Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Eighteen

What a crazy week. I don't even know where to begin!! Well Tuesday

night we got a call from President Andersen saying that Sister Cox

needs to be packed and ready in the morning because she was going

home. So we hurried and got all her stuff taken care of. I'm happy for

Sister Cox. Then I had to go to Franklin with Sister Vercillo and

Sister Johnson and we were just going to run both areas until the end

of the transfer. (Which is in 2 week) I love Franklin and I love the

Sisters I was serving with!! Then Saturday morning the assistants

called and said I need to pack up again because another set of Sisters

are going to Thompson Station, (my area) and I'll be with them until

the end of the transfer. So now I'm with Sister Hargadon, from

California and Sister Frampton, she grew up in Hawaii. Great sisters!

Yesterday in ward council bishop said he called president and he said

I'll be staying for another transfer! So that was exciting!! I'm not

sure what will happen with the other sisters, but I'll be staying. I

love being in a trio. It's a party! I've only been here for 3 weeks so

I don't know the area real well but the couple days we have been here

I have remembered where everything is!! Thanks to the Holy Ghost. Then

this morning I get a call from President and Sister Andersen saying

Grandpa Isom passed away. It's just one thing after another here! But

it made me stop and think about my testimony of the Atonement and Plan

of Salvation. I LOVE FOREVER FAMILIES. Heavenly Father couldn't of

given us a greater blessing. I like what Grandma Gates said, Grandpa

Gates is having a hard time keeping up with 6 missionaries so he just

needed some more help up there! I know they're staying busy on the

other side, I have had many experiences where it shows. This is one of

those things where it's so hard, but it makes you want to go share

what you know is true with everyone!! I love forever families. I hope

we're all living in a way where no matter what happens we'll be ready

to help on the other side when it's our time! I love being apart of

this great work.




Sister Gates:)





This is THEE Sister Bickmore. She went with me to the temple because I didn't have a companion. But she is awesome. It was a very spiritual experience with her!!



Dropping Sister Cox off at the mission office to go home... the first part of this crazy week!!



SO funny story. This is a non active family, the Green's, and they all play together in a band in their garage. Super talented! But they invited us over to listen, we were like sweet they play together as a family! So we went over and listened and it was all this scremo music and about demons and stuff! We felt so bad we called our district leader to repent. But good memories!!



This was with the first set of sisters I was with this week. Sister Johnson and Sister Vercillo!! They took me to this place called the Mellow Mushroom for my going away party! haha ahh crazy week.



At the Nashville, Tennessee Temple! LOVE IT!!!!! Wish we could go more!!





Just a cute little rail road out in the hicks and sticks!!



Got to do some service and play softball!! Nothing better:)



Valentines cookies with the Kay's! Love this family!!

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Seventeen

This week has been different! A slow week. But I love being a

missionary! Haha we still have no new investigators. A lot of

potentials! This week I have learned patience, faith and prayer. Very

important! It has helped me this week and it's the only thing you can

do when things are hard. The iPads are sweet! We each get our own. We

do the area book on it now! My mission is just testing them out. So

that's exciting! But we get to go to the temple on Friday and I can

hardly wait! That will be much needed. I miss going to the temple

weekly! But it will be good. This last week we had interviews. And

president gave me some advice on my companion. Then he asked me if I

was becoming the missionary I thought I would become. I said slowly

but surely! And he just pointed at me and said you are becoming that

missionary. He said he can see it and feel it. So that meant a lot to

me!!

Also on Valentines day Sister Anderson (the mission presidents wife)

took my companion to counciling. We had to travel for a couple hours

to get there. Then Sister Cox got some counciling, then on the way

back for dinner we stopped at a gas station and she got us some food.

I had a Book of Mormon and was trying to talk to the cashier and

Sister Anderson just comes up and says "have you heard of Mormons?" He

was like yeah... She said "Well do you want to be one?!" It was so

funny! But so easy! Haha it was great.

Also the iPads are great! We have our area book off of them and Mormon

message, music and a a lot more! So it's a great tool. President

Anderson explained it like the Liahona. But I can watch videos and

save images to it. We each have our own personal one. So I can see

whenever someone emails me! I can read the first 5 lines but that's it

until Monday! So feel free to just send a little message because I

will see it:)




Sister Gates:)

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Sixteen

This week has been a week of learning and growing. Growing closer to my savior in so many ways. We baptized all of our teaching pool, so that's a good thing! But a bad thing because now we have no one to teach. We're going out and finding old potentials, and tracting a lot. It's still freezing here! If it's about 32, it's a good day! It got up to 40 degree's one day and I took my coat off! I NEVER thought that would happen. Haha but anyways, The Escabars, they're a less active family. They have a daughter Elena, who is 10 and plays travel softball. She is amazing! She is a pitcher and sister cotton told me about her before I came here. So before we went over I grabbed some pictures of the softball team with Dujuan and his son, and Brytni and her mom, with the whole team! Also some others with Skylar and Grandma and Ryker carrying my huge batting bag. So we had a member, sister Ingram come over with us! We talked softball the whole time. It was awesome! When we left Sister Ingram said he has never stayed in the room to talk or anything, and she said "The Lord put you here for a reason Sister Gates!" I know he did. We said we would go to her softball tournament in Franklin in a couple weeks, and I said I would catch for her some day. Her and her dad were so excited! WAHOO! I can't wait. So Dad send my glove out please:) The Lord does work in mysterious ways. I am so grateful this week had been a week of growing and helping others! I know the atonement works for everything. I am so grateful for it!! I pray for you all everyday and night. Love you:)

Sister Gates

Sister Cox and I today! Sorry I don't have very many pictures this week...

Softball. #8. Autumn. SAME SAME!! Haha made my day:) Love you Aut!

My companion has a bladder problem... she had to pee so bad she went in the bushes!! haha

Just playing some volleyball on P-day last Monday!!

Sister Cox and I:)

Hahah so we work at this rest home and they had an appreciation dinner and they gave us certificates because every Friday morning we go and do chair exercise's with the cute ladies there!! It was great:)

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Fifteen

Oh my. This had been a great//crazy week! So this was my first week in Thompson Station! Sister Cox is my new companion. She is from Orderville, Utah! She grew up on a ranch and is a sweet girl. We came out at the same time, so we're both just getting out of training and figuring out the area! We have one investigator.... so we do a lot of tracting. Which I don't think is the most productive thing to do! But we have to find people some how! Even if it is 16 degree's outside! I never knew Super Bowl Sunday would be so hard... haha we ran into a couple drunk people... haha no one let us in! So we just went to members homes! It was a blow out anyways so we just shared a message instead! Also on Friday night we had a broad cast and L. Tom Perry spoke. IT WAS AMAZING! Guess what it was all about? Yup! Missionary work! It was for all the leaders in the church. He said that the time for missionary work right now is just as important as the restoration or the coming forth of the Book of Mormon!! Isn't that amazing?! He said D&C 88:73 is being brought to pass right now. Also D&C 44:1-5! I can't even explain how amazing. He said "There is an urgency in hastening the work!"

Also on Saturday Sister Hacker got baptized and a little boy who was 9, Isaac!! It was an amazing experience. I loved being apart of it! I am so blessed to be in such a great area already!! I pray daily for you all! Know that the atonement covers everything:)

Love, Sister Gates:)

Ehhh not the best... but Super Bowl Sunday! When everyone rejects you and you are out in the pouring rain!! Haha love missionary work:)

Driving by and Turkey's run right in front of us! I tried to hop out to get a picture, but this is the best i could do! I thought Dad would like this!!

Sister Hacker!! Sister Oldham and Sister Cotton tracked into her and so they came back for the baptism too!!

Brother Hacker got to baptized his wife Sister Hacker:) Very spiritual!!

Isaac, Sister Cox, and I:)

Haha this is something Macey would do... she would probably wear it to school though!!

Hahah so.... someone in Thompson Station gave the Sister's this work out suit! It sure makes you sweat!! Pretty cute huh?;)

This is the Kay family! They have a daughte serving in Beaver, Utah! Haha she is part of the St. George mission! LOVE them:)

Sister Cox and I:)

This was at Transfers! Sister Oldham on top is the grandma to all of us! Haha Sister Cotton is my mom!

Made this for Sister Cotton before I left Hendersonville!

This was a sweet picture in my apartment in Hendersonville! This was on transfer day!

This is the Wall of Fame in Hendersonville... I was the fist Sister to sign it! Haha:)

Ohh Eileen... Adios!!