Happy Halloween

Highlights of this week...

1. We had FHE with a recent convert and her husband is now interested in taking the lessons so we watched the Restoration video and it was great

2. The ward had a Fall Festival + Trunk or Treat! So much fun. They had games and a costume parade with treats first and then the trunk or treat. There were so many people it was awesome. Brother and Sister Pierce that had us over for FHE with s'mores a few weeks ago were in charge of face paint. Brother Pierce painted the golden plates on my face!

3. We were going to have a lesson with the Walkers in the ward and they responded back and asked if we wanted to carve pumpkins with them too. We said heck yes! I was so excited I got to carve Pumpkin Pete! I love the Walkers they are a hoot.

4. Bro. Whitman is still on track for baptism. We had a lesson with him on Thursday. Saturday was the last day he could have coffee or cigars because the mission rule is they need to be clean 3 weeks prior to the baptism. So Saturday night he smokes his last cigar and drank his last cup of coffee and now he is done. I am so proud of him. Sunday night we went over and gave him his baptism calendar! We are thinking his baptism is going to be like Brooke's and it will need to be in the chapel.

5. Sister Pope and I really connected this week. She opened up to me and we are able to work a lot better now. I am so grateful for her.

6. We helped a family in the ward move -  the Chadwicks - and they are great. They are moving to Orting and that is where Elder Duncan is serving and so we made sure they helped them move in.

7. We taught a lesson to the youth at church along with Brother Suttle (WML) and another ward missionary. It went really well - we taught about the success of an invitation and the power of caring.

8. We had dinner with some great families this week, like always, and taught lessons to some less actives.

I am so excited for tonight...the ZONE ACTIVITY!!! We are going to play volleyball, basketball, four square, and make caramel apples.

Also last p-day Sister Pope found some awesome videos. On lds.org if you see the picture will Dallin H. Oaks and click on the article, scroll to the bottom and you will see 7 new videos! I LOVE THEM!!!!

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Wynder

Pete the Pumpkin

The Golden Plates

AN APOSTLE OF THE LORD

Hello Family,

This weekend was unforgettable! Elder Rasband, Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Bishop Waddell, and Elder Call visited the mission. 

When they walked into the room, we all stood, they walked into the front of the room and all the missionaries lined up to shake their hands. I am now one handshake away from the prophet! President and Sister Rasmussen spoke first and bore their testimonies. Elder Call spoke about how the struggles missionaries go through to gain a true testimony is a privilege. Sister Call bore testimony and focused on the scripture John 14:27.

Bishop Waddell taught about the difference between SERVING a mission and GOING on a mission. He also used the parable taught in Matthew 25:35-45 about serving outward as the Savior would. Reminded me of Elder Bednar's talk called "Character of Christ." 

Elder Clayton taught about the Book of Mormon and how it is proof of the truth. He went through the Introduction: Last two paragraphs of the Book of Mormon. He said that if the formula to know if the Book of Mormon is true is followed the evidence will be given. 

Elder Rasband taught a lot about the key holders in the beginning. He explained how the Savior holds all the keys not even President Monson has all of them. He transitioned into the talk he asked us to read in preparation to the training. It was one of his talks titled "The Divine Call of a Missionary" he answered some questions and it was really cool to read and hear from him about his experience with assigning missionaries. He told us that he will be assigning 300 missionaries on Wednesday. Now there are 78,000 missionaries serving right now. He also talked about how President Monson calls missionaries, The twelve apostles assign missionaries, and the mission president continues to assign missionaries to the specific areas. He also told us to NEVER whine about assignments, areas, or companions, but ask Heavenly Father "what can I learn?" Lastly he taught about OBEDIENCE! The best way to correct obedience is to focus on the life of Jesus Christ. One of my favorite quotes he said was "The more you learn about Him, the more you will know Him. The more you know Him, the more you love Him. The more you love Him, the more you serve Him." As he was saying this everyone was writing down what he was saying but my eyes were locked on Elder Rasband - I think I was one of the only missionaries that had their head up. He looked right at me as he finished saying those words. Lastly, he said "The leaders of the Church are no strangers to HIS voice." The spirit just hit me when he said that. 

I know that these men are called of God and that Elder Rasband is truly an Apostle of the Lord. 

I also realized I need to read the Doctrine and Covenants more all of them referred to and read scriptures from D&C - so many promises and blessings of missionary work! 

On Sunday we had a special Stake Conference with Bishop Waddell, The stake patriarch, and the Seattle Temple Preisdent and the Matron. It was so powerful. 

Brother Whitman is still on date for baptism! We went over to his house after the stake conference. He had shoulder surgery this week and so he wasn't able to go to the conference because he was so loopy from pain medication - which was hilarious. 

We did have more cancellations with Taylor and Joyce but it is okay that is just part of missionary work. 

Love you so much,

Sister Wynder

The Washington Federal Way mission wtih Elder Rasband and other general authorities (Bryn is on the second row to the right of the center of the picture)

 Ready for the meeting with Elder Rasband!

Things are Looking Up

Hello,

First, I am staying in Sumner with Sister Pope, and this past week has been exciting...

On Tuesday we went to the pumpkin patch and it was grand. I named my pumpkin, Pete.

We had Zone Meeting on Wednesday and the focus was Christ-like attributes. I studied Hope and Patience the following week to prepare for it. I was reading in Ether 12:34 where it says  "a more excellent hope..." I thought how can I have that. So I studied in the topical guide which than led me to Romans 15:4,13 - I love these scriptures because it helped me understand that I can have that hope as I read the scriptures and feel peace through the Holy Ghost. Later that day we were tracting and we found a young family. The mom owns a t-shirt company and she was wearing a shirt that said "Not today Satan!" I was thinking to myself - Amen! We have a lesson with them tomorrow so I will keep you posted.

At Zone Meeting we also found out that ELDER RASBAND, BISHOP WADELL, AND ELDER CLAYTON are coming to the mission on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!! We get to meet with them for 2 hours.

We also found a new investigator named Joyce she is an 84 year old smoker that use to be a professional snake hunter...she has never been bit though, I know that is what you were thinking. 

This week we were visiting a returning inactive and her kids that are also inactive. She has been to church about 5 or 6 times now. But I felt so guilty afterwards because we stayed a little longer than we should have. I thought what was the point of that visit, we talked a lot but didn't really help them progress. But on Sunday we talked to her at church and she was really surprised that her 11 year old son was in the living room talking with us and was comfortable because it takes him a while to open up to people. She told us that she wants us to start teaching "her the lessons" while her kids are there so they can be involved too without having the lessons being directed at them. It was such a blessing! 

So on Sunday night we didn't get a call saying that we were getting transferred. I was kind of confused because I was honestly not sure why I am still in Sumner. Monday during lunch I was having a hard time, missing my family, and was ready to be in a new area. I got down on my knees and asked Heavenly Father what I need to accomplish in Sumner and that I will do whatever he asks me to do. I felt better and went on with the day. We had a lesson with a recent convert and her husband that isn't a member sat in on the lesson. I was kind of nervous because in the past when his wife was taking the lessons he would be rude to the sisters or would be almost anti towards the church. However, his heart has been softening towards the church this past year. We eased into asking him if he wants to learn more and that we won't pressure him to get baptized. He said he would like to take the lessons and told us we could come back tomorrow for a lesson. That was another miracle.

We had dinner with the Conines - love that family. They are rockstars and a funny story that also happened was we ran out of toilet paper on Saturday so we would go to the church to use the bathroom. While we were about to leave she asked us if we needed anything and we said toilet paper so she got us a big pack and we are all set for this coming week. That was another miracle - haha.

We had a lesson with a less active family at 8pm. After we got out of the lesson around 8:40 we had 2 missed calls and voicesmails from Sister Whitman and Brother Terry (the 1st counselor in the bishopric and the Whitman's home teacher). There was also a text from Sister Whitman saying I need Sister Wynder to call as soon as possible. I was kind of freaking out because I had no idea what was going on. We called Sister Whitman back and Brother Whitman answered. He then told me that he was getting baptized on November 19th! I was shocked and almost started crying I was so happy. We drove over to their house and they explained that Brother Terry and Brother Feller came over to give him a blessing for his surgery on Thursday and that Brother Terry asked him if he had thought more about getting baptized before they move. He then pulled out his calendar and said you thinking October or November? Brother Whitman said November and they concluded with the 19th. We then called Sister Hollingsworth to tell her the good news and she had a similar reaction to me. Brother Whitman also explained that he was sitting in church on Sunday and one of the talks just made him think why am I not a member already? It clicked for him and he is sold. I was so grateful that Heavenly Father let me stay in Sumner to help Brother Whitman prepare for baptism. All the fasting and praying Sister Hollingsworth and I did in June, July, and August for Brother Whitman is being answered.

Sister Pope is also feeling much better and the "storm" passed us. I was kind of excited we were prepared with candles and matches in case the power went out, but it never really stormed.

Also we get to have the first Zone Activity on Halloween, because Halloween falls on a Monday. So pumped for that! It will be from 6pm-9pm because they never let the missionaries be out on Halloween night.

Well I think that is about all. Love you so much!

Sister Wynder

And she sent a lot of pictures . . . 

Bryn, Sister Pope, and Pete the Pumpkin

 

October missionary fireside

And an MTC reunion at the missionary fireside

Zone Meeting

And a few others . . . 

Fall is Here

Yello Family,

So this week Sister Pope was sick and we were inside basically the whole week. I was going a little stir crazy. I updated the area book, did phone work, cleaned the apartment, wrote in my journal, and studied talks and the Book of Mormon. I felt like I wasn't being productive but with the help of the zone leaders I realized that I was doing all that I could with the situation we were in. We went on exchanges on Friday with Sister Hollingsworth and Bowman. Sister H stayed at our apartment with Sister Pope, and Sister Bowman and I worked in Sumner. I love Sister Bowman she was in the MTC with me even though I didn't really know her until we got out in the field.

When we met with the bishop this week we discussed our investigators and he asked if we should continue teaching them if they aren't progressing or drop them. Sister Pope and I both received the prompting to drop them. We had an expectation lesson with our investigators to see who is still willing to learn...We basically cleared our teaching pool. It is okay because I would rather have 1 investigator that is really progressing than 8 that are just chilling in limbo. We just need to find that investigator. Something our district leader suggested is to write down and keep track of houses that are for sale and then knock on them when people move in. It will take time before people move in but we have about 25 houses in our area that are for sale that we have counted.

Funny Story:

On Sunday about 20 minutes before church started we got a text from a less-active in the ward - our conversation:

LA - "I know church is starting soon but can you get an announcement out for us?"

us - "what is the announcement?"

LA - "We need as many guys as possible to help catch a pig!"

It was so random. Apparently they got a pig about 2 weeks ago and it escaped and they hadn't found it and it had been about 5 days. So we asked them to announce it in Elders Quorum... We were in young women during the third hour and two of the YW leader's husbands came in asking for the car keys because they needed to go catch a pig! I was dying of laughter. The leaders were so confused and we had to tell them it was a real deal. The pig situation is now taken care of.

Last night we went to a members for FHE and we had a bonfire with smores while we had a lesson on testimonies (I used the testimony glove). It was so much fun and the only thing missing was my hammock.

So that is it for the week. Just on the search to find prepared people! Also so crazy that it is the last week of the transfer - I have a feeling I might be getting transferred but not sure.

Much Love,

Sister Wynder  

P.S. Today we are going to go to the pumpkin patch!!! It isn't as great as the Red Barn but it is pretty adorable.

Bryn dropped her camera and now it isn't working so she didn't send any pictures this week (we are getting a replacement camera to her ASAP), but they have started a new mission blog and there were a couple of pictures of Bryn's zone on the blog so I will put those here so there are at least a couple of pictures this week.

Ambitious for Christ

Hello,

This week...

Tuesday we had a special training by President and Sister Rasmussen on the new standard of excellence for the mission. The yearly goal is to have 444 baptisms - I really want to see a baptism and this week with the help of yours and Brooke's emails, the zone leaders, and President Rasmussen I have learned that I can't violate others agency but that I can't let others agency effect my agency. A lot of the missionaries in the mission have been struggling though. When the Standard of Excellence came out Satan has been attacking hard with discouragement. President and Sister Rasmussen just keep saying that "Satan does not have power over you." We also had interviews with President Rasmussen this week and that was really great.

We didn't have a lot of lessons this week but I am so grateful for the members in the Sumner Ward. I feel so much love from them. On Saturday morning we got a text from a family we had dinner with last week saying we have cinnamon rolls if you don't have a place to go for conference. We can't watch conference with members unless there is an investigator. However, we took over some of those conference doodle notebooks to their two kids and they were excited about those. On Sunday morning we got a picture from a member that we had dinner with this week. Our phone can't get pictures and when we told him (the dad) he replied "not even Snapchat? lol" It was funny he told us that his wife was making butterscotch rolls and they would be ready in 10 min. Again we couldn't go over. He told us "well then, bring an investigator!" But none of our investigators responded to us about conference. 

We watched both sessions/days of conference at the stake center with all the missionaries in the zone. I LOVED CONFERENCE!!!! Saturday Session was straight FIRE!!!! I loved the missionary focus. I am so grateful for Neil L. Anderson (worked on a dairy) - he said "With our mortal eyes we cannot judge the effects of our efforts." Elder Christofferson's talk was powerful. I also loved Elders Oaks, Hales, Uceda, Yamashita, Rasband, and Nattress. Elder Nattress' talk was so powerful about his mom and the Book of Mormon. Elder Hales talk reminded me that it is comforting to know that everyone on earth chose Christ before even if they are stumbling off the path or are not on the path now. I felt like Heavenly Father was telling me to not give up on my investigators because they have all chosen Christ before. So grateful for the Prophet Thomas S. Monson and the Apostles, I loved the messages we heard and am excited to act on those messages now.

Much Love,

Sister Wynder