Happy 4th!

Hello!

This week went really well. The 4th of July was good (: Although fireworks were out of the picture this year as a missionary, I still had a good time walking around the parks here in Solvang and seeing all the festivities going on (: It was great! How was the 4th of July back home?

We were walking around Solvang this last Wednesday, and a farmers market was going on (that's where local farmers come set up stands and sell their products), and we started talking to this lady named Ann who was working at one of the stands. She is a bee keeper and she sells this really good honey (: We have talked to her before and she has told us that she wasn't interested at all in listening to us, but this time we told her all about the Book of Mormon. I expressed to her how it has blessed me in my life, and she seemed to be interested in it. We left her with one, and she told us she'd read it. It's so fun to see people say they're not interested, but when they find out what we are really trying to share with them, and realize that we aren't crazy weirdos with 7 wives, they are a lot more open to us (: Some person the other day was very convinced that we had horns.... And many people think we believe that Joseph Smith was our 2nd coming.... It's crazy what people think about our beliefs!

On the 4th of July we were walking around during the parade and we started talking to this lady named Jennifer and her daughter, Cade. They were both really nice! We talked to her about the Book of Mormon and about the message of the Restoration of the Gospel, and how we as missionaries go out into the world to share this message. I told her about our belief of eternal families, and how that has brought happiness into my life. I then asked if she'd like to hear the message we have, and she said she would like to! It's always the best feeling when somebody is open to us (: We are going to go by some time this week and share the Restoration with her. We are excited!

We ran into a guy named Ramon a couple days ago. Apparently the Spanish Elders in Lompoc (Which is like 30 mins. away) used to drive out here to meet with him when they used to have a car, but when they were switched to bikes, they weren't able to come out here to see him anymore. We went by his house and he is a really nice guy. He has been reading to Book of Mormon in Spanish and he says he is enjoying it. Elder Clark suggested getting a member who speaks Spanish to go over with us to find out a little bit more about him, so that will be fun (:

I got to bare my testimony in church yesterday. It went really well! I told of an experience I had when I was younger. I remember we went to a wedding reception (I don't remember which aunt/uncle it was for (: ) and I wasn't feeling to good. The reception wasn't going to get over for a while, and I got a ride home with Aunt Michelle (I think it was her...) So after an hour drive or so, I got home, and she dropped me off. At this point I felt awful, so I took my temperature, and my temp. was 106.3 F. Not good! I just remember my jaw dropping down, and I didn't know what to do. All I could think to do was pray, so I knelt down and asked Heavenly Father that you and Dad would get home soon, and that I would be okay. Then I layed down on the couch, and when I woke back up a couple hours later, my temp was back down to about 99. That is an experience that I have had with prayer that has moved me a lot! I'm very very thankful for the many experiences I have had with prayer and living with the Gospel in my life!

Well, I hope to hear from you soon! I hope all is well at home (: You are in my thoughts and prayers daily! I have some letters that I will send home this week. Talk to you soon (: Love and miss you!

Love,

Elder Teeples