Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Thirty-Four

BEST WEEK EVER!!

Super long email... Sorry!!

Okay so you know those people that came to church last Sunday? Well we

went over and taught them the restoration and committed them to be

baptized!! Okay so that was the short version of it all. So Butch,

Lisa, and Isaac Bates are the ones that the Benitez family brought to

church. Butch owns his own lawn care business and his wife helps him.

One day they were pulled over on the side of the road because

something went wrong with the trailer. Brother Benitez pulled up and

was like "are you looking for me?" Haha butch was like no. Brother

Benitez had been waiting for someone to come take bid to see how much

it would be to mow his yard. So he asked Butch to bid his house too.

He got the job and the Benitez have 6 kids and he's like from South

America somewhere so Butch asked if he was catholic. He was like no

I'm Mormon! Butch great grandmother was Mormon and paid tithing until

the day she died. So he was interested again. So they were searching

for a church and Brother Benitez invited them to church! In Gospel

Principles they learned the Plan of Salvation and a little about the

priesthood in the 3rd hour.

So on Friday Sister Benitez calls and says hey Butch and Lisa are

coming over at 6! Come over and teach them, and Butch wants to be

baptized. Okay!! Haha we love when that happens;) so I was on exchange

so Hermana Kepler was with me. We go over and ask them about church.

They LOVED it. They said it just made sense. The plan of salvation and

priesthood keys. I was like what?! I still get confused sometimes! So

we go on and teach them the restoration. I recited the First Vision

and ask them if they think that was possible. They said yeah and I

think there is prophets on the earth today too! We were like who are

these people?! So we explained that Joseph Smith received the

priesthood and could baptize people now. We committed them to be

baptized on June 28th. Then I said Brother Benitez holds that

priesthood authority and could baptize you and Lisa. He was crying,

sister Benitez was crying, we were crying!! OH MY GOSH. I LOVE BEING A

MISSIONARY!! What a special opportunity I was able to be apart of.

Brother Benitez wasn't actually there, he was in Mexico doing a class

on essential oils. And the whole lesson Sister Benitez was nursing her

baby. So it was interesting! Haha but so great! The Benitez talked to

them about going to the temple to be sealed. We told them they could

be sealed in a year, so next June 28th. They were speechless. They

want this so bad! I gave them a Salt Lake Temple pass along card and

the son Isaac, who is 5, knew what it was already.

This family is so prepared it kills me. They kept saying it just makes

sense, it just answers all of our questions, it fills that hole in our

heart! But the SUPER sad thing is.... They aren't in our area. They

live in Mt. Juliet area. So we called a president and told him we got

a baptismal date set and all. So we had to call the mt. Juliet elders

to say they have a baptism on June 28th they need to start preparing

for and they need to meet the people! I was kinda sad... But it's all

the same work!! So wahoo!!

Then that same Friday a member took us to exchange with the Hermanas

half way. So we were just waiting in the parking lot when I hear some

guy just yelling. I was like what the heck? So I saw some guy run up

to this lady and just yelling and screaming in her face. Then she

punches him in the face and hits him with her purse. Oh my gosh! Then

another lady drives up and looks like she was getting out to see if

everything was okay. The guy goes after the other lady and start

yelling in her face. So we drive over and I call 911. Scariest thing

ever! Then we get the license plate number of the guy and they drive

off. Seriously I thought he was going to kill someone. Sister

Abernathy took the Hermanas and they drove past the place we were

going to meet like 3 times, so when they got here they were like sorry

we kept missing it, it was probably for a reason. And it totally was!

We we're suppose to call 911. It was crazy. Got my adrenaline going!!

Haha

Okay Monday we went and had dinner out at Bishops, then he came to the

Towrys for FHE with us. They are the less active family. Bishop is one

who has thousands of stories for everything............... But it was

so good! They have been less active for 5 years and are just scared to

make that first step of coming back and talking to bishop. So bishop

came with us and it was great!! We were there for 2 hours, because of

bishops stories. But it was awesome!

Then on Wednesday the Hokansons had us over for dinner. It was Katie's

7th birthday and she wanted the sisters over to eat! Guess what she

wanted for her birthday dinner? Fish. Trout. Guess what I had? Trout.

It was dang good too! I deboned mine and all!

Then on Saturday before stake conference Deb took us to a Chinese

Buffett and I had Takoyaki. Do you know what that is? Octopus!! It had

like the little suction cup thingys on it and everything! I'm not

really a fan... It tasted fishy and it was chewy. But hey I ate it!

We went over and taught Matt. It was amazing! Matt is the one who

didn't graduate high school so we have to teach simple. But we went

over the plan of salvation and he remembers it all! We were so

impressed. Then Shelby his girlfriend, fiancé, pretty much wife came

in and we talked to her about it too! They loved it. They want to make

it to the highest kingdom together! It was so great. They said they

would be baptized, but they want to pray and find out first! We are

praying so hard for them.

We play volleyball every Thursday with the Relief Society and Young

Women. It's just at the park, it's sand volleyball. It is so nice to

be able to play in the middle of the week and take a break!

Stake conference was great!! I love whenever President and sister

Andersen speak, it gets me all pumped up! They talked a lot about

going to the temple and doing work their, and bringing your own names

to do. Also not only work on that side but work on this side as well!

President challenged all of the Madison Stake to not only pray for the

missionaries, but pray for your OWN missionaries experiences and

opportunities! I loved that. So will you PLEASE pray for your own? I

read in Jacob 5: 61-62

61 Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently

with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way, that I

may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good

and the most precious above all other fruit.

62 Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time,

for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I

shall prune my vineyard.

Isn't that so great? This is the last time he is going to prune his

vineyard! So pray and be apart of if. Reach out to those who have

fallen away, or don't even know of this church! No one should be

excused from being a member missionary. I use to think I was the

exception. I'm not, neither are you. Go to work!

I'm sorry I wrote so much this week. The Lord is good to me. I am

truly blessed. I love the Book of Mormon. I love the leaders of this

church. I love being a missionary.

I love you all!!

Sister Gates:)






This is Katelyn, she gave me a sea shell and drew a picture of me! I get special treatment because I have red hair‏




Sister Westbrooks husband is a mortician, so he brings home flowers, then she gives us some!!!‏









I deboned my own fish and ate it!! It was trout, pretty decent! This is what Katie wanted for her 7th birthday!!‏





When we went on an exchange Sister Tenney came back with these cute earrings for me!! So sweet.‏







Going to stake conference with Deb!!!‏





The Ryman is where they all use to perform, now they do it at the Grand Ole Opry!! So cool!‏





Just at CMT headquarters:)‏





Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville.... On of our less active went here, so we got a picture with it!‏











COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME!!! I'm in heaven.‏









Inside the Country Music Hall of Fame... Those are Johnny Cash's shoes. I saw his grave in Hendersonville!‏







Mom, dad when you come our, we're going to this boot store! Buy one get two free! Haha they were very nice boots.





This is broadway, the main attraction spot! This is the place to be on the weekends I hear! Plus they were filming and taking pictures of something!‏











LP field, where the predators play, and we could see it all! So cool.‏







Rainbows and Book of Mormons while tracting in Hartsville!!‏














This is next to the state capital, it's a war memorial for WW1!!‏