September 2, 2014

Aloha family!!! How are you all? Our week here in Kent has been great! Great things are happening! I just love being here and I love the people that I am honored to serve! I never thought that I could love people like this, other than my family. Heavenly Father is truly showing me how to have pure love like His son. It's truly amazing!!!

So my birthday was awesome! The senior sisters in our ward sang to me and it was so sweet! They also gave me some home made chocolate chip cookies. Yummmm. Then President and Sister Eaton called and sang to me. They are basically perfect! I love them! And then Davina told me I had to go over to their house for a few minutes and when we pulled in, her daughters came outside and her 2 year old was holding a present for me. It almost made me cry. Somehow they found out that I love giraffes and so they got me this cute giraffe stuffed animal and a cute singing card! AND they ordered a cake with a giraffe on it. I'll attach pictures! The cake was the best tres leches cake I've ever had! I love that family so much!!!

Back to missionary work! I love being a missionary! Sister Eaton came out with us on Friday and we went to contact a referral we got. We knocked on the door and we asked for the lady we were referred to. She was the one that had opened the door so we talked with her. Sister Eaton was silent the whole time. As we walked away she looked at us and commented on the fact that the woman had not been born a woman and so she had no idea what to say. It was so funny. I was not phased by it at all and just acted like she was another one of God's children.....because she is!!! I love being a missionary!! 

This week I want to end with a story that shows me that ANYONE can be a missionary! When Sister VerHoef first got here, we had dinner with a man that is in his 80's and his daughter who takes care of him. He has had a stroke or two and has other health problems. He doesn't really ever leave the house unless he is going to church or a doctors appointment. He only comes in contact with 1 nonmember. Ever. She is his caregiver that he sees twice a week. That night at dinner he was so excited to tell us that she finally agreed to meet with us! We were able to meet her and have two lessons with her. Although she is not interested, he was successful! He talked to her about the gospel, and then INVITED. This is where our success comes from. It is not in the number of people who get baptized. If that was what our success was measured on, I would not be a successful missionary. But, thankfully, that isn't. No matter how many people we come in contact with each week, we CAN share the gospel! Heavenly Father will bless us in our efforts to invite! 

I love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Keele