Home

After a crazy flight I am finally home! ( my plane broke down in Atlanta and got delayed for 3 hours...... so, technically I came home on Wednesday! ) It is so awesome to be back but completely weird. There is not one day, not even one moment, that I don't think about Brasil. I miss the mission and I miss Brasil so much that it literally hurts sometimes. But, I know that I have a new mission now and I am so excited for it!

Sister Aubrey Keeler, the RM

Brasil: Week 59 - Homewardbound

So, this week did not go as I thought it would..... I had to stay inside all week taking care of my extremely sick companion. She got sick with dengue and thankfully is a lot better now.

To honor my last email as a missionary, I wrote down 15 things that I learned during my mission (of course I have more than just eighteen but I narrowed it down to 15.)

1. I learned how to feel Gods love that He has for ALL of his children

2. not to be afraid of anything 

3. what faith really means and how it can change lives

4. how to really pray

5. real patience

6. how to be confident in myself

7. how to really study the scriptures

8. trust in the Lord in ALL things

9. importance and sacredness and enabling power of the sacrament

10. the meaning of charity

11. real happiness

12. how the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses lives

13. power of the priesthood

14. how God speaks to me

15. how to be the person that Gods knows i can be

Te amo! 

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 58 - Last Week

So, this week is officially my last full week working as a missionary. Weird, huh? I cant believe its come to an end! I feel like I have been here for ages but at the same time I feel like its only been a couple weeks. Last Tuesday I had my last multizona where I gave my last testimony. And, surprisingly, I didnt cry! I think it was either 1, because I tried REALLY hard not to cry or 2. it doesnt even feel like I am leaving. wow. My body is seriously starting to break down. I have to walk slow sometimes because I am just too tired. I think thats what I get for going turbo speed my whole mission :) 

Sorry, this is a really short email. We had less time on the internet this week because we took a trip to Poços! But Have a great week and keep on keeping on!!

Te amo! Saudades!

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 57 - I've Changed

The other day we visited this less active that has started to take the JW lessons and she was

talking nonspot about things that did not make sense and about how she is so confused with all of this contrary doctrine in her head. I listened.....and listened... and as i was listening i was praying, asking heavenly father to help me know what to say. At that exact moment the spirit told me exactly what i needed to do and i did it. I did something that I would never even think of doing before my mission.

I cut her off, told her to go get her book of mormon, marked 5 chapters that she needed to read and told her with an extremely firm voice in the clearest way possible the basics of the gospel. God is our Heavenly Father. He has a son, Jesus Crist, who is our Savior. All other doctrine is wrong etc. the whole time she didnt even blink..... neither did my companion! ha. I ended the lesson and said a kneeling prayer. and then we left. Afterwards my companion was like, wow. that was incredible. you are a really good missionary. I laughed and then looked at her and said, that wasnt me. that was completely the spirit. I would never have done something so bold in my entire life. 

That is when I relized that I have changed. I have truly changed who I am as a person. I am not the same person that I was before I came to Brasil. I am different. A lot more confident. Not scared of doing anything. and definitely, a lot more in tune with the spirit. little by little my will has become closer to Heavenly Fathers will and because of this I am a little closer to the person He needs and knows I can be. 

One of the things that I wanted to have happen on my mission was to change and to notice the change and to also know how i can change after my missoin. I have definitely changed and finally, I know exactly how I can continue changing which is the most important part.

I love the mission but I know now, that I am ready to come home. I have done what He needed me to do, now He has other plans for me. 

até logo! 

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 56 - Conference

So, I found out Monday night (9pm) that I would be transfered (the next day) to Sao Joao Da Boa Vista!!!! I have already passed through this city a couple times because it is really close to where I served in Poços de Caldas and honestly I never found the Boa Vista.....until YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!! On the otherside of the city there is this beautiful view of mountains!!!! So, I take back when I said that this city didnt have a view:)

My new and last companion is Sister Pontelli from Argentina!!!! She is really cool and she speaks english! Which I didnt know until i noticed that she says english frases sometimes, but really quietly. 

Since it took 2 days to get here and we also had General conference we didnt have a lot of time to work in our area this week but we did have a really cool experience! I looked through some of the old investigators and picked a few names and we went to the first one and had an amazing lesson! She said that just the day before she had been thinking of the missionaries and why the never came back and then we came!!!! woohoo!!! She bore her testimony of how she knows that the church is true and she loves going to church because she feels so good. Then I asked her what she should do now. and she was like, I dont know! Then I invited her to be baptize and she accepted! 

I absolutely LOVED conference! I had all of my questions answered! Even ones that I didnt even know I had! I watched the whole thing in Portuguese and I felt SO proud that I understood everything and didnt fall asleep! 

I wanted to know what was your favorite part of conference?

Have a great week!

P.S. Dont send any letters because they wont get here in time!

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 55 - Keeler

So, my District Leader found out why a ton of my companions have gotten sick.... because my last name is Keeler. ha.....ha.... For those of you that arent brasilian, when you say Keeler and Killer it sounds the same to non-english speakers. THerefore, my nickname is Sister Serial Killer. Yes, that is what I call a PERFECT nickname for a representative of Jesus Christ :)

This Sunday we had the "Sunday that no one missed". and we challenged everyone to bring a friend, member or nonmember (sadly, a lot of people werent there....) But, we had 88 people! I have been here for 6 months and that is the first time EVER that we have had that many people in church! I wanted to cry because I was so happy! This lady has 3 sons (that are all married with children) that havent been to church in YEARS and they came yesterday! It was a miracle!!

We had the opportunity to watch the General womens conference this weekend and it was AMAZING!! My favorite part was the video where they sang "The Family is of God"

 

Our Father has a family. It’s me!

It’s you, all others too: we are His children.

He sent each one of us to earth, through birth,

To live and learn here in fam’lies.

2. A father’s place is to preside, provide,

To love and teach the gospel to his children.

A father leads in fam’ly prayer to share

Their love for Father in Heaven.

3. A mother’s purpose is to care, prepare,

To nurture and to strengthen all her children.

She teaches children to obey, to pray,

To love and serve in the fam’ly.

4. I’ll love and serve my family and be

A good example to each fam’ly member.

And when I am a mom or dad, so glad,

I’ll help my fam’ly remember:

[Chorus]

God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be—

This is how He shares His love, for the fam’ly is of God. 

I absolutely LOVE this song!!!!!! The words are so beautiful and it makes me cry everytime I hear it because I am reminded of the wonderful family that God gave to me. Being away from my family for a year and a half here in Brasil has made me value my family more than ever. I am so greatful for them. I am so greatful for the support they give me, the prayers, the love, but most importantly, helping me become the daughter of God that He wants me to be. I would not be the person I am today with out my family (especially my Parents) I love you sooooo much :)

For those of you that dont know or forgot, this week is GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!! ITS THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEARRRRRR!!!!!!! You NEED to watch it because the Prophet is going to speak to the whole world! how can you miss that!!!!

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!!!! 

P.S. For those of you keeping track. Today is transfer day but we wont find out what happens until tonight.....at 8:30. I am dying here!!!!!! #lasttransfer

P.S DO NOT SEND LETTERS! THEY WILL NOT GET HERE IN TIME!

P.S. For the first time ever, our mission baptized 100 people this month!!!!!! 100 almas à Cristo!

 

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 54 - Brasil

This week we had interviews with our Mission President which were really good. sadly this is my last interview with him in the mission field. But, he gave a lot of good words of comfort and words of wisdom. I love President Canuto and I know he is an inspired man of God. 

He asked all of us to reread our mission calls and to look at all of the promisses and blessings. I was amazed how much I had forgotten! I made a list of all the promises and blessings.

Promisses: 1. devote all of our time and attention to serving the Lord leaving behind all personal affairs

2. serve with all my heart, might, and strength

3. humbly and prayfully serve the Lord in the labor of love

and my favorite part! BLESSSINGS!!!

1. bless with increased konwledge and testimony of the restoration and truths of the gospel

2. lead you to those who are prepared to be baptized

3. reward you for the goodness of your life

4. greater blessing and happiness than you can imagine

It is amazing to look back at the time I have spent here and see all of these blessings be fulfilled. Especially about happiness. I have been happier here serving the Lord than I have ever had in my whole entire life! Serving a mission is litterally the best thing in the world!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!!!!! BE HAPPY!

P.S. For the first time ever I heard two people speaking ENGLISH in the street!!!! So, of course I ran to go talk to them :)

P.S. We met an Italian! He had a really strong accent! It was really funny! He said he is "kind of athiest" I still dont know what that means....

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 53 - Nossa!

So, I almost had a heart attack this week because my watch that Ive had my whole mission fell on the ground and parts splattered everywhere! I was like "NO! YOU HAVE TO WORK FOR 6 MORE WEEKS!!!" But, when I went to pick it up and put it back together it WORKED!!!! WOOHOOO!!!! Milagres sao reais! This watch was definitely worth the whole 2 dollars that I spent! 

The lady that went to church by motocycle has a baptismal date for this weekend! She told us last week that she doesnt have a job and we promised her that she would find one that she wanted and on Saturday she said that she got a job that she doesnt have to work on Sunday!!!!! The other night, her son was really sick and her little daughter suggested that they pray and they prayed all together and he imediately felt better. This family has never been to church and have never been really religious but their lives have completely changed because of the gospel. Its incredible to see the change in people!

My companion has been really sick lately and we have also been busy with doing divisions with the 5 companionships we take care of, 2 of which are 2 1[2 hours away......... but as I was in a division we taught this lady that would be baptized the next day and I asked her what has been the happiest moment in her life and she said, it will definitely be the day I get baptized. Yup, I started crying. What a testimony.

I love you all so much and I am TRYING REALLY HARD NOT TO COUNT THE DAYS but,....... see you in 6 weeks :) ha

I hope you have a wonderful week!

P.S. unless you are in Brasil, DO NOT SEND ME LETTERS AFTER WEDNESDAY. because they will not get here in time. Thanks!!!

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 52 - Sorry

I am super sorry that I didnt write last week (For those of you that actually noticed.....) But, I was writing and reading a bunch of emails and super stressed and when I got off the computer I realized that I hadnt sent my weekly email.......sorry.

This past week we had a really short lesson with this lady and her two little girls and she said she would come to church (everyone and their dog says that) but she really did! She only has a motorcycle but she made two trips to the church so her and her two kids could go! Wow. I was really impressed. She loved church and started crying in Gospel principles when we were talking about how God answers our prayers. It was really special. Sadly, this week she could go to church because she was sick BUT we had a miracle happen! A member brought a friend to church! And his friend said he is ready for a change in his life because he is going down the wrong path and wants help. (Ask the missionaries! We can help!!! :D)

Our area, if I havent already explained, is a really rich area and we get rejected..... A LOT. The other day, we were exhausted with all of the rejections so we decided to say a prayer. When we finished the prayer this guy came up to us (I have no idea where he came from because there is never anyone in the road...) and told us that he is having a hard and trying to go to Campinas to his family. We talked to him for a bit then asked if we could send the missionaries to his house in Campinas and he got super excited! I love getting answers to prayers!

"GH moment" I finished the Book of Mormon in Portuguese for the second time! I am super excited! 

I want to thank everyone for all the support, love and prayers that I have received throughout my mission. Thank you for remembering me and thinking of me. I am really sad that it is coming to an end but I know that the Lord has a lot instore for me. Serving a mission was the best choice I have ever made in my life and its something that I will remember forever. The experiences that I have had and the people that I helped have eternally changed me. I know that my Savior lives and He loves us, so dearly. I know that the gospel has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith and I am so greatful to have this gospel in my life. A mission is litterally indescribable. Being a representative of Jesus Christ is indescribable. The love I feel for the people I serve is indescribable. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week! :) I love you! I really do!  

P.S. My favorite icecream is called Romeo and Juliet! Its icecream with goiabada and cheese!

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 51 - Daylight Savings

So, we got a call from our Zone Leaders Saturday night and that daylight saving has ended and we get one more hour of sleep. Obviously everyone is super happy! So, we changed all of our watches..;.......Well, Sunday morning I woke up, feeling like it was 6:30 (Our alarm didnt go off.....) but it was EXTREMELY Bright outside.... I was like..... what time is it} I looked at my watch and it said 8:30.. I dont believe it! Then, I looked at our phone that was totally wrong and said it was 20:30 then I looked at Sister Rufos watch that said 7:30. I was like, this can not be happening! I ran to the others sisters and their phone said 6:30..... then we ALL started going crazy trying to figure out what time it was. We called the other sisters and they started freaking out too becaseu they didnt know. Then we called our Zone Leaders and they were like... Sister, its 6:30. Didnt you listen to what we said yesterday} hahah QUE ASSUSTO!!!!!! 

So, I got a new companion and her name is Sister Rufo from Tocantins. I am really good at geography but I had no idea where Tocantins was..... Go try to find it :) Tocantins is pretty new and only has 26 years as a state and my companion is the oldest person born in Tocantins because she is 26! How cool!

Three cool things happened this week

#1. We were walking in the street and this little kid on a bike was like "hey, can you come visit me and my grandma right now because I really realy want a bible. I am going to church but I dont have a bible" Cutest kid ever! We went to his house and taught him and his grandma. I have never seen a 7 year old kid so queit and attentive during a lesson in my life. He read some scriptures for us and also said the closing prayer! I was so cool! We promised we would come back and bring him his bible and he got super excited!

#2. We taught about the restoration with a family and at the end we gave them a book of Mormon and the mom started to get emotional. She was like, a long time ago I worked with a guy that was really nice and always talked about his church and before I left that job he gave me a Book from his church that I never read. And now, the same exact Book is in my hands again. I will not miss my opportunity now. God has given me a second chance and I dont want to loose it." Woah! That was seriously the coolest moment ever. Sometimes we share the gospel with people and nothing happens but what we say and how we act will mark them forever.

#3. We knocked doors on this one street and the first door let us in she loved our message and we asked if she knew anyone that would like to hear a message about hope and the love of Christ and she said that the neighbor down the street would love it. So, we went there and shared a message with her neighbor. We asked the same question at the end and she pointed to another neighbor and we went there and that neighbor pointed towards another neighbor. It was soooo cool to have that happen! Reference train!

This week in our District meeting, our District leader said something really mindblowing that I HAD to share. He was talking about our purpose as missionaries and how we need to be the best missionary we can be and always be obedient, always diligent, always always always 100%. Then he told us to think of a ton of super heros. All these heros are normal people but when the time comes they put on their suit and become super! But, Superman is different. He is the only superhero that wakes up as superman and has to put on normal clothes to be Clark Kent. Isnt that cool} We need to be like that everyday of our lives. Are we waking up as someone normal and only when we need to we become super or do we wake up super} 

Have a SUPER week!!!!!!!!!

 

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 50 - Celular Problems

A miracle happened yesterday! OUR PHONE STARTED WORKING!!!!!! It has been 2 weeks that our phone has been broken.... Yup. 2 weeks. We havent been able to call anyone or receive calls and seriously its the worst thing ever. Life without a cell phone is hard. Good thing we live in a really safe area or else I would have been scared to walk around with out one. BUT! Dont worry because it works now! It was actually really funny because we called the mission office to fix it and nothing worked then yesterday as we were leaving someones house the phone fell on the ground and broke open (like the battery came out) and we all just gasped and stared at the phone..... Then I was like "heh, it would be really funny if it actually works now"...... we put the phone back together and turned it on and guess what!!! IT WORKED!!!!! HAHAHAH!!! It was sooooo funny! I was like, why didnt we drop the phone on the ground two weeks ago? But, seriously, it was a miracle.

So, before I left on my mission my Stake President gave me some counsel and one of the things was to practice the piano as much as I could before leaving on my mission. Well, I did and didnt think much of it because almost every American knows how to play the piano and there are a TON of american missionaries here in Brasil. Well, let me just tell you that I KNOW that the leaders of the church are inspired of God because every single area of my mission I have been asked to play the piano. I dont play that well anymore because I litterally never practice but I have definitely had devine help. I have had to play for baptisms, activities, stake conference, and now I am basically the ward pianist for my ward here in Sao Carlos. I never thought I would have to play so much on my mission, but God knew and he knew that these areas needed my talent (even though its not even good talent :)

 

Tomorrow is my one year anniversary in BRASIL!!!!! AHH!!!!! There is a Brasilian Elder here in my district that arrived with me and he decided to tell everyone about Sister Keelers first day in brasil from his brasilian view. It goes a little like this:  Everyone was in Presidents house having a great time then this one american sister showed up looking really scared and tired. She was extremely white, was wearing cold weather clothes and didnt know ANY portuguese! She didnt even speak in English!  (Then he ended saying that after 6 weeks he saw me again and said that I spoke really well. ha) Sadly..... everything he said was really true. I was so tired I didnt say anything!

In church we learned a lot about choices and agency. We learned a lot about how we can descern right from wrong and then I started thinking about the Conference talk by Elder Godoy. He talks about how some decisons are not only right and wrong but have a good, better and best. Sometimes it happens in our lives that we are faced with decisions that are both good but we need to decide which one is better. That is when we need to get on our knees. Sometimes both decisions are good but we need to choose what God would have a choose because He knows what is better for us than we do. That has happened a lot in my life actually, and its been hard to decide what is best. But I know that when we counsel with Heavenly Father first he will let us know.  

I hope you all have a great week and make sure you make the BEST decisions :)

"Are you willing to pay the price for your decision?" Elder Carlos Godoy

P.S We are teaching an english class and at first we had a couple people coming (usually 3.....ish....) but then last week one of our faithful students was like, I brought a few friends to class today. A few? She brought like 5! It was so fun! we taught english and played games! and next week we are having a valentines day party!!! WOOHOOO!!! 

P.S I am addicted to the song Glorious.... yup. You can get addicted too! Just click here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GytW_rgr0RM

P.S. we went to a cool museum today and we are going to the zoo after this!!!! woohoo!!!! And, that typewriter is called "remington" I want it for my birthday :)  

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 49 - The mission

If anyone tells you that the mission is easy they are either lying or didnt do it right. Yesterday was a hard day. And, I will tell you why. 

Too many desserts.

I will tell you a little about the south American culture. They are SUPER nice and when they give you food you need to eat it ALL or they think you didnt like it. 

After lunch we had icecream. Great! I love icecream! Went to our first appointment and had icecream, cake AND a doce (that I dont know how to explain in english.....its like almost a granola bar with sweet and condensed milk). We went to another appointment and they gave us icecream and jello! I thought I was going to explode! I am so glad that no one else offered us food! So much for my new Years resolution to loose weight! 

Two weeks ago we ereased our whole board off investigators becuase no one was progressing and we started from ground zero....... it has been really hard and a test of my faith. We have knocked on so many doors and have gotten so many "Nos"´. only a few people let us in this week......aka 4 and 3 of those people afterwards said we cant come back because they were just being nice to let us in.

But, its all good! The work continues and we will continue! We did get to teach another english class of about 30 people. It was really cool! its an english immersion school and I am really impressed how well they speak after a couple weeks! 

I hope you all had a great week! And, please, remember the missionaries in your prayers (especially me) Mission life is hard. :) 

Sister Keeler

Brasil: Week 48 - Morfmons

As I was on my divisions in Leme this week this guy stopped us in the road and was like "Hey, are you guys Morfmons}" ahahhahahhahahhahahahh i couldnt stop laughing! I was like, "You mean "mormons"}

So, other than the divisions this week has been really hard with a lot of let downs. We had an investigator that was progredindo really well and we went to go pick her up to go to church and she

came out all ready for church but says she wasnt going. She was like, "I read the Book of Mormon and I prayed but I dont think I should go to church because I will start working on sunday next week. Sorry" That hurt a bit. actually a lot. 

The other day I read the story of David and Goliath and there is a part of the story that I never really noticed. (1 Samuel 17) When David goes to kill Goliath, Goliath starts making fun of him and his beliefs and "cursing David by his gods." Then David says the coolest thing back to him, (Verses 45-46) Take that Goliath! I love this story because it shows how much courage David had and also how much he trusted in the Lord. He knew that it was something really impossible but he know that the Lord was on his side and would not fail him. And, he also shared his testimony before killing Goliath. What a nice guy! 

Remember to be like David and not be afraid to stand up for what you believe and also doing hard things. I hope you have a courageous week! 

Sister Keeler

Brasil: week 47 - Plan of Action

Well, just to inform you about how freaking hot it is (While the rest of you are enjoying the wonders of winter...) it was exactly 97 degrees last night. Yes, 97 AT NIGHT!!! Just imagine what it was like during the day.... really hot. Well, obviously neither Sister Serre or I were able to sleep at all with just a little fan. Its going to be a long summer... vshhhhh..

We had an activity, called "Rei do Bolo" and people brought a cake that they had to sell. And the people that didnt bring a cake were judges. It was a lot of fun! We have a lot of good sellsmen in our ward!! Sister Serre and I made cupcakes with maple frosting. Maple flavoring doesnt exist here in Brasil so people thought it was the coolest thing ever. We would have won, obviously, but we made the activity:)

Lilian got baptized this week!!!!!! It was amazing!!!!!! I dont think I have ever told about her story so here it is.

The Lilian story really is a miracle! We made a "Plan of Action" and promise to make contacts, asking the Lord to put people prepared on our way. The same day, we were walking down the street and saw Lilian coming out of her house. We ran to make a contact and she invited us to come back. We realize that Lilian looked at us in a different way, as if she were expecting something. During the first visit, she told us that her daughter had died one year ago. We taught "The Plan of Salvation" and she told us that the same day we made a contact with her, she said a prayer asking the Lord to show the right path. We had invited her many times to be baptized but she always said not now. Well, she finally decided she wanted to be baptized January 16. The one year aniversary of her daughters death. She wanted to make that day a happy day in some way. No doubt, I know that her daughter was helping us because everything was perfect, coincidences just dont happen. God hears and answers our prayers. He loves us and uses us to show this love for His children here on earth. It was a great privilege to be part of her story and I know that Miracles happen !!!

I hope you all have a great week! Keep sharing the gospel and blessing lives


P.S, Well, its getting to the end of my mission (About 100 more days) so I just wanted to warn all of you to NOT send me packages. I know that a ton of you have so many packages that you want to send me. hahah. NOT! But you can totally still send me letters!!!!! Dont forget about me!!!!


Brazil Piracicaba Mission
Av. Dr. Paulo de Morais, 555
Center
13400-853 Piracicaba - SP

Sister Aubrey Keeler

Brasil: week 46 - Fill life with good things and start anew

Well, this week was definitely the weirdest, oddest, most different week of my whole mission. I will definitely NEVER forget this week. Here are listed the reasons why......

#1. Someone called me tan! Yup! You heard that right, TAN!! And guess what! THEY WERENT JOKING!!! NO MORE WHITE JOKES!!! YESSSSSSSS! Watch out world! Sister Keeler is starting to look Brazilian!

#2. It hailed on Saturday! It was a SUPER hot day then it started to rain like crazy (Not weird here in Brasil during the summer) then it started HAILING!!!! (really weird...) They call it "rock rain" here :)

#3. Our house flooded! .... Like a  lot! The water thingy overflowed and water was coming out of EVERYWHERE!!!!! The windows, the walls, the outlets, the lights! It was litterally rainining inside of our house!!!! Dont worry. Someone came to fix it and we cleaned up all the water.

#4. We went to this ladies house that is litterally a zoo! It was SOOOOO cool! She has 2 ducks, a chicken, rooster, hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, 5 birds, and a turlte that roam freely in the house. It was a really distracting lesson. :)

#5. Lillian, our investigator that has been going to church since the first time we met her decided to get baptized this friday!!!!!!!! This Friday will be the one year anniversary of her daughter dying. So, she wants to fill it with good things and a new start. What a great idea!

#6. I found that my investigator Monique died. It really threw me off this week. I loved visiting her. She was really special and really different than your normal person. The thing that made me really sad is that she never got baptized or ever went to churhc. It made me think a lot. Like, did I really help her the best I could? What more could I have done? I have been thinking a lot about Mosiah 28:3 that says

Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

I really have this desire. It made me tremble just thinking that she didnt get baptized here on earth. But, I really hope (And I think she has) fully accepted the gospel in the spirit world.
It has made my purpose as a missionary deeper. I am here to help everyone not with just to find happiness but also for salvation. Its a big task and I know I am an imperfect person and very unqualified but I know that God qualifies the unqualified and can make my weaknesses strengths.

I hope you have a wonderful week and remember who you are and what you stand for!

Sister Keeler

Brasil: week 45 - ONE YEAR! :O

Its 2015! WOOOHOOOO!!!!! I have been seriously been waiting for this year since I was a little tot watching Back to the Future. So sad that there arent any flying cars......well in Brasil at least. Maybe they have some in the U.S.! (Its been a long time since I have been there!)

Because it was New Years week NO ONE was home or in the streets basically all week long. It was REALLY weird because Sao Carlos is a thriving city but on New Years day there were only 5 people in the centro (Yes, we counted). New Years night we watched fireworks from our house (They went off ALL DAY LONG!!) And it was so cool! It was like stadium of Fire but Brazil style!! It was amazing!!!! Our neighbors even sent off fireworks that exploded right above us!! It was so cool! I took a video so you guys can see when I get home.

I think the funniest thing that happened this week was we taught this really old lady that had some hearing problems. She was really sweet. So we would talk extremely loud so she could hear us and it was hard to tell if she understood because she would sometimes commment but sometimes, like when we asked her to pray she  nods her head and says "yes". We waited.... and she was like, "wait, you want me to do What!!!" hahaha I couldnt stop laughing. I love old ladies!!!

So, really nothing happened this week because it was really slow. Sorry. We have transfers today and Sister Serre adn I are staying together!!!!! WOOHOOOOOOOO!!! PARTY TIME!!! I have officially had american companions for more than half of my mission! Wow.!


I love you all and I hope you had a great New Years! Make goals and start over this year!

P.S. January First I made 1 year in the mission feild. Wow. Time really does fly!

Sister Keeler

Brasil: week 45 - FAMILY!!

So, this week I got to skype my family (BEST THING IN THE WORLD!!!!) and they asked if it was hot and I said not really. I now TAKE THAT BACK! The day after Christmas (Also known as boxing day) was so FLIPPING HOT it wasnt even funny. Like I seriously think it was 300 degrees. okay, maybe that is exagerating a bit.... but it has been really hot lately that now I am taking cold showers.....

This week was christmas, but here in Brasil New Years is a bigger thing. They just have a ton of food for Christmas. I am not even joking! I had 3 dinners Christmas Eve. I dont even know how I ate that much! hahah I am DEFINITELY going on a diet now! But, it was a really great christmas especially because I got to skype my family! (well, My parents, Ben, Rachel and Chris) Most stressfull moment of my life because I thought my parents forgot me! I was trying for an HOUR to skype my family but nothing! There were a ton of members trying to help me call them, email, etc so I could get a hold of my family( thanks to my companions family!). In the end it all worked out but I was really stressed out.

It has kind of been hard to work this week because of all of the holidays. But, the other day we were knocking on doors and being rejected like usual and I looked at this one house and I had the feelings to knock on this one door and right as I was about to tell my companion, she looked at me and was like we need to knock on that door. We offered a prayer to bless her home and she let us in! And, she told us that a lot of bad things were happening to her and just a couple days ago she was talkign to her husband how she needed a blessing or something to help her. It was a really cool faith building expérience. Heavenly Father really does answer our prayers and knows the best way how to help us. We had been praying to find families to teach and she was prayering for a blessing. Both of our prayers were answered.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Fun fact: There is a Crayola factory here in Sao Carlos but everything is shipped to the U.S. (I have never seen Crayola here) They said that the material that isnt "Perfect" stays here but is packaged as the brand Faber-castell which is owned by Crayola. Cool, huh}

P.S. The day after christmas JW knocked on our door! First time that has ever happened in my life! We had a good talk :)
Sister Keeler

Merry Christmas!! (Charlie Brown Christmas tree FTW!!)

Brasil: week 44 - "Be the missionary your family thinks you are!"

Okay, well, its probably not going to snow here but it is raining like crazy! ALMOST snow :) hahaha

So, lets start with the odd things of Brasil. Did you know that there are such things as Biting moths and carniverous ants! Yup. I didnt know either until this week. On our exchange with one of the companionships, this HUGE moths came into the room. It was the size of a soccerball! Not even kidding you! Everyone was freaking out because those big moths BITE!!! Then one day as we were coming home me and my companion got bit by flesh eating ants! Well, just my companion did because I felt something on my foot and just ran but she got bit and just stayed still. She has a huge gauge in her foot from that ant.

We had our Christmas Mission conference and it was really good. One thing that was said that I really liked was, "Be the missionary that your family thinks you are." That is my new goal. To be the obedient, hard working, happy missionary that my family thinks I am.

After the mission conference we raced home and had a baptism of Doutor Minuetti! And, yes, he is a doctor! How many people can say they baptized a doctor on their mission}} okay... maybe a lot. But its still really cool. He was SO happy! And he invited a ton of his other doctor friends! It was really spiritual baptism.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year! Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. I LOVE serving a mission. I LOVE sharing the gospel every day to everyone around me. This has seriously been the best decision I have ever made in my life. I havent noticed that big of a change in myself but I have noticed a change in the relationship with my Father in Heaven.

P.S. Shout out to my mom who sent my Christmas packages ON TIME! And they actually got here BEFORE christmas!!!! She gets a big congratulations for that!

P.S. I realized this week that in about 4 months I will be considered an "RM"......WHAT!

P.S. I saw a sign in someones house the other day that I loved "Eu nao sou donna do Mundo. Eu sou filha dele"

Sister Keeler

Brasil: week 43 - Pisca, Pisca

Pisca-Pisca is what you call christmas lights in Portuguese. Translation? Blink-Blink. :)

Me and my companion have gone crazy with this Christmas caroling thing. We sing to EVERYONE! But, its a lot of fun and brings the christmas cheer. This past Saturday we had planned to go to the plaza with our whole zone and sing christmas songs and talk with people. Well, we woke up to it POURING outside. We worked ALL DAY in the pouring rain. I was really wet. Well, we decided to say a prayer. Let me just say, prayers are powerful. We walked all the way to the plaza in the pouring rain but right as we got there it completely stopped! It did not rain one single drop until it was time to go. Right as we left it started pouring again. God answers prayers.

We went Christmas Caroling the other night and we sang for this young family and the mother started crying! They were so greatful for us and was like can you please come back again? OF COURSE!!!!

A member from another ward invited us to help teach his last day of english class (They are all College students). It was really fun! I felt like one of the students trying to learn english! haha. We helped them hold a conversation then he gave us time to share a message. We shared a message about "He is the Gift" (christmas.mormon.org) and the spirit was really strong. It was so weird teaching in english, though. My missionary mind only works in Portuguese. After the message he gave his class time to ask questions and man, they asked some good questions! It was really fun! That will probably be the only time that I ever teach a lesson in English here in Brazil. Afterwards some of the students gave us their address to come visit them and teach more. The member told us afterward that he has been doing this for a while, inviting the missionaries to his last class, and we are the first missionaries to get addresses from people. WOOHOO!!!!

I hope you have a merry week!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Keeler

Brasil: week 42 - Christ IS the gift

So, lets start out with the funny thing that happened this week. We decided to go caroling in this really rich part of our area. Well, the first house we went to the guy didnt want to come out and wanted us to sing through the interfone! So, I started singing.... Then my beloved companion starts laughing like crazy! (Because it was extremely awkward just singing to a wall) So she LEAVES me there singing (more laughing than singing) ALONE!!! hahah I honestly do not know how I sang that whole song because I was laughing so hard!! But, at the end the guy was SOOOO thankful! Man. I dont think I have laughed so hard in my LIFE!

Let me just tell you. This week was AMAZING! Extremely exhausting but seriously the best week of my life! This week so many miracles happened it was unreal!

1. We met R. a 14 year old son of a less active on Sunday and taught about faith repentance, baptism etc. Then went back on Wednesday and we asked him if he read the pamplet and he was like "Yes, and I said a prayer like you asked me. I asked forgiveness of all my sins. My prayer was really long but I feel like I have been forgiven, I couldnt stop crying." We then asked him what he should do now. and he was like, "the next step is baptism. I want to get baptized as soon as possible" Wow. That was seriously the coolest lesson I have ever taught. Actually, we didnt really teach much because he taught it all himself. He is making that change in his life and he even asked if he could bring a friend to the next lesson! Some people are just ready.

2. We met this old lady my first week here and she had a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation. Well, we left a pamphlet and said we would come back. Went back the next day and she believes in like NOTHING! Only that God exists. She read the pamphlet and said that it was all surreal and just bible bashed us. Welll!!!! We left a Book of Mormon and told her to read. We went back 2 days later and she read a TON and she didnt bible bash and was more open to listening to us. I have a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and how it changes people. Seriously, I cant even explain to you how much she changed in 2 days. Its incredible! She is definitely being converted, little by little and gaining more faith.

3. We found this lady in the street the other week and she said that we could visit her so we did nad we found out that her daughter died at the begining of this year. We taught the Plan of Salvation and the spirit was REALLY strong. She even started bawling. I even almost started crying! Well, we invited her to church and when we went by to pick her up yesterday, she was out front in a dress waiting for us! She LOVED church and was tearing up a lot! 

4. Talking about church, 14 investigators came to church! YUP! 14!!!! God is good! We worked so hard this week adn he truly blessed us! I couldnt believe it. It just ended our miraculous week with another miracle!

5. There is this lady that works at a restaurant in the centro that we go to every week. We always talk to her because she wants to practice her english. We have already invited her to church and to hear our messages. Everything. She never seemed interested. Well, when we went caroling Saturday night, there was this house (more like MANSION!) that looked like no one was home and I was like, lets just knock anyways. Well, guess who opened the door} THAT WOMAN FROM THE RESTAURANT!! She was SOO happy to see us! She let us inside and she was like "I cant believe you are here! I have been needing and thinking about you. I even dreamed about you two!" She started bawling right in front of us because she didnt know that God would answer her prayers so quickly.

These are only some of the miracles that happened because I dont have time to write them all. (Dont worry dad, I wrote them in my journal). But, I can testify that God hears and answers prayers. There are no such things as coincidences. He put us in that neighborhood on that certain street because He KNEW that His beloved daughter needed us. I know that God knows us personally and just like our earthly father, He cares about us very much. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Preparing for christmas. And, while you are free. Check out this really cool website and remember that Christ is the gift of Christmas.

christmas.mormon.org


P.S.Shout out to the fam! I had my first Leadership meething this week and it was all about eternal families. Well, they asked the families of all the leaders in the mission to send a video and they played them all at the end of the meeting. (the whole room was crying. It was the COOLEST idea ever!)I would like to thank my family for sending me that video. I LOVED it!!! I cried through the whole thing! I really do love you guys and miss you like crazy! I was SO happy to see the whole crew. Everyone said that I am exact reflection (personality wise) of my family. hahah 

Sister Aubrey Keeler
Av. Dr. Paulo de Morais 555
Centro
Piracicaba, SP 13400-853
Brasil 


I LOVE YOU!!

Sister Keeler

P.S.
Remember when I was on the front page of the BYU newspaper} It was about an article being stressed and everyone asked me if I was stressed. Well, now I am kind of stressed so I decided to take a flash back picture! :) 

The other one if of just a sign in the center here in Sao Carlos :) 
Sister Keeler

Yeah, that's right, I'm gorgeous (;   (this was said by Rachel Keeler)

Brasil: Week 48

Well, this week was definitely the weirdest, oddest, most different week of my whole mission. I will definitely NEVER forget this week. Here are listed the reasons why......

#1. Someone called me tan! Yup! You heard that right, TAN!! And guess what! THEY WERENT JOKING!!! NO MORE WHITE JOKES!!! YESSSSSSSS! Watch out world! Sister Keeler is starting to look Brazilian!  

#2. It hailed on Saturday! It was a SUPER hot day then it started to rain like crazy (Not weird here in Brasil during the summer) then it started HAILING!!!! (really weird...) They call it "rock rain" here :) 

#3. Our house flooded! .... Like a  lot! The water thingy overflowed and water was coming out of EVERYWHERE!!!!! The windows, the walls, the outlets, the lights! It was litterally rainining inside of our house!!!! Dont worry. Someone came to fix it and we cleaned up all the water.

#4. We went to this ladies house that is litterally a zoo! It was SOOOOO cool! She has 2 ducks, a chicken, rooster, hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, 5 birds, and a turlte that roam freely in the house. It was a really distracting lesson. :)

#5. Lillian, our investigator that has been going to church since the first time we met her decided to get baptized this friday!!!!!!!! This Friday will be the one year anniversary of her daughter dying. So, she wants to fill it with good things and a new start. What a great idea! 

#6. I found that my investigator Monique died. It really threw me off this week. I loved visiting her. She was really special and really different than your normal person. The thing that made me really sad is that she never got baptized or ever went to churhc. It made me think a lot. Like, did I really help her the best I could? What more could I have done? I have been thinking a lot about Mosiah 28:3 that says 

Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

I really have this desire. It made me tremble just thinking that she didnt get baptized here on earth. But, I really hope (And I think she has) fully accepted the gospel in the spirit world. 

It has made my purpose as a missionary deeper. I am here to help everyone not with just to find happiness but also for salvation. Its a big task and I know I am an imperfect person and very unqualified but I know that God qualifies the unqualified and can make my weaknesses strengths. 

I hope you have a wonderful week and remember who you are and what you stand for! 

Sister Keeler