Dear Sister Orr.... :)

 After a lot of waiting...I went to the mailbox in the morning, and the mailman had just gotten there! It was perfect. I may have slightly stalked him, but hey.. you gotta do whatcha gotta do. :)

Later that day.. I opened it! I had my family on Skype, and a lot of friends at my apartment.  Here's the video!

Dear Sister Orr:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Arizona Mesa Mission. In addition to your calling to share the gospel, you will be assigned to serve in the Mesa Arizona Temple Visitors' Center. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language.

I don't even know where to start!! I am so excited to be able to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For those of you that don't know how it works, I will leave on May 29, 2013 to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, UT. After 6 weeks of learning Spanish, how to teach and be a missionary I will head straight to Mesa, Arizona. I can't wait to learn Spanish and teach everyone about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, in addition to the Bible, and that it has brought me more happiness than I could ever imagine. I love that I am going to Mesa, Arizona. I know it is the perfect place for me to serve, and I can't wait to bring the joy of the gospel to those I teach. 

I am so grateful for my family, and all the support they've given me with this decision as they have my entire life. I'm also grateful for all my friends. Even though they don't want me to go, they have all been so supportive. I can't wait to start this new adventure in my life. :) 

Okie Friends & 80's Night

Hello everyone. This first week and a half of school has been great. I've been staying really busy with the classes I'm taking, along with trying to work. It's been really good. I had an Okie night with Ryan, Rachel, the future Mr. & Mrs. Tyler Bean, and Dylan. We played Just Dance 4, some games, and appropriately watched the OKC Thunder beat the Lakers. 

As a family, we went sledding at Rock Canyon Park. It was FREEZING!! We had fun though :)

I went to Dylan's farewell talk on Sunday. He gave a fantastic talk! It was one of the best missionary farewells I've been to. It was cool to see how much he's grown in the last couple years. He will be an amazing missionary and is leaving for Spain the first week of February!!  

The highlight of the semester was definitely last night! Our ward rented out Classic Skating in Orem and we had an 80's night. It was so much fun! One of the best activities we've had. The activities committee must be really great... *wink* *wink* :)

Our Bishop and his wife definitely looked the best. They are so much fun.

Oh and I'm supposed to get my mission call tomorrow. I suppose that's big news ;) I can't wait to finally know where I'm going! It's only been about a 11 days since I put them in, but man... this waiting game is awful! Especially when you're trying to focus on school! But, hopefully I will be able to tell you all very soon where I'll be spending 18 months of my life :) 

Back to Provo

Well... I'm back in good ole' Provo. Leaving home this time was a little bit harder than it has been in the past... I've been trying to pinpoint as to why that was, but I think it's because of my mission. It's crazy to think the next time I'll be home, I'll be getting ready to leave again..

Speaking of mission, I officially submitted my paperwork on the 4th, so I should find out where I'm serving in a couple weeks!! I am so excited, but I'm going to be honest... I am also low-key freaking out. Haha.. I just want to know! I can't wait to get that letter in the mail, telling me where I'll spend 18 months of my life serving the Lord. But... I'm really going to miss my family. Sydney kept telling me all break that I couldn't go. She says that it's her choice and she says NO! And I think Mom is really nervous for where I'll be called, she's afraid I'll end up in Africa or something, and I, on the other hand, think that would be awesome haha.. Everyone else in the fam thinks I'm going to Salt Lake City like my Dad and Brandon, but.. we shall see.. :)

School starts tomorrow, it will hopefully distract me from thinking about my mission call (a little). It does feel good to be back in Provo, EXCEPT for the fact that it is 0 degrees here. 

I'm not exaggerating.. it is literally 0 degrees.
Which means, I'm going to bundle up in my blanket and take a nap. 

Brandon & Jaree

I would love to introduce you to Brandon & Jaree Orr :)

They were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on December 20, 2012

I am so happy for both of them, and excited to have another sister join the family. The past couple weeks have been a lot of fun being all together. For me, this Christmas has been pretty special. It's the first Christmas since Brandon's been back from his mission, and the last one I'll have home since I'll be gone on Christmas the next two years. Lot's of changes for the Orr family, but we couldn't be happier!!

(photo cred: jtaylorphotograhphy.com)

The Semester is OVER!

Can really already be Christmas Break?

I can't believe this semester has gone by so fast! I feel like my college years are going to be over before I know it. Speaking of... I love BYU. It is honestly the only place I could ever imagine myself going to school.

Longer post to come.... my brother is getting married in a couple days :)

The Mind.

Finals have hit. I'm halfway done, but I feel like my mind is already done. 

The mind is very interesting.. We've been learning about it in Physiology. (Which I should be studying right now, but this counts, right?) 

The mind is very powerful. It's something that everyone has, but what differentiates us is how we use it. Instead of using our mind to create what we want, the majority of us use it to create exactly what we don't want. Theodore Roosevelt once said, "that men and women are not prisoners of fate, but are only prisoners of their own mind." 

So with this great power, comes great responsibility... right? 

I'm pretty positive we all know someone who uses their mind to serving others, their family, or to their many blessings. We also all know someone who focuses their mind on themselves, and what they don't have. I often find myself a mix of both; but another amazing thing about our mind is.... 

we have the power to change it. 

College Probs

I think my professors are trying to fail me. 

That's the only thing I can come up with. Why would you have a "mid-term" and then 2 weeks later decide to have ANOTHER "mid-term?" Not in just one, but two of my hardest classes..both the same week. 

I feel like they should also stop calling them mid-terms. That is a very deceiving term, and I'm almost 100% positive it's against the honor code for BYU professors to deceive their students. Mid. Term. In the middle of the semester, meaning a total of two exams: one mid-term and one final. Not four "mid-terms" and a final-- all for the same class.

If you can't tell, I'm a little stressed. Four "midterms" in 6 days can make one go crazy. Oh, and I'm sick with some virus called Mono? Don't worry... I didn't get it from a boy. (When it comes to drinking after people.. I'm the worst.) Not only is it contagious, so my roommates avoid me like the plague, but it makes you really, really tired. The Dr. told me to try to keep my stress level down because it only makes it worse, but I think I'm failing in that category.

Oh and it snowed here in Provo! More than it did all last year. Now I feel justified playing Christmas music all the time. :)

But don't worry. I just have to make it until Saturday, then I'll be on a plane to a place far from Provo where no one will speak of "mid-terms," sodium bicarbonate, alpha/beta particles, or action potentials. :)

Well, that's my rant for the week. Time to take another nap.. I mean study. (For my 3rd "mid-term.")