First week in the field-- survived and thriving!

So... I made a mistake in my last email-- My trainers name is Sister Robinson, not Robertson.

Well, can you blame me? Tuesday was BUSY!!!! You can't expect me to remember everything perfectly! There were meetings and tracking and more meetings and food and lots of people. But we did give away 3 Book of Mormons, Sister Robinson and I. And that was before we were an official companionship! (We did tracking, then we got our trainers. I was one of the few lucky ones where my tracking partner ended up being my companion.)

SO! On to more important matters.

The mission field is AWESOME. I'm so super excited to be serving out here!!!!! Emmett is lovely and cute-- it reminds me a lot of Mapleton or Spanish Fork. Smaller town with local business and lots of farmland. The people are SUPER sweet and kind. And The East Valley ward, like, WORSHIPS it's missionaries (aka me and Sister Robinson). They want to work so much with us! It really helps with the work.

We had two people commit to baptism this week! It's just a matter of setting a date. They're both over-aged youth, which we work with A LOT out here. One is Stephanie, who is a twelve year old girl, and the other is Dorian, who is a twelve year old boy. It makes me so happy! There is also Mary, who wants to be baptized, but she doesn't feel ready to yet (she won't come to church until she quits smoking, which is a little frustrating, but she's planning on quitting by next weekend so hopefully she'll be coming on SUNDAY!! *fingers crossed*). And we have Destinee, who's... 11 I think, and we're just waiting to hear from her uncle to set a baptism date.

We also had Tasha, an investigator, come to church on Sunday. YAY!

Erm... what else.... I feel like there's so much to write, but I can't remember what I need to write! haha

Sister Robinson and I get along really well. She's from Provo originally, and we actually know some of the same people, so it's sort of fun. She's also a total nerd, so every once in a while, we get off on nerdy topics like Doctor Who and music, but we pull ourselves back together. She's also an amazing singer. I love singing with her!

We live in a little rooftop apartment (that's at least what I call it-- Sis. Robinson calls it the treehouse. I'll send pictures next week.) above a garage. It's just cute, small, and dainty. I love it there! And we walk out to chickens every morning-- I'm not quite sure if they're the landlords chickens, or the neighbors, or the people living in the main house's chickens, but they're kind of fun to watch. I just love the little place we're living at!

We do a lot of less active visits here. Like, A LOT. We do that way more than actual investigators I think. But they're all super sweet. I think it's a matter of teaching them how to feel the spirit again rather than relying on what we bring in. It's kind of sad to me to see all of the inactive members out here. The Gospel brings such JOY! Why you would EVER want to leave it is just.... beyond me. I guess they just never really understood all that could come of it?..... I dunno. Anyways, they're all super nice.

There's just so many people to teach here! I'm so excited! Our days are FULL with people we need to visit. I'm so grateful that I'm out here, and I'm already seeing ways and reasons as to why the Lord needs me out here. So many people are starving for the Gospel and it's blessing here, and are getting little nibbles here and there, and now it's time to teach them how to invite it fully into their lives.

Um...... I guess that will be all for now? I think next weeks email will be better as I get more settled into the life as a missionary. Maybe then I can tell you more about my investigators and life here.

OH! And I'm super happy because my MTC companion Sister Johnston is in my district! And Elder Sulka is in my zone! It's nice to have part of my MTC district/family in the Middleton area with me. (Ah, right. I'm in the Emmett District. Probably ought to mention that.) God is good, He is good indeed.

Um.... and yeah. Can I say it's so nice to FINALLY be out here?! I love doing his work, and I can feel His blessing upon me. I hope that I serve Him well.

Love,

Sister Empey