We got transfer calls AND....

I'm Staying!!!!

I am SO happy I am going to spend another six weeks here in green bay. It really does feel like home! After this transfer I will have been here 6 months!!! AH! that is so crazy! 1/3 [at least] of my mission will be spent here in this AMAZING city.

Wisconsin is FINALLY warming up... kind of. We got 3 inches of snow yesterday, but then the sun came out and it all melted and people were all over outside at the parks and schools playing soccer, baseball, football etc. In wisconsin when the sun comes out so do the people. I keep hearing how the people in Wisconsin LIVE outside in the spring and summer because they are so SO sick of their homes. I believe it. All the girls at church are wearing white opened toed sandals and heels and shorter spring skirts - EVEN IN THE SNOW YESTERDAY. Sarah dean wore her boots in the door then changed to her sandals. It was funny. I on the other hand am still feelin cold and am not ready to shed any layers.. YET. but after conference we don't have to wear nylons anymore so I am getting excited for it to be warm enough where I won't want to!!!

Friday night was our YSA activity... BATTLE ROYALE: HUMAN CHESS... can you tell I let the elders name it? HA it was a really good time. Amy, s bryner and I cut paper from the big rolls at uwgb and made 2x2 squares to make a chess board on the gym floor at the church. THe elders were in charge of costumes (i love delegating!!! :) They worked so hard and did SUCH a great job of getting the perfect costume for each piece on the board. They came to the conclusion that they HATE shopping. THey went SO many places looking for crowns, swords, shields etc etc. They ended up making the two crowns for the kings at the robertsons ... HAHA it was a site to behold. I have pictures of that I will send home soon (i attatched one of us trying out the costumes).... We had about 40 YSA's come (young single adults). THey brought their friends and we had lots of less actives and potential investigators in attendance to, that's when you KNOW it is a good activity. Plus, S. warner made the 45 minute drive from appleton and they brought their YSAs too. It was so good to see her. OH she is training by the way... again. I am excited for her.

Sunday we, the elders and the sisters, taught primary. It was the 5th sunday so we taught about our families. E Oldham comes from a family of 11 kids so we let him show the kids a t shirt he has with a pic of his whole family and then we played family bingo and sang songs. I LOVE the GREEN BAY 1st ward! I don't ever want to leave this place. I feel like I have known all these families and their children FOR YEARS!!

The work was kind of slow this week- it was spring break for all the public schools so all of our investigators were GONE! I hate it when it is slow... so i am excited for this week to pick up.

Elder Jolley is being transferred. I am sad he is leaving, he was my first zone leader and now all the originals in my book will be gone from GB... but I know that change is good, it keeps things fresh. Bishop Huzzey is very sad he is leaving, lots of families are. . . he is so good at connecting with people. THe Ribbens will really miss him too!

WELP... that is really all for now! Keep those letters coming... you guys are doing so good! keepin me busy writing back! I love and miss all of you!

GMA and GPA... I got the TAPE. THAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK! Sarah- YOU SENT ME THE BEST LETTER EVER! I am excited for you and have a letter to send back to you this week.

I love you. love, sister pamella jo black

FINDING FAITH IN CHRIST

Hello all,

So just to be up front- this is going to be by far the shortest email i have sent yet... sorry... i just don't have a lot of time today.

However, I don't really have too much to say anyways. SO i will tell you the best part of my week:

Saturday I got to go to the CHICAGO TEMPLE! It was glorious! First of all sister bryner and I traveled with Bro and Sis Whiting [wayne & sue]. I really felt like i was with my parents for the day. it was crazy how many things they did that remined me of them! The trip is about 3 hours ... it was fun. I curled up with a blanket and pillow in the back and talked the whole way there!

We got in for the 12p session! I LOVE THE FEELINGS I HAVE IN THE TEMPLE. Such peace! I love the things I learn in the temple- it really is a school! It helps me to understand SO much the plan that Heavenly Father has for us! Also, it is crazy how real that plan becomes in the temple. It's like the connector piece - it helps everything fit together just right in my mind. I love that the temple is the place where we can know that we can be SEALED to our families for TIME and ALL ETERNITY! What a blessing. When I am in the temple I feel so "at home".

At 2p the ward and all the youth came to do baptisms! It was a beautiful 2 hours to see all the kids I love so much do work for people who lived full lives, but need that sacred ordinance to progress. D&C 138 really explains all of that well. AMY BROWN came too and so did Jrib! I love being in the temple with friends. Amy even brought a name from her family to be baptized for! While there she saw a bride walk by and felt confirmation in her heart that the temple is the ONLY place on earth where we can be sealed to our families! She is an AmAzing girl and a great friend and an AWESOME contributor the the work and to the ward!

On the way home amy came back with us. We stopped and ate at cracker barrell! it made me think of you grandma and grandpa! I hope the whitings daughter who is on a mission in colorado has a family around them like her parents who take good care of her, just like her parents take care of us!!

I love this gospel! I love my Savior. I watched FINDING FAITH IN CHRIST last night. Ask the missionaries for a copy. it's good. It helped strengthen my testimony of Christ.

I love love love you all!!! -love, sister pamella jo black

Mormonism: Myths vs Reality

So Sister Black wrote in one of her recent e-mails to YouTube this video. It is quite amazing and is the best 10 minutes I have spent all day!




(To turn off back round music scroll down a bit and it is on the left side of the page. Under the Addresses)

LUCKY DAY

Spring is HERE!!!!

Ok… so perhaps I am a little TOO excited! But, mom you said it best in your e-mail! It’s in the double DIGITS! It was 54* yesterday! I am in total disbelief. Today I am wearing short sleeves, thin tights, flats and my American Eagle jacket with the fur on the inside. LIFE IS GOOD! Everyone keeps saying, “I saw a Robin” [ps, have you ever heard a robin? Their chirps are SO cute and happy and remind me of snow white or Cinderella or something! J]. Apparently, that is a sure sign of spring! Woo hoo! I am warned that we will still have snow storms, but that the snow only lasts 48 hours or so. Yeah! I woke up this morning to the sound of birds, I loved that! It reminds me of waking up at home to the sound of all the birds singing in our big pine tree! I’ve missed that the past 4.5 months!!! I am excited to see Wisconsin Green!

So … about my week. It was nothing short of AmAzing [according to mom that is my “word”, sorry I have no better way to express it!]!!!! I love love love green bay and I love the green bay 1^st ward. I never understood how important members were to missionary work until my mission!!! We would not be ½ as effective if we did not have members who introduce us to their friends and find people for us to teach! The members of the Green Bay First Ward are bold! They love the Savior and want others to reap the blessing that come from membership here in His TRUE church on the earth! They reach out in love and service to those around them, by doing so they’ve created a whole NETWORK of people that want to know WHY they are so happy. That’s where we come in… we teach them! I love that, I will be such a better member missionary when I get home. Read this TALK … it is by Elder Eyring , it is SO good and helps us know our place in missionary work.

Monday we had dinner and then FHE at the Huzzey’s, Amy came as did Avarice, one of our new investigators. Avarice prayed for the first time that night for our closing prayer. He is phenomenal. I love him already. He is a senior at Preble. He came to church with Brandon, who he met thru the Marines. He said when he walked in to Brandons house he had the warmest feelings in his chest, he wanted to feel that all the time. I was able to teach him about the Holy Ghost, and that that is how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ speak to us. He was excited and couldn’t wait to learn more. [side note: the Huzzey’s are so great. There door is ALWAYS open to us and they are always having get togethers in their home. Our investigators NEED that and love them.]

Tuesday was district meeting and interviews with President Barrett. That man knows me so well and is SO in tune with the spirit. He has a great love of his missionaries and of the work. We also attended soup for the soul at UWGB and institute.

Wednesday we played volleyball with the women. They keep telling me how good I am getting… HAHA my head is gettin’ a little big on the subject. I love the game and it is such a GREAT out for me! You have to play volleyball in Wisconsin or you’d go CRAZY staying indoors and doing nothing in the winter. That day we went on exchanges with the women in the relief society, Sister North and Sister Biolo. They’re both great missionaries. I went with Tamara North and she introduced me to two of her friends! It was amazing. Tamara is so good at following the spirit. The achievement day girls made dinner for us and the elders- a potato bar. Mmmm my favorite! They were so cute and SO excited to have us. We felt like celebrities when they were fighting over where we sat! haha That night was mutual.

Thursday we planned out our next week. I can’t believe how FAST time flies on a mission!!!! I have been out 4.5 months! That doesn’t seem possible! We had a cottage meeting that night at the Carlsruh’s. They are the best! They ordered pizza. We ate and talked about the plan of Salvation with Corry and Amy and Dillon and Julie! Good times!

Friday we taught Avarice the first lesson. HE LOVED IT! He is SO in tune with the spirit. He committed to read the BOM and pray about it. We had dinner with AMY at el serape right before her BAPTISM!!!!!! Amy made Friday march 13, 2009 a LUCKY DAY! She really helped me to learn that the LORD does prepare people for us to teach! I am so happy I was able to see her learn so quickly, in less than a month!!! What a blessing she was to me! President Kreihble (stake pres) President Barrett (mission pres) and Bishop Huzzey were on the stand. She had SO many people there to support her. Her family were not in attendance, but that didn’t seem to bother her. She knows it’s true and is simply happy they didn’t disown her! She has such faith. The ward loves her. President Barrett is going to have her keep in contact and coordinate with all the new convert YSA’s and all the LDSSA’s in our mission. She is a great blessing to missionary work. She is a great friend to me! I will attach her conversion story. I wish I could attach the pictures but these computers are lame and not letting me do it today! I will see if Amy can email the pics to britt and she can post them on my blog.

Saturday we went on exchanges with Amy and Jrib [Jennifer ribbens]. They are both amazing and have such a great spirit about themselves. I would be lost without them. We had dinner at the Brudnicki’s. I love that family. Bro Brudnicki reminds me of my dad! I love it! He is a constant tease! It was Max Brudnicki’s 13^th birthday!!!

Sunday we got a new Ward Mission Leader! Brother Jim Carlsruh! (he is coming to AZ soon and is going to bring the fam a package from me! J he’ll be in tempe. Mom and dad I want you to take him to dinner. He is AMAZING. You will love him!) I am sad Bro Robertson has been released. But bro carlsruh will do a great job. Elder Jolley confirmed amy a member of the church!!!! We went to the Ribben’s for dinner. They are like my own family. I was able to explore their woodsy backyard!!! So fun. They have a cool backyard. It was the first time I had seen it without snow! We had dinner with all the missionaries and amy and the whole Ribbens fam! I LOVE THEM! We then retaught the first lesson to avarice at the torbensons. He had lots of questions and committed to pray to know last night. I am excited to call him today and see how it went!!!

I love being a missionary. I love green bay. I love SPRING! I love my family, my friends and my home ward for being so SUPPORTIVE of me and my mission! You’re always in my prayers! Thanks for everything! [write me!]

Happy Spring! Love, sister pamella jo black

Ps… happy birthday sister warner! I love you!

We are really making LEAPS and BOUNDS

HAPPY MONDAY!

Well I have SO much to tell you all this week! This was an AmAzing week here in Green Bay!
Monday night we had the 2nd EVER FHE at the home of Bishop and Sister Huzzey. Our turn out was smaller than the first week, but Amy came and that is ALL that matters! I told you a little bit about Amy Brown last week. But here is the full story. Amy lived in Wausau last year and went to UW Wausau. She met some elders who gave her a Book of Mormon and tried to meet with her but she always blew them off and cancelled her appointments. She moved to Green Bay and started attending UWGB this fall. She was at the public library at the beginning of this semester trying to find a book for a paper she was writing, saw a copy of The Book of Mormon and said, “It was like a flash of lightning, I had to take that book home.” So she did. She got online at mormon.org and chatted with some missionaries at the MTC and asked them questions and they invited her to attend church. So she did. That was February 22nd. There was Soup for the Soul at UWGB and institute that week and we invited Amy to come. So she did. We started teaching her about a week after that. Sister Warner had left and sister Bryner was brand new. Amy was like a sponge. She soaked up everything we taught her. The elders at the MTC were teaching her too. It was a team effort. On Monday, at the end of FHE, she asked Elder Oldham if he would be the one to BAPTIZE her. We were all stunned, she hadn’t even told her parents yet. As we were walking out of the Huzzey’s home she asked me WHEN she could be baptized. I started laughing, then kinda screamed a little bit. WHO IS THIS GIRL? She is so ready!!! She said she’d like to be baptized ASAP. So all this week we have been trying to fit in as many lessons as possible. Every commandment/principle we teach her she prays about and then lives. She is nothing short of amazing and has helped my testimony to grow immensely in the past few weeks. But it must be how elders in South America feel! [people want to jump in to the waters of baptism, but they have to hurry and teach them all the required lessons first] Amy is ready, she lives the principles of Faith and Repentance and Obedience. SO her baptism is This Friday, March 13th at 7pm. I am ecstatic.
Tuesday we had district meeting. Elder Olson is a great district leader, he always teaches us great lessons, I learn a lot in district meeting. Afterwards we tried a new place to eat, la Chiquita, but there was no comparison to El Serape, you know the theory, when you find some place you like, stick with it! No more experimenting for us!! There was also soup 4 the soul, the GB 1st ward relief society sponsored it and we showed a video “Mormonism: Myths vs Reality” with Steve Young in it. Search for it on YOUTUBE. Everyone liked it, it was a good missionary moment. Sister Warner came up for it and then came to institute. We played catch phrase, I am just a little intense with that game, some people were shocked at my “enthusiasm”. HAHA We had SO many nonmembers and less actives at institute, it was incredible.
Wednesday we taught Amy, she is a SPONGE. We taught her how IMPORTANT scripture study and prayer is. She loved it. It really is the basis of faith. You have to work for it – prayer and scripture study is a form of work.
Thursday we had dinner at the Robertsons. I had a knock down drag out snowball fight with Jed, remember, he’s 8. He chased us down the road with snow after the fight was over, I thought he was gone so I rolled my window down to yell something at him and he was really just hiding behind a snow bank, so as I rolled my window down he threw a HUGE snowball at my FACE. Sis Bryner would have preferred to drive away, I on the other hand jumped OUT of the car, chased him down, then dunked him in the snow and threw him inside. It was funny. I love Jed, those kids feel like siblings to me now.
Friday we went and did service at the green bay botanical gardens event, “Soup with Substance”. Us four missionaries have become such good friends with Martha, Gretchen, Jake and Tonia. We have such a good time with them.
Saturday AMY HAD HER BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW!! She passed! We went to El Serape to celebrate and plan her baptism!!! Later we taught Julieanne Klingler in her dorm. I love Julieanne. She hasn’t gone to church since she was nine. It was her new year’s resolution to come back to church… so she hasn’t missed a day since. It’s so cool to be able to teach her in her dorm. We are really making LEAPS and BOUNDS on campus! And Amy being baptized is going to open SO many more doors!!! That night we had a “cottage meeting” at the Robertson’s. We went early and had dinner and helped make cookies and food for the meeting. Farrah came and so did a young investigator couple in the Spanish branch. I got to practice my Spanish a lot. Brother Robertson went on a mission to Chile and speaks fluent Spanish, he teaches at the middle school, science, in Spanish. We built ice cream Sundays and compared each ingredient to how we build our faith. It was cool and good for those 3 investigators to be in a members home. We played Uno afterwards, well they did, I washed dishes with eliza (6) and sister Robertson. I love Sister Robertson. She is a breath of fresh air on days when I just need a breather! Going to her home keeps me sane sometimes!!!!
Sunday we went to Sturgeon Bay, stayed for sacrament and then they cancelled the rest of church because a storm is coming. So we drove back to Green Bay and went to 2 hours of church and then they cancelled the last hour of church and sent everyone home because the storm was getting too bad. So we went to the Robertson’s for a YSA activity. Pancakes and Games! The storm continued. Our car was COVERED. All the YSA’s had a great time and we had 2 investigators there – Amy and Rachel (another UWGB student). The robertsons are so good at making people feel comfortable in their home. I love their children. Afterwards, we went straight home because the roads were BAD.
Do you see a theme for this week? We spent a lot of time at the Robertson’s. They are so MISSIONARY MINDED! Green Bay feels more and more homey every week. I love it here. Elder Holland says, “Everything good in my life stems from my mission.” I am striving to make the most of my time here! I am 1580 miles from home (thanks to the gps’s calculations) but I only have 9 transfers left!!! CRAZY. I am striving to focus on the work and be obedient. We are looking at 6 inches of snow out the window of the library right now. Soak up some rays for me!

I love you all! You are a great support to me! I have NO more TIME!!!!!!! DAD- email me.

Where art thou Spring???

Hello Hello everyone!

Life is GOOD here in Green Bay! I love the work and the success that we are seeing… however, it is March 2^nd and I am expecting spring to be here! Unfortunately, I just saw a member here in the UWGB library and he told me that the high for today is ZERO. I am not a fan!

[MONDAY] We taught Jeff at the Millet’s. It was nothing short of AmAzing!! He loves what we teach and he knows it is true. We taught him about the Atonement… he has a lot going on in his life right now that can be made right thru the atonement. Preach My Gospel says, “Everything that is unfair about life can be made right through the atonement of Jesus Christ”. I love that and I truly do believe that! Volleyball with the elders went good, it was weird because we had so many new faces, yet TEAM BLACK still won!

[Tuesday] We had Zone Conference!!! It was like being back at the MTC for a day. We were taught SO much about the atonement and repentance. President Barrett used the analogy of the tree of life and the gulf of misery and woe. How do we help people across that gulf when they are at the great and spacious building, but want to be at the iron rod? [Read 1 Nephi chapter 15] Christ is the lifeline. He can take people across the gulf. I loved Zone Conference and I got to see sister warner. We sat next to each other the whole time! Miss her! That night we also went with the Huntley’s for a Fat Tuesday pancake dinner at their church … it was so fun and Beth introduced us to all her friends, she is amazing. I love the Huntley’s. It will be a great day when they accept the Book of Mormon. THE BEST NEWS OF TUESDAY: Institute was AmAzing: we had 2 members, 1 less active and 3 non-members there! It was overwhelming. The non-members, who are actually our investigators, participated the most. Bro. Carlsruh, the institute teacher, was overwhelmed!

[Wednesday] We played volleyball with the women and then had lunch afterwards. We had exchanges, I went with Jennifer Ribbens, I love that girl! She is like my sister here in Wisconsin. I would DIE without her here. After exchanges we went to Perkins with Sister Doucette. I have the best chicken melt sandwich ever- I didn’t even know I liked chicken melts! Yum!

[Thursday] We had a crazy day on Thursday. Sister Bryner was really sick with a cold so we went to lunch at Molly and Jed Summer’s, it was Jed’s 30^th! Happy Birthday Jed! (molly always makes the BEST food). Afterwards s. bryner went to bishop huzzey’s home to take a nap and I went out with Jenni. While we were out it started snowing… HARD! We got an inch an hour! So we went back to the Huzzey’ and then home for s. Bryner to sleep and I caught up on letter writing. I am determined NOT to get sick. I have done good so far. Everyone else around me has had it… but I am drinking lots of water, exercizing, eating good and sleeping and washing my hands, yes a bit obsessive, but I loathe sickness!

[Friday] We spent the day at UWGB. We taught 3 students: Julieann, Amy and Rachel. That is AmAzing because 2 months ago we weren’t teaching ANY students. Amy is ready to be baptized and told us so. She is nervous to tell her very Baptist parents, but we fasted with her yesterday and she knows the Lord is with her. She is telling them this week. I love her. She strolled in to the church about a month ago and now is ready for baptism. She has stepped in to help us with the LDSSA too. She is so great. She seems like she’s been a member all her life- she has so much faith. I really do believe that the Lord is preparing people for us to teach! It’s all about timing.

[Saturday] We played games with the Ribbens, had dinner with Rick Alcorta and his girlfriend Amber and then had a game night with the YSA’s!!!

[Sunday] What a great fast Sunday! I was able to bear my testimony in Relief Society. We had dinner and a lesson at the Huzzey’s. I succumbed and participated in an oreo eating contest. I was on elder jolley’s team. We took second. Ha. First time he ever didn’t win. Oops! My fault. It was a relay. Who can eat 2 oreos the fastest. I am a slow eater, what can I say! I love the Huzzey’s.

I have such a testimony of hard work and diligence. Because we are working hard and being diligent the Lord is blessing us here in Green Bay. It is such a great feeling to drag in the apartment at nine every night and look at all we did that day. Nothing is possible without the guidance of the spirit. I am so happy to be on a mission at this time in my life. I am so grateful for a family that supports me so much! You’re amazing! I look forward to every tape, letter and email! I love you!

Love, sister black