Adventures of Romania

  Hmm... Do I really want to get my Mongolia drivers license? We had our first Come Follow Me/Family Home Evening with the Young Single Adults.  We had a few show up and the Spirit of the meeting was great.  We were mostly understood, and we had one of them asked to translate for us.  Fortunately, many of them speak pretty good English.  We had a good discussion about the Savior's visit to the America's and how after he spoke with them he asked them to ponder and pray about the things he had taught.  They were inspiring.  We played a get to know you game that was enlightening.  The "Gathering Place" where our meetings are held is great and has created a space where the YSA can come to feel the Spirit and hang out together.  We attended a couple of baptism's this week.  The young man is Tuguldur.  He is amazing and has a wonderful spirit about him.  The young lady is Indra.  She recently moved to Ulaanbaatar and is studying...

Monday and Tuesday this week was spent visiting local Universities and Secondary schools who have requested English teachers.  We have been asked to coordinate the teaching efforts here in Mongolia. These meetings were organized and translated by our new colleague, Khongorzul Enkhsaikhan (Zula).  She is amazing and very hard working.  This wouldn't have happened without her.  Every place we visited, the entire staff, were over the top grateful for the service these teachers render.  These are amazing times in this beautiful country for these beautiful people.  We even got a sneak preview of their competition song. There was no school on Friday as it was a national holiday, election day.  Some businesses were closed, and everyone was encouraged to vote. Cursive is taught and used at every level.  I couldn't resist taking a photo of the writing.  If I would have had to guess the age of the author, it wouldn't have been this beautiful second gra...

  Well, here's home for the time being.  We reside on the 11th floor and have quite a view, especially of the traffic (that we'll get to in a bit).  We also get the sunrise some mornings thru the smog and an occasional sunset.  What looks like clouds is actually smoke from the coal fired power plants off in the distance. Soooo... As promised the TRAFFIC!  Now you see why we walk, everywhere.  It is actually moving, like a caterpillar.  I'm currently studying for my driver's test.  Don't ask me why.  Sister Namgur (mission president's wife) thought it would be a good idea.  The only reason I would ever want one is to get out of the mess and go to the countryside and see the sights there.  As I've been studying and going through the rules and regulations, it's apparent to me that none of them are EVER followed.  If you want to pull out in traffic you just do.  It's expected or at least assumed that people will let you in....