Season 7, Episode 4, The One With Thanksgiving

Hey Folks!! 

   This week was pretty great. The highlight of my week for sure was Thanksgiving day. It was so much fun. We went to a park and played sports in the morning. We played mostly 3 hit kill with a volleyball and we even played a Turkey bowl!! Playing football was SO much fun and I felt like I was back home playing with my dad and brothers. And I even accidentally dressed up as Rachel from Friends for Thanksgiving. And what is even more crazy is I wore something like what she wore in a Thanksgiving episode. Anyways it was fun. Then we went home and took some funny pics and the  got ready for the day. I got to have dinner with 2 families in my ward and the food was amazing. It was a good and fun Thanksgiving dinner. Oh we are also a part of a Christmas concert thing so we got to record/film for it this week! So it was a pretty fun week. 

   I just want to say how grateful I am for each of you. You all have helped me so much in my life. I hope that all of you know how much I love all of you. I am also very grateful that I get to be a missionary right now. I read a talk by Dieter F Uchtdorf called Grateful in Any Circumstances. In it he says "We can choose to be grateful, no matter what.". I know this is true. We can always choose to be grateful. There is always something to be grateful for in your life. One good activity that I love is to sit down and time yourself for 1 or 2 minutes and write as many things as you can that you are grateful for. You will surprise yourself. I love and am so grateful for all of you.

           Love, Sister Yates :)  

Season 7, Episode 3, The One With the Christmas Light Show

 Hey Folks! 

   This week was pretty good! We got to be witnesses for a little girls baptism. I did an exchange with Sisters Lunt and Bake and they are incredible. We got to hear from our prophet!!! I saw a beautiful sunset. And I even got to watch a dope Christmas light show. That brought me pure joy. They even played some songs by Celine Dion and You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch. It was awesome. It was just a good week with some good moments. 

   For my lil spiritual thought for this email I want to just share a little quote from a book that I found in my current house. The book is called The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse and it's by Charlie Mackesy. It is the cutest book ever and it almost brings me to tears every time I read it. One quote from it that I love is "When the big things feel out of control... focus on what you love right under your nose.". I love this quote and I think that I have seen this definitely help me during my mission. Right now it may seem that the whole world is out of control. But if you stop and look for those little things that you love or are grateful for, the world becomes so much better. Never forget that there is so much good in the world. There is kindness, laughter, love, friendship, and moments that bring us joy. It might be hard to see but it is there. I can promise you that. I would like to challenge each of you to look for those things right under your nose that you love and then appreciate them. Doing this will help. I love and am SO thankful for all of you!!! 

                  Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 7, Episode 2, The One With the Mission Tour

 Hey Folks! 

   This week was honestly awesome. We had so many good moments. We had some fun dinners with amazing families in our ward. We even had an incredible pre-Thanksgiving dinner so that was a nice warm up. I was very full and very happy. They even had a cute place holder with my name on it for me. We got to do some chalk art at some parks with some uplifting messages. This past week we had a virtual mission tour with Elder Alliaud of the Seventy and his wife. It was so amazing. I learned so many things and I will share a little bit of them with you. 

   One of the biggest things that I learned from Elder Alliaud was the questions where am I? And where do I want to go? He talked about seeing where we were and then seeing where we wanted to be. He taught us to know the difference of being a missionary and being a true disciple of Jesus Christ. When we are a true disciple of Christ, the name tag never comes off. "True discipleship requires us to swim upstream sometimes." He also taught us that the only constant in life is change. And that we need to get used to it. A lot of things are going to take us by surprise. Example a: COVID. We need to grow our testimony and grow our faith every single day so that when things like this happen, we won't be shaken. We will have our solid foundation built upon the rock. One last part that really struck me hard was when Elder Alliaud said "if you want to walk where He walked, you need to do what He did". I do want to walk where Christ walked. So I know that every single day, I need to do what Christ did. Christ did a lot of different things but one thing that sums it all up is that he loved those around him. So my challenge to each of you this week is to show more love to those around you. You will feel more of Christ's love for you as you do. I love you all!! 

            Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 7, Episode 1, The One With My Hump Day

 Hey Folks! 

   I know. This is crazy. I really can't believe that I hit my 9 months. It does not feel like I am half way through my mission but I am. These first 9 months have been the craziest and best 9 months of my life. I have seen so many miracles, moments of pure joy, a lot of sadness and heartache, and lives being changed. I have met some absolutely incredible people that I love and adore with my whole heart. I have missed home. I have learned a lot about myself and my savior. My testimony has been strengthened more than I ever thought it would. I am very grateful to be here in the Arizona Tempe Mission. I am very grateful for my friends and family that helped me get and stay on a mission. I am grateful for these past 9 months and I look forward to the rest of the time I have here in Arizona. 

   Just some updates for y'all. This past week I was transferred out of Tempe and I am now in San Tan! My companion is Sister McEwen and she is the cutest thing ever. I am actually serving around and with my trainer Sister Daines so I am extremely happy about that. And I am in a fantastic ward. They are all very rich and very fun to be around. These members are also some of the most gospel centered and humble people I have ever met. They are amazing. We have already seen some miracles in the short time that I have been here. Oh also just last night we had a devotional with former General Young Womens President Elaine S. Dalton! It was spirit filled and I learned a lot from her. One scripture that she shared with us was Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 that 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 love this scripture and I know it to be true. I would just like to invite each of you to read this verse and then go throughout your week looking for those moments when the spirit is in your heart. Or when angels are around you. Look for those moments where Christ bears you up. Or when he is right beside you. Because He is always there. Thank you for all that you guys do for me. I love y'all! 

              Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 6, Episode 6, The One With Spoopy Season

 Hey Folks!!

   So my email won't be too long today because transfers!! I was called last night to be a second half trainer and I will be serving in the San Tan Zone! I am really sad to leave this ward and my companions. Sister Packer and Sister Layton have become great friends of mine and I absolutely live this area. But, I am excited to experience something new. This past week was a lot of fun! We had Halloween as you all know and my comps and I "dressed up" as the Plan of Salvation/ the Plan of Happiness. It's a very subtle costume cuz I'm a missionary :) Halloween was probably the highlight of my week. Oh AND Sister Packer graduated from training this week!! Anyways I had a good week.

   I would just like to bear my testimony of the Plan of Happiness. I have been able to teach this plan to some people this week and every time I was able to share that I know this plan was designed by God and made possible by Jesus Christ. I am thankful for the knowledge and blessing that I can be with my family forever. I am thankful for the chance that I have to be on this beautiful earth and experience joy because of the bravery of Eve. I am very thankful that one day I can be resurrected. This plan and this gospel is the map of how to return to our Heavenly Father. I am very thankful for the Plan of Happiness and I know that it is God's plan for me. I would like to challenge all of you to read Alma 34 or Your Happily Ever After by Dieter F Uchtdorf and see what you can learn about the Plan of Salvation. Also President Oaks gives fantastic talks about the plan if you are ever looking for a good talk. Anyways I love my savior and I love y'all!! 

                  Love, Sister Yates :)