This week was just amazing!!! First of all, I had a moment this week, where I truly felt God's love and the love of these people. We sat in on institute this week for 30 minutes. I basically wasn't understanding anything and they kept asking me questions that I couldn't answer. I was kinda frustrated on the inside and just exhausted by this language. That definitely happens all the time! It's hard being in the countryside with only Mongolians, and spending every blinking moment speaking in Mongolian - it's great and helps a lot, but it's exhausting. Well, as we were sitting in institute the guy next to me (who is trying really hard to learn English but doesn't speak very well) asked me in very broken English if i understood. I told him no, and he then began, once again in VERY broken English, to translate the lesson for me. I almost began to cry as I was now on the other side of the language barrier and someone was trying so incredibly hard to help me understand this time. It was so kind, and i felt God's love so strongly through this kind member.
We are teaching so many amazing investigators now, and they are all progressing REALLY WELL!!! One of our investigators, Amardolai, is doing great! We finished teaching him all the commandments and also taught him about temples this week. He thinks everything sounds awesome and he wants to follow all of the commandments exactly! In one of our lessons, he seemed a little said, and we asked why. He then told us he thinks he shouldn't get baptized.... we were shocked!!! What?! We asked why he felt that way, and he told us, "well God gave us the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy and go to church every week. I want to follow it, but i'm from the real countryside, and when my college breaks for 3 months during the summer, I will go back to the countryside, and there's no church there. If I can't follow the commandment, I shouldn't get baptized." We were touched by his sincere desire to follow the commandments and then explained to him that Mongolia has a long-distance phone call branch that he can be a part of for that time, and when he comes back, he can come to church again, haha. He was so incredibly happy! He and his mom also loved everything about temples and being able to be together as a family for eternity. They really want to go and I think his mom might start coming to church now too!
We also had 3 investigators get baptized this week!!!! Zumpurel and Serchmaa, and Battumur all got baptized!!!! It was such a beautiful baptism, especially as 2 of our investigators' families are investigators too and got to watch. These three teenagers were so incredibly happy, and had light radiating from them as they participated in this amazing ordinance. They all told us that while the water was very cold, they felt strangely warm. They all shared amazing testimonies of how the gospel has and is changing their and their families' lives for the better. And it is so true, the gospel has brightened their lives and they have a new found identity that is precious to them each! Missionary work is so amazing as we get a front row seat to Christ's atonement working in people's lives. Wow!
AND, we are now teaching friends and families of these new members! One of their dads is amazing and wants to baptized right away and take his family to the temple as soon as possible! Her older brother also listened to a full lesson yesterday and said the closing prayer (his first prayer ever!). He thanked God for sending missionaries to his family and helping them be happy!!! I love these people. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary!
Also, I'm pretty sure my companion is not Mongolian and I am for the following reasons:
1) I make Mongolian food and she doesn't
2) She is always cold and I'm not
3) She falls on a daily basis and I don't.
4) Yesterday, people gave us meat that I ate and she couldn't
5) and lots more, haha
Anyways, I love you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment