Hot and Humid

Oh man what a week we had. Lots of ups and downs. It felt like we where on a roller coaster. So here is one of the crazy stories of the week. We where tracting a cult-d-sac and the first few houses no one answered so we left a card then we get to one a man answers and immediately says Sorry I'm not interested and shuts the door so we continue going around well this lady from one of the housed we already went to comes out of her house and yells at us with the pass along card in her had and says here is your card and throws it on the ground come pick up your card it is on the ground well we ignore her and she stands outside watching us while we finish the cult-d-sac and as we are leaving the street starts yelling at us again for us to come get the card we tell her you can have it and if you don't want it to get rid of it well she didn't like that answer so finally sister webb went and got the card and as we are walking away sister webb says something under her breath that wasn't very nice about the lady then out of no where another person comes out with the card in her hand and gives us the card and says this is not my problem and runs back to her house. Then on a different day we where tracting there was a guy named matt that answered the door I barely got HI out of my mother he invites us in (he kinda looked like he may be under the influence of something) well we ask him if his wife or girlfriend was home and he was home alone but said we could come back later that night to talk to him well we give him a pass a long card with our number well not 10 mins later he calls us and just says all this crazy stuff that makes no since and has nothing to do with the gospel basically we really determined he is crazy well he has been calling us every day many times a day so we are trying to determine if we should not talk to him or if this is Heavenly Father placing in our path because he needs our help.

It has been really hot and humid this week. So most days we are hot stick and sweaty. Not my idea of fun. But oh well. Some of the really cool things that have happened this week is we found a few potentials investigators. One of them is named matt he is really religious and has gone to a christian church for most of his life. His kids have gone on many mission trips to mexico well he invited us over yesterday to have dinner with him and his family and some friendsTuesday night. So we decided to go I mean hey dinner at a place with tons of potentials why not. Then we met Sharon she is catholic but she has been meeting with the Jehovah Witnesses and but said she wants to learn more about our church. Well as we where talking to her a really crazy bad storm started and she said how about we meet next week and maybe we could meet one time and I could fix you lunch or something. So that was really cool. SO ya Saturdayevening/night we had a really crazy bad storm hit. No tornadoes. Just rained really hard and tons lightening and thunder and hail and wind.

This week I also went on exchanges with sister zundel and I went to her area Fenton (that was sister minyards old area) It was really fun and I like going on exchanges because you get to see a different way someone else teaches a principle and does things.

Well I hope all of you have a great week.

Love Sister Lynch

Week 14

Well another week has come and gone. It was a great week. We found 3 new investigators. The fire flies or as the locals call them lightening bugs (they laugh at us for calling them fire flies) are coming out more and more so needless to say it is way exciting for us to see them every night. I am getting to know the sandy creek area better. Oh man in this area we walk a lot more then we did in fredericktown. Up and down big hilly neighborhoods all day long. So the weather here has been kinda crazy it has is really rainy and stormy off and on this week. We got caught out in the rain visiting people and we didn't have our coats or umbrellas so yep we got a little wet. Before we left the car I had the thought maybe you should take your umbrella well I didn't because who would have thought it would rain it was warm and the sunny was out well note to all of you listen to the holy ghost because otherwise you might find yourself a little wet if you don't. We had ZLT this week and it was amazing! In my zone we have some STL's (sister trainer leaders) and the AP's and the office elders so ya that can be kinda intimidating but it was a great ZLT. They asked us to read as a companionship the 4 gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John by the end of the transfer. That adds up to about 3 chapters a day. We have been doing that and it has been pretty good. So I would challenge all of you to read them as well. So on Saturday we where outside teaching a lot. One of our new investigators Jeff we couldn't go into his house because we didn't have another women there or with us to go into his home so we had to teach him the restoration outside in the sun well we got a little sunburnt. So we look like lobsters right now. I am getting to know the elders that we share the ward with better. I found out that Elder Johnson is a convert of 2 years that is so awesome! So there are so many times when people will talk about primary, young mens or womens or seminary and both of us are like ya we have know idea what your talking about because we weren't a member until recently so we decided to make a convert card so anytime someone talks about something we where not able to experience we will just pull out out card that says sorry I don't know I am a convert or something like that.

So this week in one of my studies I came across a scripture that I really like it is in Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Our whole duty in life is to keep Gods commandments and it really doesn't matter what else we do in life. But I know as we keep his commandments we will receive so many blessings our life will be so much better and when we are going through hard times we will receive strength from Heavenly Father.

Well I hope all of you have a great week! I miss you all thanks for all the support and prays they mean so much to me!

Love,

Sister Lynch

Week 13

What a week. Monday and tuesday we said goodbye to people and packed and had to get the area book and apt ready for the elders. OH man was that not fun. I will just say on tuesday night we where up really late. Wed not a fun day had to get up early and load our car with both of our stuff (it barley fit) and drive to st. louis. It is not fun carrying your suitcases up and down stairs! Then I had to say goodbye to sister Minyard. Man am I going to miss her! I am so grateful I got to be companions with her. Well I am in my new area. My new area is Sandy Creek. It is kinda in the hillsboro area. But I live in Arnold ( that is is not in my area, yes we live outside about 10 mins outside of our area). My companion is Sister Webb she is awesome! So Sister Webb was trained by Sister Minyard (my mom) so I am with my sister. So we share a ward (yes a ward this time not a branch) with elders. It is different sharing a ward with other missionaries. The elders are Elder Spencer (our district leader) and Elder Johnson. So Sister Webb, Elder Spencer and Elder Johnson where all in this area last transfer so they know the ward, area and each other so it is different sometimes because I kinda feel like the outsider sometimes. But I am getting to know all of them better. The ward is pretty big and there are a ton of people I have meet but I have now idea who is who. I am just trying to remember all of them and get to know the area. The Bishop Bishop Shirk is great we had dinner at there house on Thursday night. He is just chill and laid back but is so willing to help us in anything we need. He is kinda young to he is only 34 and he said I think they chose the most least spiritual person to be bishop. I think he is great. Sandy Creek is half big city half country. It is so pretty and green here. It is a upper middle class area. We don't have many people that we are teaching so we are trying to find find find. So the way we are trying to find is by asking everyone for referrals and tracting. We are tracting a lot. The area is very hilly so we are walking up and downs hills all day long. But I am excited to see what Heavenly Father has in store for me in this area.

Oh my heck guess what I saw last night tracting. Lighting bus aka firer flies! And sister Webb even caught one. They are so cool!!

Oh ya totally forgot to tell you that last monday sister minyard and I climbed to the highest point in missouri. I am not a big fan of highest but I did it just for sister minyard.

Well I hope all of you have a great week!!

Love Sister Lynch

Week 12

I can't believe that my second transfer has come and gone. Time goes by so fast out here. Well Saturday we received transfer calls. And the verdict is I AM TRANSFERRING to sandy creek. It is not to far from St. Louis. It is kinda in the Arnold Missouri area. I am kinda excited to be in the city. But I also am sad to be leaving the Fredericktown area. I love all the people here. I am going to miss them so much. But here is the interesting twist to transfers Sister Minyard is also transferring. They are whitewashing this area again. Sister Minyard is going to Potosi which is still in the same district. They are basically swapping the elders potosi and bringing them to fredericktown and sending the sisters to potosi. So it is kinda weird. But Heavenly Father knows what he is doing.

My new companion will be Sister Webb. Sister Minyard trained her. So I feel like I know so much about her already. Funny story so about 15 mins or so before we where suppose to get the call to see about transfers I said wouldn't it be funny if I became companions with Sister Webb. I thought that was so funny. The other funny thing is so Sister Minyards new companion will be Sister Richardson who Sister Webb finished training last transfer.

The next few days will be kinda crazy for us we both have to say our goodbyes, pack, clean the apartment and car and go to our new areas. 

I am going to miss this area. Yes it may be a very small town in the middle of now where (aka the sticks) in missouri and they maybe a lot of rednecks and country people but I love them I will miss all the members so much. I didn't think leaving an area would be so hard. I had a friend tell be before I left that a mission is just a series of goodbyes and now I understand. We broke the news to the branch yesterday during fast and testimony meeting. I was the one to say it and all I remember is before I said it everyone's face was all happy and smiling at me and the immediately after I said we where both transferring there faces looked like you had taken a ballon that was fully inflated to like it had lost a lot of air. But I am so grateful for the members here. I have learned so much from them. They have helped us in this area so much. I will never forget them.

Other then hearing about transfers this week has been great. So there is this less active Twila that we have been seening since we got here she had not been to church in over 8 years. Well yesterday made her 4 or 5th time coming to church in a row and she is now able to partake of the sacrament. It was so good to see her take the sacrament. So Twila remarried at the beginning of this year and her husband Jim is not a member yet. Well he has been coming to church with her a. He is out of town a lot so we have not been able to teach him and he says he is not interested. On Sunday Twila told us that on Jim was having a really hard time falling asleep because he felt like he needed to say a prayer for me and Sister Minyard. Well he said a prayer for us and he told Twila to tell us he said a prayer for us. It is so great when you hear even non members are saying prays for us. I know that as Jim continues to come to church he will contiune to feel the spirit and it will only be a matter of time before he gets baptized.

I hope all of you have a great week. Thanks for all the prays and support.

Love Sister Lynch

Hey Everyone

This week has been a great week. I hope your memorial day was good. We went down to cape giradeau to play softball with the zone. It was so much fun. I got sun burnt and I am a little sore today.
 The other day we where driving to Arcadia area and we almost got into what would have been a really bad car accident there was most defiantly divine intervention this week for me and sister minyard not just on the almost car accident but a few other things.

This week we have had some pretty good lessons with some investigators. We had a lesson with shari and we had a member with us. The member was such a great help to shari. Having members at lessons are just the best. Then we had another lesson with anna she had a baptismal date for may 31st but we had to push it back because after talking to her more she doesn't understand what it means to be a member. She wants to get baptized but doesn't really understand what it means to be baptized. Also she is having issues with getting baptized in a font because she says it is to enclosed so we are trying to find a river she could get baptized in.

I can't believe that I have been out here for 3 months. Yesterday was my 3 month mark. Next week is transfers. Who know if I will transfer or not. I dont' really care if I stay or go. Where ever the Lord needs me I will be happy about it.

Sorry this Email is so short I don't have much time to email this week. I hope all of you have a great week. Thanks for all you do.

Sister Lynch

included is a picture from zone p-day yesterday

Because of Him

Well this week has been a pretty good week. We had Zone Conference this week and they showed this video called Because of Him we had not seen it but it is a Mormon message that the church aired around Easter. You need to really watch it. It is the best video ever. Check it out at www.mormon.org/becauseofhim.

I can't believe that we are starting week 5 of this transfer. My time with sister minyard is more then like going to be over soon. I am kinda bummed about that. Sister Minyard thinks that she is going to stay in fredericktown. So the other day sister minyard says to me so I have only had to speak in church once since being on my mission. Then like the next day later we get a call asking us to give a training at the relief society enrichment then on Thursday night our branch president call us and asked both of us to speak this sunday on the same subject then 10 mins later our district leader calls and asks sister minyard to give the training at our district meeting this Thursday. Well sister minyard see what you get for voicing that you hadn't been asked to speak now look at what all we get to do. Well trying to prepare a talk while your on your mission is different then I was use to oh and having no time to do it is always interesting but it went ok. I survived. You all know how much I love speaking. NOT. Oh and guess what we got asked to now teach the gospel doctrine class in 2 weeks. So word of advice don't say you really enjoy speaking and how you really haven't' gotten a change to do it in a long time because the lord will make it more then happen and beyond. Oh well it is good for me right.

This week we had exchanges with the sister trainer leaders. I stayed in fredericktown with and sister sabey came with me. I was kinda nervous because this was the first time I was going to be staying in my area and when you stay you are the one who is kinda in charge because you know the people and the area. But it went really well. I loved getting to be with sister sabey for a day. She is such a great missionary. I got to drive a car for the first time since the end of February. Oh man it is different driving after you haven't driven in a while and when it is not your car it is the missions you it is a little freaky because you don't want to do anything to possibly have anything happen to it. But no dints or dings happen while I was driving it.

We have been seeing the members get more excited to help us in our work. Pretty much all the time when ever we see them they are asking us who and what we are teaching our investigators. Since we have been in the fredericktown area we have seen a change in the members and the missionary work in this area. They are really more fired up about missionary work. Branch council the other week was all about missionary work and what they can do. It is such a change from when we first got to the area!

I love being out here and seeing and feeling a difference everyday!

I hope you all have a great week. Enjoy memorial day.

Sister Lynch

Mother's Day

Well this week was a pretty good one. It was so good to Skype with my family yesterday and hear/see there faces. Now its back to work. You wouldn't think that talking to your family would be a distraction from the work but it is. As a missionary you are in the world but not really in the world. We are in a world of our own.

This week has been another great week. Guess what we set a baptismal date with someone the other day! So she is claustrophobic and she said she would get baptized but not in a font because it is to enclosed for her so we have to find a river or somewhere else. On monday we had an investigator come to FHE and dinner at a members house with us. It was such a great lesson! And that same investigator is progressing so well. We retaught the restoration lesson and she said that everything we taught made sense and she wants to learn more. We can tell she truly has a desire to learn more. This week we started doing service at the senior center here in town. They had us wash dishes and at first I wasn't super excited to wash dishes but all of people talked to us it was so much fun and they where so appreciative for us coming and helping them. There is a less active we visit pretty regually and Sister Minyard and I both didn't think she liked us that well because she always talks about one of the missionaries she had visiting her prior to us coming to the area she basically talks about how great that missionary is. Well as we where leaving we gave her a huge and she whispered in my ear. I just want to tell you I Love You. Ah that was so sweet I guess she does like me.

Oh friday we had a big storm (or at least I thought was a big storm). Both sister minyard and I thought that there was going to be a tornado we where a little scared. The sky was black and there was about nickle size hail and the locals kept saying well those kinda sky's look like they are the tornado maker sky's. Well we have a member who doesn't live to far from our apartment who said that if the sirens go off we can go over to her house and just come on in and get into her basement. Well sister minyard called them and to see if they thought there might be a tornado well they weren't worried at all and they just said oh its just a thunder storm don't worry. Well that didn't ease our minds at all. Would black sky's in the day POURING rain and hail about the size of a nickle tons of lightning with the thunder like a few seconds after seeing the lightening scar you well it scarred us!! Well we survived but the member did tell us she was surprised we didn't come over because it was kinda bad.

We have this amazing 92 year old woman in our branch that has a very special place in Sister Minyard and I heart we wanted to do something special for her on mothers day so we got her some pink roses, wrote her a note and made her favorite mac and cheese. We surprised her last night with them and she was so touched. It is hard to describe
​ but as we walked into her living room her face just light up. It was such a special thing to do for her.

I hope all of you have a great week! Get out and enjoy the sun before it gets to warm. Thanks everyone for all the support and prays. I love hearing from all of you and can't wait to hear you next week.

Love Sister Lynch