News from a Packer

What a Cheesehead.

Hello Family!! I am here in GREENBAY! I am so excited. I love it already.. of all the places i could go they send the phoenix girl to GREENBAY? ha but it is great! My companion/trainor is AmAzing. Sis warner. she is from LA... and we freeze together. she has only been here 3 months and she is already training. that is a testament of how amazing she is!!! haha She's 23, she's cute, we get dressed every morning and actually look cute and we have a GREAT area. We have the whole greenbay area, plus door county which is a little peninsula. Apparently it is beautiful in the fall. Mom- we'll have to go there in the fall after the mission. you would love it here... minus the wind. IT IS ALWAYS BLOWING> don't worry... i have already gotten warmer clothes.. mainly tights and leg warmers.

Oh steph... before I forget. I flew in to Milwaukee on Tuesday and the first thing we did was go downtown and talk to people/ sing hymns in one of the parks (Milwaukee has parks EVERYWHERE! I love it) decorated for Christmas by the elementary school. It was so fun. But my mission President said that someday i will have to go to White Fish Bay bc it is the cutest little community! Isn't that where you looked? I am almost sure that it is! I am so in love with the architecture here steph. It is beautiful.

Mom- this is where all our TLC and HGTV shows are filmed... i am convinced. so great. people love their pets here. I am so SO sick of cats and dogs... every house has at least one... except my favorite investigators- the huntleys. beth the mom is so proper... no pets for her.. too dirty! hallelugiah!

k so thanksgiving am, which was my first whole day here in GB, we went to do service at a turkey trot like the one Reg and I ran in 2 years ago. We passed out t-shirts, it was great. I didn't know my mission would be this fun. WE DO TONS OF SERVICE, i love it. we met 2 potential investigators there who were volunteering too. in WI all the kids have to have 24 hrs of comm service to graduate HS. Zerick, yes Zerick (17), and his mom wendy were doing service to meet his hrs. We're going to recruit them to do some svc with us at the botanical gardens coming up bc he needs more svc. After that we went and visited our investigators and less actives and then went to the brundickies for dinner. thanksgiving dinner! it was great. they are an amazing family. they have a daughter at byu. we watched the movie sons of provo with them and then played catch phrase and apples to apples. it was a good day. I thought of home though! How did thanksgiving go with BOTH sides of the family all together? good? tell me how it went! YOu're off the hook for a long time now right mom?

After dinner we went to the huntleys for pie and hot chocolate (coffee is HUGE HERE! they all love it, but since we're missionaries they gave us Hot chocolate) . it was good to meet their family. they are investigators who have a STRONG methodist background. they love us though. beth's parents were there. they love me! :) haha jk we'll get them though. they just need to be mormon. the spirit dwells in their home, she is a great mom and he's a great dad. I am excited for them.

TATUM HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON THE 1st!!! I love you!!!

We are also big on the University of Wisconsin Greenbay Campus. it is so fun to be on a college campus. they know NOTHING of mormons. we are doing a booth here called mormon myth busters next week where people can put questions in a box then holding a seminar to answer the questions and have dinner. I am excited. We get to do lots of creative things like that.

We work with the elders a lot which is fun. OUr ward has 2 sets of missionaries. us and the elders. we get east of the fox river and they get west. but we still do lots with them and sometimes team up teaching families with both of us. I love our elders.

Oh i saw elder goldman on wednesday during transfers, he went home today. he loved it here and they love him. good kid. it was fun to see someone i knew.

This morning was the wards Football turkey bowl, they do it the day after. sis warner and i went and played. yes i played. crazy i know. it was SO Fun. and the huntleys came (the dad, and 3 sons: 19, 12, 5)! they got to meet more men and boys and have fun. I did well. lets just leave it at that, and i have some bruises! from 2 hand TOUCH!!! crazy!

Football is HUGE here. HUGE! every kid plays! Go Packers! seriously it is out of control. K i know i have rambled and rambled but i was so excited to email. life is SO good for me! I love WI! I could live here! The people are all so nice and so great! the weather is cold... but bearable for now. Everyone that hears I am from phx just laughs.our apt has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths.. so we each have our own bathroom.. SO NICE and then a study and our room. a big closet too :)

SEND ALL MY STUFF TO THIS ADDRESS FROM NOW ON!

Sister Black
2970 Mossy Oak Circle #85
Greenbay, WI 54311

mom- did you send my box throught the USPS?? let me know... SOON. EMAIL ME! EMAIL ME EMAIL ME! I will check this again on monday!!!


Right now i am on the UWGB campus. k i know this was all over the place. i will do a better job on monday. but its great here. great. ps i played football today, just in sweats and a long sleeve shirt. be proud be proud!

Brittany, I love you SO much! Happy 19!! you are the best! really you are! you have a card on it's way! i cannot believe you are almost out of your teens. feel old? he hee. thanks for being my blogwatcher! I hear you did a great job with the design of it! thanks a million! keep mom sane!

Dad i love you! where are my 2 a day dearelders? i'm dying here!!! will you be sure to email me at this address and tell me how you sent my box, please? and just one dearelder every day will work (or every two days at the VERY LEAST!) you all take turns! everyone write me a different day! I like getting mail everyday! am i a brat? maybe, but you know you like it.

I love being a missionary. this is the greatest mission EVER!! I love it here. We are so.... NORMAL. don't know much else how to put it. love it. k I will talk to you all later. hope thanksgiving went great. and your birthday mom.

Steph, sorry i know your messages get all jumbled in here, but just wanted to do one big one today... I won't always do this. but tell the childrens hi for me and that i love them~ especially my little Edawg. haha umm so EMAIL me or write me or whatever, but what's your story? Give me the scoop. and don't be ridiculous and go all missionary on me. haha just WRite me! i am having withdrawals.

K I love ALL of you! hey rocky! hey grandma! I am about due for another pedicure!! and manicure for that matter, last time i painted my nails was with Layners in the mtc... to match my toes! hhaaha gma- we're gettin one the minute i come off the plane! haha it's too cold for my toes to ever show now! i wear tights and leg warmers everyday... pretty cute! i love leg warmers.

k random... i know. i am really going now!! i lvoe you all! bye!!

Ps the church is true and missionary work makes me SO happy. I love it!

PSS Hi Chandler and Brady! How are you elders!? I know i know... mass emails suck. i have a lot to say to everyone though... get over it! I love being a missionary though. this is the LIFE!!! you two are both bad about this lately. write me punks!!!


oh and mom and dad... you are going to love coming back and visiting with me. this place is so SO beautiful! and i get to go to chicago a few times to go to the temple!!! yeah!

The Call...

Ring Ring Ring

Missionary life is tough on mothers. My grandma and mother are going a little nuts, this is said in the best possible way. They miss our Sister Black, and just want to talk to her. I came home last night because of the Thanksgiving holiday, this means I got to wake up in my bed... A lovely morning it is when I wake up to that.

Let me tell you how I woke up: My grandma is shaking me awake, my mom is walking around crying talking on the phone. My grandma keeps saying, "Where is your cell phone? Call your dad." Well, I am thinking: "Pam is sick, hurt, needs help."

NO, she got to call because she is getting on the plane and leaving to Wisconsin today. Oh my goodness. I was half awake calling my dad giving him a phone number. I love me mom so much. She is brilliant, but she asked while I was giving the phone number, "Is dad going to call Pamella?" "No mom. He said, 'Nahh, I am good.' Of course he is going to call!"

So it was a quite a morning in the Black house. It was so nice to talk to Sister Black. Although, she did raise her voice to me and tell me to hold on. Not a missionary quality. And my mother hogged the phone, so I got to talk to her for like a second. She told my mom "Knock it off mom, stop crying."

Sister Black loves the MTC, she said it was like home. And we asked her if she was excited to go to Milwaukee. She said yes, but then said it was hard to explain what it was like but told us funny stories about the Elders. All the Elders have girlfriends, and that makes them all laugh.

Sister Black said, "Thanks Sister Lee for writing her! (I believe that the correct name... sorry if its wrong.) And thanks for all my letters! I love when I get letters! So write write write write. Why doesn't Stephanie e-mail me?"

Haha, so she asked for pictures. Please send her happy uplifting pictures.

My mom's birthday is tomorrow, and I worry that no present can top this call.

your little missionary girl

HI Family!!!

Well once again the time is ticking down, 26 minutes to write this! only right now it's only 6:24AM! Ya I know! Crazy! Today, tuesday, is Pday and the best time to do laundry is early... at like 6. so that's what we do! I just don't talk to anyone til about 8. I think it is for the greater good. I think all the girls finally get me... i'm not mad, i just don't want to talk to you this early! :) I tried to smile but that ends up looking painful so i stopped.

Before I get in to the heart of things... what's with the mail system? HA i think it takes my hand written letters almost a week to get to you!!! that's ridiculous!! I send letters out on tuesday on you all get them on saturday. Maybe they don't pick up mail from the mtc everyday? that's wierd. I don't know, but i figured it would take only a day or two.

Well I GOT MY FLIGHT PLANS ON FRIDAY!!! Yeah! YOu want to know what they are? well i can't tell you!! HAHA chill out mom yes i can. Here they are: Depart november 25th from SLC at 9:24 on flight 584 to Denver with frontier Airlines arriving at 10:50. Then our connecting flight in denver is flight 370 at 11:30 arriving in Milwaukee at 2:43 also with frontier!! Isn't that exciting? I leave the MTC a week from today! I can't believe it! I don't want to leave this little bubble where I get to learn and everyone is so helpful and everything is geared to help me!! but I will and I will love it i am sure! There are four people in my flight group, I am the travel leader... aka I babysit the elders and make sure they don't do anything stupid. I am already prepping them for the flight. But they are convinced they will sit behind me and kick my seat the whole way! in that case they will die!

SO i have written a whole lot of nothing so far... sorry it's early, i will hand write letters later today, after a much needed nap...

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO IS SO DILLIGENTLY WRITING ME!!! I am such a lucky girl to have such good friends and family. I have gotten at LEAST one letter a day. yesterday i got 10! Most of those were the NIENIE dialogues... but I still love hearing from you all. Keep it up! dearelder goes to my mission,,, doesn't it?

I Got 2 packages in one day last week... cinomman rolls(i know that is not spelled right, but deal with it? ok... I ONLY HAVE 14 minuteS!!!) haha the funny thing is i think the elders only use like 10 min on email. they don't understand why i get so nervous... haha i am longwinded... as just demonstrated. ok so ya those ROLLS were SO good! are so good! I still have some. ALl of us in my hall have had some. AND Grandma and grandpa!... thanks for the protein bars... they are saving my life here! now i can just take one to the cafeteria and spare myself of the intersting entree... like yesterday- enchiladas... i was so excited ya they had velveeta or nacho cheese or something in the middle... i am so NOT a fan. I miss my homemade tamales and mexican food!! for sure. Just food for thought... please send all heavy packages to wisconsin... i have to make my luggage meet the weight requirements.... thank you! I love you guys! i feel loved ... the elders feel abandoned with one or two letters a week when I get 20!! I love to hear about your day to day life! It keeps me going!!

OK ... so everyone who has written me.. i am so sorry i can not write you all back! Missionary life is SO busy! Every second is planned. but I have heard from ALyssa Badertscher! she is a favorite for sure! Alyssa you'd love a mission! Sister Stork! that was such a pleasant surprise! and Cami King! thanks cami!! let your kids write me! i'd love that!

DId you all get the pics i sent yet? well we took more on sunday and will take more this week... when i am in WI i will send my chip home so you can post pics on my blog. i have lots of chips so that will work great. BRITT WHERE IS MY IPOD?? i love your letters too ps. you ramble on in your letter just like in real life. and i laugh. out loud usually because of your ridiculousness! don't get offended. its good. haha i let sis baldwin a sister read your letters all the time. she thinks you're funny too. anyways I feel like i have taken a vow of silence!! PLEASE have it waiting for me in WI! thanks princess...

Grandma and Grandpa, I am handwriting you a letter today but i lvoe you guys... AH 3 minutes. this is ridiculous I am going to get an ulcer!! haaha I got the letter about sophie and chloe! i miss them! A LOT! write me sarah!!! I LVOE YOU ALL.. k I LOVE you all!! MISs you and think of you EVERY DAY! THIS GOSPEL IS ALL ABOUT FAMILIES... they are forever!!! thank goodness!!!

love your little missionary girl!!

SIS pamella jo black!!

write me emails too!!! I didn't have any in the inbox!

Grab a pen and paper!

Humm, my family (or more I have) discovered the exciting concept of the website "DearElder.com". On this website you can write letter to the missionaries and send them via email. They are printed and stuffed in envelopes and delivered next day. For the MTC it is a free service and, quite frankly, very convenient. Pamella loves letters and this is a very simple and fast way to talk to her.

She can receive packages and letters at her MTC address:
Sister Pamella Jo Black
MTC mailbox #266
WI-MIL 1125
2005 N. 900 E
Provo, Utah 84604-1793

She leaves the MTC on November 25.

Then you can send all letters to:
Sister Pamella Jo Black
Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission
5651 Broad St.
Greendale, WI 53129-1889

And you can send all packages to:
Sister Pamella Jo Black
Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission
5651 Broad St. Ste 1
Greendale, WI 53129-1889

Thanks everyone for keeping in touch with little Pammy-Poo. I'll make sure to keep you all up to date with her travels here.

She Speaks!

I just got this email, I have yet to read it myself, but I PROMISED Pam I would post it all, so we can read it together! Enjoy. Hope everyone is keeping our little Sister Missionary in your prayers, and WRITING her!

Hello Family,
this is so nerve wracking! I have 23 minutes and 35 seconds to write this email with a little red timer that counts down at the top of the screen!!! AH, don't worry it won't be like this in the field! Man, so SO much has happened here in the past 6 days! I feel like i have been here for 6 months, seriously. I hear that in the mtc days pass like weeks and weeks pass like days! Its so so true!

SO... I have seen so many people i know here: Cara Shumway from ea, Bryna's little bro elder haymore, elder beus (bro beus's son! from ea) he was in my efy group, LAYNE, a girl that was michelles friend at byu- jacyln or sis hardcastle is my roommate, neighbors, people in my ward, people from ea, you name it! I love it here. I feel like I am at home! Living on 9th east, having Y mountain as my backdrop and hearing the roar from the stadium last saturday at the last home football game!

That being said missionaries live in a bubble... and I LIKE IT ALOT> we don't know anything that is going on! It's kind of nice! Except, I long to know what is going on in everyones lives, yesterday I got 8 letters. the elders in our district (they are the ones that pick up mail) said i was a brat for ever complaining about not getting mail! But i love to hear about day to day things... good job mom, dad and brittany! I feel like i am sitting right next to you when i read your letters! I love it! I read some parts out loud, like moms email to britt about her paper or dad and the manure and grass seed saga.. you know flies... scare the relatives away not smell SO good story! i loved it! will the grass be ready for thanks giving? MOm i love the work update! how is everyone? Is rebecca feeling better? Anna's wedding plans?

I am finally adjusting to having a companion EVERYWHERE I GO! at first i was so annoyed... but it wasn't her fault she had to come to me to the bathroom every HOUR since i drink so much water! haha also i am a freak about my nametag like i was about my cell phone: case in point i always forget it and am searching for it. i sometimes sleep with it on! I will be wierd when i get home. Prepare me a companion and a nametag! ps: i know this isn't relevant but i sleep with my thatcher bunny every night! haha all the girls make fun of me. I just don't care!!! haha i like it.

what is grandma's email? look up top. did i send it to the right address? let me know. if not please forward this to her and anyone else and then send me an email with their addresses. britt,., is yours right? i can only check this once a week for 30 minutes so while at the mtc I will only be writing one email! AH 11 minutes to go. haha this is insane. i hate timers!

Speaking of timers my stupid fossil watch isn't working again. I wore it upside down after gym yesterday and then dropped it in the shower in an effort to take it off and now the second hand only moves for a few seconds then stops. DUMB and i have to have a watch bc they don't believe in clocks here at the mtc. they don't want you to know you are spending 14 hours of your day in a desk in a classroom with the same four walls and only 1 window! haha it's true. 14 hours. but i am learning SOOO much. I love it here!

Mail is so great here! i love to get a piece everyday! i save it to read at night! encourage everyone to right me! I love love lvoe getting mail!!! Britt get on my roommates and friends! i need them!

mom will you send me the rest of my shirts either here or to WI? I need some more color in my life... but i am a dang cute missionary~ everyone always tells me that! haha we did good shopping.

I printed pics that I will send you soon... with my watch. they are still being printed. please send that watch back asap. without it or a CELL PHONE (which i still crave!!! and look for sometimes!) i don't know the time AT ALL!!!!

britt please forward me all my emails from my hotmail acct! thanks and you can post part of this email on facebook if you'd like! and on my blog of course!!!

Can you send me my ipod and little dock? I am dying without music! i need all the efy music so it has a beat!!!

my days are long here but my stamina is getting better! i crave studying now!!!

Can you send my pearls to me??

mom we got sack lunches today on pday so we didn't have to get dresses to go into the cafeteria and we had ding dongs ... i thought of you!!


if this doesn't make sense it's bc i have no time!! i love you guys!! WRITE ME. one minute!!! ah. bye!

SHE IS GONE!

Pamella reported to the MTC today.
We are so happy she is finally there,. Pamella was going nuts just waiting, and I think we said goodbye everyday for a week.... So its finally here! Get out your pen and paper!
Make sure to send her all your love! Here is her MTC address:

Sister Pamella Jo Black
MTC mailbox #266
WI-MIL 1125
2005 N. 900 E
Provo, Utah 84604-1793
She can receive mail here until November 25.
-brittany

"The Last..."

I am SOO sick of "lasts", My last family dinner, my last time on my cell phone, my last road trip, my last time seeing someone. I am SO ready to go! However I will greatly miss my FamilY! I love them and will be expecting LOTS of letters and pictures and tapes!!! I love you guys!

Mission Mission Mission

On Sunday I said bye to the Weavers and the Wilsons. They are great and their kids are SO cute. I remember when collectively they only had 3. Now when the families get together there are 7 kids total! and lots of noise :) Each kid has a friend. I'll miss you guys! Write me and send me LOTS of pictures. I'll have withdrawals if you don't Steph!

















I LOVE YOU GRANDMA AND GRANDPA!


MY FAREWELL...












































Going to the temple and opening my call...