I am doing Superb!!! My companion is Amazing!

Hey, 

So, first. How the heck is grandpa?!?! second I found shoelaces, honestly I just hadn't really looked! Ha ha! I found them within five minutes of walking out of the internet place on Monday.... and if you want you can send shampoo and body wash again. That would be great!  It is the Suave for men deep cleaning kind and the bodywash is the Old Spice kind. But if you can't find that it's OK. So how is everyone doing? Oh yeah! So I have some things to write before I forget! First of all, something I was going to write a letter for and just sincerely have not had the time, Taylor, Happy freakin sixteenth birthday you stud!!!!!!!! Ha ha ha! That is so nuts! and Bryan, good luck in washington DC. If you ever run into a giantly tall kid named S. N. tell him hi for me. He is the old assistant that just went home last change. He is studying at GW. And Bryan you best be writing me while your there! And this is for Abby.....well...my personal opinion...not very missionary-like of me....but she is awful!!! I didn't learn a gosh darn thing in that class!!! But who knows? Maybe she has changed for the better...I mean everyone can repent of thier sins right? Ha ha ha ha! (don't tell mom I said that) But anyway. I don't think I'm going to have much time to write about me this week! I only have like fifteen minutes left! but I am doing superb!!!!! Ha ha!  My companion is amazing and I am learning so much from him and I love the area! It is such an awesome ward and we are going to start having so much success!!! I hope anyway...and I just love it here! The work is good! Sorry it is so short but I loved the photographs you sent. I will write more next week.

Here are some pictures from the beginning of the month of Concilio (Zone Leaders Conference) 

OK so these are some pictures of the wedding and the baptism! 

Time to go— I love you all!

Elder Welch

Back to two.....just the right number to play ping pong!

Hi guys,

Haha oh boy! Bryan Palooza. Sounds like a doozie! I'm not up to too much. Just super tired. We played soccer for SO long today! It was super fun though. and then Elder L. and I stayed after everyone had left and played ping pong for like another hour! Maybe more! Ha ha! It was super fun. We hadn't planned on doing that. We were going to go to Walmart and buy some stuff but we just kept saying alright one more game. Until it was super late. We just changed our clothes and came straight here and we had started at like eleven thirty! But it was super fun! So how are things going? I love the pictures dad sent! I did only get one of the emails though and it said that it was number 1 of 2. But —That fountain is SO awesome! I am impressed! And Taylor is such a goober! Ha ha!

We are not in a trio anymore. We got a call Saturday night telling us that a taxi would be there Sunday afternoon at 2:30 to pick Elder G. up and take him to his new area. He really did not want to go. He cried when we told him and he was crying off and on while he was packing his bags. He is a really good kid and he has a whole lot of potential. He said he felt super good in this area. It was super sad to see him go. But he's gotta figure things out on his own. And yeah, Elder L. and I are really getting along well. He is a really good missionary. I really look up to him and I am learning a whole lot from him! And yes, I am feeling super good and I am eating even better than before! We live on the second floor of the house of a Sister in the ward named Hermana C. And she is the best! She is like our mom! She makes us lunch on Fridays and Sundays and breakfasts Monday mornings and they are SO good! She is the best! and every once in a while she just calls us down in the morning and says here, I made extra, and gives us some food! She is so awesome! and she washes and irons all of our clothes. We give it to her on Tuesday and she has it all washed and ironed and waiting for us at the door Wednesday morning! She is awesome!

About the package, idk...the last one was a pretty good one though. You don't have to send the actual "food" food this time though cuz I have a Walmart that I can go to and buy stuffing and mashed potatoes and I learned how to make gravy here and everything! So you don't have to worry about that. Idk if you were able to find those shoe-laces though? that would be pretty nice. One of my shoe-laces on my black pair of shoes is hanging on by a thread! Ha ha! Someone told me though that I can find some here. I will look and if I can't find ones that work I will let you know next week. But remind me! cuz I'll probably forget!

So I am living in a neighborhood called ---------------------------------. The branch is called Llano Largo. You can look it up on the Google Earth application on the church website and it will show you right where it is! 

Oh and we actually live in Zone 25. Its a new zone. One side of the highway is zone 25 and the other is zone 18. So I guess I am really in 25 not 18...so Mom Whitney wins the prize!

Well I gotta go! I love you! Bye!

Elder Welch

A Change back to Zone Atlantico

Alright, 

So idk if you are still there, and I am still reading your letter and going through the pictures....so I will just tell you really quick about my change. Well....Abby was right...she wins the prize......NOT! Ha ha ha ha! Mom and Whittney basically both win the prize. Ha ha! I AM in zone eighteen but in like a small kinda town area a ways out of the city. I am with Elder L. from Arizona. He goes home next change. Our area is Llano Largo 2 and the zone is Atlantico. I am back in my second zone! And it is SO wierd! Exactly one year ago I got moved to this same exact zone. And again this time I basically spent my first two days here in Fiscal again! Ha ha! We were trying to work out some problems with the house there because they just moved sister missionaries there and since I was there the Elders have TOTALLY destroyed the house! So we were there like my first two days here. This week has been super crazy! We have had a ton to do! Oh yeah and we are in a trio too. Ha ha! I forgot about that. We are also with an Elder named Elder G. He is from Peru. Jordan's mission too!!! How nuts?! But he doesn't know him I don't think. But it has been pretty crazy. We are hopefully going to have a baptism this Sunday though... before church. Oh and J. asked if I could go back and baptize him so they gave me permission and I got to go back for the wedding and for the baptism! It was the best! The wedding was awesome I'll send pictures. And yeah.... we are the zone leaders here. It's pretty crazy. It's nice though. I really like my companion. I am still trying to get to know the area still cuz I haven't had too much time in the area lately, but we're getting there. It is a really nice area. It is not even CLOSE to as dangerous as the last area. The area is doing really well. We just need to keep it going and improve some little things that Elder Lopez has in mind but the zone on the other hand is struggling a little. It's a pretty big zone and we've got some challenges....But it will be good.... I think. We are going to learn a lot this change! It is nice here and I am 99.9% sure that I am going to finish here. And that my next companion is going to be the one I have for the longest time. It is going to be pretty nuts. But I better get going. I love you so much and I loved the pictures! When I get my memory card back tomorrow I'm going to save them on there and then next week I can send you the pictures from J's baptism too! Love you so much!

Elder Welch

Elder Welch AKA The Wedding Planner

Alright, so, first of all. I've got some news. I didn't even mention changes this change which are coming up this Wednesday, like the day after tomorrow, because I was like 99% sure that I was NOT going to have a change. We thought for sure that my companion was going to get a change and go train somewhere or something because he already has six months in this area and he only has two changes left and the training program is for two changes. But that is most definitely NOT how things turned out. They just told us last night that my companion is staying and I HAVE A CHANGE!!!! I am freakin out! Ha ha! I definitely did not see that one coming and I was definitely not prepared for it. I really love this area and our investigators and we were seeing so many incredible blessings! But apparently the Lord needs me somewhere else... Ha ha!. I have no idea what the heck is gonna happen!

But anyway, other than that, I am not gonna lie, this has been one of if not the hardest weeks of my mission! Not exactly bad. But hard. So for this past Friday we had planned M. and D's wedding and we had everything ready and then on like Monday we call the lawyer that was going to marry them to make sure that everything was going to be OK, (after we had made sure like two or three times within the past three weeks) and she says "what? Friday?!?! No. I can't do it Friday!" So, we had to go and tell them that we had to change all the plans and everything from Friday to Saturday and we went to the person's house that was making the invitations and luckily they weren't printed yet so we were able to save that. We changed them and printed them off. And then we only had the help of just a few members to set up for the wedding. So we helped them decorate the church and make all the center pieces and everything and we basically had to organize it all. But that is just the beginning of it. So, Tuesday morning I was on divisions with another elder from the zone and we stopped by to visit them but they were super busy with a bunch of stuff so they asked us if we could help real fast so we did. We helped them out a ton and it went really well and they were super happy. If M stays faithful, he is going to be an incredible leader in the church. He amazes me. And we just found out the other day that he is my age!!! Not even! He is younger than me by like two months or so! But anyway, the wedding was amazing! I have pictures but they are on Elder V's memory card. They are obviously doing so much better and they were SO happy! It was so amazing to see. And the baptism is now scheduled for the 11th of August. And this Saturday, J. and T. are getting married and J. is getting baptized and after that we have another baptism scheduled! It has been so amazing! And yesterday we went to visit H. and A. and our bishop and the ex-bishop of the ward came with us and that lesson was super incredible! It was exactly what they both needed. So let's hope that here soon she is going to have her baptism scheduled too! I am super sad to leave this area. Besides Dolores, this has been my favorite. I truly love this place. But I guess I'll just see what else He has waiting for me.

Sorry for such a long email! Ha ha ha ha! but I had to share that story. I had to tell somebody about it! But anyway, Yesterday we ate lunch at A's house and she says to tell everyone in the family hi! She made us some homemade icecream but it wasn't like the kind that we make. It was SUPER good though! Also I forgot to tell you last week that I got two cards from you Mom. Thank you so much. They made my day. OK, but I better get going. I still have to write President and see if I still have time to write E. real fast to tell him I'm leaving. But I love you all SOOOOO much! You have no idea! I will talk to you next week and let you know where in the world is Carmen Sandiego. OH! I mean Elder Welch.

Con amor,

Elder Welch

Oh yeah, ill try and send the pictures of the wedding and I got a new memory card today so I can start taking pictures again! I will take them of all of the people I say bye to and show you who they are!

Elder Welch and Elder V.

On the bus with Elder V.

Elder V. making the cake for the wedding .....with a little extra help!

Cake making 101

Decorating the gym for the wedding.

This ladder seams a bit "sketchy" ...as Hayden would say.

Hayden knew better than to send a photo to his mom of him on the top of the  "Oh-so sturdy" ladder.
So this is one of Elder V.

All ready for the wedding. 

Hayden....one of the witnesses.

Finally Caught Up!

OK —So I FINALLY got caught up with all of the letters that I have not been able to get to for a very long time. Sorry it has taken so long. It has been a very busy summer. I hope that you enjoy.

CA

I am doing well...super tired.... but I am doing well...

Hey!

Thanks for the letter! Ha ha! I'm not gonna lie, the colonoscopy act had me rolling! Ha ha ha ha! I think that is right up there in the top ten things I regret not being there to hear! Ha ha! I can just imagine Grandpa retelling that story. Sounds epic. But it is so good to hear from you! Haha that is way cool! 

I am doing well. Super tired. But doing well. Super tired cuz we have been running like crazy trying to organize two weddings at a time and the other day I helped demolish half of a cinderblock and cement house with just a sledge hammer that weighs more than I do and today we played some serious soccer. And I got a serious low blow! Holy cow! I almost threw up!!!! Ha ha ha!  And I just feel like I am just running like crazy trying to improve things and they just don't improve sometimes! Ha ha ha!  But I am doing well. 

Hows everything back home? It sounds like your trip was super fun. And it sounds like this is going to be the busiest summer ever for you guys! and it's still going! So what are they doing for the weeklong? I sure am going to miss those. That is so crazy that Josh reminds you so much of me. Cuz I don't think he did before did he? I can't even imagine how big everyone is now and how much they have grown! Especially Avery and Grant! I don't even know Grant yet and he's going to be walking before I get home?!?! that is so nuts! That stinks that Dad and Tay are going to miss half of fairdays though. That was kind of some bad planning it sounds like ...haha. But at least they'll be there for the good stuff. Where are they going on their weeklong? Tell Tay he better get practiced up on golf so I don't kick his butt too bad when I get home and snowboarding too. Oh and I didn't get the package sent off last week cuz I didn't get the letters written that I want to put in but I will try super hard to get them done this week to be able to send it off.

Oh and how is Bryan doing?

Alright, well,  My times just about up so I better get going. I love you so much! 

Oh and bad news, A. isn't going to get baptized this week. She's come up with a bunch of doubts and she's stopped reading to find them out and she didn't go to church this Sunday. But we are going to keep trying! I hope everything works out! 

Love you so much! More than the world! Oh and I just heard from E. He wrote me and is doing super well!

Con amor,

Elder Welch

So Amazing.....

Hey! 


Whats up? Hows things? What other emails?


No, I haven't gotten it fixed yet but I haven't even really had time to try. I just tried to put it in the computer right now and it didn't work so idk. I will try next week 


So, just to fill you in on how things are going with the work since you always ask and I never end up having time to write about it, we are seeing a ton of blessings. We have four baptisms planned as of right now and they are so amazing. Not this Friday but the next, we have a wedding planned for a couple named M. and D. They are so amazing. They are a younger couple. D. is a member and her dad is in the high council, but she was quite a rebelious child apparently Ha ha! But her husband M. isn't a member. We started teaching them maybe like a month and a half ago and they have changed SO much! Yesterday they came to church all dressed up super nice with all of thier books that we gave them and they participated and M. has his scriptures that we gave him all marked up already and the ones we gave him didn't have tabs on them so he has made his own tabs and stuff for them to be able to find scriptures better and stuff and they are super excited! They are getting married and he is getting baptized all on the 27th. It is going to be super awesome. And then the next day, Saturday, we have another baptism planned for A. She is H's wife, the one that I told you about last week. He is a member, but she isn't. They are already married so we're not going to have a wedding for them but I sure hope that everything works out well. She still has a lot of inflluence from her other church. Then the next Saturday, the fourth, we have another wedding planned. The couple's names are T. and J. T. is also a member since she was young, but J. isn't. But they are going to get married and he is going to get baptized and they are super happy too, but we have SO much to do still to prepare for that wedding! It is nuts! We're going to keep busy these next couple weeks for sure! And we have another baptism planned for sometime in August but we dont know what the exact date is yet though because she wants it to be a surprise for us! hahaha but supposedly it is a special date for her and she is SUPER excited. She hasn't wanted to decide on a date for the longest time! And we have been trying to help her SO much! I think that's why she wants it to be a surprise for us. I just hope she doesn't leave it till last second so we have to plan the baptism super fast. But even still it will be totally worth it. And we have others that we still have to work with too that are progressing but still don't have set dates and we still have to be looking for new investigators! We have been running like crazy! and its just going to get busier! 


Oh....I did get your other emails, I am reading them right now! You lucky suckers! Just chillin in California! That was a last minute trip wasn't it? and yes I did get the other package this week. Thank you so much! It was the best! Yeah I got the medicine and the food and the t-shirt! that was sick! We have to go back there! deal? It looked like the package had been opened but it didn't look like they messed with anything or took anything out, but I don't know to tell ya the truth.


As for the zone, we are doing alright, there's been a couple speed bumps, but we're doing alright.I really like my area. It is super nice. The members are awesome and we are doing good things here I feel. We are seeing progress. It is still kinda tough to get everything organized and get everyone to cooperate and work together, but we're getting there. Me and my comp are doing really well. We really get along. I really feel like we can be doing better though. we have had some talks lately and we are going to put some goals so we can improve. But we are really doing well I think. But I think that he is going to be outta here this change. He only has two more changes left and when that is the case President usually takes them out and puts them training. So I think these might be my last two weeks with him, but we'll see how things work out. I do think I am going to stay here though. It is going to be the area I have for the longest time.


I talked to E's mom yesterday, she said she hadn't even been able to check her email yet anyway. Ha ha! Apparently she's been super busy too. But she would love to hear from you. Or at least if you could send me the rest of the pictures of him so that I can get them to her or something...I need to email him and let him know at least about the baptisms. He'll be super stoked. I miss that kid so much! And did he talk about all of those guys? Ha ha! That is so funny! He is such a stud! 


I am totally back to normal health wise now. Oh and we went to the central market today! It was awesome! And I got what I have been waiting for to send you your package! So I will be sending it off soon!!! Gotta go though. Love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!

Con amor,

Elder Welch