What a wonderful life!

[Waiting to get his wisdom teeth out 2009]

So here I am again family!

I was shafted the first go around, so I got another chance to do this again. This week has been crazy, we still have no word on where we will live but that hopefully will be decided soon. There is so much work to do in this area that we just need to go to work and we're doing that! I have been reading in The Book of Mormon in Alma, man I could read that book all day if they would let me. It is the only book that I could read over and over again with out ever getting tired of it! There is no greater work in this world than this work and like Ammon in the Book of Mormon, as he said, "Let us glory in the Lord for who can glory too much in the Lord in this great work"! And like the prophet said, "If you have not read the book of Mormon READ IT!" It truly is the word of the Lord. This is just a small time in our lives. The life here on this earth is just speck in the eye of eternal life. There is more to this life than just death, that's just the beginning. I just love this gospel. It's true and I know it's true. And like Elder Holland said, One way or another God will have his voice heard." And we are the mortal angels that have to do that. What a great calling, I love it! Well I got to go, but I will write to you all very soon. Till then God be with you till we talk again.

love elder black

We got lots going on

[beach 2007]

Well this week has been real hectic. From changing apartments to having an Elder go home early because he did not want to be out here. Wow that's all I can say. We go to 2 sacrament meetings and so that's 8 hours of church for us. That's crazy! Well were trying to change it and were trying to find an apartment that's close for us all. There is 4 elders that need a place to stay and our lease is up at the end of the month and nothing has been done to locate a place to stay. They're still "looking." So the 30Th is going to come around and we're all just going to be with out a home. Anyway it's crazy over here. We got lots going on and it soon will settle down soon I hope. I am sending you a package. I just put it in the mail today and a letter will be on its way explaining in more detail just whats going on in my crazy life. For now I just go with the flow and do what I am told. I have lived a long time by doing that and I think its one of my best qualities. Anyway, I got to go but I will talk to you later.

I love you all and I will talk to you soon

elder black

p.s HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA

I LOVE THIS GOSPEL

[eagle court of honor 2009]

Dear family,

It's the start of a new transfer, "well soon to start" and in a soon to be "new area." But I know where I am going. I am going to be in... well I forgot, but somewhere around Hancock. It's going to be fun, but I just got my feet wet here and now I have to move again. That's the hard part. I liked it here, but oh well. The Lord needs me another way and I am glad to be doing the Lord's work. It's a great time to be out here. Lots that is going on. Lots that we missionary's can use, like Mormon.org and other sites and movies. We have so much to be thankful for. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL, I WANT TO SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOF TOPS! THIS IS THE TRUE AND LIVING GOSPEL! CHRIST LIVES AND HE HAS NOT ABANDONED NOR FORSAKEN US! This gospel is so true and it needs to get down in to the marrow of are bones as Elder Holland put it. This week was great, we had lots of fun. We went to the bounce gym and then we went to play v-ball that was fun. I talked to Elder Garfield for a long time. He will be going home soon and I will not be too far behind him. Well I will talk to you in my next area. When is mother's day? Does anyone know?

I love you all and I hope you have a great week.

love elder black

"chillin like frillin"

[mission papers]

Dear family,

This week went by pretty fast. We had a lot going on. I'll tell you about it in a sec., but first I want to note that this is truly the best time of my life... why? Well just cause we have lots of people coming to the waters of baptism and because we have a lot going on in our area. Let me tell you a story: we had this referral for a long time and we did nothing about it. (Pam would call me a slacker, I know) but we decided to try him out. His name was Don. Don goes to school in Shepperd University and is a cool guy but when I called him on the phone though, he hung up on me. So I thought that this guy hated me, but we went anyway and taught a great lesson and he is coming to G.C. with us to "see this said prophet." I hope he comes! Well the time is passing well here. There is an elder that is in our apartment that goes home this transfer. This is my second time "killing an elder" and he is defiantly ready to go home! He is a Spanish elder, he was trying to teach me Spanish but i failed, so we stopped. Anyway today we're not doing much, just hanging out and "chillin like frillin." (baltimore slang for havin a good day) Well I have a nasty cold and just a few days ago I had to give a blessing to a 12yr girl in the ER that had some bad case. I don't know what it was but I hope she did not give it to me! Last week we also had Pres interviews, they went well. (I think I passed) What else? We tricked out our car. Well as tricked out as you can make a mission car. I will send you pics some time. Well that's all for now folks. I will be talking to you all later. Know that I love you all and be looking for your letters because I am turning on the letter writing machine. Love you all and have a great rest of the week!

elder black!

It was cool too.

All right now, let's get ready to rumble!!! So this week was awesome! From Elder Dallin H. Oaks granddaughter coming to play the violin, man she was good. I wished that you all could have been there. She had her 3 little girls come out and play with her. It was cool too. That was the highlight of the week. We are going to the bounce gym today for pday but I don't know if I want to go. I hurt my back last time doing a back flip. Man that hurt and it hurt all week. That was the problem any ways. I think I will sit this one out. Well I don't have a lot of time left and my comp. is gone, so I have to make this quick. I love you all and I miss you lots. Thank you for all that you do. I look forward to hearing from all of you soon!

elder black!

What a day!

From cave finding to seeing an E.T. (emergency transfer) happened today. We were in a three sum for those of you who do not know and just today we had one of our elders get the boot. I guess one of the other missionaries in another area got the boot, so he was needed some where else. We will miss him. Anyway that was not the fun part of our day.

We went SPELUNKING and we have some awesome pics out of it. I will have to send them to you all, they're sweet! Well as far as everything else goes, nothing much new is going on. I get to sleep on a bed now! For the past 2 weeks I have been on the floor because I did not have a bed, that won't be a problem any more! Lets see what else.... we're teaching a man that's Irish and he is pretty cool. I want to talk like that! So with this cave trip I got some sweet boots out of the deal. They're tactical boots that zip up on the side, sweet! Anyway I just need a belt that will go good with my outfit and I will be set for my spelunking gear. I think I have one at home, hmmmm.......

Well as far as finding is going, we're going to have to hunt a little harder. That's right, not fish! No, no, no fishing is much to easy. We're hunters here and who said you can't hunt on your mission! They're wrong!

Well that's all I got. I love this work though, I love the joy it brings when you see that person change their life that they never thought they could. We just recently had a Z.C. here where a mission Pres. told us to never loose hope. Satin is going to try to do everything he can to stop this work, we have to just cowboy up and DO IT! He also told us a story about Elder Bednar of the 12 coming to the mission and taking interest in a investigator. He went out with the elders to see her and everything. Gave her his cell number and told her to call if she had any questions. You talk about leaving the 99 to save the one, this work is so important! I all ways knew that but I know it now and I am starting to get it down in the marrow of my bones, as Elder Holland would rightly say!

Well I love all of you. You rock and so does the gospel.

love elder black

Well this is going to be short...

[prom 2009]

I this work and I love this gospel.

The Church is true, The Book is blue, and Jesus is a Mormon.

I am going to impress you when I get home

[beach 2007]

Dear family,

So I am now moved. Not a far jump, I just changed wards. There are 3 wards in our stake and I just moved down the street. Well I live in a five man apartment and that has been fun, lots of fun. We went exploring today and I am so glad that I had my water proof boots with me. Other wise I would have had soaked socks just like the rest of them. After that we went to the bounce gym as we call it and I learned how to do a back flip and a front flip in to a foam pit. That was all fine and dandy but I felt so trapped when I landed in it. I would freak out every time, so I learned that if I were to place a mat on top of the foam that I would be fine. So I did that and it worked I had some thing to walk on. Anyway, I am going to impress you when I get home with my sweet front flip skills! Well on to more and exciting news: we just had 6 baptisms in this area and I just walked in to them all so I can't really say that they're mine or can I? Anyway this area is doing really well. I am glad to be a part of it. Well what else happened that is worthy to report, I am so sorry about my lack of writing. I was way stressed out and I had no time to do anything. Well that's no excuse, but I will try to do better... I will. Well family I hope all is well with you all. I hope that you had a great week too and I will talk to you soon. So till then, God be with you till we meet again.

love elder black

Today is a great day!

[mission beach 2008]

So I just got the call not to long ago, I will be moving not more than 5 miles to my next location. It should be fun. There will be 5 elders living were I am going. So in our district we will have 7 people all together, it will be awesome! Honestly I have mixed emotions about leaving. I have seen a lot of changes in this area. I don't want to leave, but I do at the same time! But we will see what lies ahead for us. This is a wonderful time to be a missionary. Can't wait to meet new people.

Well I love you all and I hope you all have a great week!

love elder black

We have a baptism coming up....

Ahoy my family this is elder black!

Well this week is off to a great start. I love hearing from all of you and informing me of what's going on! Over here in the east we have some great things going on so much that I cannot right them all down, but what I can tell you all what I think that I told everyone else. Transfers are coming up and I think my time has come, but that is so far away that it almost seems impossible to me anyway. We have a baptism coming up and his name is Jeffery. Keep him in your prayers.

Well family... take care of your selves and know that I love you!

Sorry this is so short but I got to run.

Love Elder Black