Funniest Story of the Mission!!!

9-7-2013
Familia!!!

Okay, I FINALLY sent you some pictures so I don't have as much time to write today. But, I´ll be quick! :)

Taylor & Hna. Howell in the middle...not sure who the other 2 are.

This week started out great! We had lots of people in the iglesia on Sunday (not quite as many as we wanted though), and between the investigators and menos activos we were running for all lados trying to talk to everyone and make sure they knew where to go. Church is starting to give me a little bit of stress haha because there are always so many people to talk to. Sometimes we get a little frustrated because we really need the members to talk to our investigators and the menos activos more, but then I thought..."How silly. I am frustrated because we have too many people to handle?? Wow. I think I need to count my many blessings!!!" And so then we laughed, and that´s what we did :) What a good problem to have right?? But really, family... when there are people you don´t know in the iglesia... talk to them, ya? :)

Ivan is still progressing lots! Everyday he is giving up a bit more of his cigarettes, and we are so grateful for that because we gave up cookies and Peanut Butter to apoyar him! haha and man, let me tell ya.. that is tough stuff! But the elders gave him a blessing On Sunday and I think that is really helping :) He has just got to stay strong and change those desires. Pray for him lots!! Also, we are trying to help him gain a firmer testimony of the Libro de Mormon because it has hit me so hard lately that if converts don´t have a strong testimony of that book they aren´t going to remain active. There are lots of recent converts in this sector that we are working with, and without exception, the ones that are super firm on the gospel are the ones that read the BofM everyday. There is no better way! :)

Speaking of recent converts, we have been working lots with Claudia and Huayupe this week. Oh man, do I love those kids!!! We have lessons with them together lots because we have to have another mujer to teach Huayupe, and basically those lessons are my favorite. We want them to get married haha. But ONLY after he serves a mission. Right now we are trying to encourage him lots to serve because we know it is the only thing that will solidify his testimony and we know he was baptized at 21 for a reason. But we´ll see how it goes! Lots of prayers there too! :)

Okay, I gotta tell you all about the funny story of the week this week... more like funny story of the mission haha. We have this family of investigators, a mom and her 3 kids that are absolutely AMAZING! I love them so much. But sadly, every time we have gone to visit them these past couple weeks we have been out of BoMs... oh the shame! So the other day we decided to drop off 4 BoMs at their house with a little note during the day before they got home from work and such. Well it was raining super, super fuerte that day and so we had the books all tied up in a plastic bag and we going to put them over their fence. Well it was raining really hard and I didn't want them to get wet on the ground, so when I peeked over the fence (its really tall and made of wood) I saw a washing machine and thought, I´ll just throw them on the washing machine instead! They´ll be lots safer there. Unfortunately, my aim isn't quite as good as I thought and I didn't see the big bucket of water next to the washing machine..... and they landed right in the bucket of water! I just about panicked hahaha. So then the dilemma was, do we leave four BoMs in a bucket of water or do we hop the fence in skirts??? We couldn't get over, so obviously the only logically thing to do was get down on my hands and knees in the mud and have my compañera climb on my back and use the hook of my umbrella to rescue the Libros and toss them onto the washer! Bahahaha oh my gosh did we laugh hard, rescuing these books in the pouring rain! But we did it!! And I don't even think they were wet! Miracles of the Lord :) 

Other than that, pretty good week! I love Hna Howell so much and we are just happy all the time! There are always things to work on of course, but I just love the mission and this sector and my compaéra so much :) It was a really great week. Also, I just wanted to tell you all how grateful I am for my Savior and repentance. I have been studying that lots this week and it just blows my mind how repentance really is a gift and how amazing it is that we have this opportunity to change and grow every day. We are children of our Heavenly Father and He loves and we have all of His potential because of Jesus Christ! :) 

I love you all and mom I LOVED your letter! I could just picture ya talking into your phone driving to the temple haha. Thanks for all the update on the kiddies and such. I am gonna write Ty next week! I think I have a bit of advice to give in that category ;) And tell Jakey I love him so much and he is the coolest and that he is going to LOVE high school! And tell Jaden and Carter and Kaci that I miss their sweet faces and I talk about them all the time. And Dad that I love him tons and I am so proud of him and the hard work that he does everyday. I am so grateful! I love you all so much! Be happy always because eternal life is waiting! :)

Your Chilena,

Hna Teeples

New pics!!

Just found these pictures she was tagged in!!! Thank you to Claudio Andres Villegas for posting them! Made my day!! :o)

Staying in Osorno!!!

8-31-13
Familia!!!!

Don't have much time this week so I am gonna try and be speedy fast! :)

First off all, we had cambios but Hna Howell and I are both staying!!! Woot woot!!!!! We are so excited! There is still so much to do in this sector and it is just bursting with potential this week! :) The first couple days were crazy though because with cambios and being in Osorno, the centre of everything, we were super busy Monday and Tuesday, going to the bus station and bringing sisters to our house and the mission home to stay the night as they were all rotating around. Because we are the only sisters in Centro, when there are extra sisters that need somewhere to go, it is always with us haha. So we spent a lot of time at the bus station those two days. And that included being there when the group that went home this cambio was leaving.... oh my goodness, it was the saddest thing!!!! To see a bunch of missionaries we know all choked up because they are going home. It hit us big when we realized that is going to be us in just one short year. Holy cow!!! We made a new resolve to work our hardest and give it all to the Lord! Because I know that time is going to come faster than I think! It was also fun to see the Ericksons, the other matrimonial couple. Haha I love them so much!!! They remind me so much of gram and grandpa and he taught me how to chop wood! :) Basically i love the Goodmans (our bishop and his wife) and the Ericksons so much. I am gonna miss them tons when they leave in December!

With that new resolve to work hard, we have seen so many miracles this week! Starting with Ivan.... he has a fecha!!!!! FINALLY!! We met with him Wednesday and talked about his smoking...he decided to give it up ahora and we set his baptismal date for the 28 of Septiembre. We have been calling him every night to check up on him and poco a poco he is giving them up! Tomorrow he wants to give them up completely and some of the elders are going to give him a blessing. I am so grateful for the Priesthood and the friends and family I know that hold it! And we are so stinkin´excited for Ivan!!! He is gonna get baptized soon and we get to see it!!! Woot woot! (Brandon... my Ivan is better that yours hehe).

Also, we had a cita with Claudia and her friend Coni yesterday, and he pareja Cesar was there for the lesson too. Turns our when he was little he and his family listened to the hermanas for over a year, but then they left really suddenly and he has been kind of bitter about it. But last night as we talked about the Plan of Salvation, and read the scriptures he was so so excited and so eager to learn more. We gave him another copy of the Book of Mormon and he just thanked us over and over for bringing the gospel to his family otra vez and giving him that book. Oh my goodness, it was such an amazing lesson! They are both so excited to learn and Claudia is right there reading their homework assignments with them from the BofM and helping them understand. And they are going to come to church on Sunday with their little adorable 5 year old daughter Augustina! We have a family!!!!! I am so excited! :)

Another miracle we that happened this week was with another recent convert, Huayupe. He is 21 and got baptized a year ago but is the only member in his family. He is awesome and accompanies us lots and ever since I got here I have been wanting to teach his family too. So last week we decided to fast with him for the opportunity to teach his parents. He has been giving us pointers and stuff (his dad is like this famous judge here is Osorno) and we finally passed by his house this week (during the week when Huayupe is in Valdivia for school) and his dad let us in!!! We didn't talk for very long, but we did talk about God and his beliefs and such. It was so easy, he basically just told us everything without us asking! Haha and then said we could come back another day! There is still a long way to go before I think we can get the rest of his family to think seriously about the religion, but we are opening the doors for us or future missionaries. The power of fasting, I tell ya! :)

Speaking of which, I wanted to share Helaman 3:35 with you all. I don´t know if I shared it already but I just love it so, so much! I have been reading more of the "4th Missionary" like I told you last week and it is just changing my whole perspective on the mission and life in general. This week I read so much about how important the desires of our hearts are. We can be doing good things and be exactly obedient but if it isnt what we want to do, we wont be happy. He said. "It is up to you. You cannot be changed to become more like God if within your heart you fight against God... and hold fast to what you rather would do... Your world is in your head. Get your head right and your heart will follow and you will be right." Oh man, it hit me so hard haha. If my desires arent the same as Heavenly Father, then really it doesnt matter how obedient I am. I wont be happy. And so... we have to change our desires! And we do that through lots of praying and fasting and praying some more! That is why I love LOVE Helaman 3:35. We have got to give our hearts over to Heavenly Father :)

Love you all so much family!!! Loved your letter and sounds like things are going great with the kiddies in school and Ty in Alaska (so fun that you got to Skype!) and I loved the pics of Carter´s bday! I need to be better at sending pictures haha. I hope you all have fun with grandma and grandpa this weekend! And I cant wait to read all your emails! I love you all so much and miss your faces! Choose the right but more importantly WANT the right things because eternal life is waiting!!!! :)

Your Chilena,

Hna Teeples

Have soft hearts & follow the Savior...

8-24-13

Hey Familia!!! :)

First off, I have got to say that I LOVED all of the pictures!!! First day of school kiddies!! Woot woot! And Alaskan bro with his girly friend.... bahhhh, still cant believe it! Haha. That kid needs to write me before he heads off to Wisconsin! When is that by the way? October? November? I would love to know! :) 

So basically this week started out AWESOME! We had THREE investigators in church, a MIRACLE in my book! I was so stinkin happy! haha. Ivan, of course, another investigator se llama Isabel, and Marlen!! Woot woot! She finally came! :) We also had lots of menos activos that we are working with and had seen so much progress with this one couple, I was so happy. It was a perfect day to give my talk! :) 

Ivan and Marlen both are still progressing so much, we are so excited! Ivan was asking all these questions about baptism and where we do it and such on Sunday, and he always goes to church and participates lots in the lessons. The elders didn't even know he wasn't a member! haha. Right now we are working with him as he is giving up all his word of wisdom problems. It is a process, but he has come so far since I got here, I have no doubt he will be able to do it. He also was struggling to pray on his own (he did it once before but not after), BUT this week I called him to see how he was doing with his compromisos, and when I asked how his prayers are he said, "They are really great!" for the FIRST TIME EVER. I just about died of happiness, and Hna Howell too. And then he went on excitedly to tell us that he has been reading in the BoM and how he found a Liahona about temples and he has been reading that and had a zillion excited questions. Haha seriously the happiest phone call of my life! I have no doubt that baptism is just around the corner! He just has to obey the Word of Wisdom and then we are gonna get him in that water! September 14 is what we are thinking :) Man, I wish you all could see how far he has come!

Marlen is always doing splendidly! We taught he daughter the other day too, so we are poco a poco working to teach all her family, and they both are going to go to church tomorrow :) The only issue she is having right now is that she wants to get baptized but has an inner confliction because she doesn't want to give up her faith in the Virgin Mary. This was something interesting for us, because we don't really understand why anyone would want to worship her, but it is huge for Catholics. We explained while we have great respect for her, we only pray to our Father in Heaven because He and Jesus Christ are the only ones who understand exactly how we feel. And how whatever doubt she has she can resolve reading the BoM. She felt better after that :) We are so excited for her too! It is amazing to see her progress and how much the gospel is changing her life! That will make 2 baptisms in September, por lo menos! :)

Another menos activa that we have been working with lots is Zelma... her husband is sick in bed and she cant leave him alone in the house. She has been really bitter towards the church and us for not helping more and when I first got here all she did was complain when we stopped by. But a couple weeks ago we took her cookies and ever since then her attitude has been completely different! She always lets us in now and lets us help he with her husband and doesn't complain about the members and even smiles occasionally! :) We watched a video of Christ the other day and she bore such a powerful testimony of Him and how she has decided to confiar en Him and how he is helping her change. She has come such a long way in these few weeks, it is amazing! 

I am just so happy with the growth in the people we have seen here in Osorno! We still have our rough days, and there are still lots of people to teach, but whenever we think in Ivan or Marlen or Claudia or Zelma or loads of others, we feel so happy! And with all of the mistakes we made this week and the weaknesses we have, we have realized it has absolutely nothing to do with what we are doing haha. It is all Heavenly Father! :) Sadly, we have cambios next week and it is possible that one of us with go, but we wont know until later today or tomorrow.... ahhhh!!! We are both praying that we can both stay here!

Other changes that happened.... I can now email whoever I want! And we have a little more time on the computer! Woot woot! YAY!!! :) I still wont have time to write everyone back, but not I have the option! The blessings are just pouring down :)

One thing I wanted to share this week comes from a talk we have called "The Fourth Missionary" by Lawrence E Colbridge. He talks about a million different things that are so powerful and as I have been reading it this week, it has given me such a new perspective on the mission and how I need to be the "4th missionary." One thing he said about faith is " If you are not doing what the Lord would have you do, you cannot believe in yourself, you cannot believe you are worthy to receive God´s help and guidance in your life... you cannot have faith not because you don´t believe in God, but because you cannot believe in yourself." Wow haha. He also emphasized how "The purpose and central blessing of life is CHANGE." We are here to change, in the mission and in life, and if we aren't changing we aren't fulfilling our purpose. And if we aren't doing what God wants us to do, we cant have faith! We wont be changed by the mission, or we wont be changed by life. HUGE. That hit me pretty hard. We can do good things but if our heart isn't in it, it doesn't matter. Family... have soft hearts and follow the example of Jesus Christ :)

Love you all SO MUCH! Thanks again for all your support and the photos! I hope school is going well kiddies, and Dad with work, and Ty in Alaska, and Mom with Young Women´s. I love reading about whats going on with all of you :) Also, I believe Carter has a bday soon!!! CARTER, my sweet boy!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I cant believe you are turning 10! Holy cow, double digits! I love you so much sweet boy and miss your hugs and smile! I hope you are loving school and your class with that cute girl you like ;) Keep reading the scriptures and praying everyday and pretend I am doing the raptor for ya on your bday! I love you so much and hope you have a great day!!! :)

Choose the right familia, change your hearts and be happy because eternal life is waiting!!! :)

Your Chilena,

Hna Teeples

Week of Miracles...

8-17-13

Hey Familia!! 

Well, this week was seriously one of the greatest weeks in the mission... seriously SO MANY MIRACLES! Haha a couple days Hna. Howell and I were just thinking... holy cow, another one! This day couldn´t get any better! And then it did! :) Lots of stories to share!

So first of all, remember how I told you about our Zone conference and how we decided to fast to be able to find more bautismos through our menos activos and recent converts and such? Well, we have already started to see the fruits of that fast! And it all started with Claudia! The recent convert I mentioned before! Oh my goodness, that girl is so amazing!!! We didn't see her for a while cuz she travels a lot, but when she got back she was so full of stories to tell us and miracles that had happened in the past week. Basically everything she prays for happens haha. I have never met anyone with such great faith! We just adore her :) Anyway, on Sunday before a lesson with her, we passed by a contacto close by in her neighborhood. He wasn't there, but his wife, Coni, was. Turns out that Coni and Claudia are best friends, and Claudia had been telling Coni all about us! Haha we had no idea, but she was so excited to meet us and said that she wanted to have a visit with Claudia and nosotras during the week. We were so stinkin´excited when we got to Claudia´s house!!! Pos su puesto, she had an amiga that we could teach! :) So we taught her once this week, and it was so great! Her desire to learn is so honest and open, and turns out she has a lot of connections with people in the ward, and of course Claudia! It was so cool that she already had that immediate support from a friend to help her learn and grow her testimony. Power of fasting, right??? We are so excited to see her progress!! :)

And that isn't even the half of it! So many other miracles! For example one night we were passing by another contacto, super bueno, but whose family lives in Santiago and he lives solo here for work for a short while. We didn't think he would be home, but when he was and invited us in we thought,"Chuuuta! What do we do? We can´t enter:" and its kinda of awkward to stop by someone´s house just to tell them you cant come in. Well. right in this moment, a hermana from the ward passed by on the sidewalk and said, ¨Hermanas! DO you need help?" Oh boy, did we ever! Haha so we went in with us and helped us teach the lesson! What a miracle it was! :)

Things are also progressing really well with Ivan and Marlen. We had a couple amazing lessons with Ivan this week and we can really see him growing! He comes to church every week now and even went to the Noche de Hogar that we had this week in the capilla. He has a problem with the Word of Wisdom, but we had a lesson with him about that and instead of his usual excuses, he was so receptive and is already trying to change. He has the desires, just needs to do it! He knows it will be hard, but we are hoping and praying that this goal will help motivate him to pray more and then... get baptized!!! :) Haha with time, but it is our goal. It has been amazing as we have talked to other people who knew him before about how different he was hace como 2 or 3 años, and how he is now. He didn't want anything to do with the church before and now he is going every week! Miracle :)

Also, we has a great lesson with Marlen this week! She has been reading and praying and told us that she wants to get baptized. HUGE, because she knows it will mean a huge lifestyle change. But she feels so good about and we set a fecha with her :) I seriously love her so much!!! She never wants us to leave haha. Our goal now is to get her family involved... she has 3 kids and her husband but right now she is the only one taking the discussions. But with a little help from members, we can do it! :)

Speaking of members, another miracle.... usually we have a really hard time getting members to lessons with us. But this week we have already doubled the number of lessons we usually have with members. So incredible! The lessons are so much better with members. Help the missionaries, family! :)

Other random news.... I have a disease in my fingers. Haha just kidding! But I do have two that have been swelling up and really red and stuff and Hna Rappleye thought it might be a spider bite or something so we had to go to the doctor this week. That was an adventure! Haha turns out it is just something from the cold... weird. But I just have to make sure I am wearing my gloves and take this medicine stuff. 

Also, mañana I am giving my first talk in Spanish in my barrio! And Hna Howell and I are teaching Relief Society. Lots of teaching haha. I am a bit nervous cuz I think President and Hna Rappleye are gonna be there, but I am excited about the topic I chose.... the Restoration!! And how we all need to strengthen our testimonies of it and then help others receive testimonies tambien! :) Haha I have been on a Restoration kick lately. Every time we watch the DVD with investigators, I am just in awe at how they are leaping for joy, begging us to be baptized. It is just so amazing!! I love what Elder Nelson said in his talk"Catch the Wave".... "I cannot speak of the Restoration in tempered tones!" That is exactly how I feel :) I feel so blessed to have this knowledge and know that we have real profetas today tambien. I love the Ensigns and their talks! We are so blessed :)

Think that is about all I have time to share from this week of miracles haha. But seriously, it was amazing! And YOU all are amazing!!! Thanks so much for all your support and stories! I miss those kiddies tons and loved reading about their stories from this week! I busted up laughing at what Kaci said about the massage kit bahaha. Tell them all I love them and good luck in school this next week!!! And sweet Carter has a bday coming up pretty soon, I believe :) I am so glad you all are doing so well and I love and pray for you always! Every week I feel more and more blessed for the family that I have :) I hope you all have an amazing week this week! Keep your heads up (kids with school haha), listen to everything to prophets say, and smile everyday because eternal life is waiting!!! :)

Your Chilena,

Hna Teeples

Can't do the work without MEMBERS...

8-10-13
Familia!!!!! :)

Can I just start by saying I love you all so much? Really, you all are the greatest :) And I felt like there were lots of questions last week so I am going to answer those first this week!

First... my compañera. She really is awesome! I need to send you a picture of us... eating haha. That seems to be all the pictures we  have really haha. But I really love Hna Howell! I have learned so much from her spirit and strength, especially with her mom and everything. She has three sisters, but only one is active. Her dad isn't active either, and although her mom went through the temple before she died, her parents were never sealed in the temple. It makes me sad because I know she wants really badly for her family to return back to the church. But you would never know that she has these struggles with the way she talks and teaches. She is such an example! :) We are still struggling a bit with having unity and the Spirit with us consistently in the lessons, but with continual talks and practice we are getting better everyday :) 

The other two sisters I live with are both from Peru and I adore them!!! Living with another companionship isn't without its struggles haha, but all the good times make it totally worth it. They are both two of the sweetest girls I have ever met! They are always cooking for us (AMAZING food btw) and the other day they gave me this cute little cover for my agenda that they made. They are seriously so loving! I have learned so much from their animos and their service. They are constantly hugging us and talking in their English that just cracks us up! Pretty much love my Hna Medina and Hna Llanos! :)

The Schnettlers are the family that we have almuerzo with everyday, except Pday and Sunday. They are amazing! Pilar, Emilio, and their 3 daughters were all baptized in Enero and it is amazing to see what an impact they have had on the ward! There are very few active members here in this ward, and so the fact that they all were baptized basically makes them a miracle family. Mission goal: find a family and baptize the heck out of them!!! Haha :) Really though, they are awesome and we have lessons with them lots to help strengthen their faith. They are pretty rich in this area and all want to be Yanks and like to talk in English a lot, which pretty much always has Hna Howell and I laughing. They are hoots! President Rappleye is really good friends with Emilio and when they finish their mission in June next year, they are all going to Disneyland together! Hna Howell and I may or may not want them to wait for September so we can go too.... haha. 

So now that you all know a little more about these wonderful people, you can know a little more about this wonderful week! :) We had a Zone Conference this week and it was so uplifting! Out main focus was the leadership training from June and we watched lots of clips from those talks, and also the video of the missionary family. I LOVE that video!!! It blows my mind every time and makes me want to raise my family to be missionaries just like that :) And here in the mission we are starting that process to help the members start to see mission work as their responsibility and us as helpers. Honestly, our baptismal rate in the mission is really low right now i comparison to other missions close by and President told us that it is because although we are working hard, we aren't focusing the the mejor fuente para find bautismos... the members! The menos activos! The conversos recientes! We need to focus on them and their family members and their amigos and THAT is how we are going to have more success. Hna Howell and I talked lots about that and decided to fast to help us open our eyes to the people that are right in front of our eyes, living with and next to our members! We have already started to see the blessings of that when just last night we found a menos actina sister who is the only member in her family and has an incredible story and explained that her mom said one day she will get baptized too. Miracle?? I think yes! :)

Other awesome miracle this week happened Sunday.... before church we went to pick up an investigator, but she wasn't ready and we had to wait for her and arrived late to church... missing the Sacrament! We were really sad because all the wards start at 10am here so there was no other ward to attend and we had no idea how we were gonna get through the week without the sacrament. Well, later that night we were in the house of Ivan, an investigator, and his mom is a little old member that cant attend church. And just 5 minutes after we arrived, who should walk in the door but Bishop Goodman to bring her the sacrament?!? Ahhhhhhh I have never been so happy to partake of the sacrament in all my life!!! It was such a miracle and I know its because Heavenly Father knows His missionaries need that strength every week. I am so grateful for my Savior and the amazing opportunity to remember Him every week in church. Never miss a day familia!! 

I love you all so much, and it was so good to hear about your week last week!! I CANT BELIEVE SHELB IS ENGAGED!!!! Send her all my love and best of luck! :) Dang the world is changing haha. I hope you all are having an awesome week! Enjoy the last on summer and remember the keep your eyes open because there are opportunities to serve and share the gospel everywhere! D&C 136: 32-33 says if we are humble and contrite, the spirit will help us see these opportunities right in front of us. I know that is true and I know this church is true! Choose the right always, count your many blessings, and share the gospel because eternal life is waiting!!! :) 

Love your Chilean,

Hna Teeples

His missionaries...His friends....

8-3-13
Family!!!

Another crazy week here in Osorno! :) Haha the days are seriously always full of crazy happenings here close to the mission home. I think I am going to have quite a hard time leaving when the time comes haha. I am getting used to having Elder and Sister Goodman in our ward and the cinnamon rolls and cookies and pumpkin cake  she makes :) And i have to tell ya it is pretty funny to randomly run into President Rappleye every once in a while. Hna. Howell and I were walking back from a meeting in the capilla the other night and we walked passed the mission home, and President just happened to be looking out the window and got this huge grin and waved for us to come in haha. The Goodmans and the Ericksons (his two counselors and their wives) were all there too so we spent a few minutes talking to them haha.They were all going out to dinner with the Schettlers, the family of our mamita haha. So many connections in this area! I always love talking to them because they all remind me of Grammy and Grandpa! Haha it´s kind of a funny thing that happens here, but I´m not complaining! :)

Other awesome things this week... so remember Claudia that I told you all about last week? The recent convert from Punta Arenas that we ran into? Well we had two lessons with her this week, re-teaching her the lessons, and holy cow... she is so amazing!!!! Every time we leave we are just in awe at how much she knows and how strong her testimony is after just a couple months. For example church... she hasn't missed a Sunday since she first started going to church and she travels a LOT. But she said that she can´t miss a day because she needs to take of the Sacrament and it is what God asked us to do. It is incredible! She is so cute and always has "once" all ready for us, and then we sit around the table and talk about the gospel like friends. Hna. Howell and I love it so much!! The lessons with her are always so great because she has just amazing things to say as we do, and I think I learn more from her than she does from us haha. Seriously, she is of ORO!!! And we met her Dad for the first time the other day, which was awesome because she wants us to teach him the lessons and said that she purposely reads the BoM at meal times so that she can share with him the things she learns. Haha holy cow. Of oro, I tell ya! :)

We also have two other investigators, Ivan and Marlyn, that are progressing lots! Ivan has been attending church for the past few weeks, but is struggling to pray... this is a concern of ours because without prayer he will never receive an answer. We have testified so many times without success, but the other day the Spirit was really strong when we bore testimony of prayer so hopefully he prays. Pray for him!! He is so great and we have seen so much progress, he just needs to get down on those knees. Marlyn is also amazing! We had an amazing lessons with her yesterday and she is going to church with us tomorrow too :) She really loves everything we have taught and has a great family, we have tons of hope for her! WE invited her as well to be baptised yesterday and she accepted 31 de Agosto tambien if she receives her answer. Woot woot!! So with a bit of faith and an abundance of prayers and a few cambios in sus vidas, hopefully we should have dos bautismos the end of this month! :)

We seriously have so many amazing people in this sector, it blows my mind sometimes. BUT... we are having lots of difficulty getting in contact with them again. We will have an awesome lesson one week with the Spirit so strong and then our next lesson cae and we cant get in touch with them again. Oh man, it can be frustrating. Yesterday was a bit rough and several lessons fell through and Hna. Howell and I were talking about how sometimes we imagine the Savior and think, "If I was just more like HIm... if I just had more charity or could testify with more power or teach more clearly, then more people would open their doors and I would change more lives." But then we realized that isn't the case. He was and IS the perfect teacher, missionary, friend, perfect EVEYRYTHING and how many people rejected and are still rejecting Him?? Tons! More probably than actually listen. That realization hit me pretty hard... we suffer in the same way He suffered and are rejected even when we KNOW they understand in the same way He was rejected. And as his missionaries, his friends, we bear the same burden He bore. And then all of the sudden after that, I felt better :) Sometimes the days are hard, and sometimes I am tired and frustrated because no one opens their doors... but I stand with Him and can´t but be happy when I think of that :) D&C 122:8. Scripture of the week! Read it :)

Love my Savior, love this sector, love you all!!!! Loved the letters last week and excited to read them this week! The pictures of the kiddies are so CUTE, looks like you all are enjoying the summer!!! Dad, loved your letter last week and hope your class was amazing, as always! Oh and parents... HAPPY ANNIVERSERY last week!!! Forgot to tell ya, but I am seriously so grateful for you both and your examples. My appreciation of marriage has shot up in the mission where I can so how hard Satan is attacking the families and it makes me so grateful for you both! Miss the kiddies, give them all hugs for me! Have a great week and love everyone always because ETERNAL LIFE IS WAITING!!!! :) Love  you all!!

Hna. Teeples

New Pic!!

April 2013 New Missionaries to Osorno, Chile

This picture was posted recently to the mission blog. 

Check it out http://chileosornomission-rappleye.blogspot.com/2013/07/new-arrivals-april-2013.html.

Love seeing pictures of my beautiful girl!!!

My First Cambio!!!!!

Family!!! :)

My first cambio!!!!! Holy cow, it is a lot of work to swap all the missionaries every six weeks haha. I have no idea how President and the office does it. I have a feeling my appreciation for them is going to increase this cambio because... they are ALL in my ward here in Osorno! My district consists of the assistants to the President, his secretaries, my district leader and his companion that both work in the office tambien, and my new compañera Hna. Howell. Haha not sure what we did to be in a district like that, but I think its safe to say I´ll learn a lot! ;) haha. President is also in our ward, and our bishop is Elder Goodman that is here serving a mission wife his wife (matrimonio missionaries). Our house is close to the mission home, and we live with two other hermanas that are both from Peru. Our house is huge, but a poco of a disaster because during cambios and such lots of hermanas come and stay in our house. It is unofficially called the ¨mission home of the hermanas.¨haha So basically yeah... I am in the middle of everything here in Osorno! :) Oh, and just fyi... being close to the office means that I can receive letters SUPER quickly right now, so if anyone feels like writing me a letter, go for it ;)

I have only been here for three days, but I have already learned lots! This sector is a lot different that my sector in Valdivia. It is super quico or rich haha, and some of the houses are gigante!! Our mamita is a recent convert and she and her family live in a HUGE house and have a lady that cooks for them (and us) food that is super yummy, and super healthy, without tons of pan! Yay! I just might actually lose a little bit of the weight that I gained in Valdivia haha. But even though this area is more wealthy. the people I have met so far are seriously so great! WE have had a few lessons with menos activos, miembros, and investigators and I am so surprised at how willing they are to learn and their dedication to keep their commitments!!! Obviously we are going to have our own struggles, but so far I am so pleased to teach people that are progressing and keeping their commitments :) Everyone says this sector is of "oro" and I am super super excited to work here! :)

It hasn't been without its desafios though haha. Hna. Howell has only been here for six weeks and we both just finished our training, which means to some degree we have no idea what we are doing haha. I´ll admit I was a bit frustrated the first day or so because she doesn't know where a lot of things are (and I don't either yet), and we are both used to doings things a little bit differently. We both have very distinct manners of studying and planning and teaching and the first couple days were a little rough. But I was praying super hard that we could have unity and as soon as I started to feel frustrated I decided... No! I am going to be happy and we are going to work together and it is going to work out! :) So I humbled myself a bit (or a lot haha), prayed really hard, and yesterday was so awesome!! :) We contacted people and had four really awesome lessons and I learned that I actually love teaching with her. She talks a little more slowly (something I need to work on) and it has been helping me so much in the lessons! Not only do people understand us better, but we also give ourselves more time to listen to their concerns, listen to the Spirit, and then respond in a manner that is best for them. It is such a great feeling! I know we still have lots of work to do in our companionship, but she is seriously so great and her desire to serve and focus on our purpose and help these people is so honest and sincere and I have already learned tons from her! :) Also, we never speak Ingles because she wants to work on her Spanish and I do too, so I can definitely feel that I am going to improve my Spanish even more with her. I am super excited for this cambio! :)

Okay, not much time but in case you didn't know... I love you all SO MUCH!!! I am so glad you all are my family! I want you all to know that I know this church is true and that we have the great responsibility to share it with everyone. I am so excited to work here in Osorno! Even though its freezing haha. Love you all, more next week, and BE GOOD because ETERNAL LIFE IS WAITING!!!! :)

Hna. Teeples

OTRAS: Thanks to the VanWies and adorable Clara Reese for their letters!!!! I absolutely loved them and they were so sweet and kind!!! I am super excited to try out that recipe Clara! You all are awesome and thanks for the support! :)

Happiness Comes Through the Savior :o)

Familia!!!! :) 

Okay, no tengo nada de tiempo so I am going to be really fast haha. We have a zone activity and we are going to the beach and anyway no time haha. BUT... lots to say! so fast :)

First, I am so glad you all had to much fun with the family last week! S excited for sweet little Emma that is baptized now. Woot woot!!1 Love you, sweet girl :) Also glad you got to see Grandma T and the rest! Will you tell Gram that I love her and hope everything is going well and will email her next week when I have a bit more time? Also, Mom to clear up your doubts... I LOVE hearing about everything that is going on at home! Seriously is my favorite :) I love your animos and hearing all the stories so keep it coming!haha.

Okay, so lots of changes this week. Cambios like I told ya and guess what.... your Chilean is going to Osorno!! Haha pretty crazy, but I am already heading to my second area. It is crazy! I leave Wednesday and my new campañera is a gringa from my group in the MTC haha, so we both just finished our training and are going to be learning how to be ¨normal¨missionaries together. Haha should be an adventure :) But I know her a little bit and she is super funny and sweet, so I am excited :) Also, it will be fun to be close to the mission home for a bit too and close to the volcano woot woot! Also, pretty sure my new Pday is Saturday so just a heads up... you should write me before then ;)

Well since I am leaving, that means that I have to say goodbye to all my people here in Valdivia.... ahhhhh!!! It is so crazy! I love these people so much and it is going to be hard to leave. Yesterday in the ward when I got up to bear my testimony in sacrament meeting at the request of the bishop, I felt like King Benjamin giving his final words to his people before he died. Basically I wanted to call them all to repentance and remind them to follow Christ ALWAYS because I want to see them in the Celestial Kingdom, but.... I decided to share my testimony and tell them how much I loved them instead ;) haha I seriously have loved this ward so much! The bishop and his family, my Mamita, all the women that went on visits with us, Francisa (who sadly is in Santiago this week :( :( ), our ward mission leader... just everyone! My first family in Chile! Not to mention our investigators.... William, Morelia y Coni, Paulina, this new women America who is AMAZING and going to get baptized I just know, and lots of others! It is sad to leave and not be able to see their progress anymore, but standing up in church yesterday and looking out at everyone I felt super strong that I am leaving this area better than I found it and that I helped strengthen the faith of some while I was here and that is what I wanted to do anyway :) Plus, not to mention all the love and hugs and ¨pass by my house before you leave!!!!¨¨ that I got yesterday haha. Talk about feeling loved! Man, I just love these people :)

Okay, seriously no time but just wanted to say that with all these changes I have been thinking lots about happiness and how I want to always be happy and positive in the mission and how the biggest way we all can feel happiness is through Jesus Christ because He is the ultimate source of gozo. And when we feel his love it just feels us up and we have the desires to come unto Him and do what He would have us do. I love 1 Nep 11:21-23 that talks about how the fruit of the tree is the love of God, and Alma 31:41-43  that talks about how we can develop this love and nourish the fruit through patience, faith, and diligence. Sorry I cant say more about it haha but just remember that the ultimate source of happiness is the LOVE OF GOD and thus we need to nourish our own love of God by obedience and service and all that jazz! :)

I love you all so much and hope you have an amazing week!!! Cant wait to read your emails! I love this work, I love my Father in Heaven, I know I am supposed to go to Osorno, I know this church is true, and I AM HAPPY because eternal life is waiting!!!! :) 

Your Chilean,

Hna. Teeples 

A Few More Pics!!!

Birthday Celebrations!

The Zone :o)

Hna. Yepez's trainer - Three generations!

Proudly Representing!!!

Hna. Yepez & their Mamita

Amazing Tree! Amazing Missionary!!!

My Last Week of Training!!!

7-8-2013
Familia!!! :)

Holy cow, so I have no idea how, but this is my final week of my training! We have cambios the next week and it is possible that Hna. Yepez and I will still be compañeras but it is more likely that one of us is going to go (and that I might train someone......) and AHHHHH!!!!! It is just crazy! I can´t believe it haha. These months have flown by and I seriously feel like the mission is going to be over before I know it! SCARY. haha. But anyway... this week!!! Tons happened :)

First off... progress con Morelia! :) So right now she is our biggest focus because she has a fecha and we have been working really hard with her and her daughter Connie too. Connie is 18 and started listening to the lessons a little after we started teaching Morelia so right now we are trying to catch her up on everything and their schedules are super different right now so this week we had lessons with them at different times. Anyway. we love them so much and love talking to them and stuff but for some reason we have been having a lot of trouble teaching them lately. It was like we were talking about things not related to the gospel more than the gospel and the Spirit wasn't as strong in the lessons and they weren't keeping their commitments and just aghhh... it was like we could literally feel Satan trying to stop their progress on all sides! And it was weird because we are having so much success in our lessons with other people! It hit a low point on Wednesday this week when we left their house after helping Connie and talking to her about her problems, but didn't really teach anything. And as soon as we left it hit me super clearly that if we kept going in this direction, Morrelia would not reach her baptism goal. Hna. Yepez and I talked about it and prayed that night and I remember feeling horrible and just crying and crying. Seriously horrible. I realized that I wasn't fulfilling my purpose as a missionary and if we didn't change, these two people that we love so much weren't going to come unto Christ. And I didn't want to leave feeling that way. The feeling continued during study the next day. Suffice if to say, we both learned a LOT about the Atonement in those short hours. But Hna. Yepez helped me realize that after we have recognized our wrongs and go through that repentance process, it is over. It is done! Christ paid the price for our sins and our job after we repent is to look forward with hope and change. I seriously felt like Alma the Younger when he describes his despair and then his joy after the Atonement haha. Although it was hard, I am so grateful for that lesson I learned! 

Connie &  Hna. Yepez

And after that.... things got better :) That day we had an AMAZING lesson with Connie, really focusing on her and learned so much about her beliefs and everything and holy cow, she has such an open heart and faith and desire to draw close to Christ. I am so excited for her! Also, we had a better lesson with Morelia on Saturday  and she attended church yesterday!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woot woot!!!! :) There is still lots to improve and I can still feel Satan trying to make us fail...  but I know that we are back on the right track now and we WILL win! :)

Speaking of church, yesterday was a day of miracles! :) We had been fasting for people to attend church again and we woke up to SUN! You have to understand there is NEVER sun on Sundays haha and it is usually super cold and people use that as an excuse. Well, yesterday there was sun and there were tons of people at church, including Morelia! And it was fast Sunday and I love hearing their testimonies in this ward and seeing their progress... I always cry haha. I sat there in Sacrament Meeting with Morelia on one side and Francisca on the other and just thought ¨Holy cow... so many changes in the lives of people here! It is amazing!¨:) I know we haven't had a baptism yet, but we have seriously seen the lives of people change so much members and nonmembers and it helped me realize that we are making a difference :) I seriously love this ward and these people so much! 

Also, we had intercambios with the herman leaders this week and I learned lots! First, I had to lead the sector again and I am always amazed at how much I learn doing that haha. Its like you are so much more aware of everything when you are in charge, and I felt so much LOVE for the people we taught. It was also a nice surprise that I can talk and understand just about as much Spanish as Hna. Foster, who is finishing up her mission this next week. Haha I guess I CAN speak Spanish ;) I also learned so much talking to her about her regrets and things from the mission and the biggest one was our relationships with the investigators. She had an investigator that she was best friends with but she didn't get baptized and when Hna Foster left things went downhill. And she told me about all the regret she had for a long time. I just remember thinking of Morelia and how I DO NOT want to feel that way. I have been studying a lot about my purpose this week and have realized that I am here to PREACH about CHRIST, not just be friends with the people. And if I am not doing that, I am not fulfilling my purpose. After this week and that horrible day I think I can say lesson learned! I am a missionary of Christ and preaching the gospel with help these people more than anything else I can do :)

Sorry so long today haha, but to finish real fast I just wanted to share a scripture that I love. Helaman 15:7-8. The steps to conversion! :) It all begins with knowledge, then faith in Christ and then repentance, change of heart and walking in faith until the end! I love the talk of Ann M Dibb about Ï know it. I live it. I love it.¨ I know that once as we learn about the gospel and then APPLY IT, our hearts change and we can truly say that we love the gospel. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!! :) I am so eternally grateful for my Savior and His Atonement and sacrifice for me. I need it. I have so many things to work on, but I know through Him I can change and become better and more converted unto the Lord. I have soooo much still to do in the mission, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to repent and mejorar cada dia. Just like it says in D&C 50:40-41.... I know I am his ¨little child¨and He wont ever leave me solo if I just come unto Him. I love this gospel and I love this mission! I am a representative of Jesus Christ and I am going to help others feel this happiness and joy that I feel because of my Savior! :)

I love you all family!!!! It sounds like from last week that you all are doing great! Mom that camp was awesome, Dad that work is great (and i always LOVE your emails and thoughts! thanks you so much dad :) and that the kiddies are great! Cant wait to read this weeks emails as usual. Tell them all hello and that I miss and love them so much! I hope you all remember every day how much we are blessed to have this gospel and how much peace we have because of our Savior. Without Him, we are nothing! Keep choosing the right and look for opportunities to share the gospel in little ways everyday. I love you all SO MUCH, so be good because ETERNAL LIFE IS WAITING!!!! :)

Your Chilena,

Hna. Teeples

PS: Funny story for the week... the elders brought an investigator to church yesterday that was a little (or maybe a lot) weird and in THE MIDDLE of sacrament meeting, he came up to me and shook my hand and tried to kiss me on the cheek (that's how they greet each other here but we cant as missionaries) and when I wouldn't let him he got mad and went back to sit with the elders. Bahaha. The elders said after the meeting he just wanted to ¨go talk with the sisters!¨ Bahaha the elders felt so bad. Oh the people you met in the mission! 

The Blessings of Fasting

7-01-2013
Familia!!!

Holy cow, can you believe it is July already??? I can´t! Haha. It is crazy that I have been here in Chile for two months! Madness haha :) And let me tell you it is the coldest July I have ever experienced ;) 

Okay, so this week! Crazy, as usual haha. We started out the week kinda of rough, but it turned out alright :) We were trying really hard to focus on getting people to church this week because that has been our biggest difficulty so far... and without going to church, no one can get baptized, so... yeah haha. It has been kind of rough. There are TONS of menos activos here in Chile so half of the work we do is trying to reactivate them, plus our investigators that we want to come to church. Anyway, we decided to fast this week for people to come to church, specifically Morelia. Because on Tuesday, a miracle happened with her!! So we have been teaching her and whatnot and she knows the church is true, she just hasn't accepted a date yet because she didn't feel ready and was afraid of failing. Well... Tuesday we passed by her house to she how she was doing (she has been looking for work these past couple weeks and has been super busy with that) and we were talking to her about her interview that day and whatnot. Then, right out of the blue she said, Öh, and I am going to be baptized on July 13.¨ Just like that!! Haha we about choked! We asked her what happened and she explained that God has been fulfilling His promises and so she decided it was time she fulfilled hers too. MIRACLE!!!!! Holy cow, we were so excited!!  Sadly, she didn't attend church and so her fecha is actually the 27 of July. But she WILL attend church! just pray for her :)

ANYWAY.... so were fasting to get her to come to church, and also other investigators and menos activoes we had been working with. Well Sunday rolled around and we hadn't been able to have another lesson with Morelia because she has been so busy with her entrevistas and we couldn't get a hold of her to fijar una cita. Just after she had committed to baptism too! Oh man, I don't need to tell you how sad it was Sunday morning when once again we couldn't get a hold of her to come to church. Suffice it to say it was a bit rough and I think it shook my faith a bit. But that morning I was studying so hard, focusing so hard on having faith, faith, faith and doubting nothing. I felt like our fast had been for nothing and I didn't understand if it was something we had done wrong or if it was just her using her agency. But... we went to church as usual, and although she wasn't there, about 5 other menos activos that we have been working with were :) What a tender mercy from the Lord! Morelia might not have been there, but others were, and THAT was what our fast was for :)

We also had a couple AMAZING lessons this week with a couple new investigators. One is named America (legit, right?) and she is basically a dry Mormon. Holy cow, I am so excited to teach her again! Also, there is Janet and her daughter Paulina and we had an incredible lesson with them and Francisca yesterday. The Spirit was so strong and Janet and Paulina are keeping there compromisos and reading and were so great for Francisca! We talked about the Plan of Salvation and as I was bearing my testimony to them, I could just see Janet´s eyes shining as she looked at me and I knew she knew it was true. And then, all of the sudden Francisca started to cry and told them about the good feeling she had when she remembered these things.... and this is someone who has been inactive for years! Oh my goodness, it is so incredible to see how her testimony grows every time we goes with us to a lesson!!! She is progressing so much! And Janet and Paulina are seriously amazing. So excited for them! 

Also, we planned an awesome activity this week about the historia familiar with the ward to help`them get their names and stuff to go to the temple in August. Not a ton of people came, but a few did and it was awesome to help them. Hna. Martini, the family history hermana, was there helping us too and her passion for the work is incredible. There family history trees aren't like ours in the US... they basically have to start from scratch to find the information about their ancestors and put in the computer and then have it to do work in the temple. But they are all so excited, especially Francisca! The spirit of family history work is seriously incredible and I cant wait to do more with it later :)

Okay, sorry this email it everywhere! haha. But I just wanted to thank you Mom for your faith. It is seriously such an example to me. Yesterday when I was struggling before church, I just kept thinking about all the times I know you have prayed for me and I have seen miracles in my life because of YOUR prayers. For example... the fleas haha. We had them that one week but after that, hardly never. And I know it is because you say every week that you are praying for us :) And I just kept thinking... if Heavenly Father can answer Mom´s prayers about something as simple as fleas, He can answer mine and help others get to church. And He did :) You are such an incredible example to me of faith Mom, and I love you so much!!! We have talked to so many mothers and daughters here that have problems, and my compañera tambien has shared experiences with me about her and her mom and how it was rough. But every time I talk about you I always say....¨My mom is my best friend, and my hero and an angel and I want to be just like her!¨ And you seriously are :) I am so eternally grateful to have you as a Mom and for your sweet, loving example and everything you do for us kids. You are amazing! And I hope you LOVED camp and survived the bears and squealing girls and didn't die of a stress attack! haha :) I love you so much and remember that I am always cheering you on and praying for you and Dad and the kiddies everyday :)

Okay, got to end real fast, but pictures next week! Oh, and could you send my your recipe for cookies and brownies and the oatmeal chocolate chips cookies recipe too?? Haha that would be great! Also, I just wanted to share 2 Nefi 27:23.... Heavenly Father is a God of miracles. We just need faith :) Haha I am learning everyday to have more faith, and you all should too!! I love you all and miss you and feel SO BLESSED everyday to have such an amazing family! Have a great week! Choose the right, read your scriptures, pray, smile, and do your family history work and be missionaries because... eternal life is waiting!!! :)

LOVE YOU!

-Hna. Teeples

Locked In and Out!!

6-24-2013

Hola familia!!! :)

Okay, crazy week so here I go with the stories! First off, TY CONGRATS ON THE MISSION CALL!!!!!!! Dude, I am so excited for you! Wisconsin is going to LOVE you! Holy cow, I cant believe it! Haha Ty I am so proud of you! You are going to be such an AMAZING missionary!!! Bahhhh! Also, I loved hearing all about Alaska in your email! You should definitely email me again! I want to hear all about your adventures and mission prep and whatnot :) I only read quickly about where you are serving but I cant wait to read all about your experience. Oh heck, I wish we could talk! So you should email me :) Love you SO MUCH! Soo proud :´)

Okay, on to this week. Basically it was awesome! We FINALLY had  one of our awesome investigators in the church yesterday and Francisca, the menos activo that we are working with. And it was so amazing to see how interested and attentive she was to everything. She has been dealing with a lot of depression these past few years and tried to commit suicide earlier this week. Pretty sad :( But it has been amazing to see her testimony grow just in these past few days! She loves going to visit investigators with us and was asking all sorts of questions in church yesterday, and is super excited about our family history activity that we are going to have with the ward this week and wants to learn more and more about the gospel. It is so amazing to work with her! And yesterday we had a lesson with a new investigator who is PERFECT for Francisca! We cant wait to take her to a lesson with this new investigator :)

Also, I love my new district so much!! We got new zone leaders, who are in our district, (one is from AZ btw and went to Skyline! he is older, so i didn't know him but he is in AJ stake and lives down the street from Marlee Roberts haha. Elder Madsen. anyway its cool that we know lots of the same people) and we all just had s much animo and excitement to work in our meeting this week. It is awesome to feel the unity in our district and then see the results. We had awesome lessons this week and have such an awesome feeling about this week... it is going to be a week of miracles, I just know! :) Our poor leaders though... we put them through quite a lot this week haha. First, after our district meeting, Hna. Yepez and I ran to the bathroom and the elders thought we left, so they left without us and when we went to go leave we discovered that we were locked in the capilla!! Haha they locked us in! So we had to call them to have them come let us out... boy did they get a good laugh out of that! Then, two days later, we came back to our apartment after lunch with the Mamita and realized that we didn't have our keys.... haha so we had to call our leaders and again, this time telling them that we were locked OUT of a building. And yesterday, for the worldwide training meeting, we accidentally went to the wrong stake center haha. Third phone call... ¨¿Donde estan elderes?¨ Haha oh my goodness, the SHAME! We all got a good laugh out of all the experiences, but I promised myself that I would not cause problems for my district leader! (BRIAN... this is for you and all other district leaders our there! haha) And I may or may not have said in a bit of desperation... ¨No tenemos problemas!! Promesa!¨ Haha. We don't have problems!!! Haha Anyway, after that adventure of a week, Hna Yepez and I are on a quest to redeem ourselves ;) 

Speaking of worldwide mission training.... OH MY GOSH that meeting was incredible!!! I think Mom, you attended it right? Not sure who else did, but oh my goodness the spirit was so strong! It was amazing. I just felt so excited and pumped for the work after and so humbled to think that I am a servant of the Lord right now in this time. and the new Internet rules are kind crazy no? Haha not sure how I feel about all that, but it will be lots easier for sure to communicate with investigators. Just everything though... the talks, the videos, all the missionaries in the Marriott Center at BYU, the prophet, everything! I was so overwhelmed by how amazing it was :´). I know that this work is increasing rapidly and with the help of all the members working together, we are going to see miracles. We really are in the last days and the most important work we can all do is missionary work! People need this gospel!! Every time I hear the prophets and apostles speak, it is just amazing how strongly the spirit testifies.

I loved so many things about the meeting, but I especially loved the emphasis on the LOVE we need to have to do this work. It really all starts with the love we have as members and missionaries. They need to feel the Spirit in order to have a desire to change, and our purpose is to help them feel that spiritual atmosphere. And we can only testify in the way that they need and with the Spirit when we have that love for them! Because when we have love, we listen to their needs and Heavenly Father gives us His promise that we will be able to testify in a way that can touch their hearts, and thus help them feel the Spirit. And it all starts with our love for them. I love the pray of Alma in Alma 31:34-35.... the perfect example of a missionary prayer! Their souls really are precious and we can help them when we have that Christlike charity. That is my goal this week to have more love :)

Family, this gospel is true!! I just loved the videos yesterday that showed the kids growing up and preparing for missions. I cried and smiled as I thought of you kiddies preparing for missions! I love you all so much and hope you have an amazing week! Mom, have a great time at Girls camp! Also, I am glad you are all safe from the fire! I love you all!!!!! Choose the right and be missionaries today! People need the gospel and eternal life is waiting! :)

Your Chilena,

Hna. Teeples

Family History is AMAZING!!

6-17-2013

Familia!!! :)

Okay, lots to tell this week! We had ward conference and there were lots of activities and my compañera and I got sick for a day because of the food (or something haha. we love the food de la mamita but it always makes us feel a little funny no lies) and so it was kind of a crazy week. But we also had lots of awesome experiences! :)

First, we had an awesome lesson with an investigator named Fabian! solo and so it is hard to set up appointments with him because we always have to have another hermana. But we finally had another lesson this week!!! And man, the spirit was so strong!!! :) We taught him the first lesson because the last time we taught him about the plan of salvation and he was so receptive! As usual haha. It is cool because he always reads the things we give him to read and we know he has a real desire to learn. We had the Mamita Moya with us (she is the bishop´s wife) and she was so great too! It is so amazing when the investigators can hear the strong testimonies of the members testify too. Anyway, it was just so awesome because he was understanding everything has this real desire to read the Book of Mormon. He kind of reminds me of Rod... he is successful in his work and whatnot and just kind of enjoys life by himself, but when he makes a compromiso he keeps it. Which is awesome in this work because so many investigators don't keep their commitments, and without commitments they can´t progress! Anyway, awesome awesome lesson! We are so excited to see his progress! And afterwards the Mamita was so excited and just kept saying ¨He has got to talk to the bishop... I just have the strongest impression that he has got to meet the bishop.¨ Haha it is so awesome when the members are excited for the investigators too! :) Also, just that day we had had an incredible zone meeting with our new zone leaders (who are awesome btw!!! We just feel so pumped and excited after talking to them!) and they were talking about how in every sector there are men who are predestined to be Priesthood holders and how the Church needs these Priesthood holders to function. And that day we felt like we found a future Priesthood holder in our area! :)

Also, updates on Morelia... she couldn't attend church this week (sadly...) BUT... she and her daughters DID attend an activity in the capilla on Friday! And they had so much fun!!! Man, it was so cool because they just looked like they belonged in the Church! They were talking with lots of people and the Bishop and it was so neat to see them all (especially her daughter Connie) get excited about the activity there and want to come back. And little Danae!! She just ran right up to me and clung to me the whole time! Haha ¨Hermana Teeples! Hermana Teeples!¨We are basically best friends ;) I just love those girls so much and we are working and praying so hard for Morelia! She has the desire and the testimony, just needs to conquer her fear! We have a lesson with her tonight and are super excited for it :)

Other awesome thing this week is that we went and visited the family history center! Man, that place is so cool! Our ward right now has a date in August to go to the temple and Hna Yepez and I have been thinking and planning activity to encourage them all to go. We are planning an activity to help them search and find their own family names to take to the temple, so that is is more personal and exciting for them. And when we were talking with the family history lady, we just got so excited! She loves the work so much and is thrilled to help us. It is amazing how powerful the spirit of family history work is and how excited people get as we talk about it. We've been talking about it in almost every lesson with members these past couple days and you can see the interest and excitement on their faces! It is cool because lots of people here in Chile has tons of ancestors real close like grandparents that need their work done and we are going to help them! Woot woot! Haha family... family history work is so amazing! It is such a testimony builder that this gospel is for EVERYONE and includes the whole family of the earth! Ya´ll should get involved :)

One last thing... today I was studying about the Atonement and reading the talks in the Ensign about How we know when we are accepted of the Lord and how the Lord always wants to forgive us. I was studying and I realized something that I had never realized before. Heavenly Father sent His Only Begotten Son... Jesus Christ paid for ALL of our sins and sorrows. And for what? What do they receive for their sacrifices? Us. They receive US. That is all they want and that is all they have ever wanted. For us to live with them in an endless state of peace and happiness! All we have to do is follow the way. They sacrificed their huge part, and the only thing they ask of us is a broken heart and contrite spirit as it says in 3 Nefi 9:20. And when we sacrifice our tiny little portion we can receive a remission of our sins and all of their blessings! It just hit me how incredible that is. We sacrifice little so we can receive blessings for ourselves, but they sacrificed everything so WE can receive everything. Oh my goodness I started to cry haha. It is so simple!!! We just need to become as little children and come unto them. I love in 3 Nefi 9:21-22 how it talks about that and then in D&C 50:41-42 it says that we, his ¨little children¨will be His if we just do our part and make our tiny little sacrifice! Wow. This gospel is so incredible and so simple. I don't think it is a coincidence that we have to become as little children to inherit the kingdom of God... because we are children and the sacrifices we are asked to makes are tiny in comparison to those He made for us. We just have to humble ourselves and do it! :)

I love this gospel, I love my Savior!!! With all my heart! And I am so grateful and honored to be a missionary for Him. I just hope I can do some good here in Chile in His name haha. I love you all so much and I hope you have an amazing week!!  Eternal life is waiting!! :)

Hna. Teeples

Firsts...Earthquake & Fleas!!!

6-10-2013

Family!!! :) y otros :)

Okay, so this week... lots of firsts! :) For example, first time that I have experiences the joys of fleas,and I dare say it wont be the last! haha. There are zillions of dogs in the streets always here and por eso, we have fleas! Ahhh haha not something I would wish upon anyone. But its all good... we just itch itch itch and shake our clothes everyday haha :) Also first time I experienced an EARTHQUAKE!!! AHhhh!!!! Bahaha, nahh it was super small and i could barely feel it but I do remember feeling my vision go funny like I couldnt see straight because the earth was moving of something... turns out it was ;) Also this was the first week that I honestly truly desired to be an elder for a moment (or few) because we keep finding so many awesome, interested people that want to hear the gospel but they are men that live alone and we cant enter without another hermana! Ahh the frustration! haha. I think we literally contacted 4 or 5 sincerely interested people in one day and they were all men that live solo. It was kind of sad haha. But I know we have this rule for a reason and we just have to work hard to get members to go out with us so they can have the gospel as well! :)

To be honest... this week was kind of hard. All week long we felt like every person that was interested we couldn't get a hold of or couldn't pass because they lived solo or our lessons fell through. And every person that we were teaching had a testimony of the gospel or part of it at least but wasn't keeping their commitments. We felt like we were teaching but we weren't having any results. And I was feeling kind down haha. We our teaching people but no one is receiving salvation!!! It came to a climax when Angela who we have been teaching basically said (after an awesome lesson where we felt the spirit really strong) that she didn't want to get baptized and felt like we were obligating her to do things. Ahhhh Angela! The one who was sharing folletos with everyone before! Haha I might have shed a few tears after that lesson. BUT... things are always worst before the storm breaks :)

And on Saturday night the storm broke!!! We had a lesson with an investigator Morelia who we have been teaching for a month or so and it was hands down the best lesson we have ever had! She has taken lessons before and she is so great and has a testimony strong already but has had problems sticking to her commitments. She lives with her two daughters Connie 18 and Danae 6 who I just ADORE and we always have good lessons with her but this was different. She bore her testimony to us about the spirit she feels in the capilla and how all her burdens just seem to vanish and about how every time she reads the BOM it just makes sense and she feels like it is true. She has such a strong testimony and we asked her straight up.. what is holding you back from baptism?? She said fear... fear that she doesn't know enough yet and isn't doing enough to be baptised. I felt like I should share Ether 12:27 and when she read it she immediately started to cry and bore testimony again of how she just knows these things are true. We told her that baptism is just the beginning! And she doesn't need to know everything before and we and Heavenly Father and here to help her. Oh my gosh, the spirit was SO STRONG in that lesson! She hasn't committed to a fecha yet, but she will :) She promised to get baptised before we leave Chile haha... I just want it to be while we are HERE in Valdivia! Oh man, best lesson ever! To hear your investigator bear testimony over and over! I love her and her daughters so much! Pray for them! :)

Family, I know this work is true! I have been reading lots in the Ensign and it was just a reconfirmation to me that we are literally in the last days and we all need to work TOGETHER to help this work. I love Jacob 5:70-75. I love how the Lord calls his people to labor WITH and the blessings he promises. He promises that we with receive joy and we can all rejoice together! I also love the blessing in Mosiah 4:12. There are so many blessings awaiting us if we just keep the commandments and share the word! I have personally felt my testimony grow so much because every time I bear it it is a reconfirmation that I know these things are true. And just as it says in the scriptures we will receive more knowledge and be full of joy and feel God´s love as we do these things. I love you family!!!! Pray and look for opportunities to share the gospel!! :)

No mas tiempo but I love you all!!!!! Cant wait to read your emails!!! thanks again for all your support! i feel it everyday!!! Have a great week! :)

Your Chilena,

Hna. Teeples