September 2, 3017 Mission LIfe

It doesn't seem real that we are going home soon!   It's exciting yet it seems sad in many ways.  Sad to leave all the wonderful friends we'll leave behind.  We're excited in so many ways......1.  We have been gone over 2 years.....2.  We get to see our grandbabies.  Several were born while we were gone, so we get to meet them!  3.  Elder Tefteller never got to retire.   We took off to visit kids his last day of work......then we headed to Washington D.C.  to begin our first mission.  Then we came straight to our Mission here in Independence.  We hope after awhile we can serve more missions!  That is our goal.   I wish I had the gift of speaking with tongues!!!   We meet so many people from all over the world, and can't communicate with them.  It would be fun!!!  Serving a mission has helped us to see everyone as Heavenly Father's children, and realize how much he loves all humans, regardless of their walk in life.  That has helped us to be less judgmental, more loving and accepting, and have more compassion for others!  We encourage all couples, who are able to serve a mission.     Give it prayerful consideration!   It's well worth all the sacrifices you have to make to serve

The Santa Fe Branch had a Fiesta Internationale last night and here are some pictures from that fun activity.   Everyone had to represent the country they are from.  Us, two sister missionaries and two Elder's represented the USA.  I baked chocolate chip cookies, we had apple pie and made hot dogs and chips.  I couldn't believe how popular our table was!!:):):)

IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENING!!!   ELDER TEFTELLER AND THE YOUNG missionaries sang some popular songs of the US.   Then we did the jitterbug.

Where Does the Time Go?

August 13, 2017

It seemed that Elder Tefteller and I were just talking about how we couldn't believe we had 12 weeks left on our mission.   Now we are down to 4 weeks?  Seriously?   How does time fly by so quickly?

Yesterday, Saturday, we went to Sedalia, Missouri for the State Fair.  We went with the Ross's and the Treasures.  This was our second year going!  We arrived at 11:30 a.m. and left at 4:30 p.m.  We came home last night totally wiped out!!  (You know you are getting old when you walk around, slowly, for 4 hours, and are utterly wiped out.    An hour we rode on the tram around the whole fair grounds.

 We kept hearing an engine revving up loud!!   So Elder Ross followed the sound, and we all followed, and this is what they found!!!!

 Sister Tefteller, Sister Ross, and Sister Treasure having fun at the fair.

 We sat in the sun watching these guys jump and do tricks on a trampoline, so I put the "Adult Bib" Elder Tefteller suggested I buy(for me) over my head to protect me from the sun.

 This looks like nothing, but these two were incredible!!!

 Flippenout!

 Then they used a snowboard to do some tricks...I felt like a mom watching her own kids, I was very nervous for them.   As you can see they had no room for mistakes.

 Waiting in the shade figuring out our next adventure.....

 Waiting for the tram to pick us up......it was too full, so we walked, and walked and walked....

 They had two transformers....

 entertaining people....

 A cow made out of butter....

 Elder Tefteller wanted me to get a picture of these mules.....but I was only able to get this...

 Everyone had a great time!!!

This is after walking 5 hours, and we're still smiling.....exhausted....but smiling!!

Aside from the fun things we've been able to do......our mission here in Missouri has been great! We have been able to do a variety of things as part of our mission.  We have met some amazing people here, and as our time is getting shorter, we are sad at the thoughts of leaving them.
We are attending the Santa Fe Branch and have been since they formed it in January.    At that time we were attending the Independence 3rd Ward.  We love that ward and made friends with a lot of wonderful people.   As we are now attending the Spanish Branch, we have grown to love the people!  As I was setting in Sacrament Meeting today looking around at all in attendance, I realized that inspite of the fact that they are from all over.......El Salvador.....Mexico.....Honduras.....Dominican Republic.....Argentina....Columbia....and many other countries!!  I have never felt more love than from these faithful Saints. Everyone of them came to the USA for a better life and freedom to live as they choose.   We've heard stories that are incredible.......from living conditions in their native countries, to conversion stories.    They are so proud to live here and be Americans.  Their homes are humble surroundings,but yet to them they live in a palace!!   Their love for their Heavenly Father, and Savior...and their testimonies of the Gospel, are like none we've ever known!!!  These people are TRULY converted!!!!   Through the years, I have heard many young missionaries talk about how their mission changed them.  I now know what they are talking about!     My life has changed from serving 2 missions in the past two years!!!   Even though 2 years is a long time to be away from home and our families......it has well been worth it.

Until next time:

Read your scriptures, and be happy!!!!

MIM July 21, 2017

Aside from getting married......Serving a mission has been the best decision that we have made in the past 25 years!!!!    Our 25th anniversary is August 18.    The years since we have been married have flown!    In some ways it doesn't seem like 25, but then it feels like we've been married forever, which is a good thing.  We left home on August 25, 2015, and have served two missions.   Even though it seems like we've been gone forever, the time has flown!   It's hard to believe that we only have 7 weeks left before we go home. We have had some wonderful experiences, and met many wonderful people, and we surely will miss everyone!!!
We just got back from our 3rd trip to Nauvoo.    Since it was just the two of us, we were able to attend the Temple. What an amazing experience.    The Nauvoo temple in my opinion is the most beautiful of all the Temples I have been in!   And the feeling inside is amazing.
Overall, there is such a wonderful feeling being in Nauvoo.  We stayed with our good friends from home, Blake and Jolene Duncan.  She was in Boise with her daughter who had a baby!!!It's amazing how you don't see friends for awhile, and then when you do, it seems like yesterday.  We love the Duncans.  They are amazing!
We continue to serve in various ways,   everyday is different.   One of the reasons I love our mission!!

Here are some things that have been going on.....

 These are the most wonderful people who we have become quite close to.  Mama and Papa Cato.  He past away at the age of 95!   We are definitely better for knowing them!!

 Sister Christensen's last game of scum before she went home.

 There's no place like....J's Burger Dive!!!   Come to Utah!!!

 When you're a Tefteller, you always run into someone you know!!!

 We ran into David and Rachel's home teaching family from Wadsworth, Ohio.

 In front of the Nauvoo Temple....

 Close up in front of the Nauvoo Temple.

 We drove to Ft. Madison, to go to dinner with Blake and we drove on a bridge that opens for cargo!

 Mansion on the Mississippi....

 Here comes the cargo.....

 Passing on to the other side....

 This is a very old bridge, but very sturdy!!

 It's hard to believe these small tug boats can push such heavy cargo...

 We didn't have to wait long...

 Looking back at Nauvoo from where the Saints landed when they crossed the Mississippi River.

 Glenn and Blake......at the site

 Here are a few memorials where the Saints landed when they left Nauvoo...

 A view of the Nauvoo temple ....

 The house we stayed in.....by far the cutest home in Nauvoo...

 Elder Tefteller standing by the corn....

 We couldn't believe how tall it was....

 I told him not to....but he picked an ear anyway!!

 Every childs Dream Tree....

 Nauvoo....the beautiful....

 A night view of the Nauvoo Temple.

 A view from the Temple overlooking the Mississippi....

 How I love these two.....Joseph and Hyrum......

 We got to experience something we have never done before......

 Watching cargo being pushed through a locke.....

 I got a picture of a train on the left and the tug boat pushing cargo though a locke....something most folks don't ever see....I thought about this great country we live in and how food is transported and moved all over our country.

 If you look close there are two workers on the front of each barge.

 The last to come through the Locke is the tug boat....you can see the water just a churning!

 The tug boat and cargo have passed through the locke...

 and are headed south......on the Mississippi...

 We had to stop in a small town because we saw a sign for Ben Franklin.   We didn't know they still existed!!!!!!

 It's fake.....but a beautiful sunflower!

We stopped for lunch in Chilicothe.....of course at their new location....J's Burger Dive....   This extreme Chocolate shake is to die for.  I drank it all.....but didn''t die!!!!!!  We hope they will re-locate to Utah someday!!   Really gonna miss this place!!!The best burgers in the whole USA!

Actually, we're going to miss Missouri for many reasons......but we'll cherish our time here!!!

Until next time, and I hope it won't be a month.......Be happy!!  And read your scriptures!!
Love!  The Teftellers