Making Mission Memories in Mongolia

This week was zone conferences, and once again we had the opportunity to help celebrate birthdays and present cleaning awards. We also assisted another senior couple, the Horitos, with the lunch they prepared for the missionaries. They always come up with such creative ideas, and this week’s theme was “Nomad” or “5-Hoof Chili,” featuring meat from Mongolia’s five main animals—horse, cow, camel, goat, and sheep. They put together a wonderful meal, complete with a beautiful fruit charcuterie board and a variety of fresh vegetables. An interesting tidbit about Elder Horito...He and J.D. served in the same mission in Japan at the same time!  They didn't ever serve together but knew of each other.   We were also invited to attend a career fair at Royal University in Selenge. With our backgrounds in education and higher education, we were warmly welcomed and recognized at the event. Prior to the fair, we had the chance to meet with the university leadership and offered our supp...

 We had a busy week! On Tuesday, we had the privilege of helping pack food bags for people with disabilities who are struggling with the rising cost of basic necessities. Together, we assembled 100 bags filled with flour, rice, oil, noodles, sugar, and hygiene products such as toilet paper, shampoo, soap, and toothpaste. ( Read the article we wrote about this event here. ) About 30 of the recipients were able to come pick up their bags, while the rest needed to have them delivered. So on Wednesday, we spent the day delivering supplies to four different homes. With our favorite Ulaanbaatar traffic, it truly became an all-day adventure! As we visited each home, it was heartbreaking to see individuals who had been bedridden for more than 20 years, but it was also touching to witness the loving care their families provided. They don’t seem to have the same level of government assistance that many would receive in the United States, so families carry much of the responsibility themselv...

 Happy Mother’s Day! This marks the first holiday we have missed twice while serving our mission. One of the biggest adjustments for me has been being away from the everyday moments that come with being a mother, grandmother, and daughter. I miss grandma days, grandkid parties, baseball, football, and soccer games, dance recitals, volunteering in classrooms, first days of school, helping babysit when needed, hosting family gatherings, helping my mom care for my dad, troubleshooting technology problems for our mothers, and simply being there for all the little moments that make up family life. At the same time, one of the greatest blessings has been watching our family step up in such beautiful ways. I have loved seeing my daughters—the ones who made me a mother—carry on family traditions and gatherings despite their already busy schedules. It has been wonderful to watch them be such incredible mothers themselves, as well as making time to take their grandmas to lunch, helping with ...

 We’re back in Mongolia! Our journey from Palau to Ulaanbaatar began with a 2:00 a.m. flight to Guam. We arrived at 5:00 a.m. and faced a seven-hour layover—but this time it passed quickly thanks to breakfast with dear friends in Guam. While we waited for them at the airport, President and Sister Williams surprised us with one last visit. It meant so much that they would take time out of their busy schedules—especially so early in the morning—to come say goodbye. We will truly miss working with them and all of our Micronesia Guam friends. Around noon, we boarded our flight to Tokyo, arriving at about 4:00 p.m., where we stayed overnight before continuing on to Ulaanbaatar the next day. As we headed to clear customs, a news crew stopped us and asked if we would be interviewed for a show called “Why Did You Come to Japan?” We assumed they wouldn’t be interested once they learned we were only there for a short layover—but they kept asking questions! They were especially curious abou...