Drawing ideas from the heart

This week was great! Getting to know Elder James is great! He works really hard, and loves the work, so it is as Tony the Tiger says, "It's Greeeeaaaaaattt!!" It rained soooo hard 2 days in a row, and gave me a little bit of PTSD from Harvey. Haha, but Elder James and I didn't care! We went out and biked, walked, and ran in the rain to our appointments!

We had a fun time this week working on our vision, goals, and plans for myself, our companionship, and the zone. And, I love it! I love being able to think about what I can do to better improve my own testimony, the work in the area, and for the other missionaries around me! Being able to reach deep down inside, then look and behold at what I have done.

Being able to look inside yourself and then take what you have done and then improve upon that takes a lot of humility and faith. I know that this is truly a skill only developed upon relying on the Lord. I have been getting closer to achieve this, yet I feel so far. 

This is a short email, but the message is still there. I promise in the name of Jesus Christ that as you humbly come before Him in prayer and ask for help in what you do, He will help you think of ideas of how to help the people in your surrounding areas. I know this with all my heart! I am so grateful for the gift of Christ and His gospel. I love all of you!

-Elder J.T.Yates

 Pictures of Elder James and I 

A sweet drawing that I have been working on for a while.

Bro. McClendon from the ward. He served his mission with my papa!! #smallworld

Goodbyes and Hellos

I got transferred! I am now in Richmond in the Memorial Ward. Man, it really sucks leaving. But, I know that I am moving into bigger and better things! The Lord has a lot in store for each of us. It's my turn to now find out what that is for my life and missionary work!

This past week however was amazing! Elder Fisher, Gilleland, and I worked as hard as we could, knowing that one of us were leaving. Not knowing who, we each set individual goals to push ourselves to serve those in both the West University and the Macgregor Wards.

You could say that this was blind faith. Working as hard as we could not knowing what was going to happen. This type of work, helps me know that God is there. As I am walking forward in a dark room, with only enough light to lead me a couple of steps ahead of me, I am always increasing my faith in the Savior!

I have always had a hard time with goodbyes... They are awful. These goodbyes include leaving an area, leaving a companion, friends or family pass away, etc. But, there is always a brighter future! This is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ!

I testify in the name of Jesus Christ and know that through the Atonement, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING can be made better! I have personally experienced this in my life.

I love my Savior, my Redeemer, my Lord, my Brother, and my Advocate. He is to me, all of these and more! He has blessed my life in more ways than I ever though possible. 

I love this work, and know that it is true. I know because I have prayed, and then went out and did what my Heavenly Father has asked of me. I know because I have experienced the blessings that come from this Gospel. 

I love you all! As always!

-Elder J.T.Yates

 Downtown from on of our investigators' houses

 I saw my boy Elder Whetzel!!

A flippin' cardboard castle! This homeless man has got it good!

The first District pic in this area! #RichmondGang

Impressions....

This week was great! I can't believe it's already Monday again! It has blown my mind how quickly time has gone by these past 5 weeks. It just feels like yesterday that I was put into a trio.

Elder Gilleland, Fisher, and I all were trying to work really hard this past week. We haven't seen a ton of success in our finding. But, our efforts sure did pay off! Last night, marking the end of our week, we received a text from our Ward Mission Leader thanking us for all the hard work we have done. He then went on to say that we have earned the trust of the ward, and if we need anything, to not hesitate and ask. That, for me is a huge task to accomplish, and one that is payment for our hard work!

We have been experimenting with new foods and trying to up our cooking game. This is one of the most impossible things to do. I bet you could make a reality TV show out of it. But, in the process, we found about 5 fast food places around us that have meals under $5 and can fill you up! Hahaha

We have also been trying to get "RIPPED"! This is really hard to do! But, the effects are slowly setting in as the three of us work our hardest. Not just spiritually, but physically.

As I was studying last night, I had a very strong impression from the Spirit that I should write my email about impressions. Why that is, I have no idea. But, what the Spirit tells me to do, I do it. 

When I think of this Celestial Principle, I often question what an "impression" feels like. Well, what does it feel like to you? Go on... Think about it for a second.

Okay, back to impressions. :) For me, I feel the Spirit in many ways. The most common for Elder Yates is a burning excitement in my chest. But, this doesn't last for long... I think of it like an impression someone can make in the sand. When you walk along the beach and come across a patch of sand which has been soaking in the ocean water, you make an impression. But if you watch it, it will eventually be washed away by the constant force of the waves.

If I receive an impression, and I dont act on it fast, it will eventually dissapear from the constant force of the adversary and the "wordly" influences. Like a footprint, the spirit can be flooded by outer forces that we can't control. 

I have asked myself so many times if this is me, and if I am not acting fast enough. Other times, I question if it is an impression from the Spirit of not. Then I remember this...

Moroni 7:12

 "Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God..."

Remembering this, helps me know that anything that comes into my head, if it be good, comes from God and I should act on that thought! 

I testify in the name of Jesus Christ that as you act on impressions from the Spirit as soon as you receive them, you will be more blessed than you already are. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that this is His church. That no other church has the authority to have the saving ordinances required for the Celestial Kingdom. I love you all and wish you a blessed week!

-Elder J.T.Yates

 The three of us with one of our favorite investigators, Sean!

A FLIPPIN' FERRARI next to a Mercedes-Benz.

A book I will need for when I become a parent. Haha

Me, Elder Gilleland, and Elder Fisher after helping someone move. And on top of the parking garage. :)

Bad Haircuts

This week was one for the books ladies and gents! We started off by going to see an old investigator named Clarence. The name might sounds familiar, and if you are thinking "that is the guy that is super creepy", then you are right! Teaching him is like going in a circle. We have explained to him the importance of the Priesthood, and every time we explain it to him, he tells us that he thinks he has already been baptized. Ugh, so frustrating... Good news though! I got the rest of his music that he has made! He sings along to Psalms, Proverbs, Revelations, and the Gospels. They are awesome.

Throughout the week, I had a hard time keeping on task. I would get distracted and couldn't focus on missionary work. In all reality, that is just me giving an excuse for not putting my whole heart, might, mind, and strength. But, good news!! We ended the week with a fireball finish though! 

During the middle of the week, we allowed a member in the West University Ward to give us a haircut. We normally would not do this, like at all. But, this guy is currently going through stage 4 cancer, and was begging for us to go so he wasn't sitting around all day by himself. And let me tell you what! I was about 65% satisfied with my haircut. He gave Elder Fisher a bomb haircut, mine was mediocre at best, and then gave Elder Gilleland a "chilly bowl cut" or "the Shrek" as I like to call it. You can definitely say that we will all be getting haircuts from me.

As I was thinking about what happened this week, I was drawn to our experimenting upon the charcoal face masks. Last week, we tried some that we had purchased from Walmart, those turned out as expected... Garbage. And this week, we tried a face mask from a different company. This had better results, but still didn't give us what we wanted.

When thinking about this, I was taken to the experience of Joseph Smith that I have recited and explained to people hundreds of times. In almost the same way, Joseph had gone through a similar experience. He had tried church after church not finding the one that gave him what he wanted. He then did what he was taught to do... Pray!

He knew that if and when he would pray, he would receive an answer. He had the faith that God would answer. At times, I do not. As a missionary, I should and do have this faith. But not all the time. I know that this Gospel gives me everything that I need. It gives every one of you who are reading this everything that you need. It may not feel like it, but I promise in the name of Jesus Christ that is does! 

Though face masks are an easy fix and can be resolved by not buying them. Our relationship with God is the most important thing that we can ever do in this life. Yet, this is one of the easiest things we can accomplish. It only takes humility, prayer, and patience. 

I love this Gospel. I know that it is true. Jospeh Smith had the faith, and because of him, I will receive salvation. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. And I invite all of you to go off by yourself and pray to our Father for truth. I promise in the name of Jesus Christ that you will receive an answer as you exercise humility, prayer, and patience. I love all of you!

-Elder J.T.Yates

The second round of charcoal face masks

Elder Fisher getting his haircut by our friend

A lizard egg that we found while doing some service at the Hermann Park Centennial Gardens

A flippin' Pontiac Firebird!!