August 31, 2009 Email Chilliwack

From: Lindsey Flake [mailto:lindseyflake@myldsmail.net]

Subject: Chilliwack

Funny name. Beutiful place. This morning sister Barnum and I went on a walk by the river through the forrest. We found a log and did our studies outside. twas lovely! This week has been miraculus! We met with the non member wife of a less active and she wants to be baptised September 26. Her name is Gina. She has two children and a third on the way. So sweet! The members here are just making things happen. We also met with a refferal we got from the office the first day we were here! They are so eager to learn about the church. Members keep giving us refferals its amazing! Also we had some general authorities here so we went up to Richmond for a special question and answer session with elder Clayton. Neat. I had to give the closing prayer. It was great to learn from them. Basicly life is better then ever! My companion is full of faith and we get along so well.... she is helping me alot. The members here are incredible! Thank you for you prayers! I love this gospel!
Love, sister flake

Hello mother. Well before I forget I don't really care if or when I give my homecoming talk. I don't know that world anymore so you can figure it out and no matter what i will be happy with it. I have had a few ideas about school come to me lately. I am considering going into Psychology(i cant even spell it haha!) and being an art and dance therapist.... i know it sounds weird....but maybe you could look into it a bit for me... well you don't really need to cuz i can worry about it when i get home, but anyway.... well it is starting to sink in that I'm going home soon, but the cool thing is that it is motivating me even more cuz i want to do all that i can and feel like i gave it all i got. Anyway....i love you very much! Oh and thanks for the Hawaii package. I shared with the elders at zone meeting. So sweet of you. Thanks. love you.
love sister flake

New Return Date

I received a call from Sister Oliver in the Vancouver mission office and they are moving Sis. Flake's return date to Friday, November 13. She will be arriving in St. George. More on the exact time and Missionary report date later....

Shelly Flake

August 24, 2009 Email Transferred!

Hello Hello Family! I am so happy right now! I can’t even express it! I have been transferred back down to the lower mainland. Chillowack is so amazing! We have the biggest ward in BC and it is a farming town! Everyone here is so nice! And it is soooooo beautiful! My companion is amazing! Her name is Sister Barnum from Las Vegas. She’s just a year older then me and she has her master’s degree in teaching and has been teaching elementary for three years already! Can you believe it? So we do not have a problem with working hard..... Diligent is her middle name! It makes the work so much better when you both want to work hard! So life is just perfect here! Basically we wake up and run down the most picturesque country road with tall corn fields and fruit trees all over the place....and gorgeous tree-covered mountains in the distance....then at the end of the road there’s a bunch of blackberry bushes. We eat all the berries we can handle and then run back. Then for breakfast I have toast with homemade raspberry jam from someone in the ward and a couple of scrambled eggs from a local farm! wow! This is the life....and the apartment is sooo cool. It’s basically a dance studio. For some reason there are mirrors on almost every wall and the kitchen is big enough to dance in! It’s like God created this place for me! Wow! Well anyway we whitewashed the area meaning that there were elders here and we took their place. We have found that there was not much work going on here for the last year due to some disobedient elders....so ever since we bore our testimonies to the ward on Sunday we have had refferals just dumped upon us! Plus we have an area book full of unfinished teaching records that have already been very fruitful as we have been doing phone calls and drop bys. We found out that the bishop had been praying for sister missionaries. and this morning we got a phone call from a women in the ward who said she feels her friend is finally ready to take the lessons....she is the third person to tell us that and its only been 4 days! This is a missionary paradise! I can’t believe it! Sister Barnum and I have seen so many miracles! And I love Sister Barnum so much! She is an amazing teacher and knows how to follow the spirit! We laugh a lot and enjoy every moment! And we have a lot in common including that we both come from the desert and love fruit! Speaking of fruit! We feel that there is a lot of fruit to reap here! We know we have a great responsibility to get this area going.....we would really appreciate your prayers in helping us find those prepared to be baptized. There are a lot of people counting on us right now. It’s been so amazing to see the Lords hand in this work....especially in the last four days. I know this is His work. He is helping all these wonderful things happen here and we are blessed to be His instruments at this time. Thank your for your love and support! I am so grateful for this gospel. I know even more now that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and wants us to find the most happiness. As you may know the past couple transfers had been very trying for me. Discouragement was bringing me low....but the Lord has been preparing me...and has now poured out blessings and because I had felt sorrow for a while the joy is so much greater! I love the Lord! He is so good to me! I am forever indebted to Him! Love, sister flake
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Email August 17, 2009 Transfers Maybe?

Hello i love you!
This is gonna be short because the Pennticton sisters are here. They had a sleepover last night. Katie made us breakfast and we all had companion study together..that was fun! We are anxiously awaiting phone calls from the president. Were all kinda worried because there are three sisters going home and only one coming out.....so that means they are closing a sisters area! oh dear me! Sister Brian says hi.
Well we had an investigator barbecue at a members home. went well. Well that's it for now. I'm doing good..... let you know whats going on with transfers next week i guess.. sorry so short but i cant stay focused. love love love ya!
The church is true!
Love, sister flake

Sister Flake has her Return Date!

The mission office of the Vancouver, BC, Canada mission just confirmed that Lindsey will return from her mission on
November 11, 2009 in St. George at 11:00 am!!

Augus 10, 2009 Email

Hello Family!
Wow Hawaii hey? Thanks for the pictures. I really am happy for you. promise. mostly..... haha! Thanks for keeping it a secret for so long so that i only had to be jealous for a short period of time:) The St. George airport sounds wonderful. Thanks for taking care of that mom. Oh and thanks for the package! you are so sweet!
Well its been such an interesting week for me. We taught some young people in thier garage. we met this long haired hippie in front of his house. I noticed he was wearing Ecuadorian pants so i asked him about them and he said his girlfriend just came back from there. so he invited us back to thier garage where his girlfreind and friends were hanging out. They hid the bong under the table as we came in. And we taught them about the nature of "the higher power" and how we can communicate with him. Then we left them the scripture of the day and they invited us back. It was epic!
We had another investigator pass out at the door because she accidently took too much medication. I was super scared but she came to and we got her some water and food and helped her into bed. Wow.
And the last drug story i have is that one of our investigators sons who is only 12 is heavy into drugs. So we treated him and one of his friends to milk shakes and tried our best to pump up thier self esteem cuz they dont seem to have any. His mom and sister came to church yesterday. The little girl was just glowing after primary. She gave me one of the best hugs ive ever recieved. She finally was able to learn about Jesus and she cant wait till next week! i love the gospel! It does wonders in our lives!
Love, sister flake

August 3, 2009 Email

Well hello dear family.....i have a few quick and important things to say. First off...i know this is crazy but Sister Oliver in the office has already made my flight plans! I wasnt sure what airport you want to pick me up at. I told her Las Vegas....it doesnt matter to me so if you want to pick me up in Salt Lake then you need to call the office and let her know please, and then let me know too! I know its wierd! i feel nervous. Also if you could let her know, or me know the Bishops address...i know i should remember it cuz i lived there...but nope.
Also if any of you get an invitation on facebook from a Jean-Robert(ITs french) then add him and do some missionary work! He is 15, adopted from Haite...we work with him at the food bank and we have alot of laughs together. we are teaching him about God and how to pray right now. i told him about my brothers and he wondered if they had facebook and im not sure so if you do...or mom if you do...then you can talk to him. He is hilarious, you will love him.
Next.....i cant remember when the deadline for efy counselor is. But if its soon will you let me know...or sign me up or something? Thank you.
OK and also if anyone heres anything about fires in Kelowna...do not worry. Yes the forrest all around us is burning, and our ward did a fast that we will be protected, but we are fine and probably will not be evacuated. The westbank elders were on alert but its now getting farther away. We have a red sun! Scary eh? and our car had a bit of ash on it yesterday morning....its so smoky that you cant see the mountains. In the meantime we are asking people to come to our stop-smoking workshop haha!
another thing to mention is the fruit here! wow! There is so much fresh fruit that members keep giving us! Everyone here has gardens and fruit trees! We are so blessed.
Well Keith passed the sacrament for the first time yesterday and i about cried. I felt like a mother or something. Im so proud of him:)
Well right now i am trying to up my faithfullness and dillegence. I want to be doing my very best till the end. I am overcomeing alot of weaknesses and trials right now. Heavenly Father is helping me improve as a person as much as i can before i get home. It kind of hurts.....but i know its what is best. I love this gospel! I know i cant express it the way i would like too....its just so precious to me. I love you!
love, sister flake