Making Mission Memories in Mongolia

One of the unique blessings of serving as communication missionaries is the opportunity to attend and report on Church events in Mongolia. This week, we had the privilege of experiencing something truly special: a youth handcart trek. While we’re familiar with the pioneer treks that thousands of youth participate in each year across the United States, it hadn’t occurred to us that youth in other parts of the world might also reenact these sacred journeys. Watching more than 200 Mongolian youth and leaders retrace the footsteps of the early pioneers was deeply moving. They walked to honor, learn from, and connect with the courageous Saints who sacrificed everything to reach the Salt Lake Valley.   It was powerful. The youth demonstrated inspiring resilience, faith, and unity throughout their 30 kilometer (18 mile) trek. The leaders and volunteers who organized the event were equally impressive—creating an authentic, spirit-filled experience without electricity, gas, or running...

This Tuesday, on our preparation day, we took a walk to Sukhbaatar Square—the heart of Ulaanbaatar and home to the Government Palace. For the past month or so, we’d heard about ongoing protests calling for the Prime Minister to resign. Well, he finally did—and by pure coincidence, we were at the square just as the protesters were celebrating! There was a real energy in the air. Nothing like a little Rocky soundtrack in your head to capture the moment! We enjoyed some quality people-watching (while politely declining the ladies offering us artwork). After the square, we headed back to Shangri-La Mall for a milestone: my first Mongolian haircut! Despite its unusual name, Ulemj Grease turned out to be a very nice salon. I was a bit nervous—not just about the language barrier, but also because my hair is quite different from the typical Mongolian texture. But my stylist, Eegii, did a great job—even if she took off more than I expected! This is where I think I'm showing her to just ta...