It's That Time Again

So let me tell you of the week I have had! This story I am about to tell you is FULL of excitement that will keep you on your toes for the entire email!

How did that sound did it get your attention? Well good!!!! So the highlights of this week are:

# 1 Monday, We had the Koncrets for diner then we stopped over to see the Halsy's. After that we just wrote letters and talked.

#2 Is we went over to the Holms to do some service and that was a disaster. I will fill you all in next week. I have to run.

love Elder black

GOOD MORNING BALTIMORE!

Good Morning folks! Its another fine P-day here in the East part of the states!!!!(I still love the West!)

Well its that time again. P-day! Everything here is going great! Funny story, I thought I lost my camera. I thought it had gotten stolen this past week (don't panic! I found it.) But the story I want to share with you is HOW I found it!

Well it was a week ago I was looking for the said camera, and I had no idea where I put it. I looked every were for it: I looked under the bed, in the coach, even in the refrigerator! Well I lost hope, I decided to bring in the big guns. It was time to turn to the Lord for help. I did and when I got up I looked in my backpack in a pouch that I did not even know I had and there it was looking right at me. Well the church is true and the power of prayer is real!

Well I was sitting in sacrament and this sister named Sister Matson got up to give a talk and she talked about charity and gave a very moving talk on it. It touched me very much. She told a story about a dad and his daughter. His daughter wanted a bike she said, "dad everyone on this block has a bike except me, can I have one?" The dad knowing that he could not fit that in to his budget said cleverly to the little girl, "if you save all of your pennies you will have enough for a bike." So she did, bound and determined to get that bike she went away. Well the dad was in the living room one day when he over heard the mom giving this little girl 50 cents. Well she went skipping off to her room were the dad heard "Clink, Clink!!" Well the dad called to his daughter and asked her what she was doing so she ran back to her room and showed her dad the jar that had kept the money that she received as she did household duties. It was a jar that was used to can cherry's in and she had cut a slit in the top and was putting money in it. Well the father knew that she would never have enough to pay for the bike and buy the time she did she would want a car so he said, "alright we will go and get you a bike go get in the car" and so she eagerly got in the car, jar in hand and off they went. Well they went to the bike store and they walked in and she immediately saw her bike. It was pink and it had silver strands coming from the handle bars. She saw the price tag and turned it over and she began to cry. The dad asked whats wrong and she said, "I will never have enough to pay for this bike" and the dad asked, "How much do you have?" She emptied the jar and counted 61 cents and she began to weep. The dad said, "Now, now. Look here, I tell you what? You give me your 61 cents and I'll pay the rest." She nodded in agreement and the two of them bought the bike and the dad drove real slow all the way home because he could not get her off the bike. She compared that to us and Christ's atonement and how we fall short of the mark so we need him to cover the rest and he will as long as we ask for his help and obey all of his commandments. Well I just thought I would share that with you. It really opened my mind about the atonement and what it does really mean to me.

Well Monday was a bit different. We wrote letters all day and then we just hung out until we had dinner. It was with Sister Jordan and that is always interesting. Then we came home and planned. (I was wondering if any one has the Book of Mormon in Spanish?) I am trying to read the Book of Mormon from English to Spanish and I need some audio to hear the words. (just asking)

Tuesday we had breakfast with the Palacios. I love that family they're awesome. Brother Palacios calls us his brothers. And everytime I call him he says to me, Brother Green, Brother Blue, Brother Yellow, anything but Black it's funny. Well we were in a three sum today. Oh yea rockin' the three sum, it was so much fun. It was with the Z.L. and their are three of them so one came with us and the other two went with the Winter Run Elders. Elder Wolly was the name of the Elder that was with us he left home Saturday. It was sad to see him go, but it was his time to go.

and Texas rocks!!!!

Go Spurs!!!

Well I love y'all. Hope all is well and I will talk to you soon!

love elder black

Dear Family and Friends

Well it is just another great Monday afternoon and I am writing to y'all.

Well let's break it down for you. Let's see here, (opening the planer): Monday we went to a really cool place. It was where the film Tuck Everlasting was recorded. Well that was fun but I had a fear of heights on one part of the trip, it was this cliff and lots of people die on it every year. Needless to say that did not make me want to go out there, I don't care what movie was filmed there. Then we went to this cool water fall (now I did not go swimming, however it did look fun), but I resisted the temptation to swim. Tuesday we had district meeting and then had lunch. We did lots of knocking this day and we found a new investigator, his name was Charley and he is 95 years old. Well, that brings us to Wednesday was a grate day. We taught 4 lesson and that never happens. Well Thursday we did weekly planning and then we had lunch, then we went to go see mostly inactives and that went well. Then we had dinner with an investigator and that went well also. After that we did some tracking in down town Bel Air. Friday we saw mostly active members, did lots of knocking and we were suppose to have dinner with the Medina family, but there son had to get rushed to the E.R because he had kidney stones, so we did not eat there. Instead we went to down town Bel Air where there was this big party going on and we did not think that it was a good idea there was lots of drinking going on and things like that. So we went to go see some members and went to write the progress record. Well Saturday we had a really cool lesson with Justin, one of our investigators, and then we went to see the Luber family, a part member family. And then Sis. Matson asked us while we were there if we had a dinner appointment and we said no because our dinner appointment called and said that they could not make it, so we ate there. Sunday we had the Brans for diner and before that we talked with the Lamoth family and shared a message with them. We met with Charley and the lesson went great. Well I have to go but I love all of you and I will write very soon.

love elder black

I love to track.

(first temple trip)

Well it's that time again. It's a lovely Monday morning and the sun is up what, more can an Elder dream of... Oh Pday!!!

Well lets break it down for y'all. Monday was way boring, I mean it was lame!!!! But I got to talk to you guys so I guess that was a plus. I don't even remember if we did anything? Well I guess this week will be better because we are going to Baltimore oh woot woot!

I know this will be fun.

Well all I can remember is Wednesday we saw the Sanns they love to talk. They're an older couple and love the missionary's. It was hard to leave there house. We taught a lesson with the Muller family. they were super nice and that lesson went really good. Then after that we went a tracking down in Bel-Air. That is always fun, I love to track.

Thursday we did weekly planning then got a phone call from Vince (one of are investigators) and he said that he was going to have to cancel on us. I was like, no way that is going down, so we had lunch with him and he talked about all of his problems with authority.

Well I have to go. Know that I love you all and you're in my prayers! I will update you next week.

love Elder black

p.s write me!!!!

WHAT'S UP!!!!!!!!

(at his farewell)

Well family and friends its TRANSFERS and I am going to..................................... Just kidding I am not going any were. I am staying right were I am AGAIN and I am happy about that. I still have my great comp. Elder Garfield to be my companion as well, so it should be a great next transfer. I am excited about the changes that have taken place. We have a new bishop, his name is Bishop Mercaferty. I tell you what that must be so hard to do. I have only seen this happen twice, but here you are you are having all these great spiritual experiences and you know the members so well and now you have to leave it all. I know that it has to happen but I am just sad to see Bishop Rueckert leave. I just got to know him and he was a great man, what am I saying? He still is a great man. He made a joke saying that now he could grow that handle bar mustache that he has always wanted. Well he will be missed because not only is he not the bishop anymore he is moving also, so I won't get to see him. Anyways that sacrament was the most spiritual sacrament I have ever attended. I felt the spirit so strong, I was just a mess at the end of this song. It was called "My Lord My Redeemer." I really felt the spirit testify to me that what just happened was for good and it needed to happen. I can't wait for this new change, I really can't. I can feel it deep down in my bones some thing good is about to happen. I want to thank you all for helping me on my mission. You all have been wonderful in helping me and I know that you will be blessed for that. I want you all to know that my mission means every thing to me and I never want there to be day that goes by that I regret or ask myself, could I have done better? No I will work work work, and I will never look back. I love this gospel and I know it is true by the power of the Holy Ghost. I will keep you all in my prayers and again thank you for all you do, your hard work will not go unnoticed. I love you all and hope to here from you all soon.

(A little shout out to Simba and now I guess Patrick, the goat, welcome to the family. Simba you take care of your self and get up and move around get that blood flowing you need to move. And I love you to you are a great dog. Be good and take care of yourself.)

love you all love elder black

It's that time again.

(beach '07)

Dear family and friends,

Well not to much to report here. I have recently written to you and there not much has happened since. I am loving my mission. I love the people here they are so nice. I love my comp.

There is this boy that is in the ward that is in my ward and he is going on a mission soon. He leaves next week and he is going to Madagascar. I think that would be a lot of fun, that is were I wanted to serve my mission. Anyway we are going to work him hard though before he leaves for his mission. Well like I said not much to report. Well there is this man who after 30 years of investigating the church he finally will be baptized. He came to a baptism and after wards said that he wanted to do the same and now he will be baptized this week. I am so excited for him and I know he is stoked too. It will be grate.

Well hope all of you are doing well. I love you and miss all of you.

love elder black

Elder Black Is Great.

WOW Elder Rock Black Is a great companion i just wanted all of you to know that He's doing great. I'm elder Garfield. His current companion he's doing great. He has been getting allot of great support from the Whole family. Keep up the great work. He's told me all about you You are a great family he's showed me all of his pictures of you all you all look great. A family ordained of god. GREAT KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!. He loves doing this work. I'm so thankful i have this opportunity to work with him in the mission field. Elder Black And I along with the Spirit are very excited. I Just wanted you to all know He's doing great.

Elder Garfield

I will go find that bush and destroy it.

(clean car awards)

Hey family and friends hope all is well!!! Well news to report..... first off I hope every one had a good forth of July. I did the most you could do as a missionary. We stayed up tell 12:00 pm and cracked glow sticks with your comp. (very lame) and even that was pushing it we are supposed to be in bed by 10:30 pm. Well we had to party after all it was the forth of July!!! So anyway I saw a really cool parade (spelling?) going through down town Bel-Air it way cool my fav. part was the police force.

Well I can't say it enough, my comp. is awesome. I make his bed every morning (if that's not love I don't know what is I, even make him breakfast) he tries to help me out, but I won't let him. He just bought a grill so we have fun using that. We just bought fish, burgers, hot dogs, and steak. We will eat like kings for this month. Well what else can I talk about? The mission is starting a new way of teaching and our mission is the dummies for it. I guess that's OK but this all so means that president interviews are only going to be once every quarter, that means only four times out of the year will I be able to talk to my mission president! That is insane I need to talk to my mission present at least once a transfer. Well I will have to do what he said and that is to "buck up" and "quit my belly akin." What they are trying to do is have us rely more on the lord and teach with more "power and authority." So I guess that's a good idea.

So we have some new investigators. We have 5 total (not a very big teaching pool), but we're working on it. We just found 2 new gators (that's what we call them for short). They're names are Tammie and Pete and both are way solid. We are going to have Kristen, one of our older investigators, come with us to the temple. That will be so sweet!!!! I pray she will feel the spirit there. I got attacked by a bush the other day and my arm is pretty cut up, but I was able to mend all my wounds and I will go find that bush and destroy it. That bush is so going down!!! By-the-way, this was during morning exercise.

So many of you may wonder why I am writing to you on a non-Pday. Well I will tell you: THE STUPID LIBRARY'S WERE ALL CLOSED AND THE MAIL WAS CLOSED TOO!!! SO why I am writing to you today is because I had zone conference and had a crazy day also flowing that thus, this is why I am writing to you all today! Also we won the clean car award in zone conference. This would be the second time for that. Also Vince, one of our investigators, is getting interview for baptism! I hope and pray all goes well with that. He is a really sweet guy, he needs to be baptised! I wont be there though, but I know all will go well even with my presents not there.

So I want to know whats going on? Tell me every thing!

I want you all to know that this work is so true and that it is the best/hardest work I have ever done. Not only is it challenging mentally, but also spiritual and physical. But I know that whom the Lord calls he qualifies and I know that when the Lord calls my name I will answer the call of the Lord. May the Lord bless you all.

love elder black

"Lots of walking this last week"

Well it's just another Pday down here in old Bel- Air area.

[Elder Black at the library with his COMP.]
Well I stooped doing this and I thought I would start again.

Well let me think about what happened this week? Well me and my comp. Elder Garfield did lots of walking this last week and we both have cool sun tans (well as tan as a missionary can get). Anyways we tried to visit as many people as we could this week. We challenged ourselves to see how many people we could teach in one week, it went good but we did not reach are goal. We will reach it this week for sure. I have a new awesome comp. his name is Elder Garfield. Me and him get along great together. We have so much in common its crazy! Well any way we have three people on date for baptism and just in this last week we had to take Bro. Shock off because he just was not progressing. It was sad but we are still continuing to teach him the importance of baptism and the importance of the Holy Ghost. Well President Bellistion and his wife talked in sacrament yesterday, that was cool. They talked on missionary work so I hope that got everyone exited about missionary work and we will start to see some referrals coming in. Well that's all I have for this week. I also had the chance to bear my testimony yesterday. Me and my comp. I was glad to do that because I know that this church is true and I know that this gospel is true and I know that I have a loving Savior who loves me enough that he was willing to subject himself to all kinds of pain, just so he would know how the rest of us would feel when we felt such pain. I know that my Redeemer lives and I know that I can live with him again.

I love you all bunches,

love ELder black

" like it is crazy!"

So its a new transfer and guess what 3 on date!!!!!!!! I am so stoked so News from the mission world: Well I have a new companion, his name is Elder Garfield (like the cat). Well he is awesome. He loves to work and and has fun while doing it. He is so hyper I love it!!!! Anyways Elder Ellingson, my last comp., is doing great in his new area. I really do miss him, actually he changed a lot at the end of the transfer but I know he will do great with his new comp. But I just love Elder Garfield. Me and him are so much a like it is crazy! Anyway I just love this work. I love you guys. Thanks for all you do for me. I hope all is well with you and I will talk to you all very soon. I just want all to know that I have a testimony of this gospel and that I know that this church is true. I love teaching little children the gospel because there so understanding, like I was teaching a boy named Tyrone and he was about 2 or 3. And we were talking about baptism and he whispered in my ear, "I want to be baptized just like you." It was awesome because he was understanding and it was so cute. Anyway I hope I hear from you all soon.

LOVE YOU BUNCHES

ELDER BLACK