Email 27 Aug 2006

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
well this week has been kind of normal: really good week though: i am really enjoying being with sister rowberry: we have tons of fun together: it is a blessing but in like less than a week we have transfers again: i am hoping that sister rowberry and i dont change: but i will go wherever the lord wants me: but i am going to enjoy the time now i have: i am just so happy right now: i dont want it to change: the sector is really starting to pick up: we actually have a lot of progressing investigators now: i have worked really hard in this sector and i dont want to leave but i dont want to be selfish either: i will let you know what happens next week: well it has been super hot here: it is getting to be summer: oh man it gets hot here: but its good because i am getting tan again: so thats a plus: my hair is really getting light though: it is turning almost blonde: maybe in nine months it will be and i will look like the rest of the family finally: you might not recognize me though: i look a lot different: . . . well we are still working a lot with marie: she is really progressing we invited her to a baptism the other day and she came: it was so great: she asked a lot of questions and really enjoyed it she said that she had felt good there: and also there were a lot of members that came up to talk to her: it was awesome: the only problem is that she works every sunday: but maybe she can change days: thats what i am praying for: well we are teaching an english class: it is very interesting because we do not have any books or anything: its really hard: but its good: . . . well i gotta tell you that i have several little boys here that have little crushes: it is the cutest thing: their ages are one and half; four and eight: the four year old yesterday during church winked at me and waved: it was so cute but a little shocking: where did he learn that: the other ones always just look at me and come up and just stare and smile: it is so cute: but well that is really all that happened this week: . . .well i love you and think of you all the time: you are always in my prayers: tell the ward i said hi i will try and send them another letter soon but i am already behind writing other people: but i will try: hey also tell who ever said go alicia thanks: love ya:

Email 20 Aug 2006

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
how are you guys doing today: i love you tons and tons: thats a lot: thank you for always sending me emails: it really brightens my week: you are amazing:. . .i had an interesting week: a lot of things happened. . .well we have zone conference next week on thursday: not this thursday: . . .well i have to tell you so far magenta is my favorite area: i love it here: the members are great: they really help the missionaries: i love them all: they all seem to like me which is good: they all like to tease me and joke with me: it is really funny sometimes: i guess it is easy to tease me: i think they do it because they know i can take it: i just laugh with them: i love it: a lot of them call me their fils which means daughter or girl: oh i love it here: i feel like i am back in hawaii: they are very similar to the people there: so i love my new companion sister rowberry: she is just like sister freeman: i am so happy to get a companion that i like and who is obedient and works hard: i am so happy right now: we work hard and are always happy: she is a really good example to me: i have learned a lot already: . . .well this week has been a hard week for the work: at the beginning of the week we had tons of appointments but everyday people kept calling and canceling or they just werent there: almost every single one of them: it was hard but now that i know why i am here i didnt get discouraged and i am not discouraged now: it just motivates me to work harder and continue: well i want to tell you a little story that happened this week: something that was a little test of my faith: on wednesday we had been working all day long trying to find people and contact people but no one was there or they just werent interested: we were both getting a little tired and i was getting a litte discouraged and i didnt like it so i asked sister rowberry if we could go say a prayer: so we turned off the street and prayed on the side of the road: i asked for strength and help: after the prayer we started walking again and we had just passed one of our investigators house: well i heard this whisper in my head say go see marie: well the weird thing about that was that i knew that she worked everyday except for weekends and it was wednesday: i thought she wouldnt be there but the spirit told me to go again so i asked sister rowberry if we could just go see: i wasnt expecting anyone to be there but when we got there she was there and her cousin was there also: it just so happened that she had a day off that day: something that never happened before: well right before we got there the two of them had been in the middle of talking about religion and marie had told her cousin about joseph smith and she even had the phamplet out talking to her about it: it was amazing mom and dad: we had only taught her one time: the first lesson: but they were so amazed and excited to see us: they invited us in and we taught the first lesson: i almost just started crying: i couldnt believe it the lord really blessed us that day: and because of that we were lifted up for the rest of the day: my testimony of prayer grew tremendously and my faith also: i know he is there for us watching out for us: for all of us: it is like your story dad about seeing someone with nikki: it is amazing how much he loves us: well i love you both tons and tons and miss you tons and tons: i am loving my mission and am doing well:

Email 13 Aug 2006

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
how are you guys this week: i love you and miss you tons: i am doing really well today: i have had a good week and i think i am going to continue to be very happy: i have a new companion: . . .you will never guess who it is mom: sister Rowberry: cool huh: we never thought that we were going to serve together but we are: i am so happy: we get along really well: we work hard together too: i am really excited i think that my sector is really going to take off now: it was a little sad to say bye to sister holme . . .she taught me a lot. . .i am still in my area: and so very happy about that: i love this area: my french is really improving: i am reallly excited about that: the lord has really heard my prayers: he has blessed me: i am so happy: we have two people in my sector that i just love: they are recent converts: they are very dear to my heart: their names are emeline and marie josee: daughter and mother: they are so awesome: when they found out that transfers were coming they were so upset they did not want me to leave: they said if i left they would cry: i didnt want to leave either: but i stayed:. . .oh i have my ten favorite hymns: this is in no order: it took me awhile to decide: i like all of them: but here are the ones i decided: spirit of god; a poor wayfaring man of grief: come come ye saints: how great thou art: i need thee every hour: nearer my god to thee: i know that my redeemer lives: god be with you till we meet again: i stand all amazed: o my father: i also really like come thou fount but it is not in the hymn book anymore: i love that hymne so when dad sent it i almost cried: it was awesome: . . .oh i have to tell you of a joke that our zone leaders played on me: one zone leader received a package from home with a box of jelly beans: well these jelly beans were no normal jelly beans they were harry potter jelly beans: they had several different very disgusting flavors: for example dirt; grass; throw up; rotten egg; soap: weel they didnt tell me that they were flavors like that: and you know me i love jelly beans so i took one popped it in my mouth: the first one i got was the soap: it tasted like tooth paste: so they told me to take another a specific one: well i popped it in my mouth and started chewing: oh man it was disgusting: i had to spit it out: it was so gross: the taste stayed in my mouth for two hours: come to find out i ate the rotten egg one: oh so gross: i am not going to take anything from those elders again:. . .well my dear parents i love you: and miss you: i cant believe it is almost my half way mark soon: that is crazy: i hope you have a good week: take care.

Email 06 Aug 2006

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
how are you guys doing today: how was your week: mine was okay: we just stayed in the house until saturday: come to find out we really didnt have to stay in the house that long: the doctor miss diagnosed my companion: she didnt have vertigo . . .but she is fine now: and we are back to work: how was your birthday mom: i am so glad that you got the package: . . .i want to thank you so much for taking such good care of me and the other kids when we were sick: it is so hard to do: you have to cook everything clean everything: do everything yourself: and you did that everyday not just when we were sick: you are my hero: i got good practise this week! i dont think i am ready yet to have a family: it was hard work: maybe after my mission i will be ready or maybe in a couple of years: . . .so dad you passed your kidney stone huh: ouch: i hope i never get one: but with missionaries it is very common because of all the stress so i am just trying not to be stressed and just enjoy my mission: but it is hard because you are constantly worrying about your investigators: you come to love these people so fast and you have a very deep love for them because you worry about their salvation: . . .i realized this week that i am needed here: the lord needs me here: i finally realize that: what i am doing is important: i have been praying really hard this past week: been praying for endurance and comfort and then help with being not selfish: i had a lot of time to think this past week and i found that i have been a really selfish person: i have not put my whole heart into the work i have been so worried about me me me: i am not here for me i am here for the lord: this is the lords time: i decided i wanted to give this time just to the lord so whenever i hear myself start complaining in my head i just say a little prayer of thankfulness to him: i am feeling a definite change come: i feel different my attitude is different and i have been blessed for this change of heart: my french is coming easier i am getting more confidence to go up and talk to people: i am kinder to people. . .: i have also been praying for charity a lot and patience: . . .we have transfers on saturday because sister freeman leaves: we are mostly likely getting changed. . .so i wanted to tell you a little about what has been going on here: i have started to do a little geneology on dads side: i have just been writing it down: it is so cool i have learned so much already from my ancestors: it is so fun: i want to continue and i want to do it on moms side too: we have started giving an english class: we teach 3 times a week to investigators and members: it is really fun: it is helping me with the french actually: the other day we were out trying to find some old investigators and went to this one ladys house: just as we were turning the corner to her apartment she was coming out of her door: she saw us and hurried back in the house and locked the door: that was the first time i have ever been ran from: we had a good laugh about it in the elevator: . . .: i got a letter from tyler the other day: i was so excited: it was a really nice letter: he is so nice: he totally understands: because he has served a mission himself: man i miss that kid: but that is all for this week: i hope you have a good week i love you tons and tons

Sister Welker and walking aids 

Sister Holme and Sister Welker 

Sister Welker and Sister Freeman 

Sister Welker and Sister Holme 

Our view in Faubourg