Sister Flake Returns with Honor

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Friday the 13th of November was a lucky day for us as Sister Lindsey Flake completed her 18 month mission to Vancouver Canada and returned with honor via Delta airlines to SLC and Skywest to St. George to be reunited with her family. There to greet her at the airport were Grandmother Floretta Flake, family Dan, Shelly, Dawson, and Andrew Flake, cousin Angie Breinholt and kids Rilee and Sadie, friends Jayme and Shannon Steiner, neighbors Roger and Sydne Davies and Linda Hatch. The plane was actually early but we were ready for her. She was the last one off the small Sky West plane. She rode to SLC with four other returning missionaries: Sis. Huffaker, her MTC companion returned to Bountiful, one Elder to Preston Idaho, one to AZ and another Elder to Las Vegas. So wonderful to get her back into our arms and home. She was off to an Institute dinner and dance by the evening.

It's November and You Know What that Means!

Well Heavenly Father helped me feel so loved at church yesterday. To be honest we were praying very hard that our testimony meeting would be spiritually uplifting because often times it gets a little crazy and you wouldn't want investigators there. But we did have a couple show up, one of which it was his first time. So we were so grateful at the out pouring of the spirit at that meeting.... First off Chiara received the Holy Ghost and her blessing was so beautiful. She was told that the angels are rejoicing at her decision to join the church and that she would be a beacon to her friends and a leader in the church. Wow! Sister Barnum and I were touched to tears. She looked so happy! They sustained her at the pulpit and later that day she shared with us that she was worried that the bishop was going to say "any opposed?" haha! We had a good laugh at that! And then Gina and Jeremy bore pure testimony! Her first time! Beautiful! Then Sister Phinney who helped fellowship Chiara talked about how she was having a hard time feeling the Holy Ghost in her life but by having the missionaries in her home teaching the gospel to Chiara she now feels it again and is excited about the gospel again. Then a first nation couple who we helped reactivate in Hope bore their testimonies and in tears thanked those in the ward who never gave up on them and thanked us for coming to teach them and relight the fire for the gospel. Wow! I love Heavenly Father! I felt like he was giving me a big hug! What a wonderful experience to have right before i go home. He loves all of us so much he knows what his children need....and he knew what i needed. He has infinite love....He has blessed me more then words can speak....i am forever indebted to Him..... My heart is full. And how best could he show his love to us? By sending His son to stand in our place! Jesus Christ is our Savior!
Love, sister flake

October 26, 2009 Email Happy Birthday Week

Happy Birthday Sis. Flake!

Thanks for the emails and birthday wishes!
This weekend was one to remember! Friday night was Brennens baptism! Lots of people from the YSA were there so see him. And his mom and brother came. And really i am even more impressed with Brennen then ever after meeting his mother. I don't mean this rude but she is completely brain dead from drugs....she can barely talk and walk. Brennen is definitely a transitional character in his family. He could be right there with them, but he has chosen the better path....Its been a long road and it will still be hard with all the bad examples around him, but he has chosen Gods ways and i am so proud of him. The gospel does indeed change lives!
Then Sunday after church was Chiaras baptism! Never have I seen such radiance! Her and her friend Teya stayed up late the night before making a beautiful white baptism dress, and she looked so beautiful and pure! After the service she exclaimed, "I cant believe I'm part of Jesus Christs Church!" Ive never seen someone so appreciative of their baptism.... She really has a deep understanding and testimony.....probably more then many of us who have been members our whole lives! We are truly so blessed to be a part of HIS church!
Prayers really are answered..... Teya had been praying for a long time for Chiara that she would be able to be baptised. What a true friend. Who are we praying for?
I know God lives. His love is infinite! His arms are always extended! He hears our prayers. He weeps when we weep! He rejoices when we rejoice. I have a testimony of the reality of the Savior and His atonement! He is the only way. Of this I know!
Love, sister flake

October 19, 2009 Email

Well Hello!
I feel so much love for you family! Thanks for your support through out my mission! Thanks for waiting for me to get home before Dawson goes through the temple! If there were two things that i missed most while on the mission it would be my family and the temple! I am so excited! Wow i love the gospel. Sorry the pics you sent didn't work for some reason but the hike sounded like fun. As for my birthday....remember less is more when your on a mission and have limited space. Dad how is it being 50?
Well i would like to tell you a few miracles....... Chiaras dad said yes to her being baptised! I have loved getting to know her. She has such a strong spirit! And this family the Phinneys where we teach her at live out in the country and they are just so much fun! I have really grown to love all of them and feel like they are family! And then there is the Bishop and his wife......they have been so helpful and they share so much love with us. Well we sang at church yesterday..... In Humility our Saviour. I am really stepping out of my comfort zone. Sister Barnum can harmonize so it really sounded nice. I love Sister Barnum! She is such a good friend to me. well we found some new people tracting this week.....it was really a miracle because it was a "No Soliciting" complex.....but we did it anyway cuz we thought it might be fun to get thrown in jail for the gospel of Jesus Christ.....so we found this women and her dad.....earnestly ready to hear truth....the first lesson was very powerful and we are looking forward to out meeting with them Wed. We found two other new people to teach this week too! I love doing this work! I love this gospel it is sooo true! Heavenly Father has shown us His infinite love through giving his son Jesus Christ to us! It is the supreme expression of love! And i feel it when i seek Him and put Him first in my life! The laborer in Zion will labor for Zion!
Love, sister flake

October 13, 2009 Email

Hi! Sorry we didn't get to email yesterday because it was Thanksgiving. But we thought we would quickly stop in and give you a shout so you know that were alive. We had a Turkey Bowl yesterday with about 50 missionaries from the lower mainland. It was lots of fun! We had a big meal sat. sun. and mon. So we have been well fed:) i guess i will get two thanksgivings this year! That's exciting! Well i will be home in exactly a month. Just want you to know how much I love you! Happy Birthday Dad. There is a card for you in the mail. Sorry it will probably get to you late cuz of the holiday. Oops. Well San Jose, California Dawson! How exciting! You are going to be a stellar missionary! That's great that you are already practicing your Spanish! Wow! Things are great here. We have another baptism coming up. She is 15. Her name is Chiara. She is so awesome. Her friend started bringing her to activity night and the rest is history! Yea! Well don't got much time....i will write more next week!
Love, sis flake

Finally--some pictures from Chilliwack!

We finally got a disk of pictures from Lindsey. They show where she lives, in a complex in an industrial area, picking wild berries, her current zone, the Vancouver temple under construction and the beautiful coutryside of Chilliwack. Click on the link below to view the web album. She looks very happy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=danflake&target=ALBUM&id=5388553386990846385&authkey=Gv1sRgCMe0wKq3psn7iAE&feat=email

September 21, 2009 Email

Hello Family!
So sorry about last week. We email at the local college and a biology class was scheduled to use the computers so i only got 5 min. I will try to make up for it now.
As far as i know the open house wont be till May. They want to do it after the Olympics now.
Things are still going amazing. We have lots of people progressing towards baptism. We still get lots of referrals. We even found a family to teach....i should tell you about our first meeting with Jana and Paul. Well we met them while looking for a less active Lady's home and scheduled an appointment with them a week later. So we brought Sis. Tompson, a wonderful women in the ward and we taught the restoration. My companion was reciting the first vision when suddenly we heard angels singing as she Said "This is my beloved son, here him." Everyone had their jaws dropped for 2 seconds until we realized it was their son who had turned on a movie in the back room. It was so cool! Well we had a good laugh and then brought the spirit back in.
Right now I am most excited about Leslieanne, she is a student from St. Lucia in the Carri bean who is living with a family in the ward while going to school. She is 19 and a spiritual giant. She is catholic but felt the spirit at church and is loving this new found truth! She keeps asking "why don't the other churches believe in the Book of Mormon...its obviously true...." :) After a spiritually strong gospel principles lesson she told me....."I felt this strong feeling of love growing inside of me....what is that?" Wow! I explained she had felt the Holy Ghost testifying to her of truth. So she is doing great but is in the process of realizing the church she has grown up in isn't true.
We are also doing alot of reactivation. Found out the bishops goal is to get the ward split as soon as possible. President is wondering if he should send another set of missionaries into the ward to help us out. We are very busy and our area is too big. We spend alot of time traveling. Heavenly Father keeps setting things up for us. He is working miracles here. And i just love these people so much! I'm so grateful to be able to spend my last bit here in Chilliwack with an amazing companion. By the way we have been getting so much fresh produce from the ward members gardens. I don't think I've ever eaten healthier in my whole life. We also have been involved with the Young men, young women, and primary lessons. The ward really knows how to use their missionaries in this ward. And we are tight with the bishops wife. She invited us over for apple crisp the other night and gave us two more referrals. Wow!
And this place is beautiful, and I'm use to the country smell...and dad i think you would like it. Thanks for the emails. Dawson i cant wait to find out about your call. Andrew good job with cross country! Mom I'm glad that you are getting to see fruits from your labors as a teacher. And thanks to Danielle and Steve for the cute pictures of Alexa. I love you all so much! I cant wait to spend time with you. I hope you are preparing for story time with Sister Flake when i get back. There's so much i want to tell you and i have so many questions for you.
Love love love ya! love, sister flake