Dan The Man Is Baptized!

Hey Everyone!   Twas a great week out here in the Lords service.

Dan the Man got baptized! It was miracle, a tender mercy, and an amazing day! One of the most special baptisms I've had yet. Dan is a special son of God, and although his physical body is worn and tired, his spirit has been born again and is alive as ever! President and Sister Vest came to the baptism and Dan invited his non member friends. Brother Giroux provided a musical number recorded on his I pad because he is too sick to leave his house. It was so sweet. Dan is a jokester, when he came up out of the water, he has his shaky hands to his face to wipe off the water and he turned to Elder Beckstead and said, "Why'd you dunk me?" and everyone laughed. He was gleaming with a new light!

I love this Amazing Man!  This is how he holds his head up!

The Wicks Family from Indian Creek!

We have been homeless bums this week, we got kicked out of our house because the members we live with had their teenage son in town so we couldn't stay there, we've been sleeping at other sisters apartments on the floor and with the senior couple, we are two tired missionaries. Yet, its all apart of the fun!

Exchanges with Sister Fletcher!  

Ambers baptism is on the 8th of August now, we were so nervous to push it back but she was great about it. We feel we have more time to feel like she is truly ready. 

We took our investigator Kristen to the visitors center last night, she is preparing for baptism on the 15th of August. She is a young mom, and her main focus is how the Gospel blesses our families. Yesterday we were able to teach her about the temple and eternal families and she just cried, we are truly so blessed. Families really can be together forever. The family is the way God shows his love, the family is central is too his plan, the family is forever.

My Mom was sitting at the table writing me a letter when this picture came through on her phone from a member! Do you think my MOM cried, YUP, she did!   It said:

Your daughter is doing an amazing job! We love having her here and we are grateful for your sacrifices so that she can be here!  

"Righteous desires need to be relentless, therefore, because, said President Brigham Young, 'the men and women, who desire to obtain seats in the celestial kingdom, will find that they must battle everyday.' Therefore, true Christian soldiers are more than weekend warriors." Neal A. Maxwell

I love you all!   Make it a GREAT week.

XOXO Sister Flink

The Beauty Of The Gospel

Yo Yo everyone!

Hope your enjoying your day, its rainy and muggy here is Kansas, gotta love the humidity. NOT. Its been a great week and its been HOT!

 

 

Some wonderful highlights...
We had lots of lessons with Dan and Amber getting them both ready for their baptisms on Saturday.  Dan has been a light to me in this area, he inspires me to be better and positive. With his Parkinson's disease, he has every reason to be negative but he finds the beauty in every single day. This week we had a lesson and the spirit directed us to talk about trials and he said, "Sometimes I wonder if I did something wrong in this life and that's why I have these circumstances." Tears filled my eyes as I heard this special Son of God tells us of his sorrows. I looked at him and I testified of how I know that God is not punishing him, God gives us trials because he wants to go grow. He wants us to rely on him, he wants us to become the divine people we are meant to be. Life would be pointless without tests and mountains to climb. I said, "Dan, I promise you that you are going to soften hearts and change lives in this church, you will be an example and a beacon of hope to all of us." Silent tears rolled down his cheeks as he held his walker with his shaky hands, I am so excited for his baptism. Both the Elders are going to be baptizing him to make sure he doesn't fall, and he has his suit picked out for the big day! He's a funny guy. Yesterday during the ordinance of the Sacrament he turned to me and said, "Sister Flink, now wouldn't be a good time to tell you a Mitt Romney joke would it? I just thought of one." or in our lesson after he asked how old we are he said, "Golly, its horrible when you have underwear older than your missionaries." or this was the best one this week... Dan texted us and said, "Sisters, can we push the lesson back to 10:30, i need 15 minutes to hide all the Coffee, Tea, and wild woman." He really just needed time to get his shoes on. Oh Dan! What a great guy!

We had lunch with our Muslim friend, Jenine. She has been taught in the past but is not interested in joining the church. We had a long conversation about our religions and beliefs, and without going into detail, may I just say how eternally grateful I am for the truthfulness that we know. Brothers and Sisters, we are so lucky. DO NOT take the gospel for granted, there are so many who are so close but yet, so far from the truth. I am so grateful for the knowledge we have that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. That is such a special and divine knowledge, we can be forgiven, we can have hope and light.

We went to the temple this week! That was a blessing, we get to go every 4 months and the peace it brings is unspeakable. I was renewed in my vigor to serve and be consecrated to the Lord.

We met Marie this week, she is now an investigator who has been through a lot in her life. We got out of the car and she ran up to us and we had no idea who she was, but a less active had invited her to meet with us and the less active didn't let us know.. so she runs up and hands us each some lotion and perfume and says, "I am so glad you are here! Thank you so much for coming for me." We just looked at each other and I said, "Hi! Whats your name?" and then she proceeded to tell us that she was there with the less active we were coming to see. It was one of the coolest lessons I have had on my mission, she told us all about her life story and she has been through more than any of us could even imagine. She is trying to turn her life around and start over. She cried as she said, "I just need my life back. I want to be happy again, I want peace, I want to be a woman of God, im ready to do whatever it takes, please help me." and I sat there and my mind was just racing, what a blessing it is to have the Knowledge of Jesus Christ and EVERYTHING that he represents is happiness, peace, and new beginnings. Marie is a miracle, and Marie understands her need for a new beginning and we are so grateful that we get to be instruments in the Lords hand to help her.

The work is wonderful!

God Loves Us Completely
“Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely.
Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly.
Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely.
What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us.
No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our
infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to
Him so that He can draw near to us."

My companion is amazing. I love her, we have so much fun. She has taught me so much! I love and cherish every moment I have to wear this tag.

I love you all, thanks for all your support and love, until next week,

XOXO Sister Flink

 

Good morning Mama!

What's new with me? Well, not much. things are going good. It was definitely a spider bite, its healing and almost closed. I am afraid my body is failing me haha! I feel like I have mono again. I have somehow injured the middle of my back and I can hardly turn side to side, maybe tore a muscle. My body feels nailed to the bed in the mornings, I ache, I feel like I need a nap every 2 hours, I don't have the mental or physical energy I need and its been really frustrating. I am receiving a blessing today, if it doesn't get better I will call President Vest. I think the mission has taken its toll on me, I'm tired Mom! But so happy, it's like the scripture, "the mind is willing but the flesh is weak"

Its been a good week. Amber and Dan are getting baptized this Saturday, we are finding people to teach and the wards are great.  The family we live with has a son our age that is coming into town so we will be sleeping at the OP1 sisters apartment on the floor for a week, they are a set we are over so it will be good to be with them and nip contention in the bum.

I love hearing about all you do during the week and how everyone is doing. Sounds like life is just moving right along. I cant believe two of my best friends are coming home this week, it makes me feel weird. Give them a huge hug for me please!

Marni emailed me this week, she's doing good and is SO EXCITED to meet you guys!  She said you have been a great blessing to her these last couple months, go Mom! You rock. You and Marni will be lifelong friends, the Ourth family is my mission treasure.

I got Jerrod and Kristin's wedding invite, so so so cute. I'm so happy for him. Send everyone my love from the wedding, they have a happy life ahead of them! I will write him soon.

So many special experiences happen everyday it's impossible to write them all, but I need to be better at sharing experiences.
 

I love you Mom!!!!!!

Evil Triumphs When Good Men Do Nothing

Hellooooooooooooo from OP, Kansas!

We had a little tornado here in OP Kansas!  Nothing like taking cover as the sirens are going off at Panera Bread near the intersection of Shawnee Mission Pkwy and Melrose Lane.  If I am going to take cover during a tornado, you bet it will be in a bakery!  We were not too scared, the girl in the back might be a little bit!  Nothing like sharing the gospel over some nice bread!

 

I really cant remember much of what happened this week because we've been so busy. Investigator wise: MIRACLES. We are teaching some amazing people. Amber, Dan, Kristin, Paige, Marshall, and lots of lots of less active returning members. The work is booming and I'm so grateful to be apart.

The Raw Creek Sister - LOVE THEM!

Sister Medel

Tuesday we had exchanges with 1 set of our sisters, The Kaw River sisters, I was here with Sister Medel. She is a convert of 3 years to the church and taught me so much. I don't feel qualified to be a Sister Training Leader, and they teach me so much more than I teach them, so I am grateful for the special calling the Lord gave me to learn from some incredible Sisters. We saw miracles that day, we found 3 new investigators in 30 minutes and taught some great lessons. 

I think she is loving the idea of hurting me!

Wednesday after district meeting my companion forced me to go to Urgent Care and get my spider bite checked.. they numbed me up and cut it open an I just have a little hole in my leg that will hopefully leave... soon. :( but we didn't waste any time getting back to work and we had dinner with a non member who became an Investigator, Miracles!

 

Friday we had a Sister Training Leader meeting at the mission home and I received so much revelation and guidance of what I can do to be better and to help and serve to my fullest capacity. That night, we had a set of our Sisters get emergency transferred and we went to their apartment and were able to sit down with them and talk to them and counsel with them. I was so grateful for the spirit in that moment of need, and for a companion who supports me and helps me. Amidst the conflict and circumstances of these Sisters, I was able to see them as Christ saw them, and bear testimony of the Atonement of Christ and the hope, help, healing, and light we receive as we let the Lord carry us. I was thankful for the opportunity to be a vessel for the Lord in giving comfort and counsel and knew without a doubt it wasn't me talking, but the spirit working through Sister Coats and I to say the right thing at the right moment.

Its been a good week with many tender mercies, I know the Lords hand is near. I've been pondering about the strong force of evil going on around us and the things we must stand for, and I thought about how sometimes we simply don't know WHY the Lord does things the way He does, and we may never know why, but like Adam we can go forth and keep the commandments of God and say, "I know not, save the Lord commanded me." and be obedient to our Father in Heaven and trust in the reality of his promises.

"Evil triumphs when good men do nothing."

You are all good, so so good. the elect, the very best. And I am so grateful to know you, go forth with courage to do what you KNOW to be right, even if all you know is that its a good thing to do. The Savior walks with us in the fight for right, we must trust him and let him lead the way.
I truly love you all, make it a great week, XOXO Sister Flink

Daddy-o.......
I went to the Dr! And don't worry! I already got a mouthful of lecture from President Vest at the Sister Training Leader meeting about how I need to take care of myself and stop working so hard when my body isn't responding. Then all my companions ganged up on me and told him that I never rest when I need too. Because I've had a croopy cough and fever this week, so he made Sister Coats take me home and put me to bed and he's been watching me like a hawk.... Rude. The mission is wearing on me, I'm soooo tried.

I'm feeling better though, and I'm on Antibiotics and a cream thing for the spider bite, they had to numb it and cut it open and dig it out again. I don't know why this craziness keeps happening.Anyways, I love you!Sister Flink 

 

Sometimes you just need to be SILLY!   A nice break from tornado weather!

Spiritual Revival

Happy late 4th of July to those I love! hope you had a great one. Sister Coats and I happily heard fireworks from our bedroom while planning, it was a glorious experience haha.  I did attend a quick concert!  Bro. Giroux brought out his guitar and sat at the kitchen table and played me some "Fooling Yourself" Styx music.  Loved it!

The Giroux Family!

I got a fun surprise at church on Sunday!  A few transfers back I served in the "Indian Creek Ward" in Lenexa, KS.  I am now just 10  minutes away serving in the Overland Park 2 Ward!  Sweet Sister Leslie Steinle came and surprised me at church and sent my Mom these fun pictures! 

Catching up, but her companion was ready to start taking pics so we gave her a gratuitous pose. This what we came up with!

My eternal sweet heart of a girly! Sister Flink and I !!!! We just couldn't help ourselves! We've been separated for far tooo long!

I have just one question!  Do the spiders here in Missouri HATE ME!  Got bit again!  Ouch!

This week has been great! We've been loaded with appointments, we are working very strongly with the members and less actives. We have lots of appointments to teach members, and many less actives that are returning to the gospel. Its great! Plus, Dan is still on baptism date for the 18th and Amber is preparing for the 25th.

I want to take a second to tell you about Dan. Dan is incredible, he is someone I have come to love and admire in my time here. He is in his 60's, and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease last year. Since then, it has been a quick decline. Dan relies on a walker and wheelchair for mobility, and the muscles in his neck have become so tight that he can barley lift his head to speak with us and when he does, it is a quiet mumble as he struggles for his words. And guess what? He's a ROCKSTAR. He comes to church every week with a smile on his face, he is loved by the members, and he is excited for baptism. The Book of Mormon has changed his life thanks to Sister Buckhave who shared a scripture about being "saved by grace" and he knows this is Jesus Christs true and living church on the earth. He is the most positive man I have ever met, when he has every reason to complain or get discouraged. Remember to count your many blessings and thank the Lord for what you have been given, you never know what tomorrow may bring.

 Wednesday we had Mission Leadership Council and had such a neat experience. As the numbers of the mission have drastically declined, we all went into MLC fasting and seeking revelation as a counsel about what we could do to change. It was one of the most spiritual meetings I have ever been apart of, I realized more than ever that I was standing amongst some of Christs strongest soldiers, and we are truly at war with the adversary right now. The battle may be ever present, but we already know who will win. "Whose on the Lords side, who?"

My Sistas!

Sissy Allred!  She is in my Zone!

Lenexa Zone!

Elder Hayes and Elder Roberts

Thursday we sang at Rose Estates to all the patients for the 4th of July. Makes me happy every time. Friday, we had Zone Training and as Jeffery R. Holland said.... "We got bold enough just to fringe their eyebrows a little bit." Its time to step it up for the Lord. We need to be a little better, we need to stand a little taller. And let me remind you of one thing, if you ever wonder if you need to say "Yes" to a spiritual prompting, or a calling, or a service opportunity, or to go home or visiting teaching, or to bear your testimony, or to share the gospel, you never need to ask whether you have time or not. You already said yes to the Lord and his kingdom when you made that covenant in the temple. You've already said Yes, now go and do and be faithful, there is no time for fence sitters or casual obedience, take the time to give yourself some spiritual revival.

"To some, the events unfolding in the world today are frightening. This is not a time to panic, but it is definitely a time to prepare. What can we do to better prepare ourselves for that which is at our doorstep? It is simple. We need to get back to basics and “learn obedience.” When we are obedient, we follow the first principles of the gospel and place our faith in our Lord and Savior; we repent of our sins; we are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost to guide us. We read and ponder the scriptures, pray for direction in our lives, and look for ways to help others who are going through difficult times. We share the gospel with people living on earth and make it possible for saving ordinances to be performed for those who have passed beyond the veil. Into each of our lives come golden moments of adversity. This painful friend breaks our hearts, drops us to our knees, and makes us realize we are nothing without our Lord and Savior. This friend makes us plead all the night long for reassurance and into the next day and sometimes for weeks and months. But, ultimately, just as surely as the day follows the night, as we remain true and faithful, this strange friend, adversity, leads us straight into the outstretched arms of the Savior."

"Before we can be taught things hidden from the world, we must be on a spiritual frequency which is out of this world."  Glenn L. Pace

This month, I am working on Project Sister Flink. I am taking the specific things in my life I need to change to become what God wants me to become and I am taking them to the Lord and letting him help me, that is what he is there for. What is Project You?

We need not fear, we must go forward. The world will change, Gods doctrine never will. For "He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever."   I know the Savior Jesus Christ lives. I love him, I am honored to bear his name and declare his divinity to those around me. Israel, Israel, God is calling.

 See you soon.XOXO, Sister Flink