Happy Fathers day to all you fathers!

 

Things are going well out here. I got a little dehydrated the other day. That was no fun!!! It is really hard to drink a lot of water when Arizona water taste so bad, and I just really don't like water anyway. The Mio water flavor things aren't cheap. First world problems I tell you...

 

 

Transfers are next week so no email until Wednesday. I dont think I'll be moving, Sis B and I think we will stay together :) We hope stay together! But just in case send anything to the mission office, not that I get much anymore! I guess that is what happens when you have been gone a year, people forget you! I'm totally just kidding!!! You all have lives, you don't live for letters. I know that I am so bad at writing people who have served because I would get caught up in my own life. So don't worry I know you still love me!

 

Dad- I got your package! Thank you! Mom thank you so much for the card!

 

Random but today is my half birthday. I'm old. Its weird. Honestly, I always thought I'd be married before 21. Now I'm thinking I'll be 23. Weird... that is old. Not really, but it is. Oh well, that is life.

 

I think I will work at Disney when I get home. Maybe on a Disney cruise. I don't really know, but school just seems depressing, and Disney is happiness. I'll just go to Disney university and be a princess forever. Real life seems miserable...

 

People keep giving us updates on the happenings of the world, and oh my goodness, the world is messed up!!! It is actually nice not hearing all the scary stuff that is happening. The mission bubble is kind of nice. Its less scary to go around not knowing about the way the world is going. I guess we all just need to hold to the fact that this is all foretold and part of the plan. Its still scary though!!!

 

What happy news is there? Fun stories? 

 

Drink lots of water. Eat healthy whole foods. Read the Book of Mormon and pray daily!!! Go to the temple to do work for the dead, or just to walk around the grounds. Have family home evening. Be happy:)

 

I love you all!

 

 

Sister Yates 

Hello familia!

 

What is Joanna's new address? I was going to write Mia but I don't have her address.

 

How is everyone! I am almost at my year!! Austin is almost a missionary!!! Time is flying!!!

 

Our next transfers are on the 24th of June. Be prepared!!!

 

The heat is ok until it gets to about 103-105 degrees then I die!!! July and August are going to stink!!

 

This week we have zone conference (which I am singing at) and then we get to go to the temple!!! I am so excited!!! I love the temple!

 

I really don't have much to say. Our investigators are slow to progress, I hope some of them will commit to a date soon, but they are in and out of town a lot!!!

 

These two pictures tell some of the fun Sis B and I are having!!!!

 

We were helping a family move and the boys had these awesome helmets. I'm the transformer and Sis B is the storm trooper. So cool!!!!

 

There is this really, really good pizza place here. It's an Arizona thing its called Barros!!! It is so good!!! We love it and eat  it often!!! Literally the best delivery pizza ever!!!

 

 

The members here are great! And they love Sis B and I! They take really good care of us! I love them. The plus of serving a state side mission (well one of the many) is I can stay in touch with them so easily!!! 

 

I really don't have much else to say. I love you all! Have fun and be safe! I don't remember where it is but somewhere in a recent Ensign there is an article about members working with the missionaries to do the work. In it, it says that the members are the sowers and the missionaries are the reapers!!! You go find them and the missionaries will reap with you! WE CANNOT DO THIS WORK WITHOUT YOU!!!!  Just remember that... we need members to help!!

 

Have a great week!!! Read and pray! Go to the temple and work on family history!!!!

 

Sister Yates!

Wow may fly by!!!! I can't believe that in like 5 weeks I'll hit my year!!!!! Not okay!!!! My mission is going too fast!

 

You might be asking how the work goes when it is so hot out. Well, the answer is it really really really slows down. Everyone is out of town or in the pool. We do get to totally rearrange our schedule though. It's weird. Also the sun is scary here!!! The sun is honestly hotter here. It hurts me. I am so thankful for sunscreen. I think it is working though, because I am still pretty white. I think the weirdest thing is it is hot all day and night. Like at night it only gets to the 80's. it is so weird!!! Thank you Georgia for having good weather! It is also weird that it hasn't rained for several months. My skin is holding up okay, but its still dry! Maybe I'll be tan when I get home though!

 

Sister Training Leader life is fun. My companion hates them. She hates when I leave and she has to stay with another sister. Its hard on her because we are doing at least two a week. I don't like that, but that is how the other Sister Training Leader wants to do it.  I might have to put my foot down though. Our area needs us. My companion needs me!!! Its fun though I like getting to help the other sisters! They are great! Many of them will be life long friends!!!!

 

I really like being a missionary. Yes it is hard work, but it is worth it.

 

 

Sister B and I are singing "The Olive Tree" at zone conference next week and then maybe in sacrament meeting and at transfer meeting. I will try to record it, but no promises! I'm excited though! We sound pretty good together!!! Really I just love being with Sis. B. She is a lot like me! We think a lot a like which is so so fun! We laugh a lot and just make the most of our time!

 

We get to go to the Mesa temple on the 12th!!! I cant wait! I love going to the temple! One of the good things about home is I'll be able to go whenever I want!!!

 

I should be going. I have a package I'll be sending home soon. I don't think it is really anything too exciting, but you can just open it and put it in my room or wherever the rest of my stuff I've sent home is. There is a lot I will just go through when I get home!!! So don't toss stuff.

 

I love you all so much! Be safe and have a great week! Go to the temple and read your scriptures!!!! Those things help!

Love,

Sister Bresia (not tan yet) Yates!

This has been a good week! It seems like Mother's Day was forever ago!

Happy late birthday Kevin!!! Hope it was a great day!!

Miracle of the week: Sister Baham decided we wanted to exercise some faith here and get some real work going. We decided to set two baptism goals for two Saturdays in the transfer. We prayed about the two days that we should shoot for and felt that the  7 and 28 of June were those days. We have been praying for help in finding those who will be prepared on the 7th and 28th to be baptized and asking to be the guides the individuals need. Yesterday at church a member came up and said I have a baptism for you. We were sooo happy and then he told us the date!!!! June 28th!!!!!!!!! We about died!!! It happened so fast! Now we just have to get everything worked out!!! Pray everything works out!!! Heavenly Father really does give us miracles!!!

My first exchange as a sister training leader is this week. I am so excited! I love going on exchanges! I love the sisters in my zone! I am so grateful for this chance I have to be  a STL!! 

I get to go to the Mesa Temple again on the 12!!! I am so excited to go to the temple again! Its hard not getting to go to the temple very often, but at least I get to go sometimes!! I know I'm blessed! the Mesa Temple is a very different temple. I mean its really not, but it is just old. It is so beautiful! I can't wait to go!!!!

Everyone should read the Power of Everyday Missionaries. Someone please send me a copy! I would love to read it! It sounds like an amazing tool for missionary work so that is why I am telling you to read it! I'm hoping to get to read it, but really I'm sure I will!!! President Sweeney lets most missionaries read it!

I hope you have a great week! Good luck to all of you dear cute cousins that have finals and other things like that. Congratulations Mia on being done!!! Overcash #10 to graduate from Lassiter! (unless I cant count,which is always possible)

I love you all! Be safe. Be positive. Listen to your mothers, because they really do know everything.  If your mom doesn't know talk to Grandma Judy, because she will definitely know!!! Go to the temple often! Go to church. Only hang out with people who uplift and encourage you to be better.

The Book of Mormon is true! I encourage all of you to read it and re-read it! The Prophets have read it several times and continue to re-read it. We will never know enough about it! Always strive to learn more and understand the important truths found in it! I know it isn't always easy to read the Book of Mormon. I'm dyslexic, reading anything is hard, but it is so worth it. And it helps me feel closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ! Cherish it!  Treasure it! Study it!

I love you!

Sister Bresia Yates

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 

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     

Week 5 From AZ

My package came! Thank you! Being warm is the best, and seeing my snow suit was amazing!!!! Of  course I sleep in it every night and Sister Jones laughs every night!!

Friday we had zone conference where we found out we will be getting iPads by February and Facebook in like November. I think with the Facebook thing I will have to kill my real Facebook, so mom, or whoever is working with that, be prepared for me to kill it. I am super excited. The iPad will replace the area book and will be super awesome!! I know that isn't much info, but we don't know much yet.

The rash on my face went away!!!! And I'm still not sleeping well. but part of that is because I have been having weird dreams. For example, last night I had a dream that Sister Jones and I were driving and hit an elk (which could really happen in these parts). I hope that isn't anything like how I had a dream about the wreck Britta and I had. That would be bad! I also had a dream about aliens... anyone who has watched signs or any alien movie with me knows that they scare me!!!! I did not sleep well last night, but oh well that's life!

I have been the worst missionary ever!!! I have been giving you all things to do to help you and I have not followed up once!!!!! So tell me how are all of you doing with family history, and reading the Book of Mormon and praying. and Family Home Evening? I really hope you are actually doing these things!!!

There is a chance of snow here. It freezes most nights, so it could happen anytime! Not cool, but at least I have warm stuff now...

The members up here are the best. Meals every night and so supportive!! People always ask me if I'm home sick or anything and I say no. The reason for that is that I have family here. Of course they can't replace the amazing family I have, but they come close. They are fun and make me feel so welcome! When the holidays come, I know I will be able to handle them with ease because I have these wonderful people here who will have me over and love me!!! Its the best!

I live in the basement apartment of some members and it is nice. We have our own entrance and kitchen. Its awesome. I will have to take some pictures of it.

I will be sending a memory card home with pictures on it. It wont be full but I feel bad that you haven't seen me much.

My training is going really well, and I am ahead of where I should be, so that is really good. I am taking charge of most of the lessons and doing great!

We do any kind of service we can!!! Pulling weeds is our favorite!!! But we do what we can! Service is so fun. All of you should do it more!

Sorry this letter isn't as good as last weeks, but I logged on to 26 emails!!! Best thing ever!!!! And I also had to email President Sweeney! So I have lots to do today...

I love you all thank you for all you do! Keep praying, going to church and reading the Book of Mormon.

Love, 

Bresia