Ponte Céu

Olá família

Its been a minute since I've written a real email but honestly it's because I feel like there just isn't much new to talk about. I've been here in Ponte Nova with my comp for a hot minute now and we've definitely been hitting our stride and seeing some miracles.

Some highlights:

Our friend Florisvaldo got baptized! He's a cool dude that we found knocking doors! He's a huge testament to me that God's elect are everywhere. He loves church and loves us missionários haha. He's already fed us lunch twice :)

Our friend Renata who got baptized a few weeks ago is thriving! She is loving church and the members here love her too! She's coming to all the activities and even helped clean the church on Saturday! 

We also found Neide and her daughter Débora a few weeks ago and they're awesome! I think I had talked about this in a prior email but we found her when my comp saved her neighbor's cat from her roof. She has been an incredible example of the power of the Book of Mórmon. Majority of people we teach here either can't read because they don't know how or their vision is too bad, or they don't understand anything they read. Neide is a perfect example of how God's word is to be understood with our hearts and not our heads. She is barely educated but she is always reading the BOM and has had the most spiritually guided reading I've ever seen. During one lesson we were talking to her daughter about baptism and the importance of it when Neide out of nowhere started reading a verse about how Christ is coming soon and we need to prepare. Elder Helm and I were utterly flabbergasted haha. Then we asked her why she thought she found that scripture at that moment and she said "because God sent it to me" 

Funny stuff:

We got caught in a huge storm haha. We were out knocking doors when a huge gust of wind came and everyone cleared the streets. Elder Helm and I, being stupid Americans, thought we could brave the storm and keep knocking doors. But no, we were wrong haha. The next few doors we knocked said no and we realized we had to go home and get shelter so we walked back and got completely soaked haha. A few people had the roofs of their housed ripped of and some trees got uprooted cause the wind was so strong. Also because of the storm we didn't have power the whole night. But it got fixed the next day.

Sad stuff:

The ant situation here. I don't know if it's just the time of year or maybe we're messy but nothing is safe from the ants. They're in the sugar, my pez dispenser I got for Christmas, and even my water bottle. I left it without the top on for a little bit then when I came back I took a swig and got a mouthful of ants haha.

Em fim:

My time here in Ponte Nova has not been all sunshine and rainbows, in fact the worst parts of my mission happened here. But my time here has really taught me that if you are united with your comp, treat everyone (especially members) with love, and get to work, miracles will happen! 

I love so many people that I've met here and I will be sad to leave here (transfers are in about 12 days and I'm pretty sure I'll leave) but these experiences have changed my life! Made me a much more dedicated missionary and disciple of Christ and strengthened my testimony demais! Missions are dope! Go serve one if you aren't right now!

Tchau!

Elder Keeler