The First Area

Welcome to Latter-day Missionary, a weekly podcast that gives you a raw, unscripted look at what it's really like to serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every week, Sister Hannah Cheney will jump on a call with her dad, Edgar, to share stories about the people she's meeting, the lessons she's learning, and the everyday reality of missionary life. Whether you're preparing to serve, have already served, or are simply curious about the 84,000+ missionaries serving around the world, we are so glad you are here. In this episode, Hannah and Edgar finally arrive at the moment so many listeners have been waiting for: Hannah's very first day in the mission field. From a 1 a.m. wake-up call in Mexico City to her first door knock in Texas, this conversation is raw, emotional, and full of the kind of details you won't find anywhere else. In this episode, we dive into: Leaving the MTC: Hannah shares what it was like to pack up in the middle of the night, board a plane on almost no sleep, and touch down in Texas knowing she wouldn't be going home for a year and a half. Arriving in the Mission Field: The sandwiches, the bus ride, the mission home, the orientation, and the overwhelming flood of information that Hannah admits she barely remembers now. Transfer Day: What actually happens when hundreds of missionaries all switch areas and companions on the same chaotic day, and why Hannah describes it as one of the strangest experiences of her life. Meeting Her Trainer: How Hannah's first companion came sprinting across the room to hug her before she even knew her name, and what those first hours together looked like. The First Door and the First Lesson: Hannah shares the memory of knocking her very first door, terrified, in a neighborhood she had never seen before. She also shares the lesson that followed, and the moment that made all the fear suddenly feel worth it. Falling in Love with the Area: Green trees, broken-down houses, a little coffee shop where they did their studies, and a community of Spanish-speaking people so warm and generous it caught Hannah completely off guard. Poverty and Gratitude: Both Hannah and Edgar reflect on what it means to visit people who have almost nothing and watch them try to give you everything. Including a chandelier. The episode closes with Psalm 27:1, a scripture Edgar had been reading in his personal study: "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" It is a fitting close for an episode all about walking into the unknown and discovering that God was already there. If you have ever been terrified to start something new and wondered whether you would be okay, this episode is for you. Tune in next week for our next episode!