Well this was a pretty great week.

Hey guys,

Well sorry I am writing late and it might be short.......it's cuz Elder T. took a super long time in Mega Paca! Ha ha ha ha! We're not gonna have time to buy food or anything. But it's OK cuz writing you is more important! Ha ha ha!. So how's your trip? Was that one kinda spontaneous too? or had you planned it out?

Yes, it is going great with Elder T.  He's a good guy and I am basically training him as a zone leader for his last two weeks! Ha ha ha! It's pretty funny! But he is a stud. I can't believe he's leavin' me next week at the change! But yeah, when he leaves at the change they are just going to send me a new companion to train here in Atlantico before I go. I think anyway...Ha  ha ha! Who REALLY knows!

The work is amazing! I will write about that in a minute. As for the shoes, they are definitely getting missionified! Ha ha! That is part of the reason we went to mega paca to see if I could find a pair, but instead I just found a sick pair of jeans and a Burton hoodie! Awesome!  But my shoes are just fine. They will definitely last me till the end. They are tanks! Nobodies shoes have lasted as long as my black ones. One year of work shoes and two years of missionary shoes! No there's really no point in sending new shoes. I still have my boots and my brown shoes that are just fine too and I still like those shoes so it's OK. They actually still look real nice. So don't worry. Use the money for something else!

Also, choclate gets here OK but I really can't eat too much chocolate anymore! Ha ha ha! It doesn't do me too well.  i guess I'm just not used to it anymore, same with candy and soda pop. It's pretty crazy.

Well this was a pretty great week. So I'm pretty sure that I told you about G and her family from Azacualpilla last week. Well they are the P family and they are SO amazing! So last week they went to conference like i think i told you. And they couldn't have us over until the next Saturday. So we passed by on Saturday and we were going to teach them about the plan of salvation because of their son that died years ago that was a member but then at the beginning of the lesson i asked if they had any questions for us and the husband, R, pulled out the book of Mormon that Elder L had left with them the week before and he was like "Yeah actually, I have a few" he had read what Elder L had left him and read the introduction and his questions were about the last two paragraphs of the introduction about praying about it to know that it is true and stuff and then G started asking about it too. So we started to teach them about the book of Mormon and they loved it. We talked a little bit about that and then i remembered I had put the Restoration DVD in my backpack so we pulled it out and watched it with them and it was super amazing! they loved it! and then they all started asking about baptism and everything. It was incredible! I have never taught a family so pilas in my whole life! We set a baptismal date with them for the 28 of October and they are super excited! They are truly incredible!

Also this week we finally got to teach L's husband F!!! It was so good to finally teach him! I had only taught him once before and it was like my second week here. But we were trying to think of what we should teach him while we were planning and honestly we could not decide! so i decided to call L and ask her what we would like to talk to him about and she said eternal families. So we taught about that based on the plan of salvation and it went SUPER well. He is really excited to learn more and L is doing amazing! The only problem wi8th him is that he works a ton so it is hard to teach him and hard for him to come to church but L is helping him out a ton. she is super amazing too. Every Monday we have a big family night with a bunch of new converts and families from this one area and she is giving the message today! and when we passed by on Saturday she had it all ready! She had been preparing it all week! Ha ha ha! Alright, time was short this week —Sorry— I gotta get going to work! Love you all! Have a great week!

Con amor,

Elder Welch

This week was a LOT better!

Note from Carol Anne: One thing that I love, miss and respect about Hayden is his positive attitude. No matter how bad of a day he would have on any given day— after going to bed and waking up the next morning he would have the most positive happy attitude. Everyday was a bright new beginning! Life was good and things were always better! I admire this so much in him. You can see that he still has that amazing quality in his letter this week! It really inspires me to be a better person!

Hey!

Alright, so I don't have a ton of time this week, but I just wanted to let y'all know that this week was a lot better! We went to that new area that is far away. It's not really like a village like I made it sound last week I guess...it is just like a little town. But we have found so many member families there that used to be like the most active families in the ward and used to be super pilas but now they all have at least two years without going to church. Some even up to eight years! But they all have been so happy to see missionaries there finally! We were just walking down the road and we walked past this comedor and we just hear this voice yell "I have AGES without seeing elders around here!" Ha ha ha ha!  And it was this huge family that is like endowed and sealed in the temple and everything and just haven't been to chuch in two years! But they are excited to start getting back in the swing of things and they are going to help us out a ton! They are super nice! There are a ton of families like that there. We are going to start up like family nights and stuff with the whole area to get them all back up and running and I think it is going to like double the attendence in the ward. It is going to be super cool! And we have found a few of the kids of these families that have gotten married and their spouses aren't members but they all have wanted to get to know the church. It's super cool! We'll see how things go!.

Also I am sending some pictures of L.'s baptism. She is SO incredible! she is going to be such an amazing member. She truly has an amazing testimony of the restored gospel and knows why she got baptized. It went so well! Her husband came after all and he loved it and he is going to go with us to General Conference on Saturday and we are going to try and teach him in between sessions. V. their daughter decided to wait and support her dad with his baptism and everything and also L's mom has been talking about how she wants to get baptized too. She is already basically part of the Relief Society also though and she is going to like RS activities and everything. She just needs a little bit more preparation and her husband doesn't live here so she needs to talk to him and stuff too. But we'll see how that works out.

K— gotta go. Love you all!!! Have a good week. CONFERENCE...... CONFERENCE PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!

Con amor,
Elder Welch

Hey Bryan,

I don't have a ton of time, but thank you so much. You are an awesome brother. I don't know what I would do without you. I promise you I will finish strong. Really strong. This is really the crucial time. Make it or break it. I love you a ton bro. We'll see ya in a few.

Con amor,

Elder Welch

A trying week—D-day of my mission!

Note from Carol Anne: There is some personal information in Hade's letter today about some of the investigators he is teaching. I do not feel that it is right to put it on the blog. If you are interested, email me and I will send you his complete letter. Hope all is well with everyone. We are down to the "one hand count down" as Abby says.  Only 4 months left! Whew! So long and so fast at the same time! He is scheduled to come home Jan. 17th!

Hey everybody,

 So I'm not going to lie. This week was a pretty rough one. I think that my companions and I have done more praying and worked harder than we have in all our missions and we have had nothing of success. In fact, I think that we lost a whole lot more than we gained this week. I officially named Thursday D-day of my mission! ............................... I really dont know what happened, but I sure hopè everything works out! and other than that, we have basically lost almost all of our investigators in this past week and it has been super hard. So we have been praying super hard to know where it is that we need to go because we have all had the feeling that we need to start working in another area. And justamente we had a ton of members in just these last three days start telling us about this area of our area that is like the farthest outskirts of our area but that they have had feelings lately that we need to go out there and start to work. When I first got here I heard about that area too and I felt like we should go out there but everyone said that it was too far away and that the people just don't come to church from that far away. But I figured, I've seen miracles come from Mopan 2, Agua Caliente wont be any different! Ha ha! We are sure that this is where we need to go and maybe that is why everything we have had here in the center has fallen to give us the time we need to get out there and work. I am super excited. We have some appointments set up with various members to take us out and show us the area. I can't wait to see what the Lord has prepared for us out there!

Ha ha ha ha! That's my brother!!! What a little stud! Ha ha! But, only one picture came through though were there supposed to be more? Oh wait, I'm getting them! Ha ha! What a punk! I think he rocks the hair better than I do the stink! So is that Tay's girlfriend or just the friend of Ben's girlfriend? and does Tay have his stinkin license yet or is he still being a slacker? Oh and I think he does look a bit like me actually. Not quite as good looking— but what can ya do? Ha ha! But that is so wierd to see people from home. you are all SOOO WHITE!!!! Ha ha ha!  What are you going to do when your son gets back in the middle of all you whities and he's all brown and tan?! Note from Carol Anne: I think he is a little off there....maybe he should try beat red!:) It's going to be pretty darn weird. But we've still got a while, so we don't have to worry about that yet.....I get to stay here enjoying working in Guatemala and you get to stay there enjoying the freezing cold! 

Taylor:

 I can't wait either bro! We are definitely gonna chill! Ha ha ha! Have fun at work and tell Darrin and Lynn and everyone else I say hi. We'll seeya in January broseph!!!

OK, gotta go, but I love you so very much! This is going to be an amazing week both for you guys and for us here. I truly can feel it. Thank you so much for all that you do and for supporting me in being here every step of the way. I truly am grateful to EVERY last one of you. Oh yeah! I got the letter from everyone! Thank you so much! it was the best!!!!

Con amor,

Elder Welch

Time is getting shorter and shorter and Hayden is running faster and faster....

Hey everyone,

So I don't have a ton of time but I just wanted to write and tell you about some awesome stuff that happened this week. 

So first of all, I think I already told you about this but there is an investigator and her daughter that Elder L. has been teaching for quite a while that is going to be baptized this week! Woohoo! She is super awesome! And we are going to have another family night with her tonight. 

Also, this is a pretty cool story, the other day we were walking down the side of the highway. It was like 7 or 8 at night and this guy was coming on his bike from the other direction and stops and says "Elders, I'm going to contact you guys if that's OK" We were like what the heck? Ha ha! Then he begins to tell us like his whole life's story about how he went on a mission and everything but he got sent home for something stupid he did and all this crazy stuff! It was super sad and he like started almost crying and stuff. He has lived here for like a year but he hasn't been able to find the church.  He has wanted to return to the church for a while now but he just hasn't known how. Well— when he saw us— he got up the courage and talked to us. So after we talked there for quite a while on the side of the highway he said he would see us on Sunday. But we get that all the time. Not being negative, it's just true. So we didn't exactly 100% believe him. So, we got there on Sunday and I was there in the church and I feel this hand on my shoulder and I turn around and it's him! All bathed and clean shaven with his white shirt and tie and his scriptures and hymn book and everything! it was so awesome! So we set him up an interview with the Bishop right after sacrament meeting and he was in there for a super long time. It was really good! And then when he came out he made super good friends in priesthood and everything. He loved it. And then yesterday in ward council they talked about him and how they can all help him and everything and it was great! And on his way out he just looked at us with this huge smile and said "We'll see ya next Sunday!" It was awesome! I was going to tell you a couple more stories about investigators and inactive members going to church this week too that were super amazing! but I don't really have time. So I guess that will have to be it! Ha ha ha! SORRY! But I love you all SOOO much! Talk to ya next week!

Con amor,

Elder Welch

Here are some photos though:

 

This one is of Elder G. the Elder that was with Elder L. and I in our first trio. 

OK—so the next three are of Elder H.....
(My comp in Dolores) 

 .....Elder P.  

....and Elder R. They are three of my good friends in the mission who just went home this past Wednesday.

And the last one is Elder L. and I with Elder T. our new companion. He finishes this change too. He was actually here in Llano Largo with Elder L. and Elder C. the change before I got here and they sent him back Ha ha! He's a good guy. He is my brother in the mission (his trainer was also Elder M.). He's a super good kid. I really like him. But— I am going to kill them both, Elder L.  goes home the 8th of October and then Elder T. at the end of October!

We look at the same moon and sun.....and we have the same hummingbirds!

  These two are of a hummingbird that came in through our bathroom window and it took us like ten minutes to get it to fly out! Ha ha ha!

Just some pictures from concilio. The whole group.... 

....and then one of me and Elder L. and Elder R. They are both in the same group. Elder R. goes home on Wednesday! He's a ZL in Las Victorias.

Hey, so I will answer your questions real fast first of all. My week was great. A little hard, but great. I am staying here in Llano Largo with Elder L. and we are getting another third wheel! Ha ha ha! It's not another zone leader though so I have no idea what the heck their going to do with me for the last two weeks of the change when Elder L. goes. They might just leave me here with the other Elder as just one zone leader until changes! That would be nuts! But who knows what's going to happen! Yes, we have that many Hermanas in the zone! It is a ton! It's crazy. But we had two companionships of Hermanas that whooped the trash out of all the rest of the Elders! They even gave us a run for our money! Ha ha! They are HARD workers!

The new family has some super problems. But we are trying to help them out. They really want to do what they need to and follow the Gospel and change their lives. They've just kinda got themselves in a pretty sticky situation. Well the wife more than anything......and there's nothing we can do for her.—she has to do it for herself.—all we can do is fast and pray!

Ha ha — Yeah I did find some good milk to go with the Marshmello Matey's actually. And for your information I found some sour cream today to and I bought it to make burritos and quesadillas!

Alright, well I only have like fifteen more minutes, so I'll just tell you a little more about the week. This week Elder L. was super happy because we were able to help a sister and her daughter that he has been teaching for almost six months accept a baptismal date! They are going to be baptized on the 22 of this month. We are also trying to help another family, a husband and wife accept one for the 29th of this month. They are really doing well. The other family that I told you about, if everything works out and they can work everything out, they should be able to be baptized  like the middle of October. I love that family SO much! I sure hope everything works out! 

 

We are like maybe twenty minutes or so from Fiscal in a bus. The apartment is pretty nice. I really like it. One of the better houses I think and yeah we have hot water and everything and yeah I love my area. The ward is AWESOME! We get so much help from the members. Its super good!

 

Well I gotta go! Talk to you next week.

 

Elder Welch

I love my mission, I love these people, and I love my Savior.

Mom,

As far as how I have grown and what I have learned from the mission— I wrote it.

Here you go:

You can't really comprehend the love the Savior has for you until you are able to experiment even a small portion of that love for someone else. I am so grateful for this chance that I have had to dedicate my life in service toward others to be able to experience that smallest portion of the love He has for us. Even though it has been just a short time, I have loved these people more than I thought was possible. I am so thankful for everything I have learned so far on my mission and everything that I am still learning. I know that it will continue blessing me throughout my entire life. I wouldn't give it up for the world. But the one thing that I treasure most that I have gained on my mission is a firm testimony in the fact that living the Gospel of Jesus Christ fully is the ONLY way to find true happiness in this life and assure an eternal happiness in the life to come as eternal families. I love my mission. I love these people. And I love my Savior. 

 And mom, I love you too!!!!! Hope it's what you need —if not—sorry your out of luck!  Ha ha!

I don't have much time to write about the week. I sent some pictures and I'll try to send some more. I have like fifteen more minutes. I am doing great! We have an incredible family that we hope is going to get baptized soon but they have some pretty complicated problems. But they are amazing. Concilio (Zone Leaders Conference)  is once a month. The first Tuesday of every month so that's why we have it tomorrow. The zone is still kinda rough in some areas but we're workin out the kinks. And we're not in a trio anymore. We sent Elder H. to an area closer to his so he could work there more easily. And yeah, everything is great! We are doing really well. My comp. is a really good Elder and SUPER noble. He extended his mission 30 days so who knows if he is still going to be with me. Changes are next Wednesday but his 30 days isn't a whole change so who knows what's going to happen!!! Hey, tell dad to tell Scott that I'll have to challenge him to another blow-up duel when I get back! Ha ha! And what concert is Taylor going to? As for the Christmas Service last year....As far as I saw and can remember about the orphanage everything was perfect. They loved it all! I can't really remember if they preferred something over another or anything like that, but I do know that they loved it. Well idk, they loved the big bears a ton! The only thing was that not all got big bears. They also loved the barbies though because they know what those are and I think it was great for them to actually have new ones instead of second hand ones. Same with the bears. Really everything was just perfect last year.

 This picture is of Hermana C! 

She is the one that takes care of us all of the time! 

It was her birthday! Ha ha ha!

 OK— So these ones are pictures of D's baptism 

her sister J. got baptized last Sunday 

 The other pictures are of a party that we had at their house after everyone had finished fasting! We couldn't have refreshment at the church so we took cake to them at their house! It was great!

 This is a picture of my great finds in Walmart today! Ha ha! —I just took that picture right now. If you can't see it is a can of Welch's grape juice and.......drum roll........MARSHMALLOW MATEYS!!!!!!!! Ha ha! that one's for dad!!!

The next pictures are of our Zones P-day today.

Here are some pictures of our p-day today. I didn't get too many. We went to a little lake in Palencia and just played around. It was fun!

Zone Atantico
(Hayden is on the back row second to the end in a blue shirt....
....it is kind of hard to see him.)

Well Mom I gotta go. I love you! Have a good week!

Elder Welch

I don't feel so "old" in the mission!

Hi Everyone, 

So first of all Mom, awww...what a bummer! Ha ha! And just so you know, I read every word of every one of your novels —thank you very much! and I love them! So don't you worry! 

So the area is super good. We found a super amazing family this week that already has a date for thier baptism for the 22 of Sept. But they haven't been able to come to church yet because of the mom's health. It is actually a really sad story. When we first found her she was pregnant and then one night like a half and hour after we left she had to call the ambulance and the baby was born at 7 months and died within minutes. It was so sad! But they asked if we could come over the next day and we taught them about the plan of salvation and where their little baby girl is and how after a year of thier baptism they can all be sealed together with her in the temple and it was so amazing to see the frowns and worry disappear from their faces and it has helped them so much to deal with all of this. And all of this has happened within a week! I really hope everything works out with this family! The dad is actually a member. He got baptized when he was 12. We thought he was an investigator until I started teaching him how to follow along in the hymnbook and he was like, "Oh, I know how, I'm baptized!" But he has been inactive for years and years and he is the one with the doubts. If it was up to the wife, they would be baptized tomorrow. But his name is ____, hers is _____and they have five kids. But one only has 6 years old so he is the only one that's not going to get baptized but we explained why and he was totally happy with it. I love this family. And the mom can't read so every night the 14 year old reads out loud from the Book of Mormon to her mom and we gave the rest of the kids the picture Books of Mormon and they LOVE them! 

But anyway, these last two weeks of this change are going to be nuts! We are in a trio again and not only are we going to be in a trio but we are going to have to cover two areas!!! So tonight for example we got a member to do divisions with us so I have do go with Elder H. (the new elder) to his area to cover a family night there and I have to miss the birthday party of one our investigators. this investigator and her mom are going to get baptized soon. I'm pretty bummed but it's OK. It's just going to be pretty nuts.

Oh yeah and also! We had a baptism yesterday! It went super well. Her name is _____. She is 11 years old and her parents are super inactive. We reactivated her grandpa and she has been going with him every week since and her mom walked in the door of the church yesterday for the first time in a super long time! And it was super amazing! She had a such good time! The Relief Society was so good with her. She loved it! We are hopefully going to start visiting her now too to help her out and her sister is 9 and is also going to get baptized soon. She was going to get baptized together with _____ but, believe it or not, she couldn't because she has a problem with the word of wisdom!  She is nine stinkin years old and she can't give up drinking coffee!!!!!!! how ridiculous is that?!?! I feel bad for her! She wants to get baptized so bad but she just hasn't been able to give it up so far! I never thought that I would have a problem like that in the mission with a little nine year old!!!!! But _______ is trying to help her out a ton. She is super "pilas" (Mom, I know you know what that means) Ha ha ha! You and your Guatemalan slang! Ha ha!

But anyway, I forgot my camera in the house today so I can't send pictures today but next time hopefully.

Oh and Abby, congrats on the new job!!!!!!! You will love it! That is a super good job. Geez, it's turning into a family ordeal. I just might have to go back there when I get back just to not break the tradition! Ha ha ha!

I cannot believe that school has already started! I remember talking about that this time last year when I was in Fiscal and thinking about when this time came around again I was going to be SO..... OLD in the mission!  I definitely do not feel so old in the mission. It seriously seems like I just started. For real, I have been in Fiscal quite a bit lately getting the Sister Missionaries a new house and working out the contract and stuff and it is insane how much I remember! I remember so many people! I gave a few referrences to the Hermanas and stuff. It is crazy! And being around here I see quite a few of my old investigators and I still remember all of thier names and everything! It seriously seems like just last week I was there in Fiscal!

But alright, I better get going. I love you all so much! Oh yeah and Mom I just thought I would tell you! E. had to get work done on his teeth so he is going to stay in the MTC untill at least the 11 of September. Just thought you might want to know. But alright, I gotta go. Love ya!

Con amor,

Elder Welch