Short, but Skype

Me on the road. :)

Hey everybody!

Sorry that it's gonna be short this week, but I wanted to at least tell you the basics. We've been working our butts off here! It's been super stressful, but we have two investigators on date to get baptized, and we're super excited!

Our investigators at a ward dinner. :D

Everything has been improving, and I've really been learning a lot recently about the Atonement,
hard work, and how much God can help us in a time of need.

Patience, determination and charity have been the name of the game recently, and it's been SO good for me!

Missions really are the best place to learn, grow, and develop into the people we need to be.

So, on another note, I get to Skype home on Sunday! :D I'm super excited to see everybody! It's been a while.

Well, I sure do love you all!

Love ya bye love you bye!
-Keppy

Working hard, and living the ghetto dream.

Hey everybody!

Things have been great this week! We've been riding the bus all around the glorious land of downtown Spokane. Fun times, fun times.

We have TONS of people to see, and they all need a TON of help. Law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom are the two main things we teach to these days, but it's all good. We've gotten good at teaching both, so we're okay there.

I think that might be the wrong way...

Ah! What the heck can you say about a mission? It's like, the coolest, hardest, funnest, most frustrating, most rewarding thing ever. There is so much stuff I've learned out here, that is REALLY going to help my future.

I've been doing some deep personal studies in the mornings, and I've been finding again and again: This Church is fetching true folks. And with every day that passes, I've come to a greater knowledge of that fact. Every question has an answer, as long as you are willing to put forth the effort, and swallow your pride, you will get the answers to your questions.

I've also been working out in the mornings before studies, and, you'd never guess, it's working. It's actually kinda scaring me. I was 145 pounds and SKINNY in the MTC, and now, I'm fit, and 170 pounds... It's weird.

I love it!

Elder E--!

Now, as for my companion: He is a boss! He is also from Arizona, and he is a convert to the Church. It's been great to talk to him about stuff, and he's been great to work with. He's also brand new to the mission, so it's fun to be able to help him understand stuff as we go along.

You know guys, I really do wish I could find more to talk about, but then I run out of time!

Oh well.

I love you guys anyway, and I want you to know that God is awesome! He has helped (and is currently helping me) in so many ways here in the mission. It's crazy!

If you lack a personal relationship with the man upstairs, get one!

Our Heavenly Dad is ready and willing to help, guide, and cheer you up! Just turn to him. :)

Love you!
-Keppy

Birthdays and Thunderstorms

Hey everybody!

I love you all!!!! This birthday has been, well, to be honest, my favorite! Everything about it was great! The presents, the food, the "Happy Birthday Elder Keppner!" and all of the awesome letters! Thank you everyone!!! It really meant a lot to me, and I really appreciated it!

...! I found it!

I don't have a lot of time today, but I wanted to let you all know that I made some videos, and I'm sending them home on a thumb drive soon for you guys! Also, I'm going to include a TON of pictures on here from my birthday and for the rest of the week.

The Keppner Family Adventure Card Game! :D 
They loved it, and want to play it for a mutual activity. :D

As far as the rest of the week, it was pretty uneventful. But, we had some AWESOME lessons, and I learned a lot personally. You know, this Church really is true. Every day, I see it in action, and I know without a doubt, this IS the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Beautiful Priest Lake

This week, we had a CRAZY thunderstorm. We were at a dinner appointment when the storm hit, and the power went out. The wind was INSANE and the thunder was SUPER loud. So, we ate by firelight, and didn't think much of it. We were out of cell service, and so as we left. we came into service again, and got a TON of messages on our phone all at once. Asking where we were, if we were alright, and if we needed to be rescued from under a tree. 

Right as we got all these messages, we noticed that all of the houses around us that usually were lit up, were dark. We kept driving in the black, and then noticed something glowing and red in the road. Turns out that it was a road flare put out to call our attention to a massive tree that had fallen across part of the road. We went around, and then headed into town, dodging trees all over the road. All of the lights in town were dead, but from what we could see from our headlights, the town was TRASHED. Roofs torn off, trees everywhere, and a lot of general destruction. 

We hurried into our powerless apartment, got our flashlights out, and went to bed. The next day, we got a million freaking calls from the ward members asking if we were having church with the power out. We hurried over to the church to see if there was power. At 7:30 that morning, and hour and a half before church was supposed to start, the power came on at the church. We made a bunch of quick phone calls, but not many people came to church, so me and Elder W-- ended up blessing the sacrament.

Our moving investigator (right), and a ward member (left)

Also to note this week, one of our AWESOME investigators moved this last week to attend NIC, and while we were sad to see her go, she told us that we brought her closer to God than anyone has before. So, we're going to inform the missionaries in that area, and hopefully she can continue the lessons! 

Elder W--'s "creepy face"

Ah! This transfer is almost over. This is the last week, and this Sunday we get transfer calls again. Elder W-- really wants to leave and see more of the mission, and I really want to stay here in Priest River, so, I guess we'll see who goes where. :)

I love you and miss you, and I pray for you all!

Love,
-Elder Brennan Keppner

Presents, Lessons, and Exchanges!

Hellooo family!

This week has been crazy, awesome, and exhausting! The work is moving forward, mistakes have been made, and the Spirit is on a ROLL!

We taught a lot of lessons this last week, and for our efforts, we have 3 new investigators!

Probably the highlight of this week was the exchange me and Elder Wa--- had here in Priest River.

Elder C--- (our district leader) organized the exchange, and Elder W--- ended up going to Newport with Elder C---, and Elder Wa--- came here in Priest River with me. When Elder Wa--- arrived, I told him that the one thing I wanted from this exchange was to "work our butts off". Elder Wa--- liked the motto, and so that's what we did. We ended up teaching 12 lessons that day, and finding 2 new investigators! We went up and down every street in Priest River, and we talked to EVERYONE! We worked hard, and we had amazing results!

Also this week, I had a talk with Elder F--- from the mission office. He and President Mullen both think that I should try to get my driver's license here in Idaho. I have been in Idaho for more than 6 months, so I have residency! :D So, as of right now, that is the plan!

I'll tell you all how that goes.

Oh! And I got my birthday package this week as well! I haven't opened everything yet, but even the gifts that weren't wrapped were GREAT!!! Videos from home, a new CD, an old card game I made back home a long time ago, and some delicious homemade cookies from my sisters!

AH! I'm so excited to open the rest of the gifts tomorrow!

Some of the ward members are throwing me a bit of a birthday party, and one of our investigators says that they have a present to give me too! Man, a birthday in the mission field rocks! :D

I can't believe I'm going to be 19 already! What the heck?!? I just turned 18! A year into adulthood, and I still feel/act/look like a kid. :/ Ohhh well. :(

Anyway, we're going hiking for P-day today, so, gotta go! :D

Thank you all for your letters, emails, and gifts! It means a lot to us missionaries to get stuff like that. No matter how bad our day, when we get something from home, it really brightens our day! Thank you all so much for all you do, and Godbless!

-Elder Keppner