Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Fourteen

What a great week! Jane got baptized yesterday!! It was so spiritual! So she doesn't really like church... she thinks it's really boring, she falls asleep and everything! haha so she was like ehh have am I going to be able to be baptized but enjoy church?! So we prayed about it right before she got baptized and she just had a peaceful feeling! President and Sister Anderson were at the baptism, so that was very special!! I gave the baptismal talk. I was way nervous, because president was going to be there! But the spirit was the one who was talking, not me. I just started to talk about stuff I didn't even prepare! I also talked to Jane about her son Adam, how proud he was of her and also her Heavenly Father. We all started to cry. The spirit was so strong!! Ahh amazing. Then she was baptized and Elder Whitely had to do it twice because the first time he was crying and couldn't get the words out, Jane was crying also. It was amazing!! This morning we went over and talked about how she can do work for the dead for her son Adam, we tried teaching her before, but it just barley clicked for her! So she was like well shoot Dan needs to be baptized so he can baptize his best friend! We were like YES!! Haha she is going to help us get Dan baptized!!

Ahh this was a great way to leave Hendersonville. I was bawling when I found out I was being transferred. But I found out that I am going to Thompson Station, Franklin. That is a very nice area, so I am happy! Sister Cotton came from there, so it's funny I'm going there! There is a baptism this Saturday with Sister Hacker, we went down there for her Son's baptism this last transfer, so now she is getting baptized! So Sister Cotton and her new companion will drive down for that on Saturday! So that's very exciting!

I LOVE being a missionary. Nothing is better than having people come unto Christ. My heart is SO full. I just can't stop smiling!! My testimony has grown so much. I'm excited to start new again and to learn more! Thanks for all the love and support!! Love you all:)

Sister Gates:)

Went on an exchange this week with Hermana Rich! Love this Hermana:)

Weekly planning gets the best of you some times!! Sweet Cece's makes it all better;)

Helped Sister Kopp paint her house! I LOVE being able to serve people... especially in sweats!!:)

Ohhh Teresa! I am going to miss her... Jake this is the lady who has a crush on you;) hahah 

Teresa made me some Cross earrings for my going away present:) hahah i love her!!

This is Joseph, Jane's son, and Jane!! It was a great day:)

This is Adam, Jane's son who passed away!!

This is Dan, Jane, and Sister Cotton and I!!! So Dan's best friend is Jane's son!

Ohhh Jane! She is such a free spirit! I'm so grateful i got to be apart of it:)

Jane and Elder Whitely! He cried while performing the baptism, so she had to go under twice! She was crying too, very spiritual!

The Gang!! The Elders are the ones who gave Jane a blessing the second time we met. Jospeh is her son. and Dan is Adams best friend! Crazy how it all came together!! This was a great way to end my time in Hendersonville!!:)

This was today! I had to say goodbye to Jane! We both cried..... UGH! Best way to leave:)

Okay mom! Here is the lovey glasses:) hahah 

Love these Tennessee Sunsets!!

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Thirteen

This is the miracle of all miracles!!!

Okay so we have been meeting with Dan Erickson ever since we got here. Dan has a friend who committed suicide a few years ago, he even showed us the suicide note. After he showed us the note on the way home I just cried because i know how much his best friend wanted Dan to know of this gospel and get his answer! On January 1st, we had a referral for Jane Saunders, so we went and visited her and committed her to be baptized. We have been preparing for that this Sunday January 26. Jane had a son who passed away a couple years ago.Yesterday was the first time she came to church. So we had 5 investigators there and 5 less active members too. Well I was sitting with Jane in Gospel Doctrine and Dan walks in... he yells "MS. SAUNDERS!!" I was like what?! They know each other! The son who was Dan's best friend that passed away was Jane's son!! They hadn't seen each other in years, and it was so special. Jane was crying, I was tearing up, and Dan looked like he had seen a ghost. But Adam is the son who passed away, and I know that we were teaching Dan for a reason, and Jane's friend the one who referred her felt that she needed to for a reason. Dan has been working hard to get his answer, but just hasn't felt it. So when he saw Jane he was praying the whole class. It was crazy!! My mind is still blown! Adam the son must be working really hard on getting the ones he loves the most baptized and into the true church. Heavenly Father works in amazing ways. We are going over tomorrow to meet with both of them together. It will be an amazing experience. I am so excited to be apart of this amazing work. I just have to keep thinking to myself "Heavenly Fathers plan is a lot better than our plan will ever be, and we never know what to expect from him!" My testimony had been strengthened so much this week. I LOVE being a missionary!

 Love, Sister Gates

Sorry i didn't have time to write more about my week.. but this was a major part!!! Love you all!!

Sister Cotton at the Adult Day Care center!! Love them!! We drew I Am a Child of God pictures!!

This is at the Adult Day Care Center!! I love these special spirits! For sure one of my favorite parts of the week!!

I love waking up to these southern sun rises!! <3

After Zone conference the Johnson took us back to get our car, then took us out to dinner!! I really love them. They're the sweetest couple you'll ever meet!!!!

This is a bad picture but this is at Zone Conference and thats president and sister anderson to the far right!! I LOVE THEM!!!

Zone Conference this week with my Zone!!

So on the way to get our air bags serviced we heard a thud thud thud... and we pulled over and our tire was flat!! The rim needed to be replaced and it was bad!! But we had to turn the car in and we walked that day... it was freezing!! Props to missionaries who walk in the cold! 

Ps. Jake I hope you know how to change a tire, so if this ever happens again!!

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Twelve

Another week had gone by already! Crazy!! Well this week at church we had 6 investigators! That's a miracle!! It was amazing! Also one of our investigators came and she is a 7th Day Adventist, and we learned about the Plan Of Salvation, like where we came from in Sunday School. We were worried that it was to much for them. But she said she had a dream the night before we came and met her the first time about the pre-mortal life!! She has never heard about it so she was very interested. She said it makes sense! How cool is that? For companion study we read a talk that Sister Anderson gave us on how the spirit works, and one of the ways it said was through your dreams! It was amazing. For sure a miracle in it's self. Also on Saturday we went to the 7th Day Adventist church! Haha weird... it for sure makes my testimony stronger when I go to other churches, or bible studies!

Also Eileens daughter Josie has never liked the Elders and when Eileen was going to get baptized she got all mad and that's why Eileen never got baptized. But she loves the sisters! This week we went over and cooked them dinner because they were sick, then we actually went to the mall with Josie to pick something up! She likes me better than sister cotton so I just asked her some hard questions about our church and Eileen and all. I was like if you come to our church we'll go to yours, she was like i'll think about it!! THATS AWESOME!! Ahh the inside of my cheeks are torn up from being so nervous asking her questions, but the spirit for sure was there helping me! haha

We have had many great opportunities to help ward members with their missionary efforts! It's so exciting that they're catching the missionary bug! I love it!! I can't believe I have been out for almost 3 months, I have learned so much and I continue to learn and grow everyday. I love being a missionary!!

Love,

Sister Gates

P.S. Also we went and saw this guy names Apostle, thats not his real name, but thats what he changed it too! So the old mission president and him were really good friends. But he is his own religion, and i guess he can like read people! So my whole district went over and he read me! All i said was hi to him and he was like well you're one of service, even if people don't want your help, you're willing to put forth hard work! I was like what does that mean? My district was like, it's like being a mom!! I was like thats all i want to be!! And they're like well your new name is Mama Gates!! Haha so i have a new nickname! Kind of funny but it was crazy he read everyone and it was all right!!! Pretty cool:)

This is today, we went to Joann's to get some things and we walk out and see a camo truck! Welcome to the south;) haha it's the Real Tree brand too! haha

We went to the mall with Josie, and we came back and Lilly her daughter had made us gift bags! Haha she is the sweetest:)

A little something I do when I have a few seconds before bed!! It's relaxing too:)

Did I send this already? I couldn't remember! But this is when it was 6 degree's outside and freezing!!!

These are the pictures I carry around in my scriptures to show people my life back home:)... or in Italy;)

Wahoo for being a missionary!!

(Mikelle sent this picture to Lori Hafen, thanks for the cute picture Mikelle!)

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Eleven // "First Week of the New Year"

Well what a week! We started off by having a great super p day! We played games, watched Monster University, and then we had an appointment with a referral and committed her to be baptized! So it was a great start to a new year:)  Then on Thursday the lady we committed to be baptized got a blessing from the Elders. She was bawling after, it was a great experience. I have such a strong testimony of priesthood blessings! Dad I'm glad you have always been able to hold it! Means so much to me!! Then on Thursday we had to trainer/ trainee meeting. It was so good to see all of the other missionaries! Then on Saturday the Horlachers took us down to Franklin (Sister Cottons last area) because one of her investigators was getting baptized! The horlachers took us to our first Waffle House. Very interesting! A good experience for sure! haha then we took Sister Ervin, who had medical problems to Kroger, (that a grocery store) and she got all the stuff she needed. She was so grateful, she said she had just gotten done praying for help and we knocked on her door! Sunday we have church at 1-4, isn't to bad. But it was raining, and a big ice storm came in. So that was crazy! They cancled school on Friday and it's like history in the making here! So it's pretty cold today, 8 degrees! Ahh I miss sunny St. George! But their was like 4 people in sacrament meeting who gave sister cotton and I a shout out, and saying how good we were doing and that they loved us! It was our first week an investigator didn't come to church so we were a little down, so that was nice:) then we called the assistants to ask a question and they said how did we get Hendersonville so popping? I guess it was a very dead area and then we came in and it all turned around! So that was a nice compliment! We're doing great! Working hard. I have learned that being married in the temple is so special. Having that forever family is amazing. I LOVE teaching about it. It makes me realize how important it is to make it to the temple with your whole family! This lady married a non member and waited 22 years to go through the temple with her husband! And in a month they finally are! I am so happy for them.

Well it sounds like things are going well at home!! I love seeing pictures and hearing from you all! Thanks for all you do:)

Love, Sister Gates:)

Ps. another thing people always say is "fixin"

"I was fixing to go to the store" They all say that! They're always fixin to do something! Just some Tennessee lingo for ya'll;)

Sister Boren is in my zone and this was at the Trainer/ Trainee meeting!! I love seeing her:)

Sister Ellis and I!!

My MTC district at the Trainer// Trainee meeting!

Sister Ellis is now in my zone!! This was at the super p day!! Wahoo:)

Sister Boren and I on Super P day! She is in my zone now!! I love seeing people I know!!:)

Jakes' birthday present... excuse the wrapping paper.. it's all we had!! Haha:)

This morning it was 8 degrees and it's history for Tennessee. So we bundled up and made some hot coco in a Tennessee cup we got for Christmas! Haha