Time Flies...

...WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN!

can you believe it that in 9 months from this week i will be flying home? i can't. it's crazy. I try not to think about it. but my current companion, sister behrends only has 2 transfers left on her mission and all this going home talk has frazzled me a bit. BUT... i realize that I HAVE only NINE months to accomplish all the goals I set for my mission. I NEVER knew I would love my mission this much. I can't believe it's half over. I still have SO much I want to do. I have been thinking a lot lately about how I am going to make the most of this time- because I can NEVER get it back! I love being a missionary.

I have been thinking about how much it means to me to be a missionary. I love to put my teg and my skirt on and go out and be noticed by the world... to stand out you could say. What a blessing it is. I can't tell you how many times people just stare at my tag and at me trying to figure out who i am.... I love to teach them that I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I love to teach people every single day about the happiness the gospel can bring to their lives. I love that I get to spend every thought & prayer thinking about our investigators and what they need, how I can help them best to know the love that their Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have for them. It's the best thing in the world.

However, I hope, more than anything, that after my mission I will still be noticed by the world. I hope that when I don't wear a nameteg and a skirt everyday that people will still see that I am different. happier. I hope that I will continue to reach out to people and think about how I can help them. I so admire the members we work with and their dilligence. They have a sincere desire to share the gospel with their friends and family. They help us so much and in turn they feel joy as the ones they love embrace this restored gospel.

this has been the craziest past 2 transfers of my mission. I feel like I served in Green Bay for 6 months and now I am just on a tour of the mission! I feel like a traveling sister. Seriously. 3 weeks in Adams. 3 weeks in Milwaukee. Oh... now go to Racine. ok... Now go between racine and milwaukee. cover 4 wards.... NO BIG DEAL! What a Crazy LIFE it's been. and you all know how I really love structure and normalcy. I LOVE to be BUSY... but i love CONSISTENCY! well.... it has really been a treat these past few weeks. I am learning a lot about being an expert planner, even better than before. We have to be. We need to be better at it. for sure.

Bishop Blake, we live with his family in Racine, says he feels like he is in a custody battle with the Kozlosky's, who we live with in milwaukee!!!! HAHA I feel like that too! I love both places equally as MUCH. The families are always sad when we leave them and we are too, but excited to go to the next place. I don't enjoy leaving and going from one place to another either. It is SUCH a pain. Always packing and unpacking. We spend 3-4 days in each place, then trade. it's always an adventure!

This past week has been just that ... an adventure. We spent Saturday thru last thursday in Racine. When we are in Racine we spend our time teaching our 5 investigators there:

Tina and her 5 children (two of which are eligible for baptism) are continuing to progress. Tina has a lot of faith and has overcome a lot in her life to be able to be at a point where she can now embrace the gospel and allow herself and her family to receive all the blessings the gospel brings.

Cheryl reminds me SO much of Sarah... she came to church on Sunday! I can't wait to see her tonight! Her and Ted have a daughter named natalie. I love that little girl.

Janelle is 10. She has an AT TI TUDE! i love it! she gives the elders a run for their money, poor guys, they try so hard. She keeps me on my toes too though. I love her. Teaching kids is the best, her mom is a member and she's the oldest of four. I love their family.

Racine is a really great place. Since we had pday there last week, and the Elders bailed on us... [because they were "shopping" ...geg me!] sister behrends and I got Jimmy Johns subs (and salt & vinegar chips... YUM) and went to the beach... ate lunch and took a nap! It was the best! I finally feel like racine is "home". more than anywhere else I have been this past 6 weeks! I am ready for somewhere to seem familiar to me. The last time that happened was Green Bay... 2 months AGO!

We also had dinner with the Sura's. I love the Sura's! Bro. Sura is not a member- but acts like one! He LOVES to fish- he writes for a fishing magazine. He has fished everyday for the past 3 weeks! What a life- he is a school teacher so summer = fishing for him. He always places in big competitions. The guy is AmAzing! I love their family and am excited to teach him. She fried some of the fish he caught... I forgot what kind is was... but it tasted like chicken... it was AmAZing. I am sold now. I have never liked fish before... but this stuff was SO good. They introduced us to their German neighbor Gertrude... more on her next week!

Friday we came back to milwaukee and spent the day planning! we went to the botanical gardens- so beautiful! HOWEVER- we were eaten ALIVE by mosquitos. never again will i go outside without BUG SPRAY!!!!

Saturday we played volleyball at president ornes- oh how i love that man. he is in the mission presidency. he is a convert he cracks me up. I can just tease him relentlessly and he does the same to me. it's great. he lives in a really cool old house and has a huge old barn that he remodeled to be a garage. it's a cool place. he has a sand volleyball court in the back. I LOVE VOLLEYBALL... especially in the summer- outside in the sand!!! Later that night we had dinner at JULIEANNE'S! It was the BEST! I met her mom! I SO love that girl! Her mom said that she just had to meet "julieannes new best friend!" haha my mission wouldn't be the same without julieanne! [she might transfer to nursing school at BYU! next year!] i would love that!

Sunday i stayed in milwaukee and s.behrends went to racine. CRAZINESS!!!!! Julieanne was my companion, brittany kozlosky was hers. we both had fun and loved our companion exchanges! BUT... it's so wierd to not be with my companion. Julieanne was a trooper- 6 hours of church is a lot. Later that night the elders had a baptism and the whole Menter family came (our investigators from Milwaukee). It was really good- i know they felt the spirit. I ended the night with a round of Othello with sister Kozlosky. I love her and that game! [earlier in the week we played yahtzee with their whole fam... gosh bro. kozlosky reminds me of you dad! it's freaky. he was so mad the other day bc he left the title of the car they are selling on the counter in a specific place and he knew someone threw it away! HAHA sound familiar?]

Sometimes I wonder how we keep the schedule that we do, but then I remember this is the Lord's work and we can feel His help as we rely on Him!

Today we are going to Racine in a few hours for some appointments. We have to come back tomorrow afternoon for interviews with president barrett. However every waking hour we have there we have appointments. i love that.

Keep the letters coming! i just caught up on all my letters from last transfer. They are all responed too. so ... expect mail.

Sarah- i got the best package ever from you- I LOVED the 12 minute video of the girls! SO CUTE. made me cry. i miss them.

I love you all! I love this work I am engaged in. This week I especially feel the pull to be a little better and do a little more. I invite you to do the same. It's exciting!

Love, sister pamella jo black