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
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