Sister Macey Gates // Week Thirty-Five // "Me Voy"

Dear Family,

Me Voy.

I am leaving Corona! I am getting transfered to this place called Lake Elsinore. I have only heard bad things about it but we are going to change that:) Im so esited! My companions name is Hermana Bowen and she is the cutest girl. She was Hermana Nelsons companion! And Hermana Nelson is the new Sister Training Leader. It suprised everyone but she deserves it. I love that girl. I know it was hard with her, but i learned so much from her. She is such a hard worker. So this week we went and visited this lady named Fanny and after we got done teaching her the first lesson she said that many people have tried to talk with her, and it really hasnt caught her interest and she said that for some reason she feels that she needs to listen to us, she said it feels right. Its the most amazing thing when people tell you that. I love this work. We had multizones and i want to send 10 secrets to life that we learned. I loved this:

1) Commit to living a Christ Centered Life
The First and Great Commandment: Love God
The Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:14-30)
Gratitude (Alma 37:37)
Christlike Attributes (PMG pg. 126)
Dating Tip: Run as fast as you can toward God, and if someone keeps up, introduce yourself
Find an Eternal Companion who is committed and trustworthy
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
2) Be Obedient - it is as easy today as it was when Moses told the Isrealites to look at the brass serpent and live (Numbers 21:6-9). This was very simple; too simple for some (See Alma 37:46). We need to look to the Savior and live. Today the simpleness of the way includes:
Reading Scripture (daily)
Pondering / Meditating (daily)
Praying (daily)
Go to Church (Weekly)
Attend the Temple as often as your circumstances allow
3) Attitude: Choose to be Happy
“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13: 17
“But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi.” Alma 50:23
Don’t worry, be happy scriptures: D&C 100:15, D&C 98:3, D&C 121:7, D&C 122:7, John 14:27, John 16:23
Keep a good sense of humor… (Trust Fall)
4) Be Flexible and Adaptable
5) Work Hard
“Sir, I am a true laborer. I earn that I eat, get that I wear, owe no man hate, envy no man’s happiness, glad of other men’s good…” (William Shakespeare)
6) Have a Purpose: define a Vision, Goals, and Plans for your life. "Dominate Chapter 8"
7) Take Care of Your Physical Body
Eat right
Exercise
Wash your hands
Get the right amount of sleep
8) Control Your Thoughts
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7)
"If you think you’re beaten, you are …" (Poem)
Recognize a bad thought and push it out
String Activity - the mind is a very powerful tool
Don't Get Too Caught Up in What Other People Think
9) Have a Forgiving Heart
It has been said, “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.”
"Be quick to admit wrong, even when you are not." (President Uchtdorf)
10) Serve Others
Model your life after the Savior

It was so hard saying bye to president and sister smart, they are wonderful people. I want you all to apply these things in your life. So i had to say bye to everyone, saturday night i even cried in our last lesson even before the transfer calls cause i knew i was going. It was so sad haha and then yesterday was sad. I love all these people with my whole heart. I only cried once tho. I was so so proud of myself. It was because Elisa Hernandez the little grandma that always comes out with us started crying and so of course i cry. But other than that i held it in. I know Lake Elsinore is where i need to be. Im so excited.  Also i had this one kid in our ward tell me i am the love of his life. He wrote me a card, and read it to me in the parking lot as i was leaving the church. Like i couldnt stop laughing. Howell was dying. Then after he tried giving me a hug and I just stuck my hand out and gave him a hand shake and said uh yeah thanks, and then i dont know what else, but it was bad. Then Howell wouldnt stop making fun of me. I took a picture of the card he gave me. Good thing i wont see him for a long time hahahhaa im dying right now thinking about it. Why me??? Anywho. I said bye to Edgar and the Ramirez family. SO HARD. But i am coming back next week for the baptism of their daughter. This week has been good. Time to move on:)

I love you guys:)

Love Hermanitititititita Geets

The sistas in corona:)

Multizones

Sophie likes to cuddle with me

This is Elisa, she made me cry:(

We ate at a members house and this bird just sits on my head. hahha

Said bye to Edgar and Leonore

Edwin dances with me

Ramirez fam:)

Girls just wanna have fun hahhaa last night in corona!!!!!!!

And the note.............HAHAHHAHHA

Sister Macey Gates // Week Thirty-Four

This week was good guys:) We had lots and lots of miracles.  We found 13 new gators, some cute families and a couple others.  Miracle story: So were eating din din at Timoteas house( a member) she fed us Gorditas, bueno like sopes. So i eat it and its super good right? Then after she is like do you want a Torta? And i'm just like sure!!( i had no clue what it was) She comes out with this GINORMOUS sandwich........................................................ I almost started crying. In my head i'm just like you have got to be kidding me. The sandwich was bigger than my face. Hermana Howell could not stop laughing cause she knew i had to eat it all. mean! Then i just prayed and prayed and 10 min later Hermana Beck was like Ill eat the other half! OH MY ANSWER TO MY PRAYER!!!!!!!!!!!! and then because i had to eat the huge sandwich we were late to the next apt. So we got to the apartments and we just felt like we should go to the referral that we got instead of this family. So we go to the house of the referral, his name is Juan Carlos. When he opened the door, he almost started crying. He told us that he just got off the phone with some people in salt lake because no one had visited him yet(this was like 20 min before we came) he just kept telling us how crazy this was that we were there at this exact time and we didn't even know him. He kept on asking us how we feel about this, so basically we bore our testimony a million times and put him on date! Except he couldn't come to church so he cant meet his date this month but i'm so super excited!! During that time that we met with him i just thought to myself, i found my friend. I have been praying and praying to find my friend. It was the most amazing experience. Then the other day, we left a Harvest Blessing with a lady and put her on date too. I absolutely love this work so much.  I totally got yelled at in the parking lot this week it was the hardest thing i have ever had to take. It made me so mad, he just kept telling me how wrong i was, how i shouldn't even be out here cause i don't know anything and all this stuff. All i said to him is that we aren't here to deny the faith that other people have, and that i KNOW that what we are teaching is true, and then walked away. I was so frustrated after but i just had to forgive him cause he doesn't know the truth. I feel so blessed to have the testimony that i do have or else i couldn't have taken everything he said to me. I KNOW this church is true. I know this work is hard, its so hard, but its so worth it. I love the quite " I never said it would be easy, i only said it would be worth it." Its so worth it to spread the love that our heavenly father has por cada uno de nosotros i don't remember how to say that hahhaha but make sure to share your testimony everyday because thats the only way we are going to strengthen it. Love you all!!!!!!!!

Hermanita Gates:)

Howell asked me to do my best model pose with this flying grocery cart that we saved from hitting a car. This is what we got.

And this is my big Torta......

TORTA

Sister Macey Gates // Week Thirty-Three

I'll probs be awkward when i get home too its fine its normal guys. Like we break social norms all the time. Well i do, not my comp haha I always have the question in my mind " What do you have the faith to do?" It kills me every time. And then after i remember that question i have to break the social norm. So this week was hard... Really hard but guess what?? Edgar got to write his letter to the first presidency this week!! He is absolutely amazing. He met with prez this week, and hasn't smoked for 3 weeks!!! I wanna cry. Im so so proud of him. I got to go on exchanges to Riverside this week, with Hermana WIlliam's again:) I love her with all my heart. I always learn so much every single day. I feel like i knew nothing before my mission, i was super scared to come out here, but whats been the coolest thing is learning something new in every single lesson, whether its something completely new, or a new perspective on a subject. I love learning. Spanish is coming:) Little by little. I love spanish tho, its so freaking hard and kicks my pompies but its good, real good. This week we got dropped by almost all of our gators. haha It was a hard day yesterday, our ward was getting mad at all of us missionaries, all our gators dropped us, SO we have no one to teach but ourselves:) Isnt that great?? I love learning patience, and the lords timing. Also we did the Macarana this week, we weekly planned with the other spanish sisters and had a dance party. Greatest moment of my life. I had to tell you all. I do love my comp, we are so weird together haha like we cant even handle ourselves. Its fine everyone. This week was awesome. I miss you all. So much. This transfer only has 2 more weeks, crazy right??? I hope you all have a great week. Also i love the book of mormon so much even tho i hate reading. I want you all to read it EVERY DAY. I mean it. Man i love you all choose the right kay??

Love your favorite missionary:)

My comp decorated our bathroom mirror hahaha

CHECK THIS SIGN OUT!! Me and Sista Mangun:)

After the macarana hehe

Sister Macey Gates // Week Thirty-Two

This week was a sad week hahaha nah it was good. We did lots of finding and dropping. It was super fun! We walked and stuff cause we didn't wanna drive our car. We found some really cute families to work with and Im super excited!! We had to drop a lot of people, its so sad because you love these people so much and its there salvation... and they don't progress. I have all the faith in the world that one day they will progress and find the truth. Edgar is doing awesome guys, he makes me so proud.  He hasn't smoked for 2 weeks tomorrow. That is a record. This week we helped him write out his testimony cause he wants to share it in fast and testimony meeting. Isn't that so sweet?? He truly strengthens my testimony every time we teach him.  Its been amazing to see his progress. Also we went and supported the other Hermanas at their baptism on sunday and i just think every single baptism is so special. I felt the spirit so strong. I truly love this work. Yesterday i was talking with Hermana Howell and we were talking about what we have learned on our missions and it all came down to how imperfect we are haha i feel like you truly learn your weaknesses on your mission but the coolest thing that we have is the atonement. How grateful i am for the atonement. I know i'm so imperfect. Its makes me sick how imperfect i am, but its makes me even happier to know we get to learn, we get to progress, we get to have our best friend with us every step of the way no matter what, all we need to do is grab his hand and exercise our faith. Im more than grateful for this church. I have been reading the May ensign, i have such a testimony of the prophet and his apostles and their testimonies. I challenge all of you to read it. Make time for the lord.  Make time to let our heavenly father and Jesus Christ truly show us the way. Thank you for all the support guys. It makes me so happy to have the friends and family that i do have. Ya'll are the best. Have a great week okay!!!:)

Also we have Elder Richards come speak to us at stake conference. It was so good in case you were wondering. LET YOUR FAITH SHOW.

Hermana Gates:)

Kimberly's baptism with Hermana Pfeil!! She came back to visit me:) This girl worked so hard to get baptized, her dad wouldn't let her but finally her mom just signed the papers. Miracles.

Said bye to lily!!