Monday May 23, 2011

Hola familia.

i have officially desided that i am accident prone. saturday night i got hope and we were planning and my eye was kinda bugging me so after we were done i went and took out my contacts. that seemed to make things worse and little by little it got a little worse. we ended up calling president and he told us to come to the office (this was about 11 at night). so we go and we end up at the hospital. and all i can tell you is parisites can get anywhere even in your eyes. i know gross. i have a worm about 2 mm long in my eye. i have a appointment tommorrow and they will decide what they will do. but as for now i am in the dark. but dont be worried because i guess this happens alot. but as for my week that is pretty much the exciting point. this morning marks the officiall last p day in my first transfer. i cant believe i have been here for a month. time deffinatly goes faster here than in the mtc.

i only get mail once every month so im not sure if i have got you pacage yet or not. but i do need to buy sweaters. you cant wear suit coats in the street or you will get mugged. so president told us all to by two or three ´´chompas´´ to use during the winter months. my feet are . . . . beautiful that is all. i am so happy to be here i cant begin to express how much i love the people here. i am sorry this letter is so short but i am going to try to attach some pictures to make up for it.

i love you all and just know eye or no eye i am working as hard as i can in the work that has no end.
Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday May 16, 2011

Hola familia how goes it?

I have many stories to tell so i´ll start with those and hopefully have time to get to questions.

i started the week off kinda rough i was sitting out on our balcony reading my Spanish book and the little girl next door, (we joke around with her alot she is probably jacy´s age)
threw a coke bottle at me and i sat back in my chair really fast (to avoid it) and all i have to say is tile is very slippery. i ended up smacking my head on the corner of the door frame (those dang door frames first my ear now my head) and i got a pretty good cut on my head. but luckily we live with a nurse. she patched me up and gave me this cream to put on it so it doesn´t get infected. well little did i know this cream changes your hair color. so now i have a patch of light hair on the back of my head. needless to say part of my p-day is going to be spent getting a hair cut.

before i tell this next story i just have to clarify that i´m not going crazy i just get really bored climbing stairs. this week we climbed 11,534 stairs!! i have noticed that if i count the stairs it seem to keep my mind off the burning in my legs. but i know that it is doing some good because yesterday i had to make a new hole in my belt because the others just don´t quite cut it anymore.

i had another amazing experience with HNO Bendayan. i´`m telling you he is like a spiritual power house. we were walking past our favorite place in this whole area. we found it a couple days ago. it is this little bakery and all i can say is ¡¡¡QUE RICO, LO MAXIMO!!! i´m not really sure how to translate that into English. and we decided to buy some treats for Hno bendayan and his family (we weren´t really sure why at first, but now we know it was inspiration). so we buy 1 sole worth of cookies and bread and go to his house we knock on the door and we wait and we wait. we know he is home because his house isn´t locked. he finally answers the door and he is on crutches. he had re-hurt his leg (he has a fractured hip that never healed right). we told him that we didn´t know why but we felt impressed to buy him some treats and bring him some money. he again began to cry (he cries as much as i do) and explained how he obviously couldn´t work and he wasn´t going to be able to provide for his family. they were surviving on flour and water in kind of a paste type substance. thank you holy ghost once again for helping me help this amazing man.

speaking of food guess what i ate this week . . . . it is called ´´jugo de pez´´ which means literally fish juice. guess how they make it? no let me tell you.

step one: they take a raw fish and take the bones out

step two: they smash it up . . . everything. scales organs fins and yes eyes

step three: they add water to this ´´paste´´ and boil it

step four: they add a apple and a boiled egg (i don´t know why because it didn´t help the flavor)

Step five: dig in.. .. ... . yuck. but i ate it. . . all of it . . and i did it without throwing up. . . barely :)

it was a very rough week for me especially Wednesday. and i mentioned that to my mission president and he told me to write a letter to grandma and have you read it at the funeral. i wasn´t able to do that but i still wanted to share it with you.

Dear Grandma,

my mom told me to dedicate this day to you but i want you to know that this is all for you. you are my best friend and i can still feel you close to me. you are my unseen companion for the next 2 years. but you are defiantly not unfelt.

i feel closer to you than i ever have before. i remember that after i would leave your house those weeks during the summer i would look our the back window and watch your house drift away. how i wanted to go back. . . and now that you have drifted away once more how i want to have you back. but i know that just like those summer weeks i´ll be with you again. we will be together again.

i love you grandma.

Landon

i can´t begin to describe how much i miss grandma. but there isn´t a day that goes by that i don´t feel her at my side. she is still here i know it i can feel it.

i love you all and i will talk to you soon. and always remember that i am working my hardest.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday May 9, 2011

Hola Familia!!!

well it was a rough week to say the least and we really didn´t have much happen out of the ordinary. we had one investigator at church. but our main focus right now is finding less active members. which means a lot of walking and a lot of stairs. i have never seen let alone climbed so many stairs.

it is cold today!!! see i told you it is a day and night difference yesterday it was scorching and now i am struggling not to shake as i sit here in this tiny Internet cafe. and wouldn´t you know it there is two dogs in the same room...... they really are everywhere.

We had kinda of a funny moment. a lady in our ward was going to church in a mototaxi (basically a motorcycle with a carriage attached to it.) and she fell out. the back wheel ran over her and she was being a hypochondriac (how ever you spell that) she was certain that her back was broken and that she couldn´t walk but talking with her Doctor she just had bruising. so E. Guerrero and i thought why not make this a testimony builder. she had asked for a blessing to ease the pain but e. Guerrero and i thought why not ´´heal´´ her so we gave her a blessing and in the blessing we told her to stand and walk.

we closed the blessing and helped her to her feet and what do you know she walked. i can tell you right now that she will never doubt the priesthood power. it had healed her spine and allowed her to walk again :).

well i´m off to grab some fruit for lunch ( have i mentioned how amazing the fruit is here??? one word heaven) and p day is the only day we get to choose what we get to eat. so we choose to let our stomachs rest. the food is really good but the aftermath could be compaired to that of world war II. i thought the MTC food was bad.

i love you all and i have each and everyone of you in my prayers. kiss the kids and always remember that i am working as hard as i can.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Monday May 2, 2011

hola Familia

it has been a week of firsts for me obviously :) but it has been a week of great work too. we got to peru about 11:45 tuesday night and went straight to bed at the mission office. president Dorius met us at the airport. we stepped out side and the first words out of our mouths were ´´it smells like fish.´´ and when i say smells i mean stunk like fish.

we drove to the mission office and we were just kind of taking in the city. we saw some appartments and we were talking about how run down they look. and pres. Dorius said ´´oh these are some of the better ones´´ and he was so right. i got to my area around 5 wednesday and all i can say is wow.

my area concists of two massive hills one called lampa de oro and the other is called nuevo amanezer. president dorius was telling us that on these two hills alone there is half the population of utah. CRAZY!!!

and there really is dogs everywhere, not just alive ones eather. dogs will die of rabies or get hit by a car and they just leave them there to let nature do its job on them. E. Guerrero and i walk around with our ties on our noses because it stinks so bad. i didn´t get luggage stolen it was almost stolen. a man grabbed it at baggage claim and started to walk out with it but i caught it and he tried to play it off but i´m pretty sure it wasn´t a accident. it is really humid but it is usually mid 70´s so not too bad yet. i actually can understand alot of spanish and that is mostly what i speak. E. Guerrero is from costa rica but he knows a little english but it is deffinatly easier to comunicate in spanish. there are a couple roads here that you need to avoid especially if you are white. i acutally got to meet that missionary that was stabbed back in november. he is working in the office. but i just try to look as brown as i can and avoid the people that have that practically carry a sign that says stay away or i will mug you.

i have already had some crazy experiences here. and i wish i could tell them all to you but unfortunatly i dont have time so i´ll just narrow it down to one for now. we were out tracting on the 29th (e. guerreros birthday) and we saw our ward mission leader (hermano bendayan most humble man i have ever met) he knew that it was his birthday so he invited us to come up to his house and eat with him and his daughter. he lives at the very top of nuevo amanezer so it was quite the climb but we finally made it. we go in to his house, probably the size of my room, and he brings out two massive plates of food (probably enought for 4 days for him and his daughter) and we can´t refuse him or he will get really offended. so we bless it and begin to eat and i noticed that the meat (which i thought was chicken) was really tough and had a funny after taste. but again i didn´t want to offend him so i ate it all. (come to find out it was dog woot woot my first perro.) we finish and he wants to go work with us so we leave and e. guerrero remembers that we promised to help a member clean the stake center (it is in the middle of peru probably 15-20 miles away) hno bendayan says he would love to go with us. so we jump on a combi (basically a miny van that they cram 25 people on :)) and we ride in to Lima. we get there clean and are on our way home, when we see a homeless man. he askes us for money so he can get some food. we can´t give money but we offer to buy some food for him. he accepts so we go to a street vender and by him some chifa (chinese food) and as we are leaving hno bendayan gives him 5 soles (which is a lot of money for someone as poor as he is) and we drive back to our flat in Lapa de oro. HNO bendayan begins to walk to his house in Nuevo amanezer. and we think it is because he gave all his money to this homeless man. we were brought to our knees by this mans humility and charity. so we call him back and try to give him money so he can by a ride back home. he refuses us and refuses us so E. Guerrero and i both throw 10 soles at him and begin to run to our door. we get there and Hno bendayan is right behind us. but to our suprise he is in tears. he begins to explain how he felt terrible that he didn´t give that man more money. he had more money he could have given but he didn´t want too because he needed it to get home. he used the word egoisto which means selfish which obviously he isn´t. he said that the only way he would feel better would be if he walked home. we watched him walk away and all i could think was wow.

i am amazed everyday by these people and how beautiful they really are. most of them don´t have teeth, or a sence of hygene. but they are by far the most christlike people i know. they are willing to give at the sacrifice of there own well being. HNO bendayan has changed my life and i´m sure i´m not the first one.

i love you all have a great week i´ll talk to you soon

Elder Landon R. Welch

Wednesday April 27, 2011

well i´m here safe and sound but i am scared for my life :) not really i am in the most ghetto part of Lima and driving in from the airport we were talking to president dorius about some of the appartments here (most run down and falling apart places i have ever seen) and he said that these were some of the better ones.

i just barely met my companion . . . . and the best part is he is native :) not to peru but to costa rica. his name is Elder Guerrero. and we have become fast friends. he speaks a little english and i speak a little spanish so needless to say these next few week are going to be interesting but i am so excited for them. i am serving in a place called Lampa De Oro (lamp of gold) it is inside the city of lima and it is really crowded.

just for your comfort and reassurance, in the first 12 hours here i have almost been hit by a car, been in a car accident, and had a piece of luggage stolen. but other than that a pretty slow first day :) i am definatly not in the states anymore. elder Petersen and i are actually getting split up for the first time since beginning our mission. we were in the same district in arizona but now he is about a hour away from me in a different area. crazy he is with a companion from colombia. and he speaks no english. so all i have to say is good luck elder petersen.

well i have to go get interviewed and then it is off to my new home (about 8 minutes away) to work. i love you all.

Siempre con dios

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. my p-day is monday. this is the address for the lima mission home.

carlos salaverry #3664- los olivos

casilla de correo 39-054

Lima 39

Perú

(send EVERYTHING there otherwise it will never reach me) and a little tip the APs gave us is if you put a picture of the virgin mary on a package the mail people will not go through it. i love you

Monday April 25, 2011

:) :) :) :) well the first week deffinatly was a fast and a furious one. and wouldn't you know it Elder Bradshaw (he is my companion) got a phone call on thursday and guess what . . . . i got my visa!!!
i am working in Yuma Arizona (supposidly it is the hottest place in the the US and i believe it) and i'm currently serving in a town called somerton (reminds me alot of oakley a lot of fields and people scattered everywhere) it is 95 % spanish so i'm definatly getting in my practice. and the best news of all is i have only been in Arizona for 6 days but i had a baptism yesterday (her name is jayleene) so i guess she is the reason i am here.
i am driving to Tempe to day around 12 and i'm going to spend one night there, but come tomorrow i will be flying out around 7 to Peru !!! i am so excited and yet so nervous too. so you might want to hold off sending anything to me for a while.

...

ok part 2.... i'm using a computer at the library here in Yuma and i am only allowed 15 minutes each session so sorry about two emails this week.
i actually meant to ask you last week what grams address was but i totally spaced it but i defiantly do want to write her. as of right now i'm doing good for gym shoes and i'm not sure of my suit size but i'll write it down for next week.
i was tracting one day and we went up to two gentlemen sitting in a garage (they do that alot i'm not really sure why. they just set up lawn chairs and sit in their garage really weird) and we noticed that they were "tocando" (drinking) a lot. but we figured why not talk to them who knows maybe they would be iterested. so we go up and we begin talking we introduce ourselves as missionaries and the first thing they say is "quere un beer?" (do you want a beer) we quickly say no and we go on with talking. they then asked us why we weren't with our family (it was on Sunday AKA Easter) and we expalined how our families lived in Utah and Florida. they then explained how Easter was ment to spend it with your family. and who would have thought that two incredibly drunk men would actally know what they were talking about. i missed being with my family on easter. all the kids dying eggs (that would later be turned in to deviled eggs) i remembered all the tiny details of our past easters together but i'm so glad that i am here. telling about easter talking to people about the resurecction it is crazy how close the spirit is when talking about that.
well i'm not sure when you will here from me next (tomorrow morning when i get to call home again Woot Woot). but just know i love you and i'm working as hard and as fast as i can.
i love you all
Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. i promise that i could spell before i started learning spanish but case in point i can't any more :) :) :)

Thursday April 21, 2011

no email this week, but Landon is going to Tempe, AZ until he gets his Visa

Hola familia!!!

i got a temporary reassignment ...... but I'm not telling you where yet. :) i have a phone pass and i plan on calling you tomorrow night around 6 ish so watch your phone dad.

it was a pretty fun week, i am still catching on to Spanish but i have found that it is easier to speak in Spanish now then English, and it actually has gotten to the point that if i say something in English that i could have said in Spanish i feel really guilty. so i'm basically speaking all in Spanish. and i'm not going to lie it feels really cool.

the duet was awesome but we didn't sing for a apostle which was unfortunate but we did sing for president Rasband. (president of the 70) we sang i know that my redeemer lives and it was really spiritual i loved it. but I'm not sure my nerves would be able to take another experience....

hmm lets see i had a pretty funny story this week we were reading out of the book of Mormon at the beginning of our class with HNO Ramirez on Monday and we came across the word Ramerez, and Hno Ramirez asked what it meant. so i told him that it was his name, because it was one letter off. everyone kinda laughed a little bit. but then Hno responded it means prostitute. . . . then everyone really started to laugh. so i accidentally called my teacher a prostitute this week . . . . oops :)

the Elder from Peru i have seen a little bit but we are usually going in the opposite direction so it's kinda hard to talk to him. but still fun to see him.

this Wednesday E. Petersen and i got to teach a few of the new elders how to begin teaching. . . . basically all we did was sit down with a volunteer (acting like he was a investigator) but your not going to guess who we got to talk to. Vai sikahema, it was so cool i didn't even know he was a member.. . . . just in case you don't know who vai is, he played for the Philadelphia eagles . . . . enough said. but he was also a anchor man for NBS. it was really cool i got to "teach" one of my all time hero's.

well i guess until tomorrow night, i can't wait. i love you all.

siempre sus y dios

Elder Landon R. Welch

Thursday April 7, 2011

hola familia!

these words i am typing right now are the first English words i have spoken for 4 days. i actually prefer to speak in Spanish rather than English now. it's funny how fast things can change. one week i want nothing to do with Spanish and the next i prefer to speak it. crazy!!

estoy en acuerdo, conferencia general fue maravilloso. me gusta mucho. especualmente elder bednars aserca revalacion y del don del espiritu santo. ( i agree, general conference was wonderful. i liked it alot. especially elder bednars about revalation and the gift of the holy ghost.) elder Petersen and i watched all 10 hours in Spanish and i understood most of it. but i have noticed that i tend to feel the spirit more when it is in English. HNO. Ramirez said it would be like that. "you can always feel the spirit stronger in your native language."

yesterday i got to be a host for some new missionaries coming in. and what are the odds i got to host a native Peruvian. WOOT WOOT, he was so cool and we walked and talked en espanol during his tour and he thought i was a teacher here not a missionary because of how much Spanish i spoke. it was a awesome boost and only made me want to try harder.

we sing in Spanish while we are in class but in English during devotionals and firesides. there are 8 total elders in our district and we are all in the same Spanish class. but the other 6 are going to Mexico. 3 to Mexico city NW and 3 to villaramosa. and wouldn't you know it they all have their visas!!! kinda backwards but esta bien, yo se que dios tiene un plan por nosotros. ( it's good, i know that god has a plan for us).

i sang a musical number in sacrament meeting with HNA Rasmussen (one of the sisters in my zone) and we have been asked to sing it in a devotional, you know for the entire MTC, either this Tuesday or next. i have never sang in my life but who would have thought 7 week would change that.

reading over this letter i have noticed that my grammer and spelling have gotten worse since being here, (probably because of this Spanish thing) but just bare with me. i can promise you the worst is yet to come. i want to be one of those missionaries who forget how to speak English when i get home. that is my goal :).

HMMMMMM que mas, thank you for the package. i took the candy around to my zone and did chiste o dulce (trick or treat) and it really brightened my day. before i left you asked me what i would crave most at the MTC. and if you remember i couldn't tell you. well now i can :) i crave turkey jerky (thanks Carrie for getting me addicted :) ) and those little girl scout cookies that are chocolate and have that minty taste to them.

they have yet to tell me exactly were i am to be reassigned but the rumor is Arizona. but I'm not sure yet.

hmmm another week down and not very many to go. but whether it be here in Provo, or in Peru (or Arizona) just know i love you all so much and I'm working harder than i ever have in my entire life.

Siempre sus y dios.

Elder Landon R. Welch

Thursday March 31, 2011

a poor wayfaring man of grief hat often crossed me on my way, who sued so humbly for relief that i could never answer nay. i had not pow'r to ask his name where-to he went, or whence he came; yet there was something in his eye that won my love; i knew not why

once, when my scanty meal was spread, he entered; not a word he spake, just perishing for want of bread i gave him all; he blessed it, brake and ate, but gave me part again. mine was an angel's portion then, for while i fed with eager hast, the crust was manna to my taste.

i spied him where a fountain burst clear from the rock; his strength was gone. the heedless water mocked his thirst; he heard it, saw it hurrying on. i ran and raised the suff'rer up; thrice from the stream he drained my cup, dipped and re-turned it running o'er; i drank and never thirsted more.

'twas night; the floods were out; it blew the winter hurricane aloof. i heard his voice abroad and flew to bid him welcome to my roof. i warmed and clothed and cheered my guest and laid him on my couch to rest; then made the earth my bed, and seemed in Eden's garden while i dreamed.

Stript, wounded beaten night to death, i found him by the highway side. i roused hispulse , brought back his breath, revived his spirit, and supplied wine, oil, refreshment- he was healed. i had my self a wound concealed, but from that hour forgot the smart, and peace bound up my broken heart.

in pris'n i saw him next, condemned to meet a traitor's doom at morn. the tide of lying tongues i stemmed, and honnored him 'mid shame and scorn. my frindship's utmost zeal to try, he asked if i for him would die. the flesh was weak; my blood ran chill, but my free spirit cried, "i will!"

then in a moment to my view the stanger started from disguise. the tokens in his hand i knew; the savior stood before myne eyes. he spake, and my poor name he hamed, "of me thou hast not been ashamed. these deeds shall thy memorial be; fear not, thou didst them unto me."

we sang this song for devotional this week and it has become my new favorite hymn. the last two verses always seem to make me cry. i love this song and i love the saying "I WILL" this can be applied in almost anything we do. i know that everything we do we do it in the name of our savior and redeemer. and we should bear his name with great respect and responsibility.

i was unfortunatly informed that my mission to peru is most likely going to me delayed. they used the words "temporary reassignment" and i have officially decided that, this will be fine. "I WILL" go to this assignment and work as hard as i can to bring about the most good i can. i will "FEAR NOT" because i know that while serving the people (where ever they may be) i will be serving my lord as well.

i am so happy to be hear and yes it is hard but i am positive that i would never trade this expierience and i'm only 6 weeks in. these last 6 weeks have seemed like 2 years already, but as it says in the missionary handbook. or time here is precious and we shouldn't waste a minute.

thank you for your prayers on my behalf. i always have you in my prayers as well. give the kids a kiss as well as gram, grandma, nana, and papa. and just know that wheather it be here in provo, in peru, or somewhere else i will be working harder than i ever have in my entire life.

siempre sus y dios

Elder Landon R. Welch

Thursday March 24, 2011

Hola Familia
my week here has been another fast and furious one. but that is all part of the plan. no visa yet so i guess i will be waithing another week or so. but that is ok. i have 3 other companionships in my district. 3 of the elders are going to Mexico City, and the other 3 are going to Villaermosa Mexico. and you know how hard it is to get mexican visas right now. but to our great supprise yesterday the mexico City elders got called down to the travel office and they are going to the consolate today to sign their VISAS!!!! it is quite a miracle. Hno. Ramirez told us that the last group of mexico missionaries he had were at the MTC for 13 weeks!! so i'm kinda bumbed that it wasn't mine but i'm glad they got their good news.

Hno. Ramirez is from Chiwawa mexico, and he has only known english for 8 months. we are really blessed to have a native speaker for our teacher. Hno. Eraso is from colombia but he has lived in the states for 18 years. so he is a little easier to understand, but he dosen't have the same insight Hno. Ramirez has.

Elder Petersen is from lewiston Idaho, and i can deffinatly tell he is a spud, just by his manerisms. but it is kinda fun it reminds me of all the fun times i had up at Grandmas house as a kid. running around with cats and making mud pies in her stove.

we had a awesome devotional this week. Elder Costa from the 70 came and spoke. but his wife was the one that really struck me. she asked us all to e-mail home and ask each one of our family members to write us a letter. as to what your expectations are for me as a missionary. and i would ask you to write them in a letter so i actually have time to read them :) and i would ask that you include pictures of your awesome kids, because i can't get enough of them. any free moment i have i think of my family especially all my little buddies. each one of them are so precious to me and i love them so much.

i was at dinner yesterday and Elder Jones (a member of my district) came up and said "i saw another elder welch" and i knew jacob had his mission call so i asked where. he pointed and sure enough there he was. it was so good to see him. we hugged and talked for a bit but unfortunatly he was the dinner before us so he had to go but it was fun to see him for a second.

absolutely you can give laurine my address :)

i hope i covered everything but i'm running out of time so i guess until next week, wheather it be in Peru or Provo i will be working harder than i ever have in my entire life. i love you all.

siempre sus y dios

Elder Landon R. Welch

p.s. i wish i had time to email everyone, but i don't just know that the letters are coming.

Thursday March 17, 2011

Hola Familia,

Como fue su semina?

mine was fast and furious as usual. but TRC this week was amazing. E. Petersen and i tought our entire lession in spanish!!! and talking to the investigador afterwords he thought we had been here for 7 weeks when really we have only been here for 4. so i guess the spanish is coming along great. and to make it even better the investigador (which is fake he is already a member) was from peru, unfortunatly his name was Alex not Edward :)

in response to your question dad, we do get general authorities to come here alot. every tuesday and sunday we have devotionals where a usually a member of the 70 come. but he have had Elder Holland Come and the rumor is next tuesday we have elder Perry coming. and i can tell you now if we could have Elder Holland Come every week i could almost guarantee that no missionary wouldn't go home.

He layed in to us!!!! "don't you dare ever leave this mission, don't live with the regret. because i can tell you that this mission is the greatest gift god can give a 19 year old child. i'm sorry to say it but you are children, and until you come to accept the fact that there are people praying for the gospel, and buck up and take it to them you will always be children."

it was harsh but i can tell you that there wasn't a single person sleeping in that devo. and i know that it confermed alot of things in my mind. i do have that testimony of this work and i have never been so sure of it until now. i have that desire to take this message. and apparently during TRC i proved that i have the capacity to do it as well.

Bro. Bancroft layed into us this week as well. we have been playing a game with are District (El Nativo) where we all draw a paper out of a hat and one of them has El Nativo writen on it. an that person could speak nothing but spanish the entire day. i personally didn't like it because we are not all on the same level of learning and so it was hard to do. But Bro Bancroft asked about it and we explained it. and then came the thrashing. "Do not ever compare yourself to other missionaries. don't put that extra stress on yoursleves. work for you. and don't ever rationalize the use of a game, to "Motivate" yourself to do that which the lord has asked you to do....

so this week has been a week of thrashings but they were all very well needed. i'm pretty sure we all have a new resolve to focus our efforts on that which we know to be important.

i love you all and i hope you have a great week. so until next week whether it be in Peru or Provo know i will be working and praying harder than ever before in my life.

Sus y Dios

Elder Landon R. Welch

P.S. i got news that i'm expected to leave next wednesday so keep Elder Petersens and my visas in your prayers. I love ya

Thursday March 10, 2011

Hola Familia!

I have had a rather disappointing week. first my visa didn't come, second i butched my TRC and last my visa didn't come. but all is well. i figure something down there isn't ready for me yet.

it was really nice that i got to call home on wednesday. i wish i could have called all of you but it was especially nice to talk to my best friend for about 12 minutes :) i love you all so much. i'm not really sure what to expect for the next weeks, i suspect i'll just get back into my usual rythem, wake up, eat, study, eat, study, eat, suffer from the eating, and sleep. man what i would give for a home cooked meal that doesn't kill me after words. i'm trying to stay busy but i'm finding that i am running out of stuff to study. Chiste! how can you run out of the scriptures. in the 3 weeks i have been here i have read from first nefi to words of mormon and only have 25 more chapters to go. i think i'll start over, but add in a new testimant study plan too.

thanks for the packages and letters. i'm sorry i havn't been able to respond to them all yet, but i'm working on it i hope to send off 8 ish letters today, and hopefully i will be caught up.

thanks for keeping me updated on the kids. i miss all of them alot and their nuttyness (yes thats a word i'd say it in spanish but there isn't a translation for it) and their smiles amy i do have to tell you i was a little worried when i got your package and realized you sent me all your kids candy. but it all made sence after i read the notes. i love them too, but i didn't get the one form colt!!! what's with that you must have forgot to put it in the envelope.

my days a DL are over, (mostly because i was supposed to leave on wednesday) but i figure it is all for the better now someone else can have the chance to experience the pleasure of that job (yes i was being sarcastic) it was fun but it was alot of late nights and early mornings, and you all know how much i love my sleep.

i'm leaving you all in charge of keeping me updated on whats going on with everyone, but until i hear from you again just know i love you, and that i love this gospel too. and even though it is hard i know that this is what i need to do and what all those people in Peru need me to do. i miss you, i love you

Sus y Dios

Elder Landon R. Welch

Thursday March 3, 2011

Hola Familia!!!
the second week is just as fast as the first, but i think i'm starting to get the hang of it.... ha ha who am i kiding as soon as i get a rythem down the send me to peru. it has been a very busy week trying to get spanish down well enough that i can actually find my way around peru when i get there.
i found out that the Peru MTC (CCM) is alot different than the provo one. i guess it consists of 4 buildings and only one of those is a living quarter. at the Provo one, on tuesdays we have something called a TRC, which is basically were we teach a lesson and have people evaluate us so we know what we need to work on. but in the Peru CCM we actually go street contacting for our TRC.
every P-day we have the opportunity to go to the Provo temple and do sealings, endowments, or washing and anointing. last week we did washing and anointing but i think to day we are going to do a session. i got the letter but i only have one of the packages, and the shoes which are amazing i might add.
spanish is coming along fine and i can really put sentences together now. but during one of our sacrament meetings i was asked to speak on repentance. and if you didn't know, our sacrament meetings are all in spanish. so i prepared a talk but instead of using the work pacados - which meens sins, i used the word pascados - which means fish. so i definatly had a impactful talk as i told the elders and hermanas to repent of their fishes. it just goes to show that even though we are still here on the lords errand, he still has a sence of humor.
i did see luke but he is in a different zone than i am so i usually only see him for a few minutes here and there. i haven't seen brodie poll yet though so i'll keep my eyes open for him.
i am really nervous to actually leave the USA, i thought for sure it would just be a big adventure. but i'm slowly realizing that it really will be a life adjustment and than everything will be different when i actually get there. even the toilets will be different :)
i love you all so much thank you for your continuous prayers
sus y dios
Elder Landon R. Welch
p.s. i can't print the emails out, :( so i just try to savor them, but i only have about 25 minutes to do it.

p.s. i think that every two months you should send me some updated pictures of the kids.... just a idea :) love you