Rockin' the Frumpy Sister Missionary Look

Hi Family,

A lot happened this week...

To start off our investigator Andrew is doing really well. We had a powerful lesson with him about the Sacrament and the word of wisdom. He committed to living the word of wisdom at the end of the lesson and has continued to keep his other commitments. However, when Sunday rolled around Satan was working extra hard...While his fellowship was on his way to pick him up for church, Andrew took his car on a test drive that he had been working on for a few weeks. While he was driving the steering wheel was acting up and made him crash! His car got totaled and right when his ride showed up his car was getting towed. It was a blessing Andrew wasn't injured but sadly, he couldn't make it to church. So please keep Andrew in your prayers! 

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. The north half of the mission got together and played volleyball, basketball, and four square for 3 hours. It was pretty awesome when President and Sister Rasmussen came in and President was wearing his tennis shoes with his suit! He was ready to play and dominated in volleyball!! We had a great dinner with the Jarvis family. The food was heavenly and we were stuffed! 

This week we got approval to ride the mission bikes...when the office elders dropped them off one had 2 flat tires and the other had a problem with the chain. Our district leader and his companion fixed them for us - what a miracle! Unfortunately we are owning (not really) the frumpy sister missionary look with reflector vests and helmets! I think were are figuring out how to ride a bikes in  skirts! 

On Sunday we taught Gospel Principles on Eternal Families...we had to chuckle because we are teaching YSAs! I felt the spirit working through us and it ended up being a great lesson! It got me really excited to go to the temple next Saturday - I can't wait. 

Yesterday (the reason p-day is today) we set up for the Maple Valley Nativity! It is a pretty big deal. We set up with the zone from 12-4 and then for FHE we set up from 6-8. I have never set up so many Christmas trees and fluffed garland before. I am really looking forward to it this weekend. We have passed out a ton of invitations and had a lot of good responses. Last year over 700 non-members came! 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Much Love,

Sister Wynder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Ward but Not of the Ward

Hello Family,

This week has been amazing!!! 

So last Monday we went with Andrew (recent convert) to Costco! It was like going to Disneyland! We ate lunch, walked around getting samples, and basically only bought a 40 pack of Capri Sun - life is good. 

This week we had interviews with President and Sister Rasmussen! I love them so much and they gave me such great advice for making the transition when I get home and how I can continue to work hard these last 3 weeks (yikes). President Rasmussen commitment patterned me to come to their homecoming since they came to my farewell. I told him I wouldn't miss it. :) 

Andrew (the referral) that I mentioned last week came to institute this week!!! He also became a new investigator and he is on date to get baptized :) Heavenly Father blessed us so much this week. 

We also are doing our best to not go over on our mileage limit so we have been doing a lot of walking. One day we walked 8 miles! We also tried riding bikes...that lasted about 1 mile. Sister Tayco let us borrow their bikes. The only problem is that they are beach cruisers and don't shift gears when you go up hill! So we had to walk the bikes up the hill. That was the first time I have rode a bike my whole mission. All I can say is riding a bike in a skirt is as awkward as it looks. Haha. 

The ward has some really great activities. This week there was a Priesthood Appreciation dinner and we were able to serve. There was also a linger longer after church on Sunday before the Face to Face broadcast. We didn't stay for that because there was a missionary devotional that night. I was able to see Sister Taylor and there are a few baptisms coming up in Star Lake before we go home so I will be able to go back for those :) 

This transfer I have really learned what it means to reach out to those around you as the Savior would. I am so blessed to have the knowledge of the Gospel. Some have forgotten and others don't know. I pray that I will be able to recognize those people that Heavenly Father places in my path. I encourage everyone to reach out to someone this week and serve them. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! I pray that I will always be able to live in the attitude of gratitude. Heavenly Father has blessed me in every aspect of my life. When I take a step back and see all of the blessings that sometimes I take for granted I fall to my knees in awe. 

Much Love,

Sister Wynder

 Costco parking lot with Andrew

After walking 8 miles in one day!

Bike riding

Bryn and Sister Curry

Oh Say Can You See

Hey Family (read in Mason's voice), 

Well it's been another great week in the Green Valley YSA. Something I really love about YSA is all the great activities. This week we went to FHE, Book of Mormon Club, institute, and the Relief Society (herbal) Tea Party! President wants us to focus on strengthening the members and helping them reach out to their friends. So part of that is going to the activities. It has been really fun and a lot of the members have said they really like seeing us there and it reminds them to share the Gospel. 

This week was also the first "Outreach Night" for the ward. It is organized by the ward mission. It is a night where we go out and visit less-actives or new move ins. Anyone is welcome to come and it is really fun to go on splits with the members. 

We have a new investigator this week, and have been working with recent converts! There is a potential investigator that we are working with and really want him to become a new investigator. We stopped by a few times this week but he wasn't home. We drove by his apartment on the way to the church and the spirit prompted me to turn around to go see Andrew. Sister Curry had the same prompting, so we turned around and lo and behold Andrew was home. He said he was interested in learning more and we set up an appointment with him for this week. :) 

We also sang the National Anthem with Sister Tayco, Sister Scott, and some of the youth in the stake for the Maple Valley Veterans Day Dinner. It was a lot of fun and we were able to have dinner with the Veterans and talk with them. I am really grateful we were asked to sing because it helped us get to know more people in the community and it was great for them to be in the church building and to meet the missionaries. 

I love Sister Curry so much. This week I have really noticed how strong her testimony is of the Savior's Atonement. It carries her as we teach and work in unity. I have been so blessed on my mission with amazing companions. I have loved every one of them! 

This week I was studying "By Divine Design" by Elder Rasband. It is amazing how Heavenly Father guides our lives and I have come to see that his hand is in everything. I know there is no coincidence that I am serving in Washington at this time. I was led here by the spirit! One of my favorite quotes from his talk is "When we are righteous, willing, and able, when we are striving to be worthy and qualified, we progress to places we never imagined and become part of Heavenly Father's "divine design." Each of us has divinity within us. When we see God working through us and with us, may we be encouraged, even grateful for that guidance."

Much Love,

Sister Wynder

 

Bryn and Sister Curry, fancy dino nuggets, and Andrew who is a recent convert in the YSA Ward

 

 

Have you ever had a panini?

Hello Family!!! 

I have to admit I was a little nervous about being in a YSA ward but I love it! Sister Curry is so great - she is from California! We get a long great and have so much fun together. The YSA ward has so many wonderful members. After being here a week I know that I was placed here for a reason. I feel that one of those reasons is to learn how I can be involved in a YSA ward  and how I can keep sharing the Gospel after my mission. 

We had Festival of Finding this week as a mission. I was with Sister Hardy and Hermana Ohlsen throughout the day. We saw many miracles and I am so grateful to learn from the other missionaries. Our zone set a baptism goal of 11 this transfer and the mission goal is 36! We fasted and prayed this week as a mission and I know Heavenly Father has so many wonderful things in store this transfer. 

Finding is a little bit different in YSA. We still tract and contact but we only teach YSA age so we send out referrals to other missionaries quite often. We are teaching a girl named Tabetha right now. She is truly prepared and really seeking for truth. We taught her the Restoration this week and invited her to be baptized. She said she needs some time to pray about it and to receive a confirmation. I know that the spirit will touch her heart. 

On Sunday it started SNOWING! Our church building is out in Auburn but it was mostly raining out there when we got to church. The ward is amazing! I loved hearing all of the strong testimonies of the members. Tabetha and her less-active friend Brooke came to church. Towards the end of the testimony meeting the first counselor who lives in Buckley stood up and said the Bishop has asked and would like Sister Wynder our new missionary to bear her testimony. I also gave the closing prayer so hopefully the ward wasn't sick of hearing from me. 

Something that really touched me was during Gospel Principles our WML taught the lesson on missionary work. He had us:

1. Read Alma 7:11-13 to ourselves and whenever it said "his people" replace those words with your name

2. Think about the blessings you have received and our relationship with the Savior.

3. Think about someone in your life who doesn't know what you know about the Savior or has forgotten.

4. Pray to know what you can do to help that person who the Spirit has brought to your mind.

It was a powerful lesson and strengthened my testimony of missionary work. There really is no greater joy than sharing the Gospel and helping others come unto Christ. I would invite all who are reading this to read Alma 7:11-13 and see who the Spirit brings to your mind. 

Much Love,

Sister Wynder 

P.S. Mom - we have a George Foreman grill and Sister Curry and I have made paninis almost everyday this week :) 

Bryn and Sister Curry

Snow in Washington