Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Forty-Nine

I am loving Nolensville!

Well on Monday we said goodbye to Elder and Sister Johnson! LOVE them. They are seriously my grandparents. Okay so Sydney Yates, her moms dad is twin brothers with Elder Johnson! So it's been fun having them round! They live in northern Utah so we can go visit after:) 

We have a couple people getting baptized! The waters family. So the dad converted like a few years ago, and he got a divorce with his wife. Then he got remarried and his new wife wasn't a member, but they started to come to church. Well long story short Candice, is the mom and she is getting baptized in between conference sessions on Saturday! Also her daughter Ashley who is a freshmen is getting baptized as well. She has two other sons who said they wanted to get baptized, we teach them the lessons, we're just not sure they really get it. So we could have four baptisms on Saturday! Wahoo! It's been fun to teach them. First we teach the parents on Tuesday then on Friday we teach the whole family, so the parents can help the kids understand and they can bear testimony. The daughter Ashley got her answer while her mom was talking. How cool is that? Hey are a great family and are excited to be sealed on a year together! 

On Wednesday we had the temple!! BEST DAY EVER. It was so fun because I got to go with my old zone from Lebanon. So Sister Svedin was there. It was so peaceful. It was exactly what I needed. President and Sister Andersen are always there in the sessions with us. It's so fun to have them there. I wish we could go more often. While I was in the Celestrial room I was thinking, why wouldn't you want to be here? Why wouldn't you want those blessings that come from the temple? I was thinking about the Waters family and how in a year they can be sealed for time and all eternity. Why wouldn't you want that? Heavenly Father is so excited for them, for anyone who decides to covenant with him. Do you know how many blessings you receive by making those covenants? I can promise those blessings you stand in need of come from the temple. Whatever it is, when you put him first in your life, you will get those blessings. I am so excited for them. I love the temple. I am jealous that you could go everyday if you wanted to! Can't wait to go when I get back. 

After the temple we rushed to Green Hills because we had Zone Meeting. I had to give my first training in front of the whole zone! Ah! It was fine. But glad it's over! We had a training from Elder Harris our zone leader, then President showed "Meet the Mormons" it was pretty good! It just leaves your hanging at the end, but pretty good. Also Sister Hargadon, one of my companions is in it! She went to Napal and they interviewed her and showed her! So that was fun! 

After Zone Meeting we went on exchanged with the Franklin Sisters. So Sister Tangatalakepa came with me to Nolensville. She is the sweetest! She is from Tonga.... We just call her Sister T!  We had a great exchange. As STLs we have the opportunity to serve all the sisters. I love being able to go with all the sisters in the zone. They really look to us for words of advice and help. I can say all I want, but I know the Lord is using me as an instrument for these sisters. I am so grateful. I love my mission so much. 

We do a lot of finding work, because we just opened this area. They are building a new stake center here on Nolensville and they want to make Old Hickory ward into two. So we are working hard! We tract all the time. It's really interesting to meet all kinds of people. We had a few that were interested. Other than that they are happy with their little white church down the street!

We are teaching a few other people, but they're more just interested in what we teach than wanting to join. But hey, we gotta start somewhere!

On Saturday we surprised Sister Cotton from the mission office to come and go out with us. Sister Andersen (mission presidents wife) brought her down and we went on exchanges with them. I took Sister Cotton (my trainer, mission mom) and we went and worked! It was weird... A lot has changed in a year! But it was good. We contacted. Few people and were able to teach together.  After we met up with Sister Andersen and Cook and went to dinner. It was so fun being with Sister Andersen, it was like being with my sisters and mom before the broadcast! What a great day. We then went to the broadcast. It was great! They seemed to talk about the temple and covenants a lot. After going on Wednesday I wish I could go more often! Loved the broadcast though.

The leaves are changing and I am so dang excited for fall! It is my favorite time of year. There are a couple places where it's just a tunnel of trees when you drive through, it's already starting to change colors, it's beautiful! It's starting to cool down, I'm wearing my cardigans now. Wahoos! Summer wasn't bad at all, they said we had a really mild summer, so this winter will probably be bad again.

I seriously am so blessed. I know Heavenly Father is aware of me and my prayers. Sacrament meeting was just what I needed yesterday. Sister Cook is kind of getting trunky because she has one more transfer left until she goes home. I am so glad I still have time on my mission. It's so weird to think about even going home. I love my mission. I can't believe it has been a year since my bleeding ulcer. I am grateful that dad holds the priesthood and was able to give me a blessing. Heavenly Father has just blessed me so much in my life, I feel unworthy of all the blessings. 

I decided to memorize The Living Christ by Christmas. AH! I am so excited. So when I skype home, I'll show you! I loved the women's conference who inspired me to do this. I hope you take this challenge as well! 

Thanks for all your love and support! I have the greatest family and friends. Love you! 

xoxo, Sister Gates

So fun to go on exchanges with my mission mom!! Love her.‏

Exchanges with Sister T!! LOVE HER. She's a talker that's for sure.‏

More with Sister T from Tonga:)‏

I LOVE FALL. So excited for all the leaves to be changing!‏

This is our apartment. I will never live in something this nice as a missionary again. Hahah

Saying goodbye to Elder and Sister Johnson

Temple trip!! So fun to go with my old district!‏

Some with Sister Svedin! And some with Sister Cook! She is only 4'11 so I feel super tall next to her.‏

I never want to leave. Greatest place on earth!!‏

How cool is that? I still love sunsets.‏

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Forty-Eight

This has been an amazing / crazy / emotional week!

Well I've been in Nashville since Saturday! I'm with Sister Cook and

we're the STLs (sister training leaders). We take care of all the

sisters in the zone and go on exchanges with them. So on Thursday at

like 4 president texted and said "Sister Gates will you please call me

when you have a few minutes to talk." It's never good when President

calls, so I hurry and call him back. He said Sister Cotton (my

trainer) is really sick, and she worked herself to hard but she

doesn't want to go home, so she is going to work in the mission off

and he wanted me to go to Nashville and take her spot. It's not even

transfers! I seriously have no idea why he chose me because I'm still

trying to figure out how to be a missionary. Let alone care for a

whole zone of sisters! Me and Sister Svedin were freaking out. Because

I am training her, so now another sister is coming in for the last two

weeks of the transfer and sister Svedin will take over the area.

Crazy! I had to say goodbye to everyone. Do you know how hard that

was? I bawled with everyone I said goodbye to. I was there for almost

6 months, at the end of the transfer it would of been. So I had a

couple days to pack up. Oh my gosh I have SO MUCH STUFF. On Saturday

morning the Keefes drove us to the mission office and the new sister

went with sister Svedin and they were off and I went with sister cook,

said bye to sister cotton and we were off. So I'm in the Old Hickory

ward, the sisters just barley opened Nolensville this transfer, and

that's inside the old hickory ward. We have some of Brentwood,

Nashville, and Nolensville on the area we cover. The ward is AMAZING!

We get there on Saturday and we stopped in to see Bishop Facer and he

said the whole Nashville stake has a soccer team for each ward. (The

Spanish ward has 4 teams though haha) and he asked if we wanted to

play! Hahah so we did! They even have jerseys and all! It was awesome.

Such great ward unity. Boy am I out of shape!! Then after we had a

meeting with the Zone Leaders to discuss what we will do at Zone

Meeting. You know the new Meet The Mormons video coming out? We get to

watch it early in a few weeks! I'm so excited! But it was good. We

have a couple people with baptism dates so that is so dang exciting.

The ward is so willing to do everything for and with the missionaries.

It's amazing! We have some elders in the ward but they struggle. So

they give all their referrals to us! It's kind of sad.

We live in the nicest apartment in the whole mission. Were so spoiled,

it has an amazing gym and all. Sister Cook is amazing. She goes home

next transfer. She is from Washington state.

This week in Lebanon was great though! We had the relief society

president come out with us and visit less actives she's never met,

she's shy, so it was amazing. Then we helped the relief society with

visiting teaching routes. It's a good thing we came, because we see

all the people they have never meet. I really do love less actives.

We found some wonderful people while tracting and were able to get

return appointments and teach them the restoration. We did meet this

one guy though. I have NEVER had anyone tell me I have so wrong

before. UGH. At first he said that we worship a light house and I was

trying to figure out what he meant... It was a temple he was referring

to. Haha a light house? Oh my. Then he wouldn't even let us talk. I

have never been so dang upset. He was completely yelling at us. We

tried to explain and he would yell more. We finally just walked away

and oh my. My testimony was tested then. Poor guy, I really feel bad

for him.

I totally believe The Lord chooses the week and simple. That's me! I

love my mission more than anything. I know the blessings that come

from serving. I never ever want to be the same as when I left. I just

want to change. I love the Book of Mormon. I love receiving revelation

from it. I start my studies with a prayer and everyday I read he

answers my prayers. It's amazing! We also get to go to the temple this

Wednesday and I'm so dang excited. I can hardly wait. I'm actually

going with my old zone, the one I just came from. So it will be so fun

to see everyone and sister Svedin!! My heart is just so full of

gratitude. Heavenly Father hears our prayers and answers them. I love

you all! Have a great week:)

Also! We can now check our emails during the week, president said it's

just like getting mail. We just can't respond to them. So feel free to

email me anytime:)

Sister Gates




I bawled saying good bye to the Towrys!! I love them. Helped them get reactivated!‏




Love Trina and Lexus!! They are investigators.‏











Brother Sartain adjusted us on Monday! Felt so good! Haha‏









Baby Allen is only a couple weeks older than Kam!! My weakness.....









When we found out I was getting ET'd we got a hot fudge Sunday at the famous Snow Whites BBQ. Haha so good.‏








Spend 6 months of my life here. Haha good ol Lebanon!‏





Just to let you see where I am!‏








Sister Cook! We went to two church meetings so we packed our lunch and had a pick nick! She's like 5ft. Haha love her!





The text from President... That makes your stomach drop!‏







These make my mission worth it. Being a little instrument is amazing!!

Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Forty-Seven

This was such a great week!

Monday we had dinner over at our bishops house, he kind of thinks

we're idiots now because word got back to him we participated in a

priesthood blessing. Haha he just laughed though and said never do

that again. I guess the guy who told us that can be kooky sometimes.

Sister Keefe didn't know what to do either. President emailed as well

and said very nicely we shouldn't of done that. A lot of learning this

week!

But we were on bikes this wee and we had a GREAT week. I never noticed

how many dang hills are here until we biked. But I loved it. Dad, I

think my tan line on my arm competes pretty well with yours! Haha but

Heavenly Father blessed us with great weather, it rained a little, but

it was fine. Also I almost got hit by a car! Haha we were going across

a stop light and I thought the car was going straight and so I started

to go, then it turned and boom! Nothing happened, but I like skid side

ways on my bike and almost rammed into the car. Super sketch. But I'm

for sure being protected!!

On Tuesday we were going to contact a fair referral and they weren't

home, so we decided to tract. I saw a street that looked familiar, so

we started tracted, then pointed to a house and said this one. Then no

one answered... As we were walking away this lady comes out back and

says "who are you looking for?" We were like well you! Haha we had a

great lesson on her front porch of the restoration. Her name is Marion

and she had all the right questions for us to answer. She is a new

investigator. She asked if she could pay us for the BOM and we were

like no.. Haha it's free! She was so excited!

Then that night we met with Trina, Lexus and Deshaun, we biked out

there. We taught her the restoration and she loved it! She was

actually talking to her sister who is 7th Day Adventes and worships on

Saturday, and was totally telling her all about our church! Lexus is

11 and wants to come to church so bad. We actually taught Lexus how to

pray and that was such a special time. Heavenly Father is sure helping

us teach people and it feels so good!

Then Wednesday we went and visited Benjji, she has completely lost it.

We went in and she was like I'm looking for a plastic bag. We were

like what is in the bag? She said my work clothes. She was a nurse and

always thinks she's going to work. It's really so sad. She's in a

wheel chair and has had a stroke so her left side is gone. She said

she needed to go to the bathroom and needed help. So I took her in,

lifted her up, pulled her pants down, and diaper thingy. That was so

hard for me. I realized then I don't think I could ever be a nurse. I

would fall in love with all the people and it would kill me to see

them like that. Ugh! I just want everyone to be happy, healthy and

accept the gospel!

Wednesday we also tracted back on Ten Throw Dr. Where we found Marion.

We found another lady who said we could come back, she must of been a

smoker because you know those things you see on tv where they like

breath out of their throat? Yeah she was like that. Pretty crazy. But

then her next door neighbor Brandon, we taught the restoration. He

accepted it and wants to read. Wahoo!

Then Donny Bassham got baptized Wednesday night. It was a great

service, this was one of the investigators the elders were working

with! We made cookies, sister Svedin sang, and it was great! So

excited when people get baptized. Yay!

On Friday we went tracting before we were going to meet a less active.

We were actually following up with this guy that we left a BOM with.

His name is Ross. We go back and he answers the door "oh no! I didn't

even read!" Haha we were like that's okay, we taught him the

restoration and all. He is into Scientology. Those people are hard to

work this! They examine every little detail. But he said he would read

and pray. Wahoo! Another new investigator.

A couple hours before Abigail Benitez baptism brother Benitez called

and asked if I would give the baptismal talk. Haha alright a couple

hours notice, that's nice. So we got some white chocolate bars at a

gas station and I played it into my talk. It was fine! Haha then she

got a present later. The baptism was great. After she got baptized the

music was playing and I was just completely content. There is no

greater joy than serving others. My heart felt like it could leap out

of my chest. I am just completely and truly happy. I love my mission

more than anything, Heavenly Father has blessed us with so much this

week, especially 6 new investigators. I'm healthy and happy as well.

There is no satisfactory greater than missionary work.

Love you all!!








Love the south. Felt so good to bike. Elder Cheney let me borrow his bike.‏






Trina, Lexus and Deshaun, had an amazing blessing with them! My district leader was having way to much fun at district meeting. Ha‏







Donny got dunked by the elders!! So proud of him. wahoo!‏






Biking in skirts is the funniest thing. We safety pin our skirts..... Still doesn't help to much! The joy of biking:)‏






Hahah just creepin in Ernie's room with his glasses, good thing he is like totally blind and deff... It's really interesting! Haha‏







Joann is Ernie's neighbor we see now. Hahah she likes to visit and agrees with everything we teach her, then says we're wrong and her religion is rights it's a hoot!‏







We got the car back and it is all fixed and ready!! Yay. Also Amanda warren is getting married and asked me to be a maid of honor at her wedding, then she'll get baptized!! Wahoo!!‏











So proud Abigail Benitez got baptized!! I love this family so much.‏








I lost the back of my name tag! Haha so I had to make it work. Then I prayed and found of a couple hours later. Power of prayer. Works miracles in finding a lost magnets!‏