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