So, this past school semester has been interesting, but I think that it is safe to say that I have learned a lot and the adjustment from Kentucky to here has been rough, but good. Overall, good things and bad things have passed, but I have learned from them all.  I took a class this semester in the hopes of improving my ability to plan and be financially secure.  Let's be real!  I took the class to make sure that I had my crap together and with the hopes that I would be able to not let anything blindside me.  So, there I sat for an entire semester working on projects, reading chapters, not exactly everything that I wanted to do all the time.  However, looking back I am starting to see some of the benefits that came along with the class.
Anyway, as part of the class I was assigned a topic, asked to write a research paper on said topic, present on said topic, and do a project associated with that same topic.  Of course, I get gender gap, earnings gap, and the glass ceiling.  Well, thanks to the wisdom of my English teacher, I had learned that a research paper can have a twist, therefore, I set off to make this something that I was passionate about and something that I enjoyed.  The paper finished, and I found myself preparing to write the outline for my presentation.  Once again, trying to find a twist other than just the same old raise awareness.
I, eventually, came to the conclusion that it was more important for everyone to focus on developing individual talents and become the best them that they could be.  So, I set off to find ways to accomplish that goal.
Then, once again, I got reminded of my practitioner project, a project meant to implement the things that I researched in a plan of action.  I was not exactly excited, but I was determined to do something that I would enjoy doing.  I was at school to learn for crying out loud!  I thought through all of the different projects that I could do.  I could hand out brochures. My heart wasn't in it.  I could make a blog, nobody reads my school blogs.  What could I do that I actually cared about, that would make a difference and help others in some way.
I thought about all of the things that were important to me, and it hit me.  I could teach others how to learn more effectively and how to retain information that they learned.  This was something that I had been working on my whole life, and...well... why not!?
I put together a powerpoint presentation that I would use to teach those around my, and then, with my newly found love for human anatomy, especially the brain, I would teach someone the information and then evaluate it.  I took a few classes from an online course and compiled information that my teachers had taught me over the years.
I then used some of that time to study for a brain anatomy test that I was going to be having in anther class. I tried to condense that information into a small study guide and short lesson plan.  I gave that study guide to my siblings before coming home on Easter and made them fill it out.  Much to my amazement, the paper was extremely full of information and detailed diagrams of the brain, and what they filled out (Lafe even cited his sources).
Then I taught them all the techniques, and the biology and psychology,  for successful learning, many of which they already knew.   I then taught them about the brain.  I was expecting them to be bored. I expected it to get over with little to no questions.  Whether to make me feel good or because they may have actually enjoyed it, I am not sure, but they asked a lot of great questions and had some great responses.  In the end I came to the realization that I was using the BYUI learning model.  The model consists of preparation, teach one another, and ponder/prove.  They were able to prepare, learn and then they took a test over the information.
It was really cool to see how others learn and to see how everyone learns the same things.  It was a fun project and I learned some interesting things.  Although I was unable to see the full results, because Kali and Lafe were in school and finals week has yet to end.
Overall, learning is really important and helps us develop our skills and abilities.  As we develop these skills and abilities, we can contribute more to society and the world. I just seem to keep learning that.  Learning is amazing!

The Plan and Change-Week ?

I guess that you could say that it is time for me to finally take that step back into social media.  I think that clicking the “like” button is not doing too much for anyone anymore, because lets be real no too many people go through the list to see who liked it, it is usually just the number that draws people’s attention.

To be honest, I have not known what to say.  The amount of feelings that race through me are overwhelming to me.  It seems that every step that I take back into the world that I live in is one step away from the world that I loved for 18 months, and a world that I had to leave, but that I did not want to leave behind! 

The last 18 months of my life taught me so much.  I learned to love!  I learned to embrace change, and awkward.  I learned that humility is not the absence of confidence, but rather the excess of confidence in God.  I learned that charity truly is the pure love of Christ.  I just started to understand and see the plan of God and what it means.  I got to watch people as they learned, understood, and embraced their potential.  I watched as we all got tried, testing, and pushed to the max.  I also experienced the love joy, and happiness that came with all of those who embraced the truth.  I saw change, and I changed. 

 In reality, there is so much to say and so few words that bear the meaning significant enough to say it.  Despite the words of so many English teachers, there really are no words to express how I feel.

“Are you adjusting?”  “How are you feeling?” “What was it like?”  These are all questions that seem to be repeated and found often in the everyday conversations that I have.  To the “What was it like?”  There are not words to express my feelings toward my mission.  Amazing!  Humbling!  Incredible!  Spiritual!  Full of miracles!  Faith building! Faith testing!  Learning!  All are words that have nowhere near enough impact to explain how I feel.  Each word has so much behind it, so many stories and feelings that I cannot express in all the words I know, in either language.  I think that it is better explained by the way that I feel, and those feelings can only be backed up by the amount of love that I truly have for these incredible people.  I miss them and love them all so much!

As for the questions, “are you adjusting?” and “how are you feeling?”  The truth is no!  No, I am not adjusting!  I miss these people and my Kentucky life more than I can express. I miss the amazing people that I got to know.  I miss their faith!  I miss their conviction!  I miss their ability to change!  I miss their insight, their love, and their knowledge!  I miss their kindness!  I miss getting to see them, as small as it may have been, a little how God saw them.  I miss focusing every minute of every day attempting to help them see their potential and then trying to provide them with the tools to do so.  I miss calling upon God for the well-being of their souls.  I miss having noticing his hand in every second of my life, every single day.  I miss being so aware of my Heavenly Father and of His son Jesus Christ.  I miss seeing the world through clearer eyes.  I miss the green trees and blue rivers, and dare I say it, I miss the cockroaches.  I miss the awkward that I embraced.  I miss the bike riding, and the helmets.  I miss the daily self-evaluations, and the long conversations that I had with God every night as I would fall asleep.  I guess that it is safe to say, that it is not the same here and now!

So am I adjusting?  NO!  The answer is a huge big fat no!  And I want it that way!  This life was not meant to be experienced just to go back to the way things were.  I have learned too much for that. God has so much more in mind for us than that.  He has so much more planned for us, and so much more waiting on the other side.  He sent His Son to break that chains that held us back, to hold our hands through the light times, to guide us through the dark times, and to carry us through the times that we can’t go anymore.

It is hard changing!  Now, my focus is to help people through my education.  I have to study, and remember that I am here to learn, not to get a grade.  I have to remember that a person is worth more than a grade.  I have to remember that my scriptures carry more weight in the eternal scheme of things than my DNA text. 

However, different it may be, the purpose is still the same, find truth, hold on to truth, and use the truth that you receive to build others up, bring them to Christ, and keep moving forward.  The purpose is to progress and to help others continue to progress.  The purpose is to become more kind, more thoughtful, more intelligent, and more the person that I need to be in the sight of God.  Although, it can be hard to remember those motives, and to remember the why behind it all that is what brings true happiness.  Happiness that is surpassed by the happiness promised by books, that Pinterest post, facebook, or that ad on the brownie box.

So am I adjusting to the life that I left behind?  No!  Am I changing back, and getting used to the ways things used to be?  No!  And I never ever will, and I pray that I will never ever go back!  The girl that was here 19 months ago, should be long gone!  The girl that read Kentucky Louisville on a special piece of paper is not the same.  However, Heather Gamett is still here.  She has just changed, and as hard as it is, she knows that she still has to change.  There is so much still to learn.  Although, I had to leave that wonderful place and those wonderful people to continue on, I know that I need to keep going.  I can always continue on!  That is the beauty of the gospel.  That is the beauty God’s plan! ! 

"Heavenly Father offers to you the greatest gift of all—eternal life—and the opportunity and infinite blessing of your own “happily ever after.”-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Week 76 - December 14, 2015 - Evansville, Indiana

Dear Friends and Family,

This week has been a great week!  There have been a lot of amazing things that have happened this week, and many lessons learned. 

Life has been good to me.  As I came into this area, there were a few thoughts that entered my head.  One of which was what God wanted me to do in that area. What did God want me to do here?  What did He expect of me here? I had been in other areas where I had specific jobs.  I knew that the Lord had specific plans for me here, also.  As I sought that out, some specific thoughts came to me.  One of which came before I hit the area - work with members ( a little rough when you speak Spanish in an English ward), and I sent you here to baptize.  That is your calling right now!  I found that so interesting, and I was excited!  It is interesting.  Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end.  I had had that opportunity to help in many of those areas in others' lives, and baptism was supposed to be the main focus here.  So we worked and worked, and as companions came and went, more things would happen.  The ward started to like us more.  We started to build relationships with them.  I found myself caring more and more about them, and wanting to help them out!  I love this ward!  Then, as we kept going, the idea of a branch become our missionary goal.  We were all on board.  Then our ward mission leader said that that was not the goal.  It was integration.  Well, we went to work.  If we were going to integrate, we were going to do it right!  So, we really got going on better English Classes.  We invited, and got as many people as possible there.  We worked and worked on different things.  Pretty soon, an amazing Spanish couple moved in.  The wife was from Idaho, so of course they were great!  He was called to be the Spanish Liaison.  As that went through, we started with a few meetings.  We were both new to it all, but started as best as we could.  It was so great!  The ward started to get excited too.  We put together some Spanish things and ideas.  Before we knew it, our Christmas party was Spanish style.  They put a Spanish twist to it all.  It was so amazing! And it brought in the Spanish members, and people! 

Things continued to progress, and this Sunday was one of the best days of my life.  As you all know, on November 8th Carmelo and Carlos got baptized.  A miracle all in itself!  Brother Rupert helped so much, and kept them busy every week with FHE on Monday, and Home teaching on Tuesday!  They are amazing members, and they have such an amazing light that is just growing!  Their mother became interested, and many more miracles happened.  Anyway, yesterday was the Christmas program!  And it was incredible.  We watched as the nativity (program helped to be made by yours truly) was read in English, and then wait for it...in Spanish by a member that has started to come back-Jose.  It was incredible, and I realized how special each child of God was, and how each was special-no matter the language! 

Right after the program, I talked to sister Solorio and just sat and enjoyed this time!

Right after, we were able to accompany Carmelo and Carlos to the Bishop's office so that they could receive the priesthood.  That afternoon, Carmelo baptized his mother.

This was an incredible thing!  To see so much happen here. I feel so privileged to be able to see the Lord work through these people, for the people that I love so so so much! 

I know that the Lord has a Plan for each of His children.  He really loves them, and wants them to have so many blessings!  He has a perfect plan for each of us, if we only choose to come unto Him.  We have the way to get to Him!  He loves us, and will help us with everything!  He will care for us, and if we dispel all fear, if we choose to let Him change us, we can become what He wants, and we can have the Joy that He wants us to have!  I have only felt a little of the love that He is capable of giving them, but that is the thing that is amazing! The small part that I feel, is more than I can handle.

I love my mission, I love these people.  I love the Gospel, and I love God's plan and the knowledge that we have of the Savior.

I love you all, and will see you all soon!

Love Hermana Gamett     

Week 74 - November 30, 2015 - Evansville, Indiana

Hello hello,

This week was a great week!  We had some miracles! And we have had some interesting times!  So I am aware that my letters are all study,

but I think that it is safe to say that email times are the best time to recap, and the best studies! 

Anyway, this past week has been a little rough.  We got news this week that we were going to have to move back a baptismal date.  That is not

news that we wanted to get, and of course, I let it get to me. All the negative things just hit me, and I was super sad about it all. Anyway, we set up the lesson later, and found out that she had been living the commandment for at least a month.  It was such a faith builder.  She is so prepared for the gospel, and she is willing to do anything that

she needs to.  I just love her, and am so happy for her!

We had Thanksgiving this week! It was good.  I tried to take a nap, but failed!  We went and ate with a family, and then went to the recent converts.  Then we had coordination.  Yah!  The ward mission leader doesn't rest!  He is amazing! Hermana Larson got sick, and has been pretty sick since.  So we did a Skype lesson, and did what we call phone tracking.  We worked when she could, but then we realized that she needed to stop and get better, so slow and steady. 

I love you all a ton!

Hermana Gamett

Happy Birthday, Liam, Madi, Autumn, and Dallin!!!

Congratulations on your baptism, Hazel!!!

Week 73 - November 23, 2015 - Evansville, Indiana

Dear Family,

I hope that all has been going well for you this week!  I have learned so many amazing things this week.  Magi accepted a baptismal date, as well as Maria.  We are so excited, and so excited for everything to happen.  Things are amazing, and we are seeing so many miracles!

----------------------------Pride--------------------------

So this week was full of fun adventures.  Many miracles, lessons, and busy times.  This week was also exchanges!  I got to go to Jasper with Sister Patterson.  We started our missions together in the same district so that was fun to be with her!  We were driving somewhere and we started talking about the things that we have learned on our missions. One thing interesting that she said was pride, and its many forms.  I thought a lot about that, and it just rang so true to me.  That has been the bane of my existence!  The source of all of my problems.  The charity and humility killer, The Father of failure, and the Shamer of success. Basically, my biggest enemy!

     So, what is pride?  Naturally, I have to turn to my good old "Beware of Pride" talk (which I have had for years, and it seems to have a ton of depth- the most simple are the most complex).

"The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen."  

So what does that mean?  Pride is exactly what I was striving to fight against from the beginning.  I have wanted to face God, and do His will.  Who knew that I was being a pride killer!? :) Anyway, the struggle to do that is hard.  It is not something that is easy.  That also means that we must give up our ability to appease man, and those around us, and strive to please God!

"Our will, in competition to God’s will, allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled."-What are our motives?

"Our enmity toward God takes on many labels"-what are we labeled?  Do we care?  Does it actually matter?

C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.”

"Fear of men’s judgment manifests itself in competition for men’s approval."- Facing God?

"There is, however, a far more common ailment among us—and that is pride from the bottom looking up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as fault finding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous."

There are so many different and amazing things learned here.  Actually, a lot of  this is coming from what I am learning right now, so personal study # 2. So, who are we?  Are we pitting ourselves against man, and are we in a constant power struggle?  Do we strive to stay away from competition of others, or do we strive to refrain from judging other people?  Judging is also a large form of pride, and a killer of Charity.  I think that is when we have to ask ourselves the real question.  Are we becoming like Christ, or are we becoming a person that wants to be perceived like Christ?  That was the desire which got Satan thrown out of Heaven.  Who are we?  What are our motives? 

I have been contemplating these things, as of right now, with a start this week.  I have been struggling with many things, many of which are frustrating me to death!  I do not like it, but I have to deal with it, and honestly I should be thankful for it!  Anyway, I have had this constant battle.  Although it is not generally me pitting myself against others, there are times that I find that I pit myself against myself.  Who I was, who I think that I should be, or maybe who I think that others expect me to be.  That is not the plan of God.  Pitting myself for who I was, is denying repentance, and pitting myself against who I will be, is fear of the future.  I cannot be in fear.  I cannot be full of pride.  As Sister Patterson said,  "Pride manifests itself in many different ways!"  Once you kill one piece of it, God lets you start to see other ways that it affects you. And every aspect that you start to kill allows your vision to match just a little closer with the vision and sight of God!

As the weeks have past, I have been striving to really change to really repent - to make a real change, a real change of heart!  To become- not only to do, but really become.  I guess that means to wipe pride away.  Maybe the definition of perfection is the elimination of pride, which allows for complete humility, and perfect submissiveness to the Father.  That is the goal!

So, searching for those weaknesses is a big thing that we have to learn how to overcome.  I have discovered some of my biggest weaknesses these last few months and I guess you could say my character flaws. Yep!  And to destroy them is difficult!  That is what we must do, though - be submissive enough to allow God to come in and make us strong.  We have to be submissive enough to allow God to keep our strengths, and not let them become subject to our pride and therefore become our weakness. (Ether 12:27)  We have to eliminate pride.  That is our quest!  That is our dream and desire!  Everything that we do should be to please the Father, and to eliminate pride! 

So, part of allowing yourself to submit to God, is to allow yourself to do what the spirit says to do, no matter what!  Story time!!!  This week we had a lesson with Magi!  She is one of my favorite people ever, and I just love her so much.  So we stopped at the apartment complex to see another family, and decided that we were going to bring "The Family a Proclamation to the World" with us.  They were unable to meet so we headed over to Magi.  We went in and  for some reason none of us could start the lesson.  Later, we heard everybody else's conflicting thoughts, but we just could not do it.  We listened to her talk for a while.  She is an angel and the most mature 14 year old that I know, but just kept talking.  Quite a few times I saw the fasting pamphlet in my bag and then I saw the family proclamation.  I thought FAMILIES, but then I remembered that we had set up a lesson in a members home to talk about that.  So, I just kept refraining.  Stupid, I know!  Anyway, finally it just came out "Magi, what are your goals?"  A question that I had asked before.  We talked, and I realized that I needed to add the word spiritual in there.  We talked about it, and she talked about the importance of family to her.  Hermana Bown happened to drop her family proclamation pamphlet on the ground, and, in her words, was just too lazy to pick it up! After a few interruptions, Magi saw it, and grabbed it.  We read it a little, and she said, "So that means that in your church you don't have the words 'till death do we part'".  No, Magi, we do not.  Life can go forever WITH our family!  She said a lot of really cool things, and has noticed the families in the church, and wants to raise a family in the church!  She also said that she wants to know more and go to church every week.  If she is committed, she wants to be committed.  We talked about the temple, and that was that.  Magi has had some amazing lessons in the past, and is so incredible.  She has some amazing people in her life, and has a super bright future.  On Sunday night, she came to us, and said that she had for sure decided to get baptized!  She is amazing! I can't even explain how much I love that chica!  

Well, more to say, but I think that you all have had enough of me today!

 I love y'all,

Hermana Gamett  

Week 72 - November 16, 2015 - Evansville, Indiana

This week has been a great week!  We are learning a lot, and I can just say that God has an amazing and interesting plan for each and every one of us.  Transfer calls were Saturday, and we both felt that something was going to change, but we were not sure what.  Throughout the day, we waited, but then we gave up, and just kept going.  At 9:15 we got a phone call informing us that we were going to have a 3rd companion!  And she is great!  She started her mission here, and then I served really closely with her in Hikes!  We have a blast!  It has been quite the adventure getting her a bed, and fitting our lifestyles all together!  She has lots of chocolate so... it works out well!  It is just the change that we needed, and it is great!

My whole mission I have been learning about charity.  I have been learning about love and caring about all of these amazing people.  I came out on my mission to be able to share what I have received with God's children, and I had no idea how much it would really impact me.  I had no idea how much love I would develop for those here!

Of course, it all started in Owensboro, and I had the opportunity to see some of those people this week!  Incredibly, they remembered me.  I was only there for 3 months, but they changed my life!  I think about all the people that still mean so much to me there, and how much I care about them!  I then think about all of the people there that I loved so much.  How many times my heart was broken.  How many tears I shed for those amazing people.  How many connections that I have tried so hard to keep.  I love them so much!

I am catching a new aspect of Charity here.  As usual, I am trying to pray for charity!  I am starting to see how much people mean to God.  I read a quote that said something along the lines of "Through the Holy Ghost you can see others as God does".  I am starting to learn all of that!  Everyone has potential.  Everyone desires to be loved.  Everyone has different talents and abilities, and who are we to say that they are not good enough.  I have had so many missionaries, companions, investigators, and members who have had rough pasts, hard trials, or things that they are struggling with, too.  Why should I make any judgement unless it is in a way that I can help them?  Why should I ever say or do anything that would not lift them up?  That is seeing others through God's eyes;  Seeing their potential and helping them reach it!  I love these people so much!  That has been one of the greatest lessons that I have ever learned!

So, the past two weeks, church has been on not judging.

We had an interesting lady try to read our palms-shut that one down fast!

We had an incredible lesson with Esteban and Maggy!  We had the confirmation of Carmelo and Carlos, and their Mom wants to be taught and get baptized.  This area is seeing miracles!

Love you all a ton,

Hermana Gamett

Congratulations on your baptism, Justin!

CURRENT ADDRESS:

3240 East Tamarack Court #607

Evansville, Indiana 47715

Week 71 - November 9, 2014 - Evansville, Indiana

Dear Everyone,

I hope that you have all had a wonderful week!  I hope that you were able to see lots of miracles!  This week was crazy.  We had so much going on this fabulous week.  It was an amazing week!

One of the most amazing things this week was an exchange with Hermana Magalei.  I have missed her so much, and have just needed to talk to her.  We got together, and reminisced in the old times.  It felt so good to be around her.  She builds people up so much, and she is so honest with me.  We nicely enjoyed lessons, and companion study, and spiritual conversation.  We also enjoyed eating chocolate molten cake just like back in the day!  I have missed her so much, so naturally we just talked forever.  It was amazing!  It helped remind me of who I am and my purpose and made me think of the things that I must strive to do better.  It was great!

So, off of that, we had an amazing zone conference the next Friday!  I had so many questions answered and I realized a lot!

So, the great things all lead up to an amazing day on Sunday.  On Sunday, we headed to church.  There were so many people there!  We counted at least 24 people who were Hispanic or in Hispanic families.  We saw a ton of amazing people!  We ran out of headphones!  The amazing thing is that they all came for a baptism that night.  The word got out, and everyone from everywhere came.  That is what I love so much about the people that I serve with.  They do amazing things!  They are amazing support.  So, we had a Spanish Baptism.  We, basically, had to invent some of it, seeing as how it would be in Spanish, but the ward speaks English, the investigator's mom speaks Spanish, and many people there would be speaking Spanish.  So, basically, there were some interesting things going on.  Spanglished the baptism!  The ordinance happened, and they felt good so it all went well.  We had tres leches and tortas there.  It was great!  All went well.

I wish that I had more time to write everything this week, but I don't.  Oh!  And other news, we waited all day Saturday to see what was going to happen to our area.  Something needed to change and I wasn't sure what was going to happen.  We waited all day. I was stressed out.  I found out that I will be staying here, but at 9:20 we got a call informing us that we will be in a trio.  We are excited for that!  It is something new, but I get to stay in an area that I love so much!  I am super excited!

Anyway, that was my amazing week in a nutshell.  Thank you so much for the great packages.  We loved them and still used them to celebrate Halloween late!   I love you all a ton!

Love,

Hermana Gamett

Happy Birthday, Hazel!