Our exchanges were with the Sister Training Leaders. It went pretty well except that I pretty much talked to everyone the whole time while the other sister didn't really say much.. but she was really nice. haha It was nice to have someone else to be with for a day even though I love Sister Stratford. Sister Stratford and I have learned so much about each other. We laugh and tell funny stories because we are so much alike. We are great together. I have a strong testimony so during the lessons we both try and teach but sometimes i just bare my testimony and she teaches and answers more of the doctrine and hard things that I don't know yet. We have united. It is so fun! I feel like we are really great friends.
So we had 2 baptism dates for Nov 9. But Loretta didn't come to church so now she doesn't have a date. Sister Currie is still on for Nov 9. We just have to stay in contact with her because she (83 years old) forgets things a lot and will drink her wine or coffee because she forgets. We know that she knows that these things are true. She didn't come to church yesterday because she wanted to go to her church to say goodbye to her minister and her friends. We totally understood that.. well kind of haha. She is really excited mostly about being with her family forever. She doesn't have any family around here and she never had any children. She knows what is true but has a hard time being committed to it.
Yesterday in church I gave my first talk. I talked about the atonement and how it changed my life and how once I had a strong testimony I grew a desire to share it with others. I told the ward that we have that wonderful opportunity to teach others about the gospel. They will see in us a light and wonder how we got it and they will have that desire to get it. We need to share the gospel with them and they only way we can do that is if we use the atonement so that we can have the spirit to be with us. How wonderful the gospel is! After my talk we went to sunday school and Brother Baldwin (our ward missionary president) told me and the rest of the class that he has heard multiple missionaries speak on missionary work but none of their talks were as effective as mine because I bore my strong testimony and I had the spirit with me. He told me that I had everyone's attention. After me the branch high counsel guy spoke. Brother Baldwin told us that he gave a great talk but it wasn't as effective because he didn't speak with the spirit. People were falling asleep and didn't care about what he had to say. It made me feel really good to get such a compliment! I know that the spirit can direct my words when I study and have a plan. And then the spirit may change what I have to say. I had my notes with me when I gave my talk... but I didn't use them! It was so cool!
Sister Stratford and I have talked about many things and as we study together I learn new insights and I am able to gain a stronger testimony than before. We have talked about sharing your testimony and how when you share it, you tell people what you KNOW to be true. Not what you are thankful for. A testimony is about the truth of the doctrine of Christ. We told stories and laughed about what some people say. We just all need to be taught and learn what a testimony really is.
We met with Loretta and her daughter Tabby last night. Loretta was busy running all over the house trying to fix her hot water thing. So we tried to teach Tabby. She is 15 years old. We showed her the picture of the SLC Temple and she thought it was so beautiful. We told her how she can go in there too. But first she has to come to church with her mom. haha. Anyways. we also showed Loretta. She knows these things are true.. there is just something bigger holding her back and she wont open up to us.. Loretta's ex boyfriend was there and his name is Santos or something like that. He is Hispanic. He doesn't speak English very well so i told him i don't speak very well in Spanish. But I told him the one sentence I do know in Spanish that Brad taught me. "Why are you a fat pig?" They laughed and laughed. I hope i said it the right way in Spanish haha. We are going to try and get him to be an investigator even though he says he's catholic.
Sister Stratford and I were also discussing how the atonement is a beautiful wonderful thing. When people tell us they have talked to the bishop or they can't take the sacrament or they can't go on a mission, or they can't enter into the temple for a certain amount of time... we should be excited for them because they are trying to change! They are working hard and doing what they know they need to do to have the spirit be with the. We should help them get to where they want to be instead of looking at what they did wrong and how they made a wrong choice. They are trying and that is all God asks of us! Repenting is a wonderful positive thing! I know this church is true and I love sharing the gospel with people here in the Virginia Chesapeake Mission. I love you all so much!
I hope to hear from you all next week! I love you all so much (:
Keep Sister Currie in your prayers (: I know she can do it!
thanks for the love and support
-Sister Putnam
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