Mongolia Mission Week 58 - A week full of Blessings

Mongolia Mission Week 58

Our hope with this blog is to share highlights with our family and friends about our exciting opportunities and awesome responsibilities in Mongolia. It's an impossible task, though, because it's hard to condense everything into a few words and pictures. So ask us individually if you'd like to know more about anything! You can contact us by email (jrose219@gmail.com or krose213@gmail.com), Facebook messenger, or you can text Kathy's phone (515-537-3273). 

We had a hot time in a cold town this week! 

We met our new American senior couples in person for the first time this week. Several beloved Mongolian senior couples fill important needs in different areas of this country. But we've been the only American couple here for a while until Harts came to help out in the mission office and take care of volunteer and missionary medical needs. Now we also have the Horitos, who will concentrate on Young Single Adults in our church congregations. 

The 6 of us went exploring Ulaanbaatar together in frigid temperatures. Picture 6 senior English speakers running amok looking for Mongolian souvenirs, stuff that might be practical, and/or US foods in a country of severe traffic jams and little English. Interesting mental picture, isn't it?

This is not a parking lot. This is us turning a corner at a
typical Ulaanbaatar intersection. 

This is how you dress when you go to the Naratuul Market.

First we went to the Narantuul Market, a huge outdoor market. It's connected rows of vendors set up like a giant tent community over a full city block . You can find any article of clothing in any color, size, and material.  (Including an amazing selection of boots built to withstand debilitatingly cold temperatures.) You can find furnishings, flooring, and solar panels for your ger. You can find Mongolian saddles, ropes, knives, bracelets, and wolf tooth keychains. You have to dress extremely warmly and beware of pickpockets, but we each found treasures that suited us. (No, we're not bringing a ger home, but John was very tempted!)

This is what Mongolian horse saddles
look like. There isn't a lot of cushioning.

We found a new import store with American snacks and some foods that tempted us far too much (Not to mention Nyquil). Next was our favorite butcher shop, BB Butcher, which caters to American tastes. And finally we went to dinner together. It was a nice day.

Harts, Horitos, and Roses.

The Christmas tree on Sukbaatar Square.

Ice sculptures on the square just beginning to grow.
They were still working on them in the dark after we
finished dinner. 

Zone Conference was amazing, as usual. Such an uplift of information and spirit. We love the opportunity to gather with friends from various parts of Mongolia.

Our Sainshand district plus Sisters Naranchimeg
and Tumenjargal (We tearfully said goodbye 
to her since it's time for her to return home!)

The drive home included blowing snow and wild animals.

Not an active snowstorm - just shifting snow on the
steppe. And the herders are out in it!

Antelope-type animals!

One of the miracles of the week was getting a birthday card from Kathy's dad. From LAST YEAR. Our birthdays are both in February; he mailed this in January of 2025. From the various ink stamps, it looks like it just recently made it to Mongolia, so it may not have been a Mongolian delay...

On Saturday, we held our Group Christmas party. It began with some games and a dance performance by some of our youth, followed by a pizza and fried rice dinner, and then the nativity with most parts filled by our youth.

The nativity took some creativity. 

We hoped a (new, clean) mop head made Ulzii look like a sheep.

Our littlest sheep had an actual fur-lined, reversible
coat. Her sister is celebrating her first Christmas
as a member of Christ's family and played an angel.

Pillowcases and rope (a treasure from the Narantuul
market) made acceptable shepherd headdresses. And
the deacons even enjoyed wearing them!

The baby was happier on the ground than in Mary's arms.

On Sunday we had our special Christmas Sacrament meeting with music and scriptures focused on the birth of Jesus Christ, like other congregations across the world. While we focus on Christ every week in our meetings, Christmas is always special because we specifically celebrate His birth, which led to His atonement on our behalf. He is the reason we have hope. And peace. And joy. It was a special day as 20 of us celebrated Him as a small church family in our remote but not forgotten part of His world.

Following our services, there was a baptism of a wonderful teenager who celebrated her birthday by joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John performed the baptism at her request and  was able to memorize the ordinance in Mongolian. 

Enkhrii with her family, who came to support her.

Afterward, more food. The Young Women made over 100 buuz (dumplings), Enkhrii's family brought pizza, and we had a couple of pans of Jell-O, topped with whipped cream.

Odluna, our youngest buuz eater.

The Jell-O was a hit!

Emptying the last of the water from
our portable baptism font.

All in all, it was wonderful week. We testify that miracles have not ceased. We see God's hand in His work here and feel His presence guiding us and guiding the growth of the Church in this country. And the biggest miracle of all is the fact that we can be resurrected and live with Him again. God loves His children and continues to bless each of us as we rely on Him and His Son.