Carnival - Halloween Party

We helped plan a carnival on Halloween for the branch.  I made about 65 cupcakes for the Cake Walk and the Seminary students helped decorate them one morning after seminary!  It was a great help and I don't think they had ever done anything quite like that before!

 Here, members are actually playing the game.  This was a new game for most of them.  Everyone loved the cupcakes--especially the ones made from the box.  The ones I made from scratch didn't turn out so well, especially since my oven lost temperature and dropped down to 200 degrees from 375.  I wasn't sure how long to let them cook and slightly over-cooked them!  But I sure didn't hear any complaints!

                              We were a little surprised that even the adults got into the game. We didn't want to deal with the costume thing, so we didn't tell them about Halloween dress-up until that night at the activity!

                    Everyone had a good time at the Cake Walk and we had no cupcakes left over!

 BINGO was another big hit.  This was also a new game for most.  When I checked on it, every card was being used and everyone was intent on getting their BINGO!

 These Young Women are trying their hand at the bean bag throw game.  I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that the Elders were the ones manning this booth.  The girl on the left is Zaya--a non-member who speaks English very well and has helped us at school when Puje was sick and couldn't go.  We were very happy that she showed up to the party, but wished she had also brought her little boy with her!

 Again, the adults got into the game and were pretty competitive!  This was not a new game for them, but they still enjoyed trying to get that little rope ring around a water bottle!   We were so glad we already made some of these games to use for the kids at school.  It made the prep for the party so  much easier!  

 We copied from the internet Halloween pumpkins, children in costumes and dot-to-dots for the kids to do.  Again, the adults had about as much fun as the kids did!

 We were so excited to see Bolormaa and her non-member husband, Jargal, at the party.  They seemed to have a good time and were well received and fellowshipped by the members.

 Munchameg, the YW President, came up with the idea of playing this game.  It was a version of "Do You Love Your Neighbor?"  We were glad she took the initiative to keep things going when there seemed to be a slow spot in the activity for a certain group.

 After the games, we cleared the floor and and danced.  The YM/YW and those who were at my birthday party had already learned the game and so helped others learn it.  It was really fun and everyone seemed to get into it! Puje and President Batmonkh.

 Tsetsegee, the RS President, and Bayersaikhan, a returned missionary from UB visiting his family in Murun.

 Dolgorjab's husband and Michelle, his granddaughter, doing the Heel and Toe Polka.  Quite a cute picture!

                                            Bayerhoo and Dolgorjab swinging your partner!!

 The room was such that we couldn't get a large enough circle for everyone in one end, so the youth started their own circle in the back of the room.  They seemed to enjoy it and they did participate with the older members of the branch for about the first 2/3s of the dancing!

President Batmonkh stopped the activities to make a few announcements.  Along with those, he read this poem that he wrote to us.  He had written it in Mongolian and had Puje help him translate it into English so we could understand.  And then he spoke it in Mongolian and English.  It was quite a tender moment for us.  We have grown so to love this branch and its amazing members and leaders. 

Dear distant land friends.  I send you my greetings asking how are you?

With the gift of my talents, I show you my respect.

Your humble attitude and example will be remembered forever.

Your birthday celebration will also stay in my mind as a good memory!

                Your pure sacred attitude will be imprinted in my heart.

                Your melodious voice tuned with scripture knowledge.

                You choose a far distance calling in Mongolia

                And gladly accepted this rare opportunity.

You apply Christ’s teachings in your daily life

With great unmeasured mind you share it with the world.

With unlimited love you cheer and amuse everyone.

I wish you great success in your future in Mongolia and at home.

                L. Batmunkh, President of the Murun branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Overall, we thought the activity was a great success.  We think there were probably between 60 and 70 there--about twice what we get to church each week!  We hope the branch has learned more that an activity needs to be planned in advance and many people need to be involved so one person doesn't carry the whole load.  We had the Sunday School doing the Ring Toss, the Young Women/Young Men doing BINGO, the RS doing the coloring table and the YSA (theoretically) doing the Cake Walk.  NOTE:  The YA over the Cake walk had to work that night, so we ended up doing it, but that was OK too!