Mother's Day Call

We got our Mother's Day phone call with Hayden! Everything went great. We had clear reception and no delays. We connected and stayed connected the entire time. After the Christmas call fiasco I prayed for weeks that all would go well and it did. He sounded great! Bryan and Whitney and the kids came up for the evening.  It is nice to have Bryan who speaks Spanish and can work out all the kinks when necessary. We compiled a list of questions this time so that we did not repeat the questions over and over. Last phone call I could tell Hayden did not get as much out of the phone call as he could have. This time it was great! If someone repeated a question he simply said, "Done it" and then we would move on. We also left time for him to ask each of us questions that he wanted to know about our lives.

After the call we all shared what we had learned from our time with Hayden. We actually gathered quite a bit of information in a little bit of time.

The following is what we learned.

Hayden was transferred and his new area is called Sion. It is in Guatemala City. Sion translated is Zion. He really likes it so far. He said there are what he referred to as "stairs". I asked him what he meant by that and he explained that there are many economic differences in his area. It goes from poor to rich to VERY poor! He lives in an area called the projects but says it is not as bad as it sounds but that it is  not a gated community like he was living in when working at the office. As of last Sunday he had not attended his new ward yet. They had stake conference that first Sunday.

He said that he is so grateful for his new companion. He said that he is wonderful. He talked about how hard it is to be with a companion that does not work as hard as you would like and that it brings you down a level. We talked about marriage a bit and explained that the idea of being equally yoked will be with him throughout his lifetime and we agreed how important that concept and reality is. He was so relieved that his new companion —Elder V. from Guatemala—is such a hard worker. He and Elder V. are zone leaders. He is the zone leader over the office Elders. I thought that was kind of funny. He is excited to be back in the thick of teaching and proselyting full time again.

He told me a funny story about finding one of the Christmas packages that we sent him when he was in Dolores. He was looking through some boxes a couple of weeks ago and he noticed one box tucked up under a desk. He was not sure what was in it so he pulled it out and it was addressed to him. It was his Christmas box from the distribution center....go figure. It never got delivered to him. He said it was a nice little surprise in the middle of a boring day! So maybe it was meant to be.

He also said that the weather was not to bad. He mentioned that he had spent the hottest time in the office with air-conditioning and that now it was cooling down a bit. He also laughed and said that he actually likes the hot now.

He told me how proud of himself he is because he did some "missionary fixin' up on his shoes". His shoe lace on his Eccos started unraveling so he used some of his first aide tape and taped it up and then used a black sharpie to color it black and he claimed you could not even tell. Keep in mind this is the son who HAD to buy the fancy BROWN  shoes. Right!? He has always needed just the right clothes......Well NOT anymore! He is a changed man! I can tell things like that are just not important anymore.

He shared with Bruce his worries and concerns about being a zone leader. He wants to be up to the task. He told Bruce a story about how he obtained a very generous gift from Sister Watts. I guess at some point he was helping Sister Watts with one of the meals and when he opened the fridge there was some Miracle Whip....he cried out with delight because he did not think that you could find it in Guatemala. The conversation soon turned to the mayo/Miracle Whip debate and he was happy to hear that Sister Watts is on his side as a Miracle Whip lover. Well you can only find Miracle Whip in one store in Guatemala and it a long way away from where the office is and it is not cheap! Before Hayden left Sister Watts said she had a little something for him. When he opened up the gift bag there was a brown paper bag inside and in the brown paper bag was a jar of Miracle Whip. It meant so much to him. It was a very thoughtful gift.



Taylor of course asked about the transvestite brawl that Hayden told us about a couple of weeks ago. He referred to this as the funniest and scariest things he has seen in Guat. Hayden did share a few more funny things about it with him —but not much. He just told him he would tell him about it all of it when he came home. Taylor asked him what thing he dreaded most to face in the morning when he woke up. (What a funny question to ask!  ...Brothers... I still don't get them sometimes!) Hayden replied that Taylor has it good in the states and he is very lucky and told him to appreciate what he has and then quickly changed the subject. They visited about Taylor's life and talked "Papa Murphy's" for a while.

Abby of course talked music with Hayden. She also asked him if he had found any more snakes. He had not considering he has not been in the jungle but told her a little more about his Pit Viper experience...much of which I did not want to hear. He told her that they kept the head in a Tupperware container for days waiting for the perfect time to tease the Sister Missionaries. They were disappointed when the head started to smell and they had to get rid of it before they could find the perfect time. Abby brought the whole snake thing up because it is once again water snake time at the Welch house and she is missing her brother's protective "snake hunting skills".

Whitney was polite and left most of the time for the rest of the family but thanked him for his service and expressed her love.

Avery on the other hand......grabbed the phone and did not want to give it back!!! At least once she decided it was Hayden on the phone not Mickey Mouse. (That story is too long to share!) She was delighted to have her buddy on the phone and chatted it up. She told Hayden that she wanted to take him some place and show him somethin' and she climbed in her little blue mini coupe car and drove all around the yard. She took him to the fountain and showed him how she could put her hands in the fountain and showed him the flowers and the bugs and the irrigation ditch and counted for him and told him that she missed him and loved him. It was quite possibly the cutest thing ever! I think it really was Hayden's highlight of the phone call. She also told him she wanted him to come home and take her to Disneyland! :)

The last question that I asked him was, "In what way has the mission blessed your life the most?" He got really quiet and reflective and said, Mom there are just SOOO many ways. I can not put it into words. He was then very emotional.

We ended by saying a family prayer. Hayden said he wanted his Dad to offer it so we knelt together and it was a beautiful experience. I must say that having my entire family praying together for the first time in eighteen months was the best Mother's Day present EVER!

It was so great to talk to him and he sounds wonderful! Puts a mom's heart at ease. I am so grateful that everything went well. I am grateful to hear the growth, happiness and confidence in his voice. I am grateful to see our Father in Heaven's hand in all things. What a wonderful day!

Carol Anne

Saying goodbye to the office...

Hayden says goodbye to his office pals.

Hayden and Elder N.

Hayden and Elder B.

Hayden and Elder T. 

Moving the office and a change in the future....

Hey!

Sorry I haven´t been able to write until now! It has been a pretty darn crazy day! I LOVED the sound clip of Avery though! ha ha that was the best! I cant wait to get back to my favorite niece in the whole wide world! ha ha So,we have been working super hard cuz we had to move the whole office today! We basically haven´t had a P-day! Well, I guess that´s not true. This morning, because it´s the last Saturday of the change, we had our breakfast with Sister Watts and it, as always, was incredible!!! I didn't get any pictures because my camera was dead, but it was awesome. We had to do it super early though because we had to be to the office at eight in the morning to help the moving crew with everything. It was pretty nuts! And that brings us to now. We took like an hour break to go eat lunch, but other than that we have been moving everything and working like crazy! And we are not even close to being done! We have SO much crap! And this office is so much smaller than the old one and we have like zero closet space so I think I'm just going to end up throwing a ton of junk away. But I am going to get it all set up super nice and organized for the next change and everything!

That brings me to my next topic. My change. To tell ya the truth I really don't know too much about it. I didn't know anything about it until like twenty/thirty minutes ago when Elder Thacker pulled me aside to tell me a little about it so Elder Nelson (his companion) wouldn´t hear!— but I do have a change. I don´t know where to yet exactly, but I know that it is in the capital. That really stinks! I was definitely not wanting that! But it's OK. Elder Thacker just told me that it is going to be a lot of work, but I have a really good companion so it is all going to go well, and that it´s a good change. So, like I said, who knows where the heck I´m going! He said he´s going to tell me where I´m going.......I am good! A little tired, and nervous about the change, but good ha ha. We still have a ton to do though! And real quick about the call. They said that those that had changes have permission to call for like thirty seconds before to work everything out so I´ll do that. What  the freak....I have to go take care of something ....Sorry! I am OK but my comp. is having some troubles. .So, you´ll just have to wait until next Monday to find out where I am!  

An I will let you know where I end up next Monday! I love you so much and thanks for everything! You are the best!

Con amor,

Elder Welch

Photos of the Old Office

Just more of the old office. Sick view huh?! it was on the twelfth floor! it was so sweet! And me and my companion went to the roof this morning while we were waiting for the moving crew and we took some sweet pictures, but that was while my camera was still dead so we just took them with his computer.

Alright, here is one of the mover guys down on the road taken from up in President´s old office. 

.....and also all of the pictures of the new office. It's nice, but pretty small!

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