The Church is True in Rhinelander Too!

The church is true in Rhinelander too!... my mom informed me of that!haha

GREETINGS FROM RHINELANDER!

I just wrote you all a novel email on Saturday… I am not sure if I am up for another… but I need to be. SO here it goes!

Brittany informed me these emails are too long. This is the last long email ... sister Bishop is applying to school so I have had some extra time. I have just had a lot to say/ catch up on!

This has been a week of adventures… Here and there and EVerYwHEre!

Here are the happenings of this CrAzY week:

Sunday the 17th:

I know I talked about this day in my last email, but I forgot to mention that after church we started the rounds of saying goodbye. I don’t really enjoy that, but the members would be so mad if we didn’t stop by, plus I really wanted to take a picture with them! We had dinner at the Costabiles and brother Costabile stuck around for the lesson afterward! It was AmAzing. She has been a member for 19 years and he’s just stubborn! Everyone is convinced that he’ll be the next bishop as soon as he’s baptized! He is Italian and made us the BEST lasagna ever. He invited all the Racine missionaries, so there were 7 of us: a small army and there were still leftovers! Elder Smith taught the lesson. He is such a good teacher. I learn a lot from him. We then went with elder stribling and elder zobell to say bye to the hancock’s and to the furners. I love both of those families SO much. It feels like elder stribling and I have always served here, did I have other areas of my mission? =) They didn’t like saying bye to us either. I love the Hancock’s, they’re young and from utah out here for his job. She just told us she is 6 mos pregnant… you can’t even tell! They’re kids Rowen and Ruby are adorable. And the Furner’s are AmAzing too. I am going to miss Mary Furner… she is about my age and I just love her! The sisters need to take her out on splits more. Good people.

Monday the 18th:

Preparation Day! It was Martin Luther King Jr Day so we couldn’t email… everything was CLOSED. Which, was kind of annoying, but kind of nice because it was my last pday in racine so it made it so I had a lot more time! At about noon we went to Denny’s with the elders. I should have been packing all that morning… but I had no desire, so I just did other random things that I had been needing to do! After lunch, I had breakfast!, we went to the Racine zoo. I had never been there all my time in Racine, except once at Halloween and it was so dang cold by the time we were done passing out candy I was so ready to be out of there. Today it was pretty warm, lots of snow on the ground, but not too unbearable! We were the only ones there, the elders volunteer there so we got in free… otherwise I think we would have had to pay a dollar. That zoo used to be the only free zoo in the country. ANYways, we saw the monkeys and the lion and the tiger and the BEAR! The tiger and Canadian lynx were totally playing with the elders! … Like they would run back and forth and so would the lynx or the tiger.. .they would come up to the fence and growl and stuff. Hiliarous. We were there forever! Then we went bowling. That was fun too. After bowling we got custard at culvers to end our pday. We visited the Farley’s and then went to the Davis’ for FHE at 7 with the elders. I love the old and the young davis’! [although they’d prefer I say SENIOR davis’, but whatever! Haha] We took pictures and said goodbye, I gave the lesson on charity. Then we all went to the Hansen’s to say goodbye and take pics. The Hansen’s are like my family. I sure will miss them.

TODAY, JANUARY 18th was STEPH’S BIRTHDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPH! I THOUGHT OF YOU ALL DAY. I HAD IT WRITTEN IN MY PLANNER!

Tuesday the 19th:

MY LAST DAY IN RACINE! L we had district meeting, we were late, because we went to wal-mart so I could get a pic cd made of elder smiths pics. He’s the district leader so I called him and told him we’d be late and he was SO PATIENT! All he said was “drive safe!” I love people like that when I am frantic and running around like a chicken with my head cut off. He recommitted us to memorize the First Vision in Spanish, because none of us did it… it was a crazy week! So we all recommitted. . . sister Johnson made some comment about how I wouldn’t have to do it and he said, “No it’s still your commitment too!” I was already planning on doing it anyways, so now that’s just more motivation! After district meeting the elders did a tie trade, because that’s what elders do to get a little variety in the 2 years that they sport white shirts and ties. At the end elder stribling gave sister Johnson and I each a sweet wool tie with an argyle print on it… I am going to make mine into a headband I think … I am excited about that. It was fun to see them all trade and barter and stuff. We all went to McDonald’s for lunch and then sister Johnson and I visited Pam Umhoffer… her name before her divorce was Pamela Black… weird huh? She is from England, she converted there, and has been away from the church for quite some time. She knows sister gambles and they decided to come back to church together. We had a great visit. I taught her from Mosiah 18 about her baptismal covenants. She says she really misses church, the spirit, the people. She is excited to come back. We ended our visit with Hot cocoa and cookies, kinda like tea and crumpets! She collects English china, she even had some Royal Albert mom! She’s only lived in the states for a handful of years, her accent is to die for. I love her!

We then had a meeting with Bishop Crowther. He is such a great man. He thanked elder stribling and I for being such good missionaries. He thanked us for teaching to ward how to work with the missionaries and for working together so well ourselves. He saw that it made a great difference in the progression of our investigators and the less active families we worked with! I am so happy he saw that! That was one of our goals: to work well together and to teach the ward. IT HAPPENED! He told us the new missionaries had a lot to live up to, it was nice to hear. It’s been a really REALLY good 7.5 months. He picked our brains about a few other things just to be sure he had the right info. It kinda stunk, we would talk about things and I would start to write something down we needed to do, then I’d realize I AM LEAVING TOMORROW… so I just started making a to do sticky note for sister Johnson! She laughed at me. Elder stribling just put his notebook away, he said he was doing the same thing! We said goodbye to Heidi Higginbottom at 5, Aaron is SO cute and wants to be baptized SO badly! His mom was at church for the first time last Sunday in 7.5 months. I almost fell over! As she begins to come back, Aaron will be at church, and then he can be baptized. He’s 10 and he’s so ready. He is one of the first people I taught here in Racine. We then went to the Abbott’s, Raygan’s, Marka’s the Aquino’s [we said bye to Vicki, remember she is the one that thought I was a mute my first time EVER being in racine. She was my first Spanish investigator!] and to Fani’s work to say bye to her… it was exhausting, but good. I almost cried at every stop, but managed to hold it together! WE ended our night at the calderwoods. I love that family. They are so good to me. We had dinner and dessert and we talked and took pictures. We also got transfer calls. I still had one tiny ray of hope that maybe sister duhaceck was wrong and I wasn’t going to Rhinelander, but Smith got the call and he just looked at me and said “Banished.” HA he later told me that when elder hatch was about to tell him where I was going he took a big deep breath and then said it! AH! I am really going to Rhinelander. I wrote all the elders I was leaving a little note to say thanks, and to my surprise elder smith wrote all of us one too! It was nice of him, he’s a thoughtful kid. The calderwood’s got a crack up out of my new destination. At least president calderwood did, sister calderwood was worried about me. I assured her I would be ok and that Rhinelander couldn’t be SIBERIA! We had to stop at Kenosha’s apt to get some pics from sister birch, and then I was off. She gave me a little present, a hat too, it was nice of her.

I then got home about 10 and STARTED PACKING. I finally got to bed at one. Whew! It all fit, without vaccume bags! It was amazing. I gave a lot to goodwill. I figure, with only 12 weeks left, I can let some old, worn things go that I had been holding on to for those “just in case” times! Sister Johnson spent her time putting all the info from my gps into her gps… that took forever. But we laughed and talked the whole time. I sure am going to miss her. I love her like a sister!

Wednesday the 20th:

We woke up, showered and drove to Milwaukee. We got to the church and nobody was there so we hung outside and talked to the elders. Little j was pretty nervous, SHE’LL DO GREAT! President Barrett drove up and got out and said, “That looks like a perfect coat for up north!” I said, “You mean a perfect coat for the middle of nowhere? Why are you sending me to the middle of nowhere president? Why?” He said, “that’s not the middle of nowhere! That’s the FAR OUTSKIRTS OF NOWHERE!” ugh! Haha he would comfort me that way! Elder Villanueva and Elder Carter were giving me a hard time too… punks. I walked in to the church and later on I sat next to president barrett on the pew…He asked if I was excited and I told him I was TRYING to be.. he laughed and then started telling me all the good things about that place… so I was a bit more excited. I was still having a hard time though.

Sisters Warner, Pluim and I left little J and we went to the library to email and burn cds of pics and music. Then I went around visiting people with them. We had KOPP’S for lunch, my fav, and then they took me to the mission home to be sister barrett’s companion! It was so fun! I just love her! Elder Astle and Elder Valentine were there because they were going home Friday so I talked and cleaned the kitchen with them. Then we ordered pizza and sister barrett and I went and picked it up. We had to stop and get her favorite crab dip at sendick’s too! President always makes fun of the way her and I just talk and talk, but I love it. She’s as CLOSE as I can get to talking to my mom! We had dinner and during the middle of dinner she noticed elder valentine’s suit coat was ripped. She went to get sewing stuff [you can tell I am not a sewer!] to fix it so his mom wouldn’t worry about him when he got off the plane and then she just brought this whole tub out and plopped it on the coffee table and came back and kept eating. When I finished I was just sitting there and she pointed to the box and said, “That’s my sewing box, will you organize it? I was going to wait ‘til you came back right before you went home, but we’re not doing anything else right now!” I was so excited. I love stuff like that. She sat in the recliner and talked to me and I organized… I first had to make a huge mess, but then it got better! I got to see all the ties she’s cut off of elders they’re last day in the almost 3 years they’ve served here as mission president, she’s making a quilt out of them! Every time president saw me at the mission home he’d laugh and say “banishment” or “exile!” ha. Mean! Elder Perry is coming to the mission and the only two zones not invited are mine!, the Wausau zone, and the green bay zone because we’re too far away… I was whining about that and he looked at elder bratt and said, “I bet you’ll take good notes for her, won’t you?” HA I just said, “All you people in white shirts and ties are the SAME!” punks. At one point he was about to walk in the family room and sister barrett was telling him to come sit down and he said, “I don’t know if I can, is sister black going to mock me for sending her north?” haha we all laughed. It was so good to talk with all of them: especially elder astle, elder valentine and elder chapman. Elder astle has just been around my whole mission, he loves gb like I do. Elder Valentine has had so many problems on his mission, he has borderline autism, but is now medication free! Elder jolley trained him. He is so amazing for being able to do the work amidst his health issues. I admire him. Elder chapman was there my first 6months in greenbay. He plays the piano so AMAZING. I love to hear him play waterfall. He played it for me last zone conference. I used to make him play it everytime I saw him in gb. He told president and sister barrett how I was a nazi on cleaning day! … About how I threw away his “favorite chair” in their apt… mind you it only had 3 of it’s 4 legs and they had 2 other good chairs. It was propped up on phone books. I remember carrying it to the dumpter and him following behind me trying to talk me out of it. HILARIOUS. Boys. We were all laughing SO HARD! We then started talking about how earlier in that day elder mcclung picked up my tub and in the process of setting it down in the church RIPPED HIS PANTS [it had all my books in it, English and Spanish! It was HEAVY!] . Poor guy. I felt so bad. His finger was bleeding, he couldn’t go to the bathroom because we were all there and he had a big hole! Then president barrett started telling us a story of how he did the same thing in a home depot and had to staple his pants together and make sister barrett follow closely behind to cover him. Oh it was hilarious. I was crying. I couldn’t breathe. I love those two.

This night I stayed with sister warner and sister pluim at the Kozlosky’s. The sister are moving out on Thursday. Sad, but it’s time to let someone else in the ward have them. It’s fun that both sister warner and I have lived there… they love us. We made hand puppets on the wall with a flashlight like old times… and laughed A LOT! I am dang good at hand puppets… I have been my whole mission.

ALSO.. today rocky went to the MTC… he flew out this morning! HE is going to do great! I am so jealous he is just STARTING!!!! Woo-hoo! It goes so fast!

Thursday the 21st:

TRANSFER DAY. I was late to transfer point… every elder and their mom called to see where I was! J Then We went from Milwaukee to Oshkosh to Appleton to Green Bay to Wausau to Rhinelander… It was a LONG day. But fun. IT was my first time ever riding the transfer van… or “FUN BUS”. In Green Bay I had to get on the “special bus” that takes people to Wausau. It was fun, I sat by elder abe who is going to Wausau to be my zone leader. He wasn’t too pumped to come either… But elder carter, one of the assistants kept giving me the HARDEST time about how he served in the UP and how he’d love to come to RHINELANDER yadda yadda. I joked around but told him I was excited because the Lord must need me here! He didn’t believe me, told me I was mad [he knows this because I remind him of his cousin? Funny.] and that I would learn to like it! I love elder carter, he was very positive and upbeat, and it’s true. If elders like him and elder stribling can go to the up and love it… I can love it in Rhinelander. But… what can people expect… this is what I’ve heard about Rhinelander:

*It’s banishment or exile [from every elder… and one time P. Barrett!]

*I may or may not be eaten by wolves!

*It’s the home of the HODAGS… look it up! [it’s ugly!] Sister Barrett asked that I take a pic of one and send it to her…. I can’t wait to mail her that postcard!

Elder Perry is coming to speak to our mission and my zone and GB aren’t invited … I am still working on that one… I want to go!

Elder Villanueva, the other assistant told me that when he sees me Wednesday at zone conference I need to tell him 5 good things about this place… I agreed I’d do that. I kept telling him I am coming her to be a loner and he said, “I am pretty sure you’ll have a companion, I am pretty sure you’ll have the companionship of the Holy Ghost and I’m pretty sure there will be people for you to teach!” UGH. He is so right! He was good. He assured me I’d be fine and that I would live. Love that kid.

I got here to Rhinelander and met Sister Bishop! We served together in May in a trio in Adams. I love her! This is her last transfer! She is from Brigham City, a great missionary. Her dad is Rob Bishop, a Congressman for Utah… it’s fun to here her side of things. I think I am going to like Rhinelander… even if it’s just because of her!

I sent an email to president barrett telling him I know I was being dramatic, but that I am excited to be here and I know it was through revelation I was sent here.

HERE IS MY EMAIL…

I didn't get a chance to email this week, the libraries were all closed monday for MLK day so we stopped by the library on our way to some appts so I could let my family know I am alive...

However, I wanted to send you a short email too. After the past couple of days of me being dramatic I just want you to know that I am happy to be here in Rhinelander. I know that this mission, this work, is accomplished by means of revelation. While I love to tease and joke around, I don't mean to mock that fact in any way. Please know that!

I want you to know that I will work just as hard here as in any other area I have served in. I will find the reason the Lord has sent me to the "far outskirts of NOWHERE" for the last two transfers of my mission!

Also, I am grateful for the opportunity I had to serve in Racine/Kenosha. I vividly remember my first interview with you as I entered the mission. I told you if you ever had a need I would LOVE to speak spanish. . . I never dreamed it would happen. I am grateful my Heavenly Father knows me so well. I am grateful I was able to teach in spanish for 7.5 months that was a great blessing. I learned many lessons through that experience and truly learned to love that branch.

I had a very similar experience in the Racine ward. So much is happening there, I was so sad to leave. I suppose that's the best way to leave an area, but it was hard. It made all our work and struggle worth it when Bishop Crowther thanked elder stribling and I for helping the ward understand how to work with misisonaries and for working so well together ourselves as missionaries the past 7.5 months. He said that made a great difference in helping meet the needs in the ward and of investigators. That place will always be sacred to me.

I love being a missionary president! I know I say that a lot ... but it's true. I am so grateful to be here in this mission and to be able to learn from you, I am constantly learning something from you.

Love, hermana black

THIS WAS HIS REPLY:

Thanks for helping take care of the wonderful members in Rhinelander. I love them! And you will too. I have many sweet memories of that area, including late one night driving far north of Antigo through the woods to find my way to the YW Camp. I was glad I went even though it put me late into Stevens Point some time after midnight.

Terrific Bishop Lindner! Tremendous Stake President Pleshek.

Please take care of those wonderful Saints!

And baptize Tony!

………………………………………………………………………………

……………....

I love him! He’s the best.

Friday the 22nd:

Friday we unpacked, we live in an apartment! I love it! Then we went out to Crandon, about 45 minutes away with the relief society president and a ward missionary to do some visits, It was really good. The ward here is amazing. They are so involved.

Saturday the 23rd:

We emailed… finally! And then we did transfer planning ALL the day long. To end the night we had Chinese food with sister Kazmarski. . . no msg = no headache… I was so happy! I never eat it because I always get worried. But I was fine!

Amy called me tonight. I love amy brown. She is the reason I went to GB… perhaps for my whole mission. She told me lots of good news. First off that she was coming to visit me. It’s her fault I am in Rhinelander, you know! She called when I was still in Racine and said she had to come down to Milwaukee for something so while she was so close she would be coming to visit. I was ecstatic, but then remembered transfers were coming up. She assured me that if I went to Madison she’d come visit because she goes there a lot for events/ concerts etc. If I went to Appleton I’d constantly see her because that is the branch she attends now, and she said there was NO WAY they’d exile me to Rhinelander. Welp… there you go. Amy’s fault. However, she did amend that saying that if I so happened to come to Rhinelander she’d still come see me… she’s so diplomatic. Good thing!

She is coming to visit SOON! Yeah. Jeremiah James got the Melchezidek Priesthood, and is elders quorum President. She is getting her Patriarchal Blessing! The institute in Green Bay has 18 non-members attending now! She now goes to Osh Kosh institute because GB is more like the “beginners” institute. This year they’re studying the Book of Mormon. SO COOL! SO AMAZING… it all started just a year ago, at least this fire did! They won best booth at orgsmorg at UWGB and they anticipate to win BEST NEW ORG this year. AmAZing! I love hearing news like that!

Sunday the 24th:

We went to church… it was cancelled after sacrament mtg. The weather was bad and people have to travel really far to get home. Such devotion. They even cancelled the talks. However, sister bishop and I were asked to bear our testimonies. Bishop called us to the stand, met me then gave me the mic. Kinda cute. The spirit was really strong. I had just met brian before the meeting started. He is a YSA with a baptismal date for February 13th. He just glowed. I couldn’t help but talk right to him… I got the best feeling. I am so excited to teach him! I met many others in the ward. We then went to Bishop Lindners for dinner and stayed for some time. The roads were really bad and the snow fell heavily all morning. The night before we had freezing rain so it made for a day we needed to stay indoors. We finally went home after a great visit with bishop. President Barrett loves that man. I do too. He is such an excited Bishop, he loves the work. We finished transfer planning that night. We’ve set really good goals for this transfer! FAITH is our motto! Faith the size of a basketball! [e.hatch] to BAPTIZE THE WORLD [e.stribling] I think sister bishop thinks I am a bit crazy sometimes when I say we are going to invite 420 nonmembers to hear our message this next 6 weeks. But she loves me, so she goes with it. It will happen I tell her!

To end the night I got the BEST PHONE CALL EVER from sister Johnson. My little J! She is so cute and is doing such a great job training. She is learning a lot. She’s called me almost every day since we parted to ask me questions. I love it. I love her. She told me that on Sunday morning all the branch missionaries (all 6 of them) had a meeting with the branch president, president calderwood, and his counselors. He said during the middle of the meeting he looked at sister mazariegos, the new sister, and said, “You’ve got big shoes to fill. Everyone in this branch really loved sister black.” It was sweet to hear he said that… I felt bad for sister M though… goodness.. no pressure eh? Sister Johnson and I laughed about that. I love President Calderwood. I miss his leadership.

She also told me lots of good news… daysi got a calling! RS chorister… One day as we left an appt at Kathleen Oakley’s I had a VERY strong impression to stop at her neighbors…they were Spanish speaking… but we couldn’t because we HAD to go. I reminded little j to go back. They did! They are new investigators along with MANY OTHERS on that street. AMAZING. Heidi Higginbottom, miss “I don’t want to be a hypocrite” was at church AGAIN … aaron’s baptism in on! SO many good things happening there.

After I talked to her I thought about why I was sent to Racine. Little J reminded me when she got there we had about 20 active investigators we were teaching, she was so impressed by that… when I got there we only had 3. three people. It was SLOW. We changed a lot in the 3 months before little j came. But I didn’t baptize but two people while I was there… Cheryl Johnson and Zachary Cruz-Taylor. That’s not too many in seven and a half months.

So WHY did I go there? WELL.. baptisms aren’t everything as we know. Daysi and Lupita were both less-active in the branch. I got to teach them in SPANISH, they got it. They understood and applied the principles and lived them! They are BOTH prepared to go to the temple in 2 weeks because we worked with them. I was able to meet Tiffany Baumstark! She read NieNie’s blog too! That was not a coincidence. I know she will accept the gospel, I love teaching her and right before I left I asked if we could teach her whole family in her home.. she consented and was excited! I was able to teach Cheryl and Zachary. TWO AmAzing experiences. I saw their lives change. I met Raygan Taylor. I saw her physically [and spiritually] change from visit to visit. From moment to moment even as we read scriptures together. What a good mom she is. She was someone as well that I just know I was supposed to meet. I know someday VERY soon her husband will be baptized and they will be sealed in the temple. The list goes on and on! I know the Lord knows us and puts us where we can touch the hearts of those we serve, but also where they can touch ours. I learned and grew just as much if not MORE than all those whom I served. I love my calling!

The answer of WHY did I go there is simple… It is found in the many letters I sent while serving there. It is found in my well-worn scriptures and PMG. It is obvious as I wrote the paragraph above. It was inspired. That is why I went there...

And that is why I am here in Rhinelander. There is no coincidence about it! No irony. It is not a sick joke. It is inspired. Just like I wrote to President Barrett, this work runs on inspiration, so I will embrace Rhinelander! I am excited to do so.

I love you all! You're in my thoughts and prayers! WRITE ROCKY!

Love, Sister Pamella Jo Black

ps. there is one thing I will definitely miss up here in the "NORTHWOODS". That is the hustle and bustle of the racine area and all those missionaries I served around! Do you know what a hard time those elders gave me? [These elders remind me of rocky, that is why i love them so much.] I can't believe I am writing it... but I will miss it. I was serving in the heart of the mission around so many missionaries. I loved that; there is such a good spirit. I have to write down a few of my memories or I will forget them...

They called me the abominable snowman, or the snowmonster in my long white coat. I thought they were going to DIE laughing when they saw me wear my mini white coat. They called it the mini snowmonster! I remember when we were at the Aquinos with elder trauntvein and elder smith. Fani was giving Luis a hard time for not eating but he seemed so nervous to take a bite. Finally he just said, "I'm sorry trauntvein, I have to do it!" He looked so distressed and took a bite. Trauntvein just looked at him and said, "Just say your own prayer" so matter of factly. So he knelt down on the kitchen floor and said his own praying leaning against trauntvein's leg. It was so cute! what an example he was to that little boy. I loved being a fly on the wall for that little interaction.

I will miss going to the Cabrales. I loved going there. The last time we were there sister Cabrales answered the door and said [in spa of course], "I asked Anapaula who was at the door and she said 'PETRIE'". We all laughed, she could see us coming thru the window. Elder Petrie had been transferred, but she thought all missionaries were named petrie. she loved him. They would tell us the funniest stories about the elders constantly being at their home, they said they were going to adopt them! Woo hoo for daily contact!

I will miss elder smith always wanting to sing hymn number 210, "buscar con fe" or "search with faith". It doesn't exist... but he would switch around saying it in english or spanish and it would get sister johnson EVERY TIME!

One time Elder Bratt and Elder Johnson, who were then serving together in Oak Creek, we called it "Oak Creep", told me they named their car "PAM" in my honor because it whined a lot. They thought they were really clever.

I will miss teasing the elders with the phrase, "donde esta la sacerdocia" and finding post its all over our car at random parts of the day that said, "donde esta el sacerdocio". I will miss teasing them that they might have the keys to the priesthood and the church building... but i have the keys to the library! :) I will miss finding FREE signs all over our car. everytime they passed us and saw us at an appt they'd leave one [that stems from the time i left the car running, remember that?].

I will miss teaching english. I remember the time Jaime told me in English, "I am your father." I started laughing [made me think of star wars!]... his english wasn't the best. I then realized what he meant as he explained it this way, "When you married you have new father. He is your father" He even drew me a pic on the board. Ha you can imagine i was floored! I told him you work together, he couldn't wrap his little mind around that. he said that's not how it is in El Salvador. SO we sought elder petries opinion and of course to be funny, he sided with the "father" menality and laughed. punks. that became our joke with jaime. hilarious.

I will never forget elder smiths and elder trauntveins faith as we prayed and fasted for the nevarros. they are spiritual giants and were great examples to me. that was a sweet experience.

Elders still get a kick out of my cynicism: All sister do is CRY, ask for BLESSINGS, and TALK about their FEELINGS! ya right. Being a sister missionary is the best! I love it!

irony.

Ok family, sorry that it is SATURDAY and I am just sending my weekly email! The library was closed on Monday for MLK Jr. Day. That is a big holiday out here, especially in Milwaukee/ Racine.

Well my life is one big irony. I was transferred. To Rhinelander. Middle of nowhere. That is the ONE place I did NOT want to go! More on that to come…

The mutual theme this year is BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE {Joshua 1:9}

President Barrett Spoke about that at youth conference [more on that below] and told the you [I still add myself in that category] that they are the HOPE OF THE WORLD. They are of Infinite Worth because they were bought with an Infinite Price. Isn’t that Amazing. I love President Barrett! That is my purpose out here… to teach that: each of God’s children is priceless and special to Him. I am to be STRONG and of a GOOD COURAGE. Every week in district meetings and in zone conferences we recite our purpose as missionaries as found in PMG. We recited it with the Youth… it goes:

“My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End.”

I love my purpose!

Here are the happenings of last week:

Monday, January 11th

We studied, emailed and then met the elders at Brother Jenkins’ home to watch a movie. We watched “Mountain of the Lord” in his AmAzing in home theater in his basement. Sister Johnson and I get a leather couch all to ourselves because we have cooties, so we curled up with our blankets and it was the best hour and a half of my day! We then went and had dinner at Raygan’s. She made spaghetti for us and all the elders. Elder McClung and Elder Carter came down to interview Zachary for baptism… he passed! He was SO nervous! We told him we’d pray for him Sunday night, we did and he said he’d pray too. To end our night we went sledding with the Hansen’s. Elder Stribling and Elder Zobell came too. It was a lot of fun. I love that family. I love their granddaughter Kalie. She is adorable. I went down the hill with her quite a few times, the problem with that is I had to carry her back up… that hill was steep [mind you it was a man-made hill… Wisconsin is FLAT] she’s two… it was a good workout. We knew it was time to go home when elder stribling took Brother Hansen out about half way down the hill. He hit his head so hard. Then his son Sean hit him in the head as he was lying there, then sister Johnson hit him, then Elder Zobell hit him. MY GOODNESS. I stood at the top of the hill and had to turn around. It looked AWFUL. Poor guy. The elders gave him a blessing at home and we drank some hot chocolate. He was ok, but he teased them relentlessly. They deserved it!

Tuesday, January 12th

My last district meeting in Racine!  I don’t like transfers. Elder Smith is such a great district leader. He committed us to memorize the first vision in Spanish. I was excited for the challenge. I am familiar with it in Spanish, but I read it when I teach it in spanish… in English I know it by heart… so it was a good push. It was nice to get back to basics… the important stuff. He’s good about helping us to do that. Afterwards, we went out to lunch with both districts. We taught Raygan and Zachary at one. He is so ready for his baptism. We visited Lilyan Barry. She made us eat dinner! She told us that at 4:45 and we had to be at a mtg at 5. Sister Johnson and I are both really slow eaters, but we were both done in 15 minutes. Ugh. It was a good dinner, just fast! We had a meeting with Bishop Crowther at 5. He is a great bishop and really loves his ward. He looked at both elder stribling and I and said, “We are probably losing both of you, right?” NO! I don’t even want to think about that. We stopped by and had cereal at the abbott’s and then went to the church for the branch’s mutual. We needed to talk to Sofia C. and Fernanda F. about teaching with us on Saturday at youth conference.

Wednesday, January 13th

We went to English class. I love teaching English. It greatly helps me improve my Spanish, but it also gives us AmAzing opportunities to share the gospel with those we teach. The gospel comes up so naturally, many of those at English class have come to church. It’s such a good tool. Afterwards, we went to the church for lunch and then to visit the martinez family and daysi betanco. I love daysi! She has come so far. She is such a great member of the church and has such a strong testimony. She taught us the Restoration out of PMG and said she learned a lot about apostasy and authority. Isn’t it amazing that when we have to teach something, you end up learning the most yourself? I think so too! That’s why we asked her to teach us! We taught Marka and Caleb at 3:30. Marka is so smart. She asks the best questions. We taught about the Word of Wisdom, Caleb had questions too. It’s so good to see a family learning together. She said that the WOW just makes sense! Ha. Yes it sure does. We had dinner with the Sura’s at 5, and then went to the Calderwood’s and planned out what we’d be helping Sofia and Fernanda teach on Saturday at youth conference. We ended our night going to contact a referral elder Campbell [bka SOPA] gave to us... might I add we went out of our way to do that. Well, it was the ELDERS APARTMENT. Elder zobell and Elder stribling answered the door! He got us! He got us good!!! We are still trying to think of how to get him back. . . It will be good!!!! Elder Trauntvein and Elder Smith did that to us once too! Grr… we counted both of those referrals in our numbers. Punks.

Thursday, January 14th

We studied, at lunch and did weekly planning. Then we Had an appointment with the Gambles. She is a sweet lady who does it all for her family. Her husband has had 3 strokes and can’t talk now, I can’t imagine how frustrating that must be. She does everything for him and then also watches her daughter’s two little girls as well. She hasn’t been active in years and wants to come back. She has a man come as a caretaker for her husband for a few hours on Sundays. This man just so happens to be married to a woman [sister Pamela umhoffer] who is also a member of the church and hasn’t been back in years. He suggested they go together while he stays with brother Gambles. I love little miracles like that!

We bought Zachary a journal at Barnes and Noble and then headed to the church. We finished weekly planning there and helped the elders set up for the baptism. Elder stribling made Zachary a hat [he is dang good with yarn and a loom!] and he also made me one! It’s pink and white and black. So cute. I love it.

The baptism went very well… there is nothing like seeing someone you love and have taught the truth to enter into the waters of baptism, be made clean, and make covenants with their Father in Heaven. My joy was full! It was especially special because we worked so closely with the elders to make this a success. We both played specific, vital roles in teaching. Mike, Zachary’s dad was there. He is taking the lessons from the elders. We are teaching Raygan. It was wonderful to see all of Zach’s family there and to see how much support we had from the ward. The room was packed full. No room to sit at all. AmAZing and it wasn’t even announced at church because he hadn’t had his interview yet. His family was invited to bear testimony after the baptism while Zachary and his uncle [Justin, who baptized him...] changed their clothes. Raygan bore her testimony as did her brother John and her mom [all of which have been seriously less active, they bore testimony that they know the church is true and that it is worth it to live the standards]…

Zachary has no idea what an influence for good he is to his family. Justin is a priest and still in HS. He has a learning disability and stutters really bad, but was worthy to baptize… so Zachary asked him. It was so special to see them in the water together. Justin was really nervous, but Bishop Crowther said the words to the prayer, and Justin repeated after him and then got Zachary all the way under. AMAZING! We took lots of pictures with everyone there and then I printed them and put them in the journal we bought Zachary. I had everyone write to him and he loved that. Bishop Blake worked with that family very closely. He was out here for business, so we scheduled the baptism so he could attend. It was fun to see him. We went out to Culvers with him afterwards. He invited all the youth he used to work with and all the missionaries. It was really a good day!!

To end the night we got a call from President Barrett… Sister Johnson will be TRAINING a brand-new missionary. She is a NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKER. Do you know what that means? I am LEAVING racine…. So the drama begins. I have to say goodbye. I hate that.

Friday, January 15th

We woke up… studied and PACKED. We went to Milwaukee for a night. I had a dentist appointment today with President Knutsen. WHAT A NICE MAN. Elder Smith calls him the “jolly fat man”. Whatever, he is I like him. He had to give me 10 shots in my mouth. Did I mention I HATE going to the dentist? I had a fractured tooth on one side and on the other side I had a hole in my tooth and a cavity. SO both of my back, bottom molars were worked on. Let’s just say the numbing didn’t work all the way, but I just dealt with it after shot 10 because my face was numb all the way to my forehead! I didn’t want to be numb for a year… I hate that feeling. He fixed my teeth though. He has this cool new machine that takes a digital impression of my tooth, then he uses a computer screen, that is on wheels to adjust the picture, he then sends the info to a machine that takes a tiny block of porcelain and makes a tooth. Then he cemented it on! Amazing. So I have to new teeth in the back. I am not sure how 15 months ago my teeth were perfect and within that time my teeth have just fallen out? Don’t ask me! Stress… probably. That little event at the dentist took me 4 hours! He is such a good man, didn’t even charge me. Missionaries are SO blessed. What a service.

We then went and ran some errands in Milwaukee… went to Wal-Mart, went to the mission office and got a chocolate shake from McDonald’s, which makes any dental visit better! We had dinner with the Milwaukee sisters at Katie Basset’s. She is a YSA in her residency as a dermatologist. We had a lot of fun. I love Katie. We ended our night with a sleepover at the Kozlosky’s! I love the K’s! They are the best… like my 2nd family.

Saturday January 16th

Saturday morning we woke up, then we went to visit the Scarbouroughs! It was fun to see them and meet their children, I had never done that. They are adjusting to Wisconsin! We took a picture outside for proof of all the snow we’ve endured out here! Brother Kozlosky teased us for being late to that appt and told me I had to let the car warm up, WHY? We don’t do that in PHX. Apparently, I am ruining the car, so I will let it warm up now. AND he said my tires and rims are too beat up! HA just like my dad! I told him to back off! Haha We went to the library and made copies of some cd’s and then had lunch at NOODLES. O how I love that place. The mac and cheese with parmesan chicken is the BEST!

THEN we went to The Milwuakee South stake Youth Conference. The theme was Member Missionary work. They all had missionary tegs too! The north stake was invited too! It was a lot of fun. Most of the missionaries from our zone were there. We, all the missionaries, were paired up with youth companionships and given a topic to teach in 3 thirty minute intervals. What fun it was to teach the youth how to teach. It was totally their thing… we just assisted. Ryan Mortimer and Brittany Kozlosky were on the planning committee. They did I great job, I love those two. We were paired up to teach with 2 girls from the branch, sofia and fernanda. They did such a great job. Our topic was “Ch 7 PMG Learn your Mission Language”. Sister Johnson and I got to share our experiences of learning Spanish. I shared my study plan and little tools I used to help me learn [like carrying around a ntbk that I wrote all the words I didn’t understand in, then I would look them up later] It was fun. The girls did such a great job teaching! I love teaching HOW to teach! I have been learning to be a good teacher for 15 months now! We listened to President Barrett speak after classes, then had dinner.

At dinner I sat next to sister Duhaceck. Big mistake. I love her, but she works in the mission office and she told me I was going to Rhinelander. I wasn’t supposed to find that out ‘til Tuesday night. I thought I was going to throw up. I just left the table and I went to the bathroom to cry, but all these 15-16 yr old girls were in there getting ready for the dance.. it felt like efy! So I couldn’t cry. Sister Johnson knew I was struggling. SO we went home to get our stuff at the K’s to go back to Racine. I just layed on the floor and thought, “How could President Barrett send me to Rhinelander, I am NOT a Rhinelander kind of girl!” I was having a major pity party. We are all entitled to one of those every now and then! So we packed our stuff… I may or may not have cried… and then drove to Racine. I was dang well convinced I was going to Appleton or Madison… nope. I was jealous little j got to stay in racine. I had a badittude! AND I was so anxious.

So I called elder stribling and asked him to give me a blessing of comfort. He did. He is amazing. I love him like a brother. That is only the second time on my mission [or my life for that matter] that I have ever ASKED for a blessing. But I needed to calm down. He blessed me to trust in my priesthood leaders and to know that the Lord needed me in Rhinelander for a purpose I would find out as I labored there. He blessed me to feel peace and to relax. It was a long, beautiful blessing. I felt so good afterward and felt like I could breathe again. So I left and went home and slept SO WELL that night. I love the Priesthood!

Sunday, January 17th

I was dreading today since Thursday night. I had to go to church and say goodbye! I feel like a member of both the branch and the ward!

I thought I was in the clear with our 8:30A sacrament meeting. The murdock’s spoke in sacrament meeting. I love that family! Even their 7 year old spoke! She did such a great job. It was adorable, she used such big words. The elders were in the pew in front of us. But at the end of sacrament Brother Hancock got up and said he wanted to “give a shout- out” to elder stribling and sister black for all our hard work the past 7.5 months. He thanked us and said we helped them feel the spirit of missionary work. Elder Stribling and I were both doubled in in June. That was forever ago. It has been so great working with him and his companions. He’s trained 3 times in a row in Racine. He’s a great missionary. I said by to the ward and took some pictures after our meetings.

All the Spanish missionaries had a mtg with P. Calderwood before sacrament meeting started. He didn’t know we were leaving yet. I was talking about a LA girl we’ve worked with who is now ready to go to the temple. In Spanish I said, “Ella esta aprendiendo mucho.” She is learning a lot. He said, “Hay alguien mas quien esta aprendiendo mucho, tambien.” There is someone else who is learning a lot too. I thought he meant Daysi’s brother or something. He said, “No you! Your Spanish is greatly improving. Especially your conjugations!” He almost made me cry. I have to leave my Spanish peeps! I have been working so hard on my language skills! I will still keep them up. In this same meeting a week previous President Calderwood was talking about how he was needing to marry off all the single priesthood holders in the branch. I of course protested that! We are not matchmakers! He gave me this shpeel about the celestial kingdom and eternal marriage.. yadda yadda. I was Especially riled up when he threw out an idea he had of getting two recent converts together. HE is 42 SHE is 20. NO WAY! Haha all the elders were dying laughing. So then President Calderwood turned to me and said, “Sister Black, what are you doing after YOUR mission?” HAHA I laughed … then said OK it’s TIME for US to GO! IT was hilarious. But awkward. When the branch is trying to find you a husband, perhaps it’s time for a transfer?

In the branch sacrament meeting P. Calderwood mouthed to me from the stand and asked if I was being transferred. I responded… SO, after the passing of the sacrament he announced that he had sad news. He told them that E. Campbell and I would be leaving and asked us to come up and bear our testimonies. I felt so overwhelmed with the spirit. I was able to do that without help! I told them that I remember my first Sunday in the branch. P. Barrett asked sister behrends and I to stand and told the branch that he loved them so much that he sent them sisters to help them in whatever way we could. I specifically recall writing in my journal, “I love that President loves and trusts us… but HOW! I can’t communicate effectively with these people. Someday I will be able to talk freely to these people. I will tell them I love them and am so grateful to have been switched Spanish!” It happened! I did just that! So did Sopa… he did such a good job. I love that kid. He spent the first 6 months of his mission in the branch… what a good place to start! He speaks very well in Spanish now! Then as the closing song in sacrament meeting we sang, “God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again”, Sofia’s choice and her dad came to the mic and dedicated it to us. MY GOODNESS…. IT WAS BRUTAL! [Rocky thought saying goodbye now was painful, wait ‘til he leaves an area!] I took pictures with practically the whole branch afterwards. I will miss Bro. Sandovall calling me, “Chiltepe” [a name of a really hot chili that he used to call a sister in his mission] or hearing all his CRAZY mission stories from Guatemala. I will miss hearing him call us the “Missionegras!”

We got a lot of comments like, “Sister Johnson, where are you going?” or “You’re FINALLY LEAVING?” haha People thought if I was leaving she was leaving too, or that it was impossible that elder stribling and I ever would leave! I have loved being the first sister in Racine/ Kenosha in 10 years. It was a great blessing to open this area, even greater to have been able to speak Spanish. I recall my first interview with President Barrett. I told him if he EVER had a need I would LOVE to speak Spanish. I never dreamed it would happen. I thought the closest I would ever come was when I was able to work a little with the Spanish branch in Green Bay. . . little did I know the Lord always has a plan, better than any plan I could have dreamt up myself!

I love LOVE being a sister missionary! I love all of you!

SEND MAIL TO ROCKY IN THE MTC!

Elder Rocky Lee Black
Provo MTC
Box 145 Dept Dat Feb 9 2010
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604


Love, Hermana Pamella Jo Black

Ps… here are some little Wisconsin things that I just love:

*In Wisconsin we use YET whenever possible ex: “I am young yet” Sister warner has picked this up, painfully so!

*In Wisconsin chili, they put noodles. All chili in Wisconsin is made with noodles!

*Bag = beg and Tag = teg [I like using this one!]

*Wisconsinites say things like:
*Come here once
*I stay on Woods Rd [instead of I live on woods rd]
*I am going by Lauren’s house [instead of I am going TO Lauren’s house] One more example: Did Becky go by Ashley’s? Is she still there? I learned this from MAMA K! she says that a lot!

*a stop light is called a stop and go

*an atm is a TYME machine

*then last but not least the yooper, “YAH DER EH” “DON’T YA KNOW!”

I heart Wisconsin.

GO CARDINALS!

SO yes, it is true… all week long I try to think of what the headline of my email will be… this week the Cardinals definitely make the headlines. Normally, I would never know who is playing who or when… but last night, Sunday the 10th, we went to teach at the Taylor’s and they had the game on… CARDINALS vs PACKERS… I must say I was a bit distracted, I am pretty sure I watched the whole fourth quarter and over-time. Mike was rooting for the Cardinals too, so I didn’t even feel like that big of a trader! I can’t believe the Cardinals win things, that is new since I have been on a mission… I grew up knowing we watch the Cardinals, but they always lose… now things are different… THEY BEAT THE PACKERS!

GO CARDINALS!

[lunes 1.04] we went and emailed… went to target… and then we went BOWLING with the elders for pday… ok, I hate bowling. Bowling reminds me of something I did when I was in high school/ college when we had nothing else to do… there is smoking and drinking, loud music, it’s dark… satans playground basically. Not to mention I am never any good at it… well I actually had a lot of fun. SISTER JOHNSON AND I WORE JEANS [and they fit better than they did before my mission :] That was a plus, I had never done that before on my mision. Also, I am pretty good at it, both games we played I scored over 150 and I even beat the elders!  they were making fun of me for not bending my knees,,, all this technique stuff.. hey, the ball went in a perfectly straight line down the lane… I told them it’s like shooting a gun, just follow the arrows… DUH! So that was fun. Then we went to Raygan’s and taught her and Zachary with the elders… then we went to Subway for dinner with the elders and then the rest of our stinkin’ appts cancelled… it was LAME.

[martes 1.05] we had district meeting. I love district meeting, I especially LOVED this district meeting. Elder Smith is really inspiring … it was the first district meeting I have ever had where I felt like we were being “called out” [that is such a BIG over-used term in this mission]. He taught about obedience… apparently there are some major disobedience issues within our district and in the kenosha area. He so tactfully taught with the spirit and we all felt like we could be more obedient. He put our districts weekly numbers on the board and it was astonishing, over half of them were mine and sister johnson’s… we just work hard, but apparently that’s not the case with all the companionships. We read in Alma about Helaman and 2,000 stripling warriors. He, like President Barrett has done in the past, would read the same verse after we did, only change the wording to how the story may have gone had they not been 100% obedient… it was PAINFUL to listen to that version of the story… I am pretty sure if that was how the story went, it wouldn’t have made it in the Book of Mormon! We talked about numbers, how numbers are the only way we can measure our progress. We know that numbers = people. We set number goals, and that is important to do to see success. The Lord uses numbers, He numbers His sheep, they’re all counted. He blesses us ONE by ONE… we must utilize numbers. I love district meeting… it is such an important place for learning and training… we have a great district leader, one of the best I have ever had. We then had lunch at culvers with the elders, our zone leaders too, elders mcclung and hatch and then had a bunch of appts. We saw Raygan, she quit smoking today! Woo hoo! And lilyan barry, had an appt with bishop and then went to mutual… we learned self-defense from sister grundbergh, she teaches tae-kwon-do, she’s a black belt, and AmAzing… it was a whole new side of her I never even knew!

[miercoles 1.06] we studied, had english class… for the first time since DECEMBER… then we taught Daysi, we went to the Abbot’s and she fixed all of my skirts! I love sister abbott… she hemmed a bunch of them so I don’t look Amish and she fixed zippers, buttons etc… I love HER! She is so good to me. We then taught Zachary and went to the Sura’s for dinner! I love the Sura’s… they’re such a great family. Dave committed to be at church on Sunday! We taught a media referral to end our night. Her name is April. Her son was married in september in Michigan and she stayed in a Marriott Hotel. She began reading the Book of Mormon and loved it. She wanted to take it with her, but wasn’t sure if that was ok. So she finally saw an ad on tv and called and ordered one. She is AmAzing, she loves the Book of Mormon, she’s read clear thru 2 Nephi in just a couple of days. She is not ready to committ to baptism, but told us she knows the Book of Mormon comes from God.

[jueves 1.07] we studied. We then taught the young davis family [his parents live in the ward too]. They are amazing, they’re struggling a bit right now because they can’t get a schedule with scripture reading, but we promised them that if they just try the Lord will bless them and they will feel the same spirit they felt shortly after they were baptized. We read Alma 5 with them… I love that chapter. We did weekly planning… then we taught Raygan and read Ether 12 with her. She is so AmAzing and is still smoke free! We then taught at Jessica’s grandma. She’s crazy. She just challenged us, told us the old testament isn’t worth reading and so on… it was A LONG 20 minute appt… I was so done after her first sentence… the spirit just changed, I then realized why the elders never went back to her last year! She isn’t ready or willing to listen.

[viernes 1.08] We went to english class, went home and made lunch [tortilla soup! Reginas recipe… I lOVE that stuff] then we taught zachary with the elders. After that we went and shoveled the Andreason’s walk… sister johnson and I had stopped by earlier that day and noticed it needed help and they weren’t home [we got 11 inches of snow in one storm… it was A LOT of snow to shovel!] … so we went with the elders and hoped to finish it before the Andreason’s got home… we were just finishing the big pile the plows leave at the end of drive-ways when bro. andreason and the kids pulled up… he was so happy! He jumped out and hugged us! They haven’t been to church in a long time… we hope to meet with them this week. We visited brother jenkins! He’s back from Utah… he’s been gone since november… and ended our night with dinner at the davis’. I love the davis’, they are so good to us… they treat us so well! I will always keep in contact with them.

[sabado 1.09] we played soccer! Then we went and changed at the Calderwood’s and took Sofia tracting with us [it was only like my 4th time really tracting on my mission]. It was so FUN! Friday night when I was praying I just felt like we needed to take her tracting with us… so I called her that night and she was so excited. Sure enough, we met a woman, Maria, who speaks spanish and Sofia was able to have a good conversation with her. Her husband and Sofia’s dad both work as doctors in the same hospital… I am so grateful for the spirit who told me that she needed to be with us… Sofia even took turns speaking at the doorstep! She’s a great missionary. We tracted for about 2 hours… it was SO cold… but we dressed warm. We taught sister oakley, and then had dinner at the claeys… they invited their long-time friends over for dinner too and we had such a great time! She is such a wonderful woman and told the relief society yesterday that we “opened so many doors” with her friends by talking so freely about the gospel. I love the rs in this ward. We stopped by and visited sister bahrs, who is a saint herself… what a loving woman, and then we ended our night teaching lupita! I love lupita, she is preparing to go to the temple! What a change we’ve seen in her. I love being a missionary.

[domingo 1.10] Church. We had SO many people come for the first time in the Racine ward… Raygan, Zach, Gavin & Marka (our regulars) then Kathleen Oakley, Lilyan Barry, Dave Sura! Our Gospel Principles class was SO full! And in the branch both lupita and daysi were there… they are both recent converts we’ve worked so closely with to strengthen… they’re both going to the temple the first week in february! I hope I am here for that! I love them… they both scolded us for not going to Sunday school… we took that hour as our lunch break in the kitchen! You have to do that with that long of church. It was nice to see them both there though! It makes our hard work SO worth it! We had lunch at 3 with Jamie Delevan and her family… when I first came to Racine, Jamie cried when she saw us in the halls. She was so excited. She was taught by sister missionaries. She is so missionary oriented. I love her. We have wisconsin chili with her and her husband and three boys. Bro Delevan was a bit disappointed we weren’t ping pong players like the elders… sorry! We then taught ZaCH the last 3 things he needed to know and went over the baptismal interview questions with him… he is the sweetest little 9 year old… so smart! He outsmarts us much of the time! His interview is today, Monday. He asked us to pray that he will remember everything! Such a good kid. Then we stopped at the Costabiles and then went home. Caleb and Marka were there and we played a game with them “Top it” it’s a kids game, but only the adults were playing! And then we called it a night!

Man, what a week! I truly love this area, this week we find out about transfers! I don’t want to leave! I don’t feel like I am leaving, but I have been here for 5 transfers, 7.5 months… so we’ll see. I don’t even use my GPS anymore! I know this area so well that it stays safe and warm at home…when people call they leave messages just for me… like it’s my personal cell phone or something! This place truly has become home, I never knew I would love Racine and Kenosha this much. I don’t get sick when I have to speak or teach or pray in spanish anymore [president Calderwood asked me at the pulpit yesterday if I would say the opening prayer in branch sacrament meeting, so I did, no big deal… WEIRD!] The Lord has truly blessed me. I say words that I swear I don’t even know like “de nuevo” or “pedazo” [those were two I used last week that shocked even me, they’re not hard words, I just know I learned them by listening to others, I didn’t study them!] It’s so cool! I have learned how to really teach, to ask questions, and listen in english and spanish. To ask GOOD questions, I realized that as I sat thru a LONG Sunday school class yesterday and thought about how the teacher could do better, subconsciously, it was a big “WOW I have learned a lot” moment. I love my mission!

I love my family! Rocky went through the temple Friday! How amazing! I love him! I am so excited for you Rocky! The best is yet to come! Remember, JUST RELAX!

Have a good week!

Love, Sister Pamella Jo Black

Happy 2010!

Can you believe it is 2010? I’m old!

This has been a great week. I feel really rejuvenated, it being a new year and all. I think everyone does, and our investigators are finally coming out of their holiday hibernation, I love it when that happens!

This week a scripture that I have come to love is Ephesians 4:29. It reads:

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

I love that scripture and have been focusing on edifying and uplifting. Every time the elders say something I don’t enjoy, I refer them to Ephesians 4:29. It's working well. :)

[Lunes] it was a weird pday. We studied, emailed and then went to the mall… that was only my second time at a mall… EVER… on my mission… impressive wouldn’t you say… I almost went in to shock! I do love that place. You’ll never guess what we found at the Racine Mall…. A CHICK-FIL-A! I have been in Wisconsin for almost 15 months and we just now discovered a CHICK-FIL-A. Man, it was a good day. We had just eaten, but it was still a good find! Our Racine Spanish elders are also covering elkhorn so they were there that day and the kenosha elders were being lame... so we were on our own... it was a fun, girly pday.. we never get that! In the evening we went to an FHE at the Hansen's, Raygan and Zachary came too. The Hansen's are such a great family, so warm and welcoming to anyone and everyone... I love them, I want to be like them: so relaxed when 800 kids are running thru their home, I'm not sure that's possible for me, but a girls gotta have some goals. Madison, 8, taught the lesson and did a great job.

[Martes] we studied, then we taught Sister Holeton. She was baptized about 10 years ago and has just sorta lost touch with the church. She told us she has no real reason she's not there. She started smoking again and wants to quit. We promised her as she builds on a sure foundation and makes Christ her priority, all other things will fall in to place. I love her. I sincerely hope that if anyone I have taught on my mission just lost touch missionaries would track them down and teach them again. . . with that in mind my love for Sue grew ten fold! We saw vicki and then went to Raygon's again. Raygon also was taught by missionaries long ago and is now preparing herself for baptism again. She is so amazing. Truly, I have never felt such a difference in a home/ environment as I do when we go to Raygon's. She can be stressed, yelling and mad at her husband or just done with her kids and the dog ... but as soon as we sing and pray the spirit comes, she is quiet and she feels it. We are also teaching her son Zachary [well it's the elders investigator, but we're always there]. I love teaching children. I love it. They are so sweet and sincere. The gospel is so simple and I realize that so much more when I teach a child, I've been blessed to do that often on my mission. Raygon gleans a lot from watching Zach learn. The first time we taught him he said the prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for letting his mom feel the spirit to go back to church. Precious. Zach is so stressed about memorizing everything we teach him... but we keep telling him that's not necessary... however that doesn't penetrate his 10 yr old mind. He's adorable. He'll be baptized Jan 14. Last night he even prepared a talk and presented it to us. He loves primary but told us he just wants to talk about the gospel, he doesn't know why they have to SING so much. haha. We had CHICK-FIL-A for lunch, went to some unplanned appts and then had the Furner's for dinner. THey are another solid family. SUch great parents and AmAzing children. As I left sister furner hugged me and told me that they loved me and I am such a fun sister. It made me feel good.

[Miercoles] Sister Johnson had spanish class with sister calderwood. Then we did weekly planning. We taught Raygon and Zach and then spent the rest of the night trying to see people. President Barrett has promised us as we use the hours from 5-8 to visit people, even though it's dark and cold, that we will find many people to teach, specifically families. We have been doing that and it's true, we are being blessed.

[Jueves] We had district meeting. Elder Smith is a great district leader. I love him, we can really tell he plans and prepares for his district meetings. He really cares about our investigators and is always striving to remember and ask about those we are teaching. We ate lunch as a district afterwards at Buffalo Wild Wings, I am pretty sure it was just because it was New Year's Eve and some of our elders wanted to see what was going on with football... but the food was good. We spent the rest of the day in Kenosha visting all of our Spanish investigators and branch members. We saw Daysi, Lean, the Cabrales [Michelle too!], the Martinez's and ended our night at the Calderwood's. We played a fun game with them, tuttifruitti, had cookies and banana splits and laughed a lot. We were home around 10 and in bed at 10:30. I was tired and knew that I had a good excuse to not wait for the new year! haha I am normally lame at home too... but i get flack for that... sister johnson and I enjoy this time in our lives to act like old ladies and be in bed between 9:30 and 10:30 every night... that's never been a hard rule for me to follow!

[Viernes] HAPPY NEW YEAR! we studied, wrote 20 thank-you notes to all the people that did nice things for us over the holidays and then went to the branch party from 12-5. It was a lot of fun. There was food, a picture slide show and then we played Charades under the direction of elder campbell. It was a lot of fun. I love how tight the branch is with eachother. Many of them have known eachother for ever. The best part was the Flores made the slide show... they've only been in the branch a little over a year! THey collected photos and scanned them in, It was great to see pics of priesthood holders in the branch when they were only a year old! hilarious. Sister Johnson and I went to dinner at Panera Bread, I love that place and then went to the Aquino's and played UNO... i love the Aquino family. They are so fun. We played one game of UNO for two hours... the SAME hand. It was killing me. I had the best time there... they love the gospel and love eachother. I swear there are 12 people that live in that house, uncles, cousins, gma, parents, kids.... that's why it is SO fun!

[Sabado] We went to a baptism for the kenosha elders, kathy brown is going to be a great assett to the kenosha ward, she's amazing. we had a mcdonald's breakfast at sister birch's... that was nice of her and then played soccer at the church. we got in trouble for playing with a real soccer ball in the gym, it leaves marks on the walls... [oops!] ... so now we have to play with a nerf soccer ball.... it's not the same, but we are staying positive. You can just step on that thing and it squishes down... but i am learning to be more gentle???! a gentle soccer player. theres a concept. We saw sister oakley with sister schlitz, who is amazing, and sister holeton. I had an impression to stop and see jessica, we did, she was home, it was amazing. We ended our night teaching Jackie. She was a lady the elders tracted in to in July... we could never reach her. This night she was home, we taught her. She loved it. She had know missionaries before, but was still in her first marriage and her husband didn't like religion. Her husband now is great and lets her do as she pleases! She is very promising.

[Domingo] CHURCH church ChUrcH... Jessica came! Sister Johnson wasn't feeling well so we went home and took a nap/studied. We had dinner with the Brigg's, I love them... they're hilarious. A great family. Then we went and visited some people. I love fast sunday .... it really helps me focus.

ok... i must go. sorry i sent this email a day late... i didn't have time yesterday. we must go to district meeting now... but here is an email I sent to President Barrett... it will cover anything I missed and you might be curious as to what we tell him. I love that man. He is the best.

Here it Is:

Hello President,

Things are going quite well in Racine. This week we really focused on using the hours of 5-8 in the most effective ways. What a difference that made! We found 4 new investigators [really solid investigators too], all between the hours of 5-8.

SIster JOhnson and I really focused on following the spirit as well. We were able to see an investigator, Jessica, who we hadn't seen since Thanksgiving. She said she had been thinking about us. We weren't going to stop at her house because we were on our way elsewhere, but got an impression as we were driving by. We stopped, she was FINALLY home, and invited us in. We ended that appointment with her taking us to meet her grandma, now a new investigator, who used to meet with missionaries last year.

This past week in the Racine ward a lady who hasn't been to church in years, Sue Holeton, came to "start her year off right". We have been teaching her and rekindling the spirit she felt when the missionaries taught her, she is amazing. So many members are willing to come teach her with us, they love her and just want to see her active. She had 10 different offers of who to sit with during sacrament yesterday. Every time I turned around someone was hugging her! Her husband is not a member and has had some bad experiences with the church, we hope to meet him soon.

Also, a girl in the branch, Lupita, has started to come back. She was baptized a little over a year ago. She works a lot and said she couldn't to make it to church. We've always had a pretty good relationship with her, we visit her with Sister Calderwood. President Calderwood loves her too, but we could never seem to get her to meet with him and he was often too busy to come to our appointments. The last time we were there she wanted her home dedicated and wanted a blessing. We relayed the message to President Calderwood and he suggested to send the elders. We told him how much it meant to Lupita to know that he prayed for her and was concerned for her well-being. We told him it would mean more if he gave the blessing. He agreed and visited Lupita with his wife a few days later. What a difference that made. Suddenly Lupita is at church every sunday and even came to the branch party new year's day! It was sweet to see her feel the love of the branch, it made the difference.

happy new year.

love sister black

...................


I love all of you. Thanks for all you do for me! I am such a lucky girl to have all of you! I love my mission. Rocky I think about you every day... JUST RELAX... you will be a great missionary. don't stress. You can't learn it all at once.

Brittany I loved your email. MOm and Dad: yours too... you have letters coming soon.

Sister Roatch [she's a great penpal ps] mailed me the Scarbrough's information. I called and talked to sister scarbrough last night... i used to serve in the building they attend in milwaukee... just a different ward. They just moved here two weeks ago. I will get to see them later this month when I go up to the dentist. funny how things work out. she was shocked to hear rocky leaves so soon. i am excited to see them.

I love you all!

Happy New Year!

Love, SIster Pamella Jo Black