3 Pack again?

 (Sister Putnam)

Hey so yeah I'm in a 3 pack.  Our 3rd companion's companion was needed elsewhere and so she is now 3 packing with us. Her name is Sister Stevenson, She's just been out for 3 months and is just super super funny and energetic.  She has amazing enthusiasm and we love her.  We now cover 2 wards.  It's a little more stressful and busy than what I am used to, but I am loving it. I have noticed that as I am busier in the mission field I am a lot happier!

 OK so this week's updates.  We talked to Jose and he had been avoiding us all week long, and all last week. So we went to visit with him, Elder Smith and his companion came along . As we talked to him , we were able to get him refocused and to agree to meet with with us more .  He also was able to get a priesthood blessing.

 We also had a senior couple join our district this week, and they are lovely. They invited us over for breakfast today, and they are sweet.

 We also had interviews this week and it was crazy to see think this was my last normal interview.  My next interview will be my departing interview.  It is odd to think about- this transfer is almost over, and then I will have 6 weeks left. As I look back on my mission and all the experiences I have had and how much I have grown, I am so grateful and and I am so Excited to see what the next seven weeks bring.

I love you all!!

Hermana Alyssa Putnam

S13:E2 Mardi Gras

 (Elder Cummings)

Howdy y'all!

So sorry I missed last week, but so much has happened:

-Im currently living 30 minutes outside of my area cause our shower was broken and flooded the first floor of our apartment

-because of this our days consist of us driving into New Orleans, parking our car at the church and biking around the rest of the day. Exhausting, but so so good.

-oh and yes. Old Reliable(my bike) is back to business

 We fixed her seat. However her bike tire got a nasty nail straight through it. She still hasn't failed me though, the popped tire led to a great conversation with a friend of ours that needed to happen

-Mardi Gras is tomorrow. The Greater New Orleans area has had parades every day for the last two weeks. Not surprisingly, carjackings have gone up 2000% in the last month or so in uptown. The Good Time will be rolling, but we will be way out of the way

-I have had. So. Much. King Cake

I could go on and on but I'll just share one of the coolest experiences from this week. The ward here is pretty diverse. We have some French, Russian, Palestinian, Latino, German, and Ukrainian members here. It is awesome. I'm sure yall are aware of what is going on in Ukraine. Just imagine the feelings and Spirit I felt as I stand up after sacrament meeting to see two members of our ward, one Russian and one Ukrainian run up to each other, hug each other and start crying. That is the love of Christ right there. That is charity. I was filled with this amazing hope and happiness. Mormon is truly right when he teaches us " 45 charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

                46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

                47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."(Moroni 7:45-47). Let us have this love in our hearts!! For "there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people"(4 Nephi 1:15)

Have a blessed one, and pray for that charity,

Elder Cummings

Photos:

1. Big ol pop

2. Me and Elder Mast the legend on exchanges

3. Elder Smith and I biked to the end of our area. Literally like the Lorax. On the other side of the cement wall is bayou and swamp and trees

Punching at a wall

 (Sister Putnam)

This week was very challenging. We put Jose on date last week and this week we tried every single day to meet with him, and he couldn't. It seems like he's going to have to have his date pushed up. It was rather discouraging because he is so close to being ready, but we are going to meet with him tonight to see how we can help him. It was hard to not see anything actually happen. Most plans cancelled last minute, and we were trying our very hardest.

We were able to meet with a few of our recent converts. A less active member came to church, and we were able to get to know her better. We spent time with her and her family after church, and they were wonderful.  Usually I don't understand what this family is saying, but after awhile I was able to understand what they were saying, so the gift of tongues is real!!

We also celebrated Hermana Shupe's 9 months on the mission!

I love you all so much!!!

PS, get ready for my palindrome post tomorrow! (That's the right word, right?)

Hermana Alyssa Putnam

Baptismal Date

 (Sister Putnam)

Hey, everyone!

This week we were able to put our friend Jose on date to be baptized for March 5th.  It's been wonderful to see how this desire to be baptized has empowered him. We hope he is able to meet his goals. He has shared his desire to change so many aspect of his life, and his humility is incredible to see! Please pray for Jose to have strength and for us to be able to teach him everything he needs to know before baptism!!

Also pray for Hermana Shupe and I, we have no idea how to organize a baptism haha.

Aside from that, most of our plans cancelled so pray that they'll actually go through!!

Also, I hit 15 months as a missionary on the 11th, so Hermana Shupe and I did a little photoshoot since she's got some photo skills, so there's a sample of that in the pictures!

It's been amazing to reflect on what the Lord has been able to work on with me the past 15 months and see just how much more I can do!

I love you all!!

Hermana Alyssa Putnam

S12 E6: Broken Bike Seats (Street Surfer)

 (Elder Cummings)

This might be a long one but it's a great one.

So I'm on exchanges with Elder Max Smith. Previous companion. Friend forever. Legend. Anyway, he goes home this Thursday and this was his last exchange ever so I was bound to make it the best one ever. And that always means ditch the car, ready the horses and jump on those bikes.

We bike to the east edge of our area along the levee talking to everyone that we passed by. We called it "Scriptures on the Levee" but we weren't having any success so we kept biking. First door we knock on a lady named Donna comes out. Today she is having neck surgery and will be in a medically induced coma for 2 weeks and then be recovering for 6 months. She was overjoyed to see us. She wanted all the strength she could get and had lost our number many years ago apparently. She promised us that as soon as she was physically able to after her surgery she would call us. Legend

Then we go knock on another lady's door. Ended up knocking 3x and about to walk away when a man in a towel came out and was like "Man I was just about to get in the shower but something told me to go check the door, I couldn't even hear yall knocking" Jay is also a legend and we will be teaching him this week.

This is where it gets even better. Elder Smith and I are zooming down the roads of Metairie as the seat of my bike(lovingly named "Old Reliable") gives out and falls off the bike. We're zooming so fast that I fall in sitting position and land on my feet and keep surfing on the ground for a couple feet until I fall back and catch myself. Elder Smith was right behind and somehow managed to only run over my foot and i didn't even feel it. My bike kept riding in a straight line for like 30 ft avoiding all parked cars on the curb and then turned right into the grass and missing a decked out Ford Mustang by about a foot. That was a miracle for sure.

After grabbing the seat and putting it in my bad we head onto the next house. As we're about to knock it some guy in an F150 pulls by and is like "Hey are yall the Mormons?". We're like "No actually. We're members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, that's just a nickname". We start having a super cool conversation and he was just super curious. Our man Carl would have totally missed us if my seat hadn't broken and we weren't delayed by a couple minutes.

Then we head to the next house. She wasn't interested but across the street there was a man walking his kid inside from the car. 10 second window he was outside. We say hi and turns out he is from China. I got to speak some Mandarin with him and turns out there is a Mandarin Christian congregation here in New Orleans and they have weekly Bible studies every Friday. Again, we would not have been there at that time if my seat hadn't broken and all those other things hadn't happened.

After that it was time to head back so I had to bike the 6 miles back standing on my bike pedals. And that was After the 3 miles of biking through the streets on them. My quads have never been so destroyed in my life. In the end though, I couldn't have planned the day better, because I didn't. It was all the Lord and His timing. Also Old Reliable is still reliable, I've learned she is gonna lead me to those who are willing to let God prevail, seat or no seat.

Have a blessed one!

Photos:

-Me and Old Reliable

-did and exchange in the first area I served in a year ago now. Got to see President and Sister Palmer. Absolutely amazing people

-got to see Regina just a couple days after the 1 year anniversary of her baptism back when I was in Westbank. She's headed to the temple next month!!

There are no accidents

 (Sister Putnam)

Hey, everyone!

This week we taught several English classes. One was for a man named Evaristo. He had found our number on an advertisement, and sent us a message, expressing interest in English classes. So we set up an English class on Saturday. He is a very humble man and expressed interest in coming to church too!

We had a lesson Friday with some members! Their youngest son (middle school age) had two friends over, and we invited them to stay for the lesson, and we shared a scripture. One of the friends said he wasn't in any religion but he was searching for a faith.  We were able to testify to him, and the son of the member said he'd be willing to teach his friend how to pray. He seemed interested, open, and he's a really humble kid.

Afterwards the members said it was only a coincidence that the friend was over at the same time as us. So that was really inspired! There are no coincidences or accidents!!!

Jose came to church this week and we will be meeting with him tonight, so please pray that it'll go well, and that the spirit will guide us!!!

I love you all!!

Hermana Alyssa Putnam

S12 E5: Poboys and Baptisms

 (Elder Cummings)

This week was great.

We're helping out our main man Brother Rowand unload a shed and put everything into a barn. Why? I don't know. After Hurricane Ida his barn caved in and so we were loading all his stuff while snapped wooden beams just hung over us.

Anyway, from there we treat ourselves to some classic New Orleans PoBoys. So good.

Then from there we run over to a lesson with a wonderful woman named Lavette. We taught her once about a month ago and then her life turned upside down and we couldn't get anything done. Nevertheless she, and we, persevered. We have an amazing lesson where she promised us she would come to church the next day and pray everyday about the message of the Restoration until she feels she got an answer. She came to church yesterday, loved every bit of it, wants to keep coming and feels she has her answer.

After the awesome lesson we hop into our bishops car and drive the hour to Hammond to Debbie's baptism. We had taught Debbie throughout this transfer but she had moved to Hammond just last week. She had asked Elder Smith to baptize her so we make our way up there and it was an amazing service. Debbie is awesome and is headed to the temple this month!! It was also hype cause while Debbie changed they gave time for testimonies and a friend the Sisters were teaching stood up and said she wanted to be baptized too. So awesome.

Anyway, we get transfer news this week so next email we'll know what happens. I'm hoping to stay cause I've been in 6 different areas the last 6 transfers. We'll see.

Yall stay blessed

Elder Cummings