Christmas was Great!

Well Hello everyone!

How was your Christmas? Mine was amazing!!!! Mostly because I got to see my family and talk to them!!!! If none of my packages had come I would have  been totally fine because I got to see everyone!! Ya'll look so good!!! and some of you have grown SO much and have changed SO much!!!! 5 1/2 months will do that I guess!!!

I'm trying to think of good stories to share, but not much is coming to mind. I think the coolest thing was helping Santa get presents for and deliver presents to two less fortunate families and then finding out that the kids loved the gift!!! It really is nice to give! 

It was kind of nice to just get to chill Christmas day. We had lots of great visits, but it wasn't super rushed! The best (other than seeing my family) was going to visit the family we ate dinner with and playing spoons!!! So fun and I kicked butt! as I usually do! Over all, it was an amazing Christmas! Much different than at home, but still great! 

Family well done, you all make the best food in the world!! People out here are good, but ya'll are the best!!!! Like the other day, someone made the Grandma Judy Chicken, and it was okay, but Grandmas is SO much better!!!!

Oh helpful dinner tip for feeding missionaries, we love having breakfast for dinner. And we love having fruits and veggies. We get a lot of sweets so don't worry to much about giving them out, I see why state side missionaries gain so much weight! Thankfully I've got mine under control again! Not losing, but not gaining! My jeans fit again!!!

I am so sorry I haven't written people back for so long! P-days have been Crazy!!!!!

Transfers are January 7th so p-day is Wednesday next week!!!! 

Mom and Dad, I have a package coming home, just Christmas stuff I don't have room to haul around, clothes that don't fit, and a blanket that (thanks to Brad and Sarah) I don't need out here!!! (Thank you so much for the blanket!!!) If you could wash the blanket and clothes that would be awesome. The blanket hasn't been washed since before I came out, so its gross. I was too afraid of messing it up to wash it! There are also planners and letters that you can just put somewhere safe. The Christmas stuff you can keep until next November-ish and send back for Christmas.

I found out yesterday that we can go to the Gilbert Temple open house with less active members or investigators!!! I am so excited, because we have a part member family that wants us to go! That is if I'm not transferred, but I won't find out until Saturday if I'm moving.

On new years (Wednesday) we are having a zone activity with the other White Mountain zones, I am really looking forward to that!!! We get to wear pants! I love getting out of the skirt! Skirts are much colder and you have to sit like a lady in them; that is not something I am always good at!!!

That is really it for the week. Nothing new with any investigators. We did get a new one, but he is a 10 year old who just wasn't baptized at 8 so still a good thing for us, but he already knows everything he needs to know. We are just trying to get less active members back to church, much easier said than done. DON'T GET OFFENDED!!! Its dumb! The church is perfect, the people aren't! read the Uchtdorf talk!!!!!!!

Well I love you all very much! Have a great week and Happy New Year!!!!

Love 

Sister Bresia

Pictures

It's  COLD winter in Show Low!  So much for Arizona being warm...

Last Picture with Sister Jones before transfers

Some local Christmas lights

The R Family, we always have a good time!

 

Our Humble Christmas Tree

Sister McCashland and I

Merry Christmas from the Sisters!

Not so sure about this...

Maybe its not so bad...

Not a favorite activity, but a great shot.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hello Everyone!!!

I had a great birthday!!!! Sister McCashland went all out! All the sisters in our district went to Denny's for lunch to celebrate my birthday and they paid for me! Then we went to a super awesome family's house for a "surprise party" where we had cake! Then I got home to a house all decorated with birthday stuff and more treats, then the R family's for dinner and more cake!!!! Sis McCashland planned everything!!! She's sneaky!!!! It was a really good birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANALYN AND CODY!!! I hope you have great birthdays!!!

I am so glad you got my package and enjoyed the memory card. Most of the stuff in there is just stuff I want home, but there are books in there for you and you can look through anything you want!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and packages!!!

I loved the packages so much! Now I'm excited to break into those Christmas boxes. I have one from Gammy and Grumpy and another from mom and dad. I know I have more coming! honestly though all I want for Christmas is to see my family! That is the best gift!!!!

Something I have learned this Christmas season that is a great life lesson is, REAL CHRISTMAS TREES SUCK!!! I don't just say that because I'm allergic to them. They are so ugly, and they don't even smell good!!! Why do people like them!!! They give me headaches and make my nose all stuffy!!!! No fun!!!! ARTIFICIAL ALL THE WAY!!!!!

Its been a good week! Super busy, but really good! I do enjoy this work!!!

I am so excited to see my family Christmas day!!! I just pray everything works out and I get to see all of you! Sorry I couldn't send much for Christmas, but I hope you like what I did send! Next Christmas I'll be sending a lot more home, but that will mostly be stuff I don't want to haul home with me on the plane! Ill give you the good stuff at home!!!

Time is flying out here, I am fast approaching 6 months. It has been awesome though! Best way to spend life!

It is hard at this time of year to be away from home, but I am getting to serve a lot. we are helping provide Christmas for families and serving as much as we can!

I love you all and will see some of you soon! Merry Christmas!!!

Love,
Sister Bresia Alysse Yates

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

Well, its been an interesting week.  Monday- pday. Tuesday- Zone Conference, where we won the cleanest car award again!!! Wednesday- temple (the Snowflake Temple is so pretty), Thursday-Sunday flu!!! Being sick is the worst!!!!!!

I did get the packages from the Young Women, Poppy and Grandma, and Mom and Dad!!! Thank you all so much for everything! Britta your card got to me!!!!! You should be getting a package from me soon!!!! Open it Friday. And Dad, bring Brooke and Cody their stuff!!!

I'm excited to get the Christmas stuff!!!

Like I said this week has been pretty boring since I was so sick, but at least I am mostly better now!!! No great stories from this week, but that is life.

To answer a question... Yes, I still love the area I'm in. I have learned however that I WILL NOT live in a small town!!! Everyone knows everyone and most of them are related, its weird! I do miss being warm though! No, I don't really get to go to the Gilbert temple open house or anything, it is out of my mission :(

January 11, Elder Jeffery R. Holland is coming to my mission!!!!! Not only is that amazing, but we also get to see the Gilbert Mission which is awesome, because some of the missionaries I was in the MTC with will be there too, so I get to see them!!! That will be an awesome day!!!!!!

Some people have asked what a typical pday is like. On pday, we wake up have or normal scheduled until 10 then drive 30 mins into town to email, shop at Wal-mart (the only store up here), and do anything else we need to in town. Then we go back home to write letters and do laundry!!! We sometimes go on hikes, but its too cold now... pdays are great!!!

Oh Mom and Dad, I cracked and bought a humidifier!!!! It is so dry here and the dryness was killing my sinuses! So if you see a charge for 31 or so dollars that's what that is. I have made quite a few purchases with my bank card, but that is just how it goes!

By the way, I want to Skype with all my siblings I don't know if Brad and Sarah are planning on joining the Christmas call, but I want them too if it works for their schedule. I will make the call at 10 am my time. I really want to see my family!

I don't actually know what I'm doing for my birthday. My companion, Sister McCashland has a surprise so I'll let you know next week!!! But for dinner tonight we are going to the R family!!! They are the closest thing to family I have up here so I wanted to go there!

I don't know if I'll email next week or not, it depends on the library, but if not I will talk to you on Christmas!!!!

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week! To those with finals, Good luck!!! For those who are struggling go read talks from this past conference!!! It was an amazing conference! It can help you!

I love you all so much! Ill talk to you next week!!! I cant wait to see some of my favorite people in 9 day!!!!!!!

Love 

Sister Bresia Alysse Yates 

Only a few days left as a teen!!!

Hello Family!

This has been a CRAZY week!!!! I don't remember if I told you last week, but we got stuck in the mud last Sunday. Not only that, but we were in the middle of no where and there were no lights around us. It was like being in a scary movie!!! Really being anywhere in the town of Clay Spring, AZ is like being in a scary movie. No paved roads and no lights, it is so scary!!! At least its mostly Mormons!!! We were stuck for like 30 minutes!!! But some members came and helped us!

Okay, nothing really happened on Monday, but Tuesday we taught a lesson to a 7 year old and her 5 year old sister. Their parents are members and want the 7 year old, Grace, to have the lessons as baptism preparation. So we are ending the lesson of the Restoration and ask if they have any questions (or to ask their parents if anything comes after we leave). The 5 year old, Tatum, asks US (OKAY FIRST their mom is almost 9 months pregnant), "How do babies get out of mommies tummies?" We didn't want to laugh and make her think she didn't have a good question, but it was so funny!!! We thankfully didn't have to answer. We referred that question to mommy, who then referred it to daddy!!! So funny!!!

Wednesday night I had an allergic reaction to something I ate. Nothing serious happened. My tongue got a little swollen and the sides of my tongue hurt really bad. A Dr in one of the wards we are in called in a prescription of some kind of number. Everyone said it would feel like when you go to have a cavity filled, but as some of you know, I have never had a cavity! Therefore, I have never had my moth numbed before. It was so weird!!! No, I have no idea what it was that caused the reaction, everything I ate I had eaten several times before... We are thinking it was something in the pizza I ate, but we don't know. I am fine though!!

Thursday night we got home and there was a super scary dark feeling in our house. We called President Sweeney and through the power of the priesthood he cast out all evil spirits! That was no fun! We slept with all the lights on that night!

There were other crazy things that happened, but those are the big ones!

It snowed again!!! It is so cold up here!!!

We go to the temple on Wednesday!! I am so excited since I haven't been since September!!!

Yesterday we went to church in Cibecue, which is always an adventure. Things were fine through sacrament meeting, until the water came around. Its pretty quiet until this little boy starts gargling the water. It was really hard not to laugh!!! Oh Cibecue!!!

Well, we have two new investigators!!! And they seem like they really are interested in learning. I will let you know how they progress as we teach them more! Pray that they realized the truth!!

 I hope all is well at home! I love you all!!!

Love,
Sister Bree  

Goat Problems

I bought some boots, they are dressy boots and cute. They keep my feet much warmer, but I really won’t play in the snow in them. I’ll stand in it, but that’s it. I did get more CDs in the second package, but I still want the others if you need ideas for Christmas. I'm having a hard time with insomnia and they are the ones which helped me sleep growing up. And yes, I got the pictures from Jen, but would love the senior ones! And the wallet sized one is to hand out.

I gave a talk last Sunday on missionary work. Shocking, I know, but I did really well! I really am learning a lot out here; patience, love, compassion, focus, and so much about the gospel!!! I am learning so much more than I ever learned going to seminary!!! The atonement is so amazing to learn about, and no matter how much we study we can never know it all! It’s crazy!

My companion is so cool, we have a lot of fun together, and I’m kind of in charge which is nice. My Thanksgiving was really good, and I didn’t overeat! The R family are sending their oldest son off on his mission tomorrow, and Sister R is having a really hard time! I wish I could help her more. They are really having a hard time, but I will help in any way I can.

Tell Jon happy birthday for me!

Has Britta gone to the YSA branch yet? Does she like it? I’m sorry to hear that Betty isn’t doing well health-wise, but glad she was able to enjoy time with Jenny, Kev, Tyler and Shelby. I hope she finds comfort in Christ through this rough time.

Okay so on Friday we were driving and we got stuck in mud!!! We had to  call for help! It was really funny. Then on Saturday we were stalked by goats!!! That was actually really scary! It’s actually the 3rd time that’s happened out here. Most missionaries have problems with dogs, we have problems with goats!!!! It’s really fun!

I am doing really well! Tell me more about how you are doing. I’m really excited to see my family and Riley in 23 days!!!

DO FAMILY HISTORY WORK!!! NOW!!!  If you want to give me something for Christmas let it be that! If you watch Polar Express or any other Christmas shows, think of me! I will miss being able to see them for two years but it's a small sacrifice.

I love you all! Be safe, stay warm, and be smart in all you do!

Still in Show Low! Send letters since the address is the same ;)

Well, no moving for me. I do have a new companion though. Her name is Sister McCashland. I will let you know more about her as I learn it.

We had our first snow! I took pictures and will send them off when I fill the card! I have a package getting ready to send home for Christmas. I am sending it home. Make sure you send me my package by the 10th. And send everything directly to my living address!!!

I got my shot!!! I'm in a lot of pain still. Some of the glue holding my permanent retainer on came off. It shouldn't be a problem, but I'll let you know. I also haven't been sleeping well. I take two 1 mg melatonin and still don't sleep. 

*** Christmas/birthday list!!! PLEASE SEND ME LOTS OF CLARITIN!!!(allergy medicine) Decongestants would be great!! I can buy them myself, but they are super expensive!!! CDs would be great: EFY, Enya, Jenny's Indian music, anything soothing, like Swimming with Dolphins and the Wedding Collection CD that should be in my CD player at home. 

Really the best gift any of you and all of you can give is to get the temple work done for the family!!! There are a lot of missing ordinances on all sides of my family, Dad's is the most complete, but even Henry and Viola Yates aren't sealed or something!!! GET TO WORK FAMILY!!!  use family search, the church's site, to help! Yes, I can do some, but not all of it. Especially the stuff that has been reserved! Please help our family. Everyone needs to write their own story down. Write down the important events from life. Write your testimony. We need to do our part, by doing work in temples for the dead we become saviors on Mount Zion. Those aren't my words, those are words of the prophets. Look it up in True to the Faith!!! 

Okay, Cibecue story. One day last week we heard a story about how a man was burned alive. They don't know if he did it himself or if he was murdered, but still, and that isn't uncommon. Don't worry, it is safe while I am there! Another weird thing that Natives totally believe in Bigfoot, they believe that there are whole families of Bigfeet. Of course not all of them believe in them, but the ones who drink, smoke and use bath salts believe. Bath salts are some kind of drug that is super poplar in the reservations!!! It just happens to be a hallucinogen, I don't know what it is for sure, but it isn't really bath salts. I guess it looks like them. 

Suicide on the reservations is also really common. What is even sadder is it is youth doing it. They start in 6th grade and it spreads from there to about 18 years old. Don't know why, it just does. 

Saturday we had a Thanksgiving down in Cibecue. We were worried because we had to be careful what we ate because the food isn't safe! Thankfully the members who bring us to Cibecue and the Branch President down there provided most of the food. It was weird though, they have such a different culture!!! 

I'm glad Joanna's surgery went okay. Please keep me posted on her and on Duncan! I pray for them so much!!! 

For Thanksgiving we are eating breakfast at the O.'s, they live super close and Bro O is the high counselor over missionary work. Lunch mostly at the R's, with several other stops through the day, and dinner nowhere because we are going to be so stuffed!!! I'm excited. But we don't get to watch the parade :( Oh well, its not that important, I have the rest of my life to watch them. Two years won't hurt!

For Christmas, I want letters too. I don't know if everyone will get a letter from me but I will try to do at least something for everyone! Please don't hate me if you don't all get something! Oh, Mom, I do want that calender for next year with all the birthdays in it!

Speaking of Birthdays, HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY KAYLA GRACE!!!

Time is up. I love you all and hope all is well. Sorry I don't talk at all about investigators, but I don't really have any that can be baptized. We are teaching people, but all of them have some reason why they can't be baptized. Its hard, but we help in other ways. We do what we can to  help others come unto Christ!

Missions are the best! Know that I am happy and loving life! I am healthy, and staying as warm as I can in a skirt. It is beautiful here and the people are amazing!

I love you all very much and hope all is well! Happy Thanksgiving! Take care!

Sister Bresia

P.S. Don't forget my address is the same!!!

Another week down

So just a reminder that my transfers are next Tuesday, so be careful when you send me anything. I don't know if I'm moving or not, but just in case send things to the mission office starting soon...
 I've been driving a lot lately!!! Its been fun. I'm getting more comfortable! I just hope I don't have to drive in snow. If i move down to the valley I'll be OK, but if I stay up here I'm in trouble!!!

My shot still isn't here! I'm really not happy about that! They said I'll be fine for a few days without it, but I'm already having a lot of pain. When I think about this stupid situation I think of the "I'm not happy" song that is often sung in our awesome Overcash clan. The Drs up here are not very good. Everyone always says "Well, I started out up here but they couldn't help so I went to the valley." All they have to do is order a shot and have it sent here from California. In Provo it was done basically overnight. Here it has taken since October 30. So dumb! Sister Sweeney is not happy either, and she feels bad that she referred me to a bad doctor. Don't worry, I don't complain to her, she just calls and asks about how its coming along. oh well what can you do!!!

My area is not really a thriving area. Lots of members! Great member work, but not many referrals and no solid investigators. We try! We are really obedient and work really hard, but we are just waiting for the blessings! We are both happy though.
How is everyone doing? Any fun stories? Tell me stuff!
I've been going on exchanges, since Sister Jones is a Sister Training Leader, (basically a zone leader). I've been with  a few sisters who don't value being obedient. They are awesome, but don't realize that when you are exactly obedient you see miracles! It's a little frustrating, but I am trying to be a good example! I'll do my best!
So whats new in the ward? And family?

I haven't had a Joanna or Duncan update in a while. Please tell me things. Also hearing about world news would be nice. I like knowing what is going on in the world.
***IMPORTANT*** OUR MISSION WILL BE ON FACEBOOK SOON!!!! I will keep my normal account and just change settings, so be prepared to see me, but don't think I am breaking rules! Also, this is almost more important, I will be getting a iPad mini to use through out my mission and have the option of buying it after I'm done, which I probably will do. This being said, for Christmas I would like an iPad mini case that has a keyboard (if that exists). the iPad will be about $100 at the end of my mission and I'll buy it myself, or you can just make that my Christmas/birthday gift for the year 2014.

I'm really excited for the changes coming to our mission!!  The Gilbert Temple open house is coming up and we might get to go to that and help.  The Christmas lights at the Mesa Temple are coming and we might get to take part in that! I hope we do! I miss being warm! I sleep in my snowsuit every night and still get cold. I'm buying a new blanket today!

Thank you so much for the Mane and Tail shampoo and conditioner!!! My hair is so happy. Also mom that face cloth is magic! I was breaking out a little and then started using that and the breakout stopped!

Grandma those white shirts are great! I really needed those and those are the best chocolate covered peanuts I have ever had.

Dad the CD's you have sent are amazing! So nice to hear!!!

You are all the best! I hope you are all doing well! I love you!

Bresia

Day late due to holiday!

Happy Veterans Day (sorry its a day late). I am emailing today because yesterday the library was closed. Its been a slow week, but that's fine. We got to visit with some great member families. That's really what we do. Our investigators don't really work with us and the only less actives that will meet with us are no longer less active! Its frustrating, but what can you do. We still see miracles! 

We already have like 4 Thanksgiving invites!!! Which is cool, but I'm not eating at all of them!!!

The OB/GYN I've been seeing out here and his staff suck!!! I won't have my next injection until who knows when, and the pain is coming back almost full force!!!! They finally ordered the shot so its on its way. Hopefully it will get here soon.  Oh well, I'll keep you updated. In the mean time, I will use my left over hydro codon to manage the pain because thats the only thing that kind of helps.

I really do love all of you! I hope you know that. I know things back home are rough right now on so many different fronts, but I love my family so much. I love my friends too, but my family is different! I have the most amazing aunts, uncles, and cousins, and words cannot describe my grandparents. My brother, sisters, and their spouses are amaizng! My best memories are of us as kids making my bed into a slide, watching Cats on the super old TV in the basement, and playing Indianans!!!  My parents are the best supporters in the world. I've been thinking back on when I got my tonsils removed, my first surgery! I was so terrified, but mom and dad were right there holding my hands and helping me be brave. I'm sure most of you are not even reading this part, but I hope someone is... I love my family. I love each one of my cousins, aunts, and uncles. My grandparents are the best. My family helped me become who I am today. I would not be on a mission without them. Thank you for all you do and for the examples you have set. You are the memories I cherish most.  Yes the next few months are a little scary, but you have each other and that is what you need! Come together in prayer and scripture reading often! 

I love you all so much! I am so thankful for this time I have to serve!!!

Has it been this long already?

I am almost at 4 months out... weird how time flies.

Thank you so much for the package and letters. I don't know who put what in but  it was all soooo amazing! Best package ever! Y'all are great.

Everyone asks me what happened to my southern accent. I blame it on Grandma that I don't have one so just so everyone knows. 

Also, there are a lot of Yates up here and everyone asks if I'm related to them. I have no clue!!!! I probably am, but I have no clue. Dad, I need to learn about your family. Are you related to an Alma Yates?

Things are going well here, just cold :) but no snow yet!

Can some one tell me the status of Sawyer, Tyler, and MarLiece? I know they were all suppose to go to Brazil, but I haven't heard anything about if they have left or anything.

My Dr appointment was fine. It was just an establishing care visit. We just have to get my records from Provo and order the shot, hopefully that will all be done be the 13 otherwise I'm in trouble. We'll see what happens. Pray it comes, otherwise the pain will more than likely come back and surgery will have been pointless. At least that's what the Dr said...

I'll be driving again on Tuesday and Wednesday :( and not even on the nice small town roads. I'm NOT  looking forward to it! But I have to. We are going on splits. At least Wednesday is Cibecue day so I won't do much driving!

We no longer have any progressing investigators :( Which is a total bummer, but we are hoping to get a few this week. We have some potentials.

I stopped biting my nails and picking at my cuticles, yet my cuticles STILL look TERRIBLE!!!! Its really frustrating!!!! Oh well, I'll try to get them looking nice.

I've been reading the Book of Mormon trying to read it all the way through. Can I just say that those Isaiah Chapters make no sense!!! I need a translator! I have also been trying to memorize the Family Proclamation. That has been awesome! I am learning so much about it, really studying it, and am memorizing it pretty fast. I hope this will help me be able to memorize better for school. I am also reading a chapter of Moses a week. I love Moses! And I've only read the first chapter! He is very powerful!

I am starting to hate animals! I mean I love them, but not as a missionary!!!

I am learning a lot of very important life lessons out here and I am excited to share more of the things I'm learning once I get home. Sorry that is really just for the family. I love you my friends, but some things are just for family. So to all my family, be prepared to hear about my life changing experiences.

I really feel like I am becoming the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. I love being out here and serving my mission. Its so cool and I am meeting the best people.

I hope all is well at home.

Please feel free to write me at anytime.

I love you all!!!!

Love, 

Bresia 

I don't know what to write

Well, it has been a good week. Nothing too crazy.

Tomorrow I have a doctors appointment! I'm super excited for it! Like more excited for this apt than any other!!!

Also do people actually read this?

Brooke and Mom, is it baking powder or soda that you use in your hair?

Dad i need more contacts!! soon!

Okay so how is everyone? Hows the weather in GA? Tell me about it.

Fall here is weird. Its as cold a December, but lots of pretty colors. I'm not looking forward to it getting colder though! Its also super windy here!!! Almost as bad as Idaho!

I'm excited to get that package! Getting real mail is the best!

My next transfer should be the 26th of November, so be prepared for no email that Monday.

Please send pictures! Dad sends me a lot of Riley, Kiersten, and Kayla. I loved the homecoming pictures, but I want more! That way you aren't all different when i get home.

Ask me more questions so I know what to say. I'm not good at just writing. That's what I do in my journal. Maybe when I get home I will read some of it to you. I think you would all like it.

I had another baptism. It went really well, and after a 10 year old girl came up to Sister Jones and I and said she wants to be baptized. That was really cool!!! Maybe coolest thing this week.

Cibecue was good this week!

We have several people to teach and not enough time or miles allowed to drive to get it all done. Three wards and a branch is too much! And only 1300 miles to cover them is crazy!!! But some how we handle it okay.

This is the best time of my life. Its so difficult, but so worth it.  I love serving the Lord!

I love you all and miss you! Stay safe and go to the temple!

From a Dinner Appointment

Pictures

Sister Yates sent home pictures!  The following are from her adventures dating back to her time in Provo.

From Show Low:

Meet Sister Jones

Sister Yates and Sister Jones share the gospel together

Sister Yates's first zone

 The landscape of Arizona  

The places we visit:

The Snowflake, AZ Temple

Cibecue 

Cibecue

Cibecue

From Provo and the MTC:

The Provo, UT Temple 

These are friends from home serving as the Mission President in a California mission

One of the MTC Zones

Another MTC Zone

Send some Mail/Emails

Here we are. This was a good week! On Sunday, we went to Cibecue, which is always an adventure. The kids just run around and the adults don't talk in the lessons, but church is only two hours long. The rest of Sunday is super busy!!! We don't even get study time.

Yesterday we had a meeting with Elder Teh of the 70. We learned a lot about how we need to realize that our time as missionaries is preparing us for the future! It was awesome! It was cool getting to be so close to a member of the 70. President and Sister Sweeney were also there, which is always fun. I love seeing them. 

Happy Birthday Everett and Clair-bear! I hope your birthdays are great! 

Everett, I am glad you are back!!!! That is a relief!

Even though this was a great week, I don't really know what to say. We have received several referrals, which gives us something to do so that's good. Also no snow yet, thankfully, but maybe in the next two weeks we will see some! Snow on Halloween.... That's weird!

Things are still great with Sister Jones. Did i tell you we got two new sets of sisters and that Sister Jones is sister training leader, so more exchanges and more driving for me... yay...not!!! Oh well, could be worse!

Thank you for the letter Austin!! I did got some shoes, too. I am so grateful for your emails!!! I like hearing how you are all doing! 

This is a super lame email, I'm sorry. Just know that I am live and well, and that I love all of you!

Keep going to church and showing Heavenly Father you love and trust Him, and He will bless you!

Anyone can email me or write me, just remember that.

Have fun with everything you do. Feel free to ask me questions about anything. When you do, I know what to write about.

Go to the temple as often as you can, and if you can't go, work towards being able to go. I only get to go once every other transfer I won't go again until December. If you are going only as often as I'm going there is something wrong, and you aren't using an gift from Heavenly Father correctly. Go when you can, its the best place you can be.

I love all of you and hope all is well. Be grateful for the gospel!

Love,

Bresia

Transfers!

Sorry I forgot to tell you that pday was Wednesday this week. Anytime we have transfers, pday moves to Wednesday so that the new missionaries can go shopping. Next week pday is on Tuesday though, so don't worry if you don't hear from me Monday. Sorry I forgot to tell you. 

Well first off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKE, GRANDMA JUDY, POPPY AND CAROL!!!! 

Sorry I missed those. To prevent missed birthdays from happening again can I get one of those Jesus calendars we have in the dining room and can someone fill it out with the family birthdays??? Please! 

Okay so if anyone wants to send me a package I would love one with chocolate covered pomegranate and peanuts in it, and also I would love some Mane and Tail shampoo and conditioner... we only have a Walmart to shop at and they don't carry it there. So my hair would love some of that!!! The stuff I'm using sucks and is changing the way my hair looks(the color) and the way it feels.

Claire, thank you so much for the package! I love the tasty treats!!!! 

Mia Maid class, thank you so much for the treats and letters :) I love you all! 

Fun story, on Monday we had to go get an oil changed, the tires changed, and some car maintenance done. Took forever, but no big deal. We drive home, a 30 min drive, and see that we have a light on on the dashboard. It was an orange light that was an exclamation point with an orange squiggle around it... Well me knowing very little about cars and Sister Jones knowing just as little  had no idea what that meant (oh yeah Sister Jones and I are still together and in the same area, she is Sister Training Lead though). We decided that when we get back in the car, if it is still on we will call our vehicle coordinator and ask about it. When we go back out to the car, the light is on, and now there is a "ssssss" sound coming from the back of the truck... I knew that wasn't good. We find out we had a hole in our tire, and that it was losing air fast!!! We called the car guy of our mission and he tells us to change it and go back to the place we went to for our oil change and get the tire fixed. Well I have never really changed a tire, and Nissan makes it ridiculously hard to do any of it, especially getting the jack out!!!! I am happy to say that I did change it and everything worked out fine. It was crazy though. Makes for a good story, and at least I know I can change tires now! I hope it doesn't happen again though!!!! 

Things are going really good though, for the most part. We got two new sets of sisters in our zone so Sister Jones and I aren't  alone with all the boys. That's nice. We will be going on exchanges more often though, which is okay. 

I am so glad Tess got her visa, and Kevin Mason got his call!!! Congratulations!!! Has Sawyer received his visa yet? What about Tyler? Whats new with everyone in life? I feel out of the loop. Is Stone Mountain shut down as part of the government shut down what about Kennesaw Mountain? Tell me things about the world and family, Georgia and ward. 

I'll be sending pictures soon, probably today. 

I'm doing good and not gaining weight! And I'm working out, I feel really good. I'm still not sleeping well, even when I take melatonin. That's a bummer, but not to bad. 

I am really looking forward to my dr's appointment on the 29th, because I've been having pain again. Not too cool, but nothing I can't handle. I just hope everything is ok! 

Please tell the ward I love them and think and pray for them often! Who are the missionaries there? If you ever meet any from AZ let me know!    

I hope you are all doing well. Would love to hear from more people, but I understand that you are all busy with life. I have the best support group ever! I know Heavenly Father Loves me because He gave me all of you! 

Keep reading and praying. Go to the temple often, do your family history and write down the stories from your life. Future generations will treasure them. Everyone up here has so many stories from their families. I want that too!!! Keep a journal. Find family that need work done for them. 

Help the full time missionaries in your area! WE NEED MEMBER HELP!!!  If you are old enough to go out with the missionaries, youth CAN go out with them at 16. They need you even if they aren't  asking!! 

Go to church and keep the commandments.

I love you all so much! Stay strong and rely on Heavenly Father!

Love, 

Bresia