Sister Putnam's letter 1-20-14

      Yes, Sister Downey got a dog haha. She loves that thing. It is hypoallergenic or whatever so it doesn't shed and it doesn't make you allergic to it so that is nice. She is a great lady. She came out with us on Tuesday to see people with us. She said that people will always ask her why she is so happy even when her husband just died. She said. " I serve. Service makes me happy. It gets my mind off of things and I love serving because I am helping others and not thinking of myself." I hope that I can be just like Sister Downey when I go home. She is an amazing women and literally puts God first. She is great.     

      Well Sister Williams (the Williams family that gave us rabbit to eat) has a baptism date for February 22! I hope that I will still be here to see her baptized. We still have a lot of work to do with her but I think she will be ready soon (: She is really just chill and says she wants it.  The Williams gave us more rabbit to take home and eat and we shared it with the Elders. One of the Elders wouldn't try it because we didn't tell him what it was haha. He guessed it was turtle, bird, squirrel, road kill.. but not rabbit haha. Once we told him then he finally tried it. 

        We went and saw Danielle and we had an appointment with her. She always has the blinds shut all the time and the TV blasting and no light at all. So we went in her home and she was eating pizza and had the TV blasting and wasn't paying attention at all. She gets up and walks around and then I asked if she has read any of the B.O.M yet and she said no. She hasn't been reading it at all and so we asked her why and she got really mad and starting yelling at me.. again. She got really upset because we had the talk with her about keeping commitments and who we are and why we are even on missions. We told her that we are here to invite her to come closer to Christ but we can't help her unless she keeps commitments. She just yelled and yelled. So Sister Stratford told her to call us when she wants to meet with us again. This was Saturday. Sunday she showed up to church.. She wouldn't make eye contact with us or talk to us at all but she did show up which was very very surprising for us. We have decided that we are not going to go in her home to teach her anymore and that we will teach her at the Wilson's home. They have been fellow shipping her and taking care of her so we will have lessons in their home where the spirit is and where she will be respectful. We are going to have the Wilsons set everything up though so that we can pay attention on people who are prepared and need our attention right now. 

         Sister Stratford taught the Sunday school lesson in church Sunday. She taught about Faith in Jesus Christ.. which several people needed to hear. A lot of people just say, "I have faith. I believe." So I told her to really stress in the lesson that faith is an action word. You have to act. It is great that you believe, but now make that belief into desire and then act on that desire. Great things can be accomplished when you act on the faith that you have. In 2 Nephi 28:3 it reminds me of the people here in NC. They talk but they don't walk the talk. Show that you have faith by acting on what you say. If you believe then show God that you believe. I also love Alma chapter 32. Experiment upon the word. Experiment upon the seed. Let that seed of desire grow into faith and then let it grow into action. As we read the Book of Mormon learn from it and apply the learnings into your lives and into others lives. 

     In relief society at church we were talking about Christ and how he was perfect. He was so self-less and loving. He cared about everyone. He judged not. He was patient, humble, meek, lowly in heart. He served everyone no matter who they were. I know that that can happen with anyone. As you get to know Christ and become closer to him and follow his foot steps, then you will be like him. You will have charity, compassion and love for others. I always remember the saying, "What would Christ do?" 

     Thank you for the love and support you have given me. Have a good week! 

 Love Joni (Sister Putnam)

"We Can Be Together Forever Someday.." (:

"Don't eat the whole elephant..." Sister Putnam's letter 1-13-14 :)

     It was pretty cold a couple of nights this week as it hit 20 degrees.. our electricity went out but turned on right after so it wasn't bad. We are always in the car and so I wasn't that cold. If I need a blanket or rain coat I will buy one at Walmart with my gift cards that I got.  Yes, Sister Downey called and checked up on us.   :)

       Sister Stratford had a lesson with Danielle on exchanges and said she was so nice and she invited her friend to come to church and said she is going to come to church and we got a ride for her and then she didn't come. She doesn't call us back or text us back either so we aren't sure what is going on with her. We want to set her with a baptism date but we need to see her. We are going to just stop by in the afternoons and hopefully her 10 year old daughter will answer the door haha. 

       We learned about Visions, Goals, Plans, and Accountability in Zone Meeting and it was so good! We must have  vision and then from that vision make a goal and then make plans for the goal and then account to somebody even the Lord. They talked about Nephi and how he needed to build a ship. His vision was to get to the promised land. The goal was to build the ship. The plan was to find tools to build the ship and then he was accountable to the Lord. That is what we need to do with our daily lives. We actual have been setting visions for our investigators as we plan for them. It has helped so much! Like the scriptures say in Proverbs, "Without  vision the people perish." I love it! We are also supposed to go into every single members home and teach them a lesson and then get all of our less active and investigators to go to a members home for a lesson. So we have a lot of work to do. It has been really stressful this week but like dad always says, "Don't eat the whole elephant, just start with the ear." 

          We did service for Sister Downey this week which was fun. We organized one of her theater rooms full of props and cleaned it out. The relief society is planning on doing this thing called "Shoulder to Shoulder." Every Sister in the Branch is supposed to write down something that needs to be done in their home, cooking, cleaning, sorting, yard work, painting whatever.. and then all the sisters get together and go and help that one sister and then switch the next month or week and help the other sister. I love that idea. I love service so much! Like the scriptures say, "When ye are in the service of your fellowmen, you are only in the service of your God." 

         We had a meeting Sunday with our ward missionary leader and the ward missionaries to help instruct them on their responsibilities of being a ward missionary. It went really good and we have our vision! The ward missionaries are going to be finding us 1 progressing investigator. Progressing means that we have taught them at least two times and they are keeping their commitments such as church, reading, praying, so on. The meeting went well! We are excited to get the work moving here in Washington. 

      Well we have interviews coming up and in 3 weeks we have transfers. I want to stay here in Washington because I love it here so much. But I do think it would be fun to also see and meet new people and see new things. Anyways, just keep praying that we will be able to find prepared people here and that their hearts will be softened. We need to save these people so they don't perish! (: I love this gospel so much. It has blessed my life and can bless yours as well. Keep doing good things. Remember to consecrate yourself to the Lord. "The Fourth Missionary" talks about how it is easier to give yourself up and do God's will instead of fighting and doing your own will. Let the Lord lead you! I love you all so much. Thanks for all you do (: Have a good week! (:

Love Joni (Sister Putnam)

Sister Putnam's letter 1-6-14 Happy New year!

            Thanks for the letter and the pictures. I love them! Sister Downey told me all about having lunch with you and dad. That is so cool! We had dinner with the Downey's last night and it was good. We shared a  message with them and I just love Sister Downey so much!  It sounds like the holidays were good. Sister Stratford and I set an alarm and went outside and banged pots and pans. It was alright haha. We have set new goals for the year and I am excited to keep working for God through out the year. It sounds like the family is doing well. I am glad to hear that the missionaries did well at dinner. It is always awkward the first time meeting people but it sounds like they did well! That is good. We have an Elder from Tonga here and he is my favorite. It is hard to understand what he says too but I am getting used to it. It is all about listening! (:

        This week was really good! We had 16 lessons. 10 with less actives or recent converts, 2 lessons with a member present and 2 other lessons. I was really excited because our numbers were high this week and 16 lessons is the highest I have gotten since I have been out. It was good! We taught a less active man and his wife and he hunts rabbits. He fed us rabbit to eat. It was good actually. It tastes like roast. (: I had shrimp last night with the Downeys and that was good too. I am not as picky with some things now. (: 

         So you know how we have done everything for Danielle? We helped her move, we have found her rides to church, we have brought her boxes and boxes.. well we went to teach her and she is not humble at all. She wouldn't let me talk at all so I just prayed and prayed that Sister Stratford would say what I was thinking and she would! Every time! I loved it! Unity is so great! Then I was thinking of a scripture and right when I said, " what is that scripture..." Sister Stratford said, Either 12:6. Bam! Exactly. I love unity. It is so much easier to be unified with God and your companion than it is to not be unified. The work is so much easier. That goes along with relationships at home. With friends or just husband and wife or siblings. Be unified! Get along. Be Self-less. So much easier. It is also easier to live the gospel than not to. Yes, you will still have trials but it will be much easier to deal with the trails in life. You will know how to feel comfort at times of need. I love this gospel and I love teaching people about the restored gospel! (:

       You never know when someone needs help but listening to the Holy Ghost is always good. You will always gain something from listening to the Holy Ghost. What is neat about the gospel is that you always gain blessings as you keep the commandments. You don't ever lose things in the gospel you just gain! (: It is so worth it! (: 

        Well we have a lot of exchanges this week with the members! There are like 6 members who signed up to come out with us to teach lessons with us. We are excited about that because members really help so much. Just them being there for the lesson helps our investigators or our less active members know that we are real people and that we really do care. It also helps with fellowshipping. Members are huge in missionary work! (: 

     We also have exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders this weekend. I will let you know how that goes. I hope it goes good! I have a hard time liking exchanges because they are awkward but they teach you great things! You sometimes have to feel uncomfortable to grow and to learn new things! Growing in the gospel will not be comfortable. Stretching yourself is hard. But in the end... It is so worth it! I love this gospel. I love you all and I am so happy on how my life has changed in just a year with the atonement and the gospel. I know Christ Lives. He loves us. He wants us to use the atonement everyday. Continue to serve people around you as serving others brings you closer to Christ. 

Love you all! Thanks for the support and love! (:

Love Sister Putnam (:

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