The Work is Picking Up in the Area...

Hello Family!!

The week has been good and it has gone by really fast but all in all it was a really good week!!  I have no clue how much longer I will be with my companion but we will see as time goes forward!!  Yes I have received the birthday package thank you the jerky was still the favorite thing and I like the cd’s a lot I listen to them quite often!!  I decided to wait to open the cards till the birthday but I am working on the food!!  The name of the woman is Ramon Moomba and the sister to her not sure her name, but the African boy is named Tabby he is pretty cool to work with!!  It has been pretty fun here lately the area has picked up and is doing a lot better than it was before so we are pretty excited to keep working!!  We have two baptisms coming up next week and even after that week there should be another one if all goes according to plan!!  I am also really happy because the area that I am in is supposedly the hardest area in the mission and hopefully before they transfer me we should have completed 5 baptisms!!  The last baptism’s in the branch was a year before I arrived in the mission so it is pretty nice to see the area pick up!!  

The general authority was awesome and yes it was a very spiritual experience to be in the same room, but even to shake his hand!!  It was also even better because he was in Africa and in the church building here!!  It is the first general authority to be here in Zambia for a while!!  It was pretty cool!!  I have not heard a lot on the Ebola virus here but I have heard of it spreading all over Africa!!  It is not something that worries me though.  Malaria is the virus that I am focused on not getting!!  Plus God won’t allow the missionaries to be affected by that! That is why two full missions were completely moved out and put in other missions so that they did not contract the virus!!  Anyway Christmas is coming up and I am excited to talk to everybody and things like that.  It will be fun, I might even call the grandparents and things too!!  I will get some extra time to do that!!! 

Other than this it sounds like everyone there is having fun with school and trips and baptisms and things!!  Wish i could come and be a part of Halloween especially the doughnuts that i am sure are being made!!  I don’t know if it is possible to preserve them for six weeks but you should try, I will miss those!!  I am also letting everybody know that i am dressing up as a missionary this year and giving the people instead of trick or treat it is gospel or gospel!!  hahaha  Anyway i hope that everything is going well there and that all will be good for the upcoming week!!  Love all of you have a great day!!!

Elder Welling

General Authority and Baptism

Hello Family,

It sounds like everybody has had a good week and things are going well that side!!  I am glad to hear that everyone had some fun and that no one was hurt!!  Africa is still awesome and it is getting better and better as the days and the weeks go by!!  The days here are starting to turn into weeks and the weeks are turning into months so it is really quite amazing to watch!!  The time here is really short I have realized and it is crazy how fast time flies!!  The work is progressing here and our area is getting better!!  We had a baptism yesterday which was fun and awesome!!  I was actually the one to perform the ordinance so it was really good!!  I will send the pics from the baptism home at least the good ones most of the pics i look like a goon!!  The branch didn’t have a big and long enough size so the jump suit was a little tight on me haha!!  Anyway the heat here is still killing me and right now I am in a suit so it actually is worse!!  It has been between 100-110 F here with humidity and other things and I am about ready to demand the mission the put an air conditioner in my room!! haha  Other than all this things have been fun!!  We just had Quinton L Cook of the 12 here with us it was cool to be in the presence of the apostle this far away from Utah!!  This is pretty much all the things that have happened here in the week!!

It sounds like hunting was really fun and definitely the food I am sure was way good!!  I went and ordered a pizza on the 15th just to celebrate!! haha  It was funny to get on the email and see all the emails from dad I didn’t know what the pics were but i was expecting to see bull elk all over them instead I see the other pics!!  I am glad that you were able to take my cut out to the hunting camp I am sure it kept the spirit there haha Anyway they are cool pics of Josh and Mark with me haha and of course Dad, Kaden, Kent and David!!  It was cool!!  Also I wish they made a cut out so that it could look like I was driving the four wheeler!!  I am glad that you all were able to have fun up there!!  Good thing is only one more year to miss and then i will be back up there with you all!!  Sorry Caleb your turn will be coming to go up there!!  Also Nathan filled me in about all the tried attempts to hit one sorry that no one was able to tag one it always sucks to get skunked!!  

Anyway I hope the women were able to have fun and that things are going well for them!!  I hope that people there are doing good and say hi to all others that I do not mention!!  I am sorry for the lateness of the mail but the general authority was more important I will get some pics uploaded and some things for people to see!!  Like I said in the past I don’t write a lot but at least pics will be coming home!!!  Have a good week to everyone and Love you all!!!

Elder Welling

Hunting Fever

Hey Family

I am doing well here and everything is going great!!  The area is starting to pick up and more and more people are loving the message that we are sharing and even starting to want to investigate the church!!  Oh and I want to apoligize for last week the stupid internet cafe went blank!!  Also for my spelling I am starting to loose it down here!!  Anyway the baptism that was scheduled for this week was postponed because the president needed to have a branch counsel meeting instead so it will be this week for sure!!!  We have actually had a killer week and things are going well!!  The new comp who is from england is pretty awesome and doing well we are getting along really well and he is awesome!!  The heat is still killing me and it is just getting worse because we are in the hottest part of the month down here!!  Also Transfers are coming but I do not think that I will be affected I think that I will be here for another transfer but it is ok because the area is starting to pick up!!!

It sounds like things that side are going well and everyone is having fun!!  Especially since I know what everybody is doing at about this time in the month!!  I wish that i could be there but seriously i am not really feeling that home sick which is kind of nice considering i dont like to miss hunting!!  Also I hope school is going well for everyone that side and also tell everyone that i said hi!!  I am sorry that i dont send a lot of pics but I am going to try and get some to you today if this computer will let me!!  There are not too many crazy stories form the area this week other than I am really liking the new comp and he is doing well!!  I feel weird coming up on being out for 8 months which seems weird but it tells me that time is actually moving and that it is extremely short!!

I am actually use to the people here now and all the things that are going on!!  I dont really like the getting up at 6:30 still but I am getting use to it!!  It is really funny how i go to be betweent 9:30 and 10:30 and i still wake up tired from the previous day!!  Oh so back to baptisms we have one this sunday and if all goes according to plan then we should have 5 in the next month who will be baptized which will be awesome!!  Soccer here is still awesome and I can say that i am getting way better at it!!  These guys down here look like gods and stuff when they play but it is always nice to beat them!!  Today we played for about 3 hours and it was really fun!!  I had 13 goals on them and it felt good to actually beat them!!  Today it was America vs England and haha the Americans won lol!!  Well I hope that everyone is doing well up at hunting and tell everyone that i say hi and good luck!!  have a nice week and a great monday!!  Love you all!!

Elder Welling

Early Morning Chat Between Mother and Son

Mom:  "So tell me about your new companion and I thought you wouldn't be able to serve with another white elder."

Colton:

haha well he is from the uk and since he traveled alone and is also waiting for a visa to South Africa he was put with me to train so we shall see how long I am with him!!  He is way cool though!!

Mom:  Awesome!  I love the pictures of the two of you!  Is he a convert or has he been a member his whole life?

Colton:  He has been a member his whole life and is from a family of 5 his dad was a bishop too!!  He was born in 1996 though and is only 18!!!

Mom:  Wow!  that is cool.  I hope you get to be with him for a little while.  I told you in my letter (if you read them entirely) that I have been writing Elder Ruell's mother back and forth, her son got transferred to Uganda, she said that her son said you did an excellent job teaching elder Bakari English.

Colton:  Yes he got a lot better at English when he was here and was getting better as time was moving!!  So it was cool to watch!! Yes i read your entire letter I always do!!!  I am just not good at answering all the concerns and things that you and dad put in them!!

Mom:  Okay, because sometimes I am like, "I don't think he even reads my letter."  Ha, Ha, Ha.  Hey, 7 months without a coke or any caffeine!!!  In fact, other pop just doesn't taste as good so really I have cut out pop all together!!!

Colton:  hahaha funny that you have made it everyday I have had a coke or mt dew everyday hahaha but it is good that you are cutting off pop just sucks because I will lose!!

Mom:  Well, I am glad you find humor in it because it has about killed me!!!!! ha, ha, ha.  And to think that you have been having what I can't have every day, sucks!!!!!!  Oh well, it is healthier for me and I know that.  I just know that on the day after you get home . . . . .  Walmart won't have enough Coke!!!!!

Colton:  Haha by that time you probably won’t want one haha but we shall see what happens!!

Mom:  So, how did your baptisms go?

Colton:  Well we didn't have them because they missed church but we will find out why anyway though we have one scheduled for next week!!!!

Mom:  Oh, well that's okay.  Are they all from one family?  How is Bongani?  We follow him on facebook and comment back and forth on facebook as well.

Colton:  Yes some are and some are not two and two  Bongani is good he game back from copper belt on Saturday but was sick so I haven't seen him for a week but he will be back soon!!!

Mom:  Oh, that is good.  He seems like a cute kid.  He thinks of you as his brother and wants to stay with us when you get back and visit the states.  We told him that would be awesome!!!!!  So who were the two little boys you sent us a picture of?

Colton:  They are the branch presidents 1st counselors kids we were there for a dinner and me and the comp got picture crazy haha they are some funny boys!!!

Mom:  So what are you doing for P-day today?

Colton:  Well as soon as I finish to email we will hit the soccer field to play for about 2 hours and then we will head back to the area and chill for some time then study a little and wake up for next week!!!  Um my comp has just informed me that He is getting ready and needs to go so I am going to get off there won’t be a letter this week so if you could let dad and the others know I will upload all these pics instead and next week ill get the letter to you!!  Anyway Love you and it was very nice being able to chat with you have a great Monday mom!!!!