"Mom, who is Lorrie? She writes me every week!"

                                                                                                                                      Unlikely pen pals?

Perhaps.

But their story is truly adorable, a relationship that spans 15 years and two continents.

When Seth was five, he began an almost daily email correspondence with my longtime friend, Lorrie. I met Lorrie when I was 13 and joined The International Order of Rainbow for Girls. Later, we both attended Willamette University, though never at the same time; in fact, about the time I graduated from high school and headed off to college, she finished at Willamette, got married, and moved to Austria. Still, the friendship endured into our adulthood and eventual motherhood.

I can't remember exactly how Lorrie began her pen pal relationship with five-year-old Seth. It was 2005, and we had just a year earlier moved from our home in Washington to Billings, Montana. I had little to do with their correspondence, other than as transcriber. Seth would dictate what he wanted to say to Lorrie, and I would type it for him. Then he'd wait for her reply, and I'd read it to him.

I also don't remember much of the content of their conversations, but Lorrie does! Here is what she remembers:

"Oddly enough, the topics are at least somewhat similar to what we talk about now: Television/music, candy, and our faith. Back in the day, Seth would tell me he loved Sponge Bob... Sour Patch Kids, and Skittles. The conversation I most remember about his faith back then would make you and the bishop smile. He said something about God loving Mormons. I told Seth that He loves Methodists too [Lorrie is a Methodist], and that there is only one God. To that, Seth said, 'Yeah, but He is a Mormon!' Seth also told me back then that his wife would, yes, need to be a Mormon and obey him!"

Seth, of course, has no memory of any of these conversations. Lorrie and I remember as if it all happened yesterday, but Seth? Nothing. Sadly, he doesn't ever remember Lorrie! She lives in the Portland/Vancouver area, and we live in Utah. I go home to Portland fairly regularly, but no, I never have Seth with me. Seth and Lorrie have met in person only a couple times, both well over 10 years ago.

And now Seth is 19 and a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving the people of Paraguay. Ever since he left in August of 2018, Lorrie has received his weekly group email and faithfully responded:

"Mom, who is Lorrie? She writes to me every single week?!"

"Seth, you don't remember my good friend, Lorrie? Really, you don't? You used to email her every day when you were five."

He doesn't remember. And yet. He so appreciates her letters now. He feels her support and love. She is not a member of our church, yet she supports Seth on his mission because she cares about him. And me. Though she's never sent off a missionary herself, she empathizes with my situation and how much I miss him.

What do the two of them talk about now, I wonder? Hopefully NOT how Seth's future wife will need to obey him!!!!  Gracious.

 Here's what Lorrie says:

"Now, we don't talk about television since he is on a mission, and I don't want to distract him. He occasionally mentions something in the news that he heard somewhere, but I don't engage in that or initiate anything new about TV since he can't see it. He mentioned he's looking forward to hearing Taylor Swift's new CD. He also said he's so thankful for anything you [mom] send him because of the sub-standard candy quality in Paraguay. As you and everyone else on his email list are aware, Seth writes predominantly about his faith. He is a powerful witness for Christ. I think his early convictions as a kindergartner have only gained momentum along the way and have exploded in the mission field. Just last Monday, he thanked me for writing to him. He said he was sorry he couldn't write more. I think it is very important to consistently support a missionary through letters. I think it matters to him, now even more than it did when he was five."

I agree.

I am grateful to Lorrie, more than I can say, for her devotion to my son, way back when he was five, and right now as he walks the streets of Paraguay.