February 26, 2020 Last Missionary Letter

Salut mes amis!

I am just going to say right off the bat that I can't say the smallest part of how I feel haha. It is hard to put into words the feelings and emotions I am feeling as I think about my mission and what it has taught me. But I am going to try. So I apologize if this email sounds random or cliche ahah, anyways, here goes..

I just can't believe that this is it. Last email. In literally 2 days I will be running into my mama's arms. Man, I just can't believe it. My mission felt like an eternity and also like 4.5 seconds. 

We said SO MANY goodbyes this week. It's hard!! I don't want to leave these people! They have all taken such good care of me. I am really going to miss them. There is a quote from Winnie the Pooh that I am going to butcher, but it goes something like, "How lucky I am to have friends that make saying goodbye so difficult." True doctrine. I am grateful for each person that I have gotten the chance to know and love here. We had a wonderful brunch with sister Gallant and Darlene. Some of my favorite people. Oh how I love them! It was so nice! We also visited most of the members. They are wonderful. I got to see sister Lecky too! Oh I was so happy about that. She was the lady that knew my daddy. I got to visit with her one last time. It was such a tender experience. I am grateful for the relationship she forged with my dad all those years ago, because now I have something more meaningful to hold onto. Every little thing we do matters.  

As you can imagine I have been looking back a lot and pondering about what I have learned and what I have become these last 18 months. The things I have learned about life and about people and about my Savior are the most valuable things I could have ever asked for. I have gotten the question a lot recently, "what is the biggest thing you learned on your mission?" My answer changes from day to day haha. But today I think that the best thing I learned is God's love for his children. He has been so so kind to me. Looking back I am able to clearly see how many times he saved me, and how many times he blessed me. Sometimes he gives me little "love letters". I know that they are catered specifically for me because they are things that would only touch my heart. And it doesn't just go for me. I have a front row seat to watch God change people's lives. There have been so many times where I have seen how God (the master planner) has guided and placed people experiences in people's lives for years. There is a song that I love called Seeing for the first time (I might have mentioned it before, buut) and there is a line that always gets me. "how many years have you planned this moment here, to show me that you love me?" For some of these people, God has had this in the works for years. He is amazing the way he cares so tenderly for each of his children and does all that he can (while still respecting their agency) to lead them back home to him. 

My mission has been everything. I can't thank my Savior enough for this experience that he has given me to be a missionary. 

I hope that is absolutely clear that I love my Savior. The most honorable thing that I have ever done, has been to stand in his shoes and experience just the tiniest bit what it was like for him when he walked the earth; to help his children in his stead and to love them for him. I want more than anything else in the world to make him proud and to be able to hear him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" Everyone talks about me going back to the "real world" but this experience has been more real to me than anything else. Elder Butler always says that it takes 18-24 months to serve a mission, but it takes a lifetime to live it. This name tag is on my heart forever. I will always be a missionary. I will always be a disciple because it truly is the most joyful path. I love my Savior. I know that He lives. I know he loves me.

Today during personal study, I opened my scriptures and just happened to fall on 3 Nephi 17. Verse 20 says, "Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full."

My joy is full.

Love, soeur Bates

February 18, 2020

Hello there!

Well... This is it. Last normal week as a missionary. But what even is a normal week? I feel like I haven't had one of those in a hot minute haha! This was a good one! We were able to go to Annapolis yesterday because we had to pick up the Yarmouth sisters anyways for our district activity today! So we got to have supper with the Musgraves. They are a family from England! Oh I could listen to them talk all day! They were so sweet and fed us cottage pie! Mmmm:) Then we got to see the Larges. Oh how I love that family. We also visited the Gouchers. I love them too!! I just love everybody! It is starting to feel so real that I am not going to be seeing them anymore! I can't believe it is coming to an end so fast! Anyways, we also saw Darlene this week too and she is doing so well. She prays like she's been a member for years. I can't wait for the day that she gets baptised. 

The branch had a family Valentines day dance that we got to go to for a little while. There were several non members that we were able to talk with! It was great! We also had a very inspired and very spontaneous lesson with Marlene. We taught her the full restoration and she thought that it was very cool. She said that she believed every bit of it. I have a really good feeling about her. We plan on teaching the Plan of Salvation next. She recently lost her husband so we feel like that will really resonate with her. Other than that we have been doing a lot of pass bys. It lead to some really cool experiences with some really cool people. We were able to set some return appointments and have some really good conversations.

Also, we got to go on exchanges with the STLs! This was my last one.. man. It was bittersweet. We saw some miracles. There was a family that we decided to pass by later in the evening and the daughter that they had been in contact wasn't there, but her mom and brother were. The mom didn't speak a whole ton of  English, but the brother, Dimitri, did. We had just the coolest teaching moment with him. He said that he was feeling frustrated about how these days it feels like peoples hearts aren't in churches at all. It's all like a business. So we taught the Restoration and it made sense to him. He kept asking questions as we were trying to leave (it was getting late and we had to go to make curfew). It was a good problem to have! I love watching people's understanding grow. It is true that when people who are prepared to receive the gospel hear it for the first time, it has a familiar ring to it. 

I am so grateful to be an ambassador of Christ. I had a really sweet experience while sharing my favorite scripture and my testimony with a member. And it just hit me all over again how much my Savior loves me. These are the experiences that have built my testimony to what it is today and the reason that I can never deny. Jesus really is our rock. He really is our safe place to go when it gets too hard. I just know that stronger than I ever have. I want to live the rest of my life this way, because it is the happiest and most intelligent way. I love my Savior!

Have a lovely week everyone! Love you all!

Sister Bates

February 11, 2020

Salut à tous!

Well another week has come and gone! Is it just me or is time speeding up?.... 

Anyways cool things happened this week! 

Glen had in interview with our branch President to see how ready he is for baptism and it went really well! He did feel that he might need a bit more time just to make sure everything his solidified and he is really ready. Sister Goodwin and I both agree. Baptism is a big step and we really want to make sure that he is ready for it! We had a lesson with him the next day and it was probably one of our best lessons with him! He was so excited at the end and was like "Wow, I learned an awful lot today!" Haha you go Glen! We talked about testimonies and how to gain one. Then we all went around and bore our testimonies. Even him! His was simple and sweet and so powerful. We felt very strongly that he needed to make it a habit to bear his testimony every day. I think that's how he learns. And we know that our testimony is like a living thing. It needs to be well taken care of and nourished. And if you don't use it you lose it! He has such an honest heart and a strong desire to do what is right and he has changed SO much since the beginning! I love watching people change. I probably won't be here to see him baptised but that's okay. I am just so honored and grateful that I got to watch his progression thus far. I get front row seats to watch God at work and it's amazing! 

I have seen it in Darlene too. She loves the Book of Mormon! It will change your life if you just take the time to read it! Such a simple formula with such powerful results! There have been very few that have taken the initiative to read it the way that she has. And that is the reason she is growing the way she has. I am convinced. The Book of Mormon is like the medication everyone needs. But just like any medicine, it won't do you a bit of good just sitting there on your table. You have to take it for it to work. I am so glad she is taking it and internalizing it because it is changing her and making her more aware of God's pure love and her divine nature.

We also made the decision to go to church in Annapolis last Sunday. Oh how I love the members there! The whole area has such a special place in my heart! We visited a family who just moved here from Alberta a couple of months ago. The dad was baptized just before they left so they have been missing the missionaries like crazy! They are so strong. Living in Annapolis is a lot like living in Kansas! Everything is far away and the members are super spread out. So I was able to relate with them on that and sister Goodwin was able to talk with them about Lethbridge haha. We also visited a couple called the Gouchers. Oh, I felt so much love for them! I wish I had gotten more time to get to know these people better. We had a really good conversation and they gave us cookies. What sweeties:) 

On a lower note, we stopped by one of our friends, Doyle, last night. It had been a while since we had seen him because he had been sick with Pneumonia. When we got there, he told us that he just got back from a specialist. "I'm full of cancer." he said. Oh, it just broke our hearts. But he told us that there is no need to make a fuss about it. It is what it is. We were able to testify about the plan of salvation and share a scripture and it was just really tender.

I so appreciate the Savior in my life. Especially in moments like these where life gets real. He really is so sweet and he really does give you what you need. I wish the world understood how easy it is to access his power. When I need his help I ask for it and like clockwork, it's there. I love him for that. He is my steady friend. My mission has brought me closer to him in ways I never thought possible. I am so grateful for my relationship with my Savior. It's the most precious thing I have!

Have a wonderful week!

Love, sister Bates

February 4, 2020

Hey everybody!

Well, my last zone conference came and went... It was sad. Not really but it was definitely bittersweet. I got to go up and bare my closing testimony You watch missionaries get up and do that and never think that it's going to be you, and then suddenly, it just is. I may or may not have cried, hehe. It was cool though because in my whole zone, I was the only young missionary going home! Talk about feeling old.... It's also so exciting! I am down to 24 days (but who's counting;) 

The work here in Greenwood is going so well! Darlene is doing AMAZING! She seriously acts like a member already. She gets along with everyone, and they all love her too! She has been reading the Book of Mormon like crazy because she wants to catch up to where everyone else is in the Come Follow Me program. She loves it! She understands everything so well and is tangibly happier, Oh man it's so cool to watch the gospel change people. This last Sunday while everyone was bearing their testimonies, it just really felt like all of them were for Darlene. She told us afterwards that she was very tempted to get up too, but she just wasn't sure. And then all throughout the lesson, she totally was contributing, because she had been reading the Book of Mormon and she knew all the stories!! Man when people prepare, they get so much more out of it!! How did we get so lucky to get to teach her?:) She is just so ready. Which is cool because she also opened up and told us some stories about experiences she had had with missionaries in the past, back when she didn't understand what we did. It really strengthened my testimony that we can't judge people or write them off today just because they aren't ready for the gospel right now. Because even in one year, a person's heart can do a complete 180, like hers did. I love her so very much! I don't know what I did to be blessed to know and love so many beautiful people. Glen is doing really great too. We had a really awesome lesson with him in a member's home. 

Can I just take a minute to testify of the power behind member missionary work?? I am convinced that that is the only really effective and right way to do missionary work. It can be as simple as offering your home for a lesson to be taught in. I am just so excited to be a member missionary! I did not understand missionary work before, but now that I do, I want to do all that I can to share the gospel in natural ways after I get home, and be someone that the missionaries can always count on. In MyPlan (which is just a preparatory to going home program course that all departing missionaries take) they talked about having your name tag on your heart. Elder Butler always says that it takes 2 years or 18 months to serve a mission, but it takes a lifetime to live it.

Wow I just really know that this church is true. I have had too many experiences not to believe that. I know that God is aware of each of his children and is preparing paths before them. He is carefully and lovingly leading them back to him. I love him so dearly. I am grateful for who he has helped me to become.

I love you all and hope that you have another great week!

January 28, 2020

Hi all!

I am so truly blessed! This week had some ups and downs but I am very happy:) I just love sister Goodwin! She is such a personality and we just laugh all the time! I am thankful to be her trainer. She just has so much courage and really cares about people and the work. She felt prompted to ask Glen to be baptized on the 15th of Feb. and so she did it. And he said YES. We almost got dropped by our friend Darlene because she was going through some hard times, but then that sweet girl bore just the most pure and heartfelt testimony and she decided to keep meeting with us. She came to church the next day and had the most amazing time. She felt the spirit so strongly and she told us later that she related to all the talks and things that were said. The members love her and the way she was talking with them, it just felt like she was a member already! It brought so much joy to our little hearts. Oh my goodness! 

We also stopped by this guy named Mark. He was taught a year ago and said that he would like it if we came back. Sister Goodwin seems to form connections with everybody. On several occasions, she has said exactly what someone else needed to hear, or shared an experience that relates so perfectly to that person. I can already see how the Lord has placed her in certain people's lives to bless them. It is always easier to see that in others. I hope that I will be able to look back and see how I touched others' lives for good as well. 

On kind of a lower note, we came out of a lesson to find our car had been hit... hit and run. My door doesn't open very well because of the dent. But other than that, it still drives fine. For some reason, whenever something great happens or is about to happen, (like Glen getting put on date) Satan attacks my car! It happened the week before I left on my mission too! I had like 3 flat tires! Maybe Heavenly father is hinting that I need to be a bit more car savvy. Anyways, it doesn't matter too much. Thank goodness car insurance is a thing haha.

Man, I just love this area. The members here are such kind and good hearted people and I am grateful to know them. It's going to be really hard to say goodbye! And not just to them, but to this lifestyle. I love being a missionary. It's hard but I love it! I think about going home and get a little nervous sometimes because for 18 months, I have had a purpose. When I go home I'll have to find a new one. I have been focusing a lot on my blessing and trying to figure out what the next steps are in my life. I have hope for everything that is to come. If there is one thing that my mission taught me, it's that God loves his children. I know that he is not going to leave me to fend for myself. He has taught me how to seek him these last 18 months. That is the greatest gift I could have asked for. I know what it feels like when he speaks to me. I can recognize his hand in my life. I can feel the spirit guiding me. I am so grateful for that.

I really do love my Savior so much. I understand better than I ever have what his Atonement truly means. I am so grateful to know him personally. I love him.

I hope that all of you can feel how much he loves you. 

Have a great week!

Sister Bates

January 21, 2020

Hi everybody!

This is the first week of my last transfer. Oh how time flies... I picked up my cute new trainee from the airport last Thursday and these last few days have been a ball! We get along really well and laugh all the time! She is from Raymond and is just such an amazing missionary already! I already have so much love for her!

This week was the THIRD week in a row that church was canceled due to weather. Oh my heck. All I want to do is take the sacrament and see the members!! But we did visit a member this week who said something really wise. There is a reason why we are supposed to be making church more home centered. There are times coming in the near future where it is going to be harder to get to church, so we better know well how to have a spiritually uplifting experience in our own homes, when outside sources prevent it from happening. I am grateful for modern day revelation. I love President Nelson and his wisdom and kindness. I am already really looking forward to General Conference this upcoming April. 

We had a really great lesson with our friend Sylvia. We showed her the Rome Italy temple tour and she absolutely loved it. And then the moment came. 2 days out in the field people and my sweet little greenie asked Sylvia if she wanted to be baptized and she said yes!!! I was SO proud of sister Goodwin! That was not planned. She simply felt a prompting and followed it. We walked out of there on cloud 9! Now, she hasn't picked a solid date yet, so she is not officially on date but, it is something that she wants to work toward. I love Sylvia so very much. She is a sweet daughter of God and I just know he loves her so much. We also had a nice lesson with Carol and she told us that she wants to come to church! We really hope she does.

This week after sister Livingstone left was a bit slower because like everybody and their dog has been sick! Most of the people we are teaching have been and a lot of the members too. So we did a lot of knocking and pass bys. Not the most fun, but it's part of the work!

Sorry there is not much more to report. But I am happy and healthy and loving the mission and my new comp!

I know that the church is true. Christ lives and loves us. This mission experience has taught me more than I bargained for and I am forever grateful to my Heavenly Father for that. I know that he loves his children, because I have felt it so many times, for so many people, myself included.

I love you all!

Love sister Bates

January 15, 2020

Hi everyone! So this week was incredibly crazy because we go transfer boards and guess what? I am training! again!! I am so excited! Her name is sister Goodwin and I will be picking her up from the airport tomorrow. I am so excited!! Sister Livingstone will also be training! AND she is moving back to Montreal! She is actually going to be serving in an area that she has served in already which is cool! We were more than a little sad that we weren't staying together for my last transfer.. But we both know that Lord knows what he is doing. I can't believe that I am going to be bringing a sweet new sister missionary into her first transfer while on my final one. I think it will be good though, because I will have to work super hard! It will be good to have a lot of distractions, because I know that the inevitable is coming... My MTC comp is going home tomorrow too.. If that isn't weird, I don't know what is. 

Anyway, we had a really up and down week.. Lots of emotions! Sister Livingstone had to go and say her goodbyes to so many people and needless to say, there were a lot of tears. I am not looking forward to that... There are so many people here that I love so dearly who are going to make this extremely hard to leave... What I good problem to have.

We had lessons with almost all of our friends. In fact, we had a really good lesson with Phil! I love it when they go so smoothly like it really needed to happen. We teach so many lessons that we never see the fruits of. But sometimes I have lessons or encounters with people where the spirit tells me, wow, that really needed to happen. I love that. We taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and he loved it and believed it. I am watching his heart and mind open and expand to truths he never knew before. I have been thinking about that a lot this week. the book of Mormon contains truths and insights that we need! Discovering that the Book of Mormon is true opens us up to a universe of beautiful information far beyond those pages. Because if the book is true, then Joseph Smith comes with it. And so do all the prophets who have ever lived to testify of it too. That is a LOT of revelation friends. And it all comes back to that little blue book. I know that it's true. The fruits that have come from it far surpass any doubt that Satan could put in my mind. I have had too many experiences to ever doubt that book. 

We also had a sweet sweet lesson with probably my favorite member. She has such a tender and calm spirit and shares just the most beautiful and heartfelt testimonies with us. Some of my most spiritual confirmations and experiences have happened in her home. Nothing ever grand or glorious, but I have just had the spirit testify to me with a lot of power of a lot of things there. We always leave feeling edified and I just really want my future home to feel like hers.

Man! It just hit me again how much I love being a missionary! It is so hard! But it is so good! I am going to miss it a lot... I know that this church is true. And I know that it is lead by a living prophet. I can't imagine what my life would be like without the restoration. It would be unrecognizable. I am grateful for who Christ has helped me to become. I love him so very much, more than I ever thought possible and I am thankful for the time I have been given to serve him. It is so short... I want to make this last transfer one of miracles and obedience. Please pray for me and my new greenie. I believe in the power of faith. I love you all so much and hope the week treats you well!

much love!

Sister Bates

January 7, 2020

Another great week:) 

This Sunday was a bit odd because we got a bad snow storm the night before and so church got canceled. Kind of a bummer because Brian was all ready to come again! Next week for sure. But because the roads were so bad, our district leader counseled us to stay off of them. So we stayed inside... literally all day except for when we went out for 2 minutes to take out the recycling. Not because we needed to, but because we were literally going crazy... we called everyone we could, cleaned out our areabook, and did a bunch of other busy work. We also went through all of our ensigns and cut out all the pictures of Jesus and put them up on the wall. We literally covered an entire wall people. But it looks really cool! Also our bathtub had a leak under it apparently and it kind of flooded the poor lady downstairs... so she and our landlord came and knocked on our door to tell us when the plumber was coming and it was really weird. I have very seldom had anyone knock on MY door as a missionary! I'm always the knocker not the knockee! So that weirded us both out lol. 

Last night was incredibly cool! We went to visit this cute family that the sisters had met on exchanges and we officially picked them up! Also we stopped by this cute old lady named Marlene and picked her up too! She met us right in and we helped her put a puzzle together while we talked. She was super funny. I love cute old ladies. They are the majority of my friends at this point and I love it:) so that's 5 people in one night!! It was awesome! Things are moving along and the work is progressing in Greenwood! It feels so good to see the fruits of our labors and to see how the Lord has used me and my companion as instruments in his hands.

We weren't able to see Darlene because she got sick with the same flu that seems to be getting everyone else sick! But we are really excited to teach her the Plan of Salvation!
I'm super excited because this time next week I will know where I am going to be for my last transfer. C'est vraiment fou... I can't believe the end is coming so quickly! This transfer had FLOWN by! So I can only imagine what next transfer is going to look like. Sister Livingstone and I aren't sure what's gonna happen. Because everybody knows where I'm going in 6 weeks, but she has just one more transfer than me so if she stays here next transfer, shes probably going to die here. That's a little bit sad because we both miss French, but at the same time, I dont think I could get back into it now. I've gone too long without speaking it and it would take me a whole transfer just to get comfortable again! So I am thinking that I will end my mission here in Greenwood. I would really love that. This place and these people have my heart.
I am so grateful that the Lord called me on this mission. It has taught me exactly what I needed and more. I have been reflecting over the past year a lot. I am changed. When I compare who I am now to who I was then, it makes me grateful for all of the hardships and all of the blessings. I have also been thinking a lot about the future for obvious reasons! I am so excited to take it on with the new tools I have now. 

I love being a missionary so much. I love serving my God. I know Christ lives and that this is his church on the earth I love you all! Have a great week!
Sister Bates

December 31, 2019

Hi all!

This week was so much fun! I can't believe that Christmas has come and gone.. It was a lot of fun! We got to spend it with our sweet Yarmouth sisters! They came down and spent the night and then we all opened our presents the next morning:) We went to the Coles for a beautiful meal. It was really fun because we usually have to be in and out of member's homes in an hour but we got to spend a couple with them! Brother Cole has had a really cool life so we got to listen to all of his stories. It was my favorite thing! Then we had another appointment in the evening with another sweet sister. Unfortunately she was admitted into the hospital about 20 minutes before we got there... So we ate with her daughter. It was kind of a blessing that she invited us and the Butlers, because if we hadn't been there poor Terra would have had to spend her Christmas Eve alone. The Lord takes care of his kids. It was a beautiful evening. I was feeling a little homesick (probably because the end of my mission is coming so quickly) but I was able to feel a lot of joy in celebrating the birth of my sweet Savior.

Brian came to church for the second time and loved it so much! AND Darlene came for the first time! She loved it too! It was cool because sister Livingstone and I both spoke in sacrament meeting. I glad that they got to hear us:) I love the people we are teaching so very much! They are the best.

We got to take a trip to Montreal right after Christmas for MLC. Oh man it was fun. I love Montreal so very much! MLC was great and I took away a lot of good things that I want to start applying. I feel so incredibly blessed to work around so many great and nobel missionaries. There is always a special spirit at MLC. I got to see so many members of my MTC district! (the OG!) I love them all! It was bittersweet to say goodbye to my sweet sister Nelson. She picked the earlier date so she will be going home in 2 weeks. I am so proud of her and her Christlike service. I learned so much from her about charity and joy. How grateful I am to be blessed with such true and lifelong friends. The future's so bright.

On a funnier note, we got our keys locked inside the car at the airport so we were kinda stranded there. The elders were such good sports. They stayed with us until the security guy came, which was really kind because it already midnight (that is like super duper late in missionary terms) I am actually kind of glad it happened though because it was really really fun! We didn't get to bed until after 2 am (so the next morning wasn't quite so enjoyable lol). So you better believe we took a nice fat nap when we finally got back to Greenwood! 

Oh! AND, when we were all sitting at the airport, waiting for our flight (it was delayed) a man runs up to all of us sitting there and he asks if we are no duty. We were like, um we aren't airport workers.. (you would be surprised how many people see our tags and slacks and just assume that we are workers there haha) He said, "no, I know, I just have some questions about Mormonism and I want to ask you all since you are reliable sources" That sentence alone just made my day! Truth seekers don't settle with Wikipedia. I love that he wanted to know from us! It was the coolest experience because we all were able to teach him with such unity. I felt so proud of us. It is really cool to see missionaries in action like that. And he was just drinking it all in! His name is Thomas and he is a philosophy student in Cali. We answered his questions with doctrine and he LOVED it. He wasn't bashy at all! He just really wanted to know. I love when people have that true and honest desire. He has talked with members and missionaries before throughout his life and it is just so clear for me to see how the Lord has been preparing him. We all added him on facebook and we are going to send missionaries his way in California:) hehe I LOVE being a missionary! I love seeing how the Lord orchestrates things oh so perfectly. I love that he loves us so deeply. It is manifest in his doings. And I get to be an eyewitness of that. I am so grateful for this time the Lord has given me as a missionary for this short time. It is coming to an end all too quickly.. I can't believe it.

I hope that this week was a great one for all of you! The church is true! Christ lives!
I love you all!
Sister Bates

December 24, 2019

Salut mes amis!

Joyeux Noel!!

I am so so excited for Christmas! We did so many fun things this week! We went caroling last night at an old folks' home. There is so much power in music. Especially music about the Savior. I think I understand why people are generally happier at Christmas. Christ is everywhere! And whether people recognize it or not, it is Him they are feeling. Because the holy ghost testifies of truth. And there are a lot of opportunities for him to testify to people's hearts this time of year. Pure and simple. 

Exchanges also happened! This was sister Calls first one! I got to be with sister Christensen. It was lovely. She is a gem! I am very proud of her for training! She is doing so well too! 

We spent the morning volunteering at the Lion's club and it was great! Plus, we got a free breakfast out of it which I always enjoy hehe. This week has been so crazy busy. We have been trying to visit literally everyone before Christmas because afterwards we are going to be in Montreal. There have been so many people give us gifts! I was not expecting it! Nova Scotians are just such a kind and giving people. I love them with all my heart.

Last Sunday was lovely! Brain came to church and LOVED it!! He said that he wants to come back next week. It really seemed to change him dramatically. He called us later the next day to thank us and to ask for a ride for next week. He didn't ever do that before. It is so cool to see how the gospel (when correctly understood) changes people. It changes people's desires and makes them want to be more independent, more anxiously engaged, and more wise. It is such a relief to see honestly. Sometimes as a missionary I feel that I work SO hard trying to convince people to just come and see! Just come and taste of the fruit and then you will understand! It is a lot like pulling teeth... And lots of times, people say no. But we keep trying. And the ones who say yes make all of it worth it. I am willing to labor all of my days even if it means I can only bring one soul unto Christ because everyone needs him. This is a soulsick world, but Christ is the master healer. I have come to know more about my Savior during these past 16 months than I have the whole rest of my life combined. I love my Savior. I have a testimony of his reality and I know that he lives. I know this because of the experiences I have had with him. He is always on my side. I know that he is not just cheering us on from the finish line, he is running with us. I have felt his help in a very real way. I love him. My favorite line from O Little Town of Bethlehem is:

"The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight"

Almost 2020 years ago, God gave us his matchless gift. And because of him, all will be made right and there can be joy in our hearts always.

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and that you all can feel him near you this week and always. He loves us, and nothing will ever change that truth.

Love, sister Bates

December 17, 2019

Hello hello!

Alright everyone, this week was probably the greatest week in the mission because SO many great things happened! First off, we had our Christmas zone conference this week and it was so much fun! WEdrove up with the Yarmouth sisters which was a party. Sister Call is sister Christensen's new trainee and she is just the cutest! I am so lucky to be over such great sisters. We each brought a gift and did a gift exchange. It was wild! There was a talent show and I was so impressed by all of the talent that is in our zone! I love all these missionaries. I never thought I would ever have so many friends haha!
We also had a really great lesson with Silvia! We showed up and she had presents waiting for us under her tree! It was so sweet of her! It said from Silvia and Loner (the cat) hehe! We had a super great lesson with her and showed her the Christ Child video. She LOVED it!
We had supper with a nonmember too! His name is Patrick. We met him a couple weeks ago because elder Hatch told us to go back and visit him so we did! and he invited us over for shrimp and scallops! When we got there, there was another couple from France!! French!! We get so excited when we get the chance to use our French! They said that we sounded fluent like we had been speaking for years. That made me feel so good about myself even though I'm sure she was just being nice haha! We had a really good conversation with them and watched the Christ Child video. (Seriously if you have not seen this video, go watch it right now! It's so powerful!)
We also met a cool guy named Doyle who said we could come back, so that was great!
One of my favorite parts of this week was that we had a super great lesson with Brian in a member's home AND my brother jesse got to call in and help us teach him! I am so glad he did, because when Jesse bore his testimony about fasting, it really clicked with Brian. He explained it exactly the way that Brian needed to hear it to understand it! Oh my goodness I am so so proud of him. He is going to be a stellar missionary!! I am so proud to be the sister of such a good young man. He is going to see miracles and become such a powerful tool in the Lord's hands.

We also got a call this week froma a woman named Darlene. She told us that she had some questions for us and that she was looking to "join the Latter Day Saints" I remember that she had been found several months ago by sister Clark on exchanges but we hadn't been able to get ahold of her so nothing ever really came out of it. But anyways, we went over and it turns out that she is the neighbor of one of the members here! In fact, this member had told us about her neighbor on several occasions. When we saw all of the ways this worked put we knew that this was no coincidence. I don't think I have ever met anyone so truly prepared. We came in there and she told us that she had already decided to stop smoking and drinking coffee and anything else that was required to become a member. She had been talking with her aunt who is a member in New Minas and she really wants to become a part of this church. She has been through some really really hard things and it is so easy to see how the Lord has been preparing her for this moment in her life. She has no idea how much joy and blessings await her. I have so much love for her and I can feel how much the Savior loves her too.

I know that the Lord knows us. He knows our trials he knows our victories, he knows us. he has known us since before this whole thing started and he has everything worked out for us to succeed gloriously. I can't articulate the love he has for us because it's not of this world. But I know how it feels and I never want to leave him. I just really know that he knows what we need and every single thing he does is for us and for our joy. I love my Savior. I know that he lives. I know who I am to him and it makes me want to be better

Love, sister Bates

December 10, 2019

Hello everyone!

Well this week has been pretty crazy! It was really funny, transfers took place last Thursday and sister Livingstone and I thought that we were going to get away with having a normal day, buuut. We got a call at about 8:15 in the evening from the APs telling us that we had to drive to Halifax and stay with the Sackville sisters so that we could drive them to the airport the next morning. We were like... OKay! SO we went home, packed a day bag and drove there. The Sackville sisters were whitewashing out and elders would be coming into the apartment, so we ended up cleaning and clearing the apartment out and helping them finish packing until about 12:30 (That is REALLY late in missionary standards let me tell ya!) And then we got up at 4🙃 It was great though because I got to say goodbye to sister Clark and sister Burton! I love those two ladies! They served such honorable missions and I know that the Lord is so pleased with their efforts. We saw our sweet sister Bromley off to Ottawa to be an STL (woot!) and sister Sanchez off to Montreal to whitewash! I am so proud of them! After that, we made the drive home, and then completely crashed for a very needed 3 hour nap, haha. So that was a very interesting few days! WE had a super fun Relief Society activity on Saturday where sister Butler taught us how to make chocolates! Oh my goodness she has such a talent! They were divine! she gave us so many and they are already gone... But life is meant to be enjoyed! Sunday night we were encouraged to watch the Christmas devotional, which on this side of the coast, started at 9:00 haha! SO we stayed up late many times this week! It was fun though, we were able to watch it at our ward mission leader's house.

There were many times this week that both sister Livingstone and I felt very spirit lead. It was interesting because usually it was just one of us and then the other had the faith to follow. There was a lady that we knocked into this one evening who was not interested at all, but then she just started crying at the door and told us that the first anniversary of her grandson's death was coming up. She told us that she felt like God sent us to her at that moment and I think she was right. We ended up saying a prayer with her right there on her doorstep. It was a very sweet experience. A couple days later after the chocolate making activity, we decided that we should stop by and give her a few. She was happy to see us and she told us that she had been sharing the Christ Child video with everyone she knew! We were so excited about that because we know how strongly it brings the spirit.

Last night, we had a couple of minutes before we had to meet with a member and so we decided to knock this door. The lady was super nice and she told us that many years ago she had actually lived with a member family and was SO close to being baptised. It was just so cool! We hope to start working with her:)

I really know that the Lord is super aware of each of us individually and he has so much in store for each one of us. There is a line in one of my favorite songs, Seeing for the first time, by Britt Nicole where she says 

"How many years did you plan this moment here, to show me that you loved me?"

I know that God loves us. I have felt it and it's real. I know that he has so many plans in the works to show us that He loves us and to bring us unto him. I love him!

I hope you guys have a great week!

Love, sister Bates

December 4, 2019

Salut à tous!

This week has been lovely! We got transfer boards! and guess what?? I'm staying in Nova Scotia with sister Livingstone! Woohoo!! We are both so excited to be staying together for Christmas! I am so so happy. I love sister Livingstone! And I really love this area. I am excited to see what this next transfer holds and what the Lord has in store for me. I have two transfers left and then I'm home...Crazy! 

Oh gosh, we had a super cool thing happen! So on our last exchange, we ran into a super cute Nigerian family. We got their number, but they haven't responded yet. sad. BUT- sister Livingstone posted a bible ad and the first person to request one, was the dad!!! It was incredible! So last night, we went and delivered it to them and offered to come back and talk more about Christ and they said yes! 

Also, our district leader elder Hatch started his mission here in Greenwood, and now that he is going home (like tomorrow) he has been sending us all of these people that he found that we need to go and visit. So we passed by this one guy named Patrick who was SO COOL. He let us right in and talked to us about his travels. He is such a cool dude!! So that was at the beginning of the week. Then just yesterday, we got a call from this guy and he invited us over for dinner, haha! He's gonna make us seafood, I'm so excited!! He also asked us if we could watch the Christ Child video we talked about before. We were like uh- yeah we can! There are so many awesome people here. I am honestly so blessed to be here.

Brian is still doing great. We had a really great lesson with him in the chapel. The spirit was super strong. The members that have met him just love him. He is progressing slowly but surely. We hope to get him to church soon. I really know that God loves his children. I know that he is proud of us and our humble little efforts.

Sorry this email is short. But life is good and I am happy:)

I love you all!