Week 13? POTA

 (Sister Putnam)

Hello, everyone!

Oh my word so much has happened since last week! So, I did in fact, get transferred, and Sister Madsen and I got transferred together. Apparently when both companionships in an area get transferred, they rarely stay together.  So of course the unusual happens to me; that's been my life for the last 7 years lol. Part Of The Adventure. Well we're now serving in the Canyon Park ward, and when we went to church on Sunday, I met a few people who had connections to people who live in Saudi, so that's awesome!

Also, we talked to Reba this week, and she wanted to know if there were any resources so that she can teach her kids about the gospel. She also asked if we could teach her twin sister, Shae, so that's awesome! They both came to church yesterday, and we are praying that they stay receptive to the gospel. Kristen also talked to us this week and said she found a church across the street from her that she's been attending. She hasn't talked to us a ton, but we're hoping to have another bible study with her sometime, but please pray for her that she'll want to see more about what the church has to offer💜💜

okay love you all, love hearing from you!

Sister Alyssa Putnam

S4 E4: Mouth of the 'Sippi"

 (Elder Cummings)

Hey y'all!

This week was crazy. Elder Rands ate a whole jalapeño, biked into a telephone poll, and biked through a rain storm. And I was there for all of it.

On another cool note, because February is a shorter month we had extra miles for our monthly mile allotment. We decided to use them by driving down all the way to the Mississippi River to catch and try and contact all those people's addresses we have who live way down in bayou land and we can't visit cause they're too far away. I think that was a run-on sentence but we'll go with it. Anyway, that was super fun and we had a lot of miracles.

Mississippi River Run Miracles:

1)We ran into(by accident but not coincidence) a guy who was baptized back when he was 9 in Mexico. When he came over when he was a teenager he always wondered where our church was and we were able to talk for a long while and give him our info

2) the Spanish Elders were able to give away 2 Book of Mormons and a Bible to people weren't even planning to meet

3) We didn't get lost driving through bayou land

Hope y'all stay safe and stay strong!

Romans 12:21 "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good"

Elder Cummings

Makes World War Two look like a tea party

 (Elder Slade)

To the best friends and family a person could hope for!

I've moved into my new area, and I'm loving it! It's about a 5 minute drive away from where I last lived, haha! To get to our area, we have to walk 30 minutes, so I'm going to be doing lots of walking this transfer! We're going to see if we can get some bikes to speed things up. We've been seeing wonderful things happening though. We put a boy named Joseph on date for baptism for March 20, and are working with a girl named Arial to get baptized on March 13. If you're able, pray for these people. It will be tough, but I think we can get them ready to follow Christ's example by being baptized.

My new companion is Elder Clove, and he is a beast! He's been out 6 months and I'd a great missionary. I've learned a lot from him. He loves history, sports, and the Old Testament! He is hilarious! The title is quoted from something he said in a lesson. I forgot what he was referencing, but I thought it was super funny! We're going to have a great time together! Both Elder Clove and I have the desire to help people come closer to Christ, and because we have that desire we are getting along, and great things are happening. The same thing happens with us and God. When we align our will and desires with God's, miracles will happen in our lives. Our happiness will increase, we won't need to worried about anything, and we'll rest assured that all things God puts in our path are for our benefit.

Love you guys!

Pictures:

1. Elder Clove and I

2-9. Saying goodbyes. :( Pictures are of Elder Maunana, Elder Holmes, Erika and Zach, Mike Angela and Nicole, Robert Carman, Autumn, Shad, Sister Coletti, and Brother McGary

My weekly...ish

 (Elder Petersen)

Hey everyone sorry for the long time between emails this time around! So over the past couple of weeks there has been some pretty interesting changes for me. We had transfers this last Wednesday but nothing changed with me or my companion. Elder Quiton and I are still going strong as companions, we are currently each others record breaking longest companions. Some that did change however is our area that we cover, so last email our area was Richmond Utah but know we cover an additional stake which tripled our area size geographically, and almost doubled the number of wards that we now cover. As of today we cover 22 full wards with a geographical area that covers everything East and west up to the mountains not crossing into Idaho but stretching on the western side of the area down to right next to Logan. I will put a picture of it down below. So that is fun and we also got a car! Other then that I am teaching an eleven year old girl who is preparing herself to be baptized on the 27th of this month. Sorry for the boring email I just don't know what y'all want to hear so let me know what yall want to hear about and then next email I'll write about that!

We're imperfect teenagers, I mean teachers

 (Elder Slade)

To the best friend friends and family a person could hope for!

Well, it's official, I'm getting transferred. I'm finally leaving Ammon. I've been here 7 and a half months. I am going to the other side of Idaho Falls to be with an Elder Clove. I'm excited for a change in scenery, but I'm also sad that I will have to leave all of the wonderful people I've met. This area has been a great area. I've learned a lot, and walked a lot of miles! My companion Elder Maunana, got news as well that he will be a District Leader! Let's goooo! He's going to do a great job.

We had a good week though! One of the people we are teaching named Erika came to church for the first time. The quote came from a lesson we had with her and her husband Zach. I meant to say we are imperfect teachers, but it came out as teenagers, which I guess is correct as well. We also found a new person to teach, named Lisa. Her husband is a member, but she is not. They are some of the nicest people!

The missionaries that live with us had a baptism for someone named Lenny this week. We invited Autumn to the baptism, and so we were able to go as well. If you walked by Lenny on the street though, you might be scared! He's covered in tattoos and has lived a pretty crazy life. But really, he is one of the coolest people. He changed his life and is solely devoted to Christ right now. It is amazing to see the change possible through the Gospel. His baptism was a powerful spiritual experience as you could feel Lenny's joy from being free from his past mistakes and being reborn. It confirmed my witness that it doesn't matter what you've done, how far you've traveled, how far you sink. You cannot descend lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement shines!

Love you guys!

Pictures:

1. Saying goodbye to one of the great families in this area, the Taylors

2. Lenny and all the missionaries at the baptism.

3-4. Elder Maunana and I

5. Putting away my desk will take a while this week. I've acquired quite the collection over the past few months.

Transfers!

 (Sister Putnam)

Hey, everyone! I'm being transferred tomorrow so I've had to spend most of the day packing so I cant really write a big email today. I'll tell you where I end up next week!

 

Sister Alyssa Putnam

S4 E3: Go Forth, Baptizing Fraternities

 (Elder Cummings)

What's up everybody! Hope y'all are staying warm and safe!

This week we were able to have a video call lesson with one of Elder Rands' good friends. This guy was taught by missionaries when he was younger and wanted to be baptized but for various reasons that didn't end up happening. But anyway, he goes to college in Georgia and after a week of college life, joined a Christian fraternity with 120 other dudes who have sworn off alcohol and premarital sex. If the Stripling Warriors are still alive they'd be found in this frat. These are guys are mega studs.

Long story short this friend of ours is a beast and loves the Lord. He wants to know truth and is willing to do all he can to find it. We can't wait to continue to teach him and help him learn more about Christ's Restored Gospel. Next step, we'll infiltrate this frat and teach all these stalwart guys our age who are ready to hear His message. Maybe...hopefully...God willing. Either way, this frat that we're about to drop into has reestablished some hope in my own generation😂

Listen to what Abinadi says to King Noah and his priests in the Book of Mormon: "Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise."(Mosiah 12:27). Ouch. Pretty harsh. But that's not why I like it so much. Something my companion Elder Rands told me this week(the guy's been out for 3 weeks now) is that "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing 100%". How often do we just go through the motions? How often do I go through the motions? How often do we now "apply our hearts"? If this life is a life to prepare to meet God, then let's not waste away our days. Apply your heart in all things. Have real intent in all things. Then when you fail, you don't have to worry because you can have faith that it was the Lord's way. That's something that I'm working on. Have faith and apply your hearts!

Elder Cummings

Sorry no photos this week!