FREEPORT ILLINOIS

I honestly don't know where to start so much has happened since last P-day.......................

The MTC was great and I will miss my district a lot. We really grew so close.

I think we forgot what how to function in the outside world. We fell down the escalator on our way to the airport........... there was an Hermana that is also in Chicago and she fell backwards and Sister Prisbrey SAVED HER. But then their luggage was all messed up. but we were like "Okay, that was close. we will wait until we get to the top and we will be fine." But then we get to the top and everything starts jamming up and we jump over all the luggage to get out of the way and sister young rides the moving handrail to the top. but more and more luggage and missionaries are getting more stuck on this escalator. So we start moving all the luggage out of the way and eventually we save the day!
...and all the elders behind us were fine....It was crazy. And then we have to pull our luggage accross this super rocky pathway that would not let the wheels on our luggage work and the wind was so strong so we were pulling this luggage through the wind trying to keep our skirts from flying up at the same time and I felt like a pioneer pulling her handcart. we made it though. And eventually we were on our plane on our way to CHICAGO. 

I placed my first Book of Mormon that night (It was seriously the longest day of my life). His name was Abraham and he was Muslim and had never heard of Mormons or Utah and was super fascinated by the idea of modern prophets. I hope he reads it..... 

The next day was also super long. We went to the Naperville stake center and we were all assigned to our trainers. President Griffin likes to make things as suspenseful as possible. But soon SISTER MADSEN walked up and pointed to a small town in North-western Illinois called Freeport. President Griffin asked what she knew about Freeport. She had already served there for a transfer so she said that in Freeport there is a lot of corn and a lot of gangs. They recently baptized four kids (La'shay, Malichi, Roshea, and Keynora) and that she loves it. Then, President Griffin said that I would be her companion!! I was so pumped!!!
Sister Madsen is great. Her name is Hannah. My name is Hannah. She went to Utah State. I went to Utah State. She has brown hair. I have brown hair. She's really cool. I'm really cool. Haha

After the meeting we got a ride from our Ward Mission leader and the sweetest and sassiest lady Sister Ensign who was the first member out here in Freeport and has done so much to help build the church here. I was so out of it and so tired so they were talking to us but I could not stay awake so I was asleep for the first hour of that car ride and Sister Madsen just talked for me. But then we got something to eat and I was able to stay awake for the next hour. 

Lets be honest, this first week has been a little rough. It was hard because I don't know anyone. How could I plan or know who to talk to or where to go when I have never metanyone in Illinois before?? We had kinda a slow week.We didn't teach any investigators. We almost got a lesson with one of our investigators named Tarrone (Street Name: Jameal). He is super nice and I want to teach him so bad because he reads the book of Mormon but just won't come to church...but he hard core dodged us. But I believe in big and powerful change and we WILL have success here in Freeport.

Church yesterday was amazing though. It was good to meet more people and hear their testimonies. I love the members here. They are so many that are such amazing member missionaries. Sister Duede. I love her. She just gave us a referral on Saturday and we will teach her on THURSDAY. I am so excited I will tell you how that goes next Monday. Another good member missionary is Amber. She was baptized about a year ago. She met with the missionaries and then told her husband "Well, you better go find a white shirt because we're going to church on Sunday". Ever since she has called all the sisters her "her girls" and feeds us every week. We are so blessed here in Freeport. The kids that they have just baptized are the funniest sweetest kids. We were talking to some people before the meeting started and out of the blue someone comes up and just gives me the biggest hug ever. I was super shocked but it was Roshae she was like "Welcome to Freeport Sister Corbett!" and then she bore her testimony and said "Thank you for coming to Illinois Sister Corbett"  I just about died. They are the cutest and I can't wait to get to know them better. That testimony meeting was the best though. The spirit was so strong. These members are basically all converts and as their shared their testimonies I have never felt so strongly that this truly is the one and only true church. THE CHURCH IS TRUE.

I am so excited to be here in Freeport and to get out and serve these people and get to know them better. I have already heard so many amazing stories about Freeport because people here are the best. Some are a little crazy and there are some streets we just don't tract or walk down but I love it here. The highschool mascot here is A PRETZEL. I'm not kidding there is seriously a giant pretzel painted on their football field. And I don't think anyone realizes it's weird because everyone wears shirts and has signs in their yard and they all just have so much Pretzel Pride. 

I LOVE YOU ALL, 

Sister Hannah Corbett