So today is Naadam. We got tickets for the opening ceremonies and saw a lot of really neat cultural events and a little bit of wrestling and archery! It was so unique! I love Mongolia! We also got stopped a lot and took a lot of random pictures with people. And almost everyone in our ward will be in the "Huduu" (the countryside.... we also think it could be considered a black hole...people just leave for the huduu whenever they want. They're still very nomadic!) Everything is closed today...there is no traffic...which is fabulous...I can't even tell you how many hours I have been stuck on a smelly crowded hot bus this last week.
Tserenhand's baptism was great! She was so happy! She was so ready. We went to talk about what she would need to do with her arms and stuff.... and afterwards she asked if we could read a scripture.... so she starts reading in 2 Nephi 31. So cute! And all of her missionaries sang, "I need thee every hour" which is her favorite song. She started crying immediately. She is the sweetest woman. However when we got to church she wasn't there, and she wasn't answering her phone. So we went over to her house to find her...which was very hard because of all the rain and flooding. There was a lake around her apartment building. But we got there. She was on her way out. So we tried going back together, but because of all the rain it was quite the challenge. She was so funny. She said, "we have to get to the church, I need to receive the Holy Ghost! But look at all this water and rain.” She had also caught a cold...because the baptismal water was so cold! I blame the elders. (wink) But we got there.... 25 minutes late but luckily for us, Sacrament meeting had just started (because everyone else was late as well). She was also really cute during the sacrament. She was sitting next to Sister Olsen and during the middle of the prayer starts talking to her.... but it was because she remembered what we had told her about feeling the same feelings as she did when she was baptized, and she felt it! She was very excited.
She will be a great member. She had great missionaries that got her to that point. I’m just grateful to be a part of it. It is so true. There are so many different parts of the work. There are a lot of sowers...that's what I get to do a lot and I love it. But this time I came in just to see the fruit of others labors. It's all so amazing! I love it!
2 Nephi 5:27..."and it came to pass that the lived after the manner of HAPPINESS"
And a quote from President Harper - while taking pictures of us, "beautiful sisters, ugly shoes."
#whatarethose