Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Forty-Four

This week was great!!

I'm staying in Lebanon for another transfer and still training!

Watertown is being closed, that's an area in our ward. Now we only

have us and the other set of elders. That's gonna be weird.

Well we had the fair. It was crazy! We received 329 referrals. THAT IS

AMAZING! Heavenly Father is so good to us. The fair was awesome. It

was so dang hot the whole time. Haha we had a booth that was inside,

so there was no air flow. I seriously loved the fair. We had a survey

and if they filled it out they were able to be put in a drawing to win

a free picture of Christ. We had some people that bashed with us, some

people that wanted to learn more, and I have never met so many not

active members in my life! We would ask if they wanted to fill one out

and the last question asks if the missionaries can come visit and

share more, then they'd be like... "Oh I'm a member! I just don't

go.." Super awkward! Haha

At the fair we tried Fried Alligator... So gross. It was hard and

chewy! We had a funnel cake, everyone lives at the fair for those.

That was good. We tried fried Oreos. Oh my gosh. So good! Haha it's

like a donut with a soft warm Oreo inside! We tried the BBQ pulled

pork sandwich. I love BBQ, there was a popular trailer called

"Somethin' Smokin'" and the people who owned it me and sister Tenney

actually tracted into them. So good. Then everyone always talks about

the grilled corn. So we had to get it! Butter drippin down your

fingers goodness. We worked at the fair 4 times a total of 22 hours.

Our ward mission leader is awesome and when we would have curfew he

would come a little early to switch us so we could go enjoy the fair!

THERE ARE SOME WEIRD PEOPLE HERE. They are just their own kind and

they don't care what you think about them, and they'll tell you how it

is too! Haha

I went on exchanged this week to Madison, Spanish speaking with

Hermana Kepler. She goes home on Wednesday and I'm so sad. She was a

great sister training leader! Well I couldn't understand a word some

of the people were saying, but Hermana Kepler translated and let me

bear my testimony in Spanish! She actually taught me a line "Hola! Soy

Hermana Gates :) Se que lo que ella dijo (deeeeeeho) es la verdad (I

know the things she said are true). Haha it was perfect! We actually

got to teach some people in Spanish, the restoration.

That was an amazing experience. She said most sisters just need a

break when they go on exchanges, so The Lord provides Spanish people

all day. But for us I still wanted to work even though it was Spanish,

she said it's amazing to see how The Lord is aware of each missionary.

So that was a nice compliment. We are at an El Salvadorian place, I

got this weird thing called papposa. Have you ever had that Macey?

Well anyways the next day we tracted because we didn't have the car

and I've never been so hot and sticky in my life. Ugh. They said we

have had a cool summer so far and it's just starting to heat up!

Greattttttt. Our car will probably be in the shop to get fixed, so we

will be walking around for a week or two. Greattttt. No it will be

good. Heavenly Father will provide people for is to meet on the

streets. Sorry back to exchanges, they were great. I love learning

and learning how to be a better missionary. Also there are two other

sets of sisters in that apartment and one is sister Pernod, sister

cotton (my trainer) trained her as well. She is training a new

missionary too! So we stayed up and talked! It's like a giant sleep

over on your mission! So fun.

We were so busy with the fair this week we didn't have much time to

find and tract. So as of right now we still have no investigators. We

have a couple potentials, but non progressing.

We visit Mamie each week, she is a less active and she lives with her

boyfriend. They go to our church every other week. Last week they went

to his church and they totally bashed on Mormons, and he was mad. And

he asked what the missionaries do and why do they always come over

when he isn't home. So they had us over for breakfast on Saturday and

we shared a scripture out of the Book of Mormon and explained where it

came from. Real light, Mamie was worried. But it went great! We saw

them later at the fair that night and then they came to church

yesterday. Usually he just wears a t shirt and jeans, but he had on a

nice button up shirt and it was great. So hopefully that goes

somewhere soon!

This week was great! I'm excited to be back to our normal schedule and

go to work! I have great hopes for this next transfer!! By the end of

this next transfer I will of been in this area for 6 months. I can't

believe I just passed my 10 month mark... I'm kind of freaking out I

only have 8 months left. It's crazy! I sure love being a missionary.

It's a hard, but I wouldn't want to be any where else. I love you

all!! Xoxo

Sister Gates:)






At the fair!!‏










The fair on Monday!!‏











More of the fair...‏








More food, old swing dancers, and at the fair with the Lebanon Elders!‏











Soy beans, Tobacco plants, and alligator and a funnel cake!‏





The Hokanson family. They have two sons on a mission as well! Love this family. They want me to marry one of their sons... Super weird.‏










The Benitez family!! LOVE THIS FAMILY. Me and Christain with our "tags" haha







District photo! Plus elder Moss our Zone leader on the end.‏









The Tecson's. They just got back from the Philippines! He was a bishop, stake president and patriarch. LOVE THEM.‏





It was pouring cats and dogs!! Seriously it was crazy!‏









On my exchange to Madison. Rachel, Jonathon and jr. So cute! We ate at an el Salvadorian place.‏






 






On my exchange!! Wahoo for a party with the other sisters too!


 








Only some of the Dickersons! The parents were going to pick up Josh (he's 12) who had the eating disorder! He gets to come home now after 4 months of batteling if! Wahoo!‏





Heather Webb had us over for lunch, then sent us home with her famous cheesecake!! This is why I'm far now.‏





"Now don't show bishop this picture!" -Ernie hahah love him so much!‏





Me and Sister Svedin working the fair!! So dang hot.‏









Fried Oreos!! Hahah so delicious.‏







The fair and BBQ sandwich!!‏













Grilled corn!! Haha another delicious food at the fair. I think we ate a lot here? Haha so good.‏








So there was a water leak in my closet! Then it started to drip down from the ceiling in the kitchen!! Haha kinda funny, but we have a big fan working now.‏




This is Debvie Sieffert. She lives next to the Spanish elders and always feeds us dinner and gelato. Haha she is moving and were kind of sad! She isn't a member but should be!‏













More from the fair! The less active chiropractor who fixed my headaches gave me a pin!! Wahoo!‏