Week 17 & 18 Happy New Year

 

Although we were sick on the day of the event, the group of YSA shared a photo with us.  They love to be together and celebrated the New Year with dancing, fun and food.  They are amazing.

We had a wonderful opportunity to meet a new friend (Bolorsolongo-we call her Benita) and her parents.  She is studying at Idaho State University, my alma mater and former employer.  She was home on winter break and was introduced to us by another senior couple, our friend's Sister Monica and Elder Turbot.  She has since been hooked up with several grand (in every sense of the word) nieces and nephews who are also attending there.  Small world?

We went to Nymdeleg and Marttsetseg's house again.  They are amazing and gracious hosts.  We love sharing time with them.  While there a brother-in-law showed up from visiting his wife in the hospital in the city.  They are from a town 24 hours away by bus.  Great friends.

We love meeting new friends who show up at church to ask questions that they have been thinking about.  We have amazing Sisters and Elders who are happy to answer their questions.  When I see our wonderful ward members wrap their arms around our new friends and share their love and joy of the gospel it makes my heart so full.  Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest experience and a joyous adventure.  Miracles happen every day. 

At church on Sunday the Elders and Sisters were sitting with their friends.  We were just listening without a translator.  A sweet sister in our ward noticed us and left her children sitting with her daughter and came over to translate for us to during Sacrament meeting.  She did a great job.  In Relief Society two sweet sisters took turns translating for me.  I love my amazing Mongolian sisters. They are great examples of the pure love of Christ. 

It's always a treat when a care package shows up.  A semblance of home goes a long way.  Thank you all for thinking of us. We love you so much. 

So, we finally took a P-Day and ventured out to see a few things.  Destination?  Sukhbaatar Square.  Pretty much the center of the city where things happen.  These are this year's ice sculptures for the New Year celebration.  Complete with a Yak team pulling a Ger on wheels, a castle complete with slide, 2 nearly full-size Ger with seating and amazing entrances.  They go all out celebrating.  We stayed away the night of for obvious reasons but weren't disappointed by the number and magnitude of fireworks witnessed from our 11th floor view. 

The focus of the square is a large government building and a statue of none other than Chingis Khan himself.  He was a fascinating human who we can learn much from. Looking the other direction from the square you see the amazing Blue-Sky building.  It's an architectural wonder and quite the centerpiece.  You may notice that we are not wearing our masks.  It's a holiday miracle.  The wind came in from the North, with a vengeance I might add, and blew the pollution toward the Gobi Desert.  The air quality went from 291 the day before to 45.  We couldn't get out fast enough despite the subzero temperature.  We'll take it.

I know we have mentioned the pollution and air quality before but seeing it in this regard puts things into perspective.  This is simply fall out.  This car has only been here a day.  We have been instructed not to eat the snow.  Ya think?

All the school children get out of school the 27th of December and don’t go back to school until 6th February.  That's quite the winter break.  Many go on vacation to the countryside or visit other countries to get out of the pollution.  We have friends in China, Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines.

We hope you all are staying healthy and happy. We love you!