Thousand Oaks is great!

Hello! 

This week was really great. This was my first week in my new area in the Thousand Oaks area of the Westlake Village YSA ward. I've really enjoyed working with the ward members! They are so missionary minded, it's great! We had a lot of lessons this week with investigators that we had members with us. It really makes a difference in the work. (:

We taught our investigator Sheen Sheen (Ben). He is an investigator who truly has a pure heart and a desire to do what is right. I only got to teach him once this past week, but he is doing good. We taught him the first half of the Restoration, and he seemed to understand it really well. There is definitely a language barrier, as he is from China. He went to a sacrament meeting other than our own because he was busy for at the time of the YSA ward, but he said he liked it! We are excited to meet him this week. He is set for July 26th for baptism!

We also taught our investigator Erick. He is doing really well, and he recognizes the spirit whenever he is around us. He wasn't able to come to church yesterday due to a family emergency, but he is reading the Book of Mormon and we committed him to live the word of wisdom this past week, and he said he would. It's so awesome, because he is soooo willing to do what is right! He seems on track to make his date on July 19th to be baptized, we just need to teach him the lessons.

We found a new investigator named Emily this past week who wasn't there for our return appointment. Nevertheless, she was open to learning more so we will see if we can contact her this week. 

We also set our investigator Alonso with the date of August 9th. He is doing great. He has had a rough time the past little bit, because his friends are going down the immoral path, and he doesn't want to live that way. He wasn't able to come to church yesterday, but he really wants to read the Book of Mormon and learn more about it.

We also picked up another new investigator named Luke. He is the one you met at the baptism on Saturday. He came to sacrament meeting pretty late, but he is really sociable, so he mingles with the young single adults pretty well. We taught him the Restoration and he mentioned how he would like to be baptized some day. We are teaching him this week.

Elder Welker, my new companion is doing really well! I have already learned so much from him by just serving with him for a week. He is SUPER obedient and he has a firm and powerful diligence in his heart that doesn't stop for the adversary at all. He is a strong missionary. I'm excited to learn more from him this transfer and to help him bring our brothers and sisters into the Kingdom of God!

In my studies I have been studying the story of Ammon in the Book of Mormon, and how I can become more like an Ammon-like missionary. Ammon did really good at serving wtih all his heart, might, mind, and strength, and he obeyed every command from King Lamoni with exactness. His is definitely an example to follow. 

Sorry again that this is so short!  Thank you for all your love and support (: Have a great week! love and miss you so much! 

Elder Teeples