Hi All!
Washington is pretty much like North Ogden.. it is really small. But we still use the GPS because all the streets are names so thats confusing. It is so pretty here though with the sun shining off the water. Some days it's cold. It is starting to get colder but won't get as cold as Virginia Beach I have been told.
So Sister Downey wanted Sister Stratford to sing again for her family. Her whole family was pretty much over there and so Sister Stratford sang, "Be Still My Soul." Yes she has a good voice. She teaches piano lessons too and played the organ for her first time during sacrament. She makes up her own versions of songs. Its really cool. She was going to make a CD for everyone for Christmas but Chris Downey was going to record her and now that his dad is dying he doesn't have time or doesn't want to now. So she is a little bummed about that. Hopefully we can find someone that has a MAC computer that will record her so that I can have a CD too! Brother Downey is now on oxygen and weighs probably like 115 or 110 pounds. He is going downhill fast. They don't think he will make it much longer. It has brought the whole city of Bath together though. Many people are wondering what Judy Downey believes and we are trying to meet with some of them. This really is a huge missionary opportunity right now even though Brother Downey isn't even a member. Everyone's hearts are softened right now and it is cool to see the mysteries of God.
Sister Currie drank coffee 2 times now but we called our mission president, President Baker and he said it's okay. He is more concerned with people being addicted to those things. She had her interview yesterday during relief society and is good to go on Friday! The only bummer is that stake conference is sunday so she has to wait until next sunday to get the gift of the Holy Ghost. It will be okay though. We figured out her program and everything for her baptism. She is really excited and knows this is the right thing even though she has a bad memory she is starting to remember a lot more. God is so great! Our prayers have literally been answered concerning Sister Currie. When you ask in faith and then act marvelous things seem to happen! Imagine that (: We showed her the baptism font and she was scared and was confused mostly because she thought it was only a couple drops of water that she was going to have put on her head. We have told her how a baptism works and how we perform baptisms from Christ's example. She forgot and them remembered after we told her again. We went over the baptism questions with her before she had her interview. She is so funny. When we asked if she has problems with the Law of Chastity or Homosexuality or abortions she immediately would reply with a strong, forceful, NO! OF COURSE NOT! haha she is so funny. When we asked her about the Word of Wisdom she says, "It's the wisdom from God because he has great words of wisdom." We tell her that is great but it is also the health code. She goes, "oh yeah! No coffee, No wine." haha. The other day scammers were calling and she answered and started speaking spanish.."hola, hola, who is this, who is this" well kind of.. she doesn't speak great. Then she told us that she is going to start preaching to the scammers and tell them that God doesn't like what they are doing. She told us that they will be terrified because they are from Jamaica and fear God. haha. She makes my day.
Transfer calls were last night but Sister Stratford and I will not be transferred because I am still training. I train for 12 weeks. So I have 6 more weeks. I am happy because I love Washington and Sister Stratford. We have our ups and downs but most days we get along fine and have many inside jokes. We are both pretty hilarious if you ask me. (:
Brother Cease helps in the wards with the missionary work and came to our last coordination meeting. It was great because he told our ward missionaries what they need to be doing and that we (missionaries) shouldn't be doing everything. It was good for him to tell them because now we think things might start to pick up with the members. We really need the members to come out with us because now we have to have members come with us at night to our appointments or we can't go out after dark. Members are really important! If it weren't for members.. we wouldn't have hardly any referrals which means we wouldn't have anybody to teach. Or we would be tracting all day everyday. I have only tracted like twice since I have been out because there are better ways now to find new investigators. We have been calling former investigators out of our area book and we have an appt with Mona tomorrow! We hope it goes well! We called this guy named Stacey one night. Then when we woke up we had a voice mail from him. He called us back at 3:30 in the morning. Sister Stratford thinks he was drunk.. but I don't know haha. We called him back and he wants to meet with us but is having back surgery tomorrow so he said he would call us and schedule an appt. We are excited and hope these will work out because we don't have hardly anyone to teach besides Recent Converts and Less Active members. We are trying to teach the active ward members as well..
We have new goals that when we teach we are going to really focus on the how to be teaching lesson with the investigators for our first lesson. That way they won't think we are just having "Bible Study". I hate that people think that we just study with them. OUR PURPOSE IS TO INVITE OTHERS TO COME UNTO CHRIST. Did you see how it says OUR? That means you too. Not just the missionaries. I heard something really cool the other day from Brother Cease actually. He said that the missionaries are here to assist the ward and the ward members. The missionaries are not there for the members to assist them. But we do need help in assisting the ward. We need referrals from them. We need them to come on exchanges with us or just to lessons with us. Members help so much! We need members help!
We are trying to focus on teaching Sister Currie how to recognize the spirit as well as why the Book of Mormon is so important. Reading the Book of Mormon EVERYDAY will give us the strength to avoid temptations that Satan has planned for us. We will be able to receive guidance from the Holy Ghost and we will also be able to learn lessons for ourselves through the Book of Mormon. We will have a stronger desire to read it as we read it over and over again. We will have a stronger testimony of this gospel and of the Lord as we continue to read the Book of Mormon. I just read in Alma how Amulek and Alma are preaching to the wicked people and the men that believed in Alma and Amulek's words were thrown out of the city and their wives and children were burned to death. How awful of a thing people would say! I think it is awful too! But we must remember that, "all that is unfair can be made fair through the atonement of Jesus Christ." How wonderful a blessing. Those wicked judges that killed the wives and children will be judged of their works. There must be opposition in all things for the Lord's plan to work. Those wives and children were taken right up to heaven and the wicked will surely be judged. Now doesn't that give you comfort? It reminds me of people in todays world saying that all these wars, or people being abused, or on and on .. they say thats not fair.. they are right. its not fair for those victims.. but remember, it says in Preach My Gospel, "all that is unfair can be made fair though the atonement of Jesus Christ." That means everything that is unfair! How great a blessing (: The Book of Mormon is amazing. Use it. Read it. Embrace it.
This week I am studying Asking in Faith with prayers and Hope. I hope you will all strengthen your testimonies. I hope you will have Family Home Evening and have family scripture study. I hope you will all have sincere meaningful prayers. Pray everywhere and anywhere. Pray all the time. Pray quietly at times as well as vocally. I know this gospel is true. Continue to bring others into this amazing plan that God has for us. Preach and Teach.
I love you all!
Love Sister Putnam
PS......Things that I would love.....Music CDs (church ones)...banana bread, poppy seed bread or pumpkin chocolate chip bread...granola mix (I really like Mandee's but any will be fine)...Stephens hot chocolate mix. Any of these things would be great for Christmas too.
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