ONE WEEK LEFT IN THE MTC! October 4, 2018

My awesome District, plus Bro. Potter

We got our mission T-shirts!

Sis. Brown teaching me to draw

The sky here is so beautiful!

I wore my bracelet!!

What a week! It has felt so long since I last got to email y'all! The other night I said to my district sisters "today feels like forever ago" and everyone laughed and laughed but honestly its so true, the mornings feel like so long from the night haha

Singing in the MTC General Conference choir has been amazing!!! We practice every morning at 7 am until 9:15! The spirit is SO STRONG there and the music is absolutely beautiful and perfect and AHH I am so excited!! Mom and Dad, be sure to record the Saturday Afternoon Session so that I can watch it in 18 months hahaha I am so so thankful I have this opportunity!!

The temple last Thursday was wonderful and I can't with to go again in a couple hours! Fast Sunday at the MTC was actually so wonderful! I loved it and was able to really feel the spirit. I bore my testimony about Christ and Prayer and overall it was just a good day. 

My sickness is all gone! Thank you for all of you that prayed for me!

Since Monday night, I have been on exchanges because the other 2 sisters in my district are having a really hard time getting a long and weird stuff. But I am back with my wonderful, original companion, Sister Brown, today and am so thankful for that! She brings me so much joy and we have a great time together. We have a great teaching rhythm with our TRC's and we study really hard and think about our lessons a lot. 

I have one chapter in the Book of Mormon until I have finished it again! I am planning to finish it today!! Hooray!!

Yesterday I got to welcome a new sister to the MTC, I took her bags (way way way heavy oh man my arms and shoulders are sore today lol) all the way up to her room on the 3rd floor, got her all checked in, and helped her get to her class. She was wonderful, is from Lehi, and is going to the Cavite Philippines mission where I have friends serving! So that was fun!

Here is my spiritual thought for the week: Read Alma 37:33-37! I have been called by God to serve the people in Pennsylvania. I could not be doing this without Him. I say so many prayers each day, and they are long too. I have so much I need help with and because of my faith in Him, I can receive that help. I was doing a practice teaching visit last night, teaching my teacher and he asked the question of why we need Jesus Christ. I felt like I could have just gone on talking about how important He is to me for so long! My faith in Christ has become SO much stronger since coming here, it is amazing. I know that he suffered for me. He loves me. He knows me. He wants me to succeed. My faith is bigger than my fear and sometimes, all that is keeping me going is my Faith in Jesus Christ, knowing that all will be well. I am scared to go out to the field next wednesday (ask mom about my itinerary lol) but I have faith that it will be okay. I can do it.

 I don't know when the next time I can email you will be, it might not be until the 15th!

I love you guys SO much, I miss you guys SO much. Keep the emails and the letters coming, I appreciate them and they really lift me up when I am having a hard time. Thank you all for all of your support. I am praying for you all and I am so thankful to have such a wonderful family. I met an elder who came all the way from the Phillipines and he is the only member of his family. He is so brave, and I am so thankful I have a wonderful, loving family who supports me. Thank you!!

Love, Sister Bates :)

PS. Read the Book of Mormon today! It will bless your life immensely!  I know this church is true and I cannot wait to hear the prophet and his apostles speak to us this weekend!!

Love,

Sister Bates

Here is my itinerary for next Wednesday! (ugh notice the 3:30 AM check out!!) I will be able to call you at the airport so be expecting a call around like 4:30-5:30 your time haha

Also, Brother Ryan Eggett is the choir director and he told us his wife will be taking lots of pictures of us and putting them on their facebook page so you can go find them! I love you!

1 hour is too short to email! I have so many people to email and so much to say!! I love you, thanks for the package too!!