Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Forty

Such a great week!!

Let's skip to the best part of this week.... WE SET A DATE WITH JOSH

FOR AUGUST 18th!!!! Wahoo. Also it was on Sister Svedin's 20th

birthday we set it. It was such a miracle.

Okay so Thursday was sister Svedin's birthday, so for morning

exercises we were heading out to run and I'm like jump in the car!

We're going to get donuts!! Haha she loved it. Then we did studies and

I made her a cake. Then we had interviews with president and sister

Andersen. I LOVE THEM. He just asked how I was doing and I'm seriously

doing great!! I just expressed my joy I was feeling and being able to

get completely lost in the work. He said he was proud of me and has

seen me change. So that was awesome. Then he had us reach him a

principal and so that put me on the spot! So I read Helamon 5:12 with

him. Then taught him the principal and bore my testimony!! It was so

spiritual. I started to cry when I bore my testimony of the Book of

Mormon. It was amazing. I love them!!

Then after we went to Jeanette and Ron's and I messages them on

Facebook to help me surprise her with a cake. And they did!! It was a

nice cream bar cake, so good. She was so surprised! I'm glad people

are so willing to help make birthdays special for someone they barley

know.

Then Deb took us out to Chillis for her birthday lunch. I think spicy

food gives me heart burn or something. My throat was on fire the rest

of the day.

Then we went and had a lesson with Josh Hodge. We had prepared a

different lesson than the one we actually taught. But it was for sure

by the spirit. We couldn't find a member to come with us, so the

elders came. Josh asked how do you know your thoughts from the

spirits? We talked and shared experiences, and scriptures. Then a

thought came to me to have the elders give him a blessing. So I asked

and josh was like sure. So they did and after it was done Josh was

like, woah, I never told you this but he doubted God. And elder Cheney

in the prayer said something about him having doubts and being able to

overcome them because he is aware. It was so spiritual! Then sister

Svedin asked him to be baptized and he said no... So we talked some

more and a thought came to me just have him commit to a date and he

can progress towards it!! So I said okay your baptismal date will be

August 18th if you come to find out this church is true, will you be

baptized? He said of course!! So I know Heavenly Father will provide a

way and an answer for Josh!!!! We were freaking out. WAHOO!!

So after we go to Erica Lynn's house for dinner, she is a recent

convert and the elders worked with them. We have become close with

them though! So Amanda the mom, who isn't a member signed up to feed

us on her birthday, so I messages Erica Lynn and she said she would

make a cake. It was awesome! They also got her beautiful flowers.

Sister Svedin was like crying by the end of the day she was so happy.

She kept saying "best birthday ever!!" That was good because I really

wanted to make it special.

Also this week Sister Hacker messages me on Facebook and said her and

Noah were in town and so she took us out to lunch. It was SO good to

catch up with her. Brother Hacker just received the Melzecadick

priesthood. Noah just got his patriarchal blessing and brother and

sister hacker are getting theirs today!! Ah. She told me everything

that was going on back in Thompson Station. It was great!

We were going to see this lady who had just had surgery and on the way

there I see, the Bates big truck and trailer. (They own their own lawn

care business) I was so excited!! I rolled down the window and yelled

Sister Bates! She pops her head around and we talked for ever. They

were the ones we committed to baptism and had to turn them over to the

mt. Juliet ward because that was their boundaries. What a tender

mercy!! So fun to see them. I love them.

On Fridays after weekly planning we go see Ernie. Benjji is still in

the hospital, just in rehab. So a member works there and we got all

the information to call Benjji. Ernie hasn't talked to her in weeks

and so he finally got to, it was the cutest thing ever!! "I love you

honey, you are a very special person to me!" That was a miracle we

were able to actually talk to her.

We had Pioneer Day at the church. It was great! We helped the kids

with crafts, went around in the hand cart and enjoyed the day.

Everyone also brought pies. They had the missionaries be the pie

judges! Haha so we tried every pie, that was fun. The Dickersens pie

won. We invited investigators, but no one came... But some less

actives did so that was great!

I love my mission. Training is hard. But sister Svedin is a champ. I'm

grateful I get to be companions with her!! I love the Book of Mormon.

So much. I hope you all pray for missionary opportunities! LOVE YOU!!

Sister Gates









I got a package from the Leach family I use to babysit!., made my whole day







This is Pam an investigator... She saw I wore necklaces so she went back in her room and gave me a couple of hers! LOVE HER














WAHOO!! My 9 month pictures;) half way there!!‏










The Hackers were in Lebanon and took us out to lunch!! LOVE THEM SERIOUSLY JUST WHAT I NEEDED.‏








We tracted into these guys. The one next to me, James, broke his back and is a walking miracle! He also designed his sweet car and made it! Sweeeet‏.












This is Madie, we tracted into her and I gave her a pass a long card and she followed us the rest of the hour tracting, so we talked to her and she LOVES US! Haha such a cute girl.‏










We saved another turtle off the road again!! Wahoo‏








This crazy storm came through and we all got drenched!! Love Sister Gregory nights!‏










Jeanette and Ron helped me surprise her with a birthday cake!! Love them










Amanda and Erica Lynn helped me surprise her with another cake








Tracting while the sun sets >>>>‏














Pioneer Day fun with the Lebanon ward!!!‏














They had us be the official pie testers for the Pioneer Day party!! Haha perks of being a missionary;)‏
















Pie eating contest, stick pull, and old country folk songs!! Seriously I loved this day. So fun!!‏








Each Friday we go visit Ernie and I sit in his walker chair, and he can't hear so I have to sit right next to him!! He always tells stories of WW2 and we called Benjji and talked to her! Love him!‏