Transfers... The busy life

Well folks! The eagle has left NASA. It is a sad day to leave the Seabrook area, but I am excited to see new things and talk to new people! My new area is the MacGregor Ward. In this new area, we have downtown Houston, 3rd Ward, and Sunnyside. For you Houstonians out there, you will know what that entails. For the general population, I am in the Ghetto.

This week I don't have much time to email. Like, at all, again... But, I want everyone to know that I am doing great! The work must go on! If you want to send packages and/or letters, send them to my new address. It's... 

Elder Jacek Travis Yates

3560 Dixie Dr. Apt. 820

Houston, TX 77021

I challenge all of you to read the Book of Mormon everyday! I challenge you to pray about what questions you want or need answered, and then write them down for this upcoming General Conference.

I am so excited to hear from living day Prophets and Apostles! I know this work and Gospel to be true! I have a firm testimony in our Savior Jesus Christ, and that He lives! I love all of you!

-Elder J.T.Yates

Super schweeet sunset pic.

 Elder Whetzel and I. Our last picture together for quiet some time.

 

 Before and after of my study table.

 Exchange pic with Elder Akin!

The Second Great Commandment...

Hello friends and family!!

This week was a doozy! As cousin Eddy would say. We went out serving like it was nobody's business. We probably have about 15 hours of service this week. (We are actually only allowed 10)... But! We loved every second of it! My favorite service that we do is at the local garden. It is at an Episcopal church just down the road from us. We go every Friday from around 9-11. Man, I love it! I have learned so much about gardening and about the Episcopalian ways there! (Don't worry, I won't convert)

But, I wanted to talk about a scripture a lot of you are familiar with. Mosiah 2:17. "... when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." How great is that?

Last night,  I was thinking about this, and asked myself... "How often have I realized that I serve God when I serve others?" The answer is simple. Not as much as I should be. 

In the New testament, we read over and over Christ telling His followers, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Simple. Bold. Poetic.

Nothing more said, He teaches us time and time again that we need to follow His teachings and example by obeying God's word. Serving others being the second great commandment. 

I love how simple Christ teaches us. He tells us how it is. He doesn't beat around the bush, afraid that someone might get offended, He just tells us. Now it's my turn...

Friends and Family, I challenge each of you reading this to (1) Look at your week(s). (2) Ask yourself where COULD I have served? And where WILL I serve next week? And, (3) Act on those thoughts in your mind, and those feelings to your heart. 

I promise all of you in the name of Jesus Christ, that as you serve others around you, you will gain a stronger testimony of the love of Christ and feel His light building in your life. I promise you as an ordained and set apart representative of Jesus Christ, that your life will improve as you serve your fellow beings. 

I love all of you! Please continue praying for others. Serving others. And, doing your best to be disciples of Him who sent you.

-Elder J.T.Yates

 

Elder Whetzel and I with "Tater Man Bill" from the Methodist Church's Food-Truck service.

I saw Elder Smith again!! (We were grabbing each others butts in this photo, hence the funny face)

 Elder Robinson and I being Cowboys

One of those classic Tag Pics

 Shawn, one of the recent concerts before I got here, just got married on Friday!! Law of Chastity is now kot as much of a concern. Haha

NASA 2.0

Last week, I talked about faith and hope. This week, as I went about doing everything I could to become more Christlike. I preformed a lot of service, was kind to people I saw around the streets, and would study harder than ever!

We went to NASA again today, and as we were there, I realized how much is put into making NASA work. How many people, how much money, and how much preparation.

In our lives, there are a million things that go right and wrong almost everyday. But, how many people do we need to make it better? How much money? And, how much preparation does it take to survive those instances?

All we need is God, and ourselves. The only money we need to worry about is paying tithing. And, the preparation that we need to worry about is sacrament meeting every Sunday. 

As I have gone through this last week, I have been trying to apply more things to Gospel Principles.

This email is kind of everywhere, but I know that as we go to church EVERY Sunday and partake of the sacrament, we can and will prepare ourselves for our week and for anything that may come our way. 

Challenge for all of you this week!!! Read 3 Nephi 11, and then think to yourself what that chapter means to you. Then, I challenge and invite all of you to go and share your thoughts with someone. Member, or non-member.

Love all of you!!

- Elder J.T.Yates

Exercise after another sunrise run!

The sunrise!

The district at NASA!

Whetzel and I at the sunrise. 

Hope For Things

Many of you who have read my emails know that this previous week was a little difficult for me. Many things went wrong and bombarded me at once. 

In Alma 32:21 it says... "And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."

I have used this particular verse to explain how faith is for me. I don't have to know everything with a perfect knowledge. I just have to have a hope for things which are true. I know that what I am teaching is true. 

My favorite memory that I have had while on this mission was being stuck inside for 3 days during Harvey. I had a lot of time to think about my faith and where my knowledge lied in the Savior Jesus Christ. I loved being able to come closer to Him as I pondered upon the things that I knew would bring me closer to my own personal testimony.

I love this verse because of how much it clarifies to us of what faith really is. Faith for me is exactly what this verse says. I love not knowing when the second coming will happen. Because, I have the faith that when it does, I will be able to come out conqueror over the devil and his followers.

Through studying this verse, this week was a lot better than last! Just looking at the impact that one verse can have. Joseph Smith with James 1:5. Myself with Alma 32:21.

What will your verse be?

love all of you!! 

-Elder J.T.Yates

 Sister See and I. She gave me a cookbook and 2 fannypacks!  

Myself eating a humongous onion ring along with homemade frysauce. 

Elder Whetzel and I as trolls after some service.

 Elder Whetzel and I in front of one of the Mercury mission rockets. #Friendship7