Mission Conference Recharge

Greeting Elder Wilson

Well if you've never been a part of a mission conference I can assure you it’s probably one of the most motivating, re-energizing events anywhere.  Just bringing together all the missionaries from all over the country for a few days would be enough, but then combine that with almost 20 hours of fantastically prepared talks, ideas, discussions, practices, a member of the seventy in attendance, along with several stake leaders from here in town and the greatest mission president ever and you've got mission conference.
The highlights included a fantastic talk on study techniques by the stake president, the allegory of the Ger given by President Clark and  a personal interview with Elder Wilson after the conference which was of course a wonderful opportunity.

After Conference this week we got hit hard by English teaching where I taught an hour and a half discourse on the history of America to my sponsor.  I guess I owe some thanks to some great elementary school teachers and Mr. Reaganbogen from Parkway North.  I also took a minute to shoot the breeze with some of my classes and realized that as much as English instruction wouldn't be my first choice of how to spend my time, Jonon is definitely my first choice for where to teach.  Between Mission conference and Jonon the week flew by.  Feels like I was sitting here yesterday writing email.  We got in a few lessons right at the end of the week and although we have so many leads and our investigator boards are full, getting people moving in the gospel stream has presented itself as a challenge as of late.  Anyway this week’s letter will be primarily insights and ideas from conference and the ensuing personal and companionship studies.

From Elder Wilson-
Its impossible for anyone to go through a mission or life for that matter without experiencing highs and lows.  It’s simply a truism that some things we face will bring us happiness and others sorrow.  The strategy is not to make the only the “highs” higher because that just increases the depths of the lows.  We must strive to also raise the entire “graph” by making the highs and the lows higher.

From President Clark-
In John chapter six Jesus feeds the five thousand with what little food was present.  At first it was noted that after the miracle some wished to follow Jesus in order to be feed physically.  Those in this category soon fell away and no longer tarried with him.
Secondly, we may also find ourselves in similar positions where we feel we need to feed five thousand (be it a church calling or something else).  As we give of ourselves we find that after we have given all that we have, we like those in the story end up with more loaves and fishes (blessings) then we even started out with!  While those who serve only for themselves find themselves empty handed at the end of the day.  I’ve seen this the case in Mongolia as some will indeed join the church as some sort of welfare society.  They never seem to stay long.  Yet those who understand the law of the gospel and give of themselves freely (even when there isn’t much to give) receive in abundance both spiritually and physically.  Be a bucket filler not a taker.

Finally reading in the D&C this week in the sixth section:
36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

As missionaries we tend to keep our thoughts centered on Christ and the gospel more than we did before or probably after we serve.  Out of necessity of life there are other things that must fill our thoughts at other times of the day.  The take home message is whether we can "Look unto God" in every thought that crosses our mind.  Is there anything that would cause us to lower our head for an instant if we were in his presence? Through keeping our thoughts clean we can look unto God and live.

I was struck this week at the end of Conference when Elder Wilson took a moment to almost individually thank everyone that had a hand in the conference.  And I recognized the love that can be conveyed and the joy that can be felt by the recipients of the thank you.
Though I can’t name you individually I am extremely grateful to all of you supporting me here in Mongolia where ever you are in the world.  Your thoughtful notes, emails, and letters are always filled with happiness and enthusiasm.

Love you all
Elder Neuberger

If you look closely, you can find Elder Neuberger in both of these photos.

Mission Conference Boloo

This Pday is filled with the hype of the next two days which should be great.  All of the Elders are in from the countryside (not that many people because the mission is down to like fifty missionaries) and Elder Wilson (a member of our area presidency) comes in tonight.  Mission conference is pretty much like general conference, but on a more one on one setting and it’s all day. My sponsor was also completely willing to give me Wednesday off so I won’t have to miss any of it! Plus Pday basketball when the whole mission is in town always amps up the gameplay.  Tried to get a soccer game together today, but that didn’t work out. 

Pretty much all of the American Elders left in Mongolia are teachers at schools so even though we all went back to school this week it was fun to all go back together as a team kind of.  Jonon has been great this week with my new teaching technique .  .  .  wing it.  My new class freaked out when they found out that I know Mongolian. Seeing all the other students was almost like seeing friends again and we just chatted about the summer for a while.  Plus three of the hours a week are just me, my sponsor, and his wife eating food and trying to learn/teach English.  What basically happens is my sponsor goes on for an hour about some really cool Mongolain  history or culture story (the first three words are in English and then he switches to Mongolian haha) and then the last 5 minutes he asks a few questions and we finish.  Can’t complain there.  The only downside is the deficit of study time. All the classes start so early we get no time in the morning to study.  We get out so late that there’s no reason to go back to the apartment. 

Thursday was fun as we went straight from English to digging a 10 foot bathroom hole.  We went with the other Elders in our district and it was a blast.  The Elders quorum president from their ward was there and he was laughing and talking the whole time.  We talked about pretty much everything for the 4 hours we dug.  On the way home I convinced my companion that the Air Force never lands its planes and only refuels by people throwing them fuel from the ground and a guy with a big glove leaning out the window and catching it (funnier in Mongolian bakhuu).

This week we added quite a number of people to the potential investigator list including a man who came to church with his wife seeking a way out of alcoholism.  I talked with him before the investigator class started and then he basically dominated the discussion during class which was taught by a fantastic RM who served in Washington DC.  They stayed all three hours and came back for some sort of fireside that we weren’t able to stay for.  Unfortunately we won’t be able to meet with them until after mission conference. 

This week we also met again with the brother of member tsetsegmaa (Elder Wilson’s convert).  She’s great because she talks as if she’s always angry.  It seemed like we were in and out of there before we knew it as she basically ran the meeting.  The family had run out of the pamphlets we had given them and could have taught the lessons themselves.  And at the end, tsetsegmaa who sells fruits at the zaakh sent us home with 10 bananas and apples. 

The next day at church the oldest son came and told us (as if it was nothing) that he had walked an hour and a half to get to church.  The mom and the dad unfortunately had work.  This is a constant problem in Mongolia because the concept of a weekend really doesn’t exist and  because there is no Christian background the Sabbath is of no consequence and always a problem for members and investigators alike.

I got to end this, but have a great week
Pray always,
Elder Neuberger

JONON 2012

Well this week has been all over the place including first day of school with orientation.  I think this is the classiest I've ever looked for the first day of school (definitely outdid the nanotechnology students).  The whole thing was pretty fun because I knew pretty much everyone there from last year.  My sponsor introduced me to a new class. We talked a bit and that was it. I mentioned before that I’ve been teaching my sponsor over the summer.  Unfortunately, I must have taught him too well because in his excitement I’m teaching 13 and a 1/2 hours a week.  Which would be fine if I wasn’t trying to work 24/7 as a missionary.  Anyway it’s a small price to pay for being in the greatest mission in the world though I do feel a little bad for my companion who will finish his training with hours of sitting in English classes.  Talk about extra personal study time. 

All it really means is that with the remaining time we have to be absolutely lights out planned so that we don’t waste a minute of  time. 

While the English work picked up so did the missionary work.  We had five investigators at church and a great meeting with our new ward missionary leader.  The ward (not unlike those in America) has a completely new face as people are flowing in from the countryside for the beginning of school.  We've scheduled lessons with several members’ families and look forward to those this week.  My companion, still amazing, and I have really started clicking in lessons and the teaching has been great. 

This week we had an interesting experience with an investigator. It was with some of our baptismal candidates this week (the daughter and son of an ALA's sister). We had a meeting to close one of our days.  The ALA who has been coming back to church and has born his testimony several times in lessons was unfortunately a bit drunk and smoking as we entered the apartment.  As we all gathered in a small room you could feel that the Spirit of the Lord had no possibility to reside.  On his own the man decided it would be best if he left. Soon after we began the lesson (the Gospel of Jesus Christ).  The lesson started a bit slow, strained even.  Like someone starting to swing from a dead stop.  As we moved forward it gradually picked up speed until the dim room was filled with not a tangible light, but the light, warmth and peace of the gospel.  It highlighted something Brother Margetts said in the MTC.  If none of it were true the gospel is still the happiest and most peaceful way to live your life. But it is true! And what a blessing it is to be part of this great work in helping others to know the same.

In other news our refrigerator was jinheneesee fixed this week which means we could be seeing meat in the house for the first time in 2 months.  What a blessing!  This week we're making prishkii with a member (the happiest member of all time, Sister October) and we’re pretty excited.  Also another bathroom hole digging service project is on the schedule, so bust out your pickaxes. Snow is coming in next week so we're headed off to what may be the last outside basketball of the year.

If you still haven’t read the Ensign this month do it because it’s filled with little gems. Here’s another:

There is a story told of an old Cherokee teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves. One is evil: he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is good: he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Remember the choice to lead a joyful happy life is entirely up to you.  Understand that circumstances never have and never will determine destiny.  Feed the right wolf!

Have a great week,

Elder Neuberger

Editor's Note:  The link to Elder Farmer's blog is now functioning (see right margin).  They have been traveling a lot and I think you will enjoy the reports and photos.  The following photos were actually taken from their site.

But It's Your Floor

Well it seemed like a busy week for everyone back home as everyone finished up the summer and got back to school. We're hoping that the same things starts going on here and we see just a few more people at church on Sundays. 

Thanks for the great pictures from your trip to BYU with Kristi Lee and I can’t believe that anything is that green  .  .  .  it was blinding. 

Elder Ocorjamaa upon learning that Travis was his trainer.

This week was a little slower than last week as we struggled to keep our investigators in the growing and progressing category.  Despite the struggle we were blessed with 6 new investigators who the Lord has placed in our path in one way or another.  Four of them are relatives of church members (always a bonus) and we'll be headed over to meet with one for family home evening tonight.

So I moved and rebuilt my first ger this week. It’s like putting up a really intricate tent.  Everything gets broken down and fit into a small flat bed (the height of the stacked items exceeding all safety standards).  The best part of the experience was setting up the floor which is a series of wooden pieces not unlike a giant circular puzzle.  Unfortunately, we forgot to draw/take a picture of the floor before taking it down creating a bit of a problem when setting it back up.  It was like an awesome team building game from scout camp as we all stood around and tried to figure out how to make a circle from the pieces we had.  Due to my lack of ger making experience my ideas were not highly regarded nor were my companion’s, so we just helped move the boards around.  The rest of the experience was a blast and I’m not sure what the levels of experience are, but I feel like I moved up a few points in the ger building category.

Elders Ocojamaa and Neuberger with Pres. and Sis. Clark

This week I also got in my second bus accident, the car we crashed with had no driver (someone remind me to tell this one later).

This week I read a fantastic excerpt from the September Ensign by President Packer.  It was the story of two farmers who lived side by side and grew the same type of wheat.  One of the farmers decided not to work on Sundays to keep the Sabbath day holy.  The farmer who did worked on Sundays asked the other why he didn’t work and he told him that his crops wouldn’t turn out as well come October.  But the friend responded that he wished to receive the blessings of the Lord through keeping his commandments. Time passed and it came time to harvest.  One day the two farmers talked over the fence.  The farmer who worked on Sunday looked at his neighbor’s crops and asked, “where are the blessings that you were trying to receive.  There is no question that my crops are better looking and more abundant than yours.” The neighbor paused, thought for a minute and then responded smiling, “The Lord doesn't balance his books in October!” Wherever we are and no matter how little the blessings seem for following any of the Lord’s commandments, realize that the blessings may not come in October this year or even in this lifetime.  But the promises and the blessings of the Lord are always certain if not swift.  Do what’s right.  Be obedient. Reap the rewards when the Lord says the harvest is up.

Have a great week
 

Elder Neuberger

Editor's Note: Please note the addition of a new blog in the links in the right margin.  Elder Farmer is serving in Mongolia with his wife.  They arrived last month.  Coincidentally they are also from St. Louis.

The Dog Days of . . . Fall?

So apparently its been fall for the last month and a half...not sure how we count it here.
Either way it definitely feels like fall today as the temperatures dropped into the thirties yesterday at night. I’m imagining a nice St. Louis August day, but can’t say I’d trade at the moment.  But talk to me again in two months.

In other news Elder Osorjamaa  and I are off to a fantastic start together in Songino. We are putting up some legendary numbers in the key indicator column of the weekly report.  It was new records for the Songino area  almost across the board.  One reason is because of the relief of half a English schedule (we only have to take time for my English teaching since Elder Osorjamaa doesn’t have to teach) and the other being tremendous blessings all week.

At Nadaam Picnic last month

First to the fantastic returned missionaries in the ward, who's only difference between now and a few months ago is the absences of a badge.  If there is a referral that every missionary would prefer it’s a friend of  a returned missionary. We continued to meet with Amaraa the friend of RM Zulbayar who returned from the Washington DC south mission a month ago.  For the lessons we taught, there were actually three returned missionaries which at first was as intimidating as it was comforting.  The testimonies born by the three friends were 10 times as powerful as anything that Elder Osorjamaa and I could have ever said.  We saw firsthand the blessings of making missionary work a team effort.

My companion is big into learning English, so it’s been a  blast learning the languages together and learning great new stuff every day.  Because he’s asking as many questions about my language as I am about his, it just pushes me to learn more and faster.  Did I tell you how great he is?  The "let’s go and do it" attitude to match anyone, but the humility and “laid backness” to understand and not get disappointed.  Also a bit sarcastic .  .  .  I love a little witty banter.

Please leave your ideas for a caption in the comment section.

On Saturday we had the most successful day of missionary work ever heard of.  Everyone we wanted to talk to/meet with/see seemed to be home and ready to go and then some. On some days you get burned so many times you end up with a little bit of time at the end of the day that’s unplanned.  On Saturday we completed so many appointments as planned that we had extra time at the end of the day  (I’m not even sure how the math works on that one).
The best visit of the day was without a doubt our meeting with Baatar Ax, a recent convert of 7 or so months that just got back from the countryside.  The man is always in a suit and reminds me a bit of Grandpa English.  He also wears this sweet sailor hat all the time.  Coolest of all he has a Prayer Ger.  Which is this really tiny ger next to his real ger where he reads scriptures and prays.  The man goes like clockwork and before we sat down he already had decided who was saying the opening and closing prayer.  He shared with us the most amazing story of faith.  On his way home from Khovd he was riding a bus that tried, but failed to cross a stream or pond.  On the way across it got stuck and the passengers were fine but everything under the bus would be assuredly ruined.  Because of the great amount of things he had under the bus of not just material but sentimental value, he was worried for his things.  In his moment of panic he though first to turn to the Lord.  He prayed hard he said for the time that it took a tow truck to come and pull them out.  When all was said and done, although the outside of all of his things were soaked and the cardboard boxes ruined, he didn’t lose a thing on the inside the of the packages.  May we all have faith as this man as we go about our week.  Find the small miracles that are in every moment.

You're the Best!

Elder Neuberger

With Elder Robbins last transfer

If I Had a Nickel for Every Ocorjamaa I Knew

What a busy week...
First of all the greatest part of becoming a trainer is the bonus interview with the mission president.  Is there a kinder, more caring, more involved and interested person?  We talked for about 20 minutes, but I’m pretty sure that’s enough to make anyone happy for at least 2 transfers!  I’ve got to admit that when I learned I was training a Mongolian I was just a bit nervous.  The language obviously isn’t a problem for him,  so I wasn’t even sure what I was going to teach him.

The week unfolded like this:  Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were as normal with Elder Robbins and I rocking a great couple last days together.  Then on Thursday morning I met with the President.  Because everyone had to interview, we weren’t done until four o’clock which left us three hours till the big training meeting with the President and since it’s a two hour transit to get home and back .  .  .  Not doing that.  So we went with Elder Boyd and Elder Quinton to do some service in Khailaast for a less active member.  We pulled weeds for an hour, got our hands sufficiently green, and laughed with the sisters and the member.  Then it was back to the Bayanzurk (that’s the main church building) for training.  In short, that was an hour and a half of pure inspiration as the President outlined our duties as trainers.  What struck me the most was his admonition to "not train alone" 

A major part of being a missionary is realizing that I’ve got nothing on my own.  No language skills, no teaching skills and most of all no purpose in Mongolia.  With the challenges come the realization that in order to succeed in any degree we are going to need a whole lot of help.  Sometimes its intimidating and frustrating to face obstacles where so much seems unknown or the chips even seem stacked against you. It’s amazing to look back at almost every problem in life no matter how big or small it seemed and realized that the Lord has provided a way.

So who is this new Elder that I’m training?
Elder Ocorjamaa is the greatest 5 foot missionary out of Enktaivan ever.  He’s full of energy and spiritual knowledge, but humble and ready to learn. He finished high school last year and spent the last year working to make enough money to serve a mission.  He turned 19 in May making him the youngest missionary in the mission.  He is one of two church members in his family having been baptized just 4 years ago with his sister.  It’s been just so fun to be with a Mongolian again I can’t even tell you.  Nothing on Elder Robbins, but being able to ask anything about the language again is great.  This weekend has been especially great because Elder Anar (who also started his mission this week) was with us.  He’s a member from Khailaasst you may remember if you’re an avid blog follower.  We have had a great weekend working through the training and just being together.

Time for basketball .  .  .

Have a great week!
Elder Neuberger
 

One down, one to go

It is truly amazing how the Olympics bring the world together.  Ugaasa. It’s huge in America, but witnessing it from the other side of the world is something else.  It’s amazing to see every Mongolian in the country get revved up for the participants they're sending.  From what I hear Mongolia has won a silver and a bronze, but there’s some upper weight class, open wrestling guy who’s supposed to be lights out. Also how great is the Olympics for small talk conversation starters.  Everyone’s got their two cents.

So the sad news this week is that I’ll be saying goodbye to Elder Robbins this week as he heads to Khailaast with Elder Quinton.  It'll be tough to part after we had such a short time together, but we've had a great 5 weeks or so. 

Who's my new companion .  .  . well, he's coming from the Philippines. That’s where the MTC is for Mongolian Elders.  Although I don’t know quite exactly who I’ll be training, I know pretty much everyone in the group coming in and they are all fantastic guys who will make superb Elders.  That all happens on Friday. Elder Boyd will also be training a new Mongolia and Elders Stranski and Lloyd will remain the zone leaders for the city.  I’m looking forward to two months with whomever I’m with.  It’s great serving with another American, but what an opportunity of a life time to live with someone from halfway around the world. Plus it never hurt anyone’s language skills to work with a Mongolian.

As for this week .  .  . the non spiritual highlight goes to being fed five days in a row. First by a returned missionary who served in Australia, then the Farmers who are actually from my home stake in St. Louis [find their blog (drvalfarmer@blogspot.com) and there should be a picture], then by Elder Robbins' sponsor, next by my sponsor, and finally by a church member (first time I’ve had broccoli in almost a year. Wow! is that stuff is underrated).

I feel like I neglected telling you anything about Elder Robbins who is from California, was at BYU the same time I was, likes the outdoors and weight lifting. He’s a fantastic missionary with great spiritual insights, huge into healthy eating, and not immune (reference last week’s email) to the difficulties of cultural eating adaption.  His one flaw would be not being a sports fan, but what can ya do?

This week I’ve seen the Lord place people in our path on several occasions whether for their good or ours.  The spontaneous meeting of people interested in the Church has resulted in receiving quite a few great referrals and even better gospel conversations. One was my first ever Bible Basher in Mongolia. Another was after a long day of English teaching while we were eating yogurt and super kontics (best combo ever) we were approached by a young girl probably about our age. She introduced herself as Munktenger and told us that she had been a member of the Church about a year ago. Not passing up a good opportunity we began to discuss what had brought her to leave the Church.  She told us that she had always had great faith in the Bible and it had been a wonderful source of truth for her. Although she felt she had received a testimony of the Book of Mormon, under the pressure of her friends and family she had slowly drifted and stopped coming to church. She wasn’t sure if what the Church taught was true anymore. One of her comments had striking similarity to the Father of King Lamoni in the Book of Mormon. She said "if I knew it was true, if I absolutely knew, I’d give up everything, my family, my school  .  .  . I would put everything I know in correspondence to my faith."  She continued to ask questions that bothered her like the last verses of Revalations and why the Sabbath was moved to Sunday instead of Saturday. We answered slowly and simply the best we could to all the questions she posed.  Ingrained in my mind were the words out of Preach My Gospel that that at the root of all doubt and disbelief is a lack of understanding or a lack of testimony in the Book of Mormon.  As we continued to calmly answer questions we made it clear that there was no possibility, even if we answered every question, to prove to her that what we were saying was true.  The truth of the Gospel and a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon comes only through personal study,  pondering and asking God our Heavenly Father for ourselves if the words in the book are true. While the doctrine may seem demanding or confusing at times, the answer for a personal testimony in any facet of the Gospel comes though the instruction given in the last two paragraphs in the introduction of the Book of Mormon 

“We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)

Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.”

The best part of the Gospel is that you truly can know for yourself!

Have a fantastic week!

Enjoy the Olympics (Kevin and John, watch it twice for me)

Elder Neuberger