Birds, Knitting, Valentines, and Bicycles...

Hello Mom :)

Yes, sorry about the no email yesterday. Twas Presidents Day so the library was closed!

It's OK because yesterday was fun and crazy! We went to an old lady's house in the ward. She's kind of inactive because she has a lot of medical type things so she's a little homebound. But she LOVES knitting so we went over and chatted with her and let her teach us how to knit. I wish I could have been a more satisfying student for her but I could NOT comprehend what the even heck she was doing with her hands. She showed me this crazy motion she did with the yarn like 40 times and I still have no idea what she was doing. I guess it was basic knitting but I'm gonna need to read up on "Knitting For Dummies" before I go back. Also right after that we went over to a members house for dinner and they had two parrot/cockatoo type birds that would just fly up and sit on your shoulder. (I have to stop Erin's story here to interject that Erin has somewhat a an intense bird phobia)  The guy, when he saw my face, when I first saw the birds asked me if I was scared of them, so I was like "yeah" and he just told me not to look like I was scared or they would tease me!  So I did a pretty good job of that until the end when one of the birds tried to sit on my shoulder and I screamed and ducked like a sensible person.  THEN I was hiding behind my companion because the bird knew I was scared so it was looking for me. And it kept calling me a chicken and making chicken noises at me.  So that was delightful.  Also the people didn't even do anything about the bird. So I just had to hide until we left. 

The substitute teacher thing sounds so fun! You didn't tell me it was Sister Richins class. That's so fun. Sounds like a fun week! Did you guys do anything date-wise for Valentines Day? 

Me and Sister Frischknecht both were sick with fevers this week for a couple days so Sister Eaton said we weren't allowed to leave the apartment. I healed up a couple days before el companion though so I just went on splits with ward members which was actually really fun! For Valentines Day, me and a Laurel named Sabrina, who I love went and washed windows (SO GROSS) for an inactive lady who thinks she's active. She is so cute and her voice sounds just like Piglette :). When we got there she was making red velvet heart shaped cake, and cupcakes for us. And some herbal tea. In the middle of our cleaning she had us decorate the cake with valentines m&m's. And afterwards we had a tea party with just the three of us. It was so dang adorable. By the end of our visit she had gathered a few houseplants and a bunch of lotion that she wanted to send us home with as well as the cake.  So that was my mission valentines experience.

I'm excited for the music you're sending! Thank you!!  Also I loved the valentines package and Sister Frischknect is a Sherlock fan and especially appreciated Emily's valentine.

I just love you!
Thanks for being my mom!

Erin


Good morning Dad!!

Addey is just the best! Looks like she got an extra sprinkle of athleticism than the rest of us! so cool! Her team will be getting some prayers from Washington this week:)  (Addey is on a basketball team that happens to be undefeated and Garret keeps Erin updated on their season in each letter.  This Saturday is the last game so we're hoping that they maintain their record)

This week we had Zone Conference.  Between Zone Conferences, which are every other month, President has a focus for us, that we talk about in our weekly district meetings. The last one was consecration and this new one is going to be the Holy Ghost and his role in every aspect of our lives. So that's what the whole Zone Conference was about. Which was insanely long by the way. It was from 9:30 to 4:00.  One thing that really stuck out to me was President was talking about how he had a mountain bike and for a long time he only knew about one set of gears that the mountain bike had and one day as he was riding, he found out that there were way more gears than he knew about and that he had had this really nice mountain bike but was living below his privelege. He related that to us a members of the church. We have the gift of the Holy Ghost but don't really try to use that gift for all it is worth. So that will be my goal for the next couple transfers is seeking out the parts of the gift of the Holy Ghost that I have been under-utilizing.

Also there is a book that is part of the missionary library called "Our Search for Happiness"  It's KILLER!  It's really simple and explains really well everything that we believe in like 100 pages.  So good. I would get it and give it to someone! I want like 8 copies to send to people. You should for real check it out!

Also guess what! I'm turning 20 in a couple months!  They sang me "happy birthday" at the Zone Conference.  I started thinking about that last night and holy guac! I am so not ready to not be a teenager anymore! Haha it's so dumb but it's seriously weirding me out!

Well I love you!
Have a swell week!

Erin

Car Accidents and Baptisms

Hey mamma:)

I love that story about Bob and the ukulele. I started missing mine so bad this week!

By the way if you ever wanted to send me music I love:

The Lower Lights (band)
Lamb of God - by Rob Gardner
The Forgotten Carols? I think we used to listen to that?

Dead lions is fun for all ages! I could destroy at that game right now. Ever since the car wreck Sister Frischknect and I have been SO TIRED. I didnt know that was a thing but it is undeniable.

So yes the car did indeed crash and I dont really know how to describe how it happened effectively, so I'm not going to try. Sorry! But it was definitely the other girls fault so that was a new one for me:)  But they made us go to the urgent care the next day to get checked out and we were diagnosed both with "neck strains" and prescribed muscle relaxers.  So that should be fun. Good news though: the girl that hit us, I had totally talked to before at the library and we had a good long conversation. and now since she "ran into us" again, I'm pretty dang sure God is telling us she needs to be taught. So since she is YSA, I'm going to get Sister Halford on it!

You should send me some more healthy recipes.  That would be good for sure. We get fed everyday in the family ward.  Which is for sure a good way to meet the members but I really miss coming home, and making my own food, and doin' my own thing, and not eat 4000 calories at the same time.  Haha

There IS other excitment you should know about!  Me and el companion sang a duet in sacrament meeting this week!  The music coordinator didn't even ask us if we could sing or if we would do it. She just told us we were and to pick a song. So we did. We sang Savior, Redeemer of my Soul - composed by Rob Gardner. Sister Eaton got the arrangement for us and we practiced like twice and got people to play violin and piano with us and it didn't even sound half bad. What do ya know?

Oh and as for your requests:

Best part of the week: Ted was really excited when we talked about the temple this week and is really determined to have us there when he goes through. So that was cute:)

Ward: Really cute wards. I'm over two, have I mentioned that?  They are called Crestwood and Lake Sawyer. Crestwood is pretty old and the gospel principles class is pretty quiet. It always reminds me of the bingo part on Hotel Transylvania. And Lake Sawyer is really young and fun:)

District: My district is pretty fun. We have the zone leaders Elder Hilton and Elder Wilcox in our district. Elder Wilcox is really social and funny and Elder Hilton is more serious. And then my district leader Elder Thomas is awesome.  He is in a tri-companionship and one of his companions comes from an island somewhere and is brand spankin new and is just learning english. And the other one is visa waiting. He is actually called to Taipei Taiwan.  I think thats how you spell it? So they are all speaking different languages at this piont. But still pluggin' along. So dang cute! And that's the whole district. Plus us!


Love you a bunch!  Erin


Hello my fahduh!

I needed that spiritual insight for sure! I think everyone does but as a missionary trying really hard, I tend to need to be remind myself that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

So some cool things happened this week!

Eric Rojas, I think I mentioned him last week, is a 9 year old afraid of dying lately, which is really sad. When we talked to him last week I gave him a picture of Jesus and told him he could look at it and not be scared.  So then yesterday a week later, I went to his house and his mom told me that he had told her that one night he was scared in his bed and got out the picture and hugged it and he said he felt a hand on his shoulder and wasn't scared anymore and was able to go back to sleep.  So that was so good! 

Also TED GOT BAPTIZED!! Mom asked me to tell her, but I forgot to tell her that that guy in the picture closest to sister Frischknecht is Brother Dent. He is Ted's doctor and the person that fellowshiped him.  He baptized and confirmed him and gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. Twas too cute. Ted is just so dang sweet and wanted to bare his testimony but didn't know what to say all day and he was really nervous about it but didn't know what to say.  And then he said after his baptism he just felt so full of love and gave the sweetest testimony ever. And President Eaton came and spoke and it was really just great!

Also Addey is the coolest person I know! Of course her team is undefeated!

love ya!

Erin

Erin's good stuff for the week :)

hello mamma dear!

I love our family. fact. im so glad everyone is doing so good! and yes i got your "heads up" game me and sister frischknecht (that's my new companion, i dont remember if i told you that's her name) lurve it. you thought of quite a few things but we went through them all in a day:) 

the super bowl was honestly insane. even since i've been up here everything is blue and green. everything. and when the super bowl started there was suddenly like 5 people in church. bishop called us the faithful few, it was good stuff. also the streets were pitch empty. not a single person was on the road. a member showed us later that last play though where they completely choked. so dumb.

but we didn't really have trouble finding a place to go. we had dinner at a members house who told us she HATES, very strongly, football. so we were indeed fed.  and then after the game, this less active family, the Rojas, had us over to teach their son the plan of salvation. he is 9 and has been really upset about the thought of dying lately so his mom had us over to talk about what happens and such. as soon as we got to the part where we die he started crying. it was pretty darn sad.we had a really nice talk about it all though and i hope it brought him some comfort. but he could use some prayers. his name is Eric. 

but anyways they are really good cooks and wanted to feed us so we ate a bunch of their superbowl food. it was so good. also they have a super nintendo and we were talking about the games and stuff and brother Rojas said " have you ever played the Lion King game? I HATE that game!" so that was good to know that its impossible for everyone else as well.  and i was really proud of all the people i saw repping their seahawkes yesterday, even though they lost.

i have a very favorite food that i eat everyday and its vegan (except for the cilantro dressing from trader joes)
its a wrap that includes:

a spinach tortilla
spinach
guacamole
black beans
jalapeno
green onions
craisins
tomatoes
and the dressing..................i think thats all. but you should definitely try it.

after i email today i will be attending a lady's funeral in the ward. she passed away this week during an open heart surgery. we had been at her house the day before the surgery talking to her about it and asking if there was anything we could do and such. and then she died the next day. i had only met her the one time but i had never experienced that before. talking to someone one day, and them being gone the next day. that was a new one for me. her husband could use some prayers as well. his name is Matt.

I'm so excited for Ben! and i talked to bethany and she is so excited she doesn't report till the end of april, i guess i'm the only one who didn't get a 4 month mission call :)  and kenz is working on her papers too. so awesome. 

LOVE YOU!

erin


Hello my dad!!

wahoo! addey is killin it. more that the seahawkes are! and i'm glad everyone is doing good and figuring out salt from sugar and such.

TIM'S BAPTISM WAS ON SATURDAY. it was awesome. honestly so beautiful. the talks were great and there was so much love in the room.tim was glowing and hes not a very outwardly excited person but you could just sea the peace and happiness in his eyes. in convert baptisms the missionaries give the first lesson of the restoration kind of like as a talk while the baptizee is getting changed. and tim wanted me to have a part so we decided me and sister halford would do that which was stressfull all week because we had no time to practice, so when i got there and saw the program, sister halford had put her and her new comp doing that ( just because they could practice and it was easier). so they had me being the chorister and saying a prayer and bearing my testimony. i was up there aLOT. felt like the star of the show. haha -- just kidding, but it was great.

we have an investigator who is getting baptized next week whose name is Ted. and he is 75. he is so dang humble and sweet and adorable. he says the word jeepers a lot, which i love. i just love him. he came to tim's baptism with us. when the actual baptism happened he whispered "that was beautiful" to me. there was a musical number at the baptism with a violin, a flute, and a piano. he loved it and asked them if they would do that same number next week at his. so cute. i'm so excited for him. and he is really really excited too.

i don't know if i mentioned that kaul moved to california? we were reaaly questioning weather he would actually try or be able to hook up with the missionaries there but they called sister halford and told her he is still looking to be baptized to that's GREAT news!

LOVE YA MUCH!

erin

New Area: Lake Sawyer and ??

Hey Mamma,

Did Sister Graney call you yesterday? haha. (yes, Erin asked a lady in her ward to call me yesterday and let me know that letters would be delayed a day this week)  They told us last week that they didn't want any worried moms calling the mission office but then I forgot to tell ya that for like this week and the next 2 weeks  P-day is on Tuesday because of temple trips!  What what!  I just got back and mom, the Seattle temple is beautiful. So darn stinking pretty.  I loved it.  And on the bright side, its only a year till I get to go back!  (I sense a little sarcasm there)

The family ward honestly is kind of depressing, people all day tell us how hard they're lives are. And they actually are all pretty hard.  It's kind of an adjustment because in the YSA we just played games all the time. I mean yes, sometimes you lose and someone else gets the box of Milkduds but that's as hard as i like life to get. ;)

There's this guy though named David Orange that we're teaching and he refuses to call missionaries by their last names so he just calls me Erin, which is so weird and funny.  He told me why but I don't know how to explain it back in a way that makes sense, but anyway he's funny and makes us stand in his driveway for our lessons.  I also don't know the reasoning for this. 

The place I'm living now is a little cottage like 10 feet away from a lake.  It's really cute. Some members own it and let us live in it.  And there are otters in the lake!  So dang cute.  Also I love our family. :)

Sorry for the short letter but I am quite tired today.

Love you a lot!

Sister Orr

Hey Dad! 

I only have 3 minutes but I'm going to type fast!  Transfers are crazy.  But I think the wards I'm in now are really missionary minded and have really great and dedicated ward mission leaders.  I think i forgot to mention that I am in 2 wards now so that means church all day which is new but good!  Also I've seen way more kids in the past week that  I have since I've been out and they are so stinkin cute.  I've only met with a few investigators and the work seems like its going kind of slow in these wards but don't worry I'll pick it up!

LOVE Sister Orr

p.s. I quite care about Addey's undefeated basketball team. She is awesome!

I love these letters!!!!! :)

Hello my mom!

Its good to know that Addey is a baller  and that everyone else is blind. I am dying about Emily's inability to see. So dang funny! This week sounds so fun! Let me know what happens with Em's art contest and Addey's soccer team. Sounds so fun!

Last week for Pday, me and Sister Halford went to Ikea just to walk around because that is apparently her favorite activity. We need to start doing that because it is actually delightful. Also we went to JIMI HENDRIX GRAVE! It was the best decision I have ever made. it was like this big stone gazebo shrine with his face carved into it a bunch of times. And there was two guys in it sitting there  and one was playing his guitar. He literally does nothing else than sit there all the time and play Hendrix songs. He does it so much that he knows Jimi's whole family and played at his moms funeral. Also while we were sitting in there a bunch of kids walked up and layed down some coins and guitar picks and incense down on the table in repect or something and walked away. It was kind of hilarious.

Also this week since my eyebrows were getting TERRIBLE and I couldnt wax them my comp plucked them for me. And she actually did a good job. She had been wanting to for a couple weeks and so one night when I layed on the floor after our nightly planning sesh, she snuck up on me with some tweezers and hacked away. It was some delightful companionship bonding.

But now guess what. I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED! Not expected. usually when your training you will have one trainer and one area. But nope not me. It's ok though, I'm really good friends already with my next trainer. She's only one transfer ahead of me so her training just barely ended. Like today. So crazy. But I'm going to still be in Kent but in the Lake Sawyer ward. Which is the ward President Eaton is in so thats crazy! I think he reads my emails and saw that the old ladies freaked me out a little and decided i need more of that in my life.  (She must be talking about the email she sent home talking about all of the old ladies that they met with)

Also I know you read this in Becky's letter but I really want to reiterate the beauty of Wasabi Ranch Snapea Crisps. They are at Winco and probably other places. And they are amazing. Also the cilantro dressing from Trader Joes is life changing.

So I texted Tim last night and told him I was getting tranfered but not to worry because the church is still true and his is what he said:

"...I know its true and I'm definitly sure. I had a dream last night and I cant remember every specific detail and wish I would have written it down as soon as I  got up. But I prayed for a sign and I got it."

I was so dang happy that he knows how to seek and recognize revelation. He is so strong. His baptismal date had to be pushed back a week. He is a chef and I guess it got heated up in the kitchen and some guy was throwing knives so Tim had to release the stress. (I'm sure she means that he smoked some cigarettes) So its going to be on th 31st now. But I'll still get to go!

I dont know if any of the girls in our family are planning on going on a mission but I have come to realize the point of scripture mastery. They are literally for missions. Every scripture is perfect for teaching. So that is new and valuble information!

LOVEE YOU:)


Erin

Letters to Mom and Dad 1/12/15

Hi mother dear!

Guess what?! I GOT YOUR PACKAGE! Holy Moly. (Her Christmas gift -- an INDO Board -- finally arrived)  Its probably the best/randomest Christmas gift ever received by a missionary. PLEASE tell my that y'all all tried it before you sent it to me. I'm so stinking happy about this. Also I know that this is the exact one that I was on when I went to Rexburg. (it isn't) So how the even heck did you get it from her roommate? My comp was playing on it for the first time and almost killed herself, just kidding but we thought she broke her leg for a minute. But she was completely fine like 5 minutes later so were all good there! 

But, yes, transfers are next week and President keeps telling my comp to make sure I know the area so that's a little scary, especially considering I have no sense of direction and our area is huge! But we found out he's been telling a lot of people that so I'm less worried, but still. I'm glad Em is doing good -- stitches wise and eye candy wise. I keep forgetting that Emily's home so I can just write her letters. I will do this when I get home! Also I'm so excited for you to be a sub! (I have signed up to be a school and seminary substitute teacher) That sounds like the funnest job ever! You will do great just remember to be a chill sub. Kids will like you and tell their teacher to request you. Don't get all crazy on them like you always told me you would if you were in charge ;)

Thanks for the complements on my spanish. It's from all the time I've spent in taquerias. Tacos and horchata are actual my diet and I'm glad to know that I could get by down in Mexico.

So this week we went up to south Seattle for the first time. It's like a half hour drive and still in our area. Every literal person up there is Asian. Who knew? Except for this one black family we saw.  They were so cute though. Me and my companion were just waiting to cross the street and this family walked by and the lady asked if we were handing out flyers so naturally we pulled out a restoration pamphlet and talked to her for a little bit. While we were talking I heard the dad say to his little boy "They look like angles don't they?". So dang cute.  Jared's letter today was telling me not to go up to south Seattle. Oops:)  I saw the best view of Mt. Ranier while I was there!

I'm so sorry about the cold.  Luckily up here its been quite nice. Also thank you for the sandwich recipe!  I quite appreciate it:) 

I wish that we got to watch the devotional!  None of our investigators could come so we decided our time would be better spent somewhere else but hopefully I'll get to watch it soon!

Love you so so so so much!

Thanks for being my favorite mom!

LOVE Sister Orr

ps. Could I get Kenzie's address and Bethany Myers email address please?

Hey Dad!!

Hope you're having fun in Chicago!  Don't forget my popcorn!

Yeah, Tim is so awesome and I am so excited for him!  It was so cool.  On Monday, before FHE we saw him again and he told us that right after church after he got to work he could still feel the spirit so strong and he threw his pack of cigarettes away. He said he was amazed at himself for throwing 7 whole dollars in the trash but he knew it was right and that there would never be a cigarette between his lips again. It was so cool because our investigators have to be living the commandments for 3 weeks before they get baptized and that happened to be the 3 week mark for him. So he'll definitely get to be baptized on the 24th.  Later we told him the questions that he would  be asked at his baptismal interview.  He passed with flying colors except for he had no idea who Thomas S. Monson was.  So the theme of our next lesson was living prophets. haha.  He is so dang great.

We haven't seen Chelsey in quite some time. She's been sick/ taking care of sick family.  Plus she lives out of our area so we cant just pop bye and see her.  Hopefully soon though!

Kaul moved to California.  So we don't get to teach him anymore but hes told several people apparently that he still really wants to be baptized  and is going to continue talking to the missionaries down there.

Sad news. We had to drop one of our investigators, Jurparis, this week.  He completely knows the church is true and he has been meeting with missionaries for like a year and a half but tells us that he is unwilling to change.  It seriously felt like a break up.  So lame. I just don't understand the logic.

So pray for him too:)

Have some quality Chicago days!

LOVE Sister Orr

I LOVE these letters!!! :)

Hello my Mom!

Guess what I haven't even gotten your package yet (her main Christmas gift) so what the even heck? I'm 80% sure they're hoarding it in the mission office. But hopefully I'll have it Tuesday. If not we need to do some investigating on that situation.

Also THIS IS IMPORTANT: if you are reading this before 12 am my time: STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING and send me the ham sandwich recipe off of my pinterest. This is as URGENT as it gets! It's that kind where you make them in the rolls and pour the stuff over them and then bake them. My companion and I have been craving those for days! Thank you kindly:)  Also if you want to send me a bunch of random things from my pinterest - that would also be appreciated. That is a request from my dearest companion.

We went on exchanges this week which was fun and CRAZY. Family wards are so different from YSA! So basically when we first got out in the morning we had planned to see a ton of old ladies. And the first one was really nice but she was talking about a plane crash somewhere and how she was mad that the people that were supposed to be on the plane but missed it were thanking God that they were safe, because it probably made the other peoples family's feel bad. She repeated that like 45x until her friend came to pick her up. So that was interesting. The next lady we saw... oh my goodness. She is super old. And she called us that morning and this is how our coversation went:

Her: hey you cant come over this morning. its a bad day. the debt collectors keep calling me.

Me: the debt collectors keep calling you?

Her: yeah come over and i'll tell you about it.

Me: ok, see you in a minute.

So we went over. And I dialed the phone for her to the bank because she wanted to know the balance on her card. So she held the phone for like 6 minutes on hold and every like 20 seconds she would ask us who she was calling and what to ask. It was great. Then when they picked up she just said that she wanted them to speak to her caretaker and handed the phone to me. So then they asked for my full name and recorded me down as her caretaker on her account. So thats great too. Then we helped her pick out a skirt for church because she didnt think she had any but she actually had 1000. But she was getting dizzy standing up because she hadn't eaten all day! So sad! So we made her cream of wheat because it was literally the only food in her house. So sad. So then we found her a ride to the church and to the grocery store. Such a funny lady I just wanted to stay and take care of her all day.

Next we went to this other old lady who lived in a nursing home. We scrapbooked pictures for her which was fun and read scriptures with her. Loved it!

It was definatly very interesting and different and a lot more service oriented than YSA.  I loved it though. So fun! 

Saturday we Spent alot of the day walking and just talking to people on the street.  One old man started waving his cane at us from afar and was yelling. Also he had like 3 teeth. When we met up with each other he stopped us and yelled "AMERICAN GORLS! NO ENGLISH! NO GOOD!" And then burst out laughing. He repeated that cycle like 4x and then kept walking.  So that was good as well.

One of our investigators, Tim, is absolutely awesome. and I'll talk about him today but I reaaly want to get that recipe from ya so I'll send this now and talk about Tim in dads email! LOVE YOU!

(and this is the letter to Garret)...

Holy Moly it sounds like quite the week! Hope you had a great birthday! Mom filled me in on what y'all did and it sounds fun! I'm so jealous you got to go to the temple this week. We get to go sometime this month, then wait a year! So 

excited to go so soon tough!

The investigator i want to talk about this week is Tim. He is so cool I cant even handle it!

I wasn't around when they met him I think it was like a week before I came but it was at a Redbox! I love it. He just knows so hard that this is the true church.  

And just has so much understanding and recognizes the spirit and how keeping the commandments has blessed his life. Our one thing with him is that he has a set schedule and works Sunday. So he hasn't been able to come to church. But BLESSINGS! Church changed times this year, which in YSA, it normally always stays at 1:00, but it changed to 9 so he could come for the first hour! Since it was fast Sunday this week, my and my companion fasted that the testimony meeting would be spiritual and Tim would have a good first experience. So he came and the testimonies were SO GOOD. And he got to turn in his shift bid yesterday and requested Sundays off so I am so stoked! And he's coming to FHE with us tonight. He's still working on quitting smoking but he is so good at everything else and is down to like half a cigarette every few days! I'm so proud of him!

I seriously am trying so hard to send pictures! I cant figure this thing out!  I'm hoping to get an ipad soon so I can just send them from there:) Also I might get these pics developed and just send them to you:)

Have a great week! LOVE YOU!