Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Forty-Three

Lebanon:

Well on Monday, last p day, Merenda Leon took us to Hendersonville (my

first area) she took us shopping. It was so fun to get out of Lebanon

and see my old area. It feels so weird being there. I wish we had time

to stop and see people, but we didn't. But it was fun to get our. Then

the Leon's fed us, their grandparents just got back from their mission

in Russia. It's so amazing to hear their stories, trials, and

successes. It makes my testimony grow more. They made us the real

deal, fried chicken. The best.

On Tuesday we drove out to Hartsville. We met with Cortez a potential

investigator, he didn't have time, but he is very interested. Wahoo!

Then we met with Melody and Victoria. They are these amazing black

ladies. Haha we read the Book of Mormon with them. I love the phrase

"Oh praise Jesus!!" When I pray we hold hands and when I start

blessing them they'll say "hmm, yes Jesus, yes! Hmmhm!" I can't

concentrate when I pray when they're going off too! I love the south.

They have such great faith. Melody actually called us on Saturday and

said she got a new job and she is doing great. She wants us to come

out every week and meet and study with her. I'm not sure if she truly

understands the whole Book of Mormon thing, but we're teaching her!

Heavenly Father has blessed us with so many people to work with this

week.

The MIRACLE of the week. So we prayed where Heavenly Father wanted us

to tract. We tracted it and Lakeshia answered and said come back

tomorrow because they were in bed already. So we did and she lets us

in, along with her daughter Jamya who is 12. We start teaching them

the restoration and they love it. They said it makes sense to them!

They loved the idea of the Book of Mormon! Lakeshia said her church

only meets once a month, and she has been searching for a new one.

Wahoo! So she said she believes this could be the one for her. We

invited them to church, but they didn't show up. The husband was at

work when we were there, so hopefully he's okay with them learning. We

set up a return appointment to teach them more. I am so excited about

them. When you truly involve The Lord with every aspect of your work,

he will just guide you right where you need to be! I love being a

missionary.

Sarah Wilson is this sweet 71 year old lady. We were tracting and we

came up to her house and it said beware of dog and no soliciting. So

we decided to leave. Before we knew it there was someone coming out of

the door, sister Svedin actually jerked to run away. Haha so funny!

But then we talked to her on her front porch. She is a sweet heart!

She left us come back again Sunday, we taught her the Restoration and

gave her a Book of Mormon. We talked about being baptized by the

priesthood authority, and her mom baptized her and it was very special

to her. So we're going to work with her on that one. She was so

excited to read from the Book of Mormon. Yet again, Heavenly Father

led us to another person who is willing to listen.

We met with Layla and her step mom this week. Layla is 14 and comes to

church, seminary, youth conference, and all of it. Her mom is less

active and coming back. But Layla wants to get baptized. So we asked

her about it and her step mom doesn't want her to commit to something

she can't keep the covenant of. (Like herself) so her mom is the only

thing holding her back. It's kinda sad! But it's all good.

Benjji is back in Lebanon!! She is at a rehabilitation center. We went

and saw her and she said she knew who we were, but I don't think she

did. She thinks her husband is still alive, he passed away a year ago.

Her roommate in the place she thinks is her cousin Golden. I almost

bust up laughing when she said that. Haha the roommate was going to

the bathroom and Benjji said "this is my cousin Golden, she is just

visiting me, she is from out of town" haha oh my. Bless her heart! I'm

just glad she's. Ack, even if she is crazy!

We had trainer // trainee meeting in Green Hills on Friday. It went

from 9-4 so it's a long meeting, but so fun! We are given a few

trainings, then we do some activities and more trainings. We do this

things called Good & Bad. The trainers all go in one room and the

trainees go in one room. We list the good and bad qualities of our

companions and swap rooms and they talk about it. At first brings you

down because you're like ohhhh was that my trainee that said the bad

stuff about me? Then it builds you back up with the good stuff and

makes you want to work harder. I love it. We play jeopardy as well,

but it's Preach My Gospel questions. I got the daily double and got

the answer right, so that was kind of a big deal as a missionary haha.

But it's great!! It's so fun to see all my missionary friends again!

It was good for sister Svedin to see all hers as well. Sister Greogry

and Emma Gregory drove us down. We almost crashed 100 times, but we

made it. We're truly protected as missionaries.

We have actually been having a couple hard past weeks. We had Jeanette

and Ron drop us on Friday that seriously broke my heart. They were

really learning and loving it. I knew I loved the people here. But I

really truly care about them and their salvation as well! So that was

hard.

Then the next day we had a member text us and say that they were done

coming to church and that we don't need to come over anymore. NOW A

MEMBER DROPPED US! Hahah we couldn't stop laughing, or else we were

going to cry. We actually went over and she is having a mid life

crisis right about now. It's sad. She didn't come to church yesterday

either... Sometimes I hate it that people have agency!

Well this week is the Wilson County fair. It's bigger than the state

fair. Half a million people come to this fair! We have a booth and we

hand out surveys to see if people are interested in learning more.

Also they get a chance to win a couple free pictures of Christ. Our

booth is inside. We worked the shift yesterday from 12 to 9. Right

after church we headed up there. Our church is actually right next to

the fair grounds. But I could people watch all day there!! You never

know who is going to walk through the doors. Hahah I LOVE it. We have

a good time! We have members helping us as well. We do it a couple

more times this week. Yay! It's great.

I finished the Book of Mormon again. Gosh I love that book. The verse

that stuck out to me when I finished was Moroni 10:32 "Yea, come unto

Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all

ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and

love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace

sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and

if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny

the power of God." I loved that it said, love God with all your might,

mind, and strength, (<--comma) THEN is his grace sufficient. Through

his grace you can be made perfect and deny not the power of God. That

just solidified my testimony. I know I'm weak, I know I have a lot to

work on, I'm far from perfect. But his grace is sufficient for all. I

just want to tell everyone I see about the Book of Mormon. It has

completely changed my life. It has great power in it. It heals those

starving spirits searching for the truth. So don't be afraid to share

it with others. It's the greatest gift you would ever give someone.

Love you all!








Hendersonville for shopping with Meranda Leon! Fried chicken from her grandma!!‏










There was a bad storm and our neighbors tree got stuck my lightening and broke!‏





Wilson County Fair this week!! So excited:)‏







Elder Dalton & Ashton, we all came out together and are training new missionaries! So fun to see them. Also the Gregories drove us to Green Hills for the meeting:)‏







Cracker Barrel head quarters is in Lebanon! The first Cracker Barrel was here!‏





When members drop us <<<<< this isn't funny but we had to laugh or else we would cry! Haha‏







Got to see Benjji!! She can't remember anything. So sad. But love her.









Waiting in line to get to the fair... It took an hour. But sister Svedin likes to match me..... Hahah she said it's fun! Haha okay? Love her!‏











At the fair! Abe is a less active. They tested my stress and red is bad! Hahah oh great. Excuse my frizz ball hair. Humidity sucks!‏





These people had 40+ rabbits they showed at the fair!! Cray cray‏









Lunch with Sister Bickmore and Sister Miller. LOVE THEM SO MUCH!! I almost cried when I saw them