Dear Family,
I hope all is well in Henderson, Idaho, or wherever else you may be, because all is fine and well here in Choibalsan. This week has been a little bit slower, but a lot of important work was accomplished. We focused a lot on work in the Branch that needed to get done.....extending more callings, Temple Recommends for those who have expired, and fixing Priesthood records. We have got a lot of great work done this week in that regard.
This week we met with Naraa everyday of the week. She has committed to be baptized on September 12th. We still need to cover a lot of doctrine, so we will meet with her everyday again this week. I am so impressed and amazed at her faith and desire to be baptized. She is now staying for all three hours of church and loving it. The sisters in the Branch are so friendly and loving to her. She has made a lot of new friends. She is reading the Book of Mormon daily and has finished 1st Nephi! She says that she reads while she is working at the Market. She says how much peace she gets from its pages and how stress-free her work is because of it. This woman's conversion story is one I will never forget. Truly the Lord's hand! How incredible it has been to see how this is truly God's work, and He will progress it how He sees fit. Naraa smokes, so we are working with her on that. After we taught her about the Word of Wisdom, she just said, "I have a problem, I smoke." I loved that because she is just so honest, and wants to follow the commandments. Without us even saying anything she just kept saying, "Bi chadna!" (I can!) over and over again. We will see her at the Market today to get our weekly bunch of free apples, so we will check up on her. Her son, Ganbayar, will baptize her. How great is that? Man, what a miracle!
We have picked up Naraa's "doo" as an investigator recently. A "doo" in Mongolian can literally mean any relationship as long as the "doo" is younger than you, and honestly, I really hate the word so much! So her name is Amartsetseg, and she is Naraa's "doo." What the relation is, I know not! She is a really strong investigator and is reading the Book of Mormon daily as well. She has a really strong desire to learn about the Gospel and also for the only American missionary in Choibalsan. I really do not like that second desire. I try not to even look at her anymore! She has a husband and a son, and needs not be be doing what she is doing! She just is a flirt, and wants to go to America, I assume. We are planning on talkng to her about this situation soon, but I would rather not be there for it. But due to missionary rules, I have to be....darn. This will be awkward. I hope we don't lose an investigator.
Right now those are the only "progressing" investigators we have. The little 9 year old girl we were teaching.....well her mother has had her baby, so they have been out of touch for like two weeks. Also the 25 year old couple we have been teaching for like three months stopped coming to church, and do not plan to come anymore, so they will probably be getting dropped. It is sad, but we just can't waste time beating a dead horse.
This week, a Mongolian missionary who is from Choibalsan.....his mother died in a motorcycle accident near Russia. She was a member of our Branch, and it hit the Branch really hard, as well as the missionary. He has chosen to continue to serve his mission and not come home. His father died many years ago, so now he really has no one. The missionary, President Benson, and his counselors all went to the funeral this week. The Branch raised quite a large amount of money to donate to the family. It was really amazing to see all these people come and give so much when they really do not have much to give. We truly are all children of a loving Heavenly Father.
Well some exciting news.......Elder Rasband will be coming to Mongolia in September and my companion and I get to fly to UB for three days while he's here! Everyone is so exited and is preparing for his visit.
Mom, to answer your question about how my Mongolian is, it is coming along! I can speak pretty well, but grammar is still hard. I think I do really well in the lessons I teach. I have to pat myself on the back for that one. Reading comprehension is still hard, but coming. But grammar, like I said, is still so hard because you really have to change your way of thinking 100% in order to speak Mongolian. All in all, I think I'm progressing well though.
I love you all. I can't wait to be with you again someday. Just know that this is where I am supposed to be right now. I know it with all my heart. These two years will be the best two years of my life. The Church is true! I know that also, without a doubt.
Love you all,
Elder Harris
I hope all is well in Henderson, Idaho, or wherever else you may be, because all is fine and well here in Choibalsan. This week has been a little bit slower, but a lot of important work was accomplished. We focused a lot on work in the Branch that needed to get done.....extending more callings, Temple Recommends for those who have expired, and fixing Priesthood records. We have got a lot of great work done this week in that regard.
This week we met with Naraa everyday of the week. She has committed to be baptized on September 12th. We still need to cover a lot of doctrine, so we will meet with her everyday again this week. I am so impressed and amazed at her faith and desire to be baptized. She is now staying for all three hours of church and loving it. The sisters in the Branch are so friendly and loving to her. She has made a lot of new friends. She is reading the Book of Mormon daily and has finished 1st Nephi! She says that she reads while she is working at the Market. She says how much peace she gets from its pages and how stress-free her work is because of it. This woman's conversion story is one I will never forget. Truly the Lord's hand! How incredible it has been to see how this is truly God's work, and He will progress it how He sees fit. Naraa smokes, so we are working with her on that. After we taught her about the Word of Wisdom, she just said, "I have a problem, I smoke." I loved that because she is just so honest, and wants to follow the commandments. Without us even saying anything she just kept saying, "Bi chadna!" (I can!) over and over again. We will see her at the Market today to get our weekly bunch of free apples, so we will check up on her. Her son, Ganbayar, will baptize her. How great is that? Man, what a miracle!
We have picked up Naraa's "doo" as an investigator recently. A "doo" in Mongolian can literally mean any relationship as long as the "doo" is younger than you, and honestly, I really hate the word so much! So her name is Amartsetseg, and she is Naraa's "doo." What the relation is, I know not! She is a really strong investigator and is reading the Book of Mormon daily as well. She has a really strong desire to learn about the Gospel and also for the only American missionary in Choibalsan. I really do not like that second desire. I try not to even look at her anymore! She has a husband and a son, and needs not be be doing what she is doing! She just is a flirt, and wants to go to America, I assume. We are planning on talkng to her about this situation soon, but I would rather not be there for it. But due to missionary rules, I have to be....darn. This will be awkward. I hope we don't lose an investigator.
Right now those are the only "progressing" investigators we have. The little 9 year old girl we were teaching.....well her mother has had her baby, so they have been out of touch for like two weeks. Also the 25 year old couple we have been teaching for like three months stopped coming to church, and do not plan to come anymore, so they will probably be getting dropped. It is sad, but we just can't waste time beating a dead horse.
This week, a Mongolian missionary who is from Choibalsan.....his mother died in a motorcycle accident near Russia. She was a member of our Branch, and it hit the Branch really hard, as well as the missionary. He has chosen to continue to serve his mission and not come home. His father died many years ago, so now he really has no one. The missionary, President Benson, and his counselors all went to the funeral this week. The Branch raised quite a large amount of money to donate to the family. It was really amazing to see all these people come and give so much when they really do not have much to give. We truly are all children of a loving Heavenly Father.
Well some exciting news.......Elder Rasband will be coming to Mongolia in September and my companion and I get to fly to UB for three days while he's here! Everyone is so exited and is preparing for his visit.
Mom, to answer your question about how my Mongolian is, it is coming along! I can speak pretty well, but grammar is still hard. I think I do really well in the lessons I teach. I have to pat myself on the back for that one. Reading comprehension is still hard, but coming. But grammar, like I said, is still so hard because you really have to change your way of thinking 100% in order to speak Mongolian. All in all, I think I'm progressing well though.
I love you all. I can't wait to be with you again someday. Just know that this is where I am supposed to be right now. I know it with all my heart. These two years will be the best two years of my life. The Church is true! I know that also, without a doubt.
Love you all,
Elder Harris
We took a Branch photo on Sunday to give to Elder Rasband as a gift. Turned out pretty good, aye?
Me, Naraa, Ganbayar, and Elder Baldandorj at a Russian and Mongolian "Victory Festival." 
Ganbayar and Tumee! Our two priests! I love these guys!
The Primary children writing letters to give to Elder Rasband when he comes!
Just burning some confidential church documents that were old and out dated. Life is good. 
We went to visit Naraa at her fruit and vegetable market. She gives us our weekly supply of apples....no charge!
I wrote my testimony inside the Book of Mormon we gave Enktoya on her Baptism Day.
Also, my Companion and I had this scripture case made for Enktoya on her Baptism Day.
Eight months out.....and two holes in the seat of my pants! Taking
them to a seamstress today. Times like this I really miss mom!
Well, sounds exciting! I think his pants are akin to Nicholas's pants! Nicholas has gone through two pairs, at least. Fortunately the seamtress situation in Mongolia seems pretty amazing! I am glad he mentioned a general authority was coming - Elder Palmer, is, well, brief in his communications. :) He is amazing!
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