MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! С РОЖДЕСТВОМ!!!
This week was a wonderful week in the great country of Russia:))) We got to go on two exchanges this week! Exchanges are just when we (as Sister Training Leaders) switch companions for a day with Sister's in other areas to assess their needs there and see how they're doing. It was really fun! This week, we got to go to Barnaul, a city south of Novosibirsk. Barnaul is a beautiful city, and it was even more beautiful because there were Christmas lights everywhere! Here, the big holiday around this time is actually New Years, and then they celebrate Christmas on January 7th, so all of the decorations were actually for New Year's, but they look about the same so it was fine:) I served for the day with Sister Kofford in Barnaul which was way fun! We made banana bread with a member and she gave US a spiritual thought which was really cool! She talked about love and how we need to show love for others more and show people we really care about them. She was a really funny person, but way cute.
The other exchange we had this week was with the other Novo sisters on Left Bank. I got to stay in my area and Sister Scott came to me;) We had a really fun time going to babooshki (grandma's) and we had a really good activity that night! We had our friends over at the church and played games together. Our last activity was kinda awkward, but this one was really fun!
We had our branch Christmas party this week! Sasha, a newer member, wrote the cutest little play about the birth of Jesus and the nativity story! Pretty much the whole branch participated and it was super cool to see them all work really hard to make the play happen. We had a few friends that came and they really enjoyed it! We also had a really less active member come and help a ton with the refreshments, so that was also really fun to see.
This week was a really great time, and I am so excited for next week and for CHRISTMAS! It is so fun to be here at this time of year, as a volunteer, because it really helps you focus on the real meaning of Christmas. I am very, very grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. It is because of Him and His sacrifice that we can choose to be better every day. We can be forgiven of our sins. We can find happiness and be free from guilt! Jesus Christ and His Atonement are the greatest gifts that God has given us. Please use them! It is sometimes hard to do what we know is right, but it is ALWAYS worth it. God can bless us so much more than anything of the world can. No money, no job, no possessions can bless us as much and give us as much happiness as the Lord can.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!! I love you all:))))
Sister Jones
Pictures:
Ice sculptures and lights in Novo!
Me and Sister Richardson:)))
