Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Thirty-One

Another great week!

I love Lebanon, and I love the people here. The work is kind of slow,

but it's amazing! Here is an update on all of our investigators:

Shelby, we gave her a church tour and she really enjoyed that. We took

her around and showed her all the rooms and then all the pictures on

the wall and what they all meant. She had some great questions about

Joseph Smith! Then we sat down and had a lesson. She asked about

Temples, so we explained them and what we do in them. She loved it!!

Being sealed together with her family and knowing the work for the

dead can be done! The spirit was so strong. She also wants to get

baptized in a church, so we explained the priesthood power. She isn't

married but has 2 kids. So her husband Matt could baptize her if they

decide to. We are really praying for them!!

Josh Hodge, we went over and had a great lesson with him. We talked

about prophets! We showed him who President Monson was. He said if he

finds our for himself if this church is true, he will join. I invited

him to take a church tour and he said yes. We are so excited! The

spirit is always a lot stronger in the church! I think he is a little

scared to get his answer, because he wasn't looking to change

religions or anything. So this is going to be a big week for him. We

are praying for him too!!

Tina, Miles and Charles, we went over and had a great lesson with them

too! Sister Keefe is the one who takes us clear out to Hartsville to

visit them. It's one of my favorite drives. It's really close to

Kentucky! Yes they live in a trailer park. But anyways, she's

progressing, but she isn't. I asked her to be baptized and she still

doesn't understand why her other baptisms don't count! We always

explain the priesthood to her. She says she gets it, but if she got it

she would be getting baptized! So it's a little frustrating. But they

come to church each week! So we keep visiting them.

On Saturday the Elders had a baptism, it was great! Her name is

Jesselyn and she just graduated high school, her mom isn't a member

and got up and bore her testimony and pretty much said she is next to

be baptized! Haha I was talking to Jesselyn and she said she wanted to

serve a mission! How cool is that? Some people are just beyond

prepared for this gospel. It gave me and sister Tenney hope to keep

working hard to find those people!

Then on Sunday their was another baptism for an 8 year old boy, Jensen

Hill. Both of his parents served a mission and so she invited non

members to it. We saw who they were and talked to them the whole time!

They asked a lot of great questions. We showed them the chapel and

everything. I hope when I get home I can still continue to be a

missionary just like the Hills.

Oh we also had interviews this week with President! They did it

different this time. It was only President and Sister Andersen who

came, usually the APs come and so trainings. But we got to be

interviewed by both of them! I cannot tell you how much I love them

both. They are amazing!! They really do care about all of us

missionaries. President again shared how tracting 1 hour a day and

reading 30 minutes a day out of the Book of Mormon will increase our

baptisms. So we are working hard on that!

I think if anything my mission is helping me the most. It's amazing

how many opportunities we get to be apart of and help people

understand the restored gospel. But more than anything I am gaining

the most. I cannot tell you how much I love the people here. I could

sit and talk for hours and hear their stories. Everyone in the south

accepts Christ, so it's amazing to see how he has helped and blessed

them. It's even better to tell them that there is more out there!!

Everyday I get a confirmation that this church is true. Every single

day. I love it so much. I never want to stop being a missionary. I

hope you all don't either! I love you all so much:) thanks for all the

love and support! Read the Book of Mormon everyday. It continues to

bless my life and I know it will bless yours! I love you!!

Sister Gates:)




Ps. I am getting eating alive out here! Seriously I have never had so

many mosquito bites in my life. And I still am amazed every time I see

a firefly!






This was for Annii's Birthday! Haha she loves bears, so we got her one. And then they had Root beer Virgil's and cake to celebrate. Cheers!‏


Sister Tenney and I at transfers a few weeks ago, Sister Bickmore just sent me this!‏This is Meranda Leon, she is an amazing daughter in the ward! She graduated and I'm going to miss her! She's going to BYUI, She made these for us!‏




So this is General Hatton's grave... Sister Tenney told me to get a picture by it... I guess he was a general in the confederate war. 




Also we were just checking the baptism font!‏









Happy 7 Month Mark to me!! Haha






This is Sister Gregory and Emma Gregory! Love them. She helps me with my style.‏

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Thirty

This was yet again, another great week!

To start on Monday we went and visited this LA, she is in the YSA and

is a single mom. Her family is in the ward, but they're having some

problems, so we went over and visited her and she just shared her

whole life story! Then I shared Mosiah 7:33 with her and she just

cried and said that exactly what she needed to hear. It was so cool

because I kept looking for a scripture and the ones I was looking at

just didn't feel right, then it read that and knew I was suppose to

share it. The spirit was so strong!

Then another LA we are working with, Mamie, prayed with us for the

first time!! She was so scared, but she did great! Nothing is better

than when you can be apart of someone talking to their Heavenly

Father. So special.

We went and saw Shelby this week, Matt was to tired to meet, but we

had another great lesson with her! She wants to get married soon, and

she said she also wanted to come to church! Wahoo! She is sick right

now, but this week we will give her a church tour, so she can be ready

for the actual church. She is excited for her daughter Kinzie to go to

class too! This is so exciting!!

Josh Hodge is still reading the Book of Mormon and still trying to

understand it. We read Alma 19 with him this week and started to talk

about prophets! We didn't go to into detail, so next week we'll talk

about prophets more!! Wahoo!

Sister Keefe took us out to see Tina, Miles, and Charles. We talked

about the tree of life, and what it means to us. Her setback is that

we don't "accept her baptism" and she's "not good enough to go into

the temple" so that's a hard one to help someone really understand.

But we are trying each week!

This cute couple, the Westbrooks, just moved into the ward and they

texted us and said they had something for us. It was bread and a

bouquet of flowers!! Day made. What's better than bread and flowers?!

Haha but he works at a mortuary, so he just takes the flowers after

and also his friend works at a bakery. So score! It was so nice.

Then on Saturday we drove to the Madison Stake center. We drove

through Gallatin & Hendersonville! My heart was so full, it was weird

to be in my old area again. I got to see some AMAZING ladies from the

stake that I have missed so much! They were all so nice to me and

welcomed me back. Ah!! I love it here. We were there for a women's

conference. They had a couple classes that we went to then had lunch.

Then on our way home we stopped and picked some fresh strawberries!!

Seriously that was so great. We got to pick our own, there was so

many! I felt like a real country girl;)

I really do love being a missionary. I can't believe this week will be

my 7 month mark! I feel like I have learned so much, but yet not

enough. I can't even believe the power that the Book of Mormon has!

President wants us to read it in two transfers. So that's my goal

right now! Sometimes I get so excited about it I just want to scream

and shout and tell everyone about it!! Like come on, there is another

testament of Jesus Christ! Why wouldn't you want to read it?! I hope

you all take at least a few minutes each day to read, even if it is a

verse, make sure you read from the Book of Mormon! You will be blessed

so much!

It's hard to see loved ones pass on, my heart aches for the two who

did yesterday. This is a time where we can really see what is

important to us right now. I am SO glad I know what happens after we

pass on, if I didn't, I would not be okay. But so grateful for the

knowledge we have! I'll be praying.

I love you all! Have a great week:)



These are the flowers from the Funeral home. Sister Tenney surprised me with a picture of the temple and this is my favorite picture of Christ:)‏









Just pickin some fresh strawberries:)‏















More strawberries:) best strawberries I've ever had.‏



This is Sister Gregory! She comes out with us every Wednesday. She gave us some fresh eggs from her farm. LOVE HER!





So green & so great!‏








More from the fair!‏

Mother's Day Skyping with Mitzi

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Twenty-Nine

Another great week in Lebanon!

Then for Matt & Shelby, we taught them the Plan of Salvation. Shelby

told us that her dad was just diagnosed with thyroid cancer and only

has 4-6 months to live. We actually taught Shelby the plan of

salvation a couple weeks ago. But isn't that ironic that we taught

that to her and her dad only has so long to live? There is no such

thing as coincidences! Matt dropped out of school when he was in 9th

grade, so we really have to dumb it down for him. But it was awesome!

Sister Gregory came with us and it was great.

We got this referral that we needed to contact and since we have the

car the Elders gave it to us. We drove 100+ Miles that day! It took

us forever to get out to his house! His name is Cody, he referred

himself because he wanted to give a bible to his friend. Little does

he know the missionaries deliver that bible and teach him more. But we

shared the whole restoration pamphlet and he believed it!! So he is

reading the Book of Mormon and we'll see how that goes. We added him

on Facebook because it's to hard to get out there.

When we were driving back a member said the fireflies were out now!

THEY ARE AMAZING! We were driving past these old country roads and the

fields just twinkle! I was so excited! I'm going to try and catch one.

Haha but it's fun to see fireflies because I've never seen one.

For Josh Hodge, we went over and read some more of the Book of Mormon

with him. He is progressing slowly. He still believes all religions

are good, and there isn't "one true church" so that's a little hard.

But he really loves the Book of Mormon!

So this week we taught early morning seminary. That was actually fun!

Even though we had to wake up at 5 I really enjoyed being with the

students and just teaching them!

On Saturday we went over to a Recent Converts house, Deb. She fed us

dinner and then we always do service for her. This time I got to weed

wack her yard. Mind you I have never done it before and I was in my

skirt. So that was interesting. Then she decided she needed to tell us

everything that was under the hood of her car. Why? I don't know. Haha

but quiz me and I could tell you where it is and what it's used for!

Jeanette and Ron are another older couple that we've been working

with. Her health has gone down ever since she pushed away the Book of

Mormon. But we have her reading it again and we had a great lesson

with them. Ron is really the one holding Jeanette back, which is

really sad. But we just pray and try constantly!

On Saturday night we were asked to give the Relief Society lesson on

Sunday. So that was fun! It was on the book of Mormons in the Joseph

Fielding Smith book. I learned so much just by preparing! But it went

great, we had the young women in there too because it was Mother's

Day!

I am thoroughly convinced that Heavenly Father sent me to the most

amazing family on earth. Ah! Last night was so great being able to see

everyone and hear your voices! The only thing that has really changed

back home is that Kalebs voice is deeper;) haha

I hope all you moms had a great day!! I sure do appreciate all you do.

Hope you all have a fabulous week!



I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Best day ever. Happy Mother's Day:)‏



This is our WE ARE SO EXCITED TO TALK TO OUR FAMILIES IN 30 MINUTES FACE!!!!!‏







This little stud is a crack up!! He Alex Benitez and he is not shy! Haha‏





This was when we helped Deb weed-wack her yard! Haha she's the one in the tank top. Sister King is the mother sister! Love them both!‏



It's so green, humid and beautiful!! Love it!‏











We made a cake for Elder Rumsey's birthday!!‏



This is Kaleb, he's 15 and plays football and works for his dad sometimes. Reminded me of our Kaleb! Kinda weird!‏




We do FHE with the Towry's every Monday. We planted seeds and read Alma 32 about faith! She then drew a picture for me:) haha I think we're friends because of my hair color;)‏