Merry Christmas from Saladillo Argentina

Elder Eppich's Christmas tree. He loves Christmas and Chrismtas lights. This is so typical Kraymer to do something like this!!

December 17, 2012

Familia, 

Comò estamos? I hope all is going well for all of you and that you are all excited for Christmas and the opportunity to do Skype, with me. HAHAHA I am super excited, it will be good to hear your voices and what not! I can’t believe it has been since June when I talked to you all last. It doesn’t seem like that long ago! But it will be a good experience for sure! Who will be on with us?

  Well it sounds like all the family is home! That’s got to be nice for all of ya! I bet your having quite a bit of fun!!

 Well we had a pretty good week! We had a baptism planned for Saturday with a girl from Paraguay named leide (lady) but she had to leave to Paraguay before we had the chance, so we will have to wait till she gets back in a month or two. Oh well, it happened for a reason. This week we should have a baptism for Ramón. He is 65, and a great guy. I call him mi abuelo de Argentina! He is super old and funny. Haha. Then the following weekend we are hoping for 3 more baptisms with a possibility of 4! We are working super hard to be able to help these people get ready for baptism!!   I    I am super excited to be a missionary in these ultimate days. To be able to help so many people change their lives and accept the atonement of Christ in their lives. It is a great blessing to be a representative of Christ during these holidays!   I would really encourage all of you to really focus on the atonement of charts and all he has done for us. Because of him I know I will be able to live with all of you forever!! 

   Well I have been studying the conference talks, and I absolutely love all of them!! I hope you all get the chance to study them. I love the one by elder Neil. L Andersen. Read it! HAHA and by elder Holland, and Nielsen. All of them are incredible. We are so blessed to have a living prophet to lead us and guide us!! 

 Everything is going well here in Saladillo. We are working super hard! I am excited to see all you for Skype on Christmas. Have a good Christmas!! Remember the meaning of Christmas and go help someone else have a wonderful Christmas as well. Love you all so much!

Love, Elder Eppich                    

Here is his address for letters that require an international stamp:

Elder Kraymer Eppich
La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias
C.C. No. 92
1702 Ciudadela
Buenos Aires, Argentina
FREE online address:
http://www.dearelder.com/ is free and fast. Select the tab "write a letter" He is in the Argentina Buenos Aires West mission. Text me at 509-318-0796 for questions.

"I Love Being a Missionary"

at a park on P-day playing soccer with kids and evidently testing the weight limit of a teter totter. ha



soccer ball he bought for himself for Christmas



December 10, 2012

Familia,

Sorry this letter is going to be super short. I don’t have much time and I am really rushed. So sorry if nothing makes sense. This week was a good week; super, tough and we had a ton of challenges. However, I know this week is going to be an awesome week and we are going to see a ton of miracles. We are planning on having a baptism with a girl from Paraguay named lady. She is 16 years old and her family is members but inactive. We are hoping this can help get them all back, because there is like 15 of them Haha!! Then Pablo is still doing awesome!! He should be baptized next week with another investigator named Ramón. He is the husband of a member and like 65 years old. He really, really likes us. He would have been baptized a while ago, just he is really hard to teach, because he doesn’t remember much and can’t read or write, but he wants to be baptized so we are going to help him with that!! So we just found out today that we get to go to the temple on the 24th and do a session as a mission. We are so excited! I have known for about 2 weeks or more because Elder Krausse and Elder Castillo told me. Haha Elder Castillo already finished the mission and Elder Krausse goes home next Monday! I can’t believe how fast time is flying by!! This week I have been studying the talks from conference in the Ensign that you sent me! Everyone is incredible and super spiritual! I'd encourage all to read them!! They will definitely bring the spirit!! I love being a missionary and being able to be an instrument in the Lords hands as he brings to pass miracles. Always be ready to listen to the spirit and follow its guidance!! Good luck all the college kids that are taking finals. Good luck with work, school, sports, and jr miss, and preparing for Christmas. I got the Christmas picture. Loved it!!! What a crazy year!!! Love you all so much! Good luck with everything. I hope I will be able to skype, if not we can talk on the phone! Nos vemos y les Quiero mucho!!! Con Amor, Elder Eppich

Here is his address for letters that requires an international stamp:

Elder Kraymer Eppich
La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias
C.C. No. 92
1702 Ciudadela
Buenos Aires, Argentina

FREE online address:
http://www.dearelder.com/ is free and fast. Select the tab "write a letter" He is in the Argentina Buenos Aires West mission. Text me at 509-318-0796 for questions

"We are really seeing the blessings of the Lord in Saladillo"

December 3, 2012

Familia,

Wow what an awesome week we had here in Saladillo!!! We had the Zone leaders here for a couple of days and we had a great time and learned a lot and witnessed a ton of miracles!!!! Felt the spirit a ton and saw the hand of the Lord in this work!!! It was incredible.  

  The story I want to tell you about is about a man named PABLO. He is from the capital, the big dangerous city part. He lived there and was on drugs, smoked, was in gangs, everything you can imagine, he was a gangster. He got shot by a shotgun and it’s a miracle that he is alive. Well he decided he needed to get away from all of that. He moved out to Saladillo about the same time that we got here in Saladillo. He actually was our first investigator. He had a little interest and always let us talk with him but he never read really or went to church.  

  But this last week we heard from his uncle that he was having problems from the surgery he had to have from being shot, and he was in the hospital. We decided we should go and visit him. We went and visited him and he loved it!!! He was so grateful for that and kept thanking us and thanking us. It was really incredible. We left him with another book of Mormon and a pamphlet about the plan de salvation and the restoration. We left him with a prayer that he offered and told him we would pass by soon.

  Two days latter Elder Young from Utah and I passed by his house. He came out with a huge smile on his face and said come in. So we went in and started talking. Before we could even ask he said hey I read what you left for me. He had read both pamphlets and a few chapters in the Book of Mormon. He said he loved it and couldn’t put it down. He then went on to tell us what he read and basically taught us the Restoration and Plan of Salvation. About the Priesthood and Joseph Smith. We then testified to him and the spirit was so strong he started to cry and said "I know this is true". It was definitely the most spiritual lesson I have ever been a part of. I was so happy to be able to be a part of that. Well he came to church yesterday and bore his testimony! He loved church and said he will never miss another day of church in his life. He will be baptized in 2 weeks. We also have the parents of Victoria and Gonzalo that will be baptized in December. Then the husband of a member, and a sister of a member. We are hoping to be able to get 8 to 10 baptisms in December if not more. Gonzalo got the Priesthood yesterday. They are getting on fire with the missionary work thing. They gave us 35 references and are going to visit them with us!! We are hoping we have a lot of success with this and I am sure that we will!!!!

  We are really seeing the blessings of the Lord in Saladillo. We are being obedient and working hard and he is really helping. It is incredible following the spirit and seeing miracles happen before your eyes. I felt the spirit so strong this week it was incredible. Yesterday in church we had 29 people. 22 people more then when we got here.  The zone leaders were there and we did an acapella thing and sung Divina Luz. I can’t remember the name in English. haha. Anyways it was incredible. We must have had angels singing with us because it sounded awesome... I love all of you and all you do for me. Keep praying for us and our investigators and we will be able to help many people. Thanks for everything. Love you all!!  P.S. Merry Christmas to all the other missionaries that read this. Elder Riggs, Hawkins, Andersen, Gray, and Benson. Love ya guys!!!  

Love, Elder Eppich

***Thanks to those that write Elder Eppich. He really appreciates the letters. Here is his address for letters that requires an international stamp:

Elder Kraymer Eppich
La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias
C.C. No. 92
1702 Ciudadela
Buenos Aires, Argentina

FREE online address:
http://www.dearelder.com/ is free and fast. Select the tab "write a letter" He is in the Argentina Buenos Aires West mission. Text me at 509-318-0796 for questions

Staying in Saladillo

November 26, 2012

Familia, 

¿Comó estamos? Todo bien? Espero que sí! Everything is going reallywell in Saladillo! Elder Crowther and I are staying together!! The first time in my mission that I have had a companion for more than 1 transfer. I am really looking forward to that. We are going to get really good at teaching together and understanding the way the other thinks and teaches. We are going to be able to see many miracles by the hands of the LORD! This week was a pretty good week! We set a few baptismal dates with a couple of good people. We are just hoping we can get them to go to church. This week we had district conference in Bragado, Where Elder Hougaard is, it was a good meeting and there was a lot of people. Hopefully one day this district can become a stake! Well we are having the zone leaders with us for a week to teach us and see how were doing, we are really excited. I don’t have any more time so I will talk to you all next week!! The church is true and I am glad Kade enjoyed going through the temple and you all enjoyed Thanksgiving!!!

 Love, Elder Eppich

***Thanks to those that write him. he really appreciates the letters. Here is his address for letters that requires an international stamp:

Elder Kraymer Eppich
La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias
C.C. No. 92
1702 Ciudadela
Buenos Aires, Argentina

FREE online address:
http://www.dearelder.com/ is free and fast. Select the tab "write a letter" He is in the Argentina Buenos Aires West mission. Text me at 509-318-0796 for questions

I am on Top of the World!

November 19, 2012

Familia,

Wow i am glad this past week came to an end and that everything turned
out so well. It was a pretty stressful week and one of the hardest
weeks of my mission! It was a different hard. It has been so hard to
get Milton, Victoria, and Gonzalo ready for baptism. Some obstacle
always comes up. Satan was trying so hard to get them not to be
baptized. For the past transfer there were always problems. Just when i
thought that we had climbed the last mountain, we ran into something
bigger!! It has been like that this whole transfer. But right when i
thought we wouldn’t be able to get over it, we saw miracle after
miracle. I had never felt so close and sad for my investigators as I
did this week and transfer, and i have never felt as happy for
investigators as they were all baptized on my birthday!!  I really
know that the lord has something really special planed for them
because Satan worked so hard to stop them from being baptized! For
that I am really excited to see what they are going to be doing in the
near future. We are going to work really hard with them to get them
going on missionary work and then getting them ready for the temple. In
a year they will be going to the temple. Probably that last part of my
misison! So crazy!! I am so excited for them!
    So on Monday after we went to do email and stuff in 25 de mayo, we
went and ate Peludo, it is like armadillo. Haha it tastes like pork but
not as much flavor. I sent a picture, hope you can see it. When we got
back we had some problems here, but when and took care of them right
away and that is when Victoria and Gonzalo told us they wanted to be
baptized on Friday on my birthday so we said of course! Then we talked
with Milton and he was really hesitant because his grandma absolutely
hates the church but his mom is a member and wanted him to be baptized.
So Victoria came with us and we talked to him and took care of his
problems and he decided to be baptized on Friday as well with Victoria
and Gonzalo. It was really cool to see Victoria bear testimony to him.
She will help us a lot with missionary work. And they have a car so
that is nice. haha
    Then the next day Elder Krausse came to do the baptism interviews
and they all passed with flying colors. haha then the rest of the time
before the baptism we just got everything ready made sure all the
details were good and they felt ready. We found a couple good families
this week that we think have a lot of potential so we will see what we
can do with them this week. We have transfers this week and we are not sure
what will happen, I guess we will see.
  All in all this week was awesome. I really learned a lot and was
definitely guided by the spirit more than ever before and that is
always the best feeling in the world. Then having 3 people baptized on
my birthday was incredible. I am on top of the world! I can’t believe
that it’s almost Christmas! Hope you all have a great thanksgiving!! I
think that it is this week. Love you thanks for everything and good
luck with everything!

Love, Elder Eppich



Peludo



 

Happy Birthday Elder Eppich!

A lovely member of Kraymer's area made him a birthday cake and posted pictures on facebook so that we could see him on his birthday! What a wonderful and thoughtful woman! She also posted a picture of him and a boy he had baptized on his birthday! I think this will be a birthday he will always remember!

Happy Birthday Elder Eppich "I'll have 20 years"

November 12, 2012

Familia,

FAHH what a crazy week!!! Congratulations Karigan and Volleyball!!!
Congratulations Kade with your mission call!!! Africa! Haha awesome.
Everyone here was hoping that you would come here, but that’s ok,
Africa is awesome!  We had a really good crazy week. haha. We had to
travel to capital because my comp had to do visa stuff. But I just
stayed in the offices and did some work there with some of the
missionaries, it was pretty fun. well we got there and then we got a
message from our investigators and members saying that they had gotten
in a fight and that they were going to stop stuff with the church and
stuff. We were super sad because we are doing all we can for them and
they have such strong testimonies, and know how important baptism is.
So we get back and talked with them and helped them fix the problems
that they were having and hopefully all is good now. We are just hoping
that they can be baptized this weekend, and we would have 3 people
this weekend that should be baptized. Victoria, Gonzalo, and Milton. We
are praying for a miracle that all will turn out for them. So keep on
praying that we can baptize them 3 this week.
  It is crazy next week we have transfers already. Elder Krausse
thinks that Elder Crowther is leaving. I’m not sure, I don’t think so
but Elder Krausse always is right when it comes to stuff like this.
haha so I guess we will see.
   This week we found a few really good people and are really hoping
that things work out good for them as well. Yesterday we had 25 people
at church. A new Record for Saladillo. That was really exciting, we're
pretty close to becoming a branch.
  This week my testimony was strengthened even more about prayer and
scripture study. Whenever I need to find an answer or anything like
that I always pray and start to read and the answer always comes. It
is such a blessing!
  This week we have been teaching a lot of people about families and
the importance of the family and how the family can stay strong in
these difficult times and made me realize how lucky I am to have a
strong family that is super close. I love being able to testify to
people that the gospel blesses families.
  Bummer that Mitt Romney lost, everyone here informed us that Obama
won, it is pretty funny how they are all really into all the stuff
that happens in the states.
  Everything is going really well, thanks for all of the birthday
wishes and cards and packages! Can’t believe I’ll have 20 years here in
a little bit. That is crazy!!! Thanks for everything. Love you all.
Love, Elder Eppich

"I know the Lord always blesses those that are following His commandments"

"the field is white and ready to harvest"

November 5, 2012

Familia,

Wow what a crazy weird week, lots of ups and downs and lots of great
experiences!  We had the mission tour with Elder Zabollas and his
wife, and then With President and Sister Carter. It was really good! I
really learned a lot and I am excited to apply what I learned. They
talked a lot about focusing on teaching families and men, as they
generally bring members who stick around and stay active. They also
talked about never judging people and thinking they will never be
baptized. We always need to imagine people in white, and imagine them
with the potential they have which is a son or daughter of God. It was
really good! They also focused on working with the members to do the
missionary work, because it is so much more effective. I don’t know if
I told you or not, but I don’t knock on doors down here, or clap at the
front of houses, I only work with members and ask for references and
then visit them. Between that and talking with people in the street, I
don’t have time to knock or clap doors. Haha that’s the way to do
missionary work, because it is a lot easier to find people that have a
lot of interest.
   The only bad part about the meeting is that we had to leave
Wednesday to travel to get there, and then Thursday we had the meeting
then on Friday we got back to our area, so we lost about 2 days of
work, and without any sleep, Haha. It was definitely worth it though.
We really are working really hard here and have a ton of good
investigators and should be able to have 4 to 6 baptisms this month of
November.  This Saturday we should have a baptism with a guy named
Gonzalo. He is 28 and looks like cousin Michael Anderson, just a lot
shorter. Haha. He is married and his wife Victoria was going to be
baptized but we have to wait 2 weeks with out here smoking, so she
is going to be baptized on my birthday instead!!! And her husband
Gonzalo is going to do it! We also have a few other people that should
be baptized in the following weeks. The parents of Victoria and
gonzalo, a boy named Milton, a son of the family that feeds us and
does our laundry, his name is Ezekiel. He is a really good kid. We
have been working super hard and it is going to be super nice to be
able to see results from all our hard work!!
  The piano,..... Haha I am getting better. I don’t have time to
practice so I am doing all of it on the fly. Haha luckily I can laugh
off any bad note. My left hand is starting to be trained to be able to
play as well.
 Tomorrow we have to go to Buenos Aires Capital to do some visa stuff
for Elder Crowther. Everything is going really well here. I am loving
it, and I know the Lord always blesses those that are following his
commandments. This week I had a really cool experience. We had an
investigator that was having desires to commit suicide. So we knelt
down to pray and I knew we needed to read Alma 34 with her. So we did
the next day and it helped her so much. I know the lord always guides
us. He is waiting on our every action just waiting to hear from us!
Id encourages all of you to read Alma 34 especially the last half. I
love the last verse!! Love you all. So excited to hear how volleyball
does, where Kade gets called, and who wins election tomorrow. Hasta la semana
que viene! les Amo, Elder Eppich

It appears this is why he has lost 30#...lots of walking. I emailed this photo to Mr. MAC in orem where we purchased all his clothing and shoes. They have sent a new pair to us free of charge.



He looks a little sad...then I realized it's because they aren't double stuffed oreos :)





"We are working really hard and seeing the Lord blessing us"

October 29, 2012



Now I know why he as worn out a pair of shoes already and lost 30#



Family,

Well I have about 5 minutes to write, so sorry lol. I am doing super
good!! The Work is picking up here in Saladillo! We are working really
hard and seeing the lord blessing us. The members are super excited
which is really nice! We had a record yesterday of 24 people in
church. With 7 non members!! It was incredible, I feel so blessed. We
should be having quite a few baptisms in November hopefully a couple
families!!  I am absolutely loving it here in Saladillo. It reminds me
of home, a lot. Hope you like the pictures I am setting. I am so
excited for all of you and everything that is going on there.
Especially with all the missionaries leaving. It is an incredible
feeling to be able to be a part of this!! I can’t wait till Kade gets
his call!!  Remember now more than ever with all the missionaries
leaving, that you will be going exactly where the lord wants you to
go!!!  Keep on reading the scriptures and conference talks, and
praying! I love you all and will write more next week! Love ya, Elder
Eppich





Elder Eppich and friend. Elder Eppich either has grown or he tie has shrunk. ha



Beautiful countryside of Saladillo "the campo" Kraymer said there is a Pioneer Seed nearby too.



"Can You Believe I'm the Pianist Here?"

October 22, 2012

Family,

Wow what a crazy week that we had!  We had a lot of good experiences
and one sad one. For the sad one first to get it out of the way. We
were teaching a lesson and a neighbor came running over and was really
panicky and said ´ayudame, ayudame, alguien està moriendo en cama´ Or
help, help, someone is dying in the bed. So we ran over there to help
and there was a guy that was convulsing and stuff. So we called the
ambulance then I had to carry him out to the ambulance. Come to find
out he had a stroke and then a couple days later he died. Poor guy,
but luckily we have the plan of salvation; we are going to share it
with the family of this man.   Now for the good things of this week!
So we have this couple that we are teaching, and they wanted to be
baptized, but I kinda of thought that they wanted to baptized because
of the missionaries, so we taught them about the Book of Mormon and
praying, and the importance of having an answer of this church. So at
the end of the lesson they realized that they weren’t ready to be
baptized because they didn’t have an answer yet, and that it is
something really important, baptism.  Then the next day I lost the
cell phone.... OOPs, But we found this couple who we have been
teaching (who I was just talking about, oh their names are Victoria and
Gonzalo) they offered to follow us in the car so we could have lights
to be able to try and see the phone in the street. They kept saying,
you’re not going to be able to find it, someone already stole it, and
things like that. But we just kept looking, and then we found it!!
Then Victoria said Elder I have to tell you something. So I said, ok
what? She said well we decided to say a prayer to be able to find your
phone, and I said ´Heavenly father, if this is the true church, help
these missionaries find their phone.´ and when we found it, she said
she felt the spirit so strong and knows it’s the answer she and her
husband have been looking for! So she was really excited and they are
going to be baptized on the 11 of November!!!!
  Oh to answer some of your questions. Saladillo is a lot like 25 de
mayo, just a lot bigger, with more trees, so I like that part a lot.
We have a house where we live, and then there is a house where we have
church every Sunday, we meet from 10-12 because there aren’t enough
people yet, so I only have 2 hrs of church on Sunday. Lol kind of funny.
We have quite a few investigators and a few baptismal dates! We are
still really focusing in helping the members. This last Sunday we had
17. With 7 people that were inactive before. We were missing about 8
people that left for mother´s day in Argentina, it was yesterday. So if
all would have come we would have had 25! This next Sunday we are shooting
for 30! The president of the district and a counselor of the mission
are coming to do some callings. The branch president in 25 says he
thinks they will call me as group leader or something. I guess we
will see. Whatever the lord has in plan. Love you all. Good Luck
Austin Fox!!!! Can’t wait to hear where Kade and Matt Hadley are going. Love,
Elder Eppich

Haha before I forget to tell you all, this Sunday our group leader
wasn’t here so I was in charge of the group. I presided, directed,
played the piano!  Gave a class, and then when the speakers
didn’t take up all the time I gave a 20 minute talk. Haha.. Can you
believe I am the pianist here? HAHAHA I only use my right hand and
every now and then my left.

"The Next Day we went to Work!"

October 15, 2012

Family,

Wow what a crazy week!!! So on Monday night  the zone leaders called
and told me that I was leaving and that I would be leaving with
luggage, which meant that I probably wouldn’t be staying in Campo. I
was super disappointed because I love Campo, but I decided  the
Lord obviously has a plan so I can’t worry about it too much. So
the next day I said goodbye to my investigators and it is crazy how
close we can become in just one transfer. They started to cry and
everything! It is cool though that I was able to help them!  Then
Tuesday night we left for the offices in Capital. So we get there
after a few hours and then go to the offices to wait for the meeting
to start. I got to talk to Elder Streadbeck and Elder Cochenour a lot
so that was really nice!  Then all of the secretaries and office
missionaries kept coming up to me and asking me´¨where do you think
your going Elder Eppich?¨ and things like that, so I started to think
something fishy was about to go down. Then the meeting started. They
got to Chivilcoy ( Our zone ) and they showed that I was leaving and
then the next slide was Salladillo (it said that Family de la Cruz
was there, but that’s not true, they were in 25 de mayo with us) then
it says whitewash with Elder Eppich and Elder Crowther!! I went crazy
and so did the whole mission that was there, especially my zone
because they all knew I wanted to stay here.  So a little about the
History of Saladillo.  About a year ago they took the missionaries out
because there were problems with the members. Oh and it is only a
group, that means that we aren’t a branch or a ward, but that we are a
part of a branch that is somewhere else.  So when we saw that we are
putting missionaries again everyone was super excited. Then after Presidente
Carter talked to me and said “let’s see what you can do Elder Eppich!
You got a tough job but if you can work hard you’re going to have a lot
of success”, and then told me that I was the right missionary for the
Job so that was pretty cool as well.  My comp is Elder Wade Crowther
from Park City, his birthday is tomorrow so were going to make
breakfast from the states today for lunch. Lol  so then on Thursday
the office missionaries brought us out here to show us our pension and
where the house is we have church. Then they showed us a family that
feeds the missionaries every day and gives a lot of references. Then
they left us with a map. Haha. We were a little overwhelmed at first.
Haha so we unpacked and cleaned the Mansion we live in! It is huge!
There is 3 rooms, a bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen a
place where we can wash our laundry, a garage and a back yard! We just
have to clean it up really good!!  Then we went and met our group
leader. Then the next day we went to work!! We worked a ton! We met a
lot of members and they took us around to some old investigators and
some references. We set 5 baptismal dates in 2 and half days! Found
11 people to teach! So we aren’t as overwhelmed anymore! We are doing
really really well!!  This group has been having about 8 or 9 people
coming for the past few months. And on Sunday we had 18! Before we
leave were going to have a branch! Hopefully!!!  I really like my comp
a lot! He has about 8 months in the mission. But just got here last
transfer, he waited for his visa in Alabama. He likes to work really
hard and is super obedient as well, and super funny. We get along
really well, especially because he trusts me enough to cut his hair.
Haha it looks pretty good!
  So everything is going really well for us here! I am loving it so
much, and love being able to be guided by the spirit!! Good luck with
everything, with work, school, sports, and mission papers Kade! I Can’t wait
to hear where you’re going! Love you all, talk to you in a week!! Love
Elder Kraymer Todd Eppich

Elder Streadbeck, Cochanour and Eppich,
companion and friend from MTC and apparently mothers with same taste in ties :)

PS Elder Eppichs birthday is fast approaching. I'm sure he would love some letters. Please text or call me at 509-318-0796 if you have questions.

"How Blessed We Are To Have A Modern Day Moses"

Elder Eppich waiting for conference to start

October 9, 2012

Family,

Wow what a crazy week!!!! I can’t even remember what happened because
everything passed by so fast. It was a blur! I don’t remember what day
it was but I got sick. Fever, sore throat, achy, cold stuff.. I think
it was Monday or Tuesday when it started, but on Wednesday we stayed
in the pension until about 4 or so because I was trying to get
feeling better. Haha but I hate being stuck in the pension and can’t
stand thinking I am wasting time, so I said ¨forget it lets go¨¨ Haha
and we left and started teaching, I was pretty drugged up, lol We had
a pretty good week! We found a family from Domican Republic. They seem
really good! Then we had a couple awesome lessons with people named
Rosa and Lucia. We showed them chapter 16 of Testaments ( WATCH IT )
It was so powerful and we committed them to baptism! They accepted! We
also showed the same to Guillermo, I think I have told you about him
before. He is awesome and came to the priesthood session! He has a
baptismal date as well.   Well anyway it’s crazy to think how many
people do not know that Jesus Christ Came to the Americas, and that is
what the testaments shows. It really helps us see the importance of
the Book of Mormon and that Jesus loves all his children! I’d really
suggest all people to watch this and pay attention to your feelings!
  On Friday we woke up and it was super humid and I said There is
going to be a storm and Elder Krausse said it might rain a little but
nothing more. I knew better and decided to wear my boots for the day.
We went into an appointment and then it hit!!!  Rain like crazy with
wind and then the lightning started. I have never seen lightning like
this. Every second there was like 4 of them! Only a couple go to the
ground the rest go from cloud to cloud, horizon to horizon, it was
intense. Then they cut the power to everyone in the city so that the
storm didnt ruin everything. Then we left the house to go to a
different appointment. In places the water was up to my calves!! Thank
goodness I had those good boots! HAHA My comp didn’t think it was so
funny.
  Now conference, I loved it!!! I watched it in Spanish, no other
choice! I knew I was going to have to watch it in Spanish and felt ok
about it, but was nervous that I would be able to understand enough.
So the whole week I was praying and then we did a fast as a zone for
something else and I decided to include in it, that I would be able to
understand all of conference. I am very thankful that Heavenly Father
answered my prayers and fast, and I was able to understand! It was a
great experience!  I don’t know why but this week I had been thinking
a lot about Kade and when he leaves on his mission and what not so when
President Monson announced that I felt like I already knew and the spirit
was so strong! I really think Kade will come here!! HAHA or hopefully.
I can’t even begin to start what talk I liked the most! Everyone was
so powerful!!!  I payed so close attention so that I could understand,
and the spirit was so strong!! I hope all had the chance to watch!! I
really like Elder Perry, sister dibbs, Elder Christofferson, All of the
first Presidency’s, Bednar, Nelson, Holland, Hales, Packer, Scott,
Ballard, Anderson, Cook, and Oaks, haha every talk I loved!! Make sure
you all go back and study them like prophet Monson asked us too!! Love
you all so much!! Have to go!! Next week I could be in a different
area! Vamos a ver!! Tell grandpa and grandma I love them!!!

 Love, Elder Eppich

HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE A MODERN DAY MOSES

Elder Eppich at the Cultural Celebration of the rededication of the Buenos Aires Temple. All missionaries marched into the stadium singing "Called to Serve" in Spanish.  I love this picture!

"I can see the Lord molding me into the person he wants me to be"

Elder Krausse, Griggs, and George

Branch President and his wife, Elder Krausse and Eppich
pday cooking Asado

October 1, 2012

Familia,

We had an awesome week this week! I saw a lot of changes in me!! I can
feel the Lord molding me into the person that he wants me to become!!!
I was reading in Ether 12 this week where it talks about weak things
become strong, and I have really been working on this as a missionary.
One for Teaching by the spirit and I have been studying and praying a
lot to be able to do better at this, and I feel I have really made a
lot of progress and can feel that my words are directed and guided
during our lessons! The Lord really has helped me a ton with that and I
know I am becoming a better missionary because of that!! The other big
change is in my Spanish!! I have really been asking for help from the
Lord and I am doing my studies and writing down the words that I don’t
know, and I really feel have made a lot of progress and the people
here tell me that I have the best Spanish they have heard from the
other Yankees (North Americans) lol.  However, I know I still have a
ton of room for improvement and I know I will be able to improve a lot.
I don’t remember if you remember about the promise President Montierth
gave me in my setting apart, that if I work hard I will really be
blessed with the ability to speak the language fluently. I can feel
this promise being fulfilled! This week we had a lot of lessons and
set lots of baptismal dates!! We Have a lot of potential for this upcoming month and have about 4 people if not more that should be
baptized this month!!!  We have a family of one of our recent converts
that have all in the past been super closed up to the idea of the
church, but they have seen so much potential and change in their
brother that they all asked if we could come teach them and they all
agreed to be baptized at the end of October so we will see!!! Then we
have a guy named Guillermo. His name reminds me of our neighbor
Guillermo!  (I can’t wait to be able to talk to him and José and
lolo in Spanish.)  Guillermo’s a relative of a member and he
loves the church and what we teach! He wants to be a part of it as
well and says it all make sense! It’s true! Then we have a boyfriend of
a recent convert we are teaching his name is Hugo! He likes the
church and his girlfriend so we should be able to baptize him the next
month as well!  So we worked really hard up until Friday to be able to
meet all of our goals so that we don’t lose much as we headed for zone
conference. We had to wake up at 2 am on Saturday morning to catch the
bus, but I couldn’t sleep so we just waited till 2 to leave. Then we
got to Chivilcoy at 430am and waited for zone conference at 8. The
conference was awesome! We talked about teaching to the needs of the
investigators and following the spirit. Then we talked about becoming
the missionary that the lord wants us to be. And how we can be that
missionary. We talked about the desire to be that missionary and how
to become, and it was awesome! I’m excited to apply it!!  Then we have
like trivia questions from the mission news and stuff and I won the
grand prize a huge chocolate Hershey bar with almonds!!!  That
finished at about 2pm and our bus doesn’t come until 10 at night so we
helped the missionaries there with some things and did divisions. It
was fun.  Then supposedly President told my companion that he will be
training this next transfer and staying in 25 de mayo to help our new
president here, but we’re not sure, so it may be that I am going to be
leaving next week. We will see!!! I am super excited for General Conference! I
can’t believe it’s already here again! I feel like just watched it last
month! We just got internet in the house were we meet at as a branch.
So we will watch it there. I am trying to find a way to watch it in
English because president really wants all of us to be able to watch
it in English. So we will see!  Id encourage all to write specific
questions you have and you will receive the answer in this conference!
  That’s so awesome about Karigan and volleyball girls!! Congrats! Glad
the girls had a good birthday and Kade likes BYU! Congrats Matt on
your first BYU Tackle, Haha I brag to all the elders how good our high
school football program is. Lol Love all of you! Take care!!!

 Love,

Elder Eppich

I love teaching the Plan of Salvation!

September  24, 2012

Familia,

Sorry for the short letter beforehand.  Well, this week was really good. We didn’t have a baptism but we had a lot of good lessons, with some really powerful spiritual experiences!! I love teaching the plan of salvation! It is my favorite to teach because it gives me so much comfort and joy to have this plan! I hope I don’t scare the people because I really get in to it. lol but what a perfect plan that it is! It is starting to get hot here! Really hot! but I’m not too worried about it because supposedly we’re changing apartments to the senior couple that is here that leaves in 2 weeks.
And their apartment has air conditioning!! All right!!! Their name is De la Cruz. They are from Boston, and are awesome. They are like grandparents!! Super happy and funny. They always call us and ask if we want to eat and have ice cream with them. We always say yes! Haha Well, I have to get going time to go do work! Love you all! Next week will be better I promise!!! Thanks for all of your support and love and prayers! You’re all in my prayers too!

Love,

Elder Kraymer Todd Eppich

"Our Prayers Are Always Answered"

Juan and his Family

September 17, 2012

Familia,

Wow what an awesome week filled with miracles!!  So I don’t remember if I told you last week about the investigator that we had that said he didn’t want anything to do with us anymore and that he was going to return to his church and continue worshiping the virgin of Lujan ( the picture mom put on the package was this Virgin. LOL)  well we were with a family here that always gives us references, when he told us that. And the father Bajò la caña. Dropped the Cain.  He told him he was making an awful descion and it would come back to haunt him, and that one day he would come to him and apologize for not accepting it, and it would be too late.  So I kept praying for him that he would change his mind and I had a feeling he would. Then on Monday this
family called us and said Elders can you come over, Juan is here and has something to say! We knew he had changed his mind!! So we booked it over there and he told us, “I went home said a prayer and know that God wants me to baptized in this church.”  Can I still be baptized this weekend! Haha I had a smile like the Grinch!! Our prayers were answered and so were his!! Our prayers are always answered! I know that for sure!!! We had a wonderful baptism on Saturday and then the confirmation on Sunday!
  I still love this area! Even more now when I saw a huge John Deere tractor driving down the road. I am going to drive one, hahah or at least get a picture on one!! There are grain bins! It is an awesome area! I hope I get to spend a lot of time here!!
  So I don’t remember if I told you about the bikes or not, but we ride bikes, and if someone told me they were made more than 100 years ago, I’d believe them. Well , anyways I have been having a lot of problems with mine, and things were really starting to crack and break. Then one day riding down the street it broke in half! I felt it starting to give so I jumped! Lol very funny. This week they are going to bring us brand new ones. I am so excited. lol  Everyone tells me usted es muy pesado. lol I’m not going to tell you what it means, lol jk, it means "you’re heavy". lol. We have a lot of investigators, and the following week I’ll tell you more, because we have to go now! Love you all so much
take care!! Tell grandpa and grandma I love them!!

 Love, Elder Eppich

portable baptismal font they use

grain silos in the"Campos" - country

Re-dedication of BA Argentina Temple, President Eyring and Elders Ballard and Christofferson

BAW Mission Photo 9-8-12

September 8, 2012

Familia,

This week was awesome and we haven’t even finished yet!!!   First of all I still love the campo area!! The people are a lot more friendly and humble and we don’t have to worry about being robbed! Everyone knows everyone and everyone knows the missionaries and where we live and  what not!!! It is awesome!!!  Haha Supposedly we are getting new bikes pretty soon!!! Thank goodness because the bike I have is really small and the seat is broken. I look like a clown on a little bike, Haha..
Funny story, Thursday night we were riding bikes and my chain kept breaking, so I would fix it and keep going. then it started to rain. And the chain broke again and again. Haha I don’t know why but I wasn’t ever mad, I was just laughing at the situation I was in. LOL Then It broke in half. there was no fixing it this time. And the wheel fell off at the same time. we were about 10 blocks from our next appointment and it was pouring. So I picked up the bike in one hand and the wheel in the other and began walking to the appointment. LOL Elder Krausse got a kick out of it too!!
   There is a recent convert that is in the ward his name is George
and they call him jorgito because he is a little guy but has 22 years. Well before he got baptized he was drinking, smoking, and living with his girlfriend. But he left all of it to be baptized in 3 weeks. Well now his dad is so impressed that he is going to be baptized the 29th of this month!!! We have a lot of good investigators and the members are always giving us references! It is awesome!!! I don’t have much time so ill explain more about our investigators next week!!
  So Friday morning we woke up at 230, then took a van to Ramos Mejia, where the mission office, we got there in 2 and a half hours. normally it takes 5 hrs! We flew!! Haha luckily I was sleeping or I might of been scared!! LOL So we got here and just waited around all day, and did contacts and things. Then around 4 we went to the offices and began sitting down for the meeting! I saw all of my friends from the other missions and it was awesome!!!  However, the best part was when the general authorities spoke!!! Elder Cristofferson has incredible Spanish!!  He taught a lot about the Atonement and how we can apply it to our investigators! It was awesome!! Then Elder Ballard taught about our purpose and how great it is to be a missionary here and that the work is just getting started and it is going to grow and grow! I am so excited to be a part of it!!
  My favorite was President Eyring! It was incredible!!  He taught
about being happy! He taught how Christ really knows everyone of us, and that we are called of God to be here for a reason! So never ever doubt that we are to be somewhere. Also he said we can afford to stop early or ignore an impression because that could be the reason or reasons we are here!!!! How incredible!! Then he taught how joyous is our message and for that we always need to have a smile, and that when we really know our savior we were be happy and have a smile all the time. I really liked that because I feel like I am always happy on my mission and I get a lot of comments about that and about my smile!! I really can tell that the lord has prepared me my whole life to be the missionary I am!!  He also was saying whatever happens in this life we don’t need to be sad because we have a knowledge about the atonement and that all will be incredible in the world that comes and that we will live forever with our families in a perfect state! I know that is so true, and because of that I am here helping others come to this knowledge that I have!! Thanks for everything. I will write more details the 17th. Sorry about my English, feel free to correct it lol.
Love Elder Eppich

**Pictures courtesy of Sister Carter's blog of BAW mission

President Eyring taking pictures of the crowd after everyong started taking pictures of him. :)

President Eyring and his son, Stuart

Elder Ballard

Elder Christofferson

It is Great to be a Missionary!!

Familia,


Fah, what a crazy week!! Elder Wells and I started the week off really
good and worked hard! I had a feeling I was going to be transferred but
tried not to show it and we just worked really hard and found a lot of
good investigators!   I told the families that i found and taught that
I was leaving, and they all cried and said no you cant leave! It is
crazy how good of realtionship you can build in such a short time!! I
know that it is because they can feel the love that our savior has for
them through us!!  It is great to be a missionary!!!  Then on tuesday
the zone leaders called me and told me I was leaving and I knew that I
was going to be going to chivilcoy, or campos.  there is like 16 of us
in campos. we are about4 or 5 hours from the rest of the mission. it
is a huge area with ton of farm land and then one big city in the
middle. the city is really nice and super calm. I can walk around with
my camera and money and no one will bug us! The only bad thing is we
have to ride on bikes, not a bad thing, just my lower half of my body
hurts a ton! Haha I was sad that I had to leave elder wells, but I am
stoked with my new comp Elder Krausse from Buenos Aires. He has about 2.5 months left. we are going to work really hard so we can finish his
missionstrong with a lot of baptisms!!  We had 2 this past weekend!
The plans were that he would baptize one then me the other, but the
thing with the branch that I am serving there isnt many priesthood
holders, about 3. and non came to preside or direct the meeting or be
witnesses for the baptism. So we decided that I would preside and
direct and be one of the witnesses so that we didnt have to change the
baptismal day! We are a branch so we have a housethat we meet in, and the baptismal font is a little portable pool!!! Hahaha it is so cool.
The branch we are in had an assitence of 15 until about 3 months ago
and now its about 38. if we can get to 50 they will build a capilla,
or a church. So that is our goal is to get an assitance above 50!!!
The mission is awesome!!! I am so stoked to hear about Austin Fox!! A fellow argentine!! He will love it!! That mission is a lot different
then mine. He will love it too!! Well i got to get going! Love yall!
Elder Eppich

"What an Awesome week that we had here in ARGENTINA!!"

August 27, 2012

WOW!!!

What an awesome week that we had here in ARGENTINA!! First of all we
had the baptism with Brisa on Friday night!! We tried to have the
bishop baptize her so that she could have a good tie to the ward, but
he had to be a guide at the temple. Anyway, she asked me to do it and
I agreed!!  So most of the week was focused on getting everything
prepared for her baptism and making sure we did the interviews and all
the necessary stuff.
  Then on Friday we went and filled up the font, I made sure it was
nice and hot so I didn’t freeze, lol probably cost the ward a pretty
penny, jaja jk. Then the service went really good and her mom Jackie
was really sad and happy. sad that she couldn’t be baptized but happy
that her daughter could be! I know that she will follow her example!
  Then Saturday was the day for the temple. IT was raining and cold
all week long. We were so nervous. But we prayed all week long and
just hoped for good weather. We were also nervous because the frias
family didn’t really want to make the 2.5 hr trip to the temple with
their little daughter, but we just kept promising it will be worth it.
So we went to bed Friday night and it was raining and super windy,
however I was pretty calm that we were gonna be going to the temple! I
woke up and looked outside and not a cloud in sight!! I can’t explain
how good I felt in that time it was awesome!!!!  So then we embarked
for the temple!! It was a fun trip with everyone we took collectivos
and trains to get there and when we got there it was incredible! IT
felt awesome to be at the temple again!
  We went through one time and it was incredible! The family didn’t
have an incredible experience because the guide spoke really quietly
and they couldn’t hear him and their baby was crying. Then we left the
baby with the grandma and went through again! It was so much more
special for them! When we got to the celestial room, Erika frias just
started crying, and then after that we went to the sealing room and
she stood in front of the mirrors with her husband and started crying
even more hard!  Afterwards she just kept saying I want to come back
and be married here! It was incredible I know that they will be! Our
goal is within 2 months to baptize them!!!
  Then we waited for their parents to go through as we waited with the
baby. We were in a big tent where the people walk around and talk with
missionaries and stuff like if they aren’t members and have questions.
There were missionaries that were designated to talk to them and stuff
like that. But they were all busy. So a guide came and told me there
is a family that has lots of questions and wants books of Mormons. So
I jumped on that, who cares if they can’t understand me. hahah so I
went and started talking with them and the spirit was so strong!! They
asked when their children can be baptized, and stuff like what was
that feeling in our hearts we want that again. I explained them all
our basic beliefs and the restoration and they were saying, we don’t
understand how you have so much knowledge you have, and how good we feel
talking with you and things like that. They were like you Spanish is
so good. It was an incredible feeling the spirit was so strong and the
mom looked exactly like Chelsi chamberlain from Moses lake it was
really funny. But they are awesome and will be baptized one day.  I
wish they lived in our area!! Well I got to go! Take care love all of
you! Good luck with school and everything. I will keep everyone in my
prayers!!

Love Elder Kraymer Todd Eppich



Brisa and her family, LaPerlita Argentina

(look how skinny he is! He has to wear suspenders lol)

Elder Eppich and Brisa

Elder Eppich at Buenos Aries Temple open house

We had an awesome week!

August 20, 2012

Family,

Haha first of all I love the rain!! Hahaha and my irrigation boots. It
has rained for 10 days straight, and yesterday we had a beautiful day
nice and warm and no rain. Then it started back up today! HAHAH it is
awesome though because there is a ton of thunder and lightning as well
and you all know how much I love storms!!  It’s pretty funny because I
think if we started building an arc today people wouldn’t say anything,
probably just help or something. lol  But lots of time with the rain
people are more willing to let us in to their houses so that is always
super nice and I am really excited for that!!!
  Wow! we had an awesome week! I really want all of you to know that
miracles still do happen! I am sure you all know that already!! Well
Brisa is going to be baptized this Friday!!! Her mom and everyone are
supporting her and we are super excited for them!! The mom said I want
her to go to church and be baptized so she can set the example for me,
Ronald, and mia, (The rest of the family that isn’t members) She said
once we get married we will all be baptized! They all came to church
yesterday and loved it! So we are hoping this will get them going and
that they can get married soon! I am hoping for the first of next
year!!
  That’s awesome about the missionary calls and I am really excited to
have someone else joining me down here in Argentina!!!  School should
be starting up pretty soon right? I bet all of you are really excited,
haha not! Hope all works out good with school and everything! How’s
Connell football looking like? Hopefully coach riner can give me the
scoop, Haha.
   This transfer has flown by! This is our last week of the transfer
and then next week we have transfer meetings! We won’t know what will
happen till next week.  Normally we have pdays on Wednesdays for the
transfer meeting but for some reason it is still on Monday next week.
Maybe we are going to be getting a surprise or something. Haha
    Yesterday we had 6 investigators in church! It was such an awesome
feeling to be able to be a small part of someone receiving the
opportunity of feeling of the love of our heavenly father!
  That is an awesome picture of all of the guy cousins!!! Everyone
looks really good!
Always remember how important it is to seek guidance from the
scriptures and I know it will change our lives as we always strive to
seek personal revelation and guidance!! Tell Kacie good luck with her
wedding!!!
    Hope all is going well and thank you all so much for all of the
support!!! Until next week!  Love Elder Eppich

p.s. do the weeks fly by for all of you there?