Da HODEG...

Yes my friends that would be how we say "THE HODAG" here in Rhinelander... we're so close to the UP that we talk a little different! i love it.

This week I have felt the spirit so strongly. The Lord is really blessing us here. You'll see why...

Monday february 8th

pday. the usual: email, post office, wal-mart and then...

THE DENTIST ... AGAIN! this time i went to brother demill in Merrill, wi. He serves on the high council here in the stake. he was SO GOOD to me... i hate teeth problems and I am seeming to have to many of them lately... well the only problem was that my teeth were too high in the back where i had fillings put in a month or so ago... so he just sanded them down and sent me on my merry little way and ever since I have been fine. I just can't believe that was the only problem... i thought for sure i was going to have to get a root canal. BUT when you've been biting down too hard for a month on teeth that are too tall... it's not a good situation! so i am all good now! don't worry about me!

we ended the night with dinner at bishop lindner's and then we taught brian! we planned his baptism! He's very excited.

it was a good day.

Tuesday february 9th

we had district meeting. it was my first real d.meeting in this district. they are crazy, a bunch of YOUNG missionaries... they helped me remember how much older I feel than them!... because I am OLD compared to them, it's so apparent too. President Thompson, the branch president in antigo met us for lunch at subway then we had to rush to antigo for an appt with joey and theresa. Theresa was baptized with s.behrends here about 2 months ago, and joey had a date in february. We reset Joey's date for March 20th and talked with his mom about the importance of coming to church and helping him stay on top of all his commitments. Joey is 10 so we need her help, she knows it, it's just hard when she juggles so much!

Today is also the day I found out that there is MSG in Campbells SOUP! NO WONDER I ALWAYS GET SICK WHEN I EAT THAT STUFF... I HAD NO IDEA. There is MSG in most canned soups. I can name at least 5 different experiences in the last 10 years where i was ill and ate that stuff and got REALLY sick... efy, on my mission, in college... goodness! It just took the shine right off that stuff for me! childhood favorite DESTROYED... i even used to have a campbells soup thermos, so cool...

Wednesday february 10th

We volunteered at the food pantry, sorting food. Then we taught Abram at Scotts. Abram is so AmAzing. SO is scott. I have so much fun with them. I love the age they're at, still in HS, but realizing that they're about to hit the real world. They both have plans to go to BYU... this fall when I do. SO WIERD. I told them i know i will be the OLD lady, but that they will just HAVE to be my friend. they consented. Abram is so cool. We have a date set with him for february 27th. But i don't think he really understands that too much. SO we will probably move it back a little. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation. He asked lots of questions and really loved it. He said it just made sense! We get that a lot... it should make sense... we knew this before this life.... we were advocates for THE PLAN!

We had lunch at culvers and then headed back to Rhinelander [the mehrs live in minocqua] in time for YW in Excellence. Alyssa gave a talk on Self-Worth. It was AmAzing. She talked about how she never knew she was worth anything until she started learning about the gospel. man, that kills me! The gospel really does change lives. She said in her talk, "I am living proof that people can change physically, spiritually and emotionally." The YW all sang "Walk Tall, You're a Daughter of God" a capella and sounded great. I love this ward.

DEER are everywhere here in the rural NOrtHwOoDs! We see them crossing the street ALL the time! or just laying in the woods, seriously. its amazing. i love it. i just don't want to hit one. we drive real careful thru any woodsy area. don't worry!

Today I FINALLY GOT A LETTER FROM ROCKY! IT WAS 2 PAGES. He is going to be a great missionary! But I can see I will get 1 letter from him for every 7 i send... ugh.

ALSO... I got what missionaries call my "TRUNKY CALL" in the mail today. It almost made me sick.... it was a wierd feeling of excitement and dread! It's like the opposite of your mission call... a big white envelope in the mailbox with your flight plans and instructions on what to do as you prepare to go home and a talk by President Monson called "Finishers Wanted", talking about finishing with GuStO! President Barrett also sends out a letter to all the missionaries, but at the bottom of mine he wrote in ink, "Baptize a couple of families if you expect to be released from Rhinelander" with a smiley face next to it. Have I mentioned enough how much i love that man? In my interview last week as I walked in to the high council room he pointed me to the 2nd coming picture of Christ descending from the clouds with all the angels and asked "Why is it that all angels appear to be female?" It was cute. I assured him i saw at least one more manlier angel in the back! :)

We also took a few pics in the snow in minocqua today! The snow was SO DEEP... I got a little panicked when I stepped off a log and sunk it to my thighs... i couldn't move. it was scary. i won't be doin' that again! I even saw an ice shanty shaped like a HUGE whale today. it was cool... it's all so new to me- this snow sport stuff!!!

Bro. Santa Cruz from the Adams-Friendship Ward sent me the picture he drew of me today too. It was nice. I will send that home soon. I didn't expect him to do one for me since i was only there 3 weeks, but he did. such a cool guy.

Thursday february 11th

We taught Andra at 10. She is so close, but doesn't have a whole-hearted desire to change... we can't get the blessings without making the sacrifice in this life!!!

We had lunch and did some planning and then met Alyssa at her house to teach her. We had a whole lesson planned, but when we got there other needs arose, so we changed our plans! I love teaching with sister bishop... she's a seasoned missionary and can just go with the flow and pay attention to needs and change plans on a whim, we both did it without ever talking about it, it just happened... that's teaching with the spirit i tell you! Alyssa had a whole table full of snacks out for us. It was nice. I just love her. I here stories about Alyssa a year or two ago and I just can't even believe them. SHe was in an institution at one point. She is AmAzing. We ended up going over all the baptismal interview questions and then setting a date with her for March 20th! She is so excited, ECSTATIC if you will.... i just love that little girl. We have some things to work on, repentance and forgiveness... but I know she will be ready. She knows the qualifications and is working hard, she never knew it could happen this soon.

To end the night we had a "Relief Society Meeting" as we have now been taught to call them. We just had dinner: soup and salad. It was good. I made the mistake of asking the women about the holes in the ice when someone gets done ice-fishing. It's so fascinating to me... i wanted to know HOW them cover them up so "ski- doos" don't fall in. [a ski-doo is a jet-ski, my first mistake! i meant to say snowmobile!] anyways they told me they make different size covers like 8", 10" and 12" like pizzas and then they said you just slide the ice you cut out right back over it ect ect... they LIED to me for like 15 minutes!!! haha then they told me the truth, it just freezes back by itself! They had a lot of fun with that, they couldn't believe I could be so naive... i told them... i am from PHOENIX..... the only things we have that look like ICE SHANTY'S there are port-a-potties! they laughed.

Friday february 12th

We studied. did weekly planning. then we taught abram about the Liahona. It was a great lesson. He really soaks in what we say. He's been doing his own reading too. After the lesson I got talking with sister mehr. I was telling her what a great son she has and then somehow we got on the subject of her dad who just passed away last week, we were both BAWLING! a good cry though, a "i'm soo grateful for the gospel" cry. I have met some high quality people on my mission. She is a great example to me.

AMY BROWN came to visit me today. Yes she drove 4 hours to Rhinelander from GB and got a hotel room and came teaching with us. We started our night having culvers with her... like old times! Then she came with us to teach Brian and to teach Samantha after that. I am AMAZED at how much Amy has learned since I left GB in May... she knows her scriptures SO well... She just gets it... she always has, but now more so than before. She was in the RS presidency and now she's a RS teacher. I love amy brown. She was so good for brian and sam too... a recent convert who is a ysa who lives the gospel... it doesn't get much better than that for a good example for them!

Teaching sam was so good. SAM is such an example of someone who truly has become a "new creature in Christ". SO is Brian and so is Alyssa. I know I came to Rhinelander to meet them! WE talked about how great blessings will come to sam because she introduced brian to the gospel and then stuck to her guns to live the standards. At first he didn't care about church after him and sam broke up [lets just say they didn't have the most righteous relationship] ... but then he noticed he wasn't as happy. So he began to investigate again. . . that was just a little before i came. the sisters taught him the first lesson, committed him to baptism and then i came and taught him his second lesson. it was great to be so much apart of his teaching, i love brian. i love sam and I am so grateful for the decisions each of them have made to respect themselves and each other and rise to higher ground!

PResident Barrett returned our call today ... we called him yesterday to tell him we set a date with alyssa. He was happy with March 20th, he said that gave her plenty of time "to prove herself". He told me I should be seeing all the reasons I needed to come to Rhinelander about now!!! He also said I have 3 words for you, " HI MINUS TWO!" Its so cold here! haha I told him We have WARM HEARTS and COLD HANDS! he laughed.

Saturday february 13th

BRIAN'S BAPTISM DAY!

we taught vicki at 11... she is amazing, president barrett told me from the very beginning to come here and "baptize tony!" well that's her husband and he's not even investigating yet... so we're working on it! she was just baptized a few months ago. She is strong, seems as though she's been a member forever!

We picked up the font keys from the Lowther's and then went to the church, filled the font and set up our church tour.

We took a break to get Taco Bell for lunch and take pictures at the big HODAG with AmY. That was fun, i love her like a sister!

THe baptism began at 3:30 and all went as planned. Brian invited his parents and his sister. He also brought his daughter, Skylar, she's is AdOrAble! AND he invited his best friend from high school. He came with his wife and daughter too! We had a full house! Bishop's welcome to the ward made me cry! He is such a good bishop and told brian he could see the change in his eyes... at this point skylar went running out to the hall with the ntbk i had given her to color in shouting "BYE!" We all laughed, I think Brian's parents were a little unnerved until bishop said, "Don't worry! We are all quite accustomed to Skylar!" we all laughed again and you could see his parents relax. THey couldn't come early so afterwards we went on a tour of the building and went to each and every room and explained what it was, who met in there and what was taught there... intertwining doctrines of the restoration like PROPHETS and TEMPLES and such. We asked questions and the spirit was strong. We plan to follow up on that this week. Bishop told us we did a great job, i love him. Amy was at the baptism, and during the time when Brian was changing out of his wet clothes we watched the mission testimony dvd. Amy was on there! it was so cool to sit next to her during that. I love amy! I felt the spirit very strong during brians baptism.

we ended the night going to a party at the Belt's that sam's sister was putting on. It was fun. Bro. Belt was in the basement reloading bullets... i told him my job used to be to pull the lever! he laughed.

Sunday february 14th

HApPy VaLenTiNe'S DaY!

We had church in Rhinelander! Brian was Confirmed and received a great blessing from bishop! He was blessed to find an eternal companion, to raise a righteous family and to be a leader in his circle of influence to bring others to the gospel... WONDERFUL! HIs mom came to the confirmation. Abram was at church too!!! He asked us to sit by him, so cute! Sister Mehr said that in Priesthood Abram said the closing prayer because Scott called on him! [SO GOOD! i love those two boys, they remind me of my brother... he'll always be a senior in HS to me, that's how i left him!] ...so he did and he felt like he did a good job too! AmAzing! Scott informed me we need to explain the sacrament to Abram... so we will this week, we'll do chapel lesson tour with him.

We came home from church, had lunch and went tracting! a good day of LOVE!

I love my calling. i love this work! I am excited to have a few more "brian-like" experiences here in the coming weeks! that is MY PURPOSE ...

at every missionary meeting we stand and recite

MY PURPOSE as a missionary is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them received the restored gospel thru FAITH in Jesus Christ and his atonement, REPENTANCE, BAPTISM, receiving the Gift of the HOLY GHOST and ENDURING to the END!

I love my purpose!

I love all of you!

Keep all the mail coming.. i got twelve pieces this past week... it was an all time record! :)

Love, Sister Pamella Jo Black