Here we go!

This has been a crazy week. So many things have happened! One of the big ones: I have a new companion! Sister Bishop. She's super cool. So easy going. It's like night and day from my last companion (who was breathing into a paper bag about the prospects of going home). My old companion, Sister Behrends, is now home, snug and safe, in St. George. I talked to her on the phone after she got home, and she's still not so sure about this whole leaving the mission thing. But just like we're commanded to come, we're commanded to go home. I wonder how it will be when it's time for me to come home. Right now I think it would be great! But maybe I won't be so eager in 16 more months... it's hard to know. Sister Bishop (the new one) is going home in 2 more transfers (3 months), so we'll probably both get to stay in Rhinelander for at least that long. Yea!
So because of transfer week, and Sister Behrends going home we got to take a trip from the Northwoods to Milwaukee... in a blizzard. We drove our little truck 30 mph in 4 wheel drive for 8 hours. It was a long, long day. We were sure glad to get out of the truck when it was all over. It was my first day of below zero temps. -4 F. Yup. Cold. We ain't seen nothin' yet, per the locals. I think I might cry. After we got back to Rhinelander (3 days later...) it hit 20 F. I almost felt like putting shorts on! It was great! Practically a heat wave! I don't know how people survive this, year in, year out. Crazy. I've been wearing 2 pairs of socks, wool leggings, 2 shirts, and a sweater everyday. I dunno what I'm gonna do when it's -20. Yikes! I'll probably just wear all the clothes I brought.

I also ate wild game for the first time. Not too bad. We had duck stir-fry (duck from North Dakota), and venison stakes (courtesy of the Lindner's Thanksgiving hunt). Brother, Sister, and Children Lindner all shoot to kill and enjoy it! Crazy. I think I might be the only person in the Northwoods who has never actually held a gun. Ya. Probably.

Sister Bishop and I got to go Christmas tree hunting with the Lindners as well. That was fun! Nobody died... well except the tree. I feel a little bad about that. But the smell of the tree covers up the smell of second-hand smoke in our apartment, so I'm willing to compromise.

Op! Time to go!

I love you all! Kiss yourselves!

My old companion, she's going home to sunny St. George.

New companion! Sister Bishop.  She's the cheese.  And in Wisconsin that's a big deal!

Red Barn of Wisconsin... just one of the many.

End of the day.  It's pretty, but COLD.

Ice on the INSIDE of the window.  Seriously.

Making chocolates!  Vicky, Hiedi, and Grandma DeBay.  Vicky just got baptized about a month ago.  There'a all a kick in the pants.

While preparing for a lesson, Sister Bishop finds an exquisit pictoral example of "Keeping our Bodies Healthy"

Brittney in a tree.  She's probably scouting for deer.  I'm not kidding.

Sam and her cute boy Kaleb have picked out their tree!  Chris (our Ward Mission Leader) is ready to hack away.

Sister Bishop and I get a tree! WOO HOO! But we have to cut it down. While wearing skirts. We didn't really this one through...

Sister Missionaries 1 : Tree 0