Hello Everybody,
So Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas has begun! Christmas, for all who are poor and uninformed, is a holiday that begins the day after thanksgiving and goes all the way till the 25th.
For Christmas, we were surprisingly not invited to anybody's home in our branch. We had thanksgiving out in Vermillion with their Branch Mission Leader who invited us over at FHE when he found out we had no plans for the holiday, which was very nice of him and his wife. We also came with our Branch Mission Leader and a member of our branch so it's not like we deserted our branch completely or anything. It was a fun time and felt like home. We had hors devours or however it's spelled (doesn't matter how it's spelled in that language, it's going to be pronounced differently anyway) which consisted of a cheeseball, veggies, chips, dip, and a sort of monkeybread that had garlic instead of cinnamon. Basically like home except for the monkeybread. And then we had dinner a little while later and then dessert even later. It was awesome and fun. My comp seriously seems like a Fawcett, which is great. There're things I don't quite agree with that he does, but for the most part is just real and will say what he thinks, which is hilarious and makes me feel so much better cause it's what I was thinking as well, so I don't feel as bad and can just voice my own opinions as well. Anyway, Thanksgiving was great, about the dinner, that is. We made the mistake of tracting that morning. A bunch of being waved away and once flipped off. Oh how delightful. Finally, when somebody did answer the door and we could start saying something to him, he told us he already had a church (a common response). Elder McConnel, somewhat fed up with the rude rejections we had received, just happily replied with "Oh that's great! We're just out wishing people a happy thanksgiving today. Is there anythign we could help you out with?" The man, looking slightly dumbfounded, declined the offer for service.
This week has also been District Leader Council, which meant, that's right, another trip to Sioux City! Woot! So yeah, while the district leaders were in there I took a couple brand new greenies tracting. Which was great because I got to drive (it was one of the few times I'll be considered a senior companion for awhile) and because it was hilarious. We tracted an apartment complex that had one of those old, rickety, horror film elevators with doors you have to pry open for yourself. It was great watching them tracting. One talked so fast in one continual sentence the poor people at the door had no chance to respond except with "Hi...Well...Um...Yeah...I'm not interested." And the other stood on the doorstep looking like he was somebody from the military to deliver the news of a death in person. I also tried to hotwire a doorbell, which is always fun, by pinching the two wires together that stick out of the hole where the doorbell should be. Well, they weren't wires...they were a spider's legs. It was kind of creepy.
The weather is getting colder, that's for sure. Still no real snow, but that's ok as far as I'm concerned. It should be coming soon, and with the way it's been delayed, it'll probably be big. Woot.
Our investigator wants his date moved back, which is probably better because we have a lot to teach him still. He's still pretty awesome but still doesn't recognize he's gotten and answer. Most of our time right now is taken up by finding investigators and visiting Less actives. It's hard work but it's going well. We're working hard. I hope that the fact that I spent just a very little bit talking about the work you don't think I'm being lazy out here, it's just not very interesting to talk about for the most part.
I know this work to be true and exactly where I should be. And while the work is tough, I know there's a reason I'm here.
Love,
Elder Gates
Monday, December 28, 2009
Yankton with a twist (Nov 23)
Aloha,
Thanksgiving's this week! I'm mostly excited about the fact this means the beginning of christmas and christmas music. We have no set appointments yet, but a couple possibilities that will probably pan out. We'll see.
And yes, I do have a new companion! His name's Elder McConnel, and he kind of looks like Steven and is a lot different than Elder Nelson, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. He's a good guy and will be good to serve with. It's been kind of stressful the last couple days, having to get Elder McCollen acquainted with the work out here. But it's falling into a rhythm and will be good. But I was still looking forward to today. P-Days are the closest thing missionaries get to "A Day of Rest." And they're not restful, really. Things are still going well, just going to be doing a lot of finding to build up our teaching pool and lots of Less-Active work.
Snow should be coming soon, or so they say. Good thing I bought my boots this past week. They'll be handy. A lot of missionaries go without but it'll be nice to have some boots. Not to mention they're way comfy.
Transfers are really...interesting times. Now I've done one where I stayed, and for the first time in my mission have had a normal mission pattern. On transfer day I got to hang out in Sioux City with the Zone Leader left behind, the other one had gone Assistant the week before, and another elder whose companion had left with Elder Nelson. We got some good shopping done, visited a member who collects and sells knives and swords which was interesting, and did a few other odd-jobs, as we all kept wondering who we were getting and all the craziness with that. Blind transfers sure do fulfill their purpose, but they cause so much intrigue amongst us missionaries it's hilarious. And the Vermillion Elders got whitewashed out and were replaced by sisters! It was kind of creepy to think that in the room I had slept in the night before there were now sisters. And that the apartment I'd been in so many times is now off-limits. Weird....
I'm thankful for this work. For all we do. I'm thankful for the atonement and for Christ's restored church. I'm thankful for my family and all they do for me. I'm thankful for all the knowledge i have being a member of this church. I'm thankful for how much God has blessed me and continues to bless me.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
-Elder Charlie Gates
Thanksgiving's this week! I'm mostly excited about the fact this means the beginning of christmas and christmas music. We have no set appointments yet, but a couple possibilities that will probably pan out. We'll see.
And yes, I do have a new companion! His name's Elder McConnel, and he kind of looks like Steven and is a lot different than Elder Nelson, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. He's a good guy and will be good to serve with. It's been kind of stressful the last couple days, having to get Elder McCollen acquainted with the work out here. But it's falling into a rhythm and will be good. But I was still looking forward to today. P-Days are the closest thing missionaries get to "A Day of Rest." And they're not restful, really. Things are still going well, just going to be doing a lot of finding to build up our teaching pool and lots of Less-Active work.
Snow should be coming soon, or so they say. Good thing I bought my boots this past week. They'll be handy. A lot of missionaries go without but it'll be nice to have some boots. Not to mention they're way comfy.
Transfers are really...interesting times. Now I've done one where I stayed, and for the first time in my mission have had a normal mission pattern. On transfer day I got to hang out in Sioux City with the Zone Leader left behind, the other one had gone Assistant the week before, and another elder whose companion had left with Elder Nelson. We got some good shopping done, visited a member who collects and sells knives and swords which was interesting, and did a few other odd-jobs, as we all kept wondering who we were getting and all the craziness with that. Blind transfers sure do fulfill their purpose, but they cause so much intrigue amongst us missionaries it's hilarious. And the Vermillion Elders got whitewashed out and were replaced by sisters! It was kind of creepy to think that in the room I had slept in the night before there were now sisters. And that the apartment I'd been in so many times is now off-limits. Weird....
I'm thankful for this work. For all we do. I'm thankful for the atonement and for Christ's restored church. I'm thankful for my family and all they do for me. I'm thankful for all the knowledge i have being a member of this church. I'm thankful for how much God has blessed me and continues to bless me.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
-Elder Charlie Gates
Elder Gates the Level 37 Dragonmaster (Nov 18)
Hola!
Ok, so, this week is transfers! Elder Nelson is leaving me, which is sad and kind of scary since I have no clue who's coming to replace him. He's been a good comp. But he's been called to be zone leader which is pretty cool. We all guessed that he would, which President Talbot called inspiration. So now I have to step up and show the new guy the ropes of the area. Which would be so much easier if I had been here two transfers and not just one. But to add to the craziness, the Vermillion elders, who we did a lot with and kept in close contact with and everything, are being whitewashed out! Meaning, both are leaving and two new elders are coming in! So I'll be the only missionary staying in the district. Oh how fun....
But other news: WE HAVE A BAPTISMAL DATE!!!! AND I'M NOT LEAVING THIS TIME SO I SHOULD BE HERE FOR IT!! His name's Dennis and he's changed a lot while we've met with him. At first he was questioning why God doesn't come down and show himself and why the atonement had to happen, and was...not combative, but didn't listen well. Now he listens intently and loves our visits. He's such a cool guy and it's been great to see the spirit work on him.
So did you know that our church owns Coke and is behind the giant tower in Dubai that we're making for a temple? Or that higher up priests in the church wear green undies? Or that it's blasphemous to have pictures of Christ with long hair because it's meant to show him as effeminate? Or that the NIV Bible is absolutely evil? Yep, neither did I. Great things you learn from Evangelical Ministers while tracting. Funny thing about that little town we visited was that they had a strip club. The town is smaller than our neighborhood back at home.
We also drove looking for a referral from church headquarters forever. The guy had asked for a Book of Mormon and it took nearly all afternoon to find. First we went to the wrong town, then we had to drive all over the local Reservation for it, and it was just loads of fun. But there are legitimate hills in parts of Nebraska! Whoda thunk? Things you learn while lost in the middle of nowhere.
The mission's going great. I'll be just fine with the new way that things are about to be going. I should be getting a good companion, they almost always have good companions for "Greenie Busters," as they're called.
The weather's getting more chilly, but it's still really sunny. I hope it stays that way. Snow is no bueno.
I forgot to mention. There's a member of the Branch here that makes the Elders whatever animal they want out of cardboard and paint and such. Not knowing this when he asked me what animal I wanted, I now have a sky blue dragon hanging above my bed! It's pretty cool too. Looking back, if I had known, though, I would have liked a platypus or something like that. Or a monkey.... But I like my dragon. My companion asked for a snake, but the member of the ward doesn't make animals that are evil, and so Elder Nelson received a version of what this member of the branch believes the snake looked like before it lost legs...and apparently wings. Elder Nelson refers to it as the Serpent That Beguiled Eve. I just call it Lucy Fir.
The work's going great. I love it. Still finding more investigators and meeting with some less actives! We have some pretty cool less actives here.
Love you all,
Elder Gates
Ok, so, this week is transfers! Elder Nelson is leaving me, which is sad and kind of scary since I have no clue who's coming to replace him. He's been a good comp. But he's been called to be zone leader which is pretty cool. We all guessed that he would, which President Talbot called inspiration. So now I have to step up and show the new guy the ropes of the area. Which would be so much easier if I had been here two transfers and not just one. But to add to the craziness, the Vermillion elders, who we did a lot with and kept in close contact with and everything, are being whitewashed out! Meaning, both are leaving and two new elders are coming in! So I'll be the only missionary staying in the district. Oh how fun....
But other news: WE HAVE A BAPTISMAL DATE!!!! AND I'M NOT LEAVING THIS TIME SO I SHOULD BE HERE FOR IT!! His name's Dennis and he's changed a lot while we've met with him. At first he was questioning why God doesn't come down and show himself and why the atonement had to happen, and was...not combative, but didn't listen well. Now he listens intently and loves our visits. He's such a cool guy and it's been great to see the spirit work on him.
So did you know that our church owns Coke and is behind the giant tower in Dubai that we're making for a temple? Or that higher up priests in the church wear green undies? Or that it's blasphemous to have pictures of Christ with long hair because it's meant to show him as effeminate? Or that the NIV Bible is absolutely evil? Yep, neither did I. Great things you learn from Evangelical Ministers while tracting. Funny thing about that little town we visited was that they had a strip club. The town is smaller than our neighborhood back at home.
We also drove looking for a referral from church headquarters forever. The guy had asked for a Book of Mormon and it took nearly all afternoon to find. First we went to the wrong town, then we had to drive all over the local Reservation for it, and it was just loads of fun. But there are legitimate hills in parts of Nebraska! Whoda thunk? Things you learn while lost in the middle of nowhere.
The mission's going great. I'll be just fine with the new way that things are about to be going. I should be getting a good companion, they almost always have good companions for "Greenie Busters," as they're called.
The weather's getting more chilly, but it's still really sunny. I hope it stays that way. Snow is no bueno.
I forgot to mention. There's a member of the Branch here that makes the Elders whatever animal they want out of cardboard and paint and such. Not knowing this when he asked me what animal I wanted, I now have a sky blue dragon hanging above my bed! It's pretty cool too. Looking back, if I had known, though, I would have liked a platypus or something like that. Or a monkey.... But I like my dragon. My companion asked for a snake, but the member of the ward doesn't make animals that are evil, and so Elder Nelson received a version of what this member of the branch believes the snake looked like before it lost legs...and apparently wings. Elder Nelson refers to it as the Serpent That Beguiled Eve. I just call it Lucy Fir.
The work's going great. I love it. Still finding more investigators and meeting with some less actives! We have some pretty cool less actives here.
Love you all,
Elder Gates
A Yankton "Indian Summer" (Nov 9)
Hola Everyone!
The weather has been great lately! We've been getting up into the sixties and seventies! We got to take off our suitjackets, even. Too bad we drove an hour during that time so we didn't have much time to enjoy it with tracting or whatever. I love, though, tracting entire towns in a little over an hour. Sorry, people, but those are just glorified neighborhoods.
The work's great here. We're working hard, and got pretty good numbers for only really being able to do work for about three days or so. I was still sick at the beginning and then we had exchanges in Vermillion. And we got an Investigator at church!!! That was pretty dang cool. I hope he didn't get a little creeped out when the branch got really excited. Oh, and please, never talk about deep doctrine when you know an investigator's at church! It's SO much better in a setting like a lesson for it to be mentioned so we can talk about it. Just sayin.
I'm talking this next week. Imagine that. It's on faith. Elder Nelson's was yesterday on D&C 4. Turd. Got the easy one. Transfers are next week. If he leaves (which may just cause our branch mission leader to go inactive or move to wherever Elder Nelson goes to haha) we're all betting he's going to go Zone Leader. I'm still betting on me as Assistant (just joking).
I loved hearing about your missionary service and the pictures! Erin, congrats on your decision to serve a mission! You'll do great! But Erin and David teaching a Marriage and Family class? No wonder dad had to comment a lot in it.
We're doing a lot of Less Active work too. Which I had always had good experiences with. Until this week. Crazy. But most Less Actives love missionaries and love having visits from us.
I hope all continues to be well with you.
Love you!
Church is true,
Elder Gates
The weather has been great lately! We've been getting up into the sixties and seventies! We got to take off our suitjackets, even. Too bad we drove an hour during that time so we didn't have much time to enjoy it with tracting or whatever. I love, though, tracting entire towns in a little over an hour. Sorry, people, but those are just glorified neighborhoods.
The work's great here. We're working hard, and got pretty good numbers for only really being able to do work for about three days or so. I was still sick at the beginning and then we had exchanges in Vermillion. And we got an Investigator at church!!! That was pretty dang cool. I hope he didn't get a little creeped out when the branch got really excited. Oh, and please, never talk about deep doctrine when you know an investigator's at church! It's SO much better in a setting like a lesson for it to be mentioned so we can talk about it. Just sayin.
I'm talking this next week. Imagine that. It's on faith. Elder Nelson's was yesterday on D&C 4. Turd. Got the easy one. Transfers are next week. If he leaves (which may just cause our branch mission leader to go inactive or move to wherever Elder Nelson goes to haha) we're all betting he's going to go Zone Leader. I'm still betting on me as Assistant (just joking).
I loved hearing about your missionary service and the pictures! Erin, congrats on your decision to serve a mission! You'll do great! But Erin and David teaching a Marriage and Family class? No wonder dad had to comment a lot in it.
We're doing a lot of Less Active work too. Which I had always had good experiences with. Until this week. Crazy. But most Less Actives love missionaries and love having visits from us.
I hope all continues to be well with you.
Love you!
Church is true,
Elder Gates
Procrastination, no matter the reason, is still Procrastination (Nov 2)
Hello home!
Ok, so, last week I asked my parents if I should get a flu shot (apparently it was dumb to ask because if I had just read President Talbots' Email I would have noticed the note by Sister Talbot telling us to all get flu shots and swine flu vaccinations). Well, I just figured that I would just wait until the next Prep Day, Today, to do that, because that preparation day would be way too busy and I didn't want to do something like that on a day I could be out working. Well, about thursday this week my companion got sick and, as I knew would happen, I followed. Just a crappy cough, weird headaches, feeling dehydrated, and lightheadedness. So we've been out since then which hasn't been much fun.
We did, however, make it to the party our branch mission leader threw at his house. We aren't allowed to go out past 6 to anything other than a members' house on halloween, and so we dressed up and went to his murder mystery dinner. My costume was Donatello from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (a very fine reproduction of a cheap style of costume usually used by parents for 4 year olds, or so I considered it), Elder Jones from Vermillion came as the Joker, Elder John from Vermillion didn't dress up, but because he's Native American just claimed to be a Werewolf from Twilight before he transforms (I thought it was lazy yet creative) and my companion...well...he was a little old lady. Problem: It's hard to see a six foot something twenty-year-old as anything other than a six-foot-something twenty-year-old, no matter how good his costume is. So that was...scary. I'll send pictures home.
But yeah, the work is going well, when we're not sick. While a couple investigators seem to be falling through, we have one that seems to have potential, despite some barriers. We seem to be able to address his concerns well, so we're pretty hopeful for him. He's neither accepted or rejected the baptismal commitment we gave to him, so hey, no rejection! He's also going to come to church this sunday, hopefully.
I can't wait to just get out and work again. I'm feeling better, so by tomorrow I should be in good enough working order to tract and all that jazz again. Being inside all day friday when Elder Nelson was sick got me pretty stir crazy. We tried to do a few things here and there this weekend, besides the couple prescheduled events (church, break the fast, the party, visiting less actives), but I'm excited to get back out and work. Even if you kind of look forward to some kick-back time on your mission, you still go crazy when you can't just WORK. I might just go crazy when I get home haha but I think that's any normal RM....
I also got a bunch of letters and packages this week! Thank you everyone that sent something out! I might take awhile responding, though. I went from one letter in three weeks to about ten letters and packages in four days. It's always a good boost to get letters and packages! Too bad it was right in the middle of sickness...bleh.
All's well here! No worries, mom, next year I'll jump on vaccinations much sooner haha
Love,
Elder Charlie Gates
Ok, so, last week I asked my parents if I should get a flu shot (apparently it was dumb to ask because if I had just read President Talbots' Email I would have noticed the note by Sister Talbot telling us to all get flu shots and swine flu vaccinations). Well, I just figured that I would just wait until the next Prep Day, Today, to do that, because that preparation day would be way too busy and I didn't want to do something like that on a day I could be out working. Well, about thursday this week my companion got sick and, as I knew would happen, I followed. Just a crappy cough, weird headaches, feeling dehydrated, and lightheadedness. So we've been out since then which hasn't been much fun.
We did, however, make it to the party our branch mission leader threw at his house. We aren't allowed to go out past 6 to anything other than a members' house on halloween, and so we dressed up and went to his murder mystery dinner. My costume was Donatello from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (a very fine reproduction of a cheap style of costume usually used by parents for 4 year olds, or so I considered it), Elder Jones from Vermillion came as the Joker, Elder John from Vermillion didn't dress up, but because he's Native American just claimed to be a Werewolf from Twilight before he transforms (I thought it was lazy yet creative) and my companion...well...he was a little old lady. Problem: It's hard to see a six foot something twenty-year-old as anything other than a six-foot-something twenty-year-old, no matter how good his costume is. So that was...scary. I'll send pictures home.
But yeah, the work is going well, when we're not sick. While a couple investigators seem to be falling through, we have one that seems to have potential, despite some barriers. We seem to be able to address his concerns well, so we're pretty hopeful for him. He's neither accepted or rejected the baptismal commitment we gave to him, so hey, no rejection! He's also going to come to church this sunday, hopefully.
I can't wait to just get out and work again. I'm feeling better, so by tomorrow I should be in good enough working order to tract and all that jazz again. Being inside all day friday when Elder Nelson was sick got me pretty stir crazy. We tried to do a few things here and there this weekend, besides the couple prescheduled events (church, break the fast, the party, visiting less actives), but I'm excited to get back out and work. Even if you kind of look forward to some kick-back time on your mission, you still go crazy when you can't just WORK. I might just go crazy when I get home haha but I think that's any normal RM....
I also got a bunch of letters and packages this week! Thank you everyone that sent something out! I might take awhile responding, though. I went from one letter in three weeks to about ten letters and packages in four days. It's always a good boost to get letters and packages! Too bad it was right in the middle of sickness...bleh.
All's well here! No worries, mom, next year I'll jump on vaccinations much sooner haha
Love,
Elder Charlie Gates
Monday, October 26, 2009
Yankton Elders are to Siouz City as Nephi and Bros were to Jerusalem
Hello Everyone!
I keep being asked how the weather is. Just so you all know, it's been either sunny and mild or rainy or rain mixed with snow. Just kind of depends on the day. I do just fine with my coat. It's not bad yet. I'll be buying boots at some point, but we haven't had snow stick since I first got here.
Yesterday was Stake Conference so we got to go to Sioux City. Today we get to...go to Sioux City, because the Corolla (we named her Kitty...long story) we drive has a brakes recall and that's the closest Toyota dealership. We just get to keep going back to that Sea'awks City, as some people pronounce their first time reading it. Anyway, along with Zone Conference came a visit to our apartment by President and Sister Talbot and the Assistants. That was nerveracking, but good. Meeting with President Talbot is always a good experience. President Talbot also informed us that there were two baptisms in Muscatine, Todd and Brandon, a ten-year-old we had started and committed to baptism just before I left, and that while we were not there for them, they very much were "Our Baptisms" as people think of it, or however he phrased it. That was good to hear.
Elder Nelson and I are going great here. We're working hard and are starting to see success. Not quite the success of Muscatine, but success in being able to teach people and gaining investigators.
Oh, and I most definitely thought of my ancestors while I was in Winter Quarters. It was great to go to the visitors center for a few minutes and see what it was like for them there. I also wish I could have visited the graveyard right smack dab behind the temple but was unable to. It's great to visit somewhere like that.
I love my mission.
Elder Charlie Gates
I keep being asked how the weather is. Just so you all know, it's been either sunny and mild or rainy or rain mixed with snow. Just kind of depends on the day. I do just fine with my coat. It's not bad yet. I'll be buying boots at some point, but we haven't had snow stick since I first got here.
Yesterday was Stake Conference so we got to go to Sioux City. Today we get to...go to Sioux City, because the Corolla (we named her Kitty...long story) we drive has a brakes recall and that's the closest Toyota dealership. We just get to keep going back to that Sea'awks City, as some people pronounce their first time reading it. Anyway, along with Zone Conference came a visit to our apartment by President and Sister Talbot and the Assistants. That was nerveracking, but good. Meeting with President Talbot is always a good experience. President Talbot also informed us that there were two baptisms in Muscatine, Todd and Brandon, a ten-year-old we had started and committed to baptism just before I left, and that while we were not there for them, they very much were "Our Baptisms" as people think of it, or however he phrased it. That was good to hear.
Elder Nelson and I are going great here. We're working hard and are starting to see success. Not quite the success of Muscatine, but success in being able to teach people and gaining investigators.
Oh, and I most definitely thought of my ancestors while I was in Winter Quarters. It was great to go to the visitors center for a few minutes and see what it was like for them there. I also wish I could have visited the graveyard right smack dab behind the temple but was unable to. It's great to visit somewhere like that.
I love my mission.
Elder Charlie Gates
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Yankton: My Personal Winter Quarters
Hello Everybody!
OK, so, Mom may hate me for this, but I completely spaced it last week and forgot to mention that we were going to the temple this past week. So now I've visited both of the temples on either side of the mission, and I'm only in my second transfer out. This time, however, we were able to go to an endowment session, which was awesome to do with some members of the branch and our Branch President. Everything is in a different light in the Celestial Room. We were able to go because a member of the Branch was receiving her endowments. The poor sister stresses out very easily as it is, and seeing as she had been convinced by the catholic church her entire life that freaky things go on in the temple, she was pretty stressed, even for her. But to see her face in the celestial room was amazing. She looked so happy, probably from discovering that no creepy things go on there, and also because it's just a sweet experience to go through the temple. So that was an awesome experience.
Thanks for your email, Mom, it seems that a lot of what you said applies to my life right now. I've been in the middle of long carrides since leaving Muscatine, and can feel your pain. Between traveling from Muscatine here, to here to Des Moines and back, to here to Winter Quarters and back, to Sioux City again this week for district leader council, to just the fact that to get to anywhere in our area you have to travel forever. I don't know if that sentence is entirely correctly worded, but I don't really care anymore.... Anyway, point is, I spend a long time in cars now. Mostly sleeping, but still, it's a long time.
Also, your description of your branch in California years ago sounds a lot like the branch here. A lot of the faithful members are, in their own way, basically serving missions of their own to keep the branch off the ground. We've got our work cut out for us here in less active work alone.
And, congratulations mom and dad on your calling!! I think that's awesome for you two to do that and perfect for your situation and for the YSAs. It'll be cool to have you two in the program there for two months when I get back.
I won't lie, when I first got to Yankton, I was mad that I was here. I wish I could have had a normal mission, for once, and stay in my area. It also sucked when I got to see some people from my MTC District at Zone Conference and have them be so surprised at all the transfering and strange things I've been through. Even experienced missionaries that are going home soon are surprised by how weird it is for a missionary that's being trained to be in a spanish threesome and then whitewash and reopen an area. But after Zone Conference, I felt different on the matter. Sure, It's a lot of switching around and junk most greenies will never face, but I know there's a reason for me to be doing it. I knew that before, but I still was angry. I still worked hard, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't very happy. But I think Zone Conference helped me receive a more humble view on the matter.
Speaking of Muscatine, they now have five baptismal dates. A lady that had almost been baptized last transfer has a new baptismal date. So that's good.
And on the Yankton end, we have an official investigator! This week has been weird with all that's been going on with Zone Conference and trying to drive all over the place to visit people and meeting with members to go over the ward list, but there's a definite sense of antagonism against us here in Yankton. I don't know why, but there is, more so than Muscatine and the areas around there. So we're hoping to spend some more tracting time on the surrounding villages (glorified tiny neighborhoods is more like it. Yankton's only 12,500 or so as it is. Vermillion is 10,000, with school in session). The work's going well, tough, but well. I'm looking forward to the challenge in store for me here. It may be a long road ahead of us, but I can see things really coming together here. It just needs some elbow grease and a lot of work that can only come from one source.
Elder Wickman's address to us in Zone Conference was really good, and it was great to hear from a Seventy and shake his hand. He answered some questions very well, and also spoke of how commitments are the main reason we're here anyway, because without them there's no reason for us to teach. President Talbot also did a great training on an article by Orson Scott Card that was sent to him by an unnamed source concerning the fact that members aren't lazy in missionary work for the most part, they are just looking for the right missionaries to give their friends to teach. No pressure for the missionaries reopening an area.... And Sister Talbot did an awesome training on humility, which is probably what I needed to hear the most. It was also great to see the missionaries I served with in the MTC. I found out that apparently my MTC Companion has gone home from not being able to sleep. He's apparently planning on going to BYU-Hawaii now.
Last time I gave out my exact address, I moved and received a letter from Michaela right afterwards that I still have yet to receive from the other Elder Nelson, along with my jeans and my Muskies shirt that I left.
I know this gospel to be true. I know there's a reason I'm here and a reason why my mission is so crazy so far. I'm glad I'm here and doing the Lord's work. There's no place I'd rather be.
Love,
Elder Charlie Gates
OK, so, Mom may hate me for this, but I completely spaced it last week and forgot to mention that we were going to the temple this past week. So now I've visited both of the temples on either side of the mission, and I'm only in my second transfer out. This time, however, we were able to go to an endowment session, which was awesome to do with some members of the branch and our Branch President. Everything is in a different light in the Celestial Room. We were able to go because a member of the Branch was receiving her endowments. The poor sister stresses out very easily as it is, and seeing as she had been convinced by the catholic church her entire life that freaky things go on in the temple, she was pretty stressed, even for her. But to see her face in the celestial room was amazing. She looked so happy, probably from discovering that no creepy things go on there, and also because it's just a sweet experience to go through the temple. So that was an awesome experience.
Thanks for your email, Mom, it seems that a lot of what you said applies to my life right now. I've been in the middle of long carrides since leaving Muscatine, and can feel your pain. Between traveling from Muscatine here, to here to Des Moines and back, to here to Winter Quarters and back, to Sioux City again this week for district leader council, to just the fact that to get to anywhere in our area you have to travel forever. I don't know if that sentence is entirely correctly worded, but I don't really care anymore.... Anyway, point is, I spend a long time in cars now. Mostly sleeping, but still, it's a long time.
Also, your description of your branch in California years ago sounds a lot like the branch here. A lot of the faithful members are, in their own way, basically serving missions of their own to keep the branch off the ground. We've got our work cut out for us here in less active work alone.
And, congratulations mom and dad on your calling!! I think that's awesome for you two to do that and perfect for your situation and for the YSAs. It'll be cool to have you two in the program there for two months when I get back.
I won't lie, when I first got to Yankton, I was mad that I was here. I wish I could have had a normal mission, for once, and stay in my area. It also sucked when I got to see some people from my MTC District at Zone Conference and have them be so surprised at all the transfering and strange things I've been through. Even experienced missionaries that are going home soon are surprised by how weird it is for a missionary that's being trained to be in a spanish threesome and then whitewash and reopen an area. But after Zone Conference, I felt different on the matter. Sure, It's a lot of switching around and junk most greenies will never face, but I know there's a reason for me to be doing it. I knew that before, but I still was angry. I still worked hard, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't very happy. But I think Zone Conference helped me receive a more humble view on the matter.
Speaking of Muscatine, they now have five baptismal dates. A lady that had almost been baptized last transfer has a new baptismal date. So that's good.
And on the Yankton end, we have an official investigator! This week has been weird with all that's been going on with Zone Conference and trying to drive all over the place to visit people and meeting with members to go over the ward list, but there's a definite sense of antagonism against us here in Yankton. I don't know why, but there is, more so than Muscatine and the areas around there. So we're hoping to spend some more tracting time on the surrounding villages (glorified tiny neighborhoods is more like it. Yankton's only 12,500 or so as it is. Vermillion is 10,000, with school in session). The work's going well, tough, but well. I'm looking forward to the challenge in store for me here. It may be a long road ahead of us, but I can see things really coming together here. It just needs some elbow grease and a lot of work that can only come from one source.
Elder Wickman's address to us in Zone Conference was really good, and it was great to hear from a Seventy and shake his hand. He answered some questions very well, and also spoke of how commitments are the main reason we're here anyway, because without them there's no reason for us to teach. President Talbot also did a great training on an article by Orson Scott Card that was sent to him by an unnamed source concerning the fact that members aren't lazy in missionary work for the most part, they are just looking for the right missionaries to give their friends to teach. No pressure for the missionaries reopening an area.... And Sister Talbot did an awesome training on humility, which is probably what I needed to hear the most. It was also great to see the missionaries I served with in the MTC. I found out that apparently my MTC Companion has gone home from not being able to sleep. He's apparently planning on going to BYU-Hawaii now.
Last time I gave out my exact address, I moved and received a letter from Michaela right afterwards that I still have yet to receive from the other Elder Nelson, along with my jeans and my Muskies shirt that I left.
I know this gospel to be true. I know there's a reason I'm here and a reason why my mission is so crazy so far. I'm glad I'm here and doing the Lord's work. There's no place I'd rather be.
Love,
Elder Charlie Gates
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