HAPPY JULY 4th!

[dorks july 4th '08]

HEY!!!

How are you ALL? LOVING SUMMER? I HOPE SO! This is the first week on my mission where I actually REALLY missed my family. It's just something about the fourth of july, the all-american feeling.... i just missed home. HOWEVER, there is NO other place I'd rather be right now...so take that for what you want. I thought about you guys this week. I love you!

MONDAY we went to the park and played with the elders... that was a lot of fun... first football :( ... then ultimate frisbee! :) ... so that was a good time.

TUESDAY we did transfer planning. We also MEt with our investigator rachel, who is going to spend the rest of her summer in the OC, i am jealous! We made a plan to hook her up with some missionaries there- she is SO ready to be baptized, kinda sad she is leaving.

WEDNESDAY we went to the UWM campus and hung up flyers for our YSA beach volleyball, met janet molina, a really recent convert, for lunch, and then we went to a dinner with a member in the Oak Creek Ward- Dollie. fun fun.

THURSDAY the most exciting thing that happened was JANICE had her baptismal date and was found ready to be BAPTIZED! woo hoo! I love janice, she was the first one I met with when I got to MIlwaukee. It was the day after leadership training and I used the baptismal calendar that I had just learned about with her... she was so hesitant to set a date because she still needed to quit smoking! well... with the calendar we set a date for 3 weeks ... July 4th and she was all set! It has been so amazing to see her faith and willingness to change so much to receive all the blessings of baptism. She quit smoking. It was miraculous, in about 2 weeks. I love Janice. She prays, she reads her scriptures, she knows God is there. AmAzing.

FRIDAY was Zone COnference. oh how i love zone conference... it's like putting more oil in my lamp, just before I feel like I am going to run out. We learned how to better use our baptismal calendars, how to ask for referrals and how to begin teaching. It's just the reboot I needed. After zone conference we had dinner with Katie Wenzel. I LOVE the GIRL! she is a lot of fun, a YSA. That night we went to the Muskego Lake Ski Show with the Kozlosky's and their families. SO FUN! I have never been to one of those. I loved it. Afterwards, there was a fireworks show. What a good time! I love the Kozlosky's. [They remind me of my parents SO MUCH! perhaps that is another reason I have been thinking of my family. Bro. Kozlosky calls everyone "people" I love that, so does my dad, "Alright people, lets go!" haha Also, I went off about organizing with sister kozlosky and he said, "stop it! don't touch my stuff!" "don't throw anything away!" HAHA just like My dad!] ps i have never been around that much alcohol in my LIFE! but the music was loud and those skiers were AmAzing! and the fireworks over the lake were beautiful. I love wisconsin.

SATURDAY was the 4th of JULY! It was also JANICE'S BAPTISM! SO AMAZING. We celebrated the independence of our country... and the INDEPENDENCE FROM SIN all on the same day. she was the only baptism in the mission that day. so amazing. I love janice. Her son, who is also a recent convert, William (19) baptized her. He is about to turn in his papers. I got the opportunity to bear my testimony. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! What a great way to celebrate the fourth of july. I love this holiday. We then drove to Racine and watched the fireworks on the lake at the beach. there were SO many people. I have never seen that many people in one place before, ever, in my whole life. seriously. and it was COLD! i wore a hoody. I have been wearin' a cardigan almost every day.. in july! so crazy!

SUNDAY we had church here in racine. I BORE MY TESTIMONY IN THE SPANISH BRANCH. It was quite an experience... just let me tell you. I somehow had all the words for what i wanted to say. It is coming... slowly, but coming. Everyone complimented me afterwards and said my testimonio fue muy "linda". so nice of them. I then bore my testimony in the english ward so I could better express myself. everyone laughed when i told them why. I love both units we are serving in and all the missionaries I get to serve around. I learn SO much from all of them. We visited some members in the spanish branch who were in the hospital. I even had a full blown 10 minute phone convo in spanish. .. i was even impressed. after that we had dinner with the elders at bishop blakes where we live, then he made us doughnuts.... yum! and then we watched the testaments with the girls! SO FUN! i love that movie. it was my first time seeing it. so good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON THE 3rd TAYLOR! i love you! you should have gotten a letter!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON THE 9th BOBBY! i miss you and your family!

I love you all!!!! Thanks for being AmAZING! i just sent a bunch of letters out... so if you're expecting one.... it's on its way!

LOVE, Hermana Pamella Jo Black :)