Wednesday, September 25, 2019

"Go Forward with Faith" - September 25, 2019



 Hello!

I love you!

Wow, I can't believe I'm writing a missionary email to you! I'm so happy to be a missionary and Sister Allen is so good! This week has been an absolutely incredible rollercoaster. I don't even know where to start! I want to tell you and the family every detail! I'll just start at the beginning and get as far as I can. I'm thinking about starting on this email and copying/pasting some things to a group email but not everything. 

How is everyone?? I've been thinking about you ALL WEEK! As I waved goodbye, we carried everything up stairs to the outside big area you can see from the road. I kept watching for the van but didn't see it. I'm glad you honked! I walked from table to table in the new building lobby where a nice Grandma put on my missionary tag!!!!!! AHHHH!!!! I kept looking at it all day and every night I prop it up where I can see it while I lay down. I love seeing the Hungarian and the coolest part is that all the tags you see people wearing have Jesus Christ's name bolded, no matter what language it's in. Sister Allen and I always feel so happy when we see other missionaries and tags and our own tags. 
We took my luggage to my room--on the 4th floor and I sleep on the top bunk above Sister Allen. Then that nice Sister Missionary said goodbye and sent me to another building where they gave me a Samsung phone and case to use here at the MTC. We use it to see our daily schedule and to take pictures. I was by myself now so someone else pointed me to the classroom building (T2) where I walked up to the 4th floor and found the HUNGARIAN CLASSROOM! (we actually have since switched to a bigger classroom on the 5th floor that has more desks and bigger windows.)

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

To the MTC - September 18, 2019

 Sister Emma Rae Francis left for the Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, September 18th, 2019. She packed up her pink suitcases!


 She said farewell to the goats!

 Picking up Sam and Ben!
 We ate lunch on their house lawn together.
 A cute house!
 Handing off the family missionary plaque - Forget yourself and go to work!

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Setting Apart - September 17, 2019

Sister Emma Rae Francis was set apart as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Tuesday, September 17th by President Ferrin Squires.
Her grandpas, Tom Hunsaker and Joe Francis, and Bishop Steve Eller assisted.

It was a special and sacred event to hear President Squirres give her some final cousel before she left.

 Blue missionary shoes!



 Afterwards she hung her missionary picture up on the stake bulletin board. She is the only sister missionary currently serving from our ward!


Sunday, September 15, 2019

Farewell, Sister Francis - September 15, 2019


Sister Emma Rae Francis spoke in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday, September 15, 2019.
Her topic was JOY! A perfect subject for a missionary.

She shared a beautiful testimony about elements of her life which had brought her joy and taught her the truthfulness of the gospel: her family, her faith - specifically a testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith and our living prophet, Russell M. Nelson. She shared about her desire to share the gospel, which was enhanced when she spent 3 weeks in China and felt a strong desire to share her testimony of Jesus Christ.

She closed by sharing a few phrases of her testimony in Hungarian! Emma has been taking daily Hungarian lessons through her future MTC teacher for the past three weeks.

After she spoke we all stood and sang "Called to Serve." It was a beautiful meeting!

Later that afternoon friends and family gathered at the Francis Farm to wish her well.

A beautiful day!