SQUIRRELS and NEW HAIR!

HEY EVERYBODY!!! So - first things first! Transfers were on Thursday, and yes, I did get a new companion. Sister Schramm and I were just getting along too well, Heavenly Father knew that he had to split us up! Darn it! :( It's ok, though. Cause even though I miss Sister Schramm, I have Sister McKenna now, and she's wonderful, too! The funny thing is that Sister Akin (my trainee), Sister Schramm, and Sister McKenna were all in the MTC together, and even in the same District - in fact, Sis. Schramm and Sis. McKenna were MTC comp's! Crazy, huh?? So we're predicting that after Sis. McKenna and I get split up that I'll get Sis. Akin's MTC comp. as my next companion, which is Sis. Christainsen. Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see! :) This past week was pretty crazy with transfers, so I'll do my best to tell you all of the highlights that we've had! :) Oh! But first before I do that, I just realized that I've been neglecting to tell y'all about a HUGE event that happened a few weeks ago with our DL, Elder Stone and his comp. Elder Harper! So, I'll do my best to paint the best picture of this for y'all so that you can fully enjoy this moment as much as Sister Schramm and I did! Once upon a time, at the very beginning of this past transfer of me and Sis. Schramm together, we discovered that we both have an abnormal fascination with squirrels. We don't know why, but do we really need a reason?? I mean, come on. They're SQUIRRELS. What's NOT to love and be fascinated in?? 'Nuf said. So - now fast-forward back to about three weeks later. Elder Harper had carved Jesus' face into a pumpkin and put it on their balcony. Well, what Elder Harper DIDN'T know was that squirrels eat pumpkins. In fact, they LOVE pumpkins. So, a few days later, he went back out to the balcony and saw a squirrel chillin' inside his pumpkin. So, remembering the very first words out of Sister Schramm's and my mouth being about how much we LOVE LOVE LOVE squirrels, he thought that it would be a good idea to bring the pumpkin inside and capture the squirrel and then show it to us... Well, what he also didn't realize is that Squirrels don't like being captured by humans in their apartments. They really just wanna eat their pumpkins and be left alone. So, needless to say, the squirrel was MUY (VERY) upset when it realized that it was being captured and then that its capture was also creating a video in the mean time to show his fellow missionaries (specifically certain Sisters) about it being captured. Elders Stone and Harper then had the BRILLIANT idea to take off the plastic or glass see-through container that they had on top of it in the pumpkin for a while and attempt to place a plastic crate on top of it to keep it captured, but allow it to breathe better... As they were in the midst of making the switch of capturing devices, the squirrel darted out of the pumpkin and into what it hoped to be freedom at last! However, to its despair, it was still captured in their apartment... So it then continued to dart to and fro around their apartment for a period of about 45 minutes while Elder Stone (who resembles Cory Ruward quite well in height and stature) proceeded to chase the squirrel around with his bathrobe on backwards over his clothes, and wearing gloves. The squirrel eventually leaped onto their therma-stat and broke it... After having so much fun, both the squirrel and the Elders had finally had enough of their game of capture and tag, so the Elders opened their door and the squirrel ran away. The squirrel still holds a vendetta against these Elders - particularly Elder Stone. Seriously - I'm pretty sure that the squirrel spread the word to all of his friends and family in town, cause whenever there's a squirrel near their apartment and it sees one of the Elders, it will immediately run up a tree and then proceed to make warning calls to those around. Seriously - they make squawking sounds (kinda like Lola does when she's upset); and now they particularly direct these sounds to the Elders. They also throw acorns at the Elders as they ride their bikes or walk. True story. Well, I guess that's what they get for temporarily holding a squirrel hostage. HAHAHA!!! Oh man! Don't worry - I've made a deal with the Elders to get a copy of the videos from them, and I will be sure to put them on a jump-drive and send them home soon so that you all can enjoy! :) Well, anyways, now I REALLY don't have much time to tell you about this past week, but I just HAD to tell you about that because I've been DYING to tell y'all about that for WEEKS now, but I've just been forgetting! So - here are some highlights from this week! Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were pretty much times that Sister Schramm said her goodbyes to people - especially Wednesday cause we got the for sure call on Tuesday night confirming our suspicions. So Monday we had a lesson with Opoku, which was really great! We finished talking about the Restoration, which was really good! :) Tuesday we visited with the Shengs, which was really good! I love them SOOOO much! They are seriously one of the cutest and kindest families I've ever met! After the Shengs, we had dinner with the Kachers, and they're adorable, too! That night, we had our usual Gospel Principles class, which went AMAZINGLY well - especially considering Sis. Schramm and I taught it with only a couple of hours notice! What can I say? The church is true! Wednesday we had a lesson with Wondifraw, and he's pretty much still the same. He comes to church every week, but he's not progressing in the sense that he doesn't wanna get baptized - not anytime soon, anyways. But it's ok, I guess. At least we're doing our part to bring him closer to the gospel. After Wondifraw, we went over and visited with Sister Davis and assembled another bookshelf for her. What can I say?? We're practically carpenters. :) After Sister Davis, we had dinner with the Ormes, and they are WONDERFUL! I love them SO much! :) After the Ormes, we went and visited a few other people, like Sis. K. and Jenny, so that Sis. Schramm could finish saying her goodbyes. Also - that day someone fed us an omlet, and let's just say that it was not American cheese in that, and we both (especially I) felt sick after it. Oh, the things that you do to be nice to people as a missionary, including eating questionable food. At least with me, it's been nice being a vegetarian and having other food allergies, because it usually keeps me from being in those types of situations. ...Not this time... Haha... Not much time left, so I'll just quickly tell you this last quick thing, then I'll tell you about Sis. McKenna and the rest of the week next week! Sister Sheng is a hairstylist, so she actually put highlights in my hair today - and FOR FREE, too! She's WONDERFUL!!! I'll take a picture and send that next week as well! Oh! And Cory! Thank you SO much for the extra cash in my account this week! I was able to get some more warm cloths such as a scarf and hat and gloves - all of the nice winter necessities that I left back home. Haha. But now I won't freeze - and I'll be cute and stylish! Thanks again! :) Anyways, I love you all SO much! Thank you SO much for writing me - those of you who have been! E-mailing counts, too! I just print it off and read it later! PLEASE write me!!! :) I LOVE YOU ALL! Y'all are in my thoughts and prayers! Love always, Sister Aubrie Orrock