September 14, 2009 Email

Hello! Cool picture Andrew! You dont look scrawny like the other guys! Thanks for the news. Sorry i dont write much. Great things are happening i just am getting bored of emailing i guess. I just want to tell you in person in two months. Well anyway. well i have to go! We have three baptism scheduled this coming month and a few more that are very close. we had 5 investiagarors at church.....the class has to use the computers. sorry i love you so much!!!!!!!
love, sister flake

(and another short note from her companion reflects that they are kindred spirits)

Dear Family, We have three solid baptism dates and six progressing investigators. Heavenly Father is truly continuing to open the windows of heaven upon us. Sis. Flake and I are one in the work, even though the opposition tries to bud into a beautiful companionship. He can try, but he won't succeed. It has been amazing to see so many answers to prayers. We have prayed for the power of the Holy Ghost, that we will be able to work WITH the Savior, and that the work will go forward. Prayers are answered, when we live worthy of the answer.

Love you lots,Sis. Barnum

Email September 8, 2009

Wow! Thanks for the pictures....i want to wrestle a pig too. And little Alexa is soooooooooo cute! Wow.
We have had a spectacular week. But first i must say i am pretty sore right now. Sister Barnum and i did an 8k hike yesterday for pday. We hiked a very high mountain. Elk mountain. very steep and very enjoyable but my muscles have been dormant for a while so I'm feeling it today! Hallelujah that sister Barnum likes to hike!
Well members here keep helping us! I love our ward mission leader and his family. They remind me of my family! Anyway we had dinner at their house on Sunday and the wife spilled a glass of water on my lap on accident! It was so funny! We have a corn roast tonight that will be great! We have had many spiritual lessons this week and we now have thee people in line to be baptized. Two young men from Hope and Gina. Sorry I don't have too much time to write. as you know yesterday was labor day here so we couldn't get into the library.

I love you and I love the gospel!

Love, sister flake

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!!