Season 3, Episode 6, The One With the 100th Day Quarantined

Hey Folks! 

I would like to start off by telling you that we got transfer calls this morning and I am being transferred to the Tempe Single Adult ward in Tempe! Big news and big move! It's going to be a very sad goodbye because I have grown to love all of the sisters that I live with. I'm really gonna miss them. 

Oh this past week we hit 100 days quarantined and we celebrated by dressing up as grandmas and having a photo shoot. It was legendary. (Today is day 102) 

This week I have listened to a lot of Jeffrey R Holland talks. And let me tell ya. If you ever need a good yelling to, listen to Elder Holland. He will kindly and lovingly throw it down. This past week I have listened to some really good talks but one that I loved was The Ministry of Angels in October 2008 General Conference. In this talk he talks about both the Heavenly and earthly angles that are around us. He also quoted an incredible scripture that is D&C 84:88 and it says "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." I absolutely love this scripture and I know that I am constantly surrounded by angles. Both heavenly and earthly. If any of you have the chance to check out this talk please do. It is an amazing talk. 

Have a great week and keep on smiling! 

Love, Sister Yates :)

Season 3, Episode 5, The One With the Temple

Hey folks! 

This past week was really good! One major highlight is that my companion Hermana Duffy and I got to go to the Gilbert Temple grounds. I felt so happy just being around a temple. It was incredible to feel that peace and joy that I feel while in/around the house of the Lord. It made me so happy it was amazing. 

Also it was Father's Day yesterday!! I love Fathers Day and I LOVE my dad. If any of you have been lucky enough to meet my dad, you know how amazing he is. He has taught me to grow my testimony and lean on it when I have trials. My dad is the best dad ever. I am so thankful for him. I am also so thankful for my Heavenly Father. One of the first things that we as missionaries teach people is that we have a loving Heavenly Father. I have such a strong testimony in my Heavenly Father. He had given me more blessings than I deserve. One of the biggest ones is that I get to be with my family forever. I love the quote by Elder Juan A Uceda that says "At the very moment we say, “Father in Heaven,” He hears our prayers and is sensitive to us and our needs. And so His eyes and His ears are now connected to you. He reads our minds, and He feels our hearts. You cannot hide anything from Him. Now, the wonderful thing is that He will see you with eyes of love and mercy—love and mercy that we cannot fully understand."

I am so thankful for all of the fathers that have been in my life. So make sure to show the fathers in your lives how much you are grateful for them. 

I love you all!!! Never forget that you are loved! 

       Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 3, Episode 4, The One With the Challenges

Hey Folks!! 

  Welcome back to my life as a quarantined missionary. Today is day 88 but who's counting. This last week was pretty good!! This week we had a bunch of challenges for a Zone Olympics and that was fun. One day we made a compilation of us scaring each other. We had way too much fun with that one. We also went to a really cool Italian Ice place that had a bunch of cool vintage things. It was legitness. And I also saw my trainer Sister Daines again!! So overall this week was pretty good. 

  I did have a pretty hard day on Thursday when someone that I have been teaching the whole time I have been here dropped us. This was a different kind of challenge. She didn't want to learn anymore and it really broke my heart. It made me see just how much I love this gospel and how much I want other people to have the joy that comes from it. As a missionary we dedicate our life for a year and a half or two years to share the greatest message this world has ever heard. The peace, comfort, hope, happiness, love, strength, and joy that this gospel brings is too great to not share with others. I would like to quote President Gordon B Hinckley when he says "God bless you, my beloved brethren and sisters, in meeting the tremendous challenge that is ours. We cannot evade it. We cannot escape it. We must face up to it. The opportunities are tremendous. We are equal to it, and the Lord will bless us as we try." 

I love how he promises that the Lord will bless us as we try. Didn't our prophet President Nelson this past General Conference say "the Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it." Our savior promises us blessings and rewards as we put in the effort for him. I challenge each of you to put in that effort this week for Jesus Christ. Pray, make your own game plan, and follow through. I can also promise you more blessings will come as you put fort the effort. 

Love you all!! 

         Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 3 Episode 3, The One With the Roaches

Hey Folks!! 

This week was kinda crazy. We were pretty busy and had a lot of service opportunities. We were able to clean a church building this week and let me tell ya. Cockroaches are a thing here. It's fun. Not really. There are some big ones out there. This week lasted about 4 years long but it had some fun moments. My awesome companion and housemates make every moment so much fun. We can laugh at almost eveything and it helps me to find more joy in everything that I do. 

This week I was able to read a lot of really good talks and scriptures about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. One of the quotes that I loved said "When we comprehend His voluntary Atonement, any sense of sacrifice on our part becomes completely overshadowed by a profound sense of gratitude for the privilege of serving Him." I do not fully understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ but I do feel so much gratitude to be able to serve Him. I am so blessed to be a missionary right now. Studying the Atonement has been incredible and I recommend it to everyone. You will receive strength as you study about it. I can promise you that. I challenge each of you to pick a Conference talk or chapter in the Book of Mormon about the Atonement and study it this week. (Some ideas are 2 Nephi 2, 2 Nephi 9, 2 Nephi 31, Alma 34, and talks by Jeffrey R Holland, Dallin H Oaks, or President Russell M Nelson) The Atonement will completely change your life if you let it. It's incredible. 

I love and miss you all! Don't forget how much Jesus loves you!! 

Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 3, Episode 2, The One With the Storm

Hey Folks! 

This week has been great. I had a lot of really fun and spiritual moments. For the fun ones, this past week we had a monsoon/dust storm/haboob. And it was so much fun. I got to stand out on our patio and feel rain. We also saw lightning!! It was also super dusty and windy but worth it. That storm made me happy. Most of the funny moments this past week just had to do with me hanging out with my housemates and the craziness that follows. The other day a wasp was in our apartment so Hermanas Duffy and Barinotto were the brave ones that got it in the end. It died a noble death. 

Like I have said in earlier emails we are doing an Atonement study in our mission. And it is amazing. I am learning so much about my Savior and how he can help me with literally everything. We read this one talk by Jeffrey R Holland and it hit me hard. He says "I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because Salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation was never easy." (Try to imagine him yelling this at you) That talk by Elder Holland really helped me a lot. Being a missionary isn't easy. It is very hard. But it is the most incredible thing to do. It is one of the best things I will ever do in my life. Sharing the gospel is so rewarding. And sharing it can be very easy. Pick a favorite scripture, quote, hymn, or thought and send it to someone you care about. It's so easy and you will be blessed because of it. I challenge each of you to do just that. Send a spiritual and uplifting thought to someone and let me know how it goes!! 

I love you all and I hope you all have a great week! Remember you are loved!! 

Love, Sister Yates :)