Great Times Here in Ipiales...Cali Next Week!



Elder Welling with his companion, Elder Calle, and President Prince in Ipiales
Monday
January 28, 2013                                     

Hey what's up Family and Friends, 
Grilled chicken in Ipiales-looks good!

I'm here in the internet cafe after a day of playing football (soccer). It was solid, we won and had a couple of goals. But overall this week was good. We taught a lot of lessons. We found 2 kids that really want to join the church and love it, so that is really special.

On Thursday we had interviews with Pres Prince, which was awesome. He, and Sister Prince came down here to Ipiales-they travel to all the areas. He started with me, because I am the Zone Leader. So we talked for about 15 min, about Buenaventura, about Ipiales and about how the states (the work here) of Ipiales are out of this world. The zone has really picked up and become the best in the mission. We will see if we can keep it up through February. But things are going really well. It was great talking to him and everything. Always gets me pumped up to go out and work some more. SO this are great. We also talked a little about the 49ers...lol but that's off the subject.                                                           

BTW I am soooooo excited for that Super Bowl day and when they play. I am going to wear my 49 socks I have, lol!! They must winnnn!!!!

Anyways. things are great. The things I do as ZL are watch over the other missionaries, give them advice, make sure they are doing the right things and working in the right way, give them council and make sure they are staying obedient. SO that is basically it. And I have to check all of the dates I send them. write Pres Prince, and do a bunch of other stuff.                                                                    

In about a week and a half I'll be traveling back up to Cali to the mission home for a Zone Leader trainingwhich should be sooooo sick. Also, got to talk with another gringo missionary here, Elder Lamore, and got to know him pretty wellwhich was dope. But that's about it for me this week.

Love you all and miss you...

Quien lo tiene mejor que nosotros..(Who does it better than us???).......NOBODYYYYYYY   (49er saying). 

-- 
Elder Tyler Welling

Hello Ipiales, I Love My Mission!


Elder Welling wore out his shoes in Buenaventura:)
Monday
January 21, 2-13    

Hey Family and Friends, 

How are you all doing? I am in an internet shop writing on a laptop. Which is sweet. But this week was great. We had a week of finding people through the members. Called Si o Siembra (planting and harvesting). It was great. We all had compromisos (an agreement) with the Branch (members here), and they helped us out a lot. We only found 15 people, but we completed our promise and it was great. Almost all of the zone  completed their compromisos (agreements), but one area fell short bye 2. 

As of right now we are doing great as a zone. I think we will win in February, but who knows. We are teaching a lot of people who live together, but aren't married yet, which is kinda hard. We are also teaching a family that is just great. I hope we can help them all out. They are kinda on the lower half of the money side and are really special. We found them asking a member if we could talk to their neighbors. So it went great. 


Andes Mountains near Ipiales


This past Sunday we had 11 investigators at church, and everything is going well. Trying to think of better ways to change the attitude of the rama (Branch, church group) here in Ipiales. The members don't help out too much, and are kinda scared to talk to the investigators when they come to church. Also, there are a lot of menos activos (members that don't come to church very much)  and this rama (Branch) hasn't been very good the past couple months when it comes to fellowshipping them or baptizing. Hopefully I can do something to change that around. 

Today we played soccer against Pasto (city north of Ipiales) and won. Was great. I wore a Utah shirt that I found in my suitcase that says Burton 27 on the back.........was cool. haha thanks Belnap. Never saw it for 3 months. hah 

Hope you all are doing well. I am doing great here in Ipiales and loving it. My companion is chill. From Bolivia and yea. idk what more to say. But things are great. 

Love you all and miss you....BTW, I was sooo happy this morning...WHOSE GOT IT BETTER THAN US!!! NOBODYYYYYY!!!!!  (awesome 49ers!)..

-- 
Elder Tyler Welling

Buenaventura....Best Time of My Life!

Elder Welling with his Buenaventura Family, Missionaries, Pres. and Sis. Prince-Open House

Elder Welling with his Buenaventura Branch Pres. Sarmiento Family and Missionaries

Monday, January 14, 2013

Hello Family
 and Friends,So I will start from Monday Night. I got the call at 9:20pm that I was leaving, and going to Ipiales as Zone Leader. So I was happy, because am going to a colder climate and everything, which is cool. Also, because have the opportunity to lead the other missionariehere. That should be great. 

SO on Tuesday. I just ran around BV saying bye to families and everything. I went to Maryams and Joses house at 3pm, and stayed there till 4:30pm. and holy crap. Talk about a hard Goodbye. I was crying a ton and so was Maryams and Jose. Really hard to Leave that City. All of the memories had with them and everything. I just don't think I will have an experience like that again. It was really special. 

S
o then I bounced. Said bye to another member of the ward in BV who gave me a pic of me and Belnap, Nasly and Fernando. SO that was great. Then went to Cali in the car crying for about 2 hours.

T
hen got focused on my next responsibility, which is in Ipiales. I saw some of the other ZL's Elder Jensen and Menendez and others, which was sweet. Then woke up at 4am Wednesday morning to get on the bus at 6am to go to Ipiales. The bus ride was 10 hours to Pasto, then another 2 hours to Ipiales. IT sucked!!! So slow. I don't think you could go faster than 50mph the whole ride, because it is just filled with turns, decents and ascending and everything. SO terrible. But awesome too. 

SO I finally got here in Ipiales at 8pm Wednesday night, and my comp is named Elder CXalle from Bolivia. Seems cool. He is the only member of his family who is a member, and his little bro too, I think. So that is cool. He is pretty cool. 

But yeah. We worked hard this week and had a great time. I feel kinda weird here in Ipiales. I think it is just cause I kinda miss BV, but that is to be expected. Things will only get better. That is my message for this week. 

Love you all and miss you all. Elder Welling.  


-- 
Elder Tyler Welling
                             

Farewell Buenaventura, Hello Ipiales!


Elder Welling loves his BV Branch Pres and Family.
Monday
January 7, 2013

Hello famiilia y amigos. Les amo mucho. this week was great. worked my tail off here in BV. We found a bunch of people. We put baptism dates together for them. And we just worked way hard. It was a great way to finish my time here in BV Gave it my all. and I have accomplished a lot since I have been here. I decided to change the email this week to say all the things I have done since my first day here in Buenaventura.


On the Bus with Belnap was the first day. We talked for 3 straight hours about our pasts, our futures and what we wanted to accomplish in BV. It was great. I remember crapping bullets and going right to work. We immediately divided the areas. Got to know the members and Investigators. We had church in a garage the first couple weeks. 
Elder Welling's beautiful Buenaventura Baptism Day in River



Went on a hike. ALmost got lost. Threw rocks in the water, found a Casa Capilla. Had baptisms in a river. Taught English in a University with a ton of Snakes! Made shirts that would fit small men or GFs. Made some more shirts, painted a bed. Cried many times!! Tripped a lot. Bought shoes, went to Cali in a crappy bus multiples times, had 10 baptisms in a month. Made life long and forever friends! Went on a Brujita. 



Played BBall, soccer football, caroled in a park in front of 200 people...no one listened.....lol. Sang at a Novena. And have had the best 6 months of my life!! Inviting people to change their lives...forever! 
Elder Welling hikes Buenaventura



This morning the assistant to President Prince called, and said I have a change along with 2 other elders here. I am leaving Buenaventura. I am leaving it, and I know I gave my all. I Loved my time here!! But, I know I will come back before this next year is over. 



Best of all, we constructed the Lord's church here in this beautiful, hot, humid, humble city of Buenaventura!!



  

Elder Welling loves his Buenaventura Branch!
     Love you all,  Elder Welling
--
Elder Tyler Welling

Now onto Ipiales, between the jungle/Pacific coast and the Andes Mtns at 9,500 feet above sea level-it's cold there, at the border of Ecuador.



A Great Week-Our Buenaventura Branch Open House



Elder Welling with Pres and Sister Prince and fellow BV missionaries at Open House
Elder Welling day of their BV Open House
Monday
December 31, 2012



Hey Family and Friends!!!

This week was hectic. But it was really rewarding at the same time. We had Pres and Hermana Prince come into town for a Open House here in the Church in BV. I was sick for 2 days and many other things.

To start off, once again didn't do too much stuff for Monday, Christmas Eve. We had Christmas Eve dinner here in BV. I am pretty sure we were all just washing our clothes in the washer machine that day, too...which I really just think spins all the clothes in a small circle in the dirty water and everything. So that doesn't get them very clean.....clothes came out smelling worse than when they went in. Which really shows me how cool dryers are. haha.

On Tuesday, Christmas Day, we had the whole BV Branch help us clean the church to make it great for the activity. I even held a big IGUANA........I couldn't go out Wedesday, because I was sick. So I depended on the other 4 missionaries to be able to get the message out to everybody about the Open House we had on Thursday. 

Elder Welling and his Iguana
     
So in came Pres Prince and the AP Elder Paez on Thursday around lunch. Basically did preparations for the activity that day, and at night the activity hit. It wazs AWESOME!!!!  About 130 people showed up and fit into the small house we have here for the church. And it was amazing!! I lead the mtg...hopefully everyone understood me, and then we had a message from one of the members and then Pres Prince gave a great message about the restoration of the gospel. It all went amazing. So that was awesome!! 


Afterwards I did a baptismal interview for a baptism this Saturday for a girl named Anna Maria, which was great. After that I headed down stairs, and we took pictures with Pres and Hermana Prince and all the other missionaries, then headed back to the house.

Elder Paez gave us props for the great job we did having such an amazing activity and Open House. He said that this was the most successful Casa Abierta that he had seen in the mish. He also said that a lot of the Barrios couldn't do what we did. It overall was just an excellent day!!

Then the Next day we saw the Familia Prince head off to Cali and we went back to work. It was a great couple of days! It was great to work on Friday, too. Then we worked like normal and had fun while doing it. Something that has been lacking here in BV...FUN!  I think that is a huge key to the work here in the mish...FUN..You have got to have fun when working, or you just don't have the attitude and the Spirit
a missionary needs-being happy and joyful about our working together as we serve the Lord.


Then on Sunday not many people came to church, because they were all going out of town and such with the holidays, but overall it was a good day.
Here's a pic of the big iguana I found in our church :)

Love you all and miss you a ton!!

Elder Tyler Welling


                  

Merry Christmas From Buenaventura!

Elder Welling with fellow Zone missionaries receiving their Captain Moroni pins-for their good work.

Elder Welling (bottom second from the right) and his Zone with Pres. and Sister Prince-Merry Christmas.
Monday
December 24, 2012

Well, this is Christmastime in Colombia! It has been great. I will basically tell you all of the things we have done here in a list so it goes by quicker. Mainly because I am going to call you all in one hour. Sounds good....

Ok, so this past week we went caroling in Cali, was awesome. About 26 missionaries walking up and down streets, singing in grocery stores, and sharing small messages with the people of Colombia! It was amazing. I definitely felt the peace of Christmastime so much. I loved it.

We had a good time with President. He gave us a devotional during the Christmastime. It was amazing, just about the Christmastime and the story of Christ. Throughout the devotional we were singing Christmas hymns, it was really special. He and the Hermana Prince also had us write down our gifts to Christ, so during the coming months of interviews and everything we will see if we are completing our gifts to  Christ. I hope I can continue to do my best. I am loving the Christmastime here and everything.

I can truly say I have learned the True Meaning of Christmas. This Christmastime has taught me so much. We have shared the message of Christ in Lucas 2 so many times, and I learn something more every time. I love my mission, I hope i can continue to work hard, learn more, and grow to really know and have an understanding for Christ, For all His work and his glory.


Saying I don't miss you all would be a big Lie, especially because tomorrow I know there are going to be some sweet basketball games.....si o no. But I am extremely happy. I am here and sharing this message with all of the people of Colombia.

As for the work, it was hard this week and isn't the same BV it was before. There is some contention in the house and it is hard to play and be friends with both sides. The work has slowed because of it. I hope that things will get better, and I will do all that I can to help people and lift them up, to realize their potential. Love you all and miss you.

PS: Picture below of Elder Welling holding up his boots during our Christmas call...Thank you Elder Belnap for passing them onto him.
--
Elder Tyler Welling  


Elder Welling during our Christmas call holds up his boots/shoes-thank you Elder Belnap.