A Rough Week

This week was a little more challenging for me. I had set out on a mission to be able to increase my testimony and to help others do the same. I feel at times that I have failed, and that I wasn't able to do anything that I had previously wanted to do...

But, someone recently reminded me of one of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon. 2 Nephi 31:20. 

" 20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

I know that I have used this particular verse before, but this has really helped me when I feel like I am not going where I want to go. I love this verse because I am always comparing myself to others, but as I have been working on this, I just remember that as I "press forward" in Christ, I will always amount up to what I am reaching for.

Though my weeks have been hard, I have always been able to rely on my Savior for help in achieving my goals. He helps me through the refiner's fire and the fuller's soap. He is what turns me into the man I want to become. I know that as I am true to the covenants that I have made, everything will turn out.

Like my friend Domingo Noriega, "Everything will come to pass". These words have resonated within my soul for these past 9 months and have helped me in so many ways!

I love all of you!

- Elder J.T.Yates

Elder Ferrero, Elder Fleming and I

Elder Whetzel and I

Elder Fleming with his birthday pie

A "Texan" card (a man-card, but Texan)

Briefcases and Banana Bread

This week was fantastic! I cooked banana bread for the first time ever on my own! It turned out to be a success! Elder Whetzel and I also have almost matching briefcases and that help us during our District Meetings.

Today, I want to talk on following Christ this week. As I was doing my studies this past week, I came across the passage in John 6, where Christ is telling His disciples of how they came to know Him. Through the Holy Ghost.

As I have gone through my mission, I have had witnesses that the Christ lives and that He is my personal Savior many times! 

In John 6:65-67 it says, "65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 ¶ From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?"

At this point in my studies, I asked myself the same question, "Would I go away?"

Peter, the chief Apostle, then replies and says in verses 68-69 saying, "68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."

Who else can we go to to have Eternal Life? Who else can we go to, to find peace in our lives? Who else? NO ONE!

On my mission, I have had the greatest testimony builder of all time being able to serve my best friend, even Jesus the Christ. I love being able to serve Him and to serve my fellow brothers and sisters in this crazy world.

I love this Gospel. I love my mission. I love the chance to enhance my testimony and help you do the same.

- Elder J.T.Yates

   

First time making Banana Bread

Posted up next to snapping turtle

Elder Whetzel and I with our briefcases

Elder Fleming about to fight the snapping turtle

February 12, 2018

Well folks! It's been one heck of a week! I apologize for another week of slackage... But, here are some photos for y'all! Also, I want to leave you with my testimony of reading the scriptures. I know that as we all have rough days/weeks/months, that one of the best ways, if not the best way to help with that is by reading your scriptures daily! By reading them, especially the Book of Mormon, your faith and testimony will increase immensely and you will feel closer to God by doing so. I can promise as a representative and in His holy name, even Jesus Christ, that if you make a conscious effort to read EVERYDAY that some of your burdens will be lifted and you will be able to bear with patience your afflictions. 

I love all of you! 

- Elder J.T.Yates

Elder Whetzel and I at Kemah Boardwalk

Kelly's Country Cookin' with their HUGE portion sizes!

Elder Ibarra and I building a chicken coop

A now dead missionary (dead as in gone home) Elder Smart

Who woulda thunk??

This week was great! On Thursday, we went to the Toyota dealership to fix our car. When we arrived, they told us it'd be ready by the next day. Oh little naive Elder Yates believed what they said and went on his way biking for the rest of the day. Come to find out, there was more wrong with the car than we thought. So, they kept our vehicle from us until sometime today... We still don't have it and we are waiting for the call to come pick it up. But, we got to experience a biking area for the past couple of days! That was an experience I never want to have a again. Haha

But, I want to talk about looking at our trials and hardships with an eye of positivity. Whenever we face our trials, we come to that "path in the yellow woods"... At that moment we can either make a decision that will change us for the better or make everything worse. An experience that I had relating to this was when I was a young lad about the age of 9. We were at a store and I decided that I wanted some candy, but mischievous little me didn't want to pay. So, I took it from the shelf and ate it within the next couple hours. I still remember the guilt that I had from that experience, and I honestly think I never went back to apologize to the manager or anything...

In my personal studies lately, I came across this verse in the Doctrine & Covenants. It's section 58, verse 42. It it says, "Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more". I realized that after I made that choice of stealing that candy bar which cost less than two dollars, I had made the wrong choice. Duh! But, like this verse says, if you truly repent, the Lord remembers your sins no more!! Isn't that wonderful?

Now, none of us are perfect. Though some may like to think they are. We need the power of repentance for our everyday lives! We make small miniscule choices everyday at almost every second. Some are for our benefit and others for our downfall. Repentance is a principle of perfection and should be used everyday! Not just for the big things, but the small things that we do that are not in accordance with the will of our Father in heaven.

As a missionary, I help my investigators and members make better choices that will help them become closer to Christ. We help and invite them develop their faith, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and then endure to the end. For most of you reading this letter, you have received these blessings already. Now, we need to endure to the end. Not just endure, but as Sister Hall says... "ENJOY to the end".

- Elder J.T.Yates