Week 66  New Year 2020!

Happy new years and შობას გილოცავთ (Merry Georgian Christmas. Georgians celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January)! I cant believe that it is 2020. I feel like it was yesterday when I was in my training when the 2019 new year hit. Well, 2019 went by in a blur. Monday was the branch Christmas activity and it was so fun. The missionaries did a nativity scene reenactment that one of members put together. It was really well planned out, and actually went amazing. I was Mary or over here they call her Mariami. Tuesday everything started to close down. We had to be inside by 6pm for safety and the sisters came to our apartment (sister mercer and sister Reynolds). We partied hard, lol. We made pizza, ate a ton of sugar, watched the Best Two Years, and basically just goofed around until the fireworks. So here in Georgia new years is insane, everyone does fireworks. So it's a 360 degree firework show. We went on the roof and watched it. Almost got hit by a firework actually😅. People just shoot them off their balconies...probably not the safest thing but its super cool to watch! The next day Georgia is a ghost town, everything is closed and no one really is outside. We joined a meeting with the sisters investigator cause the guy they are teaching is moving and I wanted to say goodbye. When Sister Mercer and I were on splits we found this guy. He is super cool and has already finished reading the Book of Mormon and knows it's true. I got to use my Persian testimony on him too! H said I have a good accent. So "imma" going to learn Persian when I get home. Add that on to my Japanese. We deep cleaned the downstairs library/closet finally, there was so much unneeded crap down there, I'll will attach a picture of all the stuff we had to throw out. Mom would not approve of that closet. Friday we met with some members in Rustavi. Saturday we went to an old folks home with all the missionaries. It was the same one I went to last year around Christmas. We danced and sang and later they fed us something called ღომი (ghomi) which is corn meal and cheese curds on top...not a fan. I gave most of mine to the elders. Sunday was a little sad, one of the members passed away. It was cool however to see how many people went up to bare there testimony about the Plan of Salvation. I also went up if you believe that! I have never voluntarily went up to give my testimony. Usually someone has to ask me or I have born it at the end of a lesson or talk.  But, this time I went up. I shared about my experience with my grandmother passing. I talked about how I was a little angry at God for letting such a sad thing happen during the Christmas season, but later the spirit reminded me of the real reason we celebrate Christmas and that is Christ. So my anger turned to gratitude remembering that because of Christ our families can be together again. We taught primary after that and as usually it was insane...but it has gotten a little better so yeah for more progress. Monday we went to go see the family members of the person who passed away with the missionaries in the branch and some members...well we all got lost for like 3 hours only to find the place and then to find them not even there....yeah that was interesting.

Spiritual thought: Well, my year to the lord, 2019, is officially over...and it's kinda weird. (that's we call it on our mission, a full year of missionary service). Wow how much has happened in the past year and oh how much I have learned. God has been with my through all of it and it's cool to look back and see that. I wouldn't take back this year for anything. 2019 is year I will never forget. I have met so many amazing people, made so many meaningful memories, and have gotten so much closer to God through it all. I will cherish this time for the rest of my life. This year my resolutions are different, since last time when I made them I knew I was going to be a missionary the entire year...now I only got like 3 months....which is weird. I still have a lot of time...but not like a full year like before. Man how time flies. Overall I've never been so happy in my life and I know the main reason is because I never been this close to God before in my life. They're right when they say the gospel brings so much joy, because I can feel it.

Well that was the week(and year😉) til next time!

-და ჯენსენი