For Example, Sister Harker

So another week came, but my comps call did not. It's like I'm getting my call all over again! I am so nervous and excited for her and my district talks about where she will go all the time!!! We are going tot the post office today to see if it came!

This week was great!! First off, last Monday we did FHE with a family here that I just LOVE! I used to do FHE with their family all the time during the summer, but haven't in a long time. It was so much fun, they fed us food, and we talked and joked around a ton and then did a fun activity about God-given attributes and talents (everyone had to write nice things about each other...they especially loved to mess with my comp as she is new). It was so great, and felt like I was with my actual family - exact same humor!

I've been really sick this week but I decided there is no point in waiting around home, so we decided to go to work. It's been rough, but the members and investigators have been really nice and keep giving me hot berry water and this week we've been able to do some amazing work! We found at least 20 less actives, which is awesome! And they are almost all up for meeting with us too! 

First of all, one of our investigators named Amardalai who is 21 yrs old passed his baptismal interview and will be getting baptized this week!!! We are so excited about it and he has progressed amazingly and is so ready for this covenant!! He will receive the priesthood in a month or so and he wants to leave on a mission in one year!! We had a funny moment this week with him, as I was on a a split with my STL and we visited him. We taught him about missionary work and he kept saying, "for example, Sister Harker..." to understand everything we were teaching him. It was hilarious as he did it at least 10 times. Hear that, y'all  I am the example, haha. My STL has promised to start using me as an example to those she teaches and in letters to the president, and in meetings with other missionaries, haha.

We also met a member family this week who has a 2 yr old boy who always runs around naked and cant really talk. When we visited them this week he came over to me with a tiny beaded ring, and he tried putting it on me. I gave him my pinky but he refused to and grabbed my ring finger and put it on that one... yep, I was proposed to by a 2 yr old Mongolian boy... it was adorable! He even let me keep the ring, haha.

Also, while I was with my STL we were talking a little bit about my first area- Bayanzurkh. She is from that area, and I used to visit her family because her mom is an investigator and her older sister was inactive. Well, I was telling her about how I felt like I didn't make much of a difference there because I couldn't talk to anyone or understand anyone. She was shocked and then shared this with me; 

"You used to visit my family right? You taught my older sister right? My older sister is now very active in the church.. and how did she become that way? She sent me an email and told me that Sister Harker helped her. You said or taught something that changed her attitude and made her change. To her, you are the reason she is active again. You changed her life." 

Wow, right?! I had no idea at all! When she told me that, I was amazed! I had no idea that I helped her sister, but I did. At that time, I could barely speak the language and I felt like I was doing nothing, but I was. I helped someone and who knows who else I may have helped while I was there without knowing it. I thought a lot about this and realized that God truly does place missionaries where they are needed, places words in our mouth, touches others hearts, and helps people through us. It's exactly like Ether 12:25,27. We personally feel like we have a weakness (like speaking the language), but God gives us those weaknesses and through them helps others, and strengthens us as well.

This week we had cool experience after cool experience, and I don't have time to write them all, but I want to say I love this work and love all of you! 

WEEKLY QUESTIONS:
1. What do Mongolians think of your ability to handle the winter cold? They are all super impressed actually!!! And all worried about me too, haha

2. How does Mongolian school work? Do they go year round? 9-3pm? It's really confusing, the school year is the same, but the time of the day I do not understand. Every day seems to be different and different grade levels have morning classes and some evening  and some all days... I don't really understand and I continually ask the youth when their classes are, but they are patient and keep answering me.

3. Do many people have tv or computers? Lots of people have tv's, but they are the old box tvs, and usually pretty small. Most people don't have computers, but some do.

4. When is the next big holiday and what will it be? The next holiday is Zurgaansar (6th moon) and it starts February 8th here this year and will go for 1-2 or more weeks. Basically, no one does anything except visit families and friends and eat A TON of food and bring each other gifts and whatnot.

5. Do you dream in English or Mongolian? What do you dream about? I don't dream much, but when I do it's always about the mission, sometimes English, sometimes Mongolian.

One of my favorite youth.

My zone sistas - I'm the lone American but I feel like a Mongolian so it's ok. :)

My branch president's family.

Messing around because there were no taxis anywhere!