Maybe We Haven’t Retired After All!

 One of the many things we have learned on our mission is the importance of being flexible. We both really enjoy having a plan for our days, but we have discovered that things here rarely go exactly as planned—and that’s okay.

A perfect example of this happened on Monday. Our plan was to attend a Zone Conference and help prepare lunch for the missionaries. We arrived at 8:00 a.m. to begin preparations, but at 9:15 we received a call letting us know that Selenge (the Prime Minister’s wife and Director of Royal International University) had invited us to participate in their graduation ceremony…at 1:00 that same day!

Recognizing the importance of the invitation (more on that below), we quickly passed our assignments on to others, went home to change, and prepared for the unexpected opportunity. When we arrived, we were given traditional caps and gowns to wear. However, since the gown barely fit over JD’s shoulders, he opted to stay in his suit. We were then seated among the honored guests in the audience.


At that point, we still weren’t entirely sure what our role would be, and we couldn’t understand most of what was being said. However, we’ve learned to recognize our names when we hear them! When we were acknowledged, we stood and waved, and then the program continued. Some aspects of the ceremony felt familiar, similar to graduations back home, while others were quite different, including performances by dancers and singers.


Eventually, when it was time to present special awards and diplomas, we once again heard our names. Following Selenge’s lead, we went up on stage and found ourselves participating in the presentation—pinning awards and handing out diplomas. It was an unexpected honor and a wonderful experience.






We also had a moment that made us smile. While waiting for the ceremony to begin, we met the keynote speaker, whose child hopes to attend flight school in the United States. Naturally, JD couldn’t resist mentioning Cochise College’s flight program. Between handing out diplomas and recruiting future students, he joked that maybe he hadn’t fully retired after all!

These kinds of visits and events, which help strengthen relationships with government leaders, have become especially important over the past month as the Church works through some administrative matters affecting its operations in Mongolia. The Church is working closely with officials to resolve these issues, and we are grateful to assist in any way we can.

Flexibility lesson number two came later that same week. We had been planning to travel to Choibalsan to assist with humanitarian handovers and a 3x3 basketball tournament. However, on Wednesday those plans changed, and instead we traveled to Darkhan to help with another Zone Conference. Although we had previously driven through Darkhan during the handcart trek last summer, this was our first time staying there. It turned out to be a pleasant visit—a quieter city than Ulaanbaatar—and we enjoyed our stay in a comfortable hotel.






Experiences like these continue to remind us that while planning is helpful, it is often in the unexpected moments that we find the greatest joy and purpose. Being willing to adapt has opened doors to opportunities we never could have anticipated. We are learning to trust that even when plans change, the work we are here to do moves forward in meaningful ways. Each day brings something new, and we’re grateful for the chance to serve, to connect with others, and to be part of experiences we will never forget.

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