Week 2  Progress

Rachel wrote this! I'd say, progress.

What a better week. The week passed by so fast, I can't believe it is Wednesday already. I'll go through each day like I did last time. Wednesday I went to the temple and did a sealing session for the first time, it was awesome. I may or may have not started to fall asleep during one of them...........Thursday I taught my second lesson all in Georgian and it was A LOT better than my last lesson. It still wasn't amazing, but I actually knew what I was saying this time and remembered the lesson material. We learned numbers during that class. Brother Muir proceeded to then make me go up and down the stairs counting to 100 in Georgian. Each step I took represented a number, so 100 steps. It was a long counting session, let's just say. Numbers in Georgian go in 20's, unlike English, French, and I think Spanish where they go by 10's. Thursday I had a study-skills class. At the MTC they offer a two class program where they teach you how to better study the scriptures, so I signed up for it. I have to make my lessons really by myself, so I thought that if I knew the scriptures better it would help me with that. It was a good class. Proceeding afterwards I went straight to physical therapy. It was different. They started me with a hot pack on my back, then gave me a back massage (which was amazing), taught me some exercises, and I ended the whole thing with electric pads (I think that’s what they called them). Basically they put electric pads on my back that would stimulate my back? It felt really like a tingling massage. When they first told me that we were going to do some electric therapy at the end of the session, I definitely panicked a little bit, no lie, but it was fine.

That night I had class with Sister Reese and I got really frustrated. Not at Sister Reese, but at the little knowledge I have of the Georgian language. We were doing some teaching role plays, and I had to only use the Georgian I knew, which was very much limited. I wanted to say all these things, but I just couldn't because I didn't know Georgian. Let's just say I wasn't too optimistic of the lesson that I would then have to teach Friday. With some help from Sister Reese, as we did a "companion study" session, that lesson was planned and I taught it Friday morning. That lesson was decent I definitely knew what I was saying, but not so much of what Brother Muir was saying. He asked me what priesthood was, but I had no idea what he said. We played some good old charades, with me being very much confused for like 2 minutes. Glad that is over. After class I had a workshop for newer missionaries. They gave me the wrong room number, luckily with some other people. My companions had dropped me off, because they didn't have a workshop, and said they would come back later to pick me up when the workshop ended. However, when they left, me and the Korean branch (only the elders) realized they gave us the wrong room (I said hello in Korean to them, by the way). We went to the scheduling office got the right room number and I went with those elders to the real location. Yeah to being a solo missionary! After the workshop I went with the Armenian sisters who dropped me back off at the wrong location so that I could meet up with my companions. Luckily I found them.

That night for class I traveled with Sister Reese to the Armenian classroom to do a combined role play session, all in English. We learned about getting to know someone and how to gear your lesson to their needs. We then, by companionship, would teach an "investigator" (Sister Reese is pretending) using the tools we had just learned. I did have a companion for this and I actually did well! I did most of the talking, probably because I am so used to answering everything. But I knew what to say and I feel that the spirit was present, so yah! Then Saturday we didn't really do anything that exciting beside class and stuff. I played volleyball with my companion's district, the Russians. I spend most of the time with the Russian district and not really my own district. Two of the elders in the Russian district are suuuuuper tall. One is 7'1 and the other 6'8. Literally, when they kneel they are still taller than me, and I’m standing! Sunday was great. I finally was able to draw which was sooo nice [parent note, Rachel loves to draw for those that don’t know, it’s her passion in life].  My companions performed during sacrament. Sister Johnson played the piano and Sister Burrap sang with another Russian missionary. They were amazing. 

Armenia Sisters

Rachel obviously did NOT draw these...but she commented on how cute there!

Sacrament meeting at the MTC is very interesting. The prayers and most of the sacrament talks are in different languages. As missionaries if you are assigned to pray or give a talk (which is only like 3-5 minutes long) we have to say them in the language we are learning. The rest of it is in English because that is what the Branch President and his councilors speak. I was with my district the rest of the day. I was able to “fangirl” with one of the Armenian missionaries, as we both are into art and Japanese stuff, so we randomly say Japanese words and we both understand. SO that's awesome! The rest of the day was meetings. I've noticed I am able to comment more in them, which is something I am not very used it. I guess I'm so used to having to comment on everything, that now I have so much to say. Talk about progress. That night we watched the restoration video, and I really gained a new insight of the Book of Mormon. I knew the history of course, but seeing it played out on the screen gives you a whole different experience. I cried, (just like dad) when I felt the spirit. I especially cried because there was so much that went into the Book of Mormon and so much truth behind it, yet there are people on my mission who will not be able to read it because it hasn’t been translated fully yet in Georgian. This saddens me.

 Monday we did more role plays and I'm really improving. I had another workshop for new missionaries on technology and I went with the Armenian sisters for that. I didn't like this workshop and I'll tell you why. First, we are not a technology mission, especially Georgia because a lot of people don't have smart phones or many devices. Second, it mainly showed me what little resources I had for Georgian. There is literally almost nothing in Georgian. The LDS.org site has like five tabs, with very little things inside them in Georgian. We don't have a Book of Mormon app, nor is the mormon.org translated in Georgian, and the gospel library app has the exact same things as the tools in LDS.org. We don't even have any of the scriptures translated in Georgian on the gospel library app. If you go the lds.org or gospel library app, click on language and find: ქართული you will see what I mean. Very discouraging. Played volleyball with the Russian district after that. The night class I had, I finally memorized all of the first vision in Georgian! Well the first 2/3rds of it I have down, the ending is getting there. It's memorized, but when I say it out loud it's very choppy. Still working on it. Oh! I almost forgot. When I was leaving the workshop, a missionary opened the door for some girls to come in and left it open for us (me and the Armenian missionaries). I didn't really notice and went through the other one. I still wanted to say thank you so I turned to him and seeing the Japanese badge instantly said thank you in Japanese. It wasn't till I looked up that I realized that he was an actual native Japanese missionary. Like from Japan, and Japanese is his first language thing. He said you’re welcome in Japanese and went on his merry way with the rest of the Japanese missionaries. So I finally spoke Japanese to a real Japanese person! [Parent note, Rachel has a thing for Japan and the Japanese culture and began learning the language at age 16]. Although proceeding afterwards I wanted to like hide in corner.😬

Tuesday I had service, I swept the bathrooms, cleaned the shower drains, and wiped off the water fountains all at around 6:30 in the morning. Morning class was good, learned a lot of grammar. Fun fact that I learned during this week; to conjugate a Georgian verb you have to go through 7 STEPS! Take the infinitive then apply this formula: preverb +subject marker +mystery space + root +ending+subject marker. You will leave certain parts of the formula out depending upon if its series 1A, 1B, 2, or 3 (tenses) as well as if it’s in the first, second, third, or fourth conjugation. The mystery space has literally no pattern whatsoever, you just have to memorize it to the verb, so that's.....uh nice. There is 120 ways you conjugate a verb. Not joking, one hundred and twenty ways you can conjugate a verb. Like Georgia why?! Luckily I only have to learn to conjugate about 10 out of the 120. Brother Muir said in class that a lot of the grammar stuff I am picking up really quickly; quickly enough that he taught me some things that he wouldn’t teach missionaries usually until the 4th week. Although I understand the grammar and stuff I still have to apply it in normal conversation, which will “come with time” as Brother Muir said. Before class ended we moved classrooms, I was kicked out of my classroom and moved to a new one. Brother Muir got a text from his boss literally eight minutes before class ended saying that our class will be in another room. Fun stuff man. I included a picture of the new classroom (the one with the Georgian flag and a dark blue wall). That night something interesting happened, but honestly made my night. One of the sister missionaries over in Georgia at the moment has a brother at the MTC. I guess all the Georgian missionaries already know who I am and that I am coming, as well as that I am a solo missionary here at the MTC. This sister told her brother to find me and take a picture with me. So this elder and his companion asked both the Armenian and the Russian district where they might find a Sister Jensen serving in Georgia. They found me before devotional. He said hello in Georgian first, which instantly got my attention, because like no one knows Georgian and then he explained the situation. His sister was the only sister missionary when she was at the MTC, but at least had 2 elders going to Georgia with her and that it was hard for her, so she totally feels for me being the only missionary period. He and his companion are learning some dialect of Chinese, it looked like a mix between English and Chinese. We took a picture together so he can send it to his sister. So I'm famous! Woot Woot! Like no joke, I’ve had a few people stop by my classroom and say "so you’re the Georgian missionary." It's kind of weird. And here we are today. I have a lesson tonight, a lesson tomorrow, and a TRC [Teaching Resource Center] tomorrow night. TRC is where you teach members a lesson who speaks your language, so that will be interesting, as I am doing that alone, as always. A lot to prepare so little time. Hopefully things go well, you'll hear about those next week. Overall a good week besides the fact I'm fighting off a cold. The Russian district all got sick, and as I am with them a lot, so I also got sick. Luckily it came in waves, the throat first, the congestion second, and hopefully I don't get a fever. We will see.

I have really seen the miracle of looking outwards and not focusing on yourself as I wrote about in my previous letter. They weren't lying when the said service really can help you with your own problems. With the mindset that I'm here to learn for some else, and being diligent in that, I have seen a lot of miracles this week. At least smaller ones. All the role playing and lessons I prepare for I'm not fearful of, still nervous, but that fear is gone. I am able to answer questions to things I never thought I would ever be able to answer. I felt the spirit more. I'm understanding the language a whole lot better. I'm still making mistakes, but I least know that the mistakes I make now are for the benefit of someone else in the future. That really has kept me going. I'm like super happy all the time, with the occasional roller coaster of emotions, but it is definitely out weighted by the happiness I feel. I'm soaking this all in now because I know that in the mission it's going to get a lot harder. So I'll cherish the sweet moments now and worry later. Until next time!

-და ჯენსენი (Sister Jensen)

Rachel representing her favorite School Board candidate in the MTC!

(Parent note: Senior Missionary, Sister Donovan, pictured in the bottom photo, in the pink short sleeved sweater, we have been in contact with since Rachel was called to Georgia. A few days after Rachel left for the MTC I got an email from her expressing her excitement, along with all the missionaries, that Rachel is one step closer to joining them in Georgia. I shared with her a little about Rachel's first week. She let me know that Rachel's MTC experience will be very unique, her mission will be unique. She said Sister Jensen might feel and actually be a little on her own in the MTC, but rest assured she will  not be in Georiga. She will feel part of a very close knit group of 15 special missionaries in Georgia.  Sister Donovan contacted some of the parents of current missionaries in Georiga and asked if they would reach out to me and share some of the experiences they have had  with their child being on a mission in Georgia. Next thing I know I was receiving several emails from mother's of missionaries with pictures and all. One mother shared these two photos below. I then shared the photos and some of the words that were written in the emails in my weekly email with Rachel . She was so touched and said it "made my day"!

Service Project

Zone Conference with President and Sister Brostrom.