that there is a gosh darn Walmart in Heber!!! That is going to be super weird to get home too! And, more than ANYTHING I cannot beleive that JUICE! is getting his learner´s permit! You punk! You´re not old enough to be driving! But, what isn´t wrong with the ExploDer?!?! That thing is gonna blow any second! Haha jk it should be running pretty well. Idk if you guys have tried to get it up and running since I´ve been gone or whatever, but it didn´t have anything majorly wrong with it when I left...so idk. You´ll just have to check into it.

As for my week, it hasn´t been anything too special. We are really just starting to see the good affects of all our hard work though —I think. And I really hope it continues to be that way and continues to improve. I think that it will though. It just seems like we have been working so hard for a long time and haven´t been seeing anything come of it. But things are going to keep getting better from now on. I´m pretty sure. I really hope that Elder M.and I can both stay here for the next change! But if not, I´m sure that everything will work out just fine. 

Oh and Mom remember that If you have anyone that you can give to the missionaries as a reference, DO IT! And then offer to go with them to teach them too! That is what they need. They are supposed to be getting members from the ward to come and participate in the lessons and everything. So as far as your young women goes tell them and ask them what you can do to help. And you and Abby could even go to have a lesson with her and everything and that would be perfect. And ask them if they want you to teach a certain principle from the lesson or whatever. That is exactly how it is supposed to work! And then, they can still be hard working missionaries, just you can help them so they can focus their efforts they would have used to find one person on finding someone else!!! That is so awesome that you are doing missionary work and that she is being taught by the missionaries. 

Love you! Gotta go! Bye!

Elder  Welch

Please Pray!

Hey! Just got done reading your letter. I was writing some other elder friends from the CCM and stuff and Elder J.D. and Elder S. 

But— we are writing so early today because the other elders are going to do an activity, like go to a waterfall or something and so they wanted to do it early to have more time, they still haven´t arrived so me and elder M. started because we´re not going to the activity because we have two really important appointments today. One with a family that we just started teaching and they are progressing really well! J. M. and his mom E. Also a family that we are baptizing their daughter this Sunday, but the mom has had cancer and as has gotten really worse in the last week or so! They are the best and it is so sad! They are like our best friends here. I really hope everything turns out alright. the moms name is R, if you could pray for her that would be amazing. It is super sad! They are a really young family. The daughter is the oldest and she is only eight. But idk. We´re trying to help them as much as we can. 

Anyway, so we are just going to Walmart after that, then to eat and then to the grocery store and then home. Walmart is officially the CRAZIEST thing on my mission! Ha ha ha! It is seriously like I stepped into the United States! Ha ha ha! I love it! I bought a 12 pack of Snackpacks!!!! and I found Gardettos!!! That totally reminded me of you mom and the whole family. 

I'll try and answer your questions. 

So first of all, my clothes and everything. My shoes are holding up amazingly. 

I´m switching through the three of them like equally every day so they don´t wear and they are doing awesome. As for my clothes, they WERE doing amazingly, untill I got here and found out how terrible the wash lady is here! Our clothes seriously come back dirtier than when we send them! It is crazy! But idk...they really are fine, just I don´t trust her with my pants, so I´m washing those myself. 

As for the area, It is one branch split into two areas. We share the house with the other elders and we live in their area. It´s kind of a pain in the butt though cuz we have an area that takes us forty-five minutes at least to walk to! It´s pretty crazy! But I really like it here. We only have like three or four member families that are active in our area, so it´s real hard to get help from the members here, but we are working our butts off! We are really trying to find out what it is we need to change here in the area to have success. It is pretty tough, but I know that we can do it. I really hope that Elder M. and I stay here at least for another change though. Just this one change is not enough to be able to change the area. And that´s what President Watts keeps telling me is that I have a lot to do to change the area here. So I would imagine that at least I am going to stay for another change. But I hope that both of us do! We are still getting along really well! He is a really good guy. He actually reminds me of C. Richardson! Ha ha ha! But yeah, he´s a real good guy. And I know that we can have success. It will just take some time. There really is a lot to change here in the area, but it has a ton of potential! So this area is like a pretty small like farm town. There are corn fields and dairy farms and everything. It is way cool. The branch is really small. This Sunday was the highest attendance we have had and it was 78. Usually it´s like low 60´s. 

And yes mom, I have come to grips with the Lexi thing. I just hope she is being smart. But as for me, I am totally fine. I am a free man for the first time in four years and Elder D. and I —and J.D. too— are already making plans to take advantage of that when we get back!!! Ha ha ha! And I am super happy. More happy than I´ve been in a long time! And I know that if I just keep going with what I am supposed to, I will get what will really make me happy forever!!! Woohoo! Gotta love the truth right?!

I better go though. The internet just came back and I still have to write my letter to President Watts. I love you a ton! I´m so glad to hear everything is going well! I hope everything goes well with your party mom. Tell everyone there hi for me! Alright, Well I better get going. I love you a ton! You are the best! Talk to you next week! Really, thank you for everything mom. You are amazing. I love you so much. 

Pues, les amo a todos! Disculpa Bryan por no poder escrirte. Pero espero q´ me siga escribiendo en espanol toda vía. Me encanta, y tengo q´ practicar. No estoy acostumbrado a escribir como cartas en espanol. Es bien raro, pero te amo hombre y espero lo maximo por uds. Mande saludos a todos! Especialmente la chiquita! Avery! La extrano bastante! Pues, cuidate muchá!

Con Amor,

Elder Welch

Photos from Hayden's new area El Fiscal

Well everyone,

I am doing awesome! I love my comp! His name is Elder M. and he is from Las Vegas. We live with another companionship of two Latinos, Elder V. and Elder M. They are cool.  Elder M. is a good guy and he takes care of Elder V. 

Don't worry about the soap and shampoo. You do know I love my favorite kind, but I think I'll manage, Ha ha ha. Just kidding. They have pretty much everything here anyway...I haven't actually been to Walmart yet, but we are going today. It's gonna be so weird! 

Alright, well, I sent some pictures so I hope you got them. 

Oh and Elder M. is the best! We are getting along way well! And he is teaching me Q´eqchi! I can now have a simple conversation and share my testimony in Q'eqchi!  

That hike I took last week was gorgeous! It is a mountain peak in Palencia. So as far as the pictures—the first one I took from the top and then the other two I took on the way back down. It was so beautiful the whole hike! I have a ton more but I don't have time to send them. But alright, I'm out of time, next time I'll be sure to write more and send more pictures.

But...I´m back!!! ..................... finally, right? Sorry I haven't written much in a while. 

But don´t worry, it won't happen again! 

Love,

Elder Welch

In this one I know I look like a total goof, but the view was beautiful. 

                 You can click the photographs for an enlarged version.

This picture with the trees and the fog is my absolute favorite!

Hayden's converts and friends in Las Victorias.

J. 

(This is the English teacher that Hayden judged the Talent show for.)

 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in 
crying repentance
 unto this people,
and bring, save it be one soul unto me,
how great shall be your joy
with him in the kingdom of my Father!

D&C 18:15

The children of the P. Family

And now, if your joy will be great with one soul
that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father,
how great will be your joy
 if you should bring many souls unto me!

D&C 18:16

Elder Welch and Elder Navas 
and the Baptisms of the friends they love.....

These pictures are of my baptisms! 
The one with the crazy lookin dude, that´s J, 
idk what the heck he was doing, it is kind of a funny picture of him 
and the others are the 
P. Family.

 You can click the photographs for an enlarged version.

Hermana C. and her family


Elder N. baptized her.

A., M. and their daughter A. 
Mom, this is a picture of them in their house, 
sorry, it is a little blurry but I like it a whole lot!

Alright, this one is of A. and M´s wedding

This one with a million people is like a ton of the ward members that came for the wedding and baptism of A., M. and their daughter A. and another kid named E.


Note from Hayden on Aug. 1st:
 Presidente Watts just emailed me and said that he just went to visit A. and his family and he said they are doing really well!

The G. Family
Alright, this one  is from my last day in Las Victorias tambien. I am with my second companion in the area Elder P. This is la Familia G. They are members and it is the family that I told you about that reminded me of our family every time I went over there. Ha ha ha! they are the best! They always treated us like we were at home and for me it really felt like it!

We received a letter from Hayden in the mail on July 31st. It was from "his second home" in Las Victorias. It was a great letter! We took it with us on a family camping trip so that we could read it together as a family while we were there, big mistake it is now missing. Well I am going to try and remember the important parts. It will not be written in the great "Hayden"way but here goes.

Hayden described his living quarters in Las Victorias. He said that it was sooooo tiny. He and his companion had twin beds that were in opposite corners of the room and they touched corners in the middle. The beds left only enough room to go in between things if you turned sideways and in that space they also had to find space for the thing they hung their clothes on. He had a microwave and a little one plate burner to cook on. He had a small little fridge and a table that had been broken in two pieces and put back together with a board and screws. They used the table for eating, studying and to put the microwave on. He said that because it had been broken it sagged in the middle. He said that a lady in their ward had a washing machine and allowed he and his companion to use it to do their laundry once a week...so that was very nice for them. He said he did have hot water and a bathroom. He commented on how grateful he was for his place and that he recognized it was one of the better places in the mission. His favorite part of his living quarters was a balcony. He said that he loved to exercise out there in the morning and do his personal study and contemplate. He said that when he read his scriptures during personal study time he would take his candy that we sent for Easter and eat it while he read. He said that he LOVED the candy that it tasted soooooooo good and that he had just eaten the last of it and then he added that now he felt bad he had shared soooo much of it....and then of course followed up with the famous "Ha Ha". Hayden is always so very generous and never thinks of himself— I guess we need to send more candy!  He also loved to watch the lightning and listen to the thunder and rain from the balcony. I think that it was the closest thing to a backyard that he could get and we all know how much he enjoyed hanging out in the backyard at home.  He always has been a  guy who appreciated that kind of thing.  He also said that the time is flying by. He mentioned that he is a little afraid at how fast it is going and that he hopes it slows down a little because he is not ready to think about coming home. (At that time several missionaries in his mission were being sent home or being considered to be sent home because of illness...including his AP buddy from the CCM Elder S....who currently is still at home battling his illness. I think this added to his feeling of not wanting it to end before he was ready.)  He talked about how much he loved it in Guatemala and that the little apartment and his ward really felt like a second home to him now. He once again talked about how amazing Elder N was as a companion and how well they got along. He mentioned many of the above converts that at that time he was teaching. He mentioned the humble circumstances of those in Guatemala and he said how great it was to be teaching the gospel and to see the difference it made in the lifes of those who accept it. He ended with  expressing his love for all of us and thanking us for all that we do for him.


Not as good as the letter and I know I did not do it justice. But it will have to do until I find the letter—If I find the letter!

Carol Anne

Last weeks email-a transfer to El Fiscal

Dear Family and Friends,

Hayden is doing great and enjoying his mission. He did get transferred this week but before he left Las Victorias he had more baptisms and ended on a great note.  He said that he had a hard time leaving the people and would miss many of them. He has grown to feel at home in Las Victorias— but he was more than relieved to leave that area in the Cap.

Also as many of you may have heard Hayden is going through the "Dear John" phase of his mission (Which of course has thrown him for a little bit of a loop!) so he took his email time to write Lexi this week—which is understandable.He is doing alright with the situation though— still upbeat about the mission. He enjoys the mission so much and has mentioned to me the joys of saving souls in Guatemala. He is still focused on the work and still VERY determined. For instance he was not reimbursed from the office when he had his money stolen from his mission account (half a months worth). I have tried to get him to take some money out from his personal account and use it. We even put an extra one hundred dollars in for this reason. He has declined because he should make it on what they give him. He has a bit of his Grandma Murdock's/ Grandma Stella's stubborn streak. How happy I am for this determination because this same stubborn obedient streak will help him through his hard times. He is a great example to me. I know when Hayden went into the mission field he knew what he was leaving behind and he knew it was the right thing to do and he was willing to sacrifice anything to do it.  It is hard to sacrifice the things we love and that make us happy right now for what we know God wants us to do and for the future he has in mind for us. Keep him in your prayers— I think he can use them. I think in a few weeks he will be better than new.

On a another note: Hayden got transferred to a new area and he is very excited about it. This is the one small paragraph we received from him this week:


Hey! MOM


Sorry, I don't really have time, I wrote a real honker to Lexi....... But quick overview, she´s not waiting...... but whatever.  But I got a change to El Fiscal 1 in zona Atlantico! It is so awesome! I will send pictures next week for sure! It is so beautiful! It is like I am out of the capital but we still have all the perks of being in the cap. We have Walmart! Ha ha ha!  Alright, love you all! Keep me informed! And I'm printing your letter out mom, I still haven't read all of it.




love,

Elder Welch


El Fiscal is considered part of the Cap. but is not at all like what Hayden has experienced before. It is very different in culture and terrain. It is less populated and it is more like being in the jungle....and it also has the perks of stores, good food, hot water, washing machines and such. He also is close enough to the Cap. that they can go in on p-days to enjoy the "good" things about the Capital. He can also attend the temple. It is a very good situation for him. A lot of the Elders from Idaho think that it feels like home to them, So I think that is what Hayden likes about it as well.  He is in the Palencia  district and Atlantico zone. 


It is the rainy season in Guatemala and it has been raining like crazy. Hayden has asked for new socks because he can not keep his feet dry and some water proofing spray. Some of the other Elders in Hayden's area keep mentioning how terrible the rain is right now —unless it is not raining and then they complain that they wish it would rain because of the heat. They had a storm the other day where several Elders mentioned that it was raining sidways and there was nothing you could do to get away from it.  Wet, Wet, WET in Guatemala. The rainy season goes until October or early November from what I understand.  Hayden of course never mentions or complains of anything. 


I guess on Monday before Hayden emailed he went with his new district on a hike. They hiked in an area that has been off limits to missionaries for 2 years but was recently approved to hike again. They were the first missionaries in 2 years to get to go. I guess it is dangerous with steep drop offs and high cliffs. It has quite the view from the top. I imagine that Hayden is going to send us photos from the hike next week. A couple of the missionaries in his group posted some photos of the hike and one of the photos had Hayden in it. This is from Elder Asdel's blog (the one in the hat).   I loved seeing this photo and with only a little information from Hayden this week it was just a little tender mercy when I ran onto it by chance........even though as a mom I can see a little stress and sadness in his eyes.......you can see the joy of the mission all over his face and in his countenance.  I am pleased to see that even with his experiences of the last two weeks—as usual Hayden is conducting himself as a gentleman.


Carol Anne

Click the link below to see a large version of the photograph.

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