I love being a missionary!!

Hola Mama!!!

Como estas? Como le fue su semana?? It sounds like you guys are doing good and staying busy. Holy cow, so crazy to hear that school has finally started. How is everyone feeling about that?? ha! that is so crazy Ken is starting at Lava Ridge and that Pres is in HIGH SCHOOL. Seriously when did they grow up?? I cant believe how fast time is flying by. I hope they had a good first day of school. :) They look so cute in their first day of school pictures! Thats so cool Ri got to see pres at BYU last week. Sounds like he had a good birthday and is excited to be back in Utah. Thats so fun you all got to go to the conference. 

This week was a good! It sure went by super fast! To answer your question.. all was well here in the peninsula ha! A few days this week it rained super hard and was super windy but we were safe. It felt so good outside though. Merida needed to cool down a little bit. It´s so hot right now! 

Bryan got baptized! It was so special! My companion and I were able to go because the ward in Brisas shares the church with the ward in Industrial. If only I could tell you how special his baptism service was. So many of his friends from EFY went and his family and a lot of the members went to support him. He shared his testimony and it was so powerful. It was really funny, he was like, "I never imagined going to EFY and becoming a mormon this summer. Im so happy to be a member of this church. I feel so clean!" Bryan is a really special person and im so excited for him.

We had a leadership meeting this week with President and Hermana Ruiz. It went great! We talked a lot about purifying ourselves as missionaries and being more consecrated to the work and to the Lord. It was super awesome. We also talked about the atonement and repentance and how we can help the other missionaries fulfill their callings and responsibilities. I love the insights that president gave us. I know that he truly does hold the keys for this mission and is an inspired instrument in Gods hands. 

This week was a good one and I cant believe how fast it went by! Im so happy and there´s so much to look forward to in these coming weeks. I love being a missionary and helping others and sharing the gospel. Its such a special time in my life and im so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you for your love and support! I hope you guys have a wonderful week!! Be safe. Love you!!!

Love, Hermana Gates

#kickitkdog

) our relief society activity!

2) Bryans baptism!! 

3) We had a water balloon war as a zone. it was so much fun haha!

Busy week!

Hey mom!!

Wow this week was so great/crazy! So much has happened! I dont even know where to start hahah. First off, my companion has been really sick this week so we were at the clinic for 3 days.. but she´s doing better! The doctor gave her some medicine and a diet so she should be getting better soon. :) 

Transfer week!! I got transfered! Im in my new area, Brisas with Hermana Morales as a Sister Training Leader! Im super excited! We are in charge of the sisters in two zones so its going to be awesome doing divisions, getting to know the other sisters and going to the leadership conferences with President Ruiz and Hermana Ruiz. Im so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow and become the missionary/person that God intends for me to be. I have so much to learn and do! Its going to be a great transfer! 

Our 16 year old investigator in Indutrial! Bryans baptism is this Saturday! He is soo prepared. He has been going to church and has wanted to get baptized for 3 years but has been so nervous to do so. When he talked to his mom about getting baptized she started to cry! She is so excited for him and is gonna come to Merida this Saturday to see him get baptized. The lessons that we gave him this week were so fun. He knew pracitically everything so we just had to go over everything quick so that he could understand the doctrine better. 

Yesterday we had 7 investigators at church! It was AMAZING! My companion and I were completely filled with so much joy. God has been so good to us. Despite that Hermana Cordova was sick, we were able to see so many miracles with investigators and less actives going to church! It was a great/crazy week! :) haha!!

You guys sound so good!! I cant believe school is going to start next week! I feel like this summer passed by so fast! Thats so excited Macey and Cole got married and that Kaleb leaves tomorrow for his mission!! Tell them congrats for me please. Thats so fun you guys celebrated Granmdas birthday this week. She´s awesome! Sounds like she had a good day. :) I cant believe reg and Had have been married for 2 years! I feel like they got married yesterday! time flies by! I love them so much and im so glad they had a good anniversary. 

Oh mom, it sounds like you guys are going so good!! Im so happy! I love you guys so much and am sooo happy you are doing well. I hope you have a wonderful week and enjoy the last week of summer! Be safe and talk to you next week! :)

Con amor, hermana Gates

#kickitkdog

1)Hermana Cordova!! Last day as companions!

2)Hermana Bair goes home this week! She is such a great missionary and so fun to be around!

3)Our zone!! Zona Brisas! The sister in the middle is going home this transfer!

4) I know we look really scary in this photo but there is a sister in our ward who painted us some pictures! 

Things are going great!

Hey mom!!!

So good to hear from you!! Sounds like you guys are doing so good!! Im so glad! Sounds like you had a fun busy week this week. Thats so awesome you were able to go to Boston with dad and madie to see Ri! I bet you guys really enjoyed your trip and seeing riley again. :) I love the pictures you sent, thats so cool you were able to go to fenway park. Lucky! Also, Im so happy to hear that Kens treatment went well. She is such a strong little girl, im so proud of her and how far she´s come with her treatments. She really does inspire me! Oh man, I love Hermana Terry! She is so awesome. Everytime we saw each other we always talked about good ol St. George. You´ll definitely have to meet up with her. She´s the best! :) So crazy Kaleb is heading out soon! Maybe I´ll see him here down in Mexico. ;) Please tell him good luck and welcome to Mexico! Viva Mexico! haha! I love hearing about you guys. Thanks for always informing me on everything, it makes me so happy to know you guys are all doing good. :) 

This week was a good one! Seriously flew by!!! I think one of the biggest highlights this week was sacrament meeting yesterday. ahh it was so good. The spirit was so strong. This past week was EFY for all of the teenagers here in Merida and Campeche and yesterday during sacrament meeting we listened to all the testimonies of the teenagers that attended. Their testimonies were so powerful. Each one of them said that their testimonies had been strengthened so much and that they plan on serving missions. Each one of them! Even one who isnt a member! ... miracle story.. before the meeting started we were greeting the members as they were walking in and one of the sisters in the ward has her nephew staying with her for a few weeks and he´s not a member. He went to EFY with his cousins and told us that he wants to get baptized because he wants to serve a mission like us. Hes 16 years old! So after we write today we´re gonna go visit him and put a baptism date! It was awesome! 

Another highlight was our stake acitivity "Discovering Family History"! It was so awesome! The members put together a museum of their family history like photos, letters, chairs, things that their ancestors made.. there were lessons on how you could find your ancestors.. there were videos and little crafts.. and at the end about 20 of the members danced the "Jarana"! The dance from the Yucatan! ahhh it was the best! It was like seeing a tuacahn show. haha. no, but it was so great. I love the culture here in Merida. I cant wait for you guys to come down and experience it for yourselves. Its so beautiful! A lot of our investigators and less actives who we are working with were able to come and they absolutely loved it. It was a great activity!! 

This week, as a zone we also went to the temple with our investigators and recent converts to have a lesson with the Temple President. Here in our mission, President Ruiz gave us permission to take our investigators to the temple and have a lesson inside the temple in the waiting room. It was so special! The Temple President talked about the temple and families and our invesitagators really loved it. You can always count on to feel the spirit when you´re in the Temple. The presence of the lord is always there. Its His home and He dwells there. Which I want to invite you guys to go to the temple this week. Now that all of you can enter, go as a family and do baptisms. Doing the work for those who have passed on is SO important. There are children of God waiting for people to do their work here on earth so that they can progress and live with God again. Its a great missionary opporutnity. :)

Things are going great! Im super happy and am enjoying every moment here in the mission. Its so special. I love Merida! I love being a missonary. Im so grateful for you guys. Thank you for your support and love. It means so much to me! I hope you have a wonderful week! Please be safe! Talk to you next week. :)

Love, Hermana Gates

#kickitkdog

1 &2) The temple!!!

3) Sister Olivares! She´s my "sister" in the mission!!