New missionaries arrive and International Women's Day

A man and his horse-drawn cart outside of our church

Ulaanbaatar felt a little like spring most of the week with one cold day with snow flurries thrown in the mix. That day reminded us of the prairie weather in the Dakotas when the wind blows. On the other days, the heavy coats and boots came off and we donned lighter winter clothing. Finally!

View from our balcony - proof that spring has arrived

Reinforcements arrive. Six new missionaries (4 Elders and 2 Sisters) from the United States arrived in two groups. They are the first young foreign missionaries to be allowed in Mongolia in 11 months. 

Elder Muldowney (Greenie) and Elder Neuberger

We are expecting another group in early June. The seven Mongolians recently called to this mission will arrive from their two weeks at the Phillipine MTC this week to complete the missionary transfer.  

Missionaries getting ready for a transfer to new companions

It was fun to see the wonderment and excitement they bring. They are finally in their mission field and assigned to their new companions. 

Elder Odd - Od in Mongolian means "star" 

We greeted Elder Odd from Menden, Utah. It seems he was reading this blog while he was waiting to go into the MTC. He jokingly blamed his poor chemistry grade on this distraction.

These two ladies were headed in opposite directions when they stopped to chat with each other. We happened along and couldn't resist asking for their pictture.

International Women’s Day. This is a combination of Valentine and Mother’s Day in which all women are honored. It is a National holiday from work. Our English class the night before the holiday was cancelled because all women in the workplace gather and have office parties.

Women are celebrated in Mongolia

Men were frantically buying gifts, candies, flowers and cakes to take home. The next day some businesses were open but the traffic was miniscule compared to the night before when it seemed like everyone was on the road, sidewalks, or in stores.

Car dodging a cement block "cone" warning of a hole in the road in front of Millies. It gets their attention. It got ours.

Eating out. We celebrated Women's Day by taking the Englands out to eat at Millie’s – an ex-patriot restaurant that serves American food. We missed our turn to host them when they arrived in January because of our health issues. 

Baptisms at Sukhbaatar Branch

We concluded the night by going to a baptism service at our Branch. 

Dinner at Naamastes - the Englands are on the left and Richardsons are on the right

On Saturday night, we joined the Englands and the Richardsons again for a second night out at our favorite Indian restaurant, Naamaste. One survey has it rated the 3^rd best restaurant in Ulaanbaatar.We agree! We haven't found Numbers 1 or 2 yet.

The Richardsons are in their last two weeks of their 23 month Humanitarian Service mission. We will miss them for many reasons.

Half of the group at our UB consultant training meeting

Consultant training. We had a successful Family History Consultant meeting on Saturday. Elder Watson, President of the Asian Area mission, was in Ulaanbaatar for priesthood leadership training.

The other half

He took time out of his schedule to come and address our consultants with some inspirational remarks. 

Group shot of our consultants with Elder Watson in the back. Sister Farmer is flanked by Ulzicka and her mother, two our our daughter Tawny's converts when she served in Mongolia

After the meeting he posed with our group of Family History consultants and leaders. On the way to the airport that night, he told President Clark how special that experience was for him.

Ulzicka served as the translator for myself, Sister Farmer and Elder Watson

Mongolian language. Darlene is hard at it. She takes advantage of any Mongolian’s presence in her path to learn or practice a few words. 

Every spare minute

Most are thrilled (not all taxi drivers want to chat but some do) and like helping her. The Mongolian and American missionaries, cleaning ladies, translators, and the security guards are frequent targets and they like teaching her as much as she likes learning.

Impromptu Monglian lesson

20th Anniversary of the Mongolian Mission. April, our daughter-in-law, will join three of our daughters in coming to Mongolia for the 20^th year commemoration of the Mongolian mission. What a dream week that will be. We spent some time this week preparing displays for both this week’s consultant training and for a Family History open house on Friday afternoon during the 20^th Commemoration week.

We will show them the old and the new

Between now and then we will be busy with: learning Mongolian, Family History training in Erdenet, speaking in a UB branch sacrament meeting, holding two more marriage classes, teaching and finishing up one trimester of English classes with our current students, starting a new class, teaching English to the chairman of our sponsor’s company, teaching piano, training FH consultants, and working with members preparing to go to the temple on March 22. If you read this blog regularly, you will keep up with our work here.

Sukhbaatar Branch primary

A wonderful mission. We try to keep an eye out for anything cultural or unique in Mongolia and enjoy this country to its fullest. We love the discovery and adventure of being in this country. We have a sense of reward and purpose to what we are doing. 

Despite the whirlwind of activities, we feel calm, peaceful and content.The association with members, young missionaries, senior couples, little children, and English students is the best part of this mission. 

The children are irresistible

We are going to take a second run at a records acquisition project for Mongolia. That would be the cherry on the cake. Maybe better said, it would be the cake under 100 exquisite cherries. 

Terelj - a bit of heaven in Mongolia