Church Activities

We have been busy with various activities at the church.  We have been doing Family History with members who come with names to be entered.  We, really meaning Puje since we don't type too well on a keyboard with Mongolian characters, have entered at least 100 names.  One couple, Dorjhand and Oyandalia, are planning a temple trip and will take their own family names to perform ordinances for.  That's really quite an accomplishment for this branch. Puje did most of Oyundalia's entries, but Nyambayer, left person in the right picture with me, is pretty good at the computer and could do her own inputting.  She will make a great FH 

consultant

 One P-Day morning, Dorjhand and Oyandalia came to our apartment to SKYPE with one of the missionaries who taught them the gospel. While we were waiting for him, we went on the computer to print off the lists of those names they will take with them to the temple.  We got a few, but I'm pretty sure we didn't get them all!  It's a good thing we have FH people in UB who know how to make sure it's all done correctly!

PRIMARY!

We taught Primary a few times and didn't have translator all the time.  It's quite a challenge! But we talked about choosing the right and worked on the different projects.  The branch had ordered CTR rings (or in Mongolian SC (Suuweeg Conk), and the children were really excited about them.  The next week, the kids who weren't there the previous week, and even some of the YM/YW were asking for them!  They were a hit and, if it reminds them to CHOOSE THE RIGHT, then that's the purpose!

Mongolian children are so cute, but it's hard to get them to smile for pictures!

I brought some slap bracelets with "Choose the Right" on them in English.  These kids thought they were pretty neat--even if they couldn't read English!

One day in Primary we explained what a "nativity" is and then colored and cut out an activity that Alan found on the internet.  They were pretty excited that they could now have a nativity at their house to remind them of Christ's birth which is celebrated on Christmas!

YOUNG MEN/YOUNG WOMEN

The YM president asked me if I would teach the youth how to make cookies.  So one Saturday we scheduled a baking class.  Some of the adults wanted to attend as well, so we made it a joint activity with some Priesthood and Relief Society. We made Oatmeal Raisin/Chocolate Chip cookies.  I didn't find out until too late that the Elders don't like oatmeal.  They were less than excited about the cookies. 

 We had three youth women, 2 young man, 5 missionaries and 6 adults. It was pretty successful!

 While the cookies baked, the adults played Skipbo and the youth played on the ipad!  All had fun.  Some of the cookies were to be delivered to less active youth, but that didn't happen!  So we ate them all!

CHOIR

We started a branch choir to make their signature performance in Sacrament meeting for the Christmas program.  There are only two Christmas songs in the Mongolian hymn book--Silent Night and Far, Far

Away on Judea'ls Plains--so we had to learn some new ones.  They are singing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and the youth are singing "Away in a Manger."  It is pretty exciting to hear them humming and singing the words throughout the week at the church.  We have yet to see how the program goes.  It will be the first Christmas Sacrament Meeting program held in this branch.  Hope it goes well!

LANGUAGE STUDY

I teach an English class every week at the Church.  We had quite a few students for awhile, but Nyambayar is the most regular attender.  She is doing well.  She is the Branch President's daughter and is teaching her 3-year-old daughter English.  Her son actually already knows quite a bit from school.  President Batmonkh is amazing at how quickly he picks up on what he hears.  He can't read or write it, but he can now say, See you later, Welcome to church and I asked him once what time the meeting was the next morning and instead of answering in Mongolian he said in English, "9:30". So he's coming along!

The pic on the left is actually Elder Batbileg helping me with Mongolian.  We try to help each other and he is learning English pretty well.  My Mongolian is coming, but not as fast as I would like.  I can read the words, but don't know the meaning of many, and I can say some things.  It is when people respond to my that I'm really in trouble.  I just can't understand what they are saying even when it's words that I know!

 Well, that's some of the things we have been doing at the church!  We keep busy and are very much enjoying all we are doing and learning here in Mongolia!  It really is a choice place to serve and we love the members here!