Transfer Week Came .. Where Did I Go?

So I know you are all waiting for the big news on the transfers, so here's the low down....

Transfers was Thursday, so Wednesday, we were given the big transfer news... which had been prefaced by jokes by our ZL'S and DL's on the few days before... so annoying! Transfers is not something to joke about!! Seriously!

So, the greenies came and the transfer was BIG! Lots of people got transfered and far too! My comp (Sister Solongo) got transferred to a branch in UB and she is training on of the new American missionaries! Quick shout out to my MTC comp, Sister Westover who became a mother this week!!! yep, she's training a newbie... she rocks!!! Mundag shuu!

As for me... I'm STILL IN ERDENET!!! woohoo! I'm so lucky!! AND I still get to work in both branches, so I don't lose any of my investigators! Seriously lucky! And my new comp is Sister Bolor-Erdene. She is from the real countryside in Mongolia, but was in UB the last few years for school and work (she is a teacher). She is 23 yrs old and also from my GROUP (we will get to be together for our half-way mark at Christmas). Also, do you remember my 2nd mission "mom" Naranzulth. Well she was Bolor-Erdene's trainer as well, so that makes us step sisters in the mission (Naranzulth was my 2nd mom "step-mom").She was trained in Erdenet, and when I came here, I took her spot and now she is back! It's awesome because I don't have to teach her the area, she knows lots of old investigators who she has already contacted and we will begin meeting with again... so our teaching pool has grown even more!!! I love her so much! She is really awesome and we get along great! We are going to do great work together- I can already tell. We both looove this area and these people and it's going to show for sure :)

Oh, and Erdenet has 6 missionaries now! 4 elders and us. One companionship of elders works in Erdenet 1 branch (both American), and one works in Bulgan and Erdenet 2... but we work in both!!

So because of transfers, Wednesday night we didn't sleep much as my comp packed and prepped to leave. Then Wednesday, we rushed like mad women to get tickets for the 10 o'clock bus to UB, went to seminary to say goodbye to the youth, got her glasses at a member's house where she left them, finished packing, and left. We got into UB around 4, then sat in a taxi until 5ish when we got to the mission home. We met a couple of the newbies (they are so scared... was I like that?), I did some errands really fast (got things we can't get in the countryside), then at 6 left with my STL's, one of their new comps (a mini missionary) and the new Erdenet Elders for the overnight train back. My comp was serving in Darhan, so at about midnight the train got into Darhan, dropped off the sisters and picked up my comp, then we all continued onward to Erdenet. And we got back Friday, cleaned, unpacked, planned, and met people! Woohoo! Lots and lots of traveling in very little time!

Also, news on our work here in Erdenet!!!

1) A very cute couple who Bolor-Erdene taught when she was here, and who I have been teaching ever since will finally be able to get their marriage certificate today!!! Which means, if all goes well, that they will do their interview this week and get baptized next week!!! They are so ready... they have a rock solid testimony and will be amazing leaders here!

2) An investigator who Bolor-Erdene taught all the lessons to and even did and passed his interview, but then went to the countryside is BACK! We are meeting him today and he too should be able to get baptized soon! 

3) Another golden investigator is almost done with all her lessons, and if everything goes well will be baptized with the couple next week!

WE HAVE TONS OF OTHER INVESTIGATORS AND FAMILY WHO ARE PROGRESSING AMAZINGLY!!! The work in Erdenet is definitely hastening and I'm so glad to be a part of it! My previous comp and I did a lot of finding and teaching and now, with this comp, we get to do the reaping (well, the Lord does the reaping, we are merely his tools to do so).

On a different note, I think last week, I told you guys about the blind ALA lady here, right? Well, yesterday we left 2 hours early to pick her up and take her to church and then brought her home after. She was so incredibly thankful and kept talking about how God was using us to answer her prayers and bless her life. This experience truly felt like what the scriptures talk about when they say we should leave the 99 to find the 1. This is missionary work. This is what the Lord desires, that all his lost sheep may be found and brought back to the herd. It was an amazing experience, and we will be doing this weekly now, so that she can come to church :) I love her and I love this work!!!

Let me know if you have any questions! I would love to hear from all of you! Miss ya! Praying for you all! 

ADDITIONAL INFO (an email 'conversation'):

Mom: Do you think more missionaries in UB get to become trainers because there are more people that have to stay in UB because of their visa/English teaching requirements?

Emily: Yes, lots of people in UB become trainers because almost all American missionaries teach at schools so they have to be trained in UB (there are only 8 church visas - teaching English classes for free at the church like I do). It's possible that I could train a Mongolian because they can go anywhere. My visa is a blessing because the mission president has full freedom of where he can send me... no restrictions!

Mom: How many missionaries are in the mission total?

Emily: There are only Americans and Mongolians in this mission (Americans of different ethnicity, but Americans). Right now I think there are just under 60 American missionaries here. The other visas are all schools or organizations- universities elementary, high school, some private schools, some organizations, etc.

Mom: Did you get a new older couple?

Emily: No new senior couple but a new mission doctor and his wife arrived this week, woohoo!

Mom: What?

Emily: Yep, there are two missions in the world with a doctor and ours is one. Something about the food and conditions here means we have to have a doctor. Missionaries are constantly sick here, so there is a real need. In fact we had another elder leave 3 weeks ago because he was sick :(

Mom: What kind of sickness?

Emily: A lot of it is digestion stuff. The food and what not here is sketch... we have to bleach veggies and filter water and take vitamins and use special sanitizer and so on.

Mom: You're just telling me this now!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????

Emily: I think I told you before... most missionaries get diarrhea at least for a while and some people get way worse. I’m fine so don’t worry about me at all!