Week 1 in Somerset, Kentucky

Hello family!

I feel it's been so long since I've emailed. I was so sad to leave the
MTC and all my new friends, but I knew I had to go to Kentucky
sometime. It was hard the first couple days. I'm serving in Somerset,
KY. It's about 3 hours south of Louisville. It's so far south it
almost touches the Nashville Tennessee mission. It's a cute little
town. All the stereotypes about Kentucky are absolutely true. Everyone
is very nice and friendly, but they are very deep in their own
religion. It's a very Southern Baptist town and there's a Baptist
church on every corner. Now I know what it's like to be a non-Mormon
in Utah!

My trainer, Sister France, is 20 and she is from St George. She's
going home in 3 months so I'm her last companion. She's nice. She can
get a little quiet and distant sometimes, but we still get along.
She's a very good missionary and has taught me so much. We have a car
too! Sister France does not currently have any driving privileges, so
I do all the driving. It's very rare for a greenie to drive, so I'm
lucky! We live in a nice apartment downtown. It has a washer and dryer
but no wifi!

The Somerset Branch has about 60 active members. The members are all
very nice. The branch president and his wife are from Utah as well as
some other members. There are quite a few older, single men in the
branch which surprised me. Two of them, Brother Johnson and Brother
Earl, help out the missionaries a lot. Brother Johnson comes with us
to lessons and is so funny. We just need to find a woman to come with
us so we can go out with them and not break mission rules. The women
are nice too. We watched the Women's Broadcast with the Relief Society
and they were all so funny. There are only 2 young men in the branch
and 1 young woman. When her family moves this summer, there will be no
young women! There are lots of primary kids.

As for our investigators.... They have all led very sad and suffering
lives. There's lots of abuse going on. There's also lots of illness.
One of our investigators with a baptismal date called us today in a
panic. His best friend was murdered last night and he witnessed the
entire thing. There are just situations the MTC could never prepare
you for.

I'm so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Atonement. Only
Jesus knows exactly what these people are going through. He suffered
on the cross and in the Garden so he would know our suffering.  We can
only be truly healed through God and Jesus Christ. When I feel like I
don't know how to help these people, I just remember that Heavenly
Father is aware of them and their sorrows. The greatest thing we can
hope for is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

I love and miss you all!
Sister Cressall