1 Year ... whaaattt???

Hi Family,

Star Lake is going swell and I love Sister McClellan!

This week we have been working with our investigators to help them know if the Book of Mormon is true. They are willing to read it but it seems that they aren't willing to pray and ask "is the Book of Mormon true?!" We had interviews with President and Sister Rasmussen and they gave us some great advice. It is such a simple prayer with a lot of meaning. I think some of our investigators are scared to receive a yes because it means they are going to have to commit and change their lives. I am praying so hard for them!

This week we went on an exchange with the Lake Holm Sisters. I was in Lake Holm with Sister Arnold. Our last lesson on the exchange was with one of their investigators Brother Smith. He  has been investigating for about 8 months and hasn't ever committed to baptism. We planned and prepared well for the lesson. He has been taught the Plan of Salvation but had a hard time understanding the premortal life so that is what we planned to teach. At the beginning of the lesson I used the Holy Ghost principle to invite the spirit and during the lesson we taught from the scriptures about how we lived with Heavenly Father before this life. Brother Smith was understanding well and in the middle of the lesson we asked what he was learning from the spirit? He opened up and shared what he was feeling. One of the members that was there asked such an inspired question that hit Brother Smith right to the heart. Brother Smith told us about his parents and the challenges he faced growing up. We were able to bear powerful testimony of a loving Heavenly Father. That lead into discussing the Atonement. Sister Arnold bore sincere and one of the most powerful testimonies I have heard on the Atonement. The spirit was so strong everyone in the room was either in tears or on the verge of tears. At the end of the lesson Brother Smith said that he knows he is going to get baptized he just doesn't know when. It was so amazing to see how the spirit worked through all of us and the effect it had on Brother Smith. It was probably one of the best lessons I have ever taught/been in on my mission. My testimony of the Atonement grew that night and also how the Holy Ghost truly is the ultimate teacher. 

Miracles happen on exchanges!!! I love working with and serving the sisters - it is such a blessing.

We also went on a blitz (2 hour exchange) with the Surprise Lake Sisters it was so much fun. I have really felt Heavenly Father qualify me to help the sisters. We were able to help them with contacting approaches and ways they can work with members. Heavenly Father allowed us to cross paths with some great people and solid potential investigators for the Surprise Lake area.

I am so grateful to be serving with Sister McClellan. She is such a hard worker and we have so much fun together. I have learned a lot from her so far!

This week we have continued to meet so many diverse people. We had dinner with a family from Laos and a former investigator is from Romania and fed us some Romanian food. I love it here!

Also a great video to check out - the new Mormon Message"Music of the Gospel.

Much Love,

Sister Wynder

 Left to Right: Sister McClellan, Sister Wynder, Sister Rigdon, and Sister Arnold

Puget Sound

 

What a Week!!

Hello Family,

 

So I am so excited to be serving in Star Lake. There are so many people from all over the world that live here. Let's not forget I have been truly blessed with a Cafe Rio in my area!!! We stopped there last p-day and then later on in the week a family in the ward had us over for dinner and we walked in and there was Cafe Rio on the table. Miracles are real, haha. Sister McClellan is my new companion and she is great - I love her!

 

This week has been wonderful. Elder Dube from the Seventy and his wife visited the mission. He led the training during zone conference and mission leadership council. I learned so much from the spirit. Elder Dube is so funny and has a powerful testimony. He taught us how to really teach from the scriptures. It is so important to not just teach and then support what I taught with scriptures but to really teach from them. I also learned that if I want to be an effective leader I need to point others to the Savior and be willing to serve them. My mission is not about me it is about those I am serving. I have felt so much love for the Sisters I am serving this transfer already. Heavenly Father has helped me so much this week getting to know the area and taking on this new responsibility. The Lord qualifies those whom he calls.

 

The work in Star Lake is going well there are a couple investigators with baptism dates and the ward is awesome! I have really worked hard this week - every night I come home so exhausted!!! 

 

We had Festival of Finding on Saturday and I stayed in Star Lake all day. The night before I was praying so hard to know where I should go since I didn't know the area very well yet. I received the answer to look at the map in the living room (it is a giant map of the area with all the members names and where they live) in the morning to know which members we should find around. The next morning I saw the name Scott. It was the Scotts that live in Buckley that we were working with. They lived in Star Lake before Buckley. So later that day we knocked in that neighborhood and found a family from Cambodia that said we could come back along with a man named Roger that was doing yard work at the Scott's old house. He was about to go in the backyard before I yelled "Hi, how are you?" He walked down to the sidewalk and we talked about the importance of family. He was super nice and said we could come back and teach him more. So we found some awesome potential investigators.

 

It really amazes me at how the spirit works through Sister McClellan and I during planning. Answers have just been flowing to us of where to be and what to teach. Missionary work is so cool and there are so many miracles.

 

Much Love,

 

Sister Wynder

Alma 37:6

When You Sneeze Your Heart Stops!

Hi Family,

It was so great to talk to you on Mother's Day! I am grateful for technology and the blessing of skyping with you! Thank you again for all your love and support. I think my favorite part of skyping was saying a prayer as a whole family. It has been a long time since we have had one all together. It was a tender moment for me and I could feel of the love Heavenly Father has for our family.

This week has been a little crazy! Sunday night I got a call from the zone leaders letting me know that I am getting transferred. Yesterday afternoon I received a call from President Rasmussen letting me know that I have be assigned to serve as a Sister Training Leader. I was a little nervous but felt calm. It is such a wonderful opportunity to serve the other sisters. This week I have been learning more about the importance of service. I feel that Heavenly Father was preparing me to receive that call from President knowing that I have been assigned to serve the other missionaries in a larger capacity than before. I will be serving in the Star Lake ward in the Federal Way Stake with Sister McClellan. I am really excited! 

I will miss Sister Schiess. She is such a wonderful missionary. She has been a champ. Adjusting to missionary life is not easy but she has done so well. She is very diligent and obedient which made training so much fun. I am so grateful for Sister Schiess but I know she will take care of the cows for me in Buckley...haha! I am also grateful I was able to be myself with her from day one and we have been able to laugh so much throughout our companionship. 

Buckley has been an amazing place to serve I have felt so much love from the people there and I will miss them so much.

This week we are also having a mission tour and Elder Dube of the Seventy is coming to speak! I am really looking forward to it and excited for the training we will receive. (There may be a chance P-day will be on Tuesday this coming week, but not 100% sure).

Love you all,

Sister Wynder

Bryn and Sister Schiess made t-shirts with a stencil (Bryn drew the cow herself) and a spray bottle of bleach . . .

.

Skyping on Mother's Day on Bryn's end . . . 

Picture of their district, maybe . . . 

Sun? What?

Hello Family, 

 

This week we had Zone Conference! I loved it so much. Our prep assignment was to read Preach My Gospel Ch.11 and prepare a 3 min talk about what we have learned about the Doctrine of Christ from the Book of Mormon challenge. President was going to call on a few people on the spot. I was giving Sister Schiess a hard time telling her that she was going to give her talk...however, President asked me to speak! As I reflected on my study of the Book of Mormon I have really learned the importance of being OBEDIENT to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it is the only way to receive true JOY! I shared about how Nephi was always obedient and was able to "live after the manner of happiness" (2 Nephi 5:27) He obeyed out of love and was converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 33:15). Last I concluded with one of my favorite scriptures Mosiah 2:41 - as I read it in my study of the BoM this time around I truly felt the confirmation of the spirit that by keeping the commandments and holding out faithful to the end I can receive never-ending happiness! 

 

We were able to watch the YSA Devotional with Elder Kim B. Clark and I love it. I was really neat that he pulled from the account of the lost 116 pages about how Joseph struggled but that he trusted in the Lord, repented, and accomplished the work the Lord called him to do.

 

Also this week we got a text from Sister Rasmussen asking if Sister Schiess knew sign language? I guess in Federal Way there is a Spanish speaking deaf investigator that knows American Sign Language and needed a translator! Sister Schiess knows a little bit but good thing we had a lesson with a returning inactive that knows sign language. So after our lesson she taught us and I got to learn some too. Unfortunately, they ended up not needing Sister Schiess to translate this week. But it was cool to learn some sign language.

 

This weekend we had a crazy rain/thunder/lightening storm. Thank goodness for planning because the Lord blessed us with a busy schedule! We were just going from appointment to appointment and didn't have to be out in the storm much. It is the best feeling to be busy as a missionary!

Luckily after the storm it has been sunny the past couple of days!!!!

 

I hope you have a great week!

 

Much Love,

 

Sister Wynder

 

P.S. Sorry I didn't send any pictures last week...I am slacking! However, the picture this week is us with a bag full of treats! A family in our ward decided to eat healthier and so they loaded us up with Oreos, ice cream, candy, etc. 

 

The Spirit of God

Hi Family, 

 

I have a had a couple experiences this week that have helped me understand the role of the spirit. I am so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is amazing how the spirit can truly guide us. I have felt the spirit more abundantly and have been learning new ways the spirit speaks to me. 

 

We had a lesson with our investigator Karen this week and she asked "Do people in the Mormon church that grew up that way know it is true or is it just because they were raised that way?" Sister Schiess gave a beautiful answer and shared her testimony of when she really knew that the church is true. Just because you grow up in the church doesn't mean you have an automatic testimony. A testimony comes from searching the scriptures, prayer to a loving Heavenly Father, and acting on the answer you receive. It may take time but it will come to those that truly desire to know truth. That experience made me think of the time I was in middle school when I sincerely prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true. Since that day I know without a doubt in my mind that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church and everything that encompasses it. I felt that my testimony has grown so much especially being on my mission. I have had the spirit confirm to me time and time again of the truth. 

 

It is amazing to see how much the little things of daily prayer and scripture study, attending the temple, and partaking of the sacrament weekly have such an impact on our lives and testimony. 

 

I am so grateful to be on a mission it is such a blessing! 

 

This week we watched a video titled "Reach Out with Love." It is so great and so funny! It helped me to remember how important it is to love people into the church. It is great for youth and especially when they visit less active members or those they might think will never come back to church. 

 

Note to Dad:

You would be so proud of me...We did some weeding for a member this week and at church she had told so many people what great weeders we are! So even though I probably didn't have as much practice as Syd and Mason I can still do a good job! :) 

 

Hope you have a great week!

 

Much Love,

 

Sister Wynder

Words of Mormon 1:7