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

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

Top Efforts and Top Golf

To start my email this week, I want to thank everyone at home for all of the support that you send me! I love hearing from all of you and I love being able to share my feelings with you... But, if you want me to tell you more, I need to actually hear from YOU. Haha, I hear about people back home telling others to email me for them. But, I want to hear from you!

Anyways, I really don't have the drive to email today. I just want all of you that I love you! The mission is hard, but it is the greatest choice that anyone can ever have! As I have thought about what the mission has done for me, I have made a list...

- Strengthened my testimony

- Helped me understand the Book of Mormon and Bible

- Built my testimony upon the rock of our Redeemer

- Molded my thought process of why I want to be on a mission

- Helped me understand why I want to stay an active member of the church

I love this Gospel! I love the Lord! I love my mission! And I love the opportunities to serve the people of Houston.

- Elder J.T.Yates

Elder Whetzel and I in front of Top Golf

Me, mid-swing

A member's cat that fell asleep during our weekly Book of Mormon study.

It's a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!

Even though it's not Christmas time anymore, Mr. Grinch was still very applicable! 

On Tuesday of this last week, there was an ice storm warning that went across the area telling us to stay inside. The temperature dropped below 20 for about 2 days and everything froze! There were some plants that I grabbed and they broke in my hands like glass, it was super weird.

During that time of being locked inside, I had plenty of time to reflect on my missionary work. I realized that when I was at home, and when I go back home is where the real missionary work is! Member missionary work is the most essential when it comes to having people come unto Christ by being baptized.

A statistic showed that the chances and the likelihood of someone being baptized IF they have a member friend almost doubled! Think about that! IF each of us found a friend that we knew could accept the Gospel and would thrive in it, the world would be a lot more unified and would have a lot of people really converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I really started to regret my choices in the past when I though about all the times that I could've taken someone under my wing and really helped them come closer to Christ. But, from my last email... "No unchanged thing will even want to" enter into the Kingdom of God. Well, I can testify to you with a certainty of heart that I have been changed! I have been molded by my mission, and have been a witness to the blessings of the Atonement. 

My heart is changed, now... Is yours? How many times are we "humbled" by the spirit and move on with life hoping that we can just forget? Because if you are a normal human being like I am, it happens a lot more than anyone would want to admit.

In one of my favorite scriptures of all time it says:

"27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

I love this scripture because of the promise that He makes at the end. If I humble myself, then God promises to strengthen me. Isn't that incredible? How many weaknesses do we all have? Think of how many strengths we can then have through the power of His Amazing Grace!

I can testify that even in our darkest times, in our weakest moments, and in our most difficult adversities, Christ wants to make us better! It is only up to us to make those our strongest attributes.

I love all of you! I know that as you really and truly humble yourselves and become that Disciple of Christ that we all need to be, and help bring others into the Gospel, we can become the happiest that we can ever be!

-Elder J.T.Yates

1) Danelle's baptism and every missionary that has helped her come into baptism!

2) Free food that we received after a food truck service that we did at a Methodist church.

3) The biggest freaking meal I have ever had!! It's not even the "Texas size"!!! The Texas size is double that chicken and double the sides!! Like, WHAAAAA???

4) I also didn't know that Hell could freeze over... Haha

His Grace is sufficient

Monday: We had a schwaked P-Day last week! We went and got haircuts for 2 Elders and then went to the Guitar Center near us to get some new strings, and ended eating at Steak-N-Shake. Holy Moly, they make a great Garlic Burger!!

Tuesday: In the morning, we went down to Bacliff to try and see a recent convert, Julie. She ended up not being there, so we knocked doors for an hour or so. Which, in Bacliff is scary sometimes. Luckily it was cold outside so there wasn't anyone outside that was very sketchy. Haha, in the afternoon/evening, we went to Sister See's home. Her and her family have been feeding the missionaries for over 40 years, and almost every week!! That is a lot of charity!

Wednesday: The morning hours are usually pretty boring, but on Wednesday morning, we went to a Less-Active member's home, Brother Falcon. He is a very deep thinker, and when he reads something in the scriptures, it is basically doctrine. So, whenever anyone says anything that is contradicting, he flips out. But, when we visited him, we just talked about what he wanted to talk about, that way we knew that we would be good.

Thursday: Thursday was crazy! We had District Council from 9:30 to 11. Then we had interviews with President and Sister Hall as well as the APs. That went really good, as always, and then we went to Taco Bell for lunch with the Spanish Elders in the District. It rained like crazy! Nothing like Harvey, but it was still enough to get my clothes soaked from standing in the rain for like 2 minutes... Oh well, it's Texas so there's not much you can do about it. We visited a couple recent converts and shared uplifting messages with them. To end the night, we helped the South Shore Elders move one of their members. That was a work out! I tell you what!!

Friday: Like most Fridays, we started at an Episcopal Church and helped with their garden. Honestly, I love helping them! I am able to learn a lot from them about the Apocrypha. Not something that you'd think that I would learn about on the mission. We then went to our Bishop's house to watch President Monson's funeral and have some lunch with them. The funeral was so great!! The spirit was very strong and made me cry a little. We visited Brother McCutcheon this week, can't have a week without him! Haha, he is really close to being fully active again!! We had some bomb home-made burgers with some extra gouda cheese... Oh yeah!

Saturday: We had a bomb lesson with Sharon this morning! She had been being taught in the past, about a year ago in Friendswood. She accepted a baptismal date for Feb. 10th! Our day was mostly sitting inside because we hadn't done weekly planning for the whole week, so we were trying to keep from not going insane. After weekly planning, we went back over to Brother McCutcheon's house to help him clean part of his house. 

Sunday: We had a nice long day of meetings today! We had Correlation with our Ward Mission Leader, Ward Council, Church, and then had Danelle's baptismal interview. We helped out a member in the ward who's house was flooded. We ended our night by eating dinner at a family's home who I now love! They are so great and love doing missionary work, so I am going to be working with them a lot more lately!

Alright, now that is done and over with, something that I want to talk about is Grace. What is Grace? How do we apply it? Well, there is a fantastic talk given by Brad Wilcox called "His Grace is Sufficient". In that talk he gives the example of drawing 2 dots at opposite ends of the paper, and told someone to draw a line representing how much of that distance Christ fills in, with a couple failed attempts, he went on to say that there was no line, but instead Christ covered ALL of it. He didn't just pay everything but a few coins, He payed ALL of it. 

Another quote that I love from that same talk is, "No unclean thing can enter the kingdom of God, but no UNCHANGED thing will even want to." I can testify that through Christ's Atonement, everything can and will be forgiven. I know that even though we may feel like we are too far away from a return to Him. But, as He says in the scriptures,

"21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."

If Christ can forgive us EVERY TIME, how often should we keep returning to Him? Every time! 

I love the Savior and love His Gospel. I know it's true! I invite you to find that same testimony.

- Elder J.T.Yates

Me in a fire retardant suit. 

Elder Fleming and I after helping Brother McCutcheon.

Elder Whetzel and I post-exercise.

New Year Resolutions

As a missionary in the great Texas Houston South Mission, I have been taught how to have a Vision, Goals, and Plans. Without these, we cannot be as successful as we would like to be.

For me, I define success as helping someone that we teach or talk to; Increase their faith, Repent, Be baptized, Feel the Holy Ghost, or help them endure to the end. I have loved helping people come closer to Christ!

A vision: When we start our goals having a vision. You have a vision of what you want to do.

A goal: All of you know what a goal is and when you set one. Having these really helps bring a stronger purpose in your missionary work.

A plan: Make plans to accomplish those goals.

Making these Visions, Goals, and Plans are essential to our missionary work.

My challenge for all of y'all is to take these next couple of days is to think of what your Vision, Goals, and Plans are going to be for this year. Take these things and write them down. Remember to read them every week!

- Elder J.T.Yates

 Elder Yates in the wild. Cooking French Toast.  

The original tres amigos.

When I was able to baptize JJ!!! 

My 'son', Elder Smith!