Khovd

This past weekend we flew to Khovd, about 1300 km. to the west of UB.  From the plane the land looked much like the mountainous regions around Helena, flat places between mountains.  It is pretty sparsely populated with just a few Ger camps close to some of the rivers.

It seems that Khovd has almost as much air pollution as UB.  In the evening the smoke was thick as the people must get their fires going to heat their Ger for the night and cook an evening meal. 

The people are just so kind and friendly and cute!!

These looked just like our elk
and mountain sheep

Copies of stone drawings taken
 from caves in the mountains close by

On our way to the airport we stopped at a little museum.  It had lots of relics from the past, 

old costumes, 

and some areas showing the native animals.  One of the Sister Missionaries really liked to get her picture taken.

Cal spent a while last night with one of the Pre-Missionaries (he does all medicals for their mission applications).  He is 18 years old, finished 2 years of university and is studying to be a computer "Hacker" - he assured us it is a good kind of hacker.  When Cal found that out, he asked him if he knew how to download videos.  They proceeded and maybe it is downloaded but when I looked it was David Artchulata singing Silent night and a bunch of other stuff.  We have a steep learning curve!  If the fireworks are there, good, if not or it is something that shouldn't be, don't look!!

Life is good and all is well (except that I have another cold!)  

Fireworks follow up

The fireworks video was 44 seconds but as you see, all I can get loaded is 2 seconds!  It isn't quite the same!  Someday maybe we will figure it out.


We have been really busy with sick seniors coming and going to the hospital.  We are  blessed to have been able to make so many good contacts in the Medical Community.  It sure makes figuring out these situations easier. Our first contact, Dr. Lodoysamba, was the man Cal met on the plane when we were flying here.  He was obviously Mongolian but asked for an English paper so they struck up a conversation.  He referred us to his son-in-law, Dr. Enkhzorig, a traditional Doctor and former director of External Affairs at Hospital 1.  We have been able to make many more contacts following their advice.

This week we were able to take both of them and their wives out for dinner.  They chose the place and then helped us order so we had some really good Mongolian food and drinks.  They recommended anis juice (a red berry that sounds like it grows like huckleberries -(now I just asked one of our translators
 and when she looked it up in the dictionary it is cranberry!!  the drink was more pulpy than we would expect from cranberry juice)) and seabuck thorn berry juice (orange and sour but great with lots of sugar). They apparently grow on bigger trees with lots of thorns so they harvest them in the winter when it freezes and "rake" them like some of those people pick huckleberries down by Kalispell.)



This is a sample of the N95 masks (are made to filter out the smaller particles from the air) we have been giving to the missionaries to wear, especially at night in the Ger Districts when it is so smoky.  They are supposed to get new ones every two weeks and this is one that a missionary brought in today to trade for the new one beside it.

One of the Districts with their new masks 

These are just four of the great ladies at the Choibalsan Branch last Sunday after Church.

Life is still Good and All is Well.

Live fireworks - maybe!

trying a video.....

All is Well

2013 - It is a NEW YEAR

"New Year" is the big holiday for the season.  To enjoy the atmosphere, 5 couples of the Senior Missionaries walked (about a mile) to Suhkbaatar Square for the midnight fireworks.  It was spectacular.  It was also quite chilly,  -30C with a bit of wind.  After we walked, waited a little while for midnight and then watched for at least 15 minutes, enjoyed the ambiance for a few more and walked back home, we were COLD.  But it was worth it!

This weekend we are in Choibalsan, about 750 km east of UB.  We flew in a plane like the Time Air propellor kind with two seats on one side and one on the other.  It was -38C when we got loaded onto the plane but then we were unloaded while they got another one.  It was probably just too cold. They definitely don't de-ice but it is pretty dry so I guess they do not need to!

This part of the country is much like Southern Alberta with big open skies and fields.  The road to the Airport was drifted over in lots of places so the old Russian Van we were in just followed some tracks out through the field by the road.







The Branch of the Church here is very active.  The first night we were able to see two young people baptized.  We came for their annual Branch Conference since Cal is a counsellor in the Mission Presidency.  On Saturday afternoon we went out with one of the new Sister Missionaries to visit some people they had met.  We invited them to our meetings on Sunday and people from three of our visits came.  They were all very friendly and happy to see us.  All were from the "Ger" district and it would be hard for most out there to realize their circumstances.

Many Grandparents are the
caregivers for their Grandchildren

The first "Virtual Sacrament Meeting" in Mongolia was held on Sunday and we were able to participate from Choibalsan because President Clark was here.  There are several small groups of  members scattered in different parts of Mongolia - lots in mining areas - so they will be joined together by phone or SKYPE for one meeting.  It is coordinated from UB with the different groups meeting in their own areas.  It was a test run and seemed to go well. Hopefully it will be able to continue.

When we were in Salt Lake City for General Conference before we went to the MTC, we happened to meet some Missionaries from Mongolia serving on Temple Square.  We took pictures with them and said we would try to find their parents when we got here.

Yesterday Cal used one of the pictures in his presentation about the new youth programs for the Church because we had been told on of the girls was from Choibalsan.  Her mother was so excited to see her and immediately invited us to come for FHE tonight.

Sister Bat - Ulzii from Choibalsan
second from right

Her parents and little brother

 It was so special to go their home and join the group of friends who regularly meet together for Family Home Evening.  These are wonderful, special people.













 The other couple with us have just moved to Choibalsan to be Branch Support here for 5 months.  The Groesbecks  last 5 months were spent in the northern part of Mongolia, Muron.  In each area they are the only English speaking missionaries - they are a fantastic pair and will be dearly loved by the people here.



Life is still good and All is Well.