Changes in the Mission

Yello,

So this week we had a Worldwide Missionary Broadcast where we learned that the daily schedule will be changing allowing us to make our own schedule in the timeframe we are given. We also will be having longer P-days!!! It will start at 8am instead of 10am. We have zone conferences next week where President and Sister Rasmussen will be giving us a training. So until then we are living the old schedule. But it is super exciting!

I also have been reflecting a lot about the temple from last week. I have been studying about the law of consecration and sacrifice and how I can always remember to keep my covenants. I have prayed a lot about how I can continue to have the missionary spirit after my mission so that I always honor my covenants. The spirit gave me an answer. A lot of my answer included music and media after I get home. Also I have come to the conclusion not to go to anymore dance parties that won't have uplifting music or where the spirit can't be. It was really hard for me to accept that answer. However, I would way rather have the spirit and honor my covenants than to put myself in a place where they spirit may not be with me. 

I went on exchanges this week with Sister Erickson. She is so great and we had so much fun. I learned to always filter our activities through the missionary purpose. 

I read Bonnie L. Oscarson's talk "Rise Up in Strength, Sisters in Zion" this morning. I loved it so much and helps me keep in perspective the role women have in building up the kingdom of God. 

We also are working with a returning inactive. She came to church yesterday and is so grateful to be back. She has lived a rough life but I have learned the importance of reactivation. Sacrament meeting was so inspired for her, it was amazing. 

I have also learned a lot about keeping the Sabbath Day holy and the importance of FHE. 

Love you all,

Sister Wynder

Sister Pope was back in Washington for a visit!

Over the River and Through the Woods to Heavenly Father's House We Go

Hello Family, 

 

Highlights of this week...

 

Sister Wilkinson and I are so much a like it is awesome. We laugh all the time - definitely brings joy to the work. 

 

We went on a hike last p-day and it was pouring. It was so fun though and I seriously love the trees in Washington. Had some of the best food including Jambalaya! So delicious!

We have an investigator (Lisa) on date for baptism! 

 

The Buckley ward is so great and very loving. 

 

We helped our apartment manager paint one of the vacant apartments. She is a non-member but we have been able to talk about the church a little with her and one day she mentioned to us that she might come to church. 

 

We had another Festival of Finding! We are doing one every transfer now. We saw a lot of miracles. Sister Wilkinson and I exchanged with the Hermanas. We had a lot of lessons that day and a few new investigators. Over all the mission had about 176 new investigators or something like that. 

 

The morning of district meeting Emilie dropped us - I never got to meet her. At district meeting we found out that every companionship in the district got dropped by an investigator that morning. So crazy! The Lord is sifting them. 

 

I got a text forwarded to me through the zone leaders that Brother Hunt invited me to give the Holy Ghost talk at his baptism on Saturday. That was one of the best texts ever! I am so excited. 

 

Sunday we had ward conference and it was so good. They focused all about the area plan for the U.S. and Canada. 

 

Today we were able to go to the TEMPLE!!!!! I having been waiting so long to go to the temple again. Sister Rasmussen took Sister Wilkinson and I. Then President took all the elders in our zone in the mission van. The GPS took us on the back roads - literally the forest. Sister Rasmussen said "it feels like we are going over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go." We both said at the same time "more like to Heavenly Father's house we go." The ride was beautiful we saw the water between Issaquah and Seattle. There were about 50ish missionaries in the session. The temple is such an amazing place. I felt so much peace and love. We were able to do initiatory and a session. Before the session we were able to have about an hour in the Assembly room to ponder, read scriptures, and listen to hymns. President and Sister Rasmussen spoke to us and bore their testimonies. Sister Rasmussen talked about the power she felt being in the temple with a large group of missionaries. I cried about 4 times at the temple because I was so happy to be there. I learned a lot and felt the spirit so strong. I received a lot of answers and was able to understand more about the Savior's role in my life. The layout of the Seattle Temple is very similar to Provo so it reminded me a lot of when I first went through the temple. 

 

At the temple I talked to the Sumner Elders and they told me more about Brother Hunt's baptism and that Tate and Riley are on date for baptism in February! I was so thrilled to hear that. So I will get to go back to Sumner a few times :) \

 

I can't believe tomorrow will be 8 months. I love Washington and the days are just flying by.

 

My testimony of the Savior has grown so much this week.

 

Much Love, 

 

Sister Wynder

Seattle Temple

Sister Wynder and Sister Wilkinson

Hiking, Mt. Ranier, and Washington scenery

Not in Sumner anymore . . .

Yello Family,

So I am now in the windy city of Buckley with lots of COWS and beautiful views of Mt. Rainier. Sister Wilkinson is so great. I love serving with her and we have a lot in common. She is very diligent in the work and this is her 5th transfer in Buckley. 

The ward members are great. The ward is pretty big, a lot of youth/young families. The work is a littler slower here but we are doing our best to find new investigators. We have one investigator named Emilie - I have yet to meet her but we have a lesson on Wednesday so I am looking forward to that.We also got a call this week from an inactive member in the Bonney Lake ward saying that she just moved into the Buckley 1st Ward and wants to be retaught the lessons. She came to church and we taught her the Restoration yesterday - so that was a miracle! 

We did a lot of service this week which was wonderful. We went to a member's house who is a car master to put air in our tires. He has a 1930 Ford Model A car, along with a huge collection of miniature models of Ford cars. So he let me sit in the Model A. Pretty sweet. 

We were tracting one day and a lady offered us water so we said sure and she came back with water bottles from the casino...Telestial Water? 

Sister Wilkinson and I are going on a hike today so I am pumped for that. 

Next week we get to go to the Seattle Temple - I am so excited. I have been studying a lot about the temple this week to prepare. I kept that sheet that President Crandall gave to me before I received my endowment and I have put it to use throughout my mission. 

I got an email from Sister Whitman and Brother Whitman got his first temple recommend and went and did baptisms this weekend. I was so happy to hear that. Also Doug is still on date for baptism so I am looking forward to that too. A lot of good things coming up. 

Love you,

Sister Wynder 

Alma 16-17

Sister Wynder and Sister Wilkinson

Telestial Water???

Model A Ford

TRANSFERRED OUT OF SUMNER

Hello Family,

So it has been a crazy week and I only have an hour today so it is going to be super short. Sister Pope left and I have been in a trio with Sister Bowman and Sister Peterson for the past 3 days - I love them. So Sunday night we were at the YSA broadcast and I got a call from the Housing Coordinators for the mission that said I will be leaving and Elders will be coming in.... I WAS FREAKING OUT! Usually if the area is being whitewashed theY call on Saturday but they didn't. So Sister Bowman and Peterson have been so great at helping clean the apartment. The Bonney Lake Elders who whitewashed there 2 transfers ago are now both whitewashing Sumner so they are freaking out too. I am so sad to leave Sumner but I was able to say goodbye to so many of the people I love here. Bishop was so sweet and took us out to lunch yesterday. I was also able to have a lesson with Doug at the Suttles one last night - so grateful for that.

OH I AM GOING TO THE BUCKLEY 1ST WARD WITH SISTER WILKINSON!!!! Buckley is out in the boonies by Mt. Rainier but it is in the stake next to the stake the Sumner ward is in so it isn't too far, and I already know Sister Wilkinson - I love her, she is great!

I am really excited to serve there but I will miss Sumner so much! 

Also this week we were watching the missionary broadcast from last year and the missionary that said the opening prayer was ELDER SANDERS! So many memories came back of Brooke's baptism and it only fits because today is her 2 year mark! Wow! I am so grateful for her and how much it prepared me to serve a full time mission. 

Oh and when I was in Surprise Lake we had dinner with a member and we found out we were related. His name is Brother Sillito and he is from Alberta, Canada. He saw my last name and pulled out his family search app. So that was cool - I had dinner with my cousin. And brother and sister Conine served in Alberta/Allegory and asked who some of my relatives were but I wasn't quite sure so if you can help a missionary out that would be great. 

Love you so much, now off to Buckley! 

Sister Wynder

 

Here are pictures she took with people from the Sumner ward before she left.

2017

Hello Family,

So recap from Christmas: the Zone Leaders got a call from a Brother Hunt saying that he just moved from Indiana to Sumner and wants to be converted to the church. What a Christmas miracle. 

Then on Monday another MIRACLE happened. The Suttles got us CAFE RIO!!!! That was a blessing from above. I literally shed a few tears of pure JOY! 

We had a lesson with Brother Hunt on Tuesday and taught him the Restoration. One of the best lessons I have ever had on my mission. It was so powerful and he set a date to be baptized on January 28th. Then Sister Fuller who came to the lesson invited him to play church ball that night. Brother Fuller is in charge of the sports in the stake. Brother Hunt went and played that night it was awesome - instant fellowship.

Wednesday President Rasmussen called us saying that him and Sister Rasmussen were going to a wedding reception in Sumner and had something they wanted to talk about with us. So we met them at the church and we found out Sister Pope is going home on January 9th. It was so sad to see how heartbroken she was. I know she has done what the Lord has asked her to do. The rest of the week has been pretty hard because I know she doesn't want to leave, but like Nephi she is faithful in doing what he Lord has commanded. 

We had another lesson with Brother Hunt on Thursday - Book of Mormon + church tour with the Suttles. It went so well. We had him read the introduction before the lesson and he did that so we started reading from the beginning and after he told us he read it already. WHO DOES THAT? He is committed to commit! 

We had a lesson with Riley and Tate and brought another 8 year old Treyson that is in the ward for fellowship. We read 3 Nephi 11 and Treyson told Riley about his baptism. It was such a good lesson, like what 8-10 year olds read the Book of Mormon and talk about baptism. It was the cutest lesson!!! 

Also had a lesson with Wesley and he is slowly progressing. He set his baptism date for March 16th! 

Brother Hunt came to church and sat with the Suttles. After church Sister Pope wanted to tell them she was going home so we went over to their house after church and they invited Brother Hunt to stay for lunch and dinner. So we taught the Plan of Salvation and it was so cool. Before we got there Sister Suttle was telling him about the temple and qualifications for baptism so she prepared him for the lesson we didn't even know we were going to have. We didn't have a dinner appointment so Sister Suttle invited us back over for dinner. We read the Book of Mormon and it was great. Brother Hunt is so prepared and I am so grateful for the Suttles. That was a miracle 2 lessons with a member present and both of those were with the same investigator and members! 

Transfers are next week so P-day will be on Tuesday (Brooke's 2-year baptism anniversary). I think I will be staying in Sumner but not sure...

Have a wonderful week, and Happy New Year! Still praying about my  resolution so that is to come next week. 

Much Love,

Sister Wynder

Pictures/video with Cafe Rio

 

 

 

We had to trade cars with the Graham Zone Leaders so we had to switch our "golden plates."

 Happy New Year!!