Saying Goodbye Is Never Fun....

especially if you lose a loved one to death or saying goodbye to your children, who are moving across the country.

Early Friday morning on June 17, we found out that Glenn's sister, Ruthann's husband Jerry, of 52 years died suddenly.  We headed to Texas that morning to be with her and her family. She asked Glenn to speak at Jerry's funeral.  He felt it a great honor to speak, but was quite nervous at the same time.  We arrived there just before 9 p.m. on Friday and headed straight to RuthAnn's house.  Even though we told her we were coming, I don't think she was expecting us so soon and was very surprised to see us.  It was a shock to everyone, especially to RuthAnn and her 8 children.

This picture was taken last year when we went to his oldest brother, Juniors, funeral.  Jerry is on the right, the only man sitting.  Theirs was a beautiful marriage.   Everyone knew it!!!   Jerry was so laid back, and the nicest guy you'll ever meet!

 RuthAnn and Margie, the picture on the left is Jerry when he was younger.  So much love this family has for each other.

 At RuthAnn's house visiting with Glenn and another brother, Charles.

 These three men had the privilege of dressing Jerry.  LuAnne's husband, Jon with Steve and Glenn.

 Glenn, RuthAnn and one of her daughters, Vicki.   RuthAnn was like this the 4 days we were there.

 Angie and Vicki at the viewing.

 Vicki taking pictures, but I was focusing on the picture of Jerry and RuthAnn.

 Angie, RuthAnn and Vicki.

 RuthAnn, Margie and Sid.   The Only son of 8 kids.

 There is a story to tell here....This is Mylah and Cameron.  Two of Jerry and RuthAnn's grandchildren.  These two spent a lot of time at their home growing up, as their mom's worked.   I learned that these two were always taking road trips with their Granny and Papaw.  They had a close connection to them.

 Glenn and his 4 brothers...Steve, Charles, Glenn, Larry and Ricky.

 The Teftellers. Charles, Larry, Charles,Ricky, and Glenn.   RuthAnn and Patricia.  (Paula Kay had
surgery scheduled, so she went to have that done.)

 The spouses:  Ressa and Steve.  BAck:  Charles, Glenn, Ricky and Larry.  Front row:
Barbara, RuthAnn, Shirl, Patricia and David, Renee.

Rachel and Charles finally left New York, and headed West to live in our home in Highland, Utah for a year, maybe longer!!!:):)  They stopped for two days to visit us here in Independence.   We sure enjoyed our visit with them!!!

 Daddy giving Parker a sea horse swim!!

 Mommy and Lucy dancing!!

 Everyone chillin' after a long, long ride from NYC!!

 Hannah, Parker, and Lucy at Liberty Jail...

The Hunter Family at Liberty Jail!

The Mission Life!! Sacrifice?

We have had discussions lately as to whether it is a sacrifice for Seniors to serve missions.  We have thought about it a lot...and this is what we have decided:   Below are pictures of all the sacrifices we have made to serve a missions.  The people that are most precious to us are our children and grandchildren. Thinking we could be traveling and visiting each of our families and making lifetime memories....is something that we miss.   Seeing our grandchildren grow up right before our eyes, and see the cute things they do and the accomplishments they are making, yes, is a sacrifice.   But it is because of our love for our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, and our greatest desire to return to live with them with our children and grandchildren...is why we have made the sacrifice to serve a mission.    As Senior Missionaries, we have been promised by the Brethren that our families will be more blessed by our serving a mission, than if we were to stay home.   What a great promise!!

We pray that our serving a mission will be a message to our grandchildren and posterity as to how important the Gospel is in each of our lives!

  So enjoy the pictures below of what we have sacrificed to be where we are:

The Alpha and Omega Mission

Missouri Independence Mission

2016-2017

Our Visit with the Bountiful Cengiz!

It's been two weeks since my last post.   Andrew and Gina, and Belle and Eliza(LuLu) came to visit us.   So we have spent the last week on a Church History Tour.   We were pleasantly surprised when they told us they were coming.   Such a long, long way to drive, and they drove through the night.  Andrew just text us a picture of them safe in their home.  I am so grateful they made it safe!!!   We hope this is just the beginning of visits from our other kids and their families, and of course any of our other family members and friends.  You made need to call reservations, and book your stay at the Tefteller Independence Bed and Breakfast, cause dates are filling up fast!
We took Andrew and Gina to the Church History Sights that are here in Missouri.  We started with downtown Independence on the square.   Then we went up to Liberty to the Jail.  Sunday we took them to Richmond, Adam Ondi-Ahman and Far West. We attended a Branch in Excelsior, Missouri.   There was a great spirit in that branch.  We were so glad we attended.
Monday, we headed to Nauvoo, Illinois.   We had never been there, neither had Andrew and Gina.  What an amazing time we had. While we were there Aaron text me and asked me how I like it.   I told him words could not express how I was feeling.  Today I sent him a short message on how I felt about our time in Nauvoo.
"It felt like what Heaven must be.   I felt totally disconnected from the world.  A total peace and happiness.   Kind of how I feel when I'm in the Temple.  Our first night there we watched a live performance with (Service Missionaries)  Young people ages 18-25.  Performers.   They had a band and dancers/actors/singers.   It was fun.   But even during their performance, I still felt a strong feeling of pure happiness.We were surrounded by people who love the Gospel and wanted to be there.  To walk where those faithful Saints worked and lived and suffered...to be where the Prophet Joseph and other great Church leaders were....to be in the room Joseph and Hyrum were martyred!!!!  Words just cannot describe my feelings.
Something that has caught my attention since being here is how far out of the way the Saints lived from everyone else, yet it didn't stop the mobs from traveling great distances to reach them and to persecute them and harass them.  But that didn't stop the Saints.   I have asked myself...why.   Since being here, I now realize why!  The Lord's true Church had once again been restored to the earth with a living Prophet, even Joseph Smith...who was chosen before the world was to be the Prophet of the restoration.   He was given all the Priesthood Keys to do what the Lord had sent him here to do.   To restore His Gospel.   Satan knew that, and he would stop at nothing to destroy the Church, before it could even start, so he put his evil influence into the hearts of these mobs.  And hateful they were.  And it happened in this land we call America.    Where we have the Constitution for the benefit of all those who lived here, and would live here.  How can another human being hate another so much, to constantly drive them out of their homes and cities?   On the other hand, how could a people who were being constantly persecuted and driven from their homes under the harshest of conditions, continue to be faithful to their God and to the Church, and not just walk away and say to heck with it?  This solidifies my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel, and of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.  Going to Nauvoo helped me become converted all over again.   I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the earth today.  It is the sure foundation on which, if we live the Gospel, and  keep our eye single to our Heavenly Father and follow his chosen Prophet,,,which today is Thomas S. Monson, we will not be deceived by the world, and will someday return to live with our Heavenly Father again.  I testify that Joseph Smith DID see the Father and the Son in that grove of trees.   That he translated the Book of Mormon which is another testament of Jesus Christ.  Considering the short life he lived, the Prophet Joseph Smith completed his mission here on earth, and sealed his testimony with his blood.  Of this I also testify!  How grateful I am for the Sealing Power of the covenants we make in the Temple.   I am grateful to be sealed to Glenn, knowing  that our children will be sealed to us, if we endure to the end!!!    And for those of our Senior friends.....I encourage all of you to prayerfully consider serving a mission!!    The Lord needs us to serve!!!!  And we have already seen the blessings poured out to us and our families.   Besides, we love it!   And you will too!!!  Until next time:  read your scriptures!!!!

 Belle sitting at the feet of the Christus in the VC at Nauvoo.

 I even had ancestors who lived in Nauvoo!!

 The three sweetest girls I know!

 Eliza warmed up to Grama and Grampa....

 Liberty Jail...

 When Eliza saw this bust of the Savior she became very excited and wanted to get close.

 Daddy and Belle after seeing the 8 Witness Monument....

 Pioneer Gina sang as she walked and walked and walked!!

 Entering Carthage Jail.....

 The family at Carthage Jail....

 Posing with Joseph Smith and Hyrum....

 A downstairs room in the Carthage Jail.

 Elder and Sister Tefteller standing in front of the window the Prophet Joseph fell from.....

 Have a deep conversation under the window where the Prophet Joseph fell out of the top window.

 One of the Community of Christ'sChurch historic sight.

Eliza would love to live here!  So would Grama!