4th Week at the CCM—Got Made AP!!!

Hey Everyone!

Sorry— I really don't have a lot of time this week so I'm writing real fast! But update, got made AP!!! That's awesome. We are really stoked about that and it's going really well.

(Note from Carol Anne: For those of you who are not familiar with "mission lingo" the following is the official definition of an AP:

 "An Assistant to the President, or AP is the highest level of organizational leadership within a mission next to the Mission President, as the name suggests. This is an assignment from the mission president and not a calling.  APs supervise many of the affairs of the missionaries in a mission. Most missions have 2 APs, but the number and how they function may vary. They are accountable to the Mission President in their mission and generally supervise the activity of the Zone Leaders." 

LICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO—            
 This is the group that left to the field the same day as Hayden.
This photo was taken on Feb. 23rd—the same day that he was put in as the AP.

Hayden and his companion Elder S are APs in the CCM. In the CCM Missionaries come and go quickly staying a total of 6 weeks because of this APs are switched more often than in the mission field leaving opportunity for more missionaries to have the experience. Hayden will report to the CCM President rather than the Mission President. In the CCM they have missionaries who are preparing to go to Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Belize, Honduras, and Costa Rica. Hayden should have a very choice experience in the next few weeks. Way to go Hayden!  This week I asked Hayden to answer a few questions for me so I knew how things were going. My questions are in bold.)

I'll do my best to answer your questions.

How is your health?

Health wise I got real sick one day but it wasn't just me. Half of the CCM was in bed sick. I got over it the fastest though. I just slept for 14 hrs then I was perfectly fine. Elder S though has been sick like a total of a little over a week! It's nuts but he's all better now. 

How are you getting along with your companions?

We are still getting along well. All the Latinos left on Monday and all the new missionaries got here today. They all change out every three weeks—so I will be getting a new Latino companion within the next few days so that will be cool. I really miss all the old ones though—I made quite a few really good friends with them! But these ones will be real good too I'm sure. 

How is the food?

So, food wise, It is Delicious here! But it sure does come with a price if you just eat willy nilly! You definitely have to watch what you eat. For instance, I have totally cut out fruit because it sure does find its way straight through me! But I am the one doing the best out of all the other Norte Americanos in that category! —hahaha

Do you need anything?

It is way nice here so you don't have to worry about anything about my comfort or anything! 

If you are planning on sending anything though I would send it to the mission home though because it will definitely not be here in time. I still have not gotten anything but one dear elder from Lexi.

Are you adjusting to Guatemala?

We went to the marcado yesterday and it was SOOO amazing!!! I am definitely taking all who want to come back when I get home! it is incredible! I am really loving it here. 

I also asked him if he was homesick—he did not answer. I think the next statement was his way of saying yes...and a little nervous....but still doing well.

Don't worry about me though! I'll be fine! I am having an awesome time! That is until I get to my first house and I'm sleeping in the dirt! I just talked to an Hermana whose cousin is in my mission and she said that's how it is! —hahaha —with like just a blanket. I'm stoked!!! 

I hope everything is going alright. Please keep me updated on Dad! and Avery!! They are always in my prayers! I really hope everything is going ok.

Alright, well, I gotta go! I love you all so much! There is a letter in the mail for the fam! I sent it on monday the 21st. Gotta go! Love you so much!

Con amor, Elder Welch

3rd week at the CCM-"I placed a Book of Mormon! Best day of my mission so far!""

Photo of Hayden at the CCM—Courtesy of Kyle Proctor's Blog

Hey everybody!

I had an awesome week this week! it was SO much fun! First of all yesterday was by far the best day I have had here yet! We got to go to "El Parque Central" It's just like this square in the middle of Guate City and we got to prostylite! It was the best! We got to do it with our Latino companions and it was so awesome! Elder Godoy my companion ended up doing a lot of the talking— haha— cuz— I'm not so good yet! But I talked to like five or six of the people. I was the one that ended up leaving our Book of Mormon! It was the best and the guy really wanted to learn more and meet with the other missionaries! I was the one to choose him too! We had like five minutes left and we were gonna just stop.  Then I saw this guy clear across the plaza! I was like, "We have to go talk to him"— and we did.  While we were talking Elder Godoy was winding the conversation down, but I knew he needed the Book of Mormon.  I pulled the Book of Mormon out and told him all about it, about how Jesus came to the Americas, and that this book is how we know everything we had been teaching him.  He got so excited and really wanted to read it after I told him all about it! It was amazing! and I have some more to tell— I don't have too much time left so I'll put it in a letter. Still haven't sent one yet. Sorry, I havent had time! But I haven't recieved one yet either. So I guess we will call it even— hahaha —just kidding! But I'll get one sent off today!

I love you all so much and thank you all for your support! Everything is going so well and I'm learning so much! The language is going great! I have learned so much in these past like two days even! I can even carry on normal conversations like all day with the Latinos!!!  I have to go! I love you all so much!!!  HAPPY VALINTINES DAY!!! They even celebrate it here! –hahaha– Love you all!

Love

Elder Welch

(Note from Carol Anne: So —Everyone—it sounds like we need to get writing!!!!!  I did get two letters sent — I guess they have not arrived yet! ......Sad!!! ......It takes at least 10 days for a letter to get to Guatemala City. By way of information the "Dear Elder" letters go out every Monday and the cut off time for the weekly send is Sunday at 12 p.m. If you get them in later than that, they hold them an entire week. That is what must have happened to mine!—Bummer!!!)  

WEEK 2 IN THE GUATEMALA CCM

Holy Cow!!!

I definitely was not expecting to receive all of that news today! (Note from Carol Anne: His dad ended up in the hospital and the day before I wrecked the van!) That is so nuts! Well I guess it is good to hear that everyone is still alive at least right? Maybe dad being in the hospital will will turn out to be a blessing. But the van situation? Still trying to make a blessing outta that one....Well my week definitely hasn't been that eventful! All I do is study eat and sleep and learn as much Spanish as I can!!!  The Latinos are the best!!! I can't remember if they were here last time or not but they got here like the day after we did and they are the best! So we have our North American companions for like class and stuff but then we have a Latino companion for like meals and meetings and everything else. My Latino companion is Elder G. He's from right here in Guate City. He's pretty cool and Elder S's is Elder F. He is from Mexico but he speaks perfect English cuz he lived in Orem for three years! haha So that is really good though for Elder S. cuz he's kinda strugglin with the language. But it's good. He's really improving. I'm really loving learning Spanish though. I think I'm getting to where I can keep up with the elders in my district that were in the intermediate class in Provo. They have all taken like five years of Spanish before the mission. Sorry I don't have much time but I will write letters and tell you more specifics. I just got my haircut today! Shortest it has ever been since I was born im pretty sure! But it looks good I think. I love soccer!!! I think im pretty good. I scored a pretty sick goal today! I schooled this Latino elder!— hahaha —It is SO fun! And the North Americans beat the Latinos the other day! It was the best!!! —hahaha— Alright —well I love you all so so so much! I have to go but I will write letters! I'm doing great and I hope all works out for you guys! I'll pray for you all! Love you!

Elder Welch

Click on the following link to see more about the Guatemalan CCM
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.guatemalaccm.com/&ei=DvuQTeCcNYLksQPJp8CvDg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB0Q7gEwAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dguatemala%2Bccm%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26prmd%3Divns

Hayden ARRIVED IN GUATEMALA TODAY!!!

This is a photograph of Hayden taken on the first day at the CCM!

Hey everyone! again...

      So I'm here at the CCM in Guatemala! It is SO nuts! Flying into the city was amazing! It seriously was like everything I had hoped it would be! I can tell I am going to freaking love it here! I miss you guys a ton though! So Elder Sorensen and I are actually still companions! So thats cool. We just found out. Like everyone else got kinda switched up except for us. So I wanna tell you guys about my plane rides here! (haha) So I was totally planning on sleeping the entire way on both flights because they were through the night— but the first flight I ended up sitting by this old guy from Alabama and we talked the entire flight! It was actually way cool. He was really nice and everything and yes, I did even talk to him about the church! (hahaha) He wasn't a member but he had some family that are and we got talking about religion and stuff and like he even started to cry and shake and stuff it was crazy! He just kept on saying like "everything you are saying is exactly what i believe in" It was going so well! I like talked to him about going to church with his younger step brother and he was considering it and stuff— and then— I just like mentioned Joseph Smith for some reason and it was like watching a train wreck! He had obviously been like turned against Joseph Smith for some reason when he was young cuz that did not go over well and that was like ten minutes before we landed! I was so mad! But then I just started talking to him about his family again and stuff and being really nice and he was really nice to me after that but still...it went down hill fast! I think I definitely got him thinking though! (hahaha) if that counts... And then on my flight from Atlanta (I'll make this one quick) I sat by this older guy who is originally from Guatemala but he lives in Virginia now and he has like an uncle and brother in law that are members and I kinda got him thinking about going with them next time he visits them. They live in Salt Lake. And then he was talking about the big Mormon "church" that he used to live by (the temple) and I pulled out this contact card that they gave us with our plane tickets and it had the Nauvoo temple on it and I was like, "like this one?" (hahaha) and he was like, "Yeah!, It's so beautiful!"  So I told him to keep the contact card and he kept on reading the information on the back over and over! (hahaha) I think that was a good one! and he has a son that has a couple of friends that take him to church every once in a while and he has two cousins that he says are in my mission! Idk if he really understood but if they are here I got down their names and his name!!! Good one right? (haha) So anyways! Sorry I didn't end up calling everybody back like I had planned! My card was being dumb! But so, moving on, sorry I'm kinda all over the place, just a lot to say. When we got off the plane there were just like a million people waiting to pick different ppl up and some of them like all the English they knew was "hi elders!" and "God bless you!" (hahaha) Like a bunch of them said it to me as I walked past. They are all so nice! The CCM is SO much nicer than the MTC! It is way nice! And I had the greatest meal I have had in a month today! They gave it to us like right when we got here! It was SO amazing! It was like this chicken stuff with peppers and pineapple and a bunch of stuff and this egg rice with peppers and like blueberries or something in it. Some kind of berry and it was delicious! The city is insane! Like there are just like a bunch of ppl on little motorcycles speeding everywhere and just like kids ridding on big loads of stuff in the back of pick up trucks! It's crazy! There are all these old bridges going over the roads for walkways with just like vines growing all over them! I love it here! (hahaha) And The city itself is so crazy! Like the outskirts are just like all of these houses built on top of these hills and mountains and some of them like are built down the side like into these canyons. Its insane! It is SO beautiful though! A lot of the buildings are run down and stuff but it is still just so beautiful! Alright well I'm running out of time, I better wrap up. I love you all so much and miss you all so much! I still don't know near as much Spanish as I should! (haha) but it will come! I will try and send you some pictures but idk how that will work out. But I have to go! We are starting class. I love you all so so much! Bye! Talk to you all later. I don't know when though.

Con mucho amor

Elder Welch

Phone Call from the Airport

Hayden called Monday night about 11:30 P.M. Here are the highlights of the call:

• He loves his companion
• He was happy to be getting out of the MTC.
• He did not care for the food at the MTC—matter of fact—He said it was TERRIBLE!!!.
Note from Carol Anne: I think in  a few weeks he will be wishing for that type of food again! :)
• On his way to the airport he drove right by Bryan's work and he could see that he was at work. He then  went right past Bryan and Whitney's house. He said that was pretty hard for him. He is having a hard time leaving "his" little Avery!

• He is traveling with a group of 10 Elders and 1 Sister.

• He is going to layover in Atlanta for four hours.

• He was happy,well and excited to start the new adventure!
• He had a faith promoting experience at the airport.
He was very worried about making weight on his suitcases. He had worked very hard at keeping to the weight so that he did not have to pay extra money. When at the MTC his luggage was exactly at the limit of 50 lbs. His companions was at 47 on the same scale. His companion weighed first when they arrived at the airport-and his came to over 50! Hayden said he just sat in line and prayed and prayed.....when it was his turn to weigh his suitcase —he put it up and it still weighed right on the nose of 50lbs! He said it did not make logical sense because everyone else was weighing heavier on the scale at the airport than at the MTC. His other bag wieghed was a little under at the MTC and on the airport scale it weighed heavier — but not enough to put him over the 50. He was so grateful because he felt he needed to take everything he had and we did not really have $200 to waste. The experience really boosted his faith.
• I could tell he was nervous and a little homesick when we talked.
• I asked him if he wanted to change his mind and come home —He said no way! This  already has been the best experience of my life and I have not even hit Guatemala!
• He is ready! Can not wait to see what he can accomplish!

January 27th (Letter) 2011 PROVO MTC

CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO      
Hayden in his "SHA-NAZY" brown shoes.
Trust us we all tried to convince him to buy something else.
But...NO....this is all that would do. Oh Hade!

Querida Familia,

?Que pasa con ustedes? i Estay tan agradesco por sus oraciones y apoyo! You guys are the best! So— Today after I got off from e-mailing you guys I received a "package slip". So, I take it into the mailroom to pick up my package and what to my wondering surprise does the girl haul up over the counter? None other than the GIANT Disney Princess Bag? And— Oh boy! Did I ever tote THAT with pride all the way across campus to building 17 M and right on up to my residence! Let me tell you! Ha ha! But for reals it was the best! Thanks for sending me everything! You  didn't have to buy those socks—but it's awesome that you did. Those are the best socks in the world!  I cant find that Burt's Bees anywhere!  I swear I packed it— but —I can not find it! I loved Abby's card! A whole lot! It was so good, I was so impressed! That looked like something Lexi would make like that! So have you two done your little scrap booking thing yet or whatever? And I loved the coin and note from Bryan— that is so cool! I 'm definitely carrying that with me everywhere! "Hot Donuts Now!" Greatest EVER! You guys are the best! I'm gonna try and see if I can call and activate my card tomorrow so we'll see, if not, I will do it from the airport or something— I guess. Avery's letter was like one of my favorite things ever! It made me laugh out loud. How is she doing? I miss her a ton! So...Nothin from Tay...or Dad...I see how it is you two....Just cuz I am on my way to guatemala and you two are stuck in the high school everyday doesn't mean I do not still deserve letters from you. Or even a little note in the family package?! Just kidding, it's cool. That package was awesome!

So, I can't really remember what I wrote in my email, or in my journal or in my letter to Lexi. So I'll just try and tell you everything. I think I am actually getting to be not so bad at singing now though, cuz I actually sing here! Haha. Anyway, so the other day my companion and I realized that it was out last Wednesday here. So we signed up to be hosts for the new missionaries like the ones that help them with their luggage, and take them all around and get all their stuff and everything. Normally they don't let you host until your fourth or fifth week but since we are leaving they let us. That was super fun! I hosted this kid that is going to Shantay's same mission —so that was cool.

The old Espanol is coming quite nicely I think. I've even been teaching some like Spanish lessons to some of the Elders in my district. But during language study time I've been like teaching them lessons like up on the whiteboard and the whole shabang. Ha ha. And my teacher can speak to me in full Spanish I can understand most everything. Still working on speaking and it still takes some focus, but it will come. So I got my haircut today. I haven't had my hair this short since I was like six years old I'm pretty sure. It looks pretty good. It's the best short cut I have had —I think. The girl that did it was way good. There is this Elder in my district named Elder Austed he's  way cool, but he plays a bunch of instruments I guess and he plays blues guitar so that's cool. We talk about that a lot. He is like one of the most interesting people I have ever met. He is one that I would definitely like keeping in contact with. Oh yeah and like I said in my email the food here is TERRIBLE! I am pretty much down to oatmeal w/ brown sugar and raisins for breakfast with the occasional bowl of cold cereal and salad for both lunch an dinner unless there is something that looks decent because those are like the only things worth it! I've lost like three or four pounds since I have been here and I am getting in a lot better shape cuz I am playing basketball and working out everyday. Still not so hot at basketball but I am gettin' there.

Oh Yeah! so I wanted tell you guys especially Dad! You will be so surprised! So there has not been a single time that I have not woken up on time! And Elder Sorenson hasn't had to wake me up once! So how do ya like them apples?! And since we made it a goal, we have not been late to one single thing for like five or six days now! And that might not seem like that big of a deal but it is with all the stuff we have going on! And we are the only ones in our district who come even close to being on time for everything! Never thought you'd see the day did ya?!

Alright well it is gettin' pretty late I probably ought to start gettin ready for bed. I am feeling like I have forgotten  to tell you something but I can not think of it., I am pretty sure it is not important but just in case I remember; I won't seal it until tomorrow. Love you all so much! And miss you a ton! You guys are the best! Thanks for all the letters, they really mean a lot! And if you can send some more pictures! I love pictures! Make sure they are not like the originals or anything if you do. Just in case. Well, Next time you hear from me will probably be at the airport, if not, from lGuratemala.
copn mucho amor, Elder Welch

addition the next morning

Sorry, I told you I was gonna try and call from Alanta but I'm probably going to try from Salt Lake first. —so Monday, night between like 9:00 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. or Tuesday morning at like five in the morning or something. Alright! Love You

January 27th 2011 PROVO MTC

Goofing off with the guys in his district at the MTC.

His companion Elder Sorenson is on the front right.

Elder Sorenson

Hey Everyone!

I can't believe how fast this last week went! It is so nuts! My first week everyone just kept telling us "Just to make it 'till Sunday" and we were just like, "Yeah whatever"! We didn't think that it was even that bad then, but now we know what they meant. After Sunday it seriously has seemed like it has just flown by! Now we are getting ready to leave! We just went to the temple for the last time here today! It was really awesome. Oh yeah! So mom I did write you a letter too! I would imagine that you got it by now at least? You never told me but if it did but I  put both yours and the one to Lexi in the mailbox at the same exact time! Idk why it didn't get there at the same time. Idk if she told you and  I can't remember what I told her about it even, (hahaha) but we got our travel itineraries last thursday— like right after I emailed! We leave here at like 8:30 p.m. on Monday and our flight doesnt leave till 12:50 a.m.!!! Then we fly into Atlanta! Don't ask why— clear over there! And we have like a four hour layover there!!! and then our flight leaves there at like six in the morning and we get into Guat at like one in the afternoon! So we are going to call while we are there hopefully in Atlanta so TRY AND ANSWER!!!!!! So the MTC is real good! I am learning a whole lot!!! And me and my companion are still really getting along. Oh yeah and he appreciated that thing about fantacy factory Lexi (hahah). BUt the food is TERRIBLE!!!!! We stayed and ate at the temple today and it was like I had died and gone to heaven!!! It was actual real food! it was amazing! Im feelin' like a million bucks right now! (hahaha) But anyway I better start wrappin' up, I only have two minutes. I love you all so much! Everything is doing amazing and I'm learning a ton! I'm gettin' to be quite the "baller" at gym! NOT!! (Hahaha) But I love it it's a lot of fun. Alright gotta go!

Love you all so much! Thank you!

love,

Elder Welch