Christmas 2013 Photos Sister Putnam

Merry Christmas 2013!!!!  
Sister Putnam with her Christmas Tree filled with photos of those that love her!!!

Sister Putnam with her friend, The Donkey.
Back to Bethlehem Pageant

Sister Stratford and Sister Putnam

Sister Putnam & Sister Stratford's Christmas Card

Sister Putnam & Sister Stratford

Sister Putnam's letter 12-30-13!

Family-

           I am so excited for you to have dinner with the missionaries! It will definitely be awkward but that will be good! Just advice.. let them dish up their plates, the Elders said "No Spaghetti". Tell them that they don't have to eat all of it and don't get mad if they don't eat all of it. They probably have so many dinner appointments! haha Let them share a message with you as well. And if they ask to serve you let them! (: Give them referrals as well! Missionaries LOVE referrals. As for dinner.. umm.. I don't know! Just what you usually have is good! Just something that isn't messy. 

         Good luck with school and with everyone's jobs and things. I know life can be stressful just keep holding on to that Iron Rod. Let God guide you. So I finished "Our Search for Happiness" it is soo good! It talks about the restoration, the plan of salvation, the gospel (faith, repentance, baptism, receieving the gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end), and it talks about the commandments. It was so good! I loved it. It is exactly what we teach to everyone. I am now reading "Our Heritage." It is about Joesph Smith and the pioneers. I am excited to really get into it. Keep reading the Book of Mormon and say your prayers often. I know this is the true church of God. There is no doubt! 

   Christmas went well. I am so happy! The gospel brings happiness. I have seen so many blessings come into my life because of the restoration and the knowledge that we have.  The Wilson's picked Danielle up for church again. The Wilson's are members and they are awesome. They have totally adopted Danielle and Herlett. They helped her move, they bought them gifts for Christmas and they are picking them up for church. The Wilson's understand service and the gospel. They understand what consecrating themselves unto the Lord means. They are so humble and are great people!

     Dorothy promised us she would come to church. So we got a member to pick her up but she wouldn't budge. She called us and told us that she can't go to a church that she can't shout in. We have taught her the importance of church but she still is doing her will instead of God's will. We will be meeting with her again. 

        President and Sister Baker came to our church yesterday and talked during sacrament. They did a really good job and our branch really needed to hear what they had to say. President Baker talked about what Christ did for us and how nothing that God asked of him was too much for Christ. Everything that God asks of us should not be too much for us. Such as, callings in the church, going to church every week, praying, reading the scriptures, and serving others and bringing them closer to Christ. Share the gospel with everyone! He mentioned General Conference and how Thomas S. Monson said that members and missionaries need to work together. It is not all on the members and either is it all on the missionaries. We know that the only way we can get more people to hear the gospel is to work together! Once that happens this work will explode like crazy! Please family, help the missionaries. Invite friends to church. Invite less actives back to church. Invite, invite, invite. It is all we can do but it is not too much to do. We can do it. 

          I got my hair trimmed today and we started talking to the ladies that were cutting hair. We shared what we do and who we are. We then asked if we could teach them more. We can! We have an appointment with them tonight. Miracles happen when you reach out and you just try to talk to people. Their names are Wendy, Kimberly, and Joanna. We are excited to teach them about the true gospel! 

          I am so grateful for this gospel and the truth that it brings. I have been so happy as I have aligned my will with the Lords. This gospel brings happiness, peace, and love. Remember that it is so much easier to be on the Lords side. It is so much easier to align your will with his. He will make your burdens light and he will help you in those times that you need it. Lean on the Lord. Trust him. Here is a really good talk about converting yourself unto the Lord. I love you all! (:

Love Sister Putnam

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/2012/10/converted-unto-the-lord?lang=eng&clang=eng

12-23-13

 So today is soo humid and hot. Yesterday it was 83 degrees and today it is like 73.. it is crazy! I think it is supposed to rain later today though.

 

That surprise Christmas party was a shock! Our branch gave us so many gifts and spoiled us like crazy! We did not expect that. It was so fun to hear you speak! It was good! (: Sister Downey is awesome! I don't know how she does it all. Did you get to meet up with her yet while she is in Utah? We have a dinner appointment every night this week.. we are going to get so fat.. and we each got gift cards.. mostly fast food restaurants.. haha I love christmas! But I really love seeing people happy and so many people are happy during Christmas. We have been serving a lot this week. We helped Brother Wilson (member) do some yard work and tonight we are helping Danielle move. Danielle came to church but then left after Sacrament.. so we were a little disappointed. Sister Currie is doing better. She is actually leaving the state to see her niece and nephew. Which will be really good.  She really does forget.. but sometimes I think she is embarrassed and says she forgot when sometimes she didn't. But we are still working with her. 

Sarah Taylor is our new investigator and she was working on the questions at the back of the Restoration pamphlet.  She said... "There are some questions here that I can't answer because I don't have that other book.. the Book of Mormon or something like that.. so I need that book." So we gave her the Book of Mormon and talked about it with her. She said that she already knows it is true. She is so humble and has so much faith. We just need to explain the priesthood to her better.

Tell everyone thank you for their support and their love! I love them all so much! I haven't opened the packages yet though. I am waiting until Christmas to do it. But I am so thankful for their love and them thinking of me. I am so spoiled and blessed to have so much support. I have been so blessed to have this gospel in my life and to know the true meaning of Christmas. I know Christ loves me and he loves you. I know the atonement works. Thanks for the article on Al Fox! I can't believe she is pregnant! But I love her and her story about tattoos. We all have our own tattoos. And God does forget about them once we repent and we forget about them as well. But we will always remember our "tattoos" as a reminder to choose good! (:

Well I am excited to hear from you and see you all on skype on Christmas.

I love you all so much! I hope you have a Merry Christmas! Remember The True Meaning (:

-Love Sister Putnam

Skype on Christmas Day!

YEA!!!  It was sooooo fun to see and talk with Sister Putnam on SKYPE Christmas Day!  We love having our whole family together again!!!  :)  :)  :)

Some Photos! :)

  Kinston West Zone

Sister Stratford (Comp.), Sister Keech (Ward Member) & Sister Putnam at the "Back to Bethlehem" Pageant.  12-2013  Washington, NC

Orange hair & eating a pig tail! (12-16-13)

Transfer calls were last night.. I was so nervous.  We didn't get a call for awhile last night. We were at the Downey's eating dinner and I just kept waiting. Finally we called our Zone Leaders and asked if we are getting transferred.. Nope! I am staying here in Washington with Sister Stratford for another 6 weeks! We are so happy! This will be the longest transfer that Sister Stratford has been with one companion!

This week was pretty good. Sister Stratford had a bad week haha.. She dyed her hair and it turned orange and so we ran to Walmart and got a different color and then she dyed it again and it turned bright bright blonde.. with spots of orange haha.. we are going to figure out her hair this week sometime haha. It was kind of funny. 

 Sister Currie wasn't at church yesterday and we met with her Saturday and she keeps drinking coffee every morning! We went over the importance of it and we are going to try and put sticky notes up everywhere, like you mentioned, to help her remember.

So Thursday we were invited to go to a non members barn for dinner with 40 other non members in Bath. We went with Brother Baldwin and his daughter and his son. It was so good! We met so many people and they noticed that we were missionaries. It was fun to talk to them and get to know them. We were told not to preach but just talk and get to know them. I tried pig tail .. yeah it was gross. It is salty and mostly fat.  So this dinner was total red neck style. Everyone was wearing camo and then they took us in the back of the barn and they showed us a deer that was shot and then cleaned and hanging. They invited me to go shooting.. which I can't, but I could go and help them clean one out! That would be so fun haha. I told them I want to learn how to hunt. Brother Baldwin told us that he has 2 friends that want a Book of Mormon. We are so excited! Bath is going to be converted. Just wait. 

I haven't gotten a coat or blanket yet.. but I think I will buy some at Walmart or ask Downey's for a blanket.. The weather here changes every day.. like today I am wearing shorts and a shirt. haha but it does rain often.. no snow but ice storms will come, I'm sure.

Love you! -Love Sister Joni Putnam

I finished the Book of Mormon this week! It only took 2 transfers! (: I love the Book of Mormon so much! I learned a lot.  Here is the link for the talk on sarcasm.  It is really good.

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/08/no-corrupt-communication

Christmas Programs... Sistas...and Elder Perkins! 12-9-13

                    

                              So this week was really good. Back to Bethlehem was good. Sister Stratford sang wonderfully. Saturday night it was really cold and the wind was blowing but it was okay because Sister Stratford and I stayed in a room on the stage where we called it the "Christ Room." It had pictures of Christ all over and nativity sets up in the room. The lighting in there was pretty with candles and it smelled good too. So we stayed in there and then the people would tour the back and that room after the pageant. We would just stand there so that they can recognize us as missionaries for the church and know that Mormons are Christians.. There is a lot of anti stuff here so we are helping a lot I feel like. Back to Bethlehem was actually in the newspaper! Top headline too! Sister Downey is so wonderful (: 

                         So we went to the Bath Christian church for their Cantata. Their choir sang Christmas songs and it was pretty good. The Elders in our area went and we went and sat by Brother and Sister Baldwin. It was awkward when the members of that church would just stare at us.. but when they realized that we weren't trying to preach to then they were really friendly. We talked to the pastor and we just helped people recognize who we are. Many people came up to us and talked to Sister Stratford saying they saw her in the Back to Bethlehem singing and at Brother Downey's funeral singing as well. They really like her and seem to talk to her easy. We hope this will help them to recognize that we aren't bad people and we do believe in Christ. Oh on the way to the Cantata, Sister Stratford ran over a squirrel. haha You can imagine our reaction to that. After the Cantata we went over to the Downey's home for dinner and then watched the Christmas Devotional. It was great! Did you watch it?  I liked how President Monson asked, " What gift can we give to the Savior for Christmas?" I love the Christmas Devotional! (:

                    We have been working with a lady named Dorthy. She lives in a senior housing place but she has real intent. We have to move really slow with her but she is a great lady. She calls us her Sistas. And she introduces us to all the people that live around her and says, "These are my missionary sistas." haha We hope to continue to work with her and help her to really understand the gospel. As she keeps commitments she will have the Holy Ghost which in turn will lead to Conversion. 

               Okay mom. This is what you have been waiting for to hear. Elder Perkins! Well.. We carpooled up with the Elders and we told the Elders that we need to leave early and they told us we would be fine leaving at a certain time.. so we left when the Elders wanted to leave. We ended up hitting construction.. and one of the Elders was speeding and got pulled over and got a ticket. So we ended up walking right when the conference was starting and they were singing the opening hymn.. which was totally embarrassing and I was really upset that we were late. That is just one thing that missionaries should not do.. is be late! I hate it. But anyways, when Elder Perkins went up to speak he told us that he didn't shake 4 missionary hands. So he and Sister Perkins and President Baker and Sister Baker all came down, Gave us hugs and shook our hands. Elder Perkins was so excited and said, "I met your mom." And he told his wife to give me another hug haha. He told all the missionaries there that he had met you at stake conference and that now he knows me. I felt so loved and felt so good that he remembered and then told everyone he remembered. I loved it (: Elder Perkins didn't just give a talk and then leave. His wife also spoke and President Baker and Sister Baker also spoke. Then, Elder Perkins taught lessons. It was sooo good! He talked about Preach My Gospel and how important it is. You all should read it as a family. He told us that we should stop calling our church meetings, "Meetings" and start calling them "Revelatory Experiences." I had written down 2 questions and they both got answered through out the conference more than once. I had such a great experience. I wish I could give you all my notes but just know that Elder Perkins is an inspired man and he loves all of us! He is great. One quote from Elder Perkins is, "If it's not exact, it's not obedient." Study Ether 12:27 too. I love that scripture. As we come unto Christ, he will show us our weaknesses, we will then be humble and have faith and he shows us grace and weak things of ours become strong. Sanctify ourselves unto the Lord. He has all power and can help us with everything. Remember him in all we do. Trust him. He knows us. He loves us. Remember him. 

                Well Sister Stratford and I are doing well. We love being together and supporting each other. Remember this Christmas season to SERVE. As "you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God." I love you all!

     

Love, Sister Putnam

Sister Putnam preparing for transfers...and Christmas! (12-2-13)

             Sister Downey is still putting on the Back to Bethlehem pageant. It is this friday and saturday the 6th and 7th and 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Sister Stratford is singing Oh Holy Night both nights I think. We will be helping her in the concession stand selling hot chocolate and cookies to help raise money to go back to all the things she had to buy for the pageant because it is free to get in. 

                    Thanksgiving was really good. We played basketball at the church, well "Lightning" and "HORSE." Then we played pass with the volley ball and the soccer ball as well.. Sister Stratford is trying to put a CD together of her playing the piano and singing so she practices the piano while I play basketball. It works out. And then sometimes she wants me to sing while she plays so she knows what notes to play because she arranges the songs to make them her own. Pretty cool. Then that night we went over to the Obrien's home and had Thanksgiving dinner. I love Thanksgiving and being able to remember all the things that we have been blessed with. The Lord has given us soo much! I love him. I love his gospel. 

                 Transfers are on the 19th. Sister Stratford wants to stay because she doesn't want to be spending Christmas at some random members home. I feel the same way. Everyone thinks Sister Stratford will be transferred because she has been in Washington for a while.. I think like 5 or 6 months.. So she could be transferred and I could stay.. Or both could be transferred but since it is Christmas we don't think they will do that. Or we could both stay which we both want but we don't know what will happen.

                Next Monday we won't have P-Day because Elder Perkins is coming to talk to us (: So we will have P-Day on that Tuesday. So don't worry if you don't get an email on Monday.. It will be Tuesday. (: Also, since transfers are the 19th.. make sure if you want to send Christmas packages that you send them soon! Make sure they get here before the 19th because I don't know if I will be transferred or not. Oh funny story. So everyone here wants Sister Stratford to stay and some people like Sister Cayton (Member) and Brother Baldwin (Member) told Sister Stratford that she needs to help with the Christmas program singing in it and playing the piano. And the Bath Christian Church is having a Contada which is like a singing talent show thing I think and they might ask Sister Stratford to be in it which Brother Baldwin thinks is a huge deal and a huge missionary opportunity. So they told Sister Stratford that she needs to call President Baker and tell him that she can't be transferred and she has to stay. We laughed thinking they were kidding, but they were serious. They don't understand that we don't tell the Lord where we need to be haha. Anyways, Brother Baldwin told President Deaver that he needs to call President Baker because Sister Stratford won't. So President Deaver did. We haven't heard what happened but I think it's funny that members don't realize this is the Lord's work not ours. Some people ask us what we do all day and we have to explain to them why we didn't answer their phone call or we showed up late. We are running around serving people all day and teaching lessons. 

               As for your question about District Meetings.. Yes we take turns teaching in District Meetings.. This week for District meeting I said the closing prayer and was the chorister. (Sister Stratford had to show me how to lead haha). Yesterday in church Sister Stratford and I taught the Relief Society Lesson on Christ Like Attributes (chapter 6 in Preach My Gospel). I love this chapter so much. As we continue to develop faith then we will be able to develop other Christ like attribute such as hope, patience, charity, humility, and more. I am working on being self-less this week which goes hand in hand with being humble. I know that God has a plan for us and that if we set goals and really try to become better that God will help us. He is so loving and caring and wants to help us as much as he can! (:

               So we went and helped set up for Back to Bethlehem and we untangled the lights to put on the Christmas trees and then we told the Elders to put them on because I hate putting lights on trees. They agreed and instead of going and finding a ladder and putting the lights up that way.. Elder Mickelson (remember he is like 6'2") got on Elder Sorenson's shoulders (5'8") They were laughing and having a good time and took pictures. Then Elder Sorenson was like, "How about you jump off my shoulders instead of me just putting you down on the ground." So Elder Mickelson tried to jump off backwards and Elder Sorenson threw him off over his head. Elder Mickelson fell right on his butt.. it was funny, but sad. And I tried really hard not to laugh hahah. We have also been teaching the Elders about sarcasm. Every time they say something sarcastic I always say, "Sarcasm is of the devil." They get so mad haha but they are learning that sarcasm really does hurt even if they don't mean to hurt feelings it still does. 

             We ran into a guy at the Quarter Deck because Sister Downey took us to lunch after helping her. This guy just argued with us about religion and was mixing all his bible stories with the Book of Mormon to make our religion look bad and we told him his stories were incorrect. He still just tried to argue. People are so hard hearted! It is so hard to find people who are prepared. But we are still working on finding people. 

             This morning I read my patriarchal blessing for personal study. It made me feel so much better. It gave me comfort and reminded me not to worry about the things that I can't change. Things happen for  reason and the good days are just ahead. I will not see the fruits of my labor until later. Then Sister Downey called after studies and asked if I was okay because she had been thinking about me a lot lately and felt like she needed to call me. She is my missionary mom here. She is awesome and I am so happy to have her to talk to. She told me that if I need anything to ask her. She is my favorite. I love her so much. I see little blessings and miracles every day. I am going to try and be self-less this week and write down the blessings I see each day. I invite you all do set a goal and work towards it this week as well. 

               Keep doing the little things that build your testimony and faith. Faith is so important. The Lord hears your prayers.. Lean on him. Open your heart and mind and learn more from him as you continue to listen to what he wants to tell you. I promise that he wants to talk to you and tell you something. Listen.

             I emailed Logan and Sky and Linds and told them what made me really convert and want to come on a mission. I realized it was my Nauvoo Trip. I felt the spirit in Carthage jail and when I stood on the temple grounds. I knew Joesph Smith was a true prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is true. The spirit converts! The Book of Mormon Converts! Its true! 

Love you all! Have a good week! (:

Love Sister Putnam

Sister Putnam wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving (Nov. 25, 2013)

 We actually went and cleaned at Robyn's house this week and helped clean her windows. I saw a huge spider and they told me it wasn't as big as they usually are. They said wait until summer.. oh no! I hate spiders. And these ones are huge!!!! No joke. When I see a big one I will take pictures and send them home.

So this week was kind of tough. We had 2 investigators drop us. We called one to set up an appt and she said she doesn't want to meet anymore. Then we called Angela and tried to set up an appt with her and she dropped us too. Man.. We were really upset. I just figure that the Lord is cleaning out our pool for all the people in Bath who are ready. FINGERS CROSSED! (: 

Brother Downey's funeral went really well. Sister Stratford sang and Brother Baldwin gave a talk. Brother Baldwin talked about prayer, scriptures, and keeping God's commandments to get closer to Christ. At District Meeting I talked on how to strengthen your relationship with our Heavenly Father and I said that the same 3 things apply. Prayer. Scriptures. Keeping God's commandments. Prayer is huge. We can only get to know someone by talking to them. Same thing applies to Christ and Heavenly Father. We MUST talk to them to get to know them and so that they can earn our trust. Reading the scriptures helps us to know them as well and to be able to learn about them so that we can be like them. Keeping God's commandments shows him that we respect him and we want his help. As we do what he wants.. he will then in turn do what we ask of him. So the funeral went well.

Sister Currie received the Gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday was super excited. We had to teach her a lot about the Holy Ghost because she thought she wouldn't have trials anymore and life would be great. We told her she needs to listen to the Holy Ghost because it will be hard to hear and she has to obey God's commandments in order for the Holy Ghost to be her constant companion. She is so funny. She is still wearing yoga-ish pants to church but she will learn. She is awesome! She was frustrated last week because we hadn't seen her for awhile and when we went and saw her she said, " I thought that because I joined your church that you wouldn't come and see me anymore." haha No that is not the case. We decided that we could now take Sister Currie to our lessons with investigators because it would count as a member present.. and she is home all day so we could get many member presents haha (which we have been lacking a lot of because members are busy and won't come out with us). 

We had exchanges this week with the Sister Training Leaders. That was fun because I went out with Sister Anderson. I was able to be more in charge of my area and feel more confident in what I was doing. Sister Anderson is awesome. She is from Morgan, Utah. So we talked about all the people I know up there and we know a ton of the same people! It brought back a lot of memories and we just talked and laughed about some of the people. It was really fun. 

We have a new investigator named Wendy. She was taught before by the Elders and then they dropped her because she couldn't keep commitments and she was living with her boyfriend. Well she is now married. She has  7 year old daughter and her husband is hispanic.. I wish I knew Spanish.. I'm tellin ya! ha. We met Wendy the same way the Elders before us met her. We stopped at her house because we were taken to her house by the GPS and in her window was mormon.org cards that we give to people. So we thought it must be the less active lady we are trying to see. The Elders did the same thing! It wasn't the less active lady.. she lives down the street but we met Wendy! She said she wants to be baptized.. but we haven't really taught her yet.. and we don't know if she will commit to anything because she won't set up appointments with us and tells us to just call her when we come over.. so it is hard to plan with her but we will figure it out. We are also trying to get Brother Baldwin going with all his Bath City friends that went to the funeral. We got to get them hooked. We have been bugging him about it a lot because we need these people and we know they are ready to be taught! 

All the referrals we received from stake conference we are now actually splitting them up with the Elders in our area and then we go and visit the family that gave us the referrals. We then have the families learn how to invite these people. How to invite and when and what invitiations to do. We think we will have much sucess with this. It is cool to see families really missionary minded and trying to get their friends to church or to activites who are not members! So fun! 

 I know this gospel is true. I have seen many people struggle with their lives this week and we ask them if they have been reading the Book of Mormon daily and praying daily. They confess and say no. I promise if they would read the Book of Mormon every day that the adversary will not have power over them. They will have better days and be able to get over the challenges they are facing. Be courageous like the 2,000 strippling warriors! Have Faith. Things work out. "Gird up your Loins." Get to work. Use your Shield of Faith and Shield of Righteousness to escape the "fiery darts of the wicked." The Book of Mormon is amazing. Use it. Read it. I love it so much. Remember to Act in Faith. Act in your prayers. 

I love D&C 68:6-Logan used it for his missionary plaque. I share it with those who are in need of comfort. I also love Alma 7:11 (: Use the atonement everyday for everything (:

Have a great Thanksgiving! We are going to the Obrien's for dinner and then I don't know what we are doing the rest of the day. But it is a non proselyting day which will be fun! 

Love Sister Putnam