Monday, March 9, 2009

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.

1 comment:

Julieanne said...

Sister Black i love you! I haven't seen you or heard from you since school has started and i keep praying that you come back to GB! It's not working as well as it did in milwaukee ;) You are the best! Keep in touch...call me...the number is 262-825-2012

Love always,
Ju