Our Reno Mission
Elder Dee Lynn and Sister Lois Ann Lynn

June 24, 2012
Tomorrow is the last day we will be at the Las Vegas West Mission.
We've spent 2 weeks at the MTC and 2 weeks here in Las Vegas.
We were to stay here until transfers, which are tomorrow and then Tues. morning we will leave for Reno.  It is an 8 hour drive.

Observations about the last 4 weeks:

Memo to Bishoprics:   It is really difficult to have a farewell one day and be at the MTC the next day.  We were exhausted on Monday:)
We loved being at the ward and their wonderful response; the family gathering and really appreciated them being there; were excited to see Bryson ordained an Elder before leaving for the Marines the same day we started at the MTC and felt badly we didn't get to spend any time at all with those who came to our house after.

The MTC always is WONDERFUL.  The spirit is so strong.  The young Elders and Sisters are a joy to watch.  LA always loves watching the Elders eat.  The food there is really good.  The mass of young missionaries at the firesides is humbling and listening to them sing the traditional missionary 'Called to Serve' brings you to tears.
The training the first week covers 'Preach My Gospel' and if you stay the 2nd week because you are in an office, doing humanitarian, etc.  the training is amazing.  They are really well organized and young returned missionaries do a great deal of the training.

We left Thusday evening and went home, washed a few clothes, packed the car with Todd and Carson's help and left Sat. am to drive to Las Vegas.  We got lost once we were in town and couldn't find the Stake President's home where we would be staying.  We called the Las Vegas Mission President.  He and his wife came and found us and brought us to 'Spiced Strawberry Street.'  President and Sister Richards have a
'casita' on top of their garage where we have lived for 2+ weeks.  It is really nice, with some food preparation facilities and it's own bathroom.  We have been very comfortable here with the air conditioning being very important in these (today 102 degree) temps.

President and Sister Black (NLVM Pres) are a perfect pair as mission president and wife.  He is not only very much on track with his mission work and dealing with the missionaries (firm and decisive) but loving and so pleasant to be around.  He has a funny sense of humor which often has the office and missionaries laughing so people love being around him.  She is so personable and kind.  She is very
effective in her duties.  It doesn't hurt that she is beautiful and that it is obvious her husband repects her as an equal in their calling and her responsibilities.

Brother and Sister Zobell are the Office Sec. and Financial Sec.  Bro. Condor (vehicles) and Sister Condor (baptisms & referrals) are also very pleasant and easy to be around.  Brother Dana is a local service missionary and the main wheel for cars. Pun intended  :) Everyone of these people have given us everything you can think of by way of help.  We have 2 zip drives full of things and LA has 5 binders full of things to help us get started in our new Reno Mission.

As for Reno, our office will be in an old Seminary building there - a small one.  One of the Assistants was there last weekend and he was excited to see that the walls are back up and painted.  :D  We hope that means that this past week the carpet is in, the shelving, desks, phones, file cabinets, computers and everything else needed is in.  We have been told there is a pallet of paper products there.
We know will still need to get more supplies. 

We will be there Wed. and by Sunday (July 1) everything needs to be in place.  Our Reno Pres. Hermansen and his wife and family are arriving Sat. evening. So are the Pres. and Sister from the Las Vegas and the Las Vegas West missions.  On Sunday after Church the
3 President couples will meet for 2 hours then the two couples from Las Vegas will fly home and the Reno mission will be open.

We were able to get an apt. in Reno and have a bed and table and chairs coming on Tues.  Then sometime when we have time, we will need to go look for the rest of what we need in our apt.

One kind of humorous note - we will begin our mission with an Assistant to the Reno President donated from both the Nevada Las Vegas Mission and the Nevada Las Vegas West Mission.  It appears the two Assistants will be Elder Marks and Elder Sparks.  They will live in Sparks and as the word gets out, this is causing a chuckle among the Elders.

This Reno mission has been formed by combining the two Las Vegas Missions which previously covered all of Nevada, a little of Utah and California.  Now the other 2 missions will cover the small southern corner where Las Vegas is.  We will have all of the rest of Nevada.  We are taking 73 missionaries from the LV West mission and 14 from the Las Vegas mission. About 2 weeks from now we will be getting 16 new missionaries from the MTC.  6 weeks after that we will get another 22 missionaries.  No one will go home during all of that time.  By Christmas we should have about 180 missionaries, as will both of the other 2 Nevada Missions.

We are both so excited to be here.  We LOVE being around the missionaries.  We have really enjoyed being in the Las Vegas West Mission office.  We are excited to meet the new Mission President and his wife and 2 children.  We are excited to get to the cooler temps in Reno. :D  We are hoping and need your prayers that we can remember all of the things we have learned in a month and that they will come to mind at the appropriate time.

Thanks for your support and love.   We love you.
Elder and Sister Lynn