While I was in Erdenet Tserenbat, the district president, invited me over for Mongolian food. His wife made the best salad; apples, yogurt and snickers:) It made me SO happy because I can only eat so much Mongolian food:) The next day was church and they asked me to come up and bear my testimony. The first time in over a year that I have had to stand before 200 people and speak Mongolian:) They are planning to split the branch soon.

If you ever think your work is hard, THINK AGAIN!!

This is where I live. One bedroom apartment. As you can see I sleep on the floor:) I am living with a Mongolian family and an old companion. Gotta live the jinheene Mongoliin amdral

This lady is my hero. She is 84 years old and is always the first to church. She has been a member for 2 years and just went through the temple in November. She is ROCK solid! When I went to Erdenet they had seminary and institute graduation. She received her diploma for graduating from institute. She is a good example of enduring to the end!!

Riding bikes in Erdenet with Dulguun and Bulganbat. This was the first time my companion Bulganbat had ever ridin a bike. It was hilarious! The next day everyone wanted to ride bikes again.

Enktsogt and his family went to the temple last November!!! YEAH! Next to their picture of their family at the temple is a picture of my family visiting them:)

Last week Bulganbat and I spent 4 days in Erdenet. We stayed with Enkhtsogt and his family and had a bawl. Enkhtsogt just got called to be the 2nd counselor in the branch presidency and his wife Maaya just got called to be the district relief society president. They have leadership written all over them. They were wonderful hosts during our stay there.

Mom I put this one in for you, Burmaa:)

The golden family from Sansar. Now that I am not a missionary in Mongolia I can have fun playing sheep ankle bones games with the members. Batsukh and his family are rock solid. Now all they need to do is get to the temple. They are amazing!!

5 return missionaries who were certainly excited about the organization of the 1st stake in Mongolia, it was truly historic to be apart of. All of these sisters, with the exception of one, were companions of mine during the mission. They organized one stake and created two districts. Elder Hallstram, the president of the 70 and the Asian area president, came and spoke. With the creation of the stake all the branch presidents became bishops, but the most exciting thing is that their will be a partriach called. The members are SO excited about receiving patriatrical blessings! Elder Hallstram talked about when Elder Nelson came and prophecied about their not just being a stake, but many stakes in Mongolia. Pretty cool, tiim biz dee! Many members attended the conference, which was not held in the church because they don't have a stake center yet. So many people that came stood the entire meeting. It is so neat to come back and see the wards bigger and stronger. It was neat to watch people be baptized, but it is even more neat to watch them grow in the church, attend the temple, be faithful in their callings and have family prayer and family scripture study. Missionary work is truly the most fulfilling work on the earth!! This picture was takin after the meeting.

When I came to Mongolia the first place they mission president took us was to Zioson. The is were Elder Maxwell dedicated the land of Mongolia to the preaching of the gospel in 1993. It overlooks the city of Ulaanbaatar. Johnson, my MTC companion, came to Mongolia for the organization of the first stake. We thought it was only fitting that we start are trip off this time the same way we did as missionaries:)