Musings in Mongolia: Transitions: President and Sister Clark leave mission, last English class

Chinggis Khan still rides at the National History Museum of Mongolia - the flag of peace in on the left and the flag of war is on the right

Clarks bid adieu. We had several events surrounding President and Sister Clark.

We had a last Senior Couples and Service Center Staff meeting, a final presidency meeting, a Chinese dinner out hosted by the Clarks and a Family Home Evening in honor of the Clarks.

Service Center, Mission Office and Senior Couples meeting

We gave them a surprise farewell gift of “Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty”,

and a memory book with each of our special photos and memories of the Clarks.

Farewell dinner hosted by the Clarks

There was plenty of socializing, reminiscing, and appreciations being expressed. What a tender and bittersweet moment for the Clarks to close out this chapter of their lives with Mongolia and the Mongolian people. Mongolia touches and changes the foreign missionaries who come here. They are surrounded by loving, fun, good-hearted people who cherish and live the gospel.

Last photo together

The new President, Joseph Benson and his wife Heidi, arrive on Tuesday and the Clarks leave Wednesday. A new chapter begins.

Our last English class until August. We draw close to our special English students who stick with us and get to know well. We had a readers’ theater, treats, and a demonstration of Family Tree using two of our students’ data and photos as examples. They were fascinated and captivated. We went a half hour overtime.

Beegii showing his Family Tree

Our sponsor brought in a tailor and deels for us to try on. They are getting ready to gift us a couple of deels and they were trying to select style, color and size with us. We will be “surprised” and delighted when we are given our deels.

Family History work moves ahead. With our freedom from English teaching, we are set to go to the All-Mongolia Youth Conference this coming week followed by a trip to Murun to work with the members there. We are preparing a couple of special family history experiences for the youth.

Cultural history and Family History are intertwined

This Youth Conference pioneering trek is a big deal. Over 350 youth and 50 adults are attending and simulating a Mormon Handcart company’s journey across the plains. There will be a special campfire program, a talent night, and testimony meeting on the last night of camp.

The youth are being asked to register and submit family information on Family Tree by September 30, 2013.

Last King and Queen of Mongolia 1911 - 1924

Darlene worked hard all day on Friday registering members on Family Search while I visited the National History Museum of Mongolia for a couple of hours.

Democracy comes to Mongolia in 1990

Statue of dog with tribal symbols below - in back of Parliament building

Hitler borrowed the swazticka from Mongolia

After Darlene finished piano teaching on Saturday morning we had an outing with the Stewarts and the Nays to see a herd of horses on the edge of the city.