Apologies.......

I don't have any time this week, mostly because I didn't make any... Oops! 

But, just know that this week for me was definitely a nice challenge. We were trying to figure out ways that we could share the gospel with people that we haven't tried before. We came up with a couple, but not as much as we'd like. So, for all you returned missionaries out there, what are some cool ways that you know or used to find people to teach?? Reply and let me know!

Also, for all of you that saw my Face Book post on Friday, yes that really was me, and yes we really are getting Face Book! This will be one of those ways that we can find people, but it is just another tool. This isn't the end-all of missionary work! The Lord really is hastening His work! 

I love all of you! Keep growing in your testimonies!

- Elder J. T. Yates

 

 1) Super cool texture looking clouds!

2) The best district out there!

3) A map of my area.

How far is Heaven?

This week was pretty good! We were able to get a new car, have zone conference, and we went to FREAKING NASA!!! Man, one thing that I have learned from being out here on a mission is that the only easy part about it is getting in bed to go to sleep! Haha, waking up has been easier these past 2 days from the time change, we are fed pretty well by the members here so that's good, and we have been able to help with a lot of service lately!

As we had gone through the week, there was a poem that kept running through my head as we were working on our individual goals...

How far is heaven?

It's not very far.

When you live close to God,

It's right where you are.

How close am I living? How close are you living? There is always more we can be doing to bring Heaven closer to us as we strive to become His disciples! Discipleship requires discipline. Heaven requires commitment. As we are all striving to become the best representatives that we can be, we need to be focusing our efforts on our efforts towards both our own testimony as well as those around us. Heaven is not far at all as we live His gospel.

-Elder Yates

 Elder Whetzel and I

Astros World Series hat!!!

Dah boizzzz at Nasa!

The Sun's gonna come up!

This week was pretty decent. We had doors slammed in our faces more than I'd like to count and we had people yell at us asking for our "Soliciting Permit". On the good side, we were able to have Elder Russell with us for 3 days! He is one of the APs. He is in is last transfer, and he has been going around to missionaries and seeing how they are progressing. We had a bomb lesson with a couple drunk people who kept prying and trying to ask if we still practice polygamy... Hahaha, funny stuff!

But, I know that through this roller coaster of a life that we live in, there is always something that can brighten our days. That's our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the book of 3 Nephi and in the 8th chapter, the people are shown the sign of Christ's crucifixion. There is so much darkness that they can't even light candles, torches, or spark can be seen. Can you imagine how scared these people were?? No light for the space of three days! None whatsoever!

As these people were terrified, the voice of Christ came and told them about what had happened. Christ then appeared to the people of the America's. As he appeared the very first thing that he said was... "And behold, I am the light and the life of the world;". To calm their fears, He said that He was the LIGHT and the life of the world! I love this!

As we are going through our life, and it seems to be too dark for us to continue, just remember that Jesus Christ is our light! Just like the Nephites of old, I bear my testimony of the infinitely reaching light of Christ's Atonement. I know that He lives. I know that He is always there for us. And I know that this is the only true church on the Earth.

- Elder J. T. Yates

 So, we went running up Kemah Bridge for our exercise on Thursday morning when we had Elder Russell with us. These are the photos and stages of the sunrise overlooking Galveston Bay...

 1) Elder Newby and I. (My previous Zone Leader)

2&3) Elder Russell in all his 6 foot 8 inch glory!

4) My bed and wall of amazingness

This is gonna be good y'all!

This week was crazy!!! We met this lady at an apartment complex, her name is Suzanne. She is super cool! We taught her the Restoration on her doorstep, because we aren't allowed to be inside without a third male over the age of 16. She invited us back, but said to only come when her husband isn't there, because he is a drunk and almost got in a fist fight with the Jehovah's Witnesses! Hahaha, so we went back a couple days later with a prospective missionary in the ward named Daniel. We made sure that the husband wasn't home, and then proceeded to go inside and started teaching about the Plan of Salvation. She especially loved the Eternal Families part! Just before we could start the ending prayer, we heard her husband's truck pull into the complex!! So, she told us to go hide in the bathroom! This is where I didn't feel safe... As there is now 3 of us in the bathroom the size of a stall at the local Target or Walmart, we made a unanimous vote to crawl out of the 1 story bathroom window! We all weren't about to be pummeled by this guy! After letting the other two go, I was about to squeeze through, when my belt loop got stuck on the window frame! This guy unlocked the door, and came right for me! He started pulling on my leg... JUST LIKE I'M PULLING YOURS!!!

Haha, sorry I had to do it! I heard this from a ward member, and thought y'all would like it! Anyways, not much else happened this week, except for being fed by on of our investigators, like literally last second! They fed us this really good chicken broth soup with a freshly grilled Jalapeno! that was awesome! 

This week, I'd like to talk about the choices we make...

In the League City Stake Conference, there was a quote given by one of the speakers: "When is it that our trials become blessings?" What will your answer be? The remainder to this quote is, "When we choose to see them that way." So, when have we chosen to see our trials as blessings?

Some scriptural pump-up action! 1 Nephi 17:7-10

7 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord.

8 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.

9 And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?

10 And it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go to find ore, that I might make tools.

When Nephi was commanded to build a ship, he didn't respond in a complaining manner, the first question he asks, was about how he should make the tools. This shows me how I need to respond when we have trials in my life. With humility and a determination that I can do anything with the Lord's help! 

I love all of you, and I know that you may not want to respond to my challenges or questions (except for a couple people), but I know that this Gospel can bless you, when you CHOOSE to let it do so.

-Elder Yates

My inner photographer coming out

 Elder Gillies and I drinking Budweiser Water! Haha

The 3 Amigos!

Me with Sister Wilkinson! 

A Brother Eldridge (who served in Chile with my Dad, back in the day!)

Cowboy Commandments

Elder Gillies and I posing in front of Galveston Bay

 A VERY ADORABLE SCHNAUZER PUPPY!!! Who, btw is my new best friend!

Bro. McCutcheon's dog, also named Max. His full name is for real "Maximus"

Sunrise at my apartment complex

Sunset down in the Bacliff area

League City (Bay)by!!

This last week has gone by sooo fast! Last week felt like I was cramming everything in that I could last second. But, it is nice to be a regular missionary again! Serving the Lord has changed my perspective on how I take things. Like, opinions, good/bad news, etc. 

As we go through our daily/weekly/monthly lives, how often do we sit down and ponder what we have read in the scriptures? Like Moroni's promise in Moroni 10:3-5, if we read, ponder, and pray SINCERELY, we will receive an answer that it is true! It has been promised by a Prophet of old, as well as our current Prophet and Apostles that the scriptures can and will give us answers to anything and everything that we want. WE just have to put the work into it!

The work is hard here in Houston, but it is even more hard for y'all at home. Our testimony is being attacked from EVERY angle that the deceiver can think of! Are we fighting against these attacks, or are we just giving in?

In 1 Nephi 15:24 it says: "And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction."

As we CONTINUOUSLY feast upon the words of God, we are strengthened against those fiery darts of the adversary. Do we want to defend ourselves?

I sure as heaven do! So as I feast upon the words of Christ, I know that they tell me ALL thing which I should do! 

My challenge to y'all is to read 2 Nephi 31:19-21, then ponder on what you read, and email me back with what you got out of it.

I love all of you! Keep being those Disciples that I know you can be!

- Elder Yates

 

(we obtained one picture this week from Elder Yates' new companion's mom, say hello to Elder Gillies!) :

 

This is it.....

I got the opportunity these past 6 months to serve in the wonderful
ward of Sienna Plantation 1st. I have loved being able to be around
these amazing members! They all have amazing testimonies and love
being around us as missionaries. I am going to miss them, but I am
glad to know that the Lord trusts me enough to know that I am going to
be doing good somewhere else in the mission.

I recieved an email this morning saying that I am going to be serving
in the Bacliff area in the League City Stake/Zone! I will be serving
in the Galveston area at least for the next 6 weeks! I am serving with
Elder Gillies! He was trained by the Elder Johnson from my MTC
District! Small world... I will let y'all know of my new address when
I get it!

I have had a lot of cool experiences this week! I have been blessed to
hear and talk to multiple people whos faith and testimony are stronger
than most people that we talk to. I love being able to knock doors and
talk with everyone we can! It honestly sucks actually, haha, but I
love being able to just testify to people. When they go to slam the
door in my face, I just ask if they know anyone who could use any
help, if they need any help, or if we could give them our card. It's
really awesome to see someone who is almost fuming with anger that we
are "Soliciting" just turn to a very nice human being because all we
want is to serve people.

This Gospel truly blesses families! It has blessed mine! Because of
this Gospel I have been able to witness the beautiful blessings that
come from having an eternal family! I love knowing that because we
have been sealed by the proper authority, we will be together forever!
I KNOW that the Lord wants to give us all of these blessings, but it
is our use of Agency that God has given us to make these choices. So,
the questions I have been asking myself lately are...

1. How is my testimony of the Restored Priesthood?
2. Do I know that I will live forever with my family? If so, why and
how do I know that?
3. How can I strengthen my faith in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ?

I implore all of you to think of these questions yourself. Think of
how you can bless your own life or the life of your family. Then, go
out and do it! These things are essential to our returning to our
Heavenly Father! He needs us to have these things if we want to dwell
with Him forever!

I love all of you! I am so proud to be out here representing the Lord
and my family! I am proud to say that I have never missed a day of
reading the Book of Mormon every day since being on the mission, and I
will never miss a day in my entire life! I know that this church is
true! I know that the saving ordinances come in and only through this
church, no other way. Keep praying, keep reading, and keep sharing!

- Elder Yates

All I have to say.....

Well, I have to formally apologize to everyone reading. I have been busy beyond measure this Monday... But, just know that my testimony has been strengthened from hearing our beloved Prophets and Apostles. I know the Book of Mormon is true! I know that God still speaks to man today! And I know that through the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ we have the opportunity to return to live with our Heavenly Father through our faithfulness and through our actions that we make.

Never stop being true to what you believe, who you serve, and why you are serving.

I love you all!

- Elder Yates

 

1) Calculator Watch Crew.

 

 

 2) A beautiful sunset.

 

 3) District 41B in the flesh!

 

4) My personal wall in the apartment.

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.