The Student Becomes the Teacher

This week was quite the experience! With Elder Smedley leaving, we had packed everything we could into our days. We were also very frustrated with how things went this week... Almost every person we spoke with this week was very receptive! But, ALL of them cancelled our appointments or texted us and said that they really had no intent on finding out more.

 

I realize now how the Lord humbles us. We have such a great week, give thanks for everything we have, and then the next week, we'll just get schwacked by not having any success. I have really learned the importance and how to have a successful "Mighty Prayer".

 

Mighty prayers are something that I actually feel like could help every one who is reading this to become that much closer with our Heavenly Father. I just want to start by saying how easy they really are! It may seem like we don't have time to do that in the morning or at night, but I PROMISE you that, when you find time to do this every day and every night, you will be so much more blessed! So, start and end your day with a mighty prayer! Kneel down and tell Heavenly Father everything you want to accomplish that day, or tell him everything that you were able to get done. Trust me, He listens. And He blesses!!

 

The past couple of days, I have had some of the most mighty and sincere prayers that I could ever conjure up. On Friday, President called and told me that he had felt inspired to call me to be a trainer! I accepted the call, and after I had hung up the phone, realized what had just happened. Elder Smedley is going to be a grandfather! Haha, but seriously... I am still very nervous about exactly what is going to happen.

 

I have become the Teacher! I know that this inspiration came from the Lord through a man called of God. I have faith that everything will be great in the end!!

 

So, the take-away for today, is to get down on your knees every night and offer up your desires to God! Trust me, he helps!

 

P.S. There might not be pictures this week... :(

 

- Elder J. T. Yates

The Good, The Bad, The Baptized

Well, this week was both good and bad.

Toward the beginning, we were trying to get Domingo as prepared for baptism as we could. We taught him 2 twice this week, and both times he expressed to us how cool it has felt to have his baptism coming up. 

On the 4th of July, we showed up to do service for a guy in the other ward, we all got a text 15 minutes we were all supposed to meet, he said he had done everything by himself, so we went to Shipley Do-nuts. After that, we went and played kickball with the ward-members. That night, we had a Root-Beer party at the church, and couldn't actually stay and watch fireworks because they started at 9:15, and our curfew is 9.

On Saturday, DOMINGO GOT BAPTIZED!!! He was telling us that he has never been more happy about anything in his entire life! Neither have I!! I was able to see someone come closer to Christ, let alone being baptized! The spirit was so strong that day!

Finally, on Sunday. Domingo Noriega Jr. was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and was given the gift of the Holy Ghost! He said that when we all placed our hands on his head, he felt the spirit go from his throat down to his finger-tips. I have always wanted to know what that feels like! Sometimes, I wish I could be re-baptized... Hahaha

-Elder Yates

Domingo after his baptism.

 Our AC broke, so it was 78 degrees at 10:21 at night.

Elder Smedley and I on his last P-Day

Baptism!

Well, this week was pretty great! We were able to meet with Domingo 4 times before Sunday to prepare him for his baptismal interview. He is so ready to be baptized! 

We were able to find 2 people this week that we are going to start teaching. The first guy is named Lawrence. He is from India. He is so funny! He hates the Catholic church. He says it's just a Bureaucracy.

The other guy is named Cornell. He is from Nigeria! He is apparently royalty in Nigeria! So that was cool to find out! He and his wife were so amazed by our message that we shared with them.

-Elder Yates

1) My new haircut (that I don't like)

2) A flower after a rainstorm at a member's house.

3) Some baby birds outside someone's house when we tried to talk to them.

4) A super cool Texas sunset

Food Drive, Funeral and Friends

Well, this week was definitelty an experience! We started off doing the usual P-day things; Shopping, cleaning the apartment, and then ending off at the Lexington building to play some ball. Even though I don't ever play. I just sit and socialize with the other Missionaries who don't like playing either.

 

We had Zone Conference this week! It was such a great Zone Conference!! We learned how to use the Holy Ghost more in our lives, and how to call upon His presence. I love learning these things! It makes everyday as a Missionary that much better!

 

On Thursday, we went to the local Food-Drive place. We only helped for a couple hours, but it was really fun being able to help people out that needed it, and being able to get to know them. Hopefully, one of them will think of how nice the Missionaries were, and call us and want to be taught and baptized!

 

On Saturday, we went to a funeral of a guy that was in our ward. Everyone just called him Ski. He was such a cool guy! We were able to go over and talk with him once before he passed, but he had so much faith! At the funeral, the old Bishop got up and spoke and talked about the Plan of Salvation. It was really cool hearing from the previous Bishop about his realtionship with Ski, and his understanding of the Plan.

 

Yesterday at church, we had an awesome day of learning and growth in our testimonies and faith. Domingo ws able to come again, so this was his 6th time being at church. The first time, he said it was too long. But, ever since then, he has loved every second of it. I love seeing the change in his countanance from the blessing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Finally, I want to add my personal testimony of the Holy Ghost. Something I have learned is that He speaks to all of us in different ways. But, the feelings He shows are always the same. Love, Peace, Joy, Comfort. The thing that always helpe me is the scripture; John 14: 26. He shows me and reminds me of things I have already learned in the past so that I can help someone in the present.

 

Remember to keep praying, keep reading the Book of Mormon, and keep having a strong testimony in the Savior Jesus Christ.

 

-Elder Yates

1) Another BEAUTIFUL sunset!!

 

2) The terrible-duo of Elders Whetzel and Yates after Zone Conference.

Week 8 in Texas

This week was INSANE!! We had one of our investigators, Domingo, call us and ask if we could visit with him. We didn't know if we could drive all the way out there, but we both had the impression to visit with him.

When we got there, he expressed how he felt horrible about life. We found out that he wasn't reading the scriptures or praying. So, we had to explain to him that if he wants to feel peace, he needs to do those things. After our talk with him, he started crying and said that we are really the only family he has left. His family that he has just talks bad about him. 

He then asked us to visit the next day! We went to see what everything was about. And, HE ASKED TO BE BAPTIZED!!!!!! We are so freaking excited!!!

We are just waiting on his interview with the Mission President now...

P.S.

Sadly, no pictures this week.....

Elder Yates

1 Transfer Down!!

This week flew by, but felt slow during the day. We started transfer #2!!! I can't believe I have made it a full transfer out here already! Every time I tell someone that it is hot or getting hotter, their response is the usual "You haven't felt anything yet Elder!". After hearing this at least 15 times a day, it gets pretty annoying. Oh well... 

After having 1 transfer under my belt, it just makes me even more excited about staying out here on the mission!

I just absolutely love this work. It is already the hardest thing I have ever had to experience. But, from what I have seen it is the most blessings and spiritual help ever! 

Something I have learned recently was that this "battle" that we have been fighting, is the Lord's. Everything that we do in this life may seem hard or useless. But, the battle is already won! The Lord has already pre-destined us to win!! This puts everything in perspective for me! I don't have to worry about having doors slammed in my face, people yelling at me, completely ignoring me, etc. I know that The Lord will help us through these trials if we put in the effort and faith.

Ether 12:12 - We need to make sure to put forth our efforts and faith if we want to have miracles brought about in our lives. This scripture has also helped me out a lot when focusing on missionary work.

There are so many blessings that come from faith and action on faith. The challenge for y'all is going to be sharing a "B.O.M." or "Scripture Bomb" with people. It is super easy! All you have to do is read the Book of Mormon every day, and pick out a scripture that has meaning in your life. Once you find it, you now have it ready to share with whoever may come into your path during the day or week. Do this once a week! Just once! I promise the Lord will bless you for your efforts!

-Elder Yates

1) I forgot to show my photo with my friend "Jack" at the Alligator park.

2) When the city of Sienna plans perfectly for you to park your bikes.

 3) Another super pretty sunset!

Gators and Investigators

This week was awesome! We went to Brasso's Bend State Park (Alligator Park), invited like a million people to come to church, and sweat more than I thought humanly possible... 

 

I know that Heavenly Father has been helping out because, there is NO way I could survive this heat and humidity without his help!

 

Something that we taught an investigator this week, was about Peter and the boat. His name is Domingo, he had been progressing really well, and then out of no where just texted and dropped us! He said that he was perfectly fine with his Catholic faith... So, we went over and had a rescue lesson. The Lord just schwacked him with the spirit and told him to follow Jesus instead of going back to the "boat" of comfort with his Catholic faith. We know that the Lord was with us, because he agreed to come to church, and he actually showed up!

 

When we went to the Alligator park, we didn't see any for the first mile of our walk, then about halfway through it, there were like 4 ON THE PATHS!! It was so cool!! The members that took us had brought their dog, and I thought that it was going to be eaten like 3 times. 

 

One thing I miss about home is the cold... The heat here is just ALL the time. Even when it rains, it is just hot rain. This little Utah boy was not ready for the Houston weather, that's for sure!

Elder Yates

A bit of a Texas-Monsoon-kind-of-week (apologies from Elder Yates)

As the subject has just stated, this week has been so hectic! On Tuesday, we went swimming on the street. A HUGE rainstorm came through and lasted like literally 10 minutes, but was a monsoon of a rainstorm! The rain knocked down half of the trees on this one street we passed. The craziest thing was that we were biking through the whole thing!! 

A small miracle... We were out biking ALL day on Wednesday, and ran out of water halfway through the day, and almost every other house we knocked at offered us water and to come inside to cool off!

The Lord works in mysterious ways! I just wish he would help with the sweating sometimes! Haha, but I know that the Lord loves us sooo much individually! We are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father! 

1) Us having just swam through the air.

Mosiah 28:3 & The Infinite Atonement

"Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble."

Being out here for almost 1 month has been crazy to think! I can't believe how fast it has already gone by! This scripture has really meant something to me this week. Every time that I talk to someone, and they don't want to listen, it makes me want to cry! People don't understand the importance of our message that we share. 

People are so funny here, they automatically believe that they are going to be with their families forever, but they never just sit and think about the wedding vows... "til death do you part". We told that to this guy we met, and he just looked puzzled, and then said that it just meant our physical bodies. Now I really want to cry.

This message is the greatest message on the face of the Earth! This message blesses both your family here, and your posterity to come! We receive soooooo many blessings! All the Lord asks of us in return is to sacrifice something here, give up a habit there, and start living His commandments. 

Our brother and Savior, Jesus Christ, bled from every poor, and died on the cross so that we all could live again! Think about how much He sacrificed, and then think about what we can sacrifice to give even just .000001% back to him. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL, and so should you! Don't be afraid to bear your testimony, don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, and don't EVER forget the saving power of Christ's Infinite Atonement.

For everyone reading this; go back through your day, think about how much you have in your life, and just remember that Jesus Christ died so we could LIVE.

This is my testimony of both this work, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I Know that what we are teaching is the greatest message on the earth. And, I KNOW that without Christ, we wouldn't be able to return to live with Him and with our Father in heaven. Don't ever question the Gospel of Jesus Christ or YOUR faith in Him. Don't let your testimony be shaken. Remain as a Disciple of Christ.

1) Teaching Elder Smedley the Rubik's cube

2 & 3) A very small lizard Elder Yates found

4) A Calzone that I ate, FREAKING HUGE! (those are Elder Yates' words)

Skype-ing is FUN!

There's not really a letter to share this time, because we had the awesome pleasure of Skyping Elder Yates on Mother's Day! It was so good to hear his voice and see his face. We are so grateful to Sister Stone in the ward he's in for hosting the call. 

Elder Yates is doing well. He finally got his bike and has been able to ride it around his area with the other elders. The weather is constantly warm and humid (and much warmer weather is to come). We asked about the ward and how it is. He said that there were about 180 people in Sacrament meeting on Sunday and that they don't have a choir. Hopefully, that will change soon. 

We were only available to speak withhim for about 40 minutes (and that time went by really fast), and we know he's blessed for his obedience. When his sister asked what she can do to get more scriptures read, Elder Yates said "get up earlier and read while you are eating breakfast." He made it sound so easy!

More to come in the next letter!

1) A beautiful sunset
 

 2) Biking with Elders McKell and Sa'au

3) Elder Yates' picture of us