Letter to Grandma and Grandpa Murdock—Written on 10/13/2012

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

First of all I am so sorry for not having written until now. I have wanted to for a long time, but I have been running so crazy that I truly haven't had time until right now that my companion has to write up his goals and spiritual experiences and stuff for his final interview with the mission president. We are just sitting here in an internet cafe about three blocks form out house. He's typing his things up and I have a little minute to write some letters. Thanks so much for always writing. Your letters really make my week. I love hearing about how things are doing back at your house and what's going on with the family. It is great. so I thought I'd just let you know a little about what's been going on with me here in Guatemala although I'm sure that you've already heard plenty from my mom and her blog thing she has been doing. I am in a ward that is called Llano Largo. It is really an interesting ward how they have the boundries set up and things. It is on the main highway form the capital to the northern parts of the county, The ward covers the whole highway form kilometer 10 to about the kilometer 30 (a litle farther) and all of the colonies, residential areas and basically anywhere anyone lives off the highway within that limit. When I first got here the ward was split up in three areas, us an two companionships of Sister missionaries, but not too long ago they took out one of the pairs of Sisters and re-did the areas. Now there are only two. The sisters have from Kilomenter 10 to Koilometer 13.5 and we have from Kilomenter 13.5 to past Kilomenter 30! our area is pretty enormous, but I love it! The ward is one of the most developed and best working wards I have been in. And we have so many members that love to help the missionaries and actually all of the leadership positions are filled. It is a really nice ward.

Lately we have been working in an area called A. It is at tlike kilometer twenty-something. We heard that there were a lot of members that live out there that have gone inactive so we decided to go check it out. There is only one family that is still active out there. The wife is the second Councilor in the Rielief Society and I guess one morning she started praying and asked that the missionaries would go out and visit them and help them and help all the members out there, and that was the day we decided to go out there! We showed up at her door and she was so happy. She showed us where all the members live and all of them were super happy too. They all said they had gone years without seeing Elders out there. The active sister, Sister R, also told as about a family that she had been preparing to receive the missionaries for years and told us that she was going to talk to them and set an appointment to visit them and they accepted, so we went and taught them and they loved it! We visited them twice and invited them to General Conference. They said they would be there, but we weren't to sure because the Stake Center is twice the distance form their house even than the Ward Chapel and the Chapel is super far. It's on KM> 12.5. But, sure enough, they showed up and they loved it! Also this week, without us even knowing about it, some sisters from the Relief Society went and visited the wife of the family, G and also Sister R. have organized a family night with them this Monday and everything. They basically seem like members already. Today G and Sister R are going to Relief Societ activity and then this afternoon we have an appointment with the whole family and we are going to try and set a date for them to be baptized. I sure hope it all works out!

But anyway, I really love that new area we found. It is like a little farm-town kind of and it reminds me of being in Peten, just not as hot. The other night we were walking to one of our lessons and we were just walking down the little dirt road under the moonlight and I looked up at the big grassy hill we were walking past and it was filled with fireflies! It was really neat. I hadn't seen that for almost a year now. I love it!

Well anyways, I'm sure I've probably bored you to death by now. Sorry, I know it wasn't the most interesting letter. But Guatemala is incredible it is so beautiful and the people are amazing. I would love to bring you all back someday so you could get to know it all and see all I've been able to see., I better get going though. I love you all so much. Thank you for everything. And in three short months I'll be seeing ya. Take care!

Love,

Elder Welch

THANKSGIVING DINNER FROM HERMANA WATTS BABY!!!!!!

Mom,

So......Ha ha ha!...... I am great! Sorry about yesterday! We did not write 'cuz we got to go to the temple this week and the temple is closed on Mondays so we had pday today. But, yea, I am doing super great! And I'm hoping that was an exaggeration about Taylor's room....Ha ha ha ha!

The temple was great! It was super special! We got there and we went through the session and everything and it was super good and then when we left, we had been doing a fast with L's husband because he set a date for his baptism and he needs to get Sundays off. He didn't think that they were going to give them to him, especially because he is new where he is working, so we taught him about the fast and he was super excited. It was perfect cuz we were going to the temple today! But anyway, so after the temple we were going to go to lunch as a zone so we had to end our fast. So I just went and asked the worker at the front desk and he said, "Oh, of course, come with me." And he just showed us to this door that led to a staircase and just said, "Go on up!" So we went up and it was like this meeting room way up in the temple! It was super cool! So the three of us got to kneel up there and end our fast! It was super cool!!! Then we went to the distribution center across the street and guess who was there!!! A!!! E's mom! she is the best!!! I love her so much! She said to say hi to you mom! She sure does love you! You will definitely have to meet her someday. And then we all went to Taco Bell for lunch and everybody loved that! That Taco Bell is so fancy! And... yes...I said "FANCY"! The soda fountain is a touch-screen!!! Like a straight up touch phone touch screen with a menu of what drink you want and stuff! It is so nuts! WHAT?!?!?! alright, well in my opinion mom, THAT is a sign of the times! hahahaha that is insane!

Oh yeah, so about Christmas. No, honestly. I am fine. Don't worry about sending me anything.You don't have to send a package or anything. Elder M, and I have been talking about how we are going to make Christmas here! Ha ha ha ha! So don't worry. You can save it for the kids Christmas. And for sure if you put some in my account I will have fun for Christmas bringing stuff home. Ha ha ha!

So anyway, about our new branch!!!! So this Sunday we had a meeting with the Bishop and we pitched our idea and we showed him the success we are having and he loved it! Also that night we had our stake correlation meeting with the Stake Presidency and we pitched it to them and they absolutely loved it! They are so excited! And it is going to work so well because the plan we have made we made with the growth in the future in mind instead of the plans they had before just to facilitate the current members and growth within the next six months. The way we have it planned out, it could easily become it's own ward really soon and easily it's own stake in the future also! It is so awesome! But so anyway, the Stake President has an interview with the Bishop this week and they are going to talk about it all and then in two weeks the Stake President has a meeting with the Area 70 and they are going to talk about it and everything. Then in three weeks we have a "noche de hermanamiento" it's like a huge family night thing with everybody in the area planned. It is where the whole Stake Presidency is going to come with us and visit less active members for an hour before and then they are going to give the message in the meeting. And..... we are going to have the meeting in the P. Family's house! The family we just baptized! I am SOOOOO excited  and SOOOO happy!!!! But yeah, I am kind of getting scared though that it is going to be like every other area and that it will all happen right after I leave. I have really been thinking about that lately. It really is kinda scaring me. 

As for Thanksgiving I am pretty sure that we are going to be MORE than set. We have concilio that week! Ha ha ha ha! THANKSGIVING DINNER FROM HERMANA WATTS BABY!!!!!! 

I love you mom! Thank you for everything! You are the best! Alright, well I best be off. I love you so much! Thank you for everything! I can't wait to hear from ya next week! I'll let ya know how everythings going next week here in the area and in the zone. I love you all so much! HAVE A GOOD WEEK!!!!

Con amor,
Elder Welch

My own NEW little DOLORES!

Hayden's letter is short today. He basically just answered a few questions. It is true that the longer missionaries are there the shorter the letters seem to be. However considering how long Hayden's letters were to begin with....we may be getting two words by January! :) I am happy to know he is doing so well and is busily engaged in the work! Only two months and nine days left! But who's counting? 

CA

Is the work in the little town going well? 

Yeah, the people are doing great! There was a stake bishops meeting this Sunday and bishop L was going to ask about the new branch and everything. We were there at the meeting because the stake president asked us to give a presentation on a new system about how to work together as missionaries and members, We didn't stay for the whole meeting though so we're not sure how that went! I really wanted to hear! But we'll find out!  I feel like I am back in Dolores, just not a stick shack village! Ha ha! But I love it so much! 

Have you heard anything about the presidential election over there?

Yeah, I heard today that Romney was losing this afternoon by a little. But if it is the will of the Lord that Romney is president, we know nothing can stop it. All we can do is pray.

Are you getting along with Elder M?

Yeah, he is a stud! Were getting along super well! That is so awesome that you are email friends with his mom! Ha ha ha! These are going to be two of my favorite changes! Not to mention that I am developing my own little new Dolores! 

OH .....and holy cow! that is so crazy about all of the damage from the storms! 

I sent you some pictures of the week.

Sorry, I gotta go though. Love you!  My times up! I love you so much! Bye!.

Elder Welch

Me and Elder M. my new zone leader companion

This is a pictures from concilio. Me, Elder M. and Hermana Watts and Hermana Watts' sister. She came to visit! She is just like Hermana Watts! This picture was taken during the lunch, it was SO good I just walked past Elder Proctor with a plate of seconds and I said, "Wow, she is an angel sent from Heavan" talking about Hermana Watts. He replied "Yeah I know! And now there are TWO of them!!!!!!" Ha ha ha!  It was so funny! But they just grabbed Elder M. and me while everyone was talking after the lunch and were like, "Oh we have to take a picture with you two!" Ha ha ha!  They are amazing! Oh, and mom Hermana Watts wrote me today and said that she can't wait to meet you and that you and I seem a lot alike!

I have no idea what Hayden is eating but judging by the crazy face it must be something gross! What a goof! 

Pictures from L.'s birthday party!!!!

A Wonderful Baptism

I got this photo from Hayden's new companion's mom. I was so excited that she sent it. It is of the baptism of the P family last Saturday. 

Hey Mom, 

Holy crud!!! that is so nuts about the hurrican!!!! Keep me updated! How do you know he's gonna be safe though, if he's right there? Holy cow!!! This is straight up "The Day After Tomorrow"!!!!!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!  This is so nuts! So, any updates on the storm?

If we could come back to Guatemala that would be so fun! I am super excited about just the thought of it! I wanted to send you pictures of the baptism but they are on Elder M's camera and he is using it. Next week...

I know! that stinks! But hey so I was just talking to my new comp Elder M and he said his mom just sent a ton of packages for the service projects too. Are you working with his mom?!?! He is the new zone leader. I sent a picture of the two of us that we took last week without even knowing we were gonna be comps! He was one of our district leaders in the zone! Did you get that email at all that I wrote about him with the pictures? He says he wants to come back with us if we come next year!!!and he is definitely going to be my last companion.. We are already planning Christmas and everything! Ha ha ha! We are going to have a great time! and we are doing some great things here in the ward together. He is a stud!

Yeah, I dont have a USB adapter anymore so I have to connect my camera and a lot of the time it doesn't go through. I also sent you some pictures from conference and the 7 layer dip I made a while ago and idk if they ever went through.

Alright, because I have been so interested in the "Day After Tomorrow" story this is going to be a little short. I wanted to report a little on the week. So this was one of the best weeks ever! The P family got baptized yesterday!!!!!!! It was SOOO special! And I got to baptize all four of them! We really wanted the member that gave them as a reference to us to do it but I guess G prayed about it one night to see who she wanted to baptize her before we had even asked her about that and I guess she had a dream of me baptizing all four of them so they all four said they wanted me to do it. It was so neat! And when G came out of the water she just started crying and looked at me and said "I feel so good. Thank you so much." it was so amazing!!! and then that same day the bishopric confirmed them. It was so amazing! And also this week we got the most incredible news! We might be making a branch it Azacualpilla!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That makes me SO happy! When we started going out there there was only one active family and now I might be able to see a branch there!!!! I love that area SO much! and we just keep finding person after person that has been so prepared it is crazy! 


Alright gotta go! Love ya!

Elder Welch

The following is what Hayden wrote about the photos he sent. The photos did not come through but I thought some of what he wrote was interesting even without photos. 

Here is a picture of me and Elder T on his last day and also Elder V and me. He went home with Elder T. And the last one is of me and my new companion. We took this picture last week at the central park not having any idea that we were going to be companions! Ha ha!  He was one of our district leaders here in the zone. His name is Elder M. He is a stud! He is from South Jordan. My last companion is a straight up gringo from Utah baby!!! Ha ha ha...... it is so funny! It is so weird! But we get along super well. He reminds me a ton of Joseph Wendell. He's a motocross racer and everything! Ha ha!  But I really like him. We are definitely going to have a great time! and our other companion is Elder C from Honduras. He is actually a really good guy too. He is a great teacher. He is a recent convert. he got baptized and left on the mission a year later. He is twenty six years old. But he's a really good guy. We are all getting along well.

Some more pictures of the central park. I got some of some cute little kids playing with the pigeons and a lady that walks around and sells stuff. I thought you would like that one. And don't tell Grandma Murdock but I got something for her from that lady. I thought she would love it and that she would love it even more when I showed her who I bought it from! So, Grandma Murdock....pretend you did not read that :)

Alright here are some pictures. The first two are of a giant grasshopper that flew in through our window one night when me and Elder T were planning! The others are of when we went to central market last Monday for our p-day. They are all of the central park.

Wish we could see them all don't you!!!

So this week was a super good one!

So— I posted the last two blogs out of order! This is actually last weeks email and the previous post is this weeks. Since I am new to this whole "blog" thing, I do not know how to edit it. Sorry!     CA

Hey!

So yeah, you are right mom. Elder L is gone. He just left right now. Hermano E the taxi driver came to pick him up and right after he left we came here. So now it is just Elder T and me here. It's going to be super weird! But it will be good. Elder T. is a good guy.

So this week was a super good one! Last week we received a reference from a member in that new area I told you we started working on. It is her friend that lives just across the street that she told us she has been preparing for years to receive the gospel. She has talked to her about it all the time and she has even taken her to Relief society activities and everything in the past. The sister's name is G. G's son was baptized when he was a teenager and always told her she should join the church and stuff but she never did. The missionaries before only taught him and never even talked to anyone else in the family. But her son died of a sickness at 29 and she was super sad about it and stuff and we have taught her about eternal families and she loves it! So we just found her last week. She lives with her husband, her daughter and her granddaughter. I still hadn't met the husband nor the daughter because the one time they were home we were on splits and Elder L went with N but that night they taught them about the conference and stuff and they invited them. they said they were super excited. But we weren't sure if they were going to go because of the distance but sure enough, yesterday morning a half and hour early they all four walk in with Hermana R and her family (the one that gave us the reference) but they didn't even come together. G and her family all came all on their own and were so excited! After the conference they told us that they LOVED it! And that they are going to be in church this next Sunday too. We have an appointment with them next Saturday because that is when R the husband is going to be there but G asked if we could also pass by during the week with the rest of the family so we are going to call her today and set that up and get N or someone else to go with us so we can teach them. But they are so pilas!!!!! They are such a special family!

Also, after conference we had planned to go with our elders quorum pres. Hermano J to contact one of his references that he gave us that he had contacted on the bus and had gone with his whole family to visit them a number of times and gave them all Books of Mormon and invited them to read it and everything. He is so amazing! So we called him and he told us he was already there visiting them so we went there and had a lesson with them. they were all already on 1 Nephi 19!!!! That is so nuts! So they are super amazing too! We have only visited them once though. We talked about baptism and invited them to baptism and they said that they would love too but they said they would have to have a little more time to think and pray about when and everything. So we are super excited about them. Alright, Gotta go! But i love you all SOOO much!!!!

Con amor,
Elder Welch

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