Gary is getting baptized in 3 days. So I'm way excited. He's the first one that we've found and then baptized. The others were people the other missionaries found. So this one means a lot more to me. He's amazing. He might have a stronger testimony than me.lol But we had this zone role play thing where we were practicing this contacting tool and Horner was with the ZL's and long story short they love me.lol (I feel like I just get on her and brag to you about how good I am. But I dont make this up like when I talked about how good i was at sports.lol) But They told Horner that I'm way ahead of the other greenies and that I have "a different confidence about me" lol Which was cool. I still like hearing that im actually a missionary and doing good. It still kind of blows my mind.

But we also had our interviews with the Mission President and he told me that he was sticking me with Horner again next transfer because he needs me to keep him in shape his last transfer and keep from not working and getting lazy AND that I need to learn how to be a leader from him next transfer because "The time for me to be a leader is fast approaching, because its apparent to him that I'm a leader of men" lol Like its crazy how well things are going right now. So next transfer I'm gonna learn how to be a district leader from Horner and then probably be one in a transfer or two. :) But way excited to stay with him and to have a car next transfer.

OH and when ever we walk around town were constantly honked at. So like always i turned to wave to whoever had just honked at us and this chick screamed and flashed us out the window of her car.haha The people of Salt Lake love missionaries.lol Crazy woman...

But thanks so much for the package. Its been awesome having the music and new bracelets and ties. I really like them. Just waiting for today to get some chips to enjoy my salsa. Almost ate it by itself yesterday. We've officially ran out of food.haha But were having fun coming up with stuff to eat. Should be able to see Meg and Shelb on Saturday so excited to see them. And i'll get some stuff to you guys soon. Ran out of stamps earlier in the week so gonna try and get some today along with a haircut. My hair is getting long again. I hate it.

Everything else is going really well. Dad, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one working my butt off. But still so excited to not be weedeating. Haha Hope everyone had a good summer and is ready for school. Tell Austin he better have is stuff together and get straight A's. If he wont listen to you guys just tell him I did and that as a representative of Jesus Christ he better listen to me. lol Love you guys.

Elder Orr

Whats up fam?

Been a good week in the field. Had my first legit lesson where I was all on my own and no Papa Horner to back me up. Went really well and Gary is still on date to get baptized on the 31st! Other news in baptisms: Jessica is like a 25 year old we found who we will put on date on Friday. Then we got a referral to a mother who wants her two children baptized now that she is getting a divorce from her non member husband! So not a big deal or anything but we're going to have either 8 or 9 baptisms my first transfer. Depending if we can get Rusty to gain a testimony of the BOM. But my first transfer Ive baptized more than my trainer ever has in a transfer. Before this his best was 6. So I'm way excited and working hard. I know numbers arent what its about but it really is. Especially in SLC. Its what keeps me going so i gotta keep track of the numvbers so im working hard.

I've been making tons of great friends out here. I can spend 3 hours on exchanges with a missionary and already feel like we're great friends. Its amazing how quick we become like brothers out here. The guys in my zone our by far some of my best friends. Now that I'm on my mission I know what a REAL friend is. Cant wait to chill with them after the mission. But im having a lot of fun with them. In other news im turning into a big girl...all my caluses on my hands are gone. lol

Needs: At some point in the future not a big deal obviously but if you could send somehow some Joe T. Garcias Salsa it would be great. We eat nachos for lunch a lot and its just not the same.lol But thanks for the music and everything else you are sending. Cant wait for next Monday. :) Been pretty busy. So the personal letters will prolly slow down. But ill try and keep you guys happy.lol

Saturday is Pioneer day so we get to go downtown and street contact for most of the day then have the night off to do what we ant basically. Apparently its basically just a big mission party downtown and not much tracting or contacting happens so im really excited to chill and not work.lol I need a break from the sweating and heat. Papa and I got really sick and dehydrated last weekend for a couple of days. Being sick on a mission blows! No xbox or movies to watch. haha

But love you all a lot. Doing a lot of work and getting some mad blessings for the fam. Been learning a lot too.

Elder Orr

Merkleys See Brandon!

While some of the Merkely clan were in Salt Lake, they received permission to see Brandon! They went to his church building and they all stayed in the RV. He already had a hole in his shoe! Here are some pictures!

Brandon's First Month!

1st e-mail:
Hey Fam! sooo let's see Ive already memorized DC 4, Joseph Smith 1st vision, and our purpose as missionaries. As weve began to teach more me and my companion have became real close and been awesome. Ive been worried that ive been saying the right stuff in lessons but that you couldnt feel the spirit when i spoke. But when i asked Elder Worzak today of he could feel it when i taught. he said that when i bore testimony of JS and the first vision that it was one of the strongest feelingas he had felt! Which at first I didnt believe but I remmeber him crying when he went to teach about the BOM after i finished my testimony of JS. THE STUFF IM DOING IS AWESOME! Like im actually affecting people around me. Im not letting people down with grades or not doing what im supposed to. Im where i need to be and working my butt off. Like im in shock of how great it is to be a missionary.
Today its P day, obviously, and everything is going awesome. Everyone has said that if you can make it through sunday that its a breeze and that is definetlry true. The days seem like weeks before but these last two have flown by. We went to the temple today. It was awesome to go with everyone in our zone. We're already best friends. Im dead seriious. You guys know how much i hate meeting people. But the guys are awesome. They love me. I DUNKED for the first time in gym! Mustve been the spirit.lol They think im a total stud. like they think im ripped. its hilarious. But i won the pushup and pull up contest and did 5 pushups with an elder on my back. haha But theyrre awesome. But me and my companion, Elder Worzak, are by far leading the district. Hes 21 and already had a bout with cancer. Weve been put in observation rooms so other elders can watch us teach! Weve totally been preparing a lot together. Its legit. Sorry im kind of on time restraints. Things will be better once im in the field. Austin and Shelb ive got a letter in the mail for ya. But there are a few things I need. More ties, a tie hanger, old talks that i could use, clock radio, a few hangers, and an electric razor. Most importantly new ties. Love all you guys and miss you a lot. Im working hard. Read DC 31: 1-6

Elder ORR.

Letter: June 13
I know my email on Tuesday will get to you sooner but Mom wanted to know more about the MTC. So here's the rundown. Oh and as far as schedules go, i'll send my planner home when I get a new one to give you an idea of what I do everyday. Okay, to topple all myths, the food is great! I've been watching myself though lol. The gym is fun. We normally play 3 on 3 every Tuesday, but I've already gotten hurt twice. So were just running and playing volleyball lol. My district has 12 Elders; 9 are going to Salt Lake City and 3 to Omaha. They're who I have class with all day and sleep with. There's only 3 of them I can't stand, but I'm best friends with everyone else already! My teachers are Bro. Bott (Shawn Bean's friend) and Bro. Bastian (He is AMAZING) I get along great with them and learn a lot from them. As far as living conditions this place blows! The beds are small and there is no heat or A/C. I sweat all day in class and freeze at night. The showers are so cold it burns. I mean NO hot water. I took one warm shower. But besides all that everything is AWESOME. My companioin and I really are leading the way in teaching and our behavior. (This is from leaders at the MTC not me, so believe dat!)

Elder Orr

P.S. Elder Gardner and I wrote a rap in our spare time :)

Tik Tok
(CTR Remix)
Wake up in the morning feelin like missionaries
Grab my scriptures I'm out the door
We're gonna hit the city, Before I leave brush my teeth
with a bottle of crest, cuz when we leave for the
day we wont get no rest! We're talking
Investigators out the door
Dunkin em' to the floor
Opening up God's doors
Motab's my favorite CD, pulling up tot he Baptistry
Gonna do a lil soul cleaning.
Don't stop, Preach a lot. Elder turn the Spirit up
Today Imma bike til there's no more sunlight
Tik tok on the clock, we put them souls on lock
like oh-oh-wo-wo

Yeah it's legit! Put it on facebook Shelb. Hope everything is hot back home lol Thanks for all the stuff. I leave the MTC on the 23rd, so don't send anything too close to that. Thanks to everyone who has sent me letters, e-mails, or packages. I'm really short on time to write back, but I WILL send something once I am out in the field!

101 more weeks. Love you guys.
-Elder Brandon Thomas Orr

Zone Leaders

Good friend - Zach Braca

E-mail: June 15
Hey everybody. Got a letter on the way explaining the craziness at The MTC and everything about it. But things are going good we just started teaching the second lesson. Its a lot harder but im getting the hang of it. Uhm if you could fill me in on the Pac 10 conf changes and what not via Dear Elder it would be great. and im leaving the mtc next wednesday the 23rd. I got your package and it was awesome. definetley enjoyed the sour patch kids with the district. Were still having tons of fun together. I'll have pics of everything in the mail next week or so. But im way ready to leave. the routine is getting old. I just wanna teach and get to Salt Lake.

It was crazy to hear bout the floods and what not back home and sorry for killin the battery on my truck i think i did it when i was cleaning it out.lol Sorry i cant talk much. i spent most of my time reading everything! Just know i miss yall and love you. Cant wait to get more stuff in the mail. See ya next week. Cant wait for the field when i wont be on the 30 min clock while i read AND type.lol

Elder Orr

June 22

Hey! Its my second day in the field.lol Wednesday is my usual Pday but because of transfers today is our Pday. Well just a quick update of went down yesterday and today.

My trainers name is Elder Horner. He was a Zone Leader awhile back and has been out 20 months. Hes pretty cool, were starting to get along pretty well. Hes from Northern BC, canada. But im serving in Millcreek zone. In the Granite Park stake. They just split the area due to a lot of sucess so we were "whitewashed" in. Yesterday we met our trainers at lunch and then went "extreme street contacting" for 2 hours on Temple Square and downtown. It was pretty fun we only ran into two non-members the whole time so we just got a lot of referrals. Then around 7 we got to our member home. We gotta awesome setup, nice big basement to live in. We started going through all the old elders stuff and we'll have 7 baptisms in about two weeks. 4 this saturday, just have to teach em a lesson and Baptismal Interview so their definetley gettin chalked up on the board.lol Which is AWESOME, but we also found a lady just walking down the street that has read half the BOM and was intersetd in hearing more from us and when we asked for referrals, she said she had a LISt of people that she could have come over and listen to us. So she's GOLDEN.

Then this morning I was able to go to SLC Temple and see a session. It was pretty sweet. It was way pretty. Then went artound Temple Square and Distribution Center and got some stuff. Then hit up Walmart for groceries, met a bunch of missionaries and just had lunch. ( Got half off AND a guy dropped us 20 on the table. So its been pretty sweet. There's hookups everywhere.

But the mission is going crazy now. We are now the #1 baptizing total mission and per missionary.(50 per) We got 14 new elders in my transfer and we just picked up 24 elders that were supposed to go to Mexico but couldnt get Visas! So maybe Bean will be here soon.lol but Pres Winn gets here Friday and will stop by sometime next week to meet us. So im excited to meet him.

Okay NOW is the time to send treats and snacks and what not. The shelves are pretty bare.lol We gotta a dinner every night but didnt eat last night or have breakfast this morning.lol But everything is great. I need to be losing weight.haha Lost 5 in the MTC. But anyways im stoked for the baptisms and to keep working. Send my stuff and letters to the mission home. You should have the address. OH and just so Brian knows. I have started to develop the missionary voice. Its weird. I only do it when i teach or contact people but so does Horner so im fitting in.lol

June 30, 2010

Hey! I introduced Horner to Golden Oreo soup. He couldnt handle it. Too much sugar...Canadians.....BUT were having fun and conatcting a lot of referrals. LOTS of canceled appointments though. Were teaching some pretty sketch people. But hopefully well get some people on date soon. Were working hard though. President Winn is now in town. Going to meet him soon.

Quick story about a person we met..

Started teaching this couple who were supposedly wanting to change and be baptized and thought everything was going good. But as were leaving there apartment compex an old half toothless man with a huge blue parrot on his shoulder walked over yelling at us for teaching druggies and that we were helping the wrong people. Dude was crazy and mad! Just kept goin on and on bout how they were down with the drug dealers and shot up all the time. So few days later we called out our investigators and they said they wanted to be baptized so they could get some food orders and help paying bills. I was sooo mad. People here are starting to drive me crazy. The members are all holier than others and dont want to help the inactives. Everyone acts like a mission president and they dont know what they're talking about. Its sometimes really frustrating. Came here thinking the church would be solid and people would be down to work and helpful and the wards would be awesome. But I've yet to meet a ward like back home. BUT otherwise doing great. I just keep thinking about how i want to come home and do a lot of work there. BTW i get mail on Mondays not Tuesdays. Talk to ya next week. Hopefully have some better news then. :) Love you all