Email 22 Apr 2007

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
how are you all this week: i am doing really well: congratulations thomas: i am proud of you: it sounds like you have worked really hard: good job:: you will have to train me when i get home: i want to be able to do that some day: i run a little bit every morning but it is no where close to a marathon length: one day we will have to do the boston marathon together: that is my dream: mom thank you for registering for me: the dance class is ok: i just had a little time so i thought i would try something like that: but thanks again: everything looks good: well this week we worked so hard: we were tired every single day: we dropped into our beds at night: it is really a good feeling: that helps me to see that i am working hard: there is no slacking off for me: i dont have the time: well i ate deer liver the other night: just another thing to add to all the interesting things that i have eaten here: i am definitely not a picky eater anymore: i have had to eat so many onions and mushrooms and chocolate here that they dont taste that gross anymore: even fish isnt that bad: but i definitely wont be ordering them at restaurants: we saw the biggest dog ever the other day: it was white: it seriously looked like a polar bear: it was huge: we got so scared: but he didnt hurt us: i am getting so worn out: this work is really tiring but i love it: it takes a lot of energy: and as i am getting to the end i am feeling it: i think i will probably be able to sleep for two days straight: i am still a little sick: i dont know what is wrong: i am thinking it is just a little stress so it should go away soon: we were driving the other day and it started raining: the really weird thing was that the sky was so blue there was no clouds anywhere to be found: it was so crazy: . . . oh mom you asked me about bringing me stuff to hawaii: i really need my clothes: i wont have any: i am leaving a lot behind and i only have church clothes: i have no normal clothes: can you bring some of my shirts and my capris: . . .well i love you all so much: and miss ya tons: i will see you in three weeks: hugs and bisous:

Email 15 Apr 2007

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
how are you all doing this week: i am doing really well: we had a really good week: we worked really hard and had a lot of success: we are hoping to continue to work hard like that this week as well and every week until i leave: oh it is so crazy that i will be home in a few weeks: it hasnt really hit me yet: i am definitely more calm now than i was a few weeks ago: i am excited to see everyone but i am really trying to work as hard as i can before i leave this place: this is my last few weeks as a young sister missionary: . . . oh something i wanted to ask you was if we can go watch the joseph smith video sometime when i get home: i have not seen it yet: and everyone is talking about it: it sounds really good: we did a lot of tracting this week: tons and tons: we are trying to find some new investigators: it was actually kind of fun: we met a lot of interesting people: we taught one guy at a bus stop: we just sat down with him and taught him the first lesson: it was amazing: the spirit was really strong: he asked a lot of questions: it was great: he lived in another sector so we told him where he could go to church and gave him the number for the missionaries over there: i love talking to people about the gospel: when i first started my mission i was really timid and was scared to talk to people but now i dont really fear: i enjoy doing it: i still get nervous but it is normal: oh my i have so many missionary journals to write in: when missionaries leave all the other missionaries give them their journals to write little messages in them so they can remember all the people they served with: well that is all i have been doing in my spare time: i have so many: i have a huge stack at home that just continues to stare me down: it really wouldnt be that hard if they were in english but about half of them are in french: so it takes a little longer: but i am about half way done with them: yay: . . . : it is really starting to get cold here: we have been freezing: i had to wear socks as gloves the other day because i was so cold: and it was in the low 70s: i am absolutely going to freeze in utah: eek: this morning we went to wash our car and found ourselves with some pigs: we went to a members farm to wash it and some of their pigs had gotten out: so we had little pigs running around us while we were washing it: so crazy: they were cute though: oh i forgot to tell you the other day when we were out doing tracting we were stopped on the side of the road trying to figure out where to go next and a little boy probably a little older than one year came walking towards us: . . . he came right up to me and hugged my legs: it was so cute: we were so surprised: he just gave me hug: his aunt came out to find him and saw him giving me a hug she just kind of laughed and picked him: it was great because it gave us an opportunity to talk to the lady: but the little boy was so cute: well that is all for this week: i love you all so much: have a good week: gros bisous et bientot:

Email 08 Apr 2007

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
hello my beautiful family; how are you all doing this week: i miss ya: well i have a lot to tell you today so i will jump right into it: . . . general conference yesterday was so good: it was the sunday morning session: i loved it: there was so many good talks: i loves elder uchdorfs: he gave a really good talk: i absolutely love his talks: they always seem for me: and it was awesome when i was in the mtc and was able to see him: he is so cool: i really love conference: i cant believe how fast it went by: when i was younger they seemed so long but now they seem too short: there was tons of people at the chapel to watch it: a lot of people i havent seen in a long time: it was good to talk to everyone again and say a final goodbye: people were so shocked that i am already done: i am kind of shocked as well: it is incredible to me that i only have a little over four weeks left: crazy: well zone conference was amazing as usual: i love them so much: i received some really good news: it was not my last one: there is one right before i leave on the eigth of may: and guess what we have to general authorities coming: i am so excited: it is president condie and i want to say elder richardson: i believe: i am not sure on the last ones name: i am so happy: i get to bear my testimony in front of two general authorities: i am a little nervous but not really: i might even be interviewed by one of them: cool huh: i also found out that i will be going to fiji for two days: i will be leaving fiji monday the 14th: so i will get home either sunday night or early monday: thanks for the package: i was so excited to see those girl scout cookies: they were so good: they are the best cookies in the world: thank you so much: you are the best: i wanted to wish you a happy late easter: it didnt feel like an easter here: we listened to general conference so we didnt have a sacrament meeting: but it was still really good: i hope that you have copies of your talks so that i can read them when i get home: i am sure you did amazingly mother you always do: i still read your talks that you gave in hawaii: i absolutely love them: . . . : i am so happy that you were able to go to sister rowberrys homecoming: she was a good companion: i love her to death: she is super nice: was sister freeman there too: thanks mom for printing that stuff out: did you see any other missionaries there: well this week i was sick again: i lost my voice and had a really bad cough: so i finally went to the doctors when we came down to zone conference: the doctor told me it was gastro interaitis or something like that: but i think it was the flu: i had all the syptoms of the flu: the doctors here say all sicknesses are that gastro thing: but i am feeling better: i still have a little cough but it is not too bad: you know momma: i didnt know why until now but the other day i was thinking about grandpa kendall: memories of him came back to me: i told my companion all about him: i didnt know why but now i do: i miss him too mommy: well my wonderful family i only have four emails i will write before i come home: crazy huh: i am really going to have to try not to sprint towards you when i see you at the airport: do you already have somewhere to stay: so crazy: i am nervous to see everyone again: it has been a long time: well my companion and i made my schedule for school: i am taking seven classes but only 15 and a half credits so not too bad: . . . thank you so much for all your help for school: when i get back i will have to find a place to live i guess: my companion said raintree is good: well i love you all so much: i hope you have a good week: love ya tons:

Email 01 Apr 2007

Excerpts from Sister Welker's email:
hello my beautiful family; how are you all doing this week: i am doing well: oh man things are getting crazy here: i have appointments lined up for the next six weeks with people: it is so busy: we are doing a lot of tracting and contacting and trying to find as many new investigators as we can: well i know where i will be serving for the rest of my mission: boulouparis: yay: we got transfers yesterday and they told me i will be staying here for the rest of my mission: i am so happy: i was really hoping i would be able to stay here: the lord has really blessed me: i will also be serving with sister titel until the end: yay again: i was hoping to stay with her as well: we work really well together: i am very happy right now: i just cant believe how fast time is passing: it feels like i am standing still while the whole world rushes around me: yikes i am scared: i did a lot of dejunking today: i dont have that much stuff now: that should be good: we are going to the city this week i wanted to get a few things for you: just some little things: and little things to help me remember here: i wont get too much though: i have been really sick this week: . . . i have been not been able to keep any food down: i have been throwing up: i was out two days last week: which about made me go crazy: i hate having to be stuck in the house: i love working: but i just did not have the energy: i have had a fever all week: it comes and goes: it is a little better now but i am still nauseated right after i eat: no matter what i eat except for soup: i have eaten a lot of soup: . . . this is the second week now that i have had this illness: i dont know what it is but i pray that it will go away so we can work: an elder told me to eat black licorise before i eat and that will help: i am not a big fan of it but i will try it: we had a cyclone here the other day: we were on a first alert: it rained so hard and it was really windy: but before it reached us it died off: it hit the north and the islands but didnt make much south: just a big storm: we didnt hear any warning about a tsunami: just the cyclone: i am surprised you didnt hear about that: i was a little scared: the leaders were calling making sure we had water and food storage: and they told us to bring everything that was outside in: and to tape up our windows: i was nervous: we prayed really hard: but all is well: oh i absolutely loved general conference: we watched the two saturday sessions yesterday: we are watching the sunday sessions next sunday: i loved elder hollands talk: it is really good for us here: oh you guys wrote about a sister from new caledonia at temple square: i dont know her personally but i know her family: she is almost done: she finishes this month: maybe in a week or something: her brother is the branch president in the branch i serve: . . . the family is really nice: her dad is also the first counselor in my first branch: i am really excited for you to meet sister rowberry and the other missionaries: tell them hi for me: you might have one elder come up to talk to you: he knows you will be there: he just left two days ago. . . just tell them hi is all: well my family i love you all and miss you all so much: i hope you had a great week: . . .