Hello Everybody!
I had all I wanted to say planned out. And now my mind went blank.... The food's still bad, as always, but I'm getting by pretty well!! I just can't wait to make my own food or eat the food of the amazing Iowans. On that note, I bought one of my first days here an Iowa shirt, the last one there and the envy of all the other Iowan Missionaries. Today's P-Day, obviously, so I'm soaking up the chance to wear it and jeans. Today was possibly my last chance at going to the temple for two years!! I actually like the Provo Temple. It's like the Seattle Temple just not as Austere (CARI FIX MY SPELLING IF YOU CAN!!! Rachel told me about your spelling error in my Facebook status.... OH, and hope Florida went well, while I'm writing to you! Send me your Address so I can write you!!). If there is anybody who hasn't written me yet, don't bother, unless you do it by DearElder, or else it won't get here FOREVER. Mail is so slow.... I'm progressing well and learning a lot. I love being in the MTC and while I don't always get along perfect with everyone in my district, I love them and will miss them all. My comp and my roommates actually leave on monday, two days before me, so we'll see how that works out. I'll probably be put into a threesome and have one of the elders from the other room in my district sleep in my room. I'm also the travel leader for the other 7 Iowan Missionaries. Colorado Springs, the other mission in my district, has 19 or so missionaries going out the same day. Kinda strange the number difference.... I'm learning how to use my time well and schedule, one of my biggest problems here, as Mom could tell anyone reading this. I wish I had listened to all of your advice before so I didn't have to learn the hard way this lesson. OH!! I had my first callback in the Referral Center this last saturday! So, the RC is the place where all of those people who call about getting BoMs or Bibles Or DVDs can order them and, guess what, it's us missionaries who talk to them! And we call people back to see if they got the stuff and want to meet with the missionaries. Anyway, there was one person who called in and ordered a bible from me and wanted to have missionaries bring the bible by, but apparently there are no missionaries in his area. So I called him back a couple days later and taught him the first lesson and sent him a BoM. He accepted all of my commitments to read the Bible and BoM and pray about them and if God tells him it's right to seek out the church so that's good! But I don't know for sure if he's really gonna go anywhere... I'm hopeful, though, he seemed like a good guy. I love talking to people from the south on there, because the few times where the people don't let it go to answering machine or hang up on you, they're really sweet. I really don't know what else to report on...so I'll see if I can ramble some more about random stuff....
Ok, quick Bios on the missionaries in my district:
Elder Facer: My companion from Orange County, Cali. Loves surfing and all those other board sports. Great companion even if our personalities don't perfectly match.
Elder Bruin: Roommate from Murray, Utah, going to Colorado springs. Funny kid, Especially around his companion.
Elder Schaffner: Other roommate and from Tallahassee, FL. Has an awesome southern accent and is hilarious, especially when telling stories.
Elder Knapp: Kinda quiet comparatively, but an awesome missionary, from Salem, OR, and all the elders keep bugging him about writing his sister. Went on splits with him in teaching once and we were amazing. We're gonna Enoch-ize Iowa.
Elder Wayland: From Idaho, and good to talk to about movies. Both of us seem to have the same tastes (especially since mine were changed during college, thanks Ellises!)
Elder Vidrine: From somewhere in the south, Loves World of Warcraft, and is an interesting, cool guy.
Elder Poulson: Loud personality but is hilarious. Began the Swine Flue Outbreak (NOT ACTUALLY SWINE FLU WE JUST CALL IT THAT! It's just a cold) in my district that has gotten a lot of elders sick but luckily not me. We're technically on a no-touch policy cuz of that, actually....
Sister Doggett: Mixture between Hermione Granger and Katie Palmer. Has done tons and is awesome.
Sister Pena: Really cool sister. OUtta time, gotta sign off now.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Pictures are coming....
We are all anxious to get pictures from our favorite Iowa Elder, and they should be coming soon. We just have to scan them in so we can get them on this blog. Keep checking back for more!
Latest Letters
Mom and Dad,
I'm doing well, actually. I'm learning to rely on the Lord and not others. He is my constant freind I can always trust in. I'm changing, for I know that I'm the only one I can change. I have never felt the spirit so strongly nor so frequently, but with it's presence, I know I can overcome all, for the Lord will provide. I love my companion, and working on that love. waiting until next week to send this seemed far too long. I'll pull through all obstacles in my way, for I know this is what I need to be doing.
I love you all very much. This work and gospel are truer than I ever knew and could ever express. Stay safe.
Much Love,
Charlie
PS I officially leave the MTC on the 26th of Qugust at 7:10am, arrive at the Phoenix, AZ airport at 7:49 am, leave there at 9:02am and arrive at 2pm in Iowa.
Mom and Dad,
I'm teaching a lesson on the phone tommorrow to a guy who called in for a free bible but had no missionaries in the area, so I get to take their place. Freaky... but it should be good. Talking to real people on the phone is nerve-racking but good. I'm the travel leader for our 7 or 8 Iowan missionaries so I get to boss them around. Here's some pictures. I know e-mailing might be better but only having 30 minutes to e-mail... Yeah. so here's a couple from our first walk to the temple.
Love,
Elder (charlie) Gates
I'm doing well, actually. I'm learning to rely on the Lord and not others. He is my constant freind I can always trust in. I'm changing, for I know that I'm the only one I can change. I have never felt the spirit so strongly nor so frequently, but with it's presence, I know I can overcome all, for the Lord will provide. I love my companion, and working on that love. waiting until next week to send this seemed far too long. I'll pull through all obstacles in my way, for I know this is what I need to be doing.
I love you all very much. This work and gospel are truer than I ever knew and could ever express. Stay safe.
Much Love,
Charlie
PS I officially leave the MTC on the 26th of Qugust at 7:10am, arrive at the Phoenix, AZ airport at 7:49 am, leave there at 9:02am and arrive at 2pm in Iowa.
Mom and Dad,
I'm teaching a lesson on the phone tommorrow to a guy who called in for a free bible but had no missionaries in the area, so I get to take their place. Freaky... but it should be good. Talking to real people on the phone is nerve-racking but good. I'm the travel leader for our 7 or 8 Iowan missionaries so I get to boss them around. Here's some pictures. I know e-mailing might be better but only having 30 minutes to e-mail... Yeah. so here's a couple from our first walk to the temple.
Love,
Elder (charlie) Gates
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Next Installment
Alright! So! This has been the first week at the MTC! There's been good times and...less good...but all in all I think it'd average out to good! Ok, so, where to start....
So, food. It's...incredible for cafeteria food. So it's not that awesome, but it isn't that bad. You just got to know what to eat and what to avoid, which can be hard sometimes. Best thing about it is the social interaction. The guys are lots of fun, sometimes to their detriment, but I can't blame them too much there. I'm good friends with the Sisters in our district, though, they're cool and are good to talk to when Elders just won't do. We have in our district 3 elders going to Colorado Springs, whom I all room with, and 5, including me, going to Iowa, and our 2 awesome Temple Square Sisters. The CS Elders actually leave a couple days before the Iowa Elders, so we'll have to do some stuff with the companionship and room stuff for a couple days which could get interesting. Us Iowa elders are leaving, as far as we know, on the 26th, but that could change. We find out our flight plans this week, I think. Our district has a lot of fun with classes and all of that. Our second night here we got new beds so we took apart the old ones the night before and had a party with our mattresses on the ground in our rooms. Good times, good times.
My comp and I get along for the most part really well. We've discovered quickly how to teach by the spirit, not by the book, and are thus getting so much better. He's DL while I'm senior. It makes for some confusing times but it's all good.
I enjoy the MTC, but I would much rather be out and serving. I've made some good friends, and some that are more just interesting.
The Gospel's true. I know it now more than ever. My testimony has grown so much and I love this gospel and my savior and Father in Heaven with all I have. I can't wait to share this with everyone I meet. Nor can I wait to be fed like a king in Iowa. Trust in the Lord, do what he asks, and all will be well. I've been changing to become what the Lord needs me to be, and I've been changing at an amazing rate. I've now come to recognize how much the Lord has blessed me to be the Missionary I need to be throughout my life.
30 minutes to write is not long enough. It'll boot me off in a couple minutes, so I gotta go. I love you all. Keep safe. I know this is the truth, and I know it with all I have.
-Charlie
So, food. It's...incredible for cafeteria food. So it's not that awesome, but it isn't that bad. You just got to know what to eat and what to avoid, which can be hard sometimes. Best thing about it is the social interaction. The guys are lots of fun, sometimes to their detriment, but I can't blame them too much there. I'm good friends with the Sisters in our district, though, they're cool and are good to talk to when Elders just won't do. We have in our district 3 elders going to Colorado Springs, whom I all room with, and 5, including me, going to Iowa, and our 2 awesome Temple Square Sisters. The CS Elders actually leave a couple days before the Iowa Elders, so we'll have to do some stuff with the companionship and room stuff for a couple days which could get interesting. Us Iowa elders are leaving, as far as we know, on the 26th, but that could change. We find out our flight plans this week, I think. Our district has a lot of fun with classes and all of that. Our second night here we got new beds so we took apart the old ones the night before and had a party with our mattresses on the ground in our rooms. Good times, good times.
My comp and I get along for the most part really well. We've discovered quickly how to teach by the spirit, not by the book, and are thus getting so much better. He's DL while I'm senior. It makes for some confusing times but it's all good.
I enjoy the MTC, but I would much rather be out and serving. I've made some good friends, and some that are more just interesting.
The Gospel's true. I know it now more than ever. My testimony has grown so much and I love this gospel and my savior and Father in Heaven with all I have. I can't wait to share this with everyone I meet. Nor can I wait to be fed like a king in Iowa. Trust in the Lord, do what he asks, and all will be well. I've been changing to become what the Lord needs me to be, and I've been changing at an amazing rate. I've now come to recognize how much the Lord has blessed me to be the Missionary I need to be throughout my life.
30 minutes to write is not long enough. It'll boot me off in a couple minutes, so I gotta go. I love you all. Keep safe. I know this is the truth, and I know it with all I have.
-Charlie
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Hi All!
As Charlie's sister I have the distinct responsibility to keep all of his fans posted on his progress. So here we go. We got a letter from him on his very first day! We miss him so much but couldn't be more excited for this amazing time in his life. Any sacrafice we make is worth it. We love him and know you do too!
So here it is.......
As Charlie's sister I have the distinct responsibility to keep all of his fans posted on his progress. So here we go. We got a letter from him on his very first day! We miss him so much but couldn't be more excited for this amazing time in his life. Any sacrafice we make is worth it. We love him and know you do too!
So here it is.......
Elder Gates' First Letter!
Well I just got done with my first day! I would label my general feelings as shell-shocked. I'm sort of feeling like I'm just...a pebble in a stream? Just sort of going with the turbulent flow, not fighting it or complaining, just going. I've been bombarded wtih so much and CANNOT absorb it all. It's crazy busy, even just today. They say the first few days suck with all of the orientations. Little stressed, but dealing with it.
BUT it's really good too! I have a good companion and roommates. Elder Facer has been assigned to be my junior companion while I'm senior (even though he's a few years older than me) and then we'll switch in a week and a half. And I'm sure once I'm used to it I'll love it. Just give it a few days. Oh, and homesickness...don't have it. I miss you guys like CRAZY, but not like that.
Anyway, I hope you can read this! All's well, so don't worry about me! I love the work that I am engaged in and can't wait to start sharing this amazing gospel. I love you all so very much.
I hope all is well back home. Let everyone know I said hi and I love them. The gospel's true, even if it's us spreading it.
Love you all!
Elder Charlie Gates
BUT it's really good too! I have a good companion and roommates. Elder Facer has been assigned to be my junior companion while I'm senior (even though he's a few years older than me) and then we'll switch in a week and a half. And I'm sure once I'm used to it I'll love it. Just give it a few days. Oh, and homesickness...don't have it. I miss you guys like CRAZY, but not like that.
Anyway, I hope you can read this! All's well, so don't worry about me! I love the work that I am engaged in and can't wait to start sharing this amazing gospel. I love you all so very much.
I hope all is well back home. Let everyone know I said hi and I love them. The gospel's true, even if it's us spreading it.
Love you all!
Elder Charlie Gates
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