1st Baptism!!

MOM!!!!

How are you doing?? Its so good to hear from you. yes! I got the package thank you thank you thank you! I
haven't opened it yet because we´re still in centro but im so grateful that its here! Thanks to Amanda and Mason. Im so sad that I didn´t get to see them but maybe thats a good thing hahaha. Thats awesome Ken got to go to school! Mrs. T is the best. She´s gonna love her this year! Thats way exciting that college is starting for Reg and Had today. I kind of miss college a little bit. It was a fun time hah! When does Riley start school? Thats awesome Pres is staying busy with school and soccer. I remember those high school days running from school to cheer to softball. Those days were so fun. She´s a busy girl!!

Im so proud of you mom! I bet your talk went great!! (Ps.... I really like those new dresses hahaha). You should send me your talk so I can read it!! Thats awesome that the whole family was there to support you. You´re the best mom! Hahaha when is Riley going to learn to shut off all of the lights? ;) shhhheeeshh hahahhaha.

You and Kenn travel a lot to PC! I guess I never realized how much time it actually takes with all of her treatments and everything. Poor thing! No bueno. But seriously its amazing that her body is fighting so hard. I know Im not there in the flesh and you probably dont tell me everything that actually goes on but it sounds like she´s doing good. And from all of the photos you send me it looks like she still has a lot of hair! Thats pretty amazing! hahahhaha that is so funny about the cable guy! Mexico is a beautiful place so I can see why he´d say it! ;)

Okay so YES! Hermana Yasmines baptism was great!! But very stressful! Lots of opposition, but we wont get into that hahah. It was such a cool experience for me. After she was baptized, my comp and I went to go see her and HOLY COW the spirit was so strong. She was glowing! She was soo happy and felt so good. I had goosebumps. It was awesome. She´ll be comfirmed the next time she´s able to come to church. :) We are so happy for her!! So listen. We had this one investigator who wasn´t progressing. and when that happens you pretty much have to stop teaching them. It´s really sad. I dont like "dropping" investigators. But wait. Yesterday at church, the Elders´ in the other ward came up to my companion and I and said that this investigator went to their sacrament with his girlfriend. WHAT. So we found him in the church and he told us and that he wants us to start teaching him again.!! AHHH. OKAY!! We are so excited to start teaching him again. He really has the desire to change and we are going to do all that we can to help him. Im so excited!

I was reading in the Liahona the other day and came across this quote by Elder Mervyn B Arnold in April General Conference 2016. "Elder Patania explained that, while we must be organized in our councils, quorums, auxiliaries, and even as individuals, we must not delay going to the rescue. Sometimes many weeks pass as we talk about hot to help families or individuals who are in special need. We deliberate about who will visit them and the approach to take. Meanwhile, our lost brother and sisters continue needing and something even calling and pleading for help. We must not delay." I love this!!! Here in caucel there are tons of less actives that we visit. Each person has a different story. A different trial. We all go through different things. Its mine and my companions job right now to find these people and to help them and be there for them as they are going through these difficult times. I know Im only 19 and dont know that much but I do know the importance of finding our lost brother and sisters and "rescueing" them. I have learned so much from these people and Im so grateful. I challenge you all this week to think of someone you think might need "saving" and go and "rescue" them. I promise you, you will be blessed by doing this. You will be blessed and you will be sooo much happier. Dont delay this time serve your brothers and sisters!

Caucel is great. The members are great. My companion is great. Im so happy to be here! I lovvvvvee this gospel. It´s seriously a privilage to be a missionary right now. Im very happy. I learn something new everyday! I hope and pray that you are all doing good. Always remember to read your scripture, pray everyday and go to the temple often. (You should start a family temple night or something). But seriously. It´s so important to do these things everyday.

I LOVE you soooo much! Talk to you next week. Be safe and choose the right.

Love, Hermana Gates
#kickitkdog

1, 2, 3)Making tamales!
4)Baptism photo!
5)One of the members in our ward has a racoon as a pet hahahah

Baby Rats!

Hey mom!!

HAHHAAH golden child. Thats right. ;) Yeah its probably a good thing you didnt hear anything about the Hurricane.. You would´ve probably been freaking out.. ha. I dont have very many mosquito bites! I think those first few weeks were the worst but now its good. The blisters too. I dont have very many. Thank you for sending the Moleskin. It helps! I haven´t seen Mason or Amanda! I dont think they´ve found the mission office. 

Thats so cool Ken got to facetime her class! Mrs. T is the best. Tell her I say hi! :) Thats way crazy that school started. Here, school doesn´t start until the 28th! It sounds like Pres is doing great with soccer! Thats so fun she got to play varsity! Addie said she was going to try to watch her games before she leaves so Im glad she was able to do that!

I had my first interview with President Ruiz this week and it was so great. I truly believe missionaries are sent to their mission presidents not just the place. He is so nice and treats all of the missionaries like his own. Its great. He´s been to St. George too so we talked about how beautiful it is and whatnot. He´s great! I love Hermana Ruiz too! She´s the best. She wants me to talk to the latino missionaries in english to see if they are actually studying english during language study... and then after I talk to them I have to send her a message on how well they speak and then she will tell President. Hahah it will be fun! It´s kind of a little secret duty because she doesnt want anyone to know. So thats kind of fun hahah. 

Hermana Yasmines´ baptism is tomorrow!! Ahh she´s so great. Before writing you guys today we visited with her and she is so ready and so excited. She knows that the church is true! We went over some of the baptism questions and she truly understands everything. We are so excited for her. She told us that she wants to find a new job so she wont have to work on Sundays anymore!(YAYAYA) So, tomorrow is the day. Funny story, last week my companion and I visited with her again and she was in the kitchen cooking so we were talking to her in her kitchen... until all of a sudden my companion sees these little pink things squirming around on her counter. ha. We asked her what they were and she said they were BABY MICE. Baby mice mom hahah. She found them in her room! WHAT hahahahha. It was so funny but so weird at the same time. I have pictures so Ill send them!

We were invited to a mission call opening this week. One of the young men in our ward got his call and wanted us to go so we did. It was so cool. It was a little tender mercy for me. It reminded me of when I opened my call and how I felt after I knew I´d be serving in Merida. It´s an amazing feeling knowing that we are called to where we are supposed to be called. I love Merida! Things are going so great here! I love being a missionary and being a representative of Jesus Christ. No better calling for me right now. I have been so blessed! Thank you for the email! Its always so great to hear how you and everyone else is doing. I love you and hope you have the best week! Be safe!! 

Le quiero MUCHO!!!

Con amor, 

Hermana Gates

#kickitkdog

1)Sunset on sunday!

2)Pozole! 

3)Baby rations!

First Week of School!!

HEYYYY MOM. And family and Friends. :)

   This week flew by! How is everyone doing?? So good to hear from you! It sounds like this week was busy and fun! Ha! Im so glad you are doing well. Im glad you got my letters! I´ve met some great missionaries here and they were so excited to send off those letters when they got home. Im glad they didnt forget hahah.

   Thats a Little scary ken had an allergic reaction.. yikes! no bueno. Im glad she has such great doctors and nurses taking care of her. Of course she was telling them sorry. Typical Ken. ;) I remember when the doctor said she had leukemia and thats all she could say was how sorry she was. Keep reminding her that it isnt her fault! Thats just the way God created her body! All of the medical stuff thats going on is super intresting. Seriously how grateful are we to have such great technology, medicine and doctors right now in this time of our lives. We are so blessed! So so blessed. Our Heavenly Father has given us so much.

    Thats so fun Nate and Clint stopped by to see Ken. Those two are a riot. It was so much fun hanging out with both of them in high school. Im glad they are looking after Ken! Reggie and Hadlis house is so cute!!! Ahh even in good ol Santa Clara. Thats a dream. Thats so fun that they are so close! Will they be attending the 1st Ward or 5th Ward?

    I am so excited for Addie to start her mission! Thats awesome you were able to attend her farewell. Gracias for sending a package with Mason and Amanda!!! You are the best!

    SO this week was great! I dont know if you Heard but their was supposed to be a hurricane here. Our bishop and Ward members were sending out texts saying it was going to be super dangerous. But as the days went on we just had a lot of rain. My companion and I dont know a whole lot of what happened but it didnt come to Merida which is a good thing!

    MIRACLE THIS WEEK. Let me tell ya about our Golden Investigator Yasmine. Ah. She´s the best. She understands everything and is keeping all of her commnittments and just really has the desire to be baptized. The only problem is attending church because she Works most Sundays. Its ways sad because in order to be baptized our investigators need to attend church 5 times and pay their tithing. She´s attended church 4 times and so she would have to wait another month to be baptized. My companion and I totally felt like she was ready so we talked to our distirct leader and he said she could get baptized next week as long as she pays her tithing everytime she receives money and attends church when she doesnt have work. AHAHHH.WE WERE SO EXCITED. Prayers answered!!! Telling Yasmine was the best part. When we told her she could get baptized we all started to cry. The Spirit was sooo strong. This work is real!!! My first baptism in my mission is next week and Im so happy.

   So my companion and I have a pet lizard and cockroach. They only like to come out at night time which is super fun. AHHHH. I hate it. We dont know how to get them out of our house. There is no way im ever going to touch the lizard.. ha.. The cockroach.. yeah we try to use our shoes to smash but this Little bugger is so fast and likes to hide from us. HHAHA. Its great.

   I hope you all know how much our Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of you! He know you personally. We are created in His exact same image. He has eyes to see us, ears to hear us, a mouth to talk to us, and a heart to love us! I encourage you all to communicate with Him everyday. He wants us to talk to Him. I know that this work is all for the Lord. We all have the potential to become who he wants and needs us to become. It requires work but thats okay! Thats why we are here on the earth!!! I hope you all feel the love of God. Always turn to Him. He has given us SOOOO much. Family. We are so blessed. I truly am so blessed to have you all in my life. I hope you have a wonderful week. Remember who you are. Choose the Right. Be safe. Talk to you next week!! LOVE YOU.

Love, Hermana Gates

#kickitkdog

1) Hermana Guerras birthday!!

2) My zone!!

3) One of the hermanas in my zone is from El Salvador and made us all breakfast!

4) Favorite aisle in the grocery store haha. Cereal. All day everyday. :)

5) This is a bolis. FLAVOR: Corn... hahahah. Its like ice cream. I love the mango bolis but this one was a Little interesting hahaa. My compaion wanted it so I gave it to her to eat... haha.

Western Regional 12U CHAMPIONS!!!

Hey mom!!!!

So good to hear from you this week! Things are seriously so great! I love my new companion. We get along so well and she teaches me something new everyday. We have had a lot of success this week. Yes, Im still living in my purple house hahah. It´s great, I love it. Yeah... never again will I be able to eat cow stomach... ayyy....

WOW!! That is seriously so cool that the 12U team won! Im so happy for all of them! Hard work pays off and those girls definitely took it to them. That´s fun you guys go to go down to San Bernadino again. Thats sweet that Ken got to recite the little league pledge. Im so happy that girl is getting taken care of. She has many prayers coming her way from Mexico!! I remember last year hahaha. Im glad they got those seats up with their names on them! I bet it was cool for Reg to see all of that again! Brings back so many good memories. I hope Ryker and Chads team does well! Tell them and the girls good luck for me!

It sounds like you and Ken will be kept busy with all her treatments coming up. Atleast they have fun activities at Primary Childrens Hospital. :) Hahah.. She has a lot going on in her body but I know she´s doing all that she can to kick out the cancer. That will be hard not being able to start 5th grade with all of her friends, but she´ll be back with them soon I know it! That´s so crazy school will be starting soon... wow.. time is seriously flying by right now. Does Pres have her school schedule yet? MOM dont ever feel like you´re jipping us! We dont know what its like to have a child go through something like this. I know you´re doing your absolute best to fit everyones needs. You are a FANTASTIC mom and I hope to be half the mom you are to me! You have set a high bar haha! 

That is so crazy Clint is home!! Ahh tell him welcome home for me, por favor! That will be nice to have Riley closer to home! It sounds like he´s doing good in Duluth! Im glad hes doing well with pitching. Thats my brother. :) That would be cool for you guys to travel to Oregon for those games. Seriously such a pretty state!

This week was great! Like I said I´ve learned so much from my companion!! We have 5 almost 7 investigators with a baptismal date and it´s the greatest. Im soo happy! We are teaching 4 teenagers right now who are so awesome. We had a lesson with them on Saturday and I could feel the spirit so strong! It was so great. The other day my comanion and I decided to visit and old investigator and as we were talking to her she said that she would like to learn more about the gospel and be baptized! WHAT?¡ Okay!!! We were seriously so happy. Im finally seeing  progress in missionary work here in Caucel. Its a blessing! I just hope and pray that everything continues to go well. It´s the best feeling to see these people light up when they receive an answer to a question they´ve been asking for awhile. 

It´s moments like these where I just know that the chruch is true! The truth is the truth. There are no doubts. God has created a perfect plan for all of us and all he asks us to do is follow Him and obey all of His commandments. By doing so we have the great opportunity to live with Him and our families for eternity!! I hope you are all doing well. Keep striving to be better. Thats what life is for!! Thanks for all that you do for me mom. You are the greatest!!!!! I hope you have a fantastic week.Talk to you next week. :) Love you!

Con amor, Hermana Gates

#kickitkdog