Email 14 Jan 2007

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
hello my beautiful family: how are you guys doing: i am doing really well: i had a very eventful week this week: i forgot the list of what i wanted to tell you at home so i hope i can remember everything: if not i will just write it next week as well: well my leg is doing a lot better it is still blue and green but its fine: but this week it was my eye: i thought i just had allergies: it started monday night but then when i woke up tuesday morning it was totally red and it was watering and hurt really bad: so we went right away to the doctor and he told me that i had these little marks on my cornea or something like that: he said it is caused by itching or the sun: but that was what was causing the redness: he gave me all this stuff to put in my eye and told me to buy some good sunglasses so you might see a 25 dollar purchase on my card: i had to use money from home and not from the mission: sorry about that: but it is better now: i have to go back tomorrow for him to see if it is better and see if i can start wearing my contact again: oh yeah about transfers: well::: i am a trainer: scary huh: no it is really good for me: i was a little shocked when they told me but i had a feeling: the first couple of days i was nervous but it is okay now: she is awesome: she is from california: didnt ever take french before: she actually was fluent in spanish: but she already speaks pretty well for just getting here: she had to wait for her visa for a little while: she waited in the mtc a little bit and then served in arizona for two weeks: we had no idea that a new sister was coming: we were shocked: but it has been really good: it is really good for me: i have really grown in the past week: for the moment i am the only one who talks when we visit people: i teach almost everything too but she testifies and teaches little principles: already the work is really starting to pick up: she is totally different from sister pahio: they are both awesome though: her name by the way is sister titel: she has already graduated from byu: but is younger than me: crazy huh: it is only by a couple of months though: she has been helping me with my byu application which i received this week: i am almost done i just have to write my essay: . . .i hope my essay turns out good: i am a little scared because i have been speaking french for so long: my english is not very good: . . . well some other news not very fun news though is that i had to learn how to drive a stick: oh my gosh i stalled the car so many times: my companion didnt know how to drive a stick either so they left sister pahio with us for two days to teach just me: but then the zone leaders found out that my liscense expires soon so they told me i had to teach my companion: that was an adventure: it is like a blind man leading the blind: its good now: we take turns driving: we will do that until my liscense expires in february: we had zone conference this week: it was really good: we talked about the things that I needed: my mission president also told me that the next zone conference which will be in six weeks: i will find out my release date: little scary huh: i am scared and excited: but i still have a long time to do the work so i am happy: i am really loving my mission: i am so happy at this point in my service: it has been a good experience: it has gone by so fast: i am thinking that i will stay here until i go: i am hoping: i would like to stay with the same companion too: we shall see: there will be a lot of changes soon: lets hope not for us: we have a baptism date the tenth of february: i am really excited: and we are working for one in march as well: we have set a lot of goals together and we are going to work really hard to reach them: hey i received a dress from vanuatu the other day: it is bright orange and is very big on me: we cant wear it here as a missionary but i am going to bring it home as a souvenir: there are two members in my sector as well who are making me tahitian dresses: the cool thing is i didnt ask they just said they were making me one: they are so beautiful: i think i will wear in utah: i am not shy to do it: i like it: well i dont remember what else was on my list but i willl write the rest next week: i love you all so much and miss you tons: take care hugs and bisous:

Email 07 Jan 2007

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
hello my beautiful family: how are you all doing: i am doing really well: i have some mixed emotions right now but for the most part i am very happy: the reason i have mixed emotions right now is because my companion and i were shocked last night by the news that we were being transfered: well actually it is just my companion: i am staying in boulouparis: yay: this is the longest i have ever been in a sector: i absolutely love it here: i hope to finish my mission here: i will miss my companion: we had a good time serving together: we worked really hard to open this sector: she has no idea who she will be serving with or where: we will find out tomorrow: we have to meet our zone leaders at the airport in our sector tommorrow morning: there is a new sister coming tommorrow: we are not sure but my companion and i think it may be me who will be the trainer: i am very nervous: i dont know how to train: i just want to be the best example for her is all: i am just going to put my trust in the lord: i know he would give me something to do if i couldnt do it: maybe i will just be with another sister who has been here awhile: who knows: i will let you know next week: if i am training please pray for me to do well: a trainers job is very important: i dont want to mess up: my trainer was awesome: i will just try and take her example: but again i dont know if it is me: i finally got to watch the video you sent me: it was so awesome: i loved it: i was smiling for hours after that: it was so good to see everyone: . . . the kids are so cute: tori laughing made me laugh so hard: she is adorable: they are so big now: jordans shyness was super cute too: thank you so much for that: you really helped bust me up: you are the best family: well i had a little accident last night: i am okay but in a little pain is all: i was out in our yard last night with my companion trying to take a picture of the sunset: as we were going back into the house a little puppy who likes to stay in our yard was wanting me to play with him and was running in front of me and what not so i just went to pet him a little well i heard noise behind me and i looked and the mom was coming right at me full speed: the stairs to our house werent far away so i tried to hurry and get in the house: well my foot slipped of the step and i fell hard: i fell on my leg hard: it is very blue and swollen i put some ice on it: thanks to the advice of my companion: it hurts really bad: but i can handle the pain: i think i hit my bone that is why it is so puffy and blue and hurts: i have never had something like this before: it really is an ugly bruise: it is red black blue purple: all the colors of the rainbow: . . . but i am fine: just a little excitement: well that is really all the news that i have: i love you tons and tons: big bisous

Email 02 Jan 2007

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
hello my beautiful family: i have to say i am a little dissappointed right now: i have not been able to watch the cd that you sent me: the place we do internet is not very good and does not have the program to watch the cds: so i have to wait until next week when we descend again into town for zone conference: thank you so much for the video: i was able to hear a little of it but not see the video: i heard grandmas voice i think and tori laughing: that was so cute but that is all: i hope i will be able to watch: i cant wait: i was so excited to do internet today so i could watch it but it doesnt work: thank you so much for the package: everything in there was awesome: my companion and i love the cd of my favorite hymns: we have listened to a million times already: thanks for the pen: its pink: i love it: i already used it: he he: i loved the pug too: i had to tell everyone that i got a pug for christmas: next christmas i am hoping to get a real one: hint hint i had a pretty good christmas: it was definitely not the same but it was okay: it felt like any other day: it will be fun to be with everyone next year: . . . i was so very excited to talk to everyone on christmas: it was the present that i received: it was so good to hear all of your voices: you all sound so good: it was hard to keep in the tears: it has been a long time: it was so good to hear jordans voice for the first time: i have never heard him talk: and tori she is so grown up now: she talks like an adult: she told me that she got a barbie for christmas: that was so cute: it was good to talk to everyone: jenni also: i had never talked to her: she seems really nice: i like her already: . . . oh mom i want you to know that i most likely wont extend: i thought about it some more and i kind of changed my mind: it might not have been possible anyways: it is looking like maybe the 19 of may: maybe : i have to talk to my mission president first and see when i am leaving: thinking about all of that really scares me: i am excited but nervous at the same time: i only have four and half months left eek: all the missionaries got together for christmas: we were only together four hours and then all left to make our phone calls: we played ping pong and talked and we had a gift exchange: we had to buy a gift for five dollars: i bought a cool mat that you sit on: it was really small but cool: i received a bulls eye game: it is not with darts: it was so funny: it was the gift from my companions cousin who is serving here: i also got a really cool necklace from one of the young adults in our branch: she has the same name as me: i cant wear it right now as a missionary because it is a little flashy but after the mission: i received a lot of other jewelry too: lots of fun: i recieved a really cool watch too: christmas was absolutely crazy here: they let off fireworks for christmas: we were not able to fall asleep: they kept us up all night: the really sad thing is that they forget about the real reason for christmas: there are so many children here who have no idea who jesus is just santa clause: it is really sad: we had a really spiritual companionship study for christmas: we really talked about christ and all he did for us: it was great: new years was okay: we didnt do anything really: we went over to my favorite familys house for dinner: it was fun: and new years day was are pday: we just stayed at home because everything was closed: oh man it is so hot here: we dont even have to move and we start sweating: when we walk we get soaking wet: but now we are entering into the rainy and hot season so it should be a little better than just hot: but personally i like the heat: i dont mind it at all: . . .well i love you all very much: i hope your week goes great love you tons and tons: big bisous: