Season 8, Episode 2, The One With the Christmas Cheer

 Hey Folks! 

   This week was so good!! We got to go caroling for 2 nights with other missionaries in our zone. We really got to live the motto "the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." Then on Christmas Eve President Goaslind wore an awesome headband to get into the spirit. He is so funny. On Christmas Eve night, we got to have all of the sisters come to my house and we had a huge sleepover! We slapped all of the mattresses into the front room, busted out some Martinelli's, and played some card games. It was a super fun night. Then on Christmas day we woke up, opened our packages, and made breakfast. Christmas day was super chill. I got to call my family and wish my mom a happy birthday, play Gatorball with the zone, and eat dinner with a family in our ward. So overall, it was an awesome week. 

   Today I had a really good talk with my older brother Jacek. We talked about our family, the traditions we have, and the blessings that come from eternal families. I am so grateful for the family that I have been blessed with on this earth. The fact that I get to be with my family forever is something that brings me so much peace. During this Christmas season I have missed the traditions that I normally do but I got to be here and share the glad tidings of great joy with people. Being a missionary has strengthened my testimony of the importance of families because I have now seen how much the gospel really can bless families. I love my family and I am so grateful for them. My family is kinda crazy, some of the funniest people I know, amazing photographers, great adventure buddies, and some of my best friends. I am also super grateful for all of you and I would like to challenge you guys to show some appreciation and gratitude for the family you have. I love you all!!!

                Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 8, Episode 1, The One With a Much Warmer Christmas

 Hey Folks! 

   This week has been kinda slow but also really good! We had transfers so I had to say goodbye to my dear Sister McEwen who actually got transferred up to the ward I started in, Pioneer YSA! At transfers I got to say hi to a lot of my friends so I was happy. Then I got my new comp Sister Merkley! She is from Texas, is also an STL, and just awesome. We are starting to have more fun together as we are becoming better friends. On Sunday we even got to have a companion study with 3 amazing young women, pick oranges straight off of the orange tree, and have an incredible Christmas Sunday. That was a fun day. Also it is currently December 21 and down here in sunny AZ we have a high of 74°. So it's hard to feel like Christmas is in 4 days when I can stand outside perfectly fine in a normal shirt. The weather says that down here I will have Christmas in the high 60's. No white Christmas down here for me. BUT I can still feel the Christmas spirit no matter where I am. I just need to remember and focus on Jesus Christ. 

   Ok I know that this week is Christmas. But equally important, it is my moms birthday. I would like to ask all of you a favor and let her know happy birthday on the 25th. My mom is one of the most incredible people you will ever meet. She is fun, kind, beautiful, supportive, outgoing, and a huge example to me. My mom Amy is awesome. Her testimony and the way she lives her life shows me how I want to be as a mother one day. She is one of my best friends and I can't talk highly enough of her. I love my mom so much. Especially now since I have thought more about Mary and her love for Jesus Christ, I gain a stronger love for my mom. I am so grateful for my mom Amy and I want to take this time to wish her an early HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! 

  I love you all and I am grateful for each of you. I hope that you have a Merry Christmas and that you feel the joy that comes from celebrating Jesus Christ. 

                  Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 7, Episode 6, The One With the Movie, the Sunset, and the Nativity

 Hey folks!! 

   Ok this week was actually awesome. This email might be a bit longer so if you don't want to read it all that's ok. But some crazy awesome things happened this past week, so it's gonna get interesting.. ok so last Monday night we got to watch a movie!!! I was so stinkin happy. We watched The Other Side of Heaven 2 and it was so good. I seriously was so happy that I was watching a movie on my mission. Then later on in the week Sister McEwen graduated training and I am so proud of her! I even got to take a picture with President and Sister Goaslind with me holding some of Sister Goaslinds homemade bread. Delicious. Then we saw a BREATHTAKING sunset on our way home. The sunsets down here are so cool. Then as a house we celebrated our own mini Christmas! We did a secret Santa kind of thing and filled each others stockings. Then a couple nights ago I got to help with my housemates wards Christmas Nativity drive through. Kinda confusing I know. Sister Lunt and I stood out on a busy street with a sign trying to wave people down. We kinda felt like weirdos since we were kinda making a fool of ourselves. We actually ended up having a lot of fun that night. AND we were told when it ended that some people came to the nativity because they saw "2 girls by the street with a sign waving me down". We actually got people to go!! It was pretty amazing. Just some fun times this week. It was a blast.

   Ok for my little thought for y'all today, I just want to share something that I learned while studying in Helaman 14 what Samuel the Lamanite taught when he was on the wall. When he was preaching about the birth of Jesus Christ he says in verse 3 "this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness". In this verse he talks about how when Christ will come to the Earth there will be only light. Then in verse 20 he says "in that day that he shall suffer death the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you". In this verse he talked about when Christ will be taken off the Earth and there will be no light. While reading these verses it showed me another reason why Jesus Christ is literally the light of the world. And after Christ was resurrected, the light came back and has never gone away. Because Christ lives. He brings the light into our lives. I am so grateful for the light of Christ and its influence in my life. I would like to urge each of you to continue to share your light of Christ with others. Serve and love them and they will see it. I love all of you! Happy Holidays! 

              Love, Sister Yates :) 

Season 7, Episode 5, The One With Personal Revelation

 Hey Folks! 

   This week I was able to go to MLC and I got a ride home with Elders so that was casual and weird at the same time. I also got a picture with Sister Gosalind and all the STL's. Today I "ran" a 5k, then we got breakfast, and then we went shopping and tried on crazy jackets. We didn't do a whole lot this week but it was fun. 

   Overall this week was pretty good. But, I'm gonna be honest, I kinda struggled a bit. I'm not telling you guys this for sympathy or to complain. I wanted to tell you all that I was not doing good and that I found the answer to help myself be better. The answer that I got was that I need to make sure that I read the Book of Mormon every single day. Once I got that very personal revelation, I knew that it would help me. So, I made sure that I set aside time each day to read in the Book of Mormon. This past week I was reading in 2 Nephi 9 and that whole chapter helped me out a lot. One specific phrase in verse 43 says "happiness which is prepared for the saints.". That sentence gave me so much hope. Because even though I wasn't doing good in that moment, I knew that there is happiness prepared for me. I just have to continue to be the best Latter Day Saint that I can be. I am very thankful for a loving Heavenly Father that gave me that revelation to help me to be happy again. But I had to do my part to receive that happiness. If any of you are struggling in any way, please pray to your Heavenly Father and ask him what YOU need to do to help yourself become better, listen to what He will say, and then act on it. I can promise that you will be blessed as you do. I am very grateful for all of you and I love y'all so much!! 

                  Love, Sister Yates :)