This will be a hard easter to top!

HeLlO hElLo!!!

Ok.. so it is not GREEN yet like people tell me GREEN bay gets... but we're getting closer and closer. ALL the snow is gone, and I haven't worn a coat or nylons that matter for much of this past week... THAT'S monumental FOLKS!

I am SO happy to hear that Sarah's baptism went well! I so wish I could have been there, but there is something about being a missionary and having your family LOVE the missionaries and SEE and FEEL first hand what I do every single day that MAKES Sarah's baptism that much sweeter for me. I almost wouldn't have it any other way! I wish, like Sarah said, you could have recorded it. BUT i understand that rule, it would just be kinda wierd I guess. BUT I LOVE THAT CHLOE THOUGHT DAD WAS DROWNING SARAH! that's priceless. AND i heard Bobby and Brittany's talks were both AmAzing!!! THat's SO GOOD!!! I thought about it ALL day! and I celebrated while it was going on! This will be a hard easter to top!

This was a truly a great week for me! SO SO GOOD!!!! Want some Highlights ?? ... ok here they are:

TUESDAY was Zone CONFERENCE: Elder Oldham and Elder Crane, the zone leaders, and the elders we work with in the 1st ward asked us to train the zone on "Promising Blessings" out of PMG. AH! I felt SO inadequate, but sister bryner and I prayed a lot about it and studied it and followed the spirit and it went really well. The missionaries in our zone participated a lot and we had a BOMB.COM object lesson. (haha yes britt, i just said that... get over it) We had two elders come up and we gave one of them a brown lunch sack with something in it and told him to promise his companion he wanted what was in it... that was funny. Then we let him look at it (a box of girl scout cookies) and then promise his companion again that he wanted it! THat went over MUCH MUCH better. Our point was we can't promise our investigators blessings that we ourselves haven't felt. It went well. thank-goodness. it was good for me though, i learned a lot- that always happens when you have to teach!!!!

OUr investigators have kinda been MIA lately, which = sad days for missionaries.. but Thursday we were able to see almost ALL of them and they all were WAY receptive to us and wanted to set up appointments! CRAZY! It's like those 2 weeks we called, stopped by and left notes and GOT NOTHING IN RETURN was just a little test of our faith!!!! Well, we stayed persistent and now we are back on track. Zone Conference always helps renew our faith and strength and motivation... I LOVE ZONE CONFERENCE.

Friday was CLEANING DAY, mission wide DEEP clean day. Elder Oldham and Elder Crane are REALLY smaRT! they decided we should all clean eachothers apartments [aka the sisters can come and make sure it all gets done... right!] Family you would laugh at me because I kept saying, "when in doubt, THROW IT OUT!" I made the HMONG elders throw away a chair... as elder Chapman was carrying it to the trash he said, "I liked this chair you know!" HAHA elder oldham and I died laughing. IT WAS BROKEN! WHY MUST BOYS KEEP EVERYTHING????? THey reminded me of DAD GRANDPA AND ROCKY! the best examples of KEEPING junk i have in my life!!! haha We got it all done, 3 apartments in ONE day. THey cleaned behind our fridge and stove, that was the BEST. I love the elders we serve around. they are SUCH good missionaries and even better examples to me. I learn from them every single day.

After Cleaning day was over we went to the Huntley's at 6. Their oldest son jacob was home and we are infamous for our Catch Phrase Battles. It was SO fun to play with the whole family. I love the Huntley's. They are methodist but would defend the mormons with all they've got. We love to teach them. They made pizza and then we played Catch Phrase, this time i didn't throw anything OR hit jacob... til after the game was over! babysteps of progress!!! haha Then we had an easter lesson. Their kids know SO much about the gospel, it's so refreshing!!!!

Saturday we had brunch at the Bartells. All of her kids came home for easter from college. SHe is so great to us as missionaries. A returned missionary that served here was there too, elder gordon light. He is from the same place in ALasKA as Layne watson. He knows her well. that was fun. It was there that elder oldham said the quote of the week. . . E. Light said "How many missionaries are in green bay?" E. Oldham, " 8, well 10 if you count the sisters." HAHA he didn't even catch himself. haha WE ALL LAUGHED SO HARD. hilarious. I am not going to let that go for a LONG time!!!!

SUNDAY WAS EASTER! I made a special effort to look really springy! We had stake conference that day. so fun. It was a regional broadcast from SLC. Elder OAKS and PRESIDENT MONSON spoke... it was so cool to hear them speak after we just got to hear them LAST WEEK too. I love the green bay stake! The people are great, they're SO AMAZING. Afterwards the elders and us went "Easter Caroling". I think that might be against some holiday rules but we didn't care... we saw SO many people!!!!!! We baked cookies on saturday with the elders so we could take them to less actives, investigators and recent converts ... we did that all day and sang HE SENT HIS SON from the primary songbook. It was a good day. We had easter dinner at the Ribbens! THEY gave us our own easter treats too! SO GOOD! THEY REALLY LOVE US LIKE THEIR OWN CHILDREN. I feel it while i am there.

I didn't know I could love my mission this much. Nobody can explain the joy you feel when you see people change their lives and turn toward the Savior and find LASTING HAPPINESS. This mission is changing me as I see others change. It is leaving an Indelible mark on my heart! I LOVE IT!

Thanks for all you all do for me! I feel your prayers and strength~

Love, sister pamella jo black