The Atonement, BIG or little?

As a missionary, you learn to adapt to what you have been given really quickly. There are always new things that are thrown (or slammed) in front of you. If you can't adapt to what you have been given, it's really hard to be able to perform missionary work to the best of your abilities. This past week, well I guess two weeks, I have been having a lot of self-reflection. I have had to look at where I am standing in my own personal testimony, how my relationship is with my Heavenly Father, and if I have been using the Atonement in my life.

The Atonement is commonly connected with BIG sins, but from what I have learned and from what I have been able to understand is that The Atonement is the greatest tool to our own conversion. A quote that I have always loved from President Gordon B. Hinckley is: "You never truly fail, until you have quit trying.". How many times do we feel like we have failed? How many times do we feel like there isn't any hope... "I've already gone too far, might as well just give up". I have felt all of these multiple times in my life. But, as I have adapted to the mission field, it required me to utilize the Infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ.

As I have gone through these last couple of weeks, I have been focusing a lot on my personal commitment to the work. Again, this requires the use of the Atonement. Why? His Infinite Atonement fixes everything that we have ever done wrong in our lives. This includes for me lately not working hard enough, singing non-church songs, etc. All of these things can be given up to serve Him more fully. So that's what I have done!

My favorite part of this week has to be when I used my Priesthood worthily to give 3 people a blessing this week. The coolest experience was when one of those was an investigator named Mike Mack. He told us that he has been feeling sick lately, and both Elder Smith and I felt inspired to ask if he'd like a blessing! After he agreed, we asked if he had the faith to be healed, and he said yes I do! The spirit was so strong! I know that through is faith and through exercising our Priesthood worthily, he can be healed!

Now my question that I pose is this: Have you given up?

Because I can promise, our Lord and Savior hasn't given upon us! I can promise this as a representative of Jesus Christ. Never give up on yourself, because the Savior will NEVER give up on anyone!

- Elder Yates

Below are some pictures of Jacek, just being Jacek!

 1) My impression on Donny Trump

 

2) Me as a semi-normal human being

 

 

 3) Me, Elder Lofgran, The GREATEST Mission President of all time!, Elder Bovee, and Elder Smith (wearing donated t-shirts from a local college, just because)

4) Me as a not-so-normal human being! Haha

Elder Yates, Pres. Barrow (my cousin, and former MP of the Busan, Korea Mission), Elder Smith

We'll call this one Short and Sweet.....

 When we asked Elder Yates about how he's doing and what he has learned this week, here's what he said:

 EY: "I am doing great because of how much I have learned from the scriptures!"

Us: "Was it one particular thing that stood out to you?"

EY: "As for Captain Moroni, I love how strong his faith and understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is. When he is fighting the Lamenites for the first time, he stops right before he could kill them and gives them a second chance, and then gives them a third chance to live after another battle.

Sorry that I am not going to be able to update everyone this week. I have been very distracted today with being around a lot of different missionaries.. Haha, but here are some photos for y'all!" 

-Elder Yates

1) Writing our number on a million different pass-along cards.

2) Me, Elder Johnson, and Elder Whetzel at our trainee's 8 week training.

 3) How high the water got in some areas. It's about 3 feet from the height of the road.

4) How Elder Smith and I have felt these past couple weeks from all of the service we have done. Except, he actually fell asleep! Haha

Assessing the damage...Then moving the damage!

Well, I have received instruction this week to send an update on how life is going down here in the great "country" of Texas! Haha

So for this week, we had a very busy schedule! Elder Smith and I have now helped muck out 14 houses in the Houston area! No matter how damaged, moldy, or wet they are, there was always an opportunity to tell people about the Gospel!

One of the houses we served at, we were helping a lady named Amy. Her house had over 2 feet of water, and all of her possessions were just ruined. We were able to help her take out the most important things to the back so she could sort through what she wanted to keep/throw away. After a hefty chore of moving items around the property, we were able to get to the fun part! Ripping up her kitchen!

We were instructed to rip out all of the cabinets/granite from her house so we could get to the floor to make sure that there wasn't any black mold down there. While working, we met this really nice guy named Mike. He has never wanted to talk to a Mormon Missionary until he saw how much we loved to serve. So, we started to talk to him about his religious life, and we found out that he believes in a lot of the same things that we do!

To make a long story short... He agreed to have some missionaries come over and talk with him about Jesus Christ and His Gospel! Woo Hoo!!

-Elder Yates

1) Elder Smith and I finishing cleaning up a new house

2) Elder Low, VanMaren, Smith, and I ripping up Wood floors.

What the cuss Harvey?!

This week has literally been the hardest week of my life! Last Sunday we were stuck inside ALL day! We had to do everything we could to not die of boredom! On Monday, after emailing our families, we received a phone call that all of Sienna was on Mandatory evacuation! We hurried home and got packed up and went to a member's home for 3 days! It was the craziest experience that I have ever had! We stayed with Brother Gerald and his wife, Sister Sims, Sister Mosely, and Brother and Sister Nelson. We all had a fun time together and learned a lot about each other. But, after 3 days, I could only handle so much! Haha

After the storm passed, we went and surveyed the damage... Half of our area was underwater, but not nearly as deep as downtown Houston! But, now it was the waiting game to see if the river would cap over and make the houses go under even more, or it would drain out into the ocean...

Luckily it drained! Once it did, we were able to go and help muck out some houses. So far, Elder Smith and I have been to 10 houses to help get the Dry-wall and carpet out of! I actually really like doing this type of work! I get to rip out the houses without being yelled at for it! Haha, along with that, we have been making sure that everyone in the surrounding neighborhoods are being helped. Funny thing is, whenever we go to a house, they tell us that there are too many volunteers and that they don't need anymore help! I guess that's a pretty good problem to have!

Personally, this has been one of the greatest experiences in my life! I haven't worked this hard in the history of ever, prayed harder, or slept less. I know that all of these things are just here to test me and to show my true love and devotion to this Gospel! I surely do love this Gospel! I love Jesus Christ! And I especially love the Book of Mormon! Without all of these things, I wouldn't be able to be out here serving!

- Elder Yates