Well, unless I've missed my guess, this week and next will
bring the beginning of second semester for just about everybody except maybe
Ole Miss who if I remember start again sometime in March(lol). In any
case have a great semester. Go listen to a Jeffery R. Holland BYU speech before
your class load gets you down.
As for us here in Mongolia . . . being honest I’d have to say it was a slower
week than usual that left us with a few less lessons taught and people met than
we would have liked; but as I look back at the week and at the beginning of
another, as always there are enough wonderful things to fill ten emails and put
to rest any doubts that we were blessed this week.
After the few weeks that I spent out of my area at the end
of last transfer the main push has been to revive the work especially in the
new investigator category (I’m sure I told you that last week). Because
tracting and street contacting are illegal in Mongolia’ our form of such is
taking the ward list out and checking addresses, a practice we resorted to this
week. We walked up and down small back streets and side roads in the ger
districts all day, but it appeared that all the less active members in the ward
had taken a page out of Harry Potter and invisabilized their homes. We
couldn't find a house. A bit discouraged (although we did take a number
of pictures which we considered a success) we headed back to the center of our
area where we were scheduled to eat dinner with a family that evening. We were
not in the door for more than, I kid you not, 20 seconds (my shoes were still
halfway on) when the mother of the family rushed us into a side room and told
us there were some people that we needed to meet. It turned out that this
family (probably the best in the ward if not Mongolia) was hosting another family
(a close friend) as their son was being treated in a nearby hospital. We spent
the next ten minutes to get to know them and set a return appointment before
the food was ready. The father is apprehensive but the mom is motivated;
ready to read the Book of Mormon pray and get an answer. We set a return
appointment and with that the buuz tasted that much better. What a
blessing and a tender mercy.
While we continued contacting passed referrals and old
investigators our biggest struggle was getting people to stay committed to the
times and places that we had set. But we pressed on and were excited for the
prospect of fast Sunday to fast for the specific needs of the area. Again
the blessings came. Our new member of two weeks brought with her a friend
and another member who I'd actually never met before brought her boyfriend who
just from a few minutes of talking seems golden. We received as well from
the AP's the names of another investigator. The moral of the story
being that missionary work in general and especially in places such as Mongolia
is almost impossible and in the very least less profitable if not for the help
of the members.
Another highlight of the week was a dinner appointment with
an RM who served in my district in Khailaast. She's now living with a few
other members from the Khailaast area who it were great to see. Added bonus
the AP's were there. Elder Bayartsogt and Elder Stranski. What
great people! After a great meal and some reminiscing, Elder B did what
I've seen him do on countless occasions and brought it all together with a
fantastic scripture that brought everyone from laughter to thoughtful
contemplation. To bring in the New Year he shared 3 Nephi 12:47
And so it is with the new year, what’s done is done and
everything is new. In like sense it’s best to remember as the Savior exhorts Lot's wife, who looked
back longingly at what had been and was unable to have faith that what the Lord
had in store for her was far greater that what she had had. In the words of
Robert Browning "The best is always yet to come." It’s up to us to
have the courage and the faith to learn from the past but not live in it.
Don't look back!
Elder Neuberger
Elder Neuberger
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