Christmas in Murun

Christmas in Murun was great. Two weeks before Christmas the Sacrament Meeting topics centered on Christ’s birth, particularly that He was the literal Son of God.  The first Christmas Sacrament Meeting program was held with narration by Batnyam, Oyunnyam and Oyunpurev. The Primary children sang “Silent Night”, (about 15 of them showed up to sing), the Young Men and Young Women sang “Away in a Manger” (about 10 of them sang), the first ever choir of about 20 sang “Joy to the World”, and Puje sang “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, with Sister Groesbeck at the piano and Erdene conducting.  It was a great meeting and we had about 85 in attendance.  If that many attended every week, the Murun Branch could get a new building!

On Christmas morning we skyped with the kids and then went over to Puje's to exchange Christmas gifts.  She has been such an integral part of our lives for the past 4.5 months it is hard to imagine our mission without her.  We love her and will certainly miss having her as our translator in Choibalsan!  We gave her a BINGO game and then took it back to give to the branch.  She will get her BINGO and other games when the box from the US gets here!  She was kind enough to let us use hers for the branch.

 We made her an 8-page book with all the pictures from Murun. She said she wasn't keeping a journal and didn't take many pictures, so we made this for her as her Murun Memories! She seemed to really enjoy it!

 She gave us a Mongolian movie called "The Weeping Camel" and some spices and mixes from UB.

 Next we went to lunch with our district as recommended by President Clark. We let the Elders choose where they wanted to go and they chose The Friend cafe.  It was kind of slow service, maybe because of another Christian group who was there having their Christmas party, but the food was good anyway.  Elder Bataa and Elder Batbileg enjoying their Christmas lunch!

Our Murun part of the district. 

Sister Orna had us come to the church early because she had something for us.  She presented us with small gifts and then we ate buuz she had made especially for us.  She was the first member we met when we came to Murun and is such a sweatheart.  We will really miss her quirky personality and her sweet smile!

 A Christmas party was held at the church on Christmas day with about 100 members attending.  Watching the First Presidency Devotional was first on the agenda, but the internet connection was so bad that it wouldn’t stream and stalled more than it played, so that was abandoned about half way through.  After that, the children presented a live nativity.  The Primary coordinated, dressed, narrated and did the whole thing!  It was great.  Parents loved seeing their children acting out this sacred event.

 

 They did a great job, especially considering it was the first time they have ever done a nativity for their Christmas party.  The children were all pretty excited about being a part of it and we hope this is something that will continue on as a tradition in this branch for many Christmases to come!

Then the Russian Santa visited and provided a gift bag of goodies for all the kids.  President Batmonkh did a great job as Mr. Santa Clause.

 The pretty girls in white are always present to help Santa with his gift giving.  Those in the blue just sort of crashed the picture!

After the goodies were given, most of the kids left and a talent show of sorts was presented.  Each auxiliary was asked to provide a talent from the group.  It was really quite interesting the variety we got! Batnyam was the MC and did a great job.

Baysa was the start of the show with her hip-hop number.  She was adorable.  She's President Batmonkh's granddaughter and she's 3.  But she really knew the moves and how to keep the audience entertained!

 These two are also President Batmonkh's grandchildren.  They did a modern dance routine which was very good.  Bayarbat is Baysa's brother and their mom is Nyambayar.  The girl is Nyampurev's daughter.

Nyampurev sang a song and really has a nice voice.

Dorjhand and Orna did a Mongolian skit.  We were told it was sort of a romantic comedy thing, but we couldn't understand it at all.  His costume was sure cute though!

 Munkhbayar, Baata and Nyamdalia sang a very nice song from the church hymn book.

 The members of the Elder's Quorum who were there also sang a number.  Many of the EQ are much older than most EQs.  There is no High Priest Quorum here.  There are no High Priests (except Alan).  So they all go to the same quorum.  If we could only get all of these Elders to come to church every week and serve.  This branch would move toward a building so much faster if everyone at the party stayed active!

       And, of course, every branch party includes a dance.  Mongolians love to dance--American, Mongolian, hip-hop, modern--you name it, they love to dance it!

LaNice and Munkhbayar.  What a great young man he is!  He needs to find himself a good woman!

I made and took Playdough for the kids to play with and keep them occupied while the adults did their thing.  Turned out the adults had fun with the Playdough too! Nyambayer, Bayanjargal and Tuvshinbat all were pretty talented in the scupturing department!

Some of the final sculptures!

    About 8:30 President said the party needed to end by 9, but everyone was having fun and it finally got over about 9:30. It was a great evening and a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of our Savior with wonderful friends and branch members! A Bingo game was given to the Branch which will be followed by a new deck of Skipbo and Phase 10 cards, once our packages from the US arrive.

               The youth went caroling to members and investigators on the Sunday before Christmas. They came to carol us after Christmas, but in Mongolia, Christmas can be whenever and however long they want it to be!

                          

                          Nyamdalai, Nomuun, Otgondulam, Erdene, Elders Bataa and Batbileg, Munkhbayar