HOW COLD IS IT?

Hello! Life here in Rhinelander is going great as ever. just cold.
and we're getting a TON Of SNOW lately. a ton!

My dad asked me in an email today about the weather and if I was adjusting better this winter than last winter. I just laughed when I read that because I was thinking about that this morning as I took the trash out to the road at about 8:30a.My hair was wet from just taking a shower, I had my PJs on still, which included a short sleeve shirt and I threw on my boots. As I trudged outside thru the snow to the street with the trash can I could feel my hair freeze. Sure enough, as I touched it, it was super crunchy … and FROZEN … after only about 2 minutes outside, not even two minutes! It had been snowing all night and all this morning. It was at that moment I knew… I have adjusted! I can go outside and not DIE of the cold! So funny. Today I am sending Rocky a little package with hand and foot warmers in it… he’ll want those. I lived and died by those things last winter… this winter I haven’t touched them. Don’t think I’ve gotten all tough or anything, I am still a wimp, I just talk about it less. For me, that means something!

Monday feb 1

We emailed at the library. Then taught Abram. He is so amazing. He is 17 and a friend of Scott Mehr. I love those two kids. They’re hilarious. They are such good kids and scott is a great example of living the gospel, Abram looks to him as an example. They’re just cool, and they don’t even know it! We taught him the restoration. He had SO many questions, which we loved. As we taught him about prayer he said, “Even though I am not a member of your church, God will still answer my prayers?” OF COURSE! It was so AmAzing to teach him such simple truths and to feel the spirit testify so powerfully of their reality. It was amazing. We committed him to baptism February 27th. We can’t wait to meet his family. Scott said Abram’s mom is interested in the Book of Mormon too… I just have had the strongest feeling that we need to meet his whole family. Hopefully that will happen soon.

We visited some other less-active homes and then taught Brian. We did a chapel-lesson tour in the church building with Bishop Linder. It was amazing. Bishop testified so powerfully of the reality of a living prophet, of the power of the priesthood and of the strength the Book of Mormon brings when one reads it daily! I was so happy with our lesson. We went over all the baptismal interview questions, he’s good to go! We called President Barrett and he wanted to chat with Brian for a bit before the interview, he called us back and said their talk went well and that he is so happy for Brian and the changes he made in his life to be prepared for baptism. I feel the spirit so strong when we teach Brian. It’s amazing.

Today we went to the Post Office and I was amazed at how nice they all are. I love the Midwest! There are such nice, good people here. They held the doors for us, the workers were FRIENDLY! People say hello goodbye please and thank-you. It’s amazing.

Ps I use that word a lot. I know. I am just in an AmAzing time. Ok?

Tuesday feb 2

We taught Andra at 10. She is so close to being ready to commit to baptism. We try every appt, but she won’t yet. She told us today that she knows that this is the church she needs to be baptized into. She has searched for many years and has finally found it. She has the strongest testimony of Joseph Smith and of the Book of Mormon. The members love her. Even though her daughter was offended, she knows the gospel is true and people aren’t perfect. I am telling you, she is SO ready. She needs to obey the W.O.W. and we’re game. Someday ask me my opinion of cigarettes and coffee… I HATE THEM… they hold so many people back! One of satan’s biggest tools! A lady in antigo, Bonnie [she is so much like grandma black it’s not even funny. I love going to her house] loved coffee and it was hard to give it up. She found great replacements at the health food store that she likes, and the replacements have HEALTH BENEFITS! Here we go again… AMAZING. She likes Caffex. It smells so good, she gave me some to try.

Wednesday feb 3

Today we had district meeting and interviews with President and Sister Barrett. I love them. I had three questions for President Barrett, I told him I would ask him two and then the third I’d ask AFTER the prayer because it wasn’t important! He laughed and said if it’s important to me then it is important to him… sweet man. I asked him How we should split our time between Rhinelander and Antigo [he said go where the work is, could be 50/50, could be 70/30!] right now we just have lots more going on in Rhinelander, but that could change, and if it does, we’ll re-split our time. Then I asked him if he thought it was possible for me to see the promise in the new standard of excellence fulfilled. . . Could I really see a family baptized in 2010… even if I leave in the 4th month of the year? He said, OF COURSE! I was happy to hear that, we talked about how we needed to find and complete families as well… that I don’t need to look far. As we expand our circle we could find a family through the investigators we already have. He told me he was proud of me and the work I was doing in Rhinelander and that God trusted me with His children here. After we said a closing prayer, I asked him if we could go down to Milwaukee in a few weeks when elder Perry comes, he laughed and said he’s working on it and he would love to have us come… remember, everyone in the mission minus the Wausau zone [my zone] and the green bay zone were invited. Elder perry doesn’t want anyone to die on their way to see him speak because we all live so far out, that’s a legit concern, but I am willing to take a risk! Haha we shall see, I am staying on top of it!!!

I LOVE PRESIDENT BARRETT [he’s the man that told elder smith the way he stays awake in really boring meetings is to stab a pen in to his thumb… ha! Ouch. Must be boring! And once sister barrett told me how particular he is about his hair… he only likes LA LOOKS PARTY HARD GEL because it makes it all stay, she says he’s picky! Haha I love that!]…

here is the email he sent me today:

Makes me smile when I think of Sister Black in Rhinelander and the marvelous work and a wonder you are doing up there.

Best to Brian this week. Get his family there an hour before for a building lesson tour.

…

That was it! Two lines! I love him. I have a great mission president and his wife is equally as wonderful!

Anyways, I interviewed with Sister Barrett too, which is always just much more of girl talk… shoes, clothes, how’s your companion … etc!

Which, while I am at it: I LOVE SISTER BISHOP. She is a great companion. One of my favorites, all we do is laugh and have a good time together. It’s the best. It’s like we’re having a sleepover in the woods, camping if you will, every single night! 

We finished up with interviews, had lunch at fazolis, ran to target so I could get some sunglasses because they have a target here!!! And then headed back to Rhinelander. We taught Alyssa, I feel the spirit more strongly when we teach Alyssa than anyone I’ve ever taught. She is 18 and nothing short of amazing. She has had a really REALLY rough life, and she is just now learning to deal with all of it! She is absolutely amazing. She is on parol and so we didn’t think she was baptized, president barrett looked her up and said it is possible, as soon as we feel she’s fully repented we can set a date and she can be baptized! SO EXCITING! We talked about the tree of life in 1 Nephi chapter 8. She showed us the picture she drew of it and she interpreted to us what each thing meant. I am telling you, this girl is bright. We then went in and helped in Young Women’s. It was fun.

Thursday feb 4

Study. Plan. Take our Car [and by car I mean truck, chevy Colorado that is] to be fixed: brake lights and cruise control went out. They called us and said they’d be keeping it overnight, so we got a ride with the Lindner’s to Brians. Brian is so excited for his baptism. We re-taught him the Plan of Salvation. That is my most favorite thing to teach… God has a plan for each and every one of his children. It’s amazing to see investigators internalize all that is being taught, he got it! It made a lot of sense to him especially when we talked about his 2 year old daughter Skylar… of course she came from the Presence of God!

Friday feb 5

Sister Kagie took us to visit Andra… she was sick and watching the twins, so we tried to go over the gospel of Jesus Christ, but I am pretty sure it didn’t take… she was WAY too distracted. Her twin granddaughters woke up early from their naps, their 11 mos old. Cute, but a handful or two! We then drove FOREVER with sister lowther to Phillips… we saw sister houlebeck [invited her to come back to church and quit drinking coffee] and then had dinner with sister o’brien. It was fun. Sister o’brien drives an hour and a half in to church every Sunday and Wednesday for church and mutual. That’s commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We came back to Rhinelander for Brian to have his interview at the church building with elder ferris, our district leader. They had to drive up from Marshfield, 2 hours… long drive. They were in there a while, but all went well… THE BAPTISM IS A FOR SURE! E. Ferris said Brian is “SO COOL”. Ha… that is not something we weren’t aware of. He knows the doctrine and understands the commitment he is making so well! I love teaching people like Brian. Brianne picked us up at the church and we went and had “date night” with Sam. It was fun. We talked about how she will be getting her Patriarchal Blessing this Sunday! So exciting. Sam was just baptized last December. And Brianne is living with the Bishop, her family comes up every summer because they have a cabin here. She is my age and from PAYSON AZ!!!

Saturday feb 6

I was sick as a dog. SICK. Head ACHE! We took the shuttle and got our truck back. On the shuttle the radio was on and the guy said Baltimore Maryland got 28 inches of snow! Wow… I am sure they’ve gotten much more since then. Rocky is in for a surprise!!! We got our truck, I got some Excedrin Tension Headache at the Walgreens and I went home and slept… ALL DAY. That night we taught Alyssa at Dairy Queen! I say all these different groups there: a boyfriend and girlfriend, a group of high school girls, a family and then us with our LOUD investigator Alyssa. She walked in and from across the restaurant yelled, “SORRY I AM LATE I WAS ABDUCTED!” haha she meant she was walking to dq and her friends gave her a ride. We both just laughed though, everyone was STARING AT US! I thought, man I only have a few more months to be a missionary and be teaching at dq. Then I will slip back in to real life and be part of any one of those groups there… I AM LIVING THE LIFE RIGHT NOW! We taught Alyssa about repentance and told her that baptism doesn’t have to be a year away after her parol. She was so excited. I can’t wait til we set a date!

Sunday feb 7

We went to church in Antigo. Met with President Thompson [he’s the coolest]. Drove all over the country to visit referrals, members and less actives we never have time to see… and then ended with having dinner with Bonnie Palmer. I love her. She is so sweet, so willing to do anything for us, so warm. She is just like grandma! She made us chimichangas and cake. YUM! Her husband, Art, was watching the superbowl. GO COLTS! We stopped by the Bloechls [who we stay with in Antigo] and they were having a SB party. WE got there at half-time… cheered! GO COLTS! That’s who they were rooting for too, met all their non-member family and left.

Colts lost. Sad day. I only cheered for them bc dad said to!


I love my calling! I love being a missionary! I love you! Write Rocky. Write me.

Love, Sister Pamella Jo Black