Email 17 Sep 2006

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
how are you guys today: wow what a shocker: you guys are moving: i felt good about the decision you guys made but i am a little sad that we have to leave hawaii: hey will you guys be there for micahs homecoming: he wrote me a really nice letter the other day: he is still a dear friend of mine and i appreciate his advice. . . well a lot happened this week : a lot i want to tell you: the weather here is absolutely crazy: one day it will be so sunny and hot and humid and another day it is freezing cold and raining: it really messes up the health: my joints have been hurting lately but i am okay: i thought it was summer already but it doesnt start until november: we still have some cold days ahead of us: and i mean it when i say cold: all i brought was a little jacket with me so i have been wearing it everyday: but i wont need it soon: thank goodness: i have a question for you: when i receive your package can i open it or do i have to wait until my birthday: just a question: there is this family i want to tell you about: . . . they are from tahiti: they are so awesome: they are inactive but they still all have a strong testimony: when we have family home evenings with them the spirit is always so stron: it is incredible: i love the feeling when i am with them: the only bad thing is that they all smoke: chain smokers: it is incredible how much they smoke: but they are starting to change: i have seen a change in them already: oh man since i have been on my mission my eyes have really been opened to the real world: i was kind of living in a bubble before my mission: or maybe i just didnt want to accept what the real world is like: it is harsh: i have seen a lot of poverty here: it is so sad sometimes: a lot of the houses here are so dirty and run down: people live in little studios but have families of eight or ten people: it is hard to see sometimes: so many people drink here: it is ridiculous i think this is the alcohol capital of the world: and of course everyone smokes: i really dont see where they find the money because they are all so poor: maybe they are poor because they spend all their mony alcohol: i dont know: . . . i was really worried about you dad and mom: . . . i couldnt imagine anything happening to you two: please take care of yourselves: please: i fasted for your health the other day and after i felt good . . . the work here in riviere salee is good: we have been working hard: we have been talking to a lot of people on the street: working a lot with inactives: i have learned how to teach inactives and help them: i want to help my brothers and sisters now: there is so much i want to tell them and show them: well guess what i might get a local looking hair style soon: just for like a week: one of the members here wants to braid my hair like the girls here: . . . the corn rows: i think it would be fun for a week: some of the other sister did it and it looked cool: i am thinking about it: what do you think: when i get home i want to let you know that i want to continue studying everyday: i really enjoy the time to study: it makes me happy: and it strenghtens my testimony: i want to study with you two also: well i love you tons and tons and miss you tons and tons: hugs and bisous:

Email 10 Sep 2006

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
how are you all doing today: i miss you all tons and tons: dad how is your health: when i read that you went to the emergency room again i got really worried: please keep me updated: and mom how is your health: man i worry so much about you two: i pray for you everyday: well i am doing well: really tired: worked really hard this week: we did a lot of contacting on the street this week: we are in the process of finding new investigators because the missionaries before us baptized all their investigators so we dont have a lot of people to teach: we do have one family though: the E. . .s they are so awesome: . . .the lady is a member but is living with her boyfriend who is an investigator: he is really close to baptism: they just have to get married first and then he can get baptized: his sister is also an investigator: i think i talked about her last time: . . .she is absolutely amazing: she is ready for baptism we are going to have her set a date once she gets back from vacation: i am so excited: this may be my first baptism: she is amazing though: we had instant friendship: the other day we had a family home evening with them and m. . . jo and i sat and talked forever and then she just started playing with my hair: she really likes my hair: oh by the way i cut it again: it is a little past my shoulders now: i had an elder cut it: because he cuts all the elders hair: well i learned from that experience: it was nice of him to cut it but it is so not even: at all: one side is about an inch longer than the other: i didnt say anthing though: i didnt want to hurt his feelings: so i am just going to live with it and maybe in a couple months i will get a sister to trim it: oh man i have to say that being a senior companion is so much tougher than a junior: so much more responsibility: i am really starting to feel what real stress is: but all is well: it is good for me: it gives me experience: sometimes though i wish i could just go back to being junior again: that will never happen again : my companion is great: it is like having a mom with me all the time: you know mom and dad she is close to your age but she acts a lot older: you guys are really hip for your age i think: because she asks more like a grandma: but i love her to death: we get a long great: she always calls me her baby though: cant say i really enjoy that all that much but oh well: the members here in this sector are great i am learning to really love them: they are a lot different from the members in magenta: i really miss those members but there is no use on dwelling on the past: my sector is a lot smaller than magenta: we can walk from one tip to the next in about thirty minutes: very tiny: i think it is the smallest sector: but all is well: my health is well: i am happy: dont worry: love you tons and miss you tons: hugs and bisous

Email 03 Sep 2006

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
how are you guys doing this week: i am well: i have tons to tell you today: well first off: i was transfered: it was a little sad but all is well: i already love my new sector: i am now in riviere salee: i was transfered saturday: i am now serving with sister feuvrier: she is 57 years old: she is really cool she does not speak any english at all: so i have to speak in french all the time: it is really helping my french though: oh and guess what dad i am now the senior companion: scary: it is a lot harder than i thought: i am so used to being the person who follows my companion but now i am the one who is the leader: its hard but it is good for me: a lot more stress now: but all is well: we work really well together: . . . can you give me some advice on how you raised the kids: because we have an investigator who has a five year old girl and does not know how to discipline her: so she asked us for help: she is not my investigator anymore but i still want to try and help her: oh i got the cd you sent: it is so good: thanks: . . . so how did the experience go with giving the book of mormon to the neighbors: i am so proud of you guys for doing missionary work: that is what we are trying to have the members here do: we have been working with the members a lot here: . . . oh also it is okay if you guys cant come and get me when i get back: i actually kind of just want to head home right after hawaii: go back and spend some time with you two and the family before i travel again: i want to stay in hawaii for a few days though: say bye to everyone: . . . my notebook of all the emails is packed full now: i read them often: they make me laugh and smile and cry all at the same time: . . . well nothing else really happened this week: i am so excited for you that you get to go to utah: . . . i will be praying for you pops: hope all goes well: have fun and tell everyone hello and i love you: i love you two so much: thanks for all you have done for me: you have helped me through the hard times on my mission: and like you said it is just the down slope now: less than nine months: not long at all: i love you and miss you: