Email 25 Feb 2007
Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:well i need to start off by saying that i did not receive my release date yet: my president told me he would tell me in another month: they need to look over everything and see when other missionaries are leaving and coming: he said he should know in a month: i am sorry mommy: i know you were excited to find out: . . . but i will let you know when i know anything: well we had a really crazy week: we were in the city for three days and my companion was sick for one so we really only worked three days this week: it was hard but some weeks are like that: zone conference was really good: i might only have one or maybe two left: that will be so weird: i am really getting nervous but excited: my mission president told me in my interview that he was really proud of the work that i did training sister titel: i was really kind of surprised: he told me i should be ecstatic: which i am but it wasnt just me that trained: the spirit really helped me: we are r'eally good together: we work hard and we are really seeing a lot of progression and my french has really progressed as well: i talk a lot now: we had a pday zone the other day: we went to this cultural center: it was kind of interesting: it explained the culture here: it was pouring though: we got soaked: i had a good talk with sister ardern as well: she was asking me what i wanted to do after my mission and what not: . . . i got the package thank you so much: it was so cute: thanks a bunch: i havent been able to see the video yet but maybe tommorrow i hopel it is really hard for me to watch the videos here in boulouparis: the internet place cant do it so i have to find someone who has a computer but not a lot of people do: but i found someone so i will see it tommorrow: . . . well on other news i woke up the other day to find myself looking into the face of a milipied: oh man was i scared: i hurried and got up and just stood there staring at it for a minute because i was so scared to do anything: but we put him in a cup and took him out side: oh man i was shaking: but all is well: i heard the other day from another missionary that there was a shooting in salt lake: everyone is okay right: well i love you all so much: i miss you so much: i hope you all have a good week: i will talk to you next week:
Email 18 Feb 2007
Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:how are you guys doing this week: i am doing really well: we had a super hard week though: we werent able to see a whole lot of people: it was difficult but there are always going to be weeks like that: it was super hot as well: i really dont know the conversion rate in the temprature here it is like 35 36: but in farenhet i have no idea: we have zone conference this week and will be going down wednesday until friday so will not be working in our area for three days: its hard: i would like to work but we really need some spiritual uplifting: i will find out wednesday my departual date: i am really scared mom and dad: i am really going to miss these people: i love them so much: i would really like to come back some day: there is one family i will miss so much: the family b.. . : they are amazing: you would love them: well we sang in bishlama on sunday at church: it was my companion and i and the two elders in our branch and four members: it was great: we are really learning how to speak now: i can understand almost everything people say: i can speak a little: i know how to pray in bishlama and tonight we are going to learn how to bear testimony: i am excited: it is very useful here because we have a lot of people we teach who dont understand french very well: i love this language: oh by the way happy valentines day: sorry it is late: i didnt receive your package yet: i didnt know you sent one: but i should probably get it when i go down to the city on wednesday: well we had to clean out our garbage can this week because there were tons of magets: so gross: it stunk so bad: but its clean now thank goodness: we ate tacos the other day with the family b. . . . it was so much fun because they had no idea what it was: their little eight year old boy loved it but he said it was really spicy for him: it was fun: they really liked it: they want to make it every night now: well i love you all so much: i hope all is going well: i miss you tons:
Sister Welker (Aiea, HI), Elder Redon and Sister Pahio (Tahiti)
Sister Welker (Aiea, HI) and Sister Rowberry (Draper, UT)
Sister Alicia Welker in Noumea.A view from Magenta.
Sister Holme, Elder Newcomer and Sister Welker after a baptism.
Email 11 Feb 2007
Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:hello my beautiful family; how are you all doing this week: i am doing good: it was kind of a busy week this week: we taught a lot of lessons and had a lot of success: i am absolutely so happy right now: this sector is really improving: our mission president always tells us to go into a sector and then when we leave to leave it better than we found it: and that is exactly what my companion and i are trying to do: we have been trying to really work with members and it is going pretty well: i love the members here: they are amazing: i am really hoping and praying to stay here until i leave: it is possible: other missionaries think i will be training again but i personally would like to just stay with sister titel: she is amazing: we work really hard: it is the most work i have ever done in my mission: i love being a missionary: it is weird to think that in three months i will be removing my badge: crazy:: . . . well i love you all so much: i am sorry this letter didnt have much: i only had a few minutes because i had to type up the essay: i love you and miss you all so much
Email 04 Feb 2007
Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:well i just wrote you a really long email telling you about my week but it was erased and i only have seven minutes left so i will try and write what i had but it wont be that long: well it is okay because our week was not very exciting: my companion was sick this week but we were still able to get a lot of work done: i love my companion she is great: she is exactly how i was one i started: lots of frustration heart aches tears: i really believe that our mission president was inspired to put us together: i have really been able to help her and share my own experiences: i will admit though that training is hard: i feel like i need to be perfect: and i am so not perfect: i dont want to be a bad example for her: it is a little stressful: i thought i would end my mission easy but i guess the lord felt like i needed to progress more: which i did: i have grown and changed a lot: i am so grateful that i am able to serve a mission: i have changed so much and i love it: i have grown up a lot also: i am ready to face the real world now: i am really excited to come home but it is a really bitter sweet feeling: i will really miss the people here and being a missionary: i love it: i am scared to go back to normal life school dating marriage yikes: well we ate eel this week: it has to be one of the weirdest things ever: i found out what it was after i ate: and actually it wasnt that bad: and we had magets in our house: fun huh: yuck it was so gross: we had so many of them and i really dont know why but we got them all cleaned up and out of our house: and we sprayed a lot of stuff: well i am out of time i love you all and miss you all so much:
Email 28 Jan 2007
Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:how are you guys doing this week: i am actually really well: i am a lot stroner this week: the news just kind of shocked me last week and i didnt have the time to digest it: but i am okay now: i have been praying a lot for bobby and there are a few other people praying for him as well: i was really shakin up last week so i asked one of our members in our sector to give me a blessing: it really helped: i calmed down right away: they fasted with us (their idea) on tuesday: the family is the b's: i know i have already talked about them: they are absolutely amazing: they are so strong: brother b. told us the next day that it was really hard to see me upset because he feels like i am one of his kids: it was really nice of him to say that: they really look out for us: so you dont need to worry: sister b. is amazing as well: they are just great people: i will never forget them: i told them if they ever make it to america they can stay with me: i hope maybe one day: that would be fun: we actually had a really good week: it was probably my best week of work here in boulouparis: we have been working really hard with the members and really starting to see a change in the sector: it is a great feeling: after four months of being here it is changing: the lord has really blessed us: my companion is absolutely fantastic: she is very patient and caring: especially with what happened: she was with me every step of the way: and she prays for bob in every prayer: it is amazing: you would all just love her: i am hoping she will be my last companion: i started my mission with an awesome companion and i am hoping to finish with one too: she has taught me a lot:. . . we had a lot of excitement this week: we went and did some cultural thing the other day so we would be able to preach the gospel in this tribe: all we had to do was give a sarong and ten dollars: it was easy: we have a lot of tribes in our sector: in these tribes there are only melanesians: people from here: they havent accepted it yet but hopefully soon: well we almost got attacked twice this week once by a dog and once by a guy: i am not telling you this to scare you but to just show you how much the lord protects his missionaries: i will tell you the stories: we went to go pick up a member to go work with her the other day and she has these really mean evil dogs: one of them has some mental promblems so that is why he is mean: we started walking in and we were almost to the door when he came running out of no where barking like crazy: snarling snapping his teeth: he was so ready to bite us he came like five feet from us: we were standing there trying to be brave yelling stop until we realized he wont understand english so we said the word in french: he backed up a little bit and then finally the member came out and saved us: our hearts were just pounding: we were shaking so bad: but i felt the lords protection it was almost like there was a big bubble around us: okay second story: saturday night we had to go to the store it was about seven oclock: we thought it would be okay because our car is right next to our apartment and the store is not too far away: well we get out by our car and a man who was with some other people who were parked right next to our car came up to us: he asked us if he could wish me a happy new year i said sure i stuck out my hand: well he said no we give the two cheek kisses here: i told him we didnt do that because we were sister missionaries but he kept insisting saying it was the custom there: but i stayed firm and sayed no: but he just kept moving closer we kept moving back: he was totally drunk: he started getting a little mad a little more forceful: he tried to come close again and my companion grabbed my arm and pulled me behind her to protect me: she is five eight and half so she is quit a bit taller than me and just a little smaller than the guy: he finally got the clue to leave: he shook our hand and we left as fast as we could: we didnt want to go back to our apartment right away because he could see it so we just drove over to the store to see that there was tons of people there probably drunk as well so we just drove around the block a minute and then went back home: the lord was really watching out for us: i felt like if we hadnt been missionaries something else would have happened: i dont want you guys to worry about me because of those stories: i do not feel threatned at all here: i feel the lord is watching out for us and keeping us safe: we know now not to go out the weekend nights: and to go in our car to the members house: i am doing really well: as happy as i can be: i love you all and miss you all so much:
