Erin and Carl Eads (in the vest) - Jared baptized him and loves him!
Hey Mamma!
Glad you like the bangs! I hate them but I didn't even cry about them until yesterday, so that's good news. I'm becoming a stronger person out here it seems.The picture with the Eads was from last night at the mission devotional. I knew that one with the Farrishes wasn't going to be cute - I didn't even look at that one so just ignore it :)
i was called to bear my testimony at the mission devotional last night which was a cool opportunity but there was like 700 people there and i was SO terrified. I used the fact that I was speaking to entice people into coming, and we did have 2 investigators there! Whoot whoot! I only had to talk for literally sixty seconds but there were so many points that I wanted to touch on in my 60 seconds that I wrote it out and edited it until every line and word was planned, purposeful and precise. Haha, I realized then that if I skipped any lines while I was up there (I couldn't bring any notes) that my thoughts would not make sense because of the way they flowed together. I worked hard on memorizing what I wrote and prayed I would make sense while I was speaking. While I was up there I'm sure you could tell I was nervous but as I was speaking I knew exactly what part of my testimony I should say next so that it would all make sense. And my mind never even went blank, so that was a miracle. I felt Heavenly Father's love and support so much in that moment!
Haha, I don't know if you knew how stressful talking in front of people is for me, but the fact that I was given the assignment to bear a one minute testimony and it caused a week of major phobiation, should be somewhat of an insight:) Anyways, turned out good. Glad it happened. And Michel, our investigator, walked in as soon as I started talking and was smiling and waving at me from the doorway, so that was fun! :)
Also do you remember Ted? My 76 year old investigator that got baptized? He spoke there! And he talked to the missionaries for a minute and just said basically: Don't give up. You're changing lives. Even if you don't recognize it and even if they don't recognize it -- people need you and your message.
It was so tender! I love that guy. I wrote him a letter a few weeks ago and he said he has been asking everyone where I "got shipped off to" so he could write me back. Haha. I did put a return address on that letter, but I guess he doesn't pay attention to that kind of thing.
Michel got introduced to the Bishop while she was there! Which was awesome! They had a long conversation that I didn't get to hear but I'm excited to know what they said to each other!
Also we got a new YSA investigator this week! She was being fellowshipped my a member family in the Lake Wilderness Ward and she lives in those boundaries so those elders taught her the first few lessons, and then they handed her off to us cause she really should be in YSA:) Her name is Em, short for Emily but she just likes Em. She is really cool and has a lot of questions. She said she likes asking me and Sister Dolan questions because we don't get offended. Apparently that was a problem before with the elders. Haha. I love answering genuine questions. That is one of my very favorite parts of the work --helping people understand the gospel that really want to understand it. That is what I call fulfilling.
Also we taught a girl named Tana for the first time this week. Me and Sister Jeffery tracted into her a while back and we finally got to meet up with her. She straight up told us that she is going through some trials and that she needed some spiritual guidance. As a missionary, I am so grateful for the humility that comes from trying times in peoples lives. EVERYONE needs the gospel, but so many people won't step out of their comfort zone to change. Even if the change is good. People are scared of being uncomfortable, so trials do a great job of pushing people out of their comfort zone for them:)
I quite love you! Thanks for the letter! Keep me updated on grandma and her health and happiness and such!
Tell Jake happy baptism!
LOOVE Sister Erin Orr
Hey Dad!
So since you didn't send me a letter (he actually did) I will just tell you about the most boring day of my week. That would be Saturday. Sister Dolan was sick so we had to sit inside all day. It was so brutal. Basically I did a lot of texting and calling: setting up appointments and fellowship, sending spiritual thoughts, inviting people to our mission devotional. Also I exercised as much as I could in our little apartment and cleaned EVERYTHING and we found a sketchbook so we drew a bunch of pictures. I'll send ya some I drew. Also I read like 40 chapters of the Book of Mormon and updated our area books. I sent out one mass text to a bunch of obscure people inviting them to the devotional and his one YSA texted back and said he was ready to start coming back to church (he is less active), I felt like the spirit worked through me in sending out that text and including him. Anyways pray for Patrick Gibson! He knows this church is true already. But he is going to need some serious strength in coming back! I think if Sister Dolan had not gotten sick, then I never would have had time or thought to text Patrick and he never would have let me know he has the desire to change! Miracles man!
Welp. have the most quality of weeks!
LOVE Sister Erin Orr
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