Hna. Jessica Keele-Sept. 13, 2010

Yay, you finally get to go to Boise eh? haha That will be fun!! I´m confused, we have a map in our room of Argentina and it says that Rosario is between Campana and Buenos Aires.. Is that right? haha Because that´s weird if I am above my mission into another one. Yes, I live on Avenida Mitre and right next to a freeway. My companion can hear cars all night long becasue she can´t sleep, haha. If you look, it's the first building on Mitre after Ruta 12 and across from us is a soccer field. No, I haven´t heard of missionaries living with members. Do you think saving money that way is another sign about being prepared for emergencies and stuff? Not sure, but here our president started allowing us to take a little more money cada semana.

No worries, I´m eating enough milanesa for us both!! haha OH, guess what? An Elder in my district knows the Krasnoselskys. Last week we were eating lunch with a member, Brenda Patzer, and she asked Elder Caon (because he is from San Fernando, Argentina) if he knows anyone from Rosario. Then he started naming a few people and apparently said Krasnoselskys, but he said it weird and I wasn´t sure. Then Brenda said, "oh yeah, they´re mission presidents now, right?.." So then I knew! Cool eh? And yeah, I hope I get to see Vero sometime while I´m here. That would be awesome! Is Magui still coming back too?

Eliazar! Amazing!! We only got to see him I think once last week. Appointments are not like I thought they would be. Basically there are none! We don´t have his phone number if he has a phone, so we have to walk to his house and hope that they are both there so that we can teach. We weren´t able to last week. We stopped by his house many times but he either wasn´t there or his wife wasnt there. But one time we stopped by his house and his wife answered. She said no he´s not here and I don't know when he´ll be home. We left and started walking to another house and then about 30 minutes later ran into him on the street!! And he was already in Alma! Crazy! That was days ago. I can´t wait to find out where he is now. He told us that ever since he met us we´ve brought good luck to his home :) I cant wait to teach him again. He said he had lots of questions. I don´t think I´ve told you about his grandson that lives with them. He´s probably about mid or late 20s and VERY "Catolico Apostolico Romano" and when we taught the one lesson in their house, he was walking back and forth in the room with music blasting from his phone and smoking. It was hard to have the Spirit. But anyways... last night we went to knock on Eliazar's door and no one was home, lights were out and everything. No biggie. So we turned around and the grandson was there with a cigarette in his hand (it scared me haha). So we said hello and just said we were looking for Eliazar. He says "I´ll go check.." Comes back out a minute later and says, "they said they´re not home" haha!!! Maybe the wife would say that but I don´t think she even would. She´s super nice too and definitely if Eliazar was there he would have come out. So I just pretended I didn´t understand and said, They´re not home? Ah, okay we´ll come back later. haha Psh!!! Little kids say that a lot too. That happened twice yesterday too. "Dice mi mamá que no está."[My mom says she isn't home] haha but no, not Eliazar.

Jamie moved out?! Donde!? Tell her to write me!! :) And tell RJay congrats!! That´s crazy about no MTC though! All right, got to go write el Presidente. Love you all!!! Take Care,

Hna. Jessica Keele

Hna. Jessica Keele- September 6, 2010

Hola Familia! haha funny.... I was planning on complaining about the language and then right there in your email, first paragraph, you say how surprised and well you think I´m doing.. Oh well, I´m going to complain anyway. haha Because seriously, it is frustrating!! But yes, I am very blessed. People keep telling me they are surprised with how much I understand right now. But they also tell me it took them 3 or 4 months to feel confident with speaking. I really hope it doesn´t take that long though. I want so badly to talk and help people with their problems because I can understand them, but I can´t get it all out. And then apparently with what I can get out, they don´t understand haha.

por ejemplo... Because they know I´m learning Spanish they just kind of sit there, saying.. Si si Claro, si si and then later tell my companion they can´t understand me! haha UGH!! But I don´t believe them because they do that to my companion too and she is a native speaker! Si si claro si. It´s an excuse!

OH my goodness, people make up so many excuses not go to church, not to read the Book of Mormon, not to pray about what we taught, not to do anything! Holy cow! It´s opened my eyes to see how blessed I am and all the education I have had. And I LOVE to learn about the gospel, (I´m refraining for now, but I'm way excited to study deep doctrine when I get home. I blame that on my MTC teacher. haha) But, I don´t know how to transfer my desire to them because of the whole albedrío [free agency] thing.

I want to thank you for the wonderful examples you are to me! All that you´ve taught me and helped me learn and understand starting from when I was little. I know that's a key point in life and it´s repeated many times in the Book of Mormon, including the very first verse! There is a mother here who knows the Church is true! She´s told us that. But she doesn´t go to Church because she is embarrassed to go and see members that know about some things in her past. I don´t feel it necessary to say what happened exactly, but yes I would be embarrassed too, but by not going she teaches her children to not go. Three of them that are still living with her are over 8 years old and not baptized because they know very little about the Church. YET their mom knows it's true!! It's sad! It might be embarrassing at first, but her life would be so much better and easier if she would just go and teach her children.

Then there is Eliazar. Super sweet old man!! We first found his wife outside her apartment and started teaching her the first lesson. Toward the end her husband, Eliazar, came out with mate [Argentine hot drink] haha, and honestly, I thought he was going to be the stubborn one. He´s really big and tough looking. But nope! We gave them a Book of Mormon, asked if they would read a certain chapter and then the next time we went to visit they both had read the chapter AND Eliazar had started from the beginning! Including the introduction and everything. He´s amazing! And it turns out his wife is the one who is stubborn. She´s now had the first lesson twice because we wanted Eliazar to hear it all and she says all she needs is faith. Nothing else! Which doesn´t make any sense to me because if you have faith in the Savior and what he did, doesn´t that mean that you also trust him? And when you trust someone, don´t you have a desire to hear what they have to say? And once you´ve listened to what they say, don´t you follow their advice? It´s just another excuse. There´s no way faith is lazy! Faith is an action! If you're not doing something about your belief it's not faith. If you think you don´t have to do anything that the Savior taught then you don't have faith in the Savior. That´s my opinion! I try asking her stuff like that but she just dodges questions. Every time my companion or I asked something, she wouldn´t answer with a response to the question. She just dodges it. But Eliazar is really excited and interested and full of questions! I love it!

Well, I´m pretty happy with how much I´ve written this time. Long eh? Or maybe it´s because this computer screen is smaller than the last so I have a lot of scroll bar. haha idk. But I don´t have time to write more or respond much to your email because my companion is waiting, and I still have to write to the president. So, sorry. I love you all!!! Muchisimo!!!! Thank you for all your support and wonderful examples to me! I love you.

Hna Jessica Keele

Elder Jordan Keele- September 4, 2010

I just finished reading Hna. Keele's e-mail. I'm so happy for her! She's an amazing missionary already, and it's only been two weeks in the field. She's gonna help those people so much. It's good to hear from her.
I've learned so much out here in Colorado Springs from my companion and from all the other missionaries that I work with. I think it's been really helpful for me to start my mission in English. Because this way I have the opportunity to focus on being a missionary and a good teacher without really focusing too much on Spanish. I know it'll be very helpful when I go to Mexico.The Lord blesses us as we give an honest full effort. We have a baptism scheduled for tomorrow night, and 3 for next weekend. The days are just zooming by, and I know it'll be hard to leave this area when the time comes.
This past week I've had the privilege of watching "Finding Faith in Christ" twice. I would strongly encourage you all to find a time to watch that. That video brings a huge spirit into my heart, and it really makes me want to be a better person. When I focus my thoughts on the Savior, it changes everything I do. I love listening to hymns and trying to always have one playing in my head. It helps me in every detail. If you don't have a copy of it, just call 1-800-443-9911 and they'll send you one for free. :)
I'm guessing the last event at the Shell is on Monday night, right? I bet everyone there is excited. Tell the crew (Linda, Tommy, Sunset, Melissa, and whoever else) that I say hello!
Where do the Sowards live? I wonder if they're in my area.
I guess Rjay goes in on Monday? Is that right? Man that's exciting! He's gonna love it. I can't wait to hear from him :)
Transfers are happening on Tuesday, but I'm staying here with my companion. I'm happy with that.
Well, I think I've run out of things to say. So, have a wonderful week! I'll let you know as soon as I can about whatever, if anything, happens.
Keep doing good stuff. I love you all!

Elder Jordan Keele

Hna. Jessica Keele- Aug. 30, 2010

Hola Familia! :) Man, it's been a crazy, busy and packed week and yet it went by so fast! The preparedness plan sounds awesome and fun!! Oh guess what, I can sleep at night!! In the begining of the MTC, it was the same. Then eventually it got later and later because my mind wouldn´t turn off untill 12 or 1 every night. But here I´m asleep by 10:45-11. I´m so grateful because the days are packed! This week has been happy, hard, frustrating, scary (haha in 1 area), humbling, tiring, painful, cold, sad, spiritual, uplifting, fast, and AMAZING! The ward is small to me, but I don't know if it´s big for here or what. But we met the bishop and pretty much everyone throughout the week. There were only a couple new faces that I saw at church. haha I don't know how many people exactly but maybe 40 including me, my companion, 2 elders and the kids tambien. We had 2 investigators that came. I was happy to see them but I´m expecting more next week that said they just weren´t able to come but plan to next week.

I'm going to start with Florencia now.. It´s a long story but basically my first day Hna Peña (my companion) told me we were going to fast the next day for a little girl, Florencia, who had a baptismal date for Saturday (2 days ago) but her mom didn´t want to sign the paper to allow it 2 weeks ago when her older sister got baptized (Rocio). Her mom was yelling at Hna Peña saying she doesn´t know what she wants. She´s too young. So Wednesday we fasted. Thursday was Florencia's birthday. We went over to sing and talk with her mom but she wasn´t there. First off she lives in a really ghetto, scary area and she was home alone because her mom has to work. I don't know where her sister was. Thursday night, Hna Peña had the impression to bake a cake for Florencia and her mom. So Friday night (day before the baptismal date) we took it over. Her mom told us she didn´t have any money to get Florencia anything for her birthday. She asked Florencia, "Do you want to be baptized?" She said yes, and then she signed the papers. So the next day she was baptized. Her mom wasn´t able to attend though. But when the Elder (our zone leader) asked her why she wanted to be baptized, she said, ´´to help my family´´. She´s adorable. I´ll send you pictures. Yesterday she was confirmed and has the Spirit so she doesn't have to be alone anymore!! :)

Man, I´m so happy to be here, I know this church is true, and I love it! I know that the Holy Ghost is real! It´s really hard just jumping in to investigators that my comp knows more about and I don´t even know their names. And then trying to help them and speak after my companion haha. There´s no way without the Spirit. I know that the gift of tongues is real and the Spirit helps me so much. My favorite day so far was Saturday. Not only for Florencia to get baptized, but during the night we had so many lessons where I could speak Spanish and follow along with what they were saying. At least enough to know what I needed to know and share scriptures that have helped me personally that they said was exactly what they needed. I know it's because of the Spirit, definitely not me! haha I love my mission. I love my companion. I love the people. I love the Spirit. I love learning Spanish. I love this gospel and love learning more about it. I love you all, AND I love my Savior!!!

Con amor,

Hna Jessica Keele

Elder Jordan Keele- August 30, 2010

My first full week has been, well, the life of a missionary :) The ups and downs have all made their presence. I love it! Sure it's hard sometimes, like when you have 7 investigators commit to coming to church and only 1 shows up. But it's alright. It's the Lords work, and as long as I'm trying my hardest, nothing else really matters. I mean, we can always improve, and we've made some goals to get more to church next week, so hopefully things will change. I still have no idea how long I'll be here, but I'm working as if I'm staying here for 2 years. I think that's the best way to look at it.

That electricity exercise sounds like a lot of fun! As hard as it might be, that's a great idea. Just as the saying goes, you don't know what you've got until it's gone. And in D&C "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear". So good work! :) [For the next three days, our ward is going without food shopping, gasoline, and electricity, except for the fridge and computer for this email!!! We will see how prepared we really are!]

In my ward yesterday we talked about councils for the fifth Sunday combined priesthood/relief society. It was.... good. I guess. Just a heads up though for everyone- If you have investigators or other non-member visitors attending your ward, stick to the basic doctrines of the gospel. It was a good thing in a way that only one investigator showed up yesterday, and he fell asleep for most of third hour. I didn't want to wake him up, because I think what was being taught may have scared him off. The 1st counselor in the ward gave the lesson. He was talking about things like how God was ordained and sustained by other gods and by all of us. Sure it's way cool and really interesting, but we have to be careful with investigators. In D&C 19, I don't remember what verse, probably 25 or something, it specifically says something along the lines of 'Of tenants ye shall not teach, but teach repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost and keeping the commandments'. I don't know exactly what the word tenant means, but my MTC 1st counselor told us it was something like things that aren't doctrine, but that you just think about. Sure it's fun to discuss things like that, but is that going to save us? Do we need to know that to gain exaltation? No. At least not in this life. All of us need to be reminded DAILY of the basic principles of the gospel and live by them. I think in certain situations it may be appropriate to talk about 'tenants', but never to teach them.

I was talking to my district leader yesterday, and they said in their third hour they talked about preparedness too. Hmm... is this a sign???

I can't believe that Brett's already married! And that Todd is a bishop! Wow, that's so cool.


I agree that the Spanish experiences that I'm having here are preparing me so much to go to Mexico. The other night, we were teaching a 17 year old guy from Mexico. He prefers English. Anyway, we had met with him before, and we were teaching him the Plan of Salvation. His mom came out, about at the end, and she doesn't know English. She knew that I was at least learning Spanish, and she started talking to me. She's Catholic, but she fully supports what we're doing with her son. He's had a rough life, and has a hard time knowing good from evil. She wants him to be better, and so do we. Well, his mom and I and the 17 year old talked for about 20 minutes about things. All I can say is this- The gift of tongues is real, and the spirit is so powerful. There were promises given that I did not say, and there was no way I understood her on my own. It's amazing what can happen when you try to fully give all you have over to the Lord, and allow him to take care of things. It was a way cool experience that ended with both the son and his mom in tears.

Thank you so much for taking care of Hna. Whitehead, that was way nice of you all!

I hope I get the letter from Linda soon, because I for some reason have a feeling that I won't be here for too much longer. But, what do I know?

I love you all, and I'm so grateful for all the amazing support that I receive. This short time that I've been out here has really turned my life around. When you forget about yourself, you're happy. It's as simple as that. I miss the study time that I had in the MTC. So take advantage as much as possible to surround yourself with light. Whether it be by music, books, or just your thoughts. I'm so glad that I have this opportunity to really open my eyes. It's not my job to tell people what to do, but if I could encourage anyone to go on a mission I would. Then, not only that but to give literally everything you have to devote your life to the Savior. I can't count the blessings I've received for even just trying to give a tiny bit of what I have. Well mi familia, les amo muchisimo! Encuentren a una persona quien necesita ser feliz. Su ejemplo es la cosa mas poderosa que tiene. Viva como Jesucristo viviria si el estaba aqui.

Gracias a todos para todo!

Con Amor,

Elder Jordan Keele

Pres. Brian Pfile and Sis. Pfile with Jordan on first day in Colorado Springs. 8/19/10

Pres. Richard and Sis. Gulbrandsen with Jessica on first day in Buenos Aires. 8/24/10