Still Doing Well...

Hello Family,

Lots of questions to answer so I will start with those!!  So yes Mwambu has come back into the Zone and yes he did like Malawi he enjoyed it a lot so it was fun being able to talk with him and have that time it was a short time but good enough I got to see him before he goes home!!  There is a Zone conference coming this Saturday so it should be good and I am excited because I am hoping it will spring my energy back into motion and it will be good!!!  The New Mexico guy, he was teasing, but it was still pretty funny when he was acting serious about it!!!  haha I was laughing pretty hard when it happened!!!  Yes Sister Erickson does visit us every so often to makes sure and it is good that way we get to see her and president!!  Now that Zambia has a stake he will be in the Copperbelt a lot more often so it should be good!!  

Yes it is still hot here for sure and the sad thing is I dont think it will ever change so I will have to endure for a while longer although the nights are cool so that is good for sure!!  Anyway this week is going pretty good but has been pretty long!!  We are still teaching some people and a few of them are progressing and doing well we are hoping they will make it to the baptism dates that we have set with them!!!  It would be nice!!!  Today is actually Africa freedom day so it is pretty interesting that Memorial Day is on this day as well haha!!!  Anyway the email shops close early so I am glad that we got here early this time!!!  

So in this week church session there was some pretty funny things that happened I tried not to laugh but it was pretty bad!!!  The first thing that happened was an old guy who was supposed to give a talk and I can’t remember the exact topic but he can’t speak English very well and during the talk he had used the B word a few times and the funny thing he was dead serious when he used them so that was the first thing and the second one this women was giving a talk at a baptism for the other elders and she went to go quote a scripture in D&C and she said if we turn to Section 333 and I looked up and thought for a second wow I must have been gone  long time for the first presidency to have added all those other sections!!!  hahaha it was funny!!

Anyway I am hoping that all things will be well that side and that everyone will enjoy graduations things and the ending of school!!  Other than all this there is not much going on this side we are waiting for transfers in 4 weeks so it will be really interesting!!  We will also see what will be happening they are thinking on building a stake center for the Copperbelt here for all the future wards to meet in so that is pretty awesome!!!  Anyway enjoy the week and the activities love you all!!

Elder Welling  

The Heat... One Scary Night... Missionaries headed Home...

Hello Family,

Things are going good here in Zambia although it is still hot and climbing!!  The heat is something that i think i will just not ever be used to for sure!!!  I am still thinking it is too hot here all the time and we are even entering the cold season so it is really weird to think that it is still too hot here!!  This week has been good and things are going well for starters my favorite thing of the week was bball as always even though it is still the shortest thing that we do it was fun I was able to help this team down here win all three games and winning them the championship game it was fun had a lot of points and things!!  It was a lot of fun!!  Also this week my companion thought he was going to die haha Which was really funny I wish I could go back and play it over and over again!!!  

The elder from New Mexico came in one night and looked really mad and he went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife and started walking all creepily to the comp well my comp was freaking out and I was still trying to decide if this was for real or if it was a joke!!  As he got closer I started laughing at him and then the elder took the knife and put it to the skin of my comp and began to cut with the other side of the knife that is not sharp!!  He thought he was going to die haha it was awesome I couldn’t stop laughing though!!!  Other than this no I have not moved I am still here and doing well here though!!  I think there might be a move next transfer but we will see for sure!!  

I am not sure what Nathan could do for the project there is not a lot here that could be going on for that kind of stuff we are even struggling to find the service for ourselves!!  I will keep looking though and I will see what I can do for sure!!  I hope Caleb was able to have a good birthday and that he is enjoying all the gifts that he received, 8 years and he will be on mission haha and it will go by faster than we all think hahaha!!!  Suds brothers is a great restaurant too bad i was not there i miss that place there are not places like that here for sure!!  That will be a place that I will want to visit when I get back there for sure!!  There are a lot of new things that will be happening though here in the mission in the next few weeks though!!

There are some elders that are going to be heading home this next transfer including my trainer and some other good friends here!!  The mission will take a hit for sure but we will see!!  They may leave me and the comp to take over the whole area which in my opinion is too big for two of us to cover the entire place!!  We shall see how it goes though!!  Other than this I am having fun and we are teaching people the gospel we have two potentials that could progress and be baptized in the next 3 weeks so that will be really nice and things!!  I hope that everyone will have a good week and that you will enjoy these last two weeks of school!!!  Pass my regards and Love to Curly and his family there thank you!!  Love you all!!!

Elder Welling

Mother's Day Skype and Monday E-mail

Just a little clip to hear his accent...

Hello Family,

Just quick note, it was nice to hear from everybody yesterday and things it has been a while!!  Only one call left until I am home so it is pretty crazy!!!  My companion didn’t skype because they all like to call here in Africa plus I am not sure they know that it doesn’t cost anything to do that stuff so it’s all good!!  haha Very funny it was good to hear though from everybody that said something hahaha!!!  They do not really celebrate that holiday (Mother’s Day) here so it was pretty nice to have the branch to myself there haha!!!  I am sure the sacrament meeting was fun with the seniors speaking and Nate’s first time with sacrament wow what a day!!  You know just a side not for him he will be on mission before he knows it. I remember sitting in the same spot and thinking that I have an eternity till mission but it is faster than he thinks!!  Tell him to start preparing haha  It is ok that I got cut short, time is essential and we had already talked for a bit anyway!!!  Have a good week to all of you there and a great Monday enjoy!!  Love you all!!!

Elder Welling

Cold Season has come...

Hello Family!!  

Things are going well here and all has been well!!!  This week has really not been that interesting but it was a week none the less!!!  We finally got to listen to conference this week which was awesome the talks on it were very powerful and I am going to have to go back and listen to them all again!!!  I am kind of mad that conference takes so long to get here but at least I still got to watch it that’s what matters!!!!  The transfers were not that big this last week the big one I believe is coming and we will see how that one goes!!!  I am not sure why I was released unless they are moving me this transfer but we will see!!  Elder Mukisa is fine and doing well he is the comp for the time being so all is going good for now!!!  The transfers can change but we will see what the upcoming week brings and what will be happening for sure!!!

The cold season has hit here and it is nice especially at nights when it is the best and the coldest!!!  Although my companion does not like the cold I am enjoying it a lot!!!  Oh and I forgot to say that the new DL here is actually a Zambian serving in his own country!!!  It is pretty weird but good because he speaks the language and can help us out!!! He is a pretty cool guy though!!  Things should be running pretty smoothly though if things go well the next couple of months and they will fly by for sure!!  I am in contact with the friends that are serving missions and they are all doing well and enjoying!!!  I talk with Parker a lot more because he is on the same time difference!!!

With the Mother’s Day timing I am not sure yet when it will be but I will try to make it so that it comes before church I am not sure what time church starts for you now but it will be in the morning whatever mode of communication I have to use to get it there!!  Anyway I had a lot of fun this week because I got to play ball again with a team that wanted me to play!!!  It was basically like a school team and we were doing really well had a lot of points and some awesome blocks and steals!!!  It is always fun to play down here!!!  I am hoping they keep me in this area so that I can continue to keep playing!!! 

Other than this all is well this side and things are going well!!!  I am hoping that next week will bring some more stories for me to tell and bring before the people back home!!!  I am enjoying mission and have since the time that I arrived!!  It gets tough at times but that is how it is and I am happy for that!!  Have a great week to all and a great Monday until next week!!! Love you all!!!

Elder Welling