California is GREEN

Hello!! California is great!! It is soooooooooooo green here!!! But yet, it is still a bit chilly.... dang. I am currently in Santa Maria!!!!! That is my first area (: We are in the 3rd ward in the Santa Maria stake. It reminds me a lot of our ward! A lot of nice people!! What wards/areas did Chris and Jeff serve in?? My flight went great!! Definitely a way cool experience!! And yes, we got to go to the mission home and meet the mission pres.! He is awesome! My trainer is awesome! He kind of looks/reminds me of Bradon in a way... he's way nice and easy to get along with! We have a lot in common! Haha and yes, I got to teach a lesson in church yesterday... that is a wonderful way to start out my mission!!! haha but it went well!

 

Aww. ): Grace was a good car. Hopefully Norman (The white car) can be as good as Grace in the snow.... Grace was a beast in the snow!!!!

Do we know an Ed Teeples?? apparently he was a bishop here in Santa Maria for the 2nd ward... EVERYBODY asks me if I know him haha. but I think they all said he moved to Utah?? Maybe he is the one who lives in Orem!

Just a side note... I am currently 160 pounds, and NOT dropping... wonderful....

Anyways... That's good to hear everything is good at home!! hopefully dad gets feeling better soon... And I think I have acquired his motivation. It is SSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOO hard for me to get up at 6:30 and exercise for 30 minutes!! Elder Dopp (My companion) and I actually went high jumping this morning at the high school by our apartments! It was fun!

But I'm so glad Justin and Colleen got sealed!! that's awesome! and definitely send me pictures (: and yes, that would be nice!!!!!

Oh, and I don't know if you heard, but they announced 58 NEW MISSIONS!!! Awesome!!!!!!! and one of those missions is an area from MY mission that is being split off into it's own mission, which is the California Bakersfield mission. So it is possible that I might start off in the California Ventura mission, and come back from the California Bakersfield mission!! Cool Eh? (: I'll send what the mission pres. said about it.

"The First Presidency recently announced the creation of 58 new missions in order to accommodate the influx of new missionaries. One of the new missions to be created as a result of this historic announcement is the “California Bakersfield Mission.” This is exciting news and further confirmation that “the field is [indeed] white already to harvest” in this part of the world.

"This announcement means that the current boundaries of the Ventura Mission will be realigned to form the new Bakersfield Mission. As far as which missionaries will serve in the Bakersfield Mission and which missionaries will remain in the Ventura Mission, that determination will be made through revelatory direction from the Lord, whose work this is, during the June 17^th transfer. At that transfer, those missionaries serving in areas within the new boundaries of the Ventura Mission will remain assigned to the Ventura Mission, and those missionaries serving within the new Bakersfield Mission boundaries will be permanently assigned to the Bakersfield Mission under the jurisdiction of a new mission president on July 1, 2013."

Pretty cool huh!! Well update me on things!! I will talk to you next week!!

Love, Elder Teeples

Finishing the MTC

Hello! I wrote letters like all day today haha.  I'll be heading to California Monday morning!! I'm stoked! My flight goes to Denver for a lay over (don't ask me why) then we fly to Santa Barbara.

But that's awesome that He answered your prayers!! I can tell He answers mine all the time!! I love it (: He truly does care about us! 

Things are going good!! (: But yes, I'm leaving Monday! I'm ready to get out of this so-called "Prison" hahah. But thank you, I promise I will do my best!!! I will make you guys proud!! I only have 6 minutes left... shoot... but for now, just use the mission home one (: But awesome! Thank you!! and about the back pack, it's alright! just as soon as you can get it is fine!!!

So a funny thing happened to me this week... So I had to go to the bathroom and I walk in, and there is an Elder in there popping his zits. But he was talking.... So I just figured he was talking to himself. Well, I had to go #2, so I headed straight for the stall, and walked in only to run into another Elders knees who was poopin' WITH THE DOOR OPEN!!!! What the?!?!?! Who does that?!?!

Well anyways.... I was scarred for life. I had a list of things I needed to email you about.... but I don't have it with me right now haha. but I will get that soon and try to email you guys tonight.

Well, I hope everything is going good!! Tell everybody I love and miss them!!! Love you!

Love,

Elder Teeples

Okay.... Apparently there is no time limit on some of the computers, so I will continue to write what I need before dinner (: Haha.
So how is Grace doing? Is she dead?? Running?
And I think you will be pleased to hear that I can play multiple hymns BY EAR! Yes, both hands. It's actually quite fun (: 
Oh yeah, on Monday one of my companions blew chunks at breakfast... It was great! He got to sleep all day.... I was pretty jealous. You get so tired in the MTC!! 
Oh and thank you so much for the Valentines package!! I loved it! It really added to my candy stash quite well (: And thank you soooooooo much for the pictures too!!!! I love them all!!!
Would you mind sending me my sworts?? (My sweat pants that I cut off into shorts) And my "Senior" Sweats?? That would be helpful (: 
OH YEAH!!! So I met a sister this week.... guess what her name was? SISTER BATMAN!!!!!!!! How cool is that?!?!?

But anyways, let me know how everything is going!!! The Gospel is true and it has blessed my life so much! I love it!!! Love and miss you!!

Elder Teeples

Editor's note: (Jared called his car "Grace" and it died a few days before his leaving...we don't know why he calls it by that name :) but yes....the car is fine.)

Week 2 MTC

Hello Familia!

 

Haha surprisingly, I only had 4 emails!! haha but still, time is of the essence.. I can only write letters and email on P-day, which is saturday for my district.  

But thank you for the shoes!! and the mints!!! I LOVE gettting any letters or packages. It's like Christmas!!! Actually... Heather and Kolby sent me a package that got here yesterday and they bought me candy and wrapped them all like christmas presents!! (except they were wrapped with newspaper... haha) but it really felt like Christmas!! I loved it!!

 

And about that story I wrote to you guys about... I think it's called "The Room"?? It's a touching story about a boys interpretation about heaven. It made me cry when I first heard it!! and maybe you could read it to the kids if you find it. 

   

I'm way excited to hear that Justin and Colleen are getting sealed! I wish I could be there!!!!! so badd!!!!!!!! AAAAhhhhh and they're having a boy!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm stoked!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Oh and would it be okay if Heather and Kolby could come over on Mother's day so I could talk to them for just a minute?? I miss them!!

 

Well I only have 5 minutes left and I have a couple more emails to reply to.... but I love and miss you all!!!!!! The Gospel is so true and I have realized that so much more coming into the MTC!!! Strive to feel the spirit always!! It's a wonderful thing (: oh and Keith...and everybody else.... KNOW YOUR SCRIPTURE MASTERY!!! You will need it!!!!!!!!!

 

Love you (:

Elder Teeples

In the MTC

My first half of a week here at the MTC has been great!! Not near as bad as everybody talked it down... But I guess that's a good thing. I was expecting awfulness, and in reality, it's not awfulness... so it has seemed like a good experience!! Everybody has said that once the first Sunday comes and goes everything will fly by... So I guess we'll see how everything goes after tomorrow!!

So believe it or not.... I weighed myself last night and I weighed 155 pounds. I have never weiged more than 145 in my life!!! This food.... I eat to much of it. But it is sooooo good!! There are two or three options of what we can have for a meal, and I usually end up getting 2 full plates of food, dessert, a salad, and a few drinks... yeah not good. I guess I'll have to start exercising really soon!!!

My companion's name is Elder Jackman. He's awesome! We are alike in a lot of ways. He has been playing guitar for about 4 years now and we kind of have the same sense of humor. He came here to the MTC 8 months ago and came for a week, but went home to change some things in his life before coming back. So he knows where the buildings are and knows what's going on during the first week. It has been really helpful! He's gonna be serving in the Salt Lake City mission. My whole district is just awesome!! Elder Moser is from Payson, and dad had mentioned that he was going to my same mission. In my district, 6 of us are going to Ventura California!! Including me, 4 other Elders and a Sister. There were 6 companionships in my district, but one of my roommates, Elder Brown had to go home. We're really gonna miss him! He was really quiet but he brought a good spirit to us. So his companion is tagging along with us, so we are now a trio. But thinking about a trio just reminds me of Kolby and Heather.... if you happen to see them, tell them hi for me, that I love them and to write me!!

How is everything going?? Everybody doing good? How's the new house? I miss everybody!! Well let me know how everything is going. The Gospel is true!!! I love you all!!!

Love,

Elder Teeples