Mitzi Gates: Sister Mitzi Gates // Week Sixty-One

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I cannot explain to you the joy, the happiness, the peace, the humility, the gratefulness, and the love I have felt from serving this last week, and it's all because He is the Gift.

We have seen so many miracles.

Well to start with on Tuesday Sister Luke went out with us on splits. We went to go visit Ellie in the hospital but when we got there she wasn't there! So Sister Luke needed to stop at the International Store (her husband is Chinese). So we walk in and it reeks! So gross. All this different kind of food. That just confirmed to me that my mission is the right one for me. There is NO WAY I could of gone foreign. Then after we stopped and visited Ellie. Tangerine (her son Tim that is a cross dresser and goes by Tange) was there too wrapping presents. So that was interesting.

Then we come home Tuesday night... i opened the door like usual as Sister Oldroyd walks in and turns on the lights. Well we had a long day and we were so excited to come home and relax. But she grabs my arms and says "Don't move! Open the door now!!" I look up and our other door is swung wide open and the curtains are blowing. WE WERE SO SCARED!! We always lock the doors. ALWAYS! Well we thought someone was in our apt. or some one just ran out real quick as we were opening the door. OH MY. So we called the ZL's (Rumsey and Shiner) to come look through out apt. but they said they had to make a phone cal quick. We were like crying, it was so scary. Non of our neighbors would answer. So we call the AP's (Fore and Lovell) in our ward and they came over and checked it out. They even thought it was creepy too. So they searched the whole thing and nothing. So we had them bless our apt. as well. it was the worst night ever. I couldn't sleep. My eyes were wide awake. So we slept with our bathroom light on. I slept with a BOM and with my tag on. I also read a verse before going to bed before so it would comfort us! But it was Alma 56:57. WASN'T COMFORTING AT ALL! haha We got absolutely no sleep that night.

Also we are professional re gift givers. Hahah

Also our whole teaching pool is black people right now: Sharee, Vincent, Dominique, Venisha, Shatika, and Trevania. It's great!

On Wendesday I went on exchanges with Hermana Kilgore from South Jordan, Ut. She is her first transfer and we had a great time on exchanges. So we were trying people. We tracted, and she kept saying "White people are so mean, no one lets you in!" haha she said they tract 3 houses and they all let them in. Then we went finding in Kroger trying to look for Betty ringing the bell. But she wasn't there, so we went inside the store and gave out He is the Gift pass a long cards. As we did we heard on the intercom "Free gift at the end of isle 12 to first couple people" so we're like sweet! So we go over and he give us these retro phones. that you plug into your smart phone to make it look like a retro phone. pretty funny! Then he did a spill on what he was really selling. We turned it right back around and taught him and those around us. It was great!

Then we went tracting that night, and we were in our "gehtto" part of our area. We heard a bunch of noise coming form this one specific apt. So we go and tract it and they are speaking a language we don't understand. But i showed them the He is the Gift pass a long card. They let us in. There was this guy preaching out of the bible. We tried to ask the people what was going on, but they didn't understand us. So we asked this 4 year old girl and she said Nativity. Come to find out they are from Napal. They were celebrating Christmas and all the family was over. All 40 of them. They all starred at us when we walked in. haha it was awkward. But we just smiled and listened. Then we asked if we could share a video. So I pull out my little ipad, put on the He is the Gift video. The lights go off and i read the works out loud, while the guy translated it into their language. THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG. It was amazing. What a miracle. I cannot explain. Pure joy.

Then after we tried this Hispanic guy, but no one answered. We tracted into him earlier. But as we were walking away, the mom pulled in. So Hermana Kilgore, cute little greenie, her first transfer, first exchange. I was like this is you sister!! So she talked the whole time in spanish! Held a full conversation with the lady. Got a return apt. It was amazing! I was so proud of her! She was so proud of herself! I just prayed the whole time she was talking that she would be able to understand and would be given the words to say. It was a miracle.

So we tract a lot, and do a lot of finding. So we are constantly dropping people and finding new people. So sorry if i can't update you on the progress of each person.

Sunday was a special day. Full of miracles all day long.

So Sister Oldroyd woke up and went to the bathroom. So i checked what time it was. 7:03am. OUR ALARM DIDN'T GO OFF!! Both of our alarms didn't that had never happened. I was freaking out. So we get up and get ready for church, and do our studies. The only conclusion we could figure out is, if we didn't wake up on time, we couldn't get on facebook because we weren't exactly obedient. So we knew that Heavenly Father had people for us to find in that 10:00 am hour instead of facebook. So we were pumped to go tract! Well guess what? We tracted and we met 4 people and we shared the He is the Gift video to them in one hour. MIRACLE! They all said we could come back too! Then we go to church and Brother Cooper a less active we have been working with was there! MIRACLE! Then church was amazing. I am so grateful for my Savior. Brother Edgerton in the ward said something that really stuck out to me "What are we going to give Christ this Christmas season?" I loved that. Then the rest of church was amazing. So we go to dinner at the Nash's. They got a new chocolate puppy so i held it trying to be nice and it licks all up my neck.... well after i set it down they were like are you allergic to dogs? I was like psh no i'm fine! hahah well i got to the bathroom to wash my hands and my neck is all welted up from the dog...... dumb dog. I was just trying to be a good missionary! I just tried to hide it with my hair all during dinner. Well after dinner we are doing these little candy gram referral Christmas things. They got some dessert, a Joy to the World, and a note for us to give to one of their friends. But i was like Sister Nash, why don't you come with us? She was so nervous!! So we hop in the car, said a prayer. Then went in and sang to this family, showed the He is the Gift Christmas video, then prayed with them. IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING LESSON EVER. Members are so key. They were all bawling. The Stone family we visited, their 3 girls have been to church before with the Nash girls. Also the Stone mom was asking Sister Nash questions about our faith. THEY ARE SO PREPARED. We left knowing they are going to be baptized soon. I cannot express my love for this strong member that was so scared but came out with us. And the amazing lesson that took place!

That is what Christmas is all about. Sharing what really matters most to us.... the true gospel. That experience changed my life forever. As I sat back and watched the member testify, as we let the spirit speak to them, they knew. It was amazing. This Christmas has been so different than my last one on my mission. Last year it wasn't as meaningful. This year I have discovered my Savior. I have felt his love, his strength, his comfort through out the year. I do have a relationship with my Savior. I am so grateful for. He is my brother, my friend, and my Redeemer. I honestly can say I don't care about the gifts, the parties, who's going to have us over for Christmas. I'm more worried about if others have that relationship. I hope you take time to Share the Gift this Christmas season, not with Gifts. But with your Testimony you have. Share if with someone who is in need, or who is struggling.

He is the Gift:

The first gift

Was not wrapped

Had no bow

Wasn't purchased online

Or in a store

The first gift of Christmas

Was a simple Gift

A sacred Gift

It wasn't gold

Or frankincense

Or myrrh