TWO MORE FULL MOONS

As I was walking looking at the moon the other night it came to my mind that only two more full moons & I'll be heading back towards Utah & some dearly missed mountains & people. Then a sad feeling came over me that I might never see some of these dearly loved people in TX again. This is going to be another very hard thing to do, leaving Tx but then I've already learned over the past two years that I can do some very hard things for me anyway. I guess if we all look back over our lives everyone has overcome hard things it's a good thing we can't see in front of us cause I'm sure there's some hard things waiting for us. I guess we all just better enjoy today & I certainly have. It has finally warmed up a bit here in Tx to 55 however I'm not sending my long johns home yet.  The missionary work is going good for us we are teaching lots of people in different things such as temple prep classes, investigators lessons & today we hunted people down who the ward has not been able to find yet. It's pretty hard to find people that don't want to be found.  There's been 6 of us senior missionaries with the same calling I have, two left last Tuesday for Florida & Riverdale, Ut, two more leave this coming Tuesday for Canada & Australia & we leave in March for CA & good old Randolph UTAH.  I met a lady yesterday who ask where I was from? I told her a small town in Utah (Randolph) she said I knew an elder in Bermuda over 45 yrs ago who was from out there. She was visiting her sister who lived there & these two elders were there  working on their bikes, it just happened it was my brother. Now this has happened many times while I've been out here, there is always someone that knows someone I know. It truly is a small world. Life is good & I'm truly thankful to be in Tx on a mission for The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints. I can't remember if I thanked everyone for the many Christmas cards, money & letters I received but I truly appreciate all of them. I'm so sorry I just don't have time to send thank you cards I'm really thrilled if I can just get a few hours of sleep.  My thought: Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls & looks like work---Thomas Edison. My scripture is found in D&C 33: 12-18. I love ya all & pray all is well with your families & yourselves. May the Dear Lord continue to bless us & keep us all in His care. Sister Putnam

A little down time

Well we have survived a tornado, gushing rain fall & it was cloudy on Christmas Eve so I couldn't see the moon. I've been told there will not be another full moon on Christmas for 19 years, my chances of being around for that one isn't too great or I just might not know what the moon is at that time. Things are great here in the big state of Texas & time is marching right along. We've been teaching some more investigators & I think barring any unforeseen complications we will have another baptism on the 17th. Transfers came & went with some of our great elders getting transferred, I missed this one oh ya there's no one to be transferred with because 2 leave the 28th & 2 more the 4th of Feb so that just leaves my companion & I till March. It's sad to think we'll probably never see some of them again unless of course I go to Australia, Canada, CA, FL or UT. We had some cancelations today so that's how come I get a little down time, I must say if feels pretty good. I can't understand why when you could have a little rest ya can't but on a normal day sometimes I get so sleepy I'd give anything to lay down. I walked this morning in a mist you couldn't see very far in front of you & now tonight it's clouding up I heard someone say it's supposed to snow on Sunday or Monday. I've got my long johns on so I'm ready except they said ICE, now that's a whole different story. My thought: I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year. "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown." And he replied, go out into the darkness & put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light & safer than a known way." Author unknown.  The scripture is found in Alma 38: 9-15.

This couple worked in the Ogden Temple with my sister, brother-in-law & two of my nieces & their husbands. It truly is a small world.

A special daughter of God

What a great week this has been! My companion & I have been giving lessons to a lady & she accepted when we ask her if she would be baptized? Wow it was awesome so last Saturday she was baptized & confirmed today in sacrament meeting. She has just been glowing all week. It was such a fun experience to be privileged to be a part of. I learned a lot from this experience & hope to get another one before I leave.

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Talk about a wonderful time I'm sure the Lord would have a smile on his face to have another special daughter come into the fold. She is a wonderful woman & I will always love her for letting us be a part of this special day of hers. Now someone said Christmas is coming this week, I don't know where the time is going but it is going to fast.  A poem this week by Mary O'Connor "New Rhythm"  Today my worries bore me down with tons of weight, I wore a frown until a bluebird found a limb outside my window! I turned to him, and in his happy morning song I found new courage to make me strong. For in each rhythm he had the key: The joy of giving his song to me. And so I pondered and suddenly knew I too must offer a gift that is true. And in my giving I forgot my cares in drawing nearer to THE MAN UPSTAIRS. My scripture Alma 7:6-16. Good night & have a great week with all your festivities. Love Sister Putnam

May the Lord be with you

All is well in this neck of the woods as far as the missionaries anyway. Another shooting or something went on at the park but all we hear is just people talking about it. We don't listen to the news or any tv so we really don't know what's happening unless someone tells us. I was walking early one morning a few days ago & heard a lamb I went to the brick wall but I couldn't pull myself up to see over it so I just stood & listened it made my heart so happy. I found 2 pennies as I was walking this morning & that made my heart happy so I guess you could say I'm the happiest girl in the whole USA. I've caught myself singing this song lately, I used to sing it everyday as I walked to work then my life went a little crazy & I forgot it but it's came back. It's another day already & I didn't get this sent but I woke up this morning to a sliver of a moon so I walked & oh what a beautiful morning. I thank the dear Lord everyday for the beautiful world we live in, the sky is always a painting of clouds, sunsets, sunrises, rain, thunder & lightening, sun, stars & oh my favorite of them all the moon. I'm so thankful I learned at a early age to look up & see. We have district meeting this morning & we're doing a training on members being the missionaries. Pres. Hinckley told us that back in 1998 that members can do much more than the missionaries in keeping these converts in the church. I guess we all have our jobs cut out for us. Goodness another day so I'll wrap this up with my thought for the week: sometimes, it's not the song that makes you emotional it's the people & things that come to your mind when you hear it. I love songs & always have one in my heart or head, music has got me through some very rough times on my mission as well as all through my life. I thank the Lord for music & so thankful that I can hear it. MY scripture: Alma 26: 26-28. I love all you folks out there & may the Lord be with you & your family this holiday season. Sister Putnam

 looking out my bedroom window

 My living room & some beautiful flowers sent to me from some granddaughters.

 A very dear friend who feeds us every fast Sunday. She's an excellent cook.

Just got my computer to get pix off my phone so here's a few things going on in my life. Don't know why there's 2 fish but oh well. This lady bought my lunch for my anniversary. Life is good here in Mexquite Texas.

48 years

Forty eight years of married life today, wow where did all that time go & why did it go so fast? It doesn't matter where I'm at on my special day whether in Tx, Ut or the moon my thoughts are with Danny & all our memories we made together. I loved him when I was way young & I love him more today, I loved him when he was on earth & I love him more in heaven. Okay I just had to put down a few of my thoughts tonight. The moon is out here in Mesquite yes, that would be Tx not Nevada so I've had a great day I got to see the sunrise this morning & the moon tonight doesn't get any better than that. I had a most unusual day last Sunday, I spoke in a sacrament mtg & then went to the mission President's fireside Sunday night up in Plano. President Taylor had all the missionaries stand up then out of the clear blue sky he said, "Sister Putnam" I looked around thinking there must be another Putnam there, he said, "you come up here please & bear your testimony" it was a long way up to the pulpit & just as I got there he said lets all the missionaries sing first so I stood with Sister & Pres Taylor with all the rest still standing & we sang Redeemer of Israel then it was my turn. I now know what it means to open your mouth & the words will come. This fireside is for non members, in actives & for the missionaries to be able to go you have to take non members. The members are invited to come with in actives also. It was an awesome sight with so many, even the overflow about full & to think some of these people were in our church for the first time. As I looked at all the people I knew a lot of them because I've served in Plano for 18 of my 19 months. I have truly been blessed to have rubbed shoulders with all of the people I've served there. My thought for the week. "In matters of style, swim with the current, in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Scripture 1 Nephi 13:36-37, hope you're fast asleep with angel kisses on your pillows. Love Sister Putnam

Heavy heart

My heart is so heavy tonight & I'm just plain sad for the passing of another friend from Randolph. I just know how is dear wife & family feels tonight & it hurts me to know they're hurting. If you guys from Randolph & the surrounding communities don't slow down on the dying end there's not going to be many left by the time I get home. I've been reliving lots of memories that Danny & I had with Charlie back in his younger years. He's helped us brand cows, roundup  & haul cattle back home & just come to the ranch to visit us. We've been snowmobiling  with him quite a few times or would run into him on our journey. I took the garbage out to the dumpster for the night, we have to take it out every night or the cockroaches take over the apartment, but there was an airplane beacon & that always brings to me a lonely feeling I think that some plane must be lost or gone astray in the thick dark clouds, the same with the sound of a Jake brake as a little girl I would be laying in bed at nights & could here them as they came around the bend in Woodruff & one more sound when we lived in California as a little girl when we heard the fog horns blow I would always think of some lost ship trying to find its way home. Well enough of lonely sounds but that's what's in my mind tonight. Sorry the elders came over & I didn't get this finished last night so I'll just close with a thought for today. "My God, I have never thanked you for my thorns. I have thanked you a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to you along the path of pain; show me that, through my tears, the colors of your rainbow look much more brilliant. Praise Him for your roses, thank Him for your thorns. When the going gets tough, the tough seek the Lord. My scripture is 2 Nephi 22: 2-3. Sorry to ramble but I felt like rambling last night but todays a new day however another day of clouds, rain & cool but I will go & do. Love Sister Putnam