Brazil: Week 3 - 80% mental, 20% physical, 10% emotional

I must say, its been a pretty darn good week. I am now able to understand about 90% of what people say (Depending on who is speaking.......). I am still having a really hard time trying to speak my mind but it will get better. Im not worried. My motivation for this week was, "If that dog can understand Portuguese, SO CAN I!!!!!" I was asked MULTIPLE times this week to say "paralelepipedo" and "liquidificador" and everyone was very impressed that I was able to say them. (Obrigada Joseph Lattin!!)

Random: As we were walking, this parrot started talking to us! ha so cool!

We had to go to Piracicaba this week to get my visa authenticated or something and after waiting in line for 5 hours, I am now LEGAL!!! WOOHOO!!! 

N. and R. (investigators) are reading the Book of Mormon now, because they have one in Spanish. We haven't set a baptism date because they are still praying for an answer. I love them so much. They are seriously the coolest people ever. Actually, everyone here is extremely nice. Its a complete change from DC. I dont know if its just in this city, but everyone just looks out for everyone, even if they are strangers. The other day my bag was open and this lady like 15 feet away was like "hey! your bag is open!" Thank you random citizen! (I have yet to hear someone honk their horn here)

We got a new investigator this week. We met her at the Church activity this week. Her friend that is less active brought her. We tried to give her a Book of Mormon, but she told us she cant read....... so we are going to try to find the Book of Mormon on tape. 

I hope that this letter finds everyone in good spirits and health. I hope you have a most wonderful week!

Sister Keeler

This is the view of the city Americana (most of what you see isn´t our area, but we are allowed to go there on Pdays). I took this photo on our 30 min walk to church :)

I bought a Brasil Flag!!!! I am now ready for the World Cup!!!!!! GO BRASIL!!!!! CUPO DO MUNDO!(:

Brazil: Week 2 - Canandian instincts!

Our area is extremely big and Sister Moraes is HORRIBLE with directions so we have to ask so many people where things are.....So, we got a map!!!! This whole week we never had to ask for directions! WOOHOOO!!! Once I know where North is, my Canadian instincts come out! :)

On our 30 minute walk to church yesterday, we saw 15 toucans! 15! How flippin´cool! Sister Moraes was like they dont have toucans in the U.S.?? Ha! I WISH!!!!! They are beautiful birds!

I also had my first churrasco this week and it was delicious!!!!! Better than Toucanos! I absolutely LOVE the food here!!!! (By the way readers, Aubrey absolutely LOVES toucanos so the food must be pretty amazing!)

Portuguese is coming along, not as fast as I would like, but I am just really impatient. We ate lunch with a member that knows english and wanted to practice with me! (woohoo!!) She also wanted me to teach her how to do a British Accent! It was so funny trying to explain  british accent and then hearing her try! 

I had another cool experience with languages, we have 3 investigators from Haiti and 2 (N. and R. of them speak Spanish, Criole, and French. So, we would teach them in Portuguese and they would talk in Spanish and if they didnt understand something they would ask the member that we brought that would explain in Criole (He is also from haiti). It was a really cool to be able to understand them! (N. said the closing prayer in French :) The other Haitian only speaks French and Criole, and a little bit of Portuguese and English. So, I taught him in Portuglish! The great thing was, they all came to church on Sunday! Hopefully they understood better than I do. Man, by the time Saturday and Sunday comes around my brain is COMPLETELY DEAD! ha. 

We also had the opportunity to go visit some less actives Friday night. Two wonderful ladies in our ward P. and A. both work but once a week they make some sort of dessert and visit as many less actives they can and share a quick spiritual thought. And, they bring us along sometimes because a lot of the less actives have husband/kids that aren´t baptized. They are amazing and such great examples. Even though they both work, both have families to take care of, both have a child on a mission, they still find time in their busy schedule to serve and help others. What they do might not seem like much but it has softened a lot of hearts and changed peoples lives. Missionaries can´t do everything alone. The work of Salvation will not move forward with missionaries alone, we need the members too. Try to think of ways you could serve or go out of your way to share the gospel. It might seem small but it will do more good than you think and it will truly bless you!

Have a miraculous week! I love you!

Sister Keeler

BRAZIL!!: week 1 - finally here! WOOT WOOT!

iOlá!


The first day here, we went over to this families house and their little kid started talking to me and he just kept going and going and going. And, I was soooo confused and the only thing that was going through my head was, `` I feel like he is trying to speak to me!`` (from Finding Nemo)

Well, I am in a city called Americana which I thought was pretty funny because I was the ONLY American that was a new missionary this transfer. My companion is Sister Moraes and she is amazing! I love her! She is Brazilian (from The state, Espirito Santo) and she knows ABSOLUTELY NO ENGLISH!!! Which makes things so fun! I never knew that my epic charades skills would be of such use in my life! :)  hahah
Anyways, everyone stares at me, I mean EVERYONE! This guy almost got in a car accident because he was staring at me! hahahah. I am pretty darn sure that everyone stares because I look completely American (someone said I look like a doll. I'm taking that as a compliment!:)), which they don't have in the city of Americana.............Anyways! the people are so nice here! They just smile when I speak to them in Portuguese even though I know they probably don't understand me! haha But, Its getting better! I have found 3 people in the ward that speak English and they help me a lot with my Portuguese pronunciation and answer my questions. And, my new best friend is my dictionary! I have used it so much that its starting to fall apart :( Hopefully, soon I wont need to use it as much!

The first night here was so hot! Coming from -30 degrees to 90s was not my idea of fun. I think I sweated off 20 lbs that night. But, now I'm used to the weather and It is not too hot here. I actually love the weather! its high 80s and low 90s but when it rains its low 80s! LOVE IT! I haven´t gotten sunburned because I put on so much suntan lotion and everyone gives me suntan lotion because I am so white!!! Haha I have been here for 6 days and I already have 5 containers of sun tan lotion :) haha

OH! I almost forgot! (Probably because I am trying to forget the two worse days of my life.....) But, I started traveling Monday morning at 6 am and didn´t arrive in Americana until Tuesday at 7pm......I was so flippin´ tired and exhausted and my head just hurt from all the Portuguese... I think I only slept like a total of 4 hours Monday night because the Brazilian guy next to me just kept talking and talking! But, anyways, I made it here safe and I love it! maybe a little too much :) The views are spectacular and the food is AMAZING!!!! Except for Papayas,... that's the only thing that I don't like so far.
I am almost out of time but I will tell more next week! I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!! :D

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!

Sister Keeler

Got to meet with the mission president and his wife

So, you have to send mail to the mission home and sadly, we only can receive mail when we transfer.......it kind of sucks. But, I guess it doesn´t really matter because mail takes so long to get here... but here is my address. AND I LOVE TO GET MAIL!!! :D ( I will try sending replies but they cost like 3 dollars...)

Brazil Piracicaba Mission

Av. Dr. Paulo de Morais, 555

Centro

13400-853 Piracicaba - SP

Brazil

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