Monday, June 16, 2014

Kent

Hello Family! This week has been a great week! I love Kent! And Sister Judd is awesome! She was born in Detroit but grew up in England....and when she goes home, she'll be going home to Tokyo as her family is moving in 2 weeks! She is a sister training leader right now and is a wonderful missionary! We get along great! Kent is a very interesting place. There are people here from all walks of life and from all around the world! I met someone from Koren the other day. Apparently it's some place near China. I've never heard of it before! I've also met people from Iraq, Somalia, Kenya, Afghanistan, pretty much everywhere! It is such a cool experience to hear so many different languages and experience so many different cultures!
I know that our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us! He wants us to be happy! If we follow His commandments and do the things He wants us to do, we will be eternally happy! This gospel isn't just about this life; it is about our eternal welfare. It is an urgent matter and when we treat it as such, we understand how important it truly is! I invite you all to read the Book of Mormon each day this week and pray to know if it is true. This is the only way we can find out if this church is true. There is no other way! I know that as you do so, you will receive an answer and you will be able to come closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! 
Have a great week! 
Sister Keele


Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Monday, June 9, 2014


Hello Family!
This week has been so crazy! It started with a great exchange in Ridgecrest with Sister Sharpe and is ending with a transfer. I have mixed emotions about this week, but I know that everything that has happened is in Heavenly Father's plan for me! 

It was hard to say "goodbye" to the people here in Sunrise. It's funny how you come to love people so much in such a little amount of time. I have only been here for 10 weeks and I feel like I have known these people for years! I will definitely miss them, but I know that I will love the people in Clarke Lake as well! I am excited for what the Lord has in store for me these next couple of weeks! 

As I was in the hospital this week, Sister Cox said something to me that really hit me. I was struggling with pain and anxiety and she said, "The Atonement works for everything. Even this. Just remember that Christ felt what you are feeling now and that He can help you through it." I had never really thought about the Atonement working in situations like that. But as I thought more about it, I realized how silly I had been to not recognize Christ in that part of my life. He should be in every thing, big or small. And being in the hospital is definitely a big thing! I was able to feel the power of the Atonement and Priesthood blessings that day. Before I left for the hospital, my district leader and his companion came and gave me a blessing. The first thing that the blessing said strengthened my testimony of the Priesthood even more. I was so worried that the doctors would find something that I would have to be sent home for and that scared me so much. I don't want to go home early...or even at all sometimes. I could be a missionary forever and be just fine! Anyway, the first thing the blessing said was, "You will stay on your mission for the whole time period." I was so thankful that Heavenly Father was so aware of me. I NEEDED to hear that and I needed to hear it from a trusted source. You can't have a more trusted source than Heavenly Father and I am so glad that He knows me and knows what I need! I invite you all to pray to our Heavenly Father this week and ask Him to help you feel of His love more fully. I promise you that as you do so, He will answer your prayers! I know that, because I have felt it and I have seen it in the lives of those around me. Heavenly Father is waiting to bless us, we just need to ask! 
I love you all!
Love, 
Sister Keele

Wednesday, June 4, 2014


Hey Family!! How's it going? Life in Graham is pretty good. We've had a much better week this week. We even had a baptism! It was exciting for several reasons. One, it was my first baptism of someone that I have taught. Two, it was the first baptism this ward has had in over a year. Three, he was SO ready! I'm bummed because I forgot my camera cord today, so I can't send you all the pictures! I'll send them next week. :) Anyway, when I first met Ben he was so ready to be baptized. He said to us, "I want to have everlasting life. The Bible says in order to have everlasting life, you have to follow Jesus Christ's example. He was baptized. I want to be baptized. When can I do that?" I almost fell over. He just needed to be taught the lessons and make some small changes in his life. His baptism was an amazing experience. There is a song we listen to a lot that says, "The sweetest sound I've ever loved to hear, is the sound of water running in the church. as someone I've come to love gets dressed in white I see their first glimpse of Heaven's light." It really is the sweetest sound, and it is the most amazing feeling to see someone you love so much get dressed in white and make that covenant with the Lord! 

So as I was praying the other day, I felt very strongly that someone reading my email needed to read something very specific this week. So here goes. Please pay attention to how you feel as you watch this video and read the rest of the email. Have the courage to act on what you feel. :)


I would like to echo President Eyring in that I know that "someday" is too late. It will be hard to change things in your life, but when we stop saying "someday" and start following Christ TODAY, it will be worth it! You WILL feel of God's love. 
But how do we start following Christ? We need to start with creating righteous habits in our lives. Habits will shape who you are. If we pray right when we wake up every morning, we are more likely to seek Heavenly Father's help throughout the day. If we study our scriptures in the morning, we will remember God's words in our struggles. Something that President Eaton always tells us is, "In order to help other people progress in the gospel, you have to be a progressing missionary." We should ALL be spiritually progressing. Complacency truly is of the devil. I have seen it ruin people on my mission. Please, DON'T BE COMPLACENT! Heavenly Father wants us to progress! That is the whole purpose of this life! 
We learn in Alma 23 that some of the Lamanites are converted. In verse 7 they "did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more..." We all have weapons of rebellion. They may not be weapons of war like the Lamanites, but they are just as destructive! For me, these past few weeks I have had contention in my companionship as my main weapon. I have found myself saying, "Someday, I can love her." "When she's not my companion, I'll be able to love her." How rude and selfish of me! Someday is TOO LATE to make a change. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, or even the next hour. Resolve to change! 
President Eaton has said, "There is happiness in spiritual progress." I invite you all to find that happiness that comes from being spiritually progressing by eliminating "someday" from your thinking. If you are "someday" going to pick up your scriptures and read, today is the day! If you are "someday" going to seek Heavenly Father in your life, today is that day! "Someday" is dangerous and destructive to our eternal progression! Don't put it off any longer! I promise that as you seek our Father in Heaven and choose to serve Him, you will become the person you are meant to become! You will find happiness and strength. You will become the child of God you are meant to be! I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Sister Keele