IDAHO: Week 8 - What kinds of things are you looking at everyday?

HEY!

This week was a fabulous and miraculous week! Other than the fact that I fell twice...... I was standing still.... Don't ask me how that happens but it did. I was just standing there and a second later I was on the ground but I have some really good bruises to show for it! I also ran into a door.... good thing my bangs cover that bruise!

We started writing birthday cards for everyone in our 5 wards and so far there have been 50 birthdays but it has been a great way to talk to people (because NO ONE goes outside) and get referrals! Plus, who doesn't love getting birthday cards!?

I have been reading a bit of the Old Testament because we are reading the bible and explaining it to one of the Less actives that we teach and this week I was reading about Lot. And, its interesting that when Lot takes the better portion of the land he faces his tent door towards Sodom but then a couple chapters later, he is living in Sodom and most of his children are married to people from Sodom. How does that happen? How does a person go from just seeing a wicked city and knowing that it is extremely wicked to living in it? And, i was thinking about this and we had Stake Conference this weekend (Our stake got split so now we are the only missionaries in our stake which means we have 8 wards!!!) and one of the members of the Seventy, Elder Shwitzer (sp?) talked about how your home, more importantly pictures in your home can effect people. He started out by saying that the First Presidency are the only ones that get to pick the paintings in the temple and also where they go. I didn't know that. That was cool. And, he asked about what kind of pictures are in our home? What do we look at every day? He told a story of a lady that was less-active but all of her pictures were of the temples and Jesus and she had a picture of her missionary plaque. And, all of her sons served missions. Where did they get this idea? From the example of the  pictures in their home. Now, relating this to Lot. They probably didn't have paintings in their tents but what is something they saw every day? Sodom. Just seeing it every day made it seem normal and not so bad. And, eventually he was living in Sodom, the most wicked city there has ever been. What kinds of things are we looking at every day? Whether it be pictures or things on the internet? Are they helping us focus on the right place or is it making evil seem normal? Just think about that. 

Well, I hope you have a most glorious week! I pray for you every day! Thank you for your prayers! They are truly felt and appreciated! Thank you!

Sister Keeler

Finally got to go to the temple! What a beautiful place!

Aren't we the cutest!? 

Week 6: OUT IN THE REAL WORLD!! Well, Idaho(:

Most important things first, my address: 1246 Yellowstone Ave, suite F3Pocatello, Idaho 83201

In case you were wondering, yes, I am in a very small town that does not exist on normal maps. And, yes, it is freezing outside. How freezing do you ask? Well, right now the sun is shining and it is 5 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5!!!!!!!! Oh man. But, I am getting used to it.....kind of.... it might be because I am in a car area. Which is a huge blessing!

Also, I have eaten some form of potatoes at every dinner appointment.... Who knew you could do so many things with potatoes! ha

Leaving the MTC was extremely hard because I loved it there and I loved my District! Being the only one coming to this area has been kind of hard for me, mostly because I miss them dearly and because there is no one to say funny things in Portuguese with. But, all is well! I spent New Years in the mission home and had the most wonderful (Potato) meal ever! Then on New Years day I met my companion, Sister Matthews (she is from Texas and is amazing. I love her) and got to go unpack because the mission president gave us an all day P-day! What a wonderful way to start out the year and the mission! :) But, the next day we got to work :)

Anyways, even though I am in a small town, I love it here :) The people are so nice and loving and they look out for each other. Oh, BTDubs, 97.6% of the people here are members. So, we work mostly with less actives and inactives. But, we contacted a referral this week! We gave her a Book of Mormon and she gave us some delicious pie and said we could come back anytime! 

Oh! quickly, only one investigator came to church yesterday, but HE BORE HIS TESTIMONY!!!!!! I almost started crying because I was so happy!

The one really hard thing about this area, especially when its still "holiday" season, is no one answers their door! So, after a day of TRYING to visit people but no answers, I said a simple prayer that we would be able to find someone that really needs us and that would answer the door. Well, we then decided to go to someone different than what was on our plans and the mom answered the door! As we started to talk to her she started crying. She said that her daughters are really struggling with the church right now and she has been praying all week for help, she even called the bishop that day. And, when we walked in, she knew that we were an answer to her prayers. Its moments like this that make everything worth it. My favorite quote is "God answers our prayers, but it is usually through another person that He meets our needs" I am so thankful to be on a mission and be a servant of the Lord 24/7! Thank you for all your prayers! I pray for you everyday! (in portuguese:)

Have a magical week! One thing I learned this week: Smiling and waving at someone goes A LONG WAY! :)

Sister Keeler

MTC: Week 5 - HURRAH FOR ISREAL!

Its the final countdown! Doodoodoo doo...dooodoodoododo! :) haha

iBom dia amigos! Good Morning Friends!

Well, it is my last week at the Missionary Training Center and I am both excited to head to my new destination but also a little sad to leave here. Especially since I have gotten so close to my district. As you might have known, I have not received my visa yet, so I have been temporarily reassigned to the Pocatello Idaho mission! I will be there until I receive my visa, so please pray that I get my visa fast because Idaho is way too cold! I leave this Tuesday, December 31st  and I will give you my new address when I receive it. Even though I'm not excited for the extreme cold, I am extremely excited to serve the people in Idaho. I am scared, however, to speak in English.....as weird as that sounds. I love Portuguese so much and actually feel more comfortable (definitely not confident, but I am comfortable) talking to people in Portuguese than English. I know Idaho is where the Lord needs me and that I have been called to be a missionary to invite others unto Christ. It does not matter where I go because my purpose will always be the same. 

In case you didn't know, Christmas was this past week! Holy cow, time flies! And, lets just say I am SO glad I got to celebrate Christmas in the MTC! The highlights of the day were, waking up extremely early and opening up presents (My mom got my companion and I matching pink Elmo onesies), a fabulous talent show, and Elder Bednar came and spoke. 

One thing that really stuck out to me in Elder Bednars talk was something that I needed to hear this week. This past week I had a really hard day and at the end of the day as I was teaching a lesson (in Portuguese, of course) I just felt completely inadequate. I having a hard time saying what I wanted to say and I was just really down on myself. And, I just felt like crying. Well, two things.

First, I know that God watches over us and He hears our prayers. Because, when I was feeling so inadequate and depressed, I prayed to my Father in Heaven to help me through the  struggles I was going through. That night I received some unexpected letters from friends and they were EXACTLY what I needed to hear. "God does watch over us, but it is sometimes through another person that He meets our needs." I know this is true because I felt it at that moment and many times in my life. Don't hesitate to good for someone else, even if it is just a quick note because it could and will mean the world to that person.

Second, the first thing that Elder Bednar said was about feeling inadequate. He talked about how we are all agents that should act and not objects that are acted upon. Then, he said,(I am paraphrasing but I will put it in quotes because they are not my words) "You feel inadequate because you have some sense of what you do. You have been called to do such an important work. If you don't feel inadequate, you are doing something wrong. " Then he continued to talk about the atonement and how it is both cleansing power and an enabling power. That is exactly what I needed to hear, because I do feel inadequate but it is good to hear from an apostle of the Lord that that feeling is okay. The work I am doing IS so important and I am so thankful for the atonement of Jesus Christ that helps me through impossible things. ( My favorite scripture that talks about my purpose as a missionary is 3 Nephi 5:13) 

Couple highlights of this week:

1. I finished the Book of Mormon again! I started over again the first Sunday I arrived here and I finished last Sunday. So, for all of you math mathematicians, that is exactly 4 weeks! That is the fastest I have ever read it but I have never gotten so much out of it. I literally could not put it down.  

2. I gave a talk in Portuguese this past Sunday! Scared to death, but the missionaries in my branch said it was really good and they understood what I said! (I think they might just be saying that to be nice)

3. We had the opportunity to share a short message with a church member in Brazil via skype! Talk about the coolest experience ever! 

4. As I expected, I am the very last missionary to leave from my district and the only one going to my mission. The other missionaries are going to Raleigh, NC, Mesa, AZ, Everett, WA, and Atlanta, GA. But, all is well! Hurrah for Israel!

Have a most wonderful week! 

Sister Keeler

LOVE our matching elmo onesies!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

"The Will of God" - Elder Christofferson

MTC: Week 4 - God is the Author

FELIZ NATAL!

So, this past Wednesday my district was asked to host the new missionaries entering the MTC. It was seriously so much fun! It basically means that we get a cool "host" sticker and then stand on the curb and smile as we wait for the new missionaries to arrive. We then take the new missionary through the whole first day check-in process and then take them to their residence and classroom. Then go back to the curb and do it all over again for another missionary! I also got the opportunity to host an international sister. And, she didn't speak ANY English! So cool! She was from Budapest.....or at least thats what I think she said.... hahah Even though we had a language barrier it was so fun to try to talk to her and help her out. 

While I was hosting, it finally hit me, that I'm a missionary!! It was the weirdest feeling in the world! But, I LOVE it! I LOVE being a missionary! And, today marks my one month anniversary! WOOHOO!!

One great thing about being a missionary is that you get a whole hour every day set apart just so you can read the Book of Mormon. My Branch President challenged us to restart the Book of Mormon and finish it before we leave the MTC. I have read the Book of Mormon many times but this time I am reading it in the perspective of someone who knows nothing in the church. It is amazing the things you get out because of the different perspectives you take.

During one of our district scripture study sessions we were talking about the word "publisher" and what it means. When you think of the word publish, you think of newspapers. To get a newspaper published you have to take action and it takes a lot of work. Just like "publishing" the word of God or being on a mission is a lot of work! An Elder brought up a great point. Who receives the credit for a story in the newspaper? The publisher? No, its the author. God is the "author" of the Gospel and we need to remember as publishers that all the credit goes to Him. 

We (my district) has had this theme the whole time we have been at the MTC and it has been spiritual gifts. Learning to recognize them and use them. (1 Corinthians 12, D&C 46, Moroni 10) And, The other night my district decided to go around one by one and tell each other what our gifts are. It was an amazing experience and so touching to have people that you love so much and spend all of your time with, tell what your gifts are and how they can and have blessed peoples lives. Afterwards we then watched the Mormon Message "The will of God" by Elder Christofferson. It was so good and is exactly what we needed to hear. 

I hope you have a splendid Christmas week! 

Sister Keeler

P.S.We watched an AMAZING talk by Elder Bednar, called (I think) "Spiritual Promptings" WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!!! Elder Bednar reminds me of you dad :) haha

I LOVE THEM!!

OUR TREE!! So festive!

The district!