Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd

Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd
John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

Monday, May 22, 2017

Tennessee, teaching, tattoo, and tacos.

My mom is on the other side of Tennessee right now visiting her friend in Knoxville from her mission.  My family also went to the Idaho Falls temple open house on Saturday.  I'm happy for them that they get to be doing fun summer things right now. 

I'm really liking Memphis.  On Saturday, Hermana Petty and I knew we really needed to bike to save miles and be obedient.  But it was really hard because we have had far away appointments everyday.  But on Saturday, we decided to just bike super far.  So we did and we ended up biking 23 miles.  It was raining, and after about halfway there I wasn't having a good time anymore.  The appointment had forgotten that we were coming so we just ended up helping her clean her house.  Then later in the day, my bike slipped a little and I got mud all over me.  It definitely was not my favorite day as a missionary. :) But we made an appointment with the same lady for yesterday and when we were finishing the lesson, she said the sweetest prayer ever.  She very sincerely thanked God for sending us to help her clean her house.  When I heard that, and hearing her tell us she wants to read in the Book of Mormon, it just made Saturday worth it. 

My companion loves being a missionary and it's inspiring.  It's so impressive because she loves every minute, even the "sweet is the work" ones!  She really wants to give every single person in Memphis a chance to accept the gospel by working every possible second.  She really is a great companion and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve with Hermana Petty. 

Our investigator, Gabriella is so awesome.  We ended up teaching her 4 times this last week and each one was so good!  The first couple of times we've gone to see her, she has been a little depressed when we first get there, but her countenance would change and she would get happier as we were there, and then the last couple of times we went, she was happy when she opened the door.  She was so excited to read the Book of Mormon and to learn more.  She was telling us that she knew we were sent from God to change her life.  But then yesterday, we stopped by before church to see if she would be able to come and she told us that her husband doesn't want us to come by anymore.  But she said that she has been reading the Book of Mormon aloud with her kids and asked that we would pray so that her husband would soften his heart.  She said that hopefully all four of them would be able to come to church in the future.  When we were leaving, she said: it's not goodbye, it's see you later.  It was really sad to have to drop her., but I know she'll get baptized eventually.  She's totally ready for the gospel, she just has to wait for her husband. 

This week I was reading in 4 Nephi 1 and I really liked verse 16 that says, "and there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God."  This happiness that came after the coming of Christ to the Americas came because the people were living the gospel.  In Little Rock, I was able to see Ignacio and Pola's lives change because they started reading the Book of Mormon.  And in Memphis, I've seen Gabriella's life change and seen her have more happiness because we were teaching her.  I so am grateful for the opportunity that I have to say that I know the gospel changes lives!

Love you all!
Hermana Keller

A bunch of us were asking President Wakolo about the scar on his right hand.
He said he would send out the story that was published about it.
Here is the original talk.
Hermana Petty at Cottonwood... the apartment we're at everyday.
Gabriella's room.  Four people live in this room. 
It reminds me of when we were living in the apartment.
Dinner Friday night with Sonia.
Everyone wants to feed us to show us REAL Hispanic food.
And I'm like you don't realize that this is basically the same thing I ate yesterday. 
And the day before. And every day for the last 9 months. lol 
But I love it!
Biking in the rain.
Hola from the our neighbor!  
Falling in the mud.
Viri and her family came to church!
We're going to make the shoe joke an ALRM legend!
We decided that everyone who finds it puts their name on it and hides it for the next companionship.