Elder and Sister Welch, who said they love to be known as Jack and Jeannie, raised their four children in Provo, Utah, which they said is a good place for families. Two of their daughters both chose to move back to the same neighborhood, they said, so they have lived the grandparent’s dream with 11 of their 17 grandchildren in their ward.
Jeannie taught French at BYU and was also director of the BYU Foreign Language Student Residence, a 25-apartment complex for immersion-language living.
Two years ago, they co-authored a book, “The Parables of Jesus: Revealing the Plan of Salvation,” illustrated by the artist, Jorge Cocco. They have also worked in several capacities for Book of Mormon
Central. They said these projects have showed them over and over again how much fun it is to work together and to make presentations as a couple at places like Education Week. They said they are all the more excited for this assignment at BYU–Hawaii where they will be team teaching religion classes on the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the Gospel.
They added they love to travel, especially in Europe and in Israel, where Jack has led tour groups and Jeannie has directed a study abroad program. Twice Jeannie has also organized large family group bus tours to all the early Church history sites. They said they are eager to share their testimonies and spiritual experiences they have had in all these places.