Such a Great Week!

Watching a 5k run (my church in the background)

This week was awesome! As it is summer now in Mongolia, many of those we were teaching moved to the countryside... so our work has been suffering a little bit... okay, a lot. So, my comp and I have decided to start finding through members. We have been meeting with so many members and it was been so fun! I love hearing their conversion stories, looking through albums, eating yummy food, and having fun FHE with them! And it has been working, we have found many people to teach, and we are excited to see how some of those go. 

We met with Maria this week, she is 19 yrs old. She is studying at the medical university here to become a doctor, and is seriously so awesome! As we were teaching about God and prayer, she was understanding so well! She kept saying she really wants to believe and that she feels His love and the holy ghost. Then I had the idea to ask her, if God was in this room with us right now, what would you say to Him? She then pretended to hug someone really tight. and said, "Bayarlalaa!" (thank you). How amazing is that!? She wants to hug God and tell Him thank you!!! We then had this amazing discussion about God and the blessings He gives us and that we really can talk to Him through prayer and that we can feel His love, and sometimes like a hug from God through the holy ghost. It was awesome! Then she said her first prayer and spent the whole time thanking Him for sending us and the gospel and her family... it was so cute! We really love her! AND we might start teaching her family as well!

Also, when I first got to this ward,w e were meeting with a 17 yr old boy who's mom is shamin... well he will be 18 in a couple weeks and so I have been trying to contact him to get him coming to church again and he came Sunday! And as soon as he turns 18, we will begin meeting with him again, and he can't wait for it to happen too!!!! I am so excited!

Goodbye wonderful students!

On a slightly sad note, my immigration English students left for their homes in the countryside this week, so I had to say goodbye. I wrote them cute notes in English  they took pictures with me and gave me chocolate as well. It was bittersweet. I've really come to love them and care for these amazing people. English teaching is a really amazing thing and I''m grateful for this special service opportunity here to teach English to Mongolians.

Back on a nice note....it is great being with an American again! We are sharing clothes, chatting up a storm, and making yummy American food!!! This week we made fettuccine alfredo, banana bread, pancakes, and because tomorrow is my companion's birthday, we are going to an American diner today for true American food!!!!! We are so excited!!!!!

Saturday, we got to go to almost the countryside for a relief society and primary activity and it was so fun! We had REAL Mongolian barbecue, played volleyball, badminton, soccer, and had competitions ... one of which I won - jump roping as many times as possible with a partner together. okay, I am running out of time, so I will just add pics.... I love you all! I love Mongolia!!! I love these people and this work!!!

REAL Mongolian barbeque - ALL parts of a sheep,
the intestines are filled with blood!