Dear Family,

Man I loved speaking with you this week! I was wondering how it would feel after not speaking for six months (not awkward, but just different), but it felt like I'd never left and I can't tell you how much I loved that opportunity and look forward to Mother's Day! I'm super short on time today so I apologize in advance for the short email, I hope my extra Skype time will make up for it and I'll be back on a regular schedule next week. Plus, I just finished the DVD, so all my videos and pictures will be coming your way.

A little bit about my new companion Elder Batjargal, he's the best! He's truly been a blessing for me this last couple of days, I feel like we've already served a transfer together. We get along really we'll and I'm bummed that he'll be leaving on Wednesday, and evidently my new companion (not a mini missionary), we'll be here Wednesday morning. Elder Batjargal will have a trip to the Phillipines MTC when he serves his mission, but lots of pre missionaries will serve with the Elders in preparation for that, and that's exactly what my companion is doing. He's 22 right now, joined the Church 2 years ago! He's a ridiculous dancer from what I here and has been to Russia and China for some traditional Mongolian dance tours or something.... Other than our difference in dance ability (ha ha) we have a lot in common.

To close I want to share a very powerful scripture that I've heard a lot about this Christmas season, D&C 76:22-23. Our Savior is the greatest gift we have ever, or will ever receive! Look at all the blessings that come from accepting, having faith, and following Him. I am so grateful for the trust He places in me, it makes me strive to improve and I see such love in those times. His Atonement can truly change us, there is no way we can be truly happy until we come unto Him. I love you guys, hope you have a great week!

Elder Jolley

The Mongolian missionaries, including President and Sister Clark (4th couple from the left on the 2nd row) and the senior couples. Ryan is in the center area, about 3rd row to the top. (picture courtesy of Elder and Sister Powell)

Editors note: We had the sweet opportunity to skype with Ryan on Christmas night. He looks healthy, happy and is loving the work. It was a very cherished time for both us and him! As his sister Kendyl said after we got off with him... "Mom, he is glowing with the spirit."

Yay!! One more day until we get to talk with Ryan! We can hardly wait. He will call in via Skype at 7 pm. : ) If anyone has a message or question or whatever for us to pass along to him, please feel free to post in the comments and we will be sure to pass them along to him. Merry Christmas!!

Dear Family,

Христийн мэндэлсний байр хургеэ!!! Merry Christmas! A cooked goose for everyone! I can't tell you how stoked I am for Sunday/Saturday and I'm going to save some of the events of this week until the call. With that password good to go, I'll be on about 10 o'clock or so, so 7 your time. YEAH! I did link to the blog last week, thanks for that. It was гайхалтай (amazing)! Thanks for all the work you do there Mom. A certain package did arrive this week, actually a few. Thanks to everyone for the Christmas love! Especially thanks for doing such a great job of getting gifts/stockings for the rest of the Elders. They don't know what's coming, but they know that you sent them gifts and are very grateful and excited- especially Elder Ganbolthd for his new wallet (I hear about it almost daily)! Nothing has been opened yet so no worries there. I'm including the pictures of my last Preparation Day, Elder Wilson, Reeve, and I made some delish pizza! Notice the chub that Elder Wilson and I are sporting. Hmmm.... we're workin' on it. Also I'm sending the pictures of Эрдэнэцэцэг's baptism, I'll talk about that in a sec, what a great night! Transfers are coming this Thursday, and I'm anxious to see what happens.... I love it here in Chingeltei, but of course whatever happens is where I'm supposed to be and that's always exciting. I'll find out on Thursday where I'll be so I'll let you know Saturday. Also, I just barely met the Clarks! I've been hoping all week to meet them, I am amazed at their confidence, their friendliness, and how well they've already adjusted here! Truly the Lord qualifies whom He calls. And President Clark is definitely qualified- he knows 6 languages and has already hired a private Mongolian tutor I guess... I'm glad I've got a head start!

Elder Wilson and Elder Jolley with their "delish pizza!"

Эрдэнэцэцэг's baptism

Hmmmm.... this computer is freezing on me like crazy and I've lost a ton of time.... so I'm going to have to cut my email at that. But I want to share with you a scripture from the Bible that I found and really loved this week. Ezekiel 34:11-13. I love the way it describes our Good Shepard and how He feels about us.

Love you all, I'm sorry this is a short email but I'll fill the rest in on Saturday. Merry Christmas!

Ахлагч Райн Жолий

Dear Family,

It's been a week of a lot of cool experiences and.... Cold! The weather is finally starting to act "normal" here and a legit Mongolian winter is on it's way! Remember that thing we always heard before I left about buying coats in Mongolia was better because the stuff at home wouldn't cut it? Lies! Nothing too special about the way we dress for winter, just lots and lots of layers! Of course right now it's not too bad, but when the sun goes down you really start to feel it. But the fun is yet to come! This week also marked the official 6 months since being set apart as a missionary! I still can't believe that I've been a missionary for 6 months and how fast the time is flying by. I sent Dad an email about Skyping for Christmas so let me know if that time works and if there's anything else I can do on my end, but I'm crazy excited to be able to see you guys for Christmas, and I feel incredibly blessed to be always in contact with home and with you!

We have an official arrival date for President Clark. He and his wife will be here 2:30 in the afternoon on Wednesday! We've been sending our weekly emails to him since receiving his call and now I'm excited to finally meet him... and have a permanent mission president! I don't know if they fully realize how much of a blessing their arrival will be to this mission. But I'm very impressed at the Lord's timing in all of this and very grateful for President Powell and his wife. Did I mention before that Sister Powell knows a lot of the Jolley's? She knows you too Dad. From the Covey days I think... but I was talking with Sister Powell this week.

I don't have a ton of time today, but I want to share a couple of really big things that have happened this week. First, Erdentsetseg had her baptismal interview on Sunday and will be getting baptized this week! We've been meeting with her every other day or so and she is ready! Also, we found a family last week that had previously met with the missionaries, have been meeting with them ever since and the father Lxawgsuren and his son Chinguun (I'll type the Mongolian names next week) committed to be baptized on the 21st of January! They have been taught a lot of the lessons and have a great understanding of the Gospel. The dad has a bit of a drinking problem and that will probably be our biggest concern in helping him to prepare for baptism. It's something that will take a lot of the Lord's help and I'll talk about his progress in later emails. I extended the commitment to be baptized to them and realized how much of a change that truly is in their lives and I'm excited for the opportunity to continue to meet with them. A half-transfer is coming up, I think on the 25th, and I really hope that I will stay in Chingeltei! I love the people here, the ward, and the progress that has been made. We'll see what happens! One thing that has really stood out to me this last few weeks is the power of reading the scriptures with investigators! We've been focusing on shorter, more frequent visits, with some visits reading a chapter from the Book of Mormon and then discussing what we learn. There has been more understanding and blessings that have come, both to us the missionaries and to the investigators as Elder Mungunsor and I have done this! Nephi says this about reading from the scriptures:

And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold
fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction. (1 Nephi 15:24).

I love this scripture and I know that by making a better effort to read from the Scriptures we can feel an increased influence of the Spirit come into our lives.

I'm excited to here back from you, and for the Christmas call! Time flies eh? I love you guys!

Elder Jolley

Сайн Бацгаана уу?

Hey! To start off, the Thanksgiving package came... thanks you guys! You already heard about my "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner, but I was on the alert after your email last week, the package came on Friday and was, as always, an awesome way to end off the night! I don't know whether to eat the stuffing or frame it it's so beautiful!! It probably won't make it through the week.... more than the food though I loved all of your letters! Thank you for your testimonies, and thanks especially to Sky-guy and his camp out analogy. I've been studying the Plan of Salvation alot and it gave me a really cool perspective on what I had been studying! Because of time I'll forward as my spiritual thought the email I sent to Elder Mickelson, it's related towards missionary work, but applies to every task that the Lord gives us. Our Area President, Elder Carl B. Pratt of the Seventy, is here this week for a mission tour and we had an incredible Zone Conference with him and Sister Pratt. I wish I could scan my notes and send them with this email, pure revelation! I had the chance Saturday night to interview with him (my first interview on my mission) and that was the highlight of my week, a great spiritual experience!

This week Elder Мөнгөнцор and I, with English teaching, taught 26 lessons and I loved being busy just with teaching! We did very little finding this week keeping up with all the teaching appointments. We're also preparing 2 investigators to be baptized, one on the 17th, and another on the 31st of December and we meet with them often. One is a 9 year old girl named Урангоо. Her sister and brother are members, but the rest of her family is not and comes to Church every week and her older sister (an RM) is a really great example to her! Эрдэнэцэцэг is 18, has been investigating the Church for over 6 months, and has been passed around a ton with missionaries transferring to and from the area, but with all the change is still attending Church and just needs to have the lessons retaught, and then she's ready for baptism. I'm feeling the responsibility right now to really make sure we prepare these 2 the best we can to be strong members of the Church and it's really helped our lesson planning be more specific having taught everything ourselves and being able to gauge their understanding.

Now I want to share about Saturday, Zone Conference with Elder Pratt! Friday night our Zone Leaders called and said we had a "surprise" Zone Conference the next morning from 8 to 2 and then interviews with Elder Pratt that night. Sister Pratt is an incredibly enthusiastic speaker and she kept telling the translator off for not expressing enough feeling! Ha ha, I loved it. Most of her remarks are in the email I'll forward, but she shared an awesome talk based off Elder McConkie's "Gospel Teaching and Learning" talk from last Conference. Go read that again this week, an incredible talk! She shared one thing that I had never thought of before... we read the Scriptures to learn to recognize the VOICE of the Savior and how He and the Father work among the children of men. We read from Ether 2 where the Lord spake with the Brother of Jared for 3 hours. Sister Pratt then asked, "When was the last time you spoke with the Lord for that long?" She then related that we have 2 hours of study, personal and companionship, where if we will read from the Scriptures we can learn to recognize the voice of the Lord, a.k.a. speak with Him each day. I had never thought of scripture study in this way and I was excited to share that with you all- make sure, aside from your prayers, that you are taking the time to speak with the Lord, personally and especially as a family!! We all can better learn to recognize His voice. Elder Pratt's remarks were all focused on the great commandment to love one another. I left his notes at my apartment and don't want to botch his words trying to say them myself... so I'll share them later. But we read from John 13-17, the Saviors "Upper Room" address and I loved how much he taught from the scriptures rather than just speaking. Those would also be a great few chapters to read this week (hint hint).

About the Christmas call, I'm going to try and get the final "okay" on skype this week, I'm 90% sure it's fine, but for the final word I may have to wait until President Clark arrives. Speaking of which, the expected arrival time right now is the 17th of December!! Yeah!! I'm excited for him to be here. What you can do now though is set up a skype account for me, that would be all I think we would need to do. Then you can send me the password and I'll get on that way. If I can I'll get all the final details worked out and report back next week. Thanks you guys, I hope you're especially enjoying this Christmas season, it really is a time where everyone seems to be happier, forgive easier, and focus on what's really important. I think of you all the time and strive to serve as an example for the future Jolley missionaries and to live up to the great blessing of the family that I have!

Love, Elder Jolley

Ахлагч Жолий

Ахлагч Мөнгөнцор and Ахлагч Жолий

Elders in my district (also my roommates), my companion Elder Мөнгөнсор (glasses), Elder Нямбаяр (white shirt), and Elder Мягмардорж (green shirt), great Elders! (this was the missing pic from last week)

Spiritual Thought from Zone Conference: This week our Area President Carl B. Pratt visited and took an Mission Tour, and he and his wife held a Zone Conference on Saturday. All I can say is incredible! Because of time I'll quickly sum up what they said, but later on check out the scriptures behind it in Nephi 17 and Ether 2. Nephi gets a specific assignment from the Lord, to build the boat. Nephi's incredible so he knows that it will require all of his effort (heart, might, mind, and strength) to complete the assignment and asks the Lord where he can go to find ore to make the tools. The Lord provides him with the materials but allows him to do the work! The Lord has also given us a specific, incredible task! Like Nephi, the Lord will show us where the ore is, but we will have to create the tools ourselves to accomplish the work. The ore is the Scriptures, Preach My Gospel, and etc. But that is just the raw material. Through our own effort, study, and time we will develop the tools to bring others to a "promised land." I loved that analogy and you can do the same study with the Brother of Jared.It helped me to remember how great of an honor it is that the Lord will entrust us to handle difficult tasks, that at the time we may not feel qualified for. But if the Lord gave us the assignment, how much hope that gives that we can succeed!

Ахлагч Жолий

Сайн байцгаана уу?

Hey guys, Happy late Thanksgiving! I loved seeing all the pictures and I'm sending a few of my own with this email! Everyone looks so different!! Especially my Дүү's (siblings), but I loved all the family pictures. This week has had a ton of amazing experiences and I'm loving my time here in Чингэлтэй! About the pictures I sent, 2 should be of my new apartment, it's so classy!! It has 2 big rooms then an entryway and a nice bathroom and a legit shower which has been way nice. It's a bit farther off from Чингэлтэй because there are no apartments there, but well worth the distance. The are also 2 shots of the Choir Festival that was on Saturday (I'll explain more farther on), but that is our branch choir. Then the last picture is of the Elders in my district (also my roommates), my companion Elder Мөнгөнсор (glasses), Elder Нямбаяр (white shirt), and Elder Мягмардорж (green shirt), great Elders!

Ryan's new apartment in Чингэлтэй.

Here's a bit of what's been going on:
Monday was all house restocking and cleaning, it was low on food and full of trash! I've got super proactive Elders that I live with and we're already a tight district! I grabbed the rest of the stuff from my old apartment, made a huge shopping trip, got a haircut, those kinds of things- but it felt really good to get everything in order so we could focus on the work throughout the week. My companion has also been having some stomach problems so we took a trip to the hospital for some tests. We barely finished in time to head to English class so it was a busy day! That took up the rest of the night. This class that I teach Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday has almost turned into a tutor hour than a class time, I usually only have 2 students or so show up. Their English is really good though and so my lessons are really loose and mostly conversation, you all know how long I can talk so no worries there! I have a plan to ask my sponsor to give me a 6 week break when spring comes so I can go serve in the countryside for a while! That would be incredible and so I'm waiting till the time is right... hope it works!!

Tuesday we had a very powerful district meeting on the power of the Atonement and forgiveness in our teaching. Without those two things our message truly lacks the power to change people's lives the way the Gospel can! I love leaving these meeting ready to "soapbox" and refire for another week of work! After the meeting we spent another couple of hours at the hospital, but from the tests my companion is all good to go and the pain has stopped... so I hope that's the end of the hospital trips for my companion! My companion has been on his mission since May. Kinda shy, but has an incredible knowledge of the scriptures and he will whip out the perfect verse, unprepared, in the middle of our lessons, I love to use the scriptures when teaching investigators and together it's been really great to teach that way! There is such power in the scriptures when we teach. I realize this more and more that on our own we have little impact to change (especially with my growing Mongolian!), but if we focus rather on doing all to invite the Spirit the lesson can change people's hearts in a way that words can't! I've been studying up on the 2nd lesson and it amazes me that we have had this blessing... all of our lives! The Plan of Salvation is incredible... I found a couple of scriptures that describe my thoughts a little better- check out Alma 28:12-14 and Alma 24:14! After the hospital we were able to get a couple lessons in before English that night. Still trying to meet everyone in our area and all the new opportunities are exciting!

Wednesday was all about new members and our assigned less actives. We met almost all of people we hadn't met with yet and now have a really good start in helping and strengthening these members. With our new members there's very little we need to do for them. Our new members in this branch are amazing! I'm grateful for the example of the members in this branch. In thinking about the differences between my new members in Sansar one thing always stands out- a firm testimony of the Book of Mormon and study!! It's amazing to see the growth that comes in just a few months of a person's life as a new member from this.

Thursday... Thanksgiving! I pulled the classic "forgot it was a holiday" today.... completely spaced! I got a call from Elder Cardinal about getting a group together for a lunch and I took a while to catch on. But we ended up getting a group of Elders (mostly the 7 American Elders and their companions) together for a Thanksgiving lunch.... Eastern style! We pulled a "Christmas Story" and ate at a classy Chinese restaurant not far from the mission office, most Mongolians don't even know what turkey is and so a classic meal wasn't happening. Without the family Thanksgiving doesn't crack up to much... but it was still fun to meet up with those Elders and talk about what our families were doing back home, and grateful to be in Mongolia!

Friday my district leader got a call for help! The annual combined choir festival (which is a big deal here) was on Saturday and as of Friday our branch choir's mens section was 3 deacons strong! So we four agreed to sing in the festival the next day and went to the final practice that evening. Remember the investigator named Наранцэцэг that I told you about a few weeks ago? She was baptized Friday night! I met her my first few weeks here and then when I was transferred to her area we worked to get her husband to allow her to become a member of the Church.... She got permission the week I was transferred and we attended her baptism on Friday! A very cool experience to be there and to finally see her faith and patience rewarded.

Saturday I taught English in the morning and then after was all Choir Festival! Crazy day. It was a great opportunity to support the branch, but sad to lose a prime day of teaching. Our choir sounded terrible in the practices and I was really worried! No one knew the parts, partly because no one had seen the music before Friday! So after a few of us recommended we just sing melody we tried again... 15 minutes before the festival started! It sounded good and things worked out great in the performance.

The Choir Festival.

I'm outta time, but I want to quickly finish up with Sunday! We committed one of our investigators to baptism and had a great discussion with her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ (PMG Lesson 3). Going along with what I said about the role of repentance and the Atonement, it will be a great experience to witness that first hand as Эрдэнэцэцэг prepares herself for baptism. We (my district) had dinner with one of the Senior Couples, the Fords last night. Straight up, classic American Sunday dinner!! I haven't had this since the MTC and I loved it! Chili, cornbread, legit cheddar cheese, and cookies and ice cream. Even better than the food was the opportunity we had to share a mini lesson on the Plan of Salvation after. It was a powerful lesson, each missionary shared 1 part of the Plan and the Spirit bore testimony to me again of the love of our Heavenly Father in giving us this plan!

I haven't gotten anything from ya'll this week... but now I'm super stoked for whatever is coming and I'll make sure to let you know next email... Thanks! As far as the Christmas package goes, I just love getting stuff from you guys, stuff that reminds me of home and so nothing specific for me as far as sweets or other stuff. I can't say thanks enough to all that you do for me and I wish I could send a package your way!! I gotta go, and I found out that one of the pictures failed to load, bummer... sorry, but I love you guys and I will see you next week!

Elder Jolley

Editors note: the picture that didn't come through was the one mentioned of Ryan with his new district. Hopefully we will get it next week. : )

Hey Guys,

Happy Thanksgiving! It's been a great week here and I'll jump right into what's been going on. Monday I went to the зах with Elder Wilson, Elder Huff, and дабка (a future missionary heading to Riverside in March!), it was a great day with them and I finished all my winter shopping. I haven't been able to find any winter boots my size that were cheap, but finally found some winter boots that fit and I got them for 28,000 төгрөг which is cheap even for here! Just in time because we've had some snow this week and the temps are starting to drop. Then that night I had FHE with a RM (who my teacher Brother Cannon served with), шинэбаяр, and his family. He's a great example of a successful RM and it has been cool to chat with him every now and then. Gov't curfew was still going on so that ended off our night.

Tuesday was a great day for the work. After District Meeting we took one of our new members баярсүх out with us and taught 5 lessons out in дарь Эх before the day was done. Thanks to a referral we found a less active older sister named Нэргүй (it literally means "no name," she was probably named by a monk, they give out some crazy names!), and met with her and her grand kids. Then we get in bed, excited to sleep and someone knocks at the door at about 11 pm. The government census lady was making her rounds and so that night we got registered, she was amazed that I was living there and that she was registering a гадаа хүн (foreigner), kinda funny. She took off about 30 minutes later and we got to go back to bed. Man that feels so late know!

Wednesday. I told you in my last email that I was really working on improving my lesson 1 teaching abilities and today I got to put that study into action! We taught a new investigator named булган, it was a great lesson and I loved the increased confidence that came from that study, it allowed me to focus more on his needs rather than stressing over the language and it allowed me to feel the Spirit of the lesson better, I was grateful for that! I've really been working on bringing myself closer to the Lord and by doing that allowing Him to have a bigger part in our work, being mindful of that and always asking for His help. I noticed such a difference throughout the day and blessings come into our work! I am very grateful for the Lord's watch over His work and His children.

Thursday during companionship study we received the transfer fax... going to Чингэлтэй!! Ахлагч Ганболд was then called to go to Сэлбэ with Elder Huff, and Elder Wilson coming to my area in Сансар, Elder Reeve will still be in Хаан Уул. Transfers are always exciting and that set up the plans for the rest of the week. I set up with Elder Wilson to exchange on Friday to show him his new area. It was hard to leave after the work was really starting to pick up, but I was grateful to leave the Sansar with lots of potential for the new Elders. Spent a bit of time at night packing up, almost forgot how slow of a packer I am and how much I hate packing!

Friday. Exchanges with Elder Wilson, look out! Friday was an awesome day; two Americans that are still learning the language, but with enough drive to compensate- out in good ole Сансар! Without a good map or reliable addresses, the goal was to show him as much of the area as I could and to get a few lessons in as well! We ended up teaching 3 lessons and finished the day with 5 new investigators to start off the next week! It was great to be companions with Elder Wilson and to work with him! It was also really cool to compare how our language, teaching has grown in different ways since the MTC- we taught a ton better than we did back in Provo and though it wasn't perfect, they were some of my favorite lessons! As soon as I got home I busted out the rest of the packing to be ready for transfers tomorrow. I still can't believe that I served with Ахлагч Ганболд for 6 weeks, but grateful for the time together with him!

Saturday morning was a party at the Bayansurkh building with all the coming and going traffic of transfer day. My new companion is Ахлагч Мөнгөнcop, he began his mission in May, just came from the countryside and is great! I'm excited for our work in Chingeltei, he served there his first transfer and so he already knows the area which is awesome! It's about as close to the countryside as Ulaanbaatar gets and I love the feel of our new area! About 1 o'clock we got to the apartment, dropped off the suitcases and went to work. The goal right now is to meet with everyone on our whiteboard and get some of our own work here as well as continuing what the other Elders left. We taught the 1st lesson to a son of a church member, there was that great peace and simplicity of the message of the Restoration that is always present and I was especially grateful for that!

Sunday we were able to meet the new branch! We are now in a legit Church building and it feels a lot more like the "home ward" than I did at Bayanzurkh. There are some incredibly powerful Saints here, and again I was feeling very blessed for this new assignment! The Ford's, the office couple for our mission, also attend that branch and so I will translate the meetings for them for the most part, no one else there is a better option than the rookie missionary. It was really fun translating though to see where I'm at. I've still got a long way to go, but it went better than I thought (with the help of a little creativity on my part ha to fill in what wasn't understood- but the main message was there). It's just been a great week overall and soaking up the satisfaction that comes from this work! It's incredible to look back and reflect each week as I write and I hope I'm sharing that better with you all now, let me know what else you want to hear!

A couple of things before I close, I've been trying these last to days to fish out a Christmas gift idea for my new companion, but still drawing blanks! Every answer I've gotten has been something that's here.... but could you include in the Christmas package something Christmas-y for him ( I have 3 other Elders I live with and I had an idea, maybe a small stocking, nothing over the top, for each of them for Christmas? Just some American treats, stuff we would do for Christmas, and a small gift. I don't want you guys paying a ton so make it simple for all of us here, but they would love that!) I'll keep thinking this week, but let me know your thoughts next Monday. Thanks a ton for that and I wish I had more time, but I love you guys, am grateful for your individual updates and I'll respond to those next week. Хайрт шуу дээ!!

Elder Jolley

Hey Family!

I loved hearing about your week! I've been refocusing my study this week to be more goal oriented then my own personal spiritual upliftment, especially to bless those who we teach and I've been really enjoying that!

Monday: I had a surprise package come in the mail, from my trainer Elder Amgalan. He bought me a camel hair beanie, but even better was the letter that came with it! I don't have time to share what he said, but I was grateful again for that time to be with him, and glad to be able to look back on that 1st half transfer without regret, and of course for that continued friendship. He shared with me D&C 15:4-6, it's great reminder of what our main goal is as missionaries. Sometimes we want to be really flowery in our approach, but simple is always more effective and I love seeing that throughout the scriptures and in the PMG lessons! I taught English today over at the Rokmon Building, they by far are my favorite class, their language skills make it that we can learn more of what they want to know and have fun with it. That took up my night and finished off my Preparation day.

Tuesday: a new companionship moved into my apartment! I'm not going to spell their Mongolian names out right now, but Elder Althansukh and Batsengeth now live with us! I was loving all the extra space, but I knew those 2 from before and they're really great Elders! I'm really trying to push more activity in the morning in our apartment, but now everything is settled down from the moving this week. Just in time for big transfer! This next Saturday is the end of my 1st legit, 12 week transfer, I don't know what will happen yet, but I'll fill you in next week. I've been in the same apartment and area for my time here, which recently is pretty impressive with all the moving around so we'll see what happens! I went with Elder Cardinal to teach English so his companion could sit in District meeting so today was a double dose of English class. After I joined back up with my district (which right now is just our companionship and the 2 training sisters) and we ate some tasty tsoivan at a members house. One of our wards' new members stopped by with a friend who had some questions about the Church. We left to go teach a lesson, but as we were leaving the Sisters began teaching the first lesson to her. It was a unique experience "watching" a lesson being taught from the "back seat" and I was again impressed with the simple power of the message that a missionary bears! It's something that most people believe themselves, but are just looking for a confirmation! I left there re-fired for our own work, what a great lunch! And that has been driving my study goals for this week.

Wednesday: We had FHE with a new member (Bat tsetseg), her son, and her parents (who are great members in our ward; her dad, Bat tumur is in the Bishopric). I shared with them 3 Nephi 13:33 and we talked about how we are blessed in our lives by following the Lord first. I love that scripture and we had a really good discussion about that. Not being able to street contact or tract brings the need for us to be creative in our finding and it very important that we ITS, or invite others to share with us people they know who would like to hear about the Gospel. We received the names of some less active members in our area that we had no idea about before, Elder Ganbolthd has been having me ask the ITS's and it's been a great conversation improvement opportunity. We left FHE later than we wanted, kinda stressed about getting home by 9:30, so we flagged down a bus and hopped on only to find out it was the wrong one! Thanks to a few prayers and a fast taxi we made it home on time. It's nothing huge, but I'm grateful for small blessings like that.

Thursday: We are meeting with a super active new member named Bayarsukh and we taught him about missionary work. He wants to serve a mission, but is worried he won't be an effective teacher of the Gospel. I wanted to throw in an "amen" to that one! I still feel that all the time when I'm teaching in Mongolian. We watched the "Called To Serve" video with him (it's a classic! Has to be from the 80's or so, I'd never seen it before), and even being a missionary I loved watching that! I loved that traditional missionary view it portrayed and I'm working to have more of that in our work (Dad I wanted to hear what you had to say about this from your mission.... let me know next week!). We have a lot of really strong new members in Sansar, most of them are great ward missionaries just a few months after their own baptism. I love seeing that desire that comes after they've accepted the Gospel message. Then we had English at the New West Hotel. These students are my "beginners" and we're working on accents and we learned about the "Th" sound. Dang we've got a long way to go there!

Friday: We had an interesting call from our AP's - government curfew! Because of the census Mongolia is doing right now everyone has to be home by 6 p.m. until this next Thursday. So I've been getting a lot of extra study time since then! I don't know how well its followed because there's still people out, but the plan is that census workers will go to every apartment before Thursday and do an accounting of the occupants. We still haven't had a visit yet though. That also means no English, which normally would be sweet to have that prime meeting time back! But, being in the apartment means no missionary work. That gave me some time to get creative cooking in last night, made doughnuts! They were just like the ones you make with the dutch oven. I got a bread recipe from one of the Senior couples and I'm going to try that out this week.

Saturday: Christmas came early on Saturday! I told you about the need for referrals Elder Ganbolthd and I have.. we received about 20 referrals for our area from the Ward and we went on to meet with 3 new investigators! We also were given the referral of an American man living in Mongolia, called him and am planning to meet with him on Saturday. I'm excited for the opportunity to teach an English lesson and I'm excited for the new opportunities those referrals will provide! Because of this curfew we were unable to set a baptismal interview for Narantsetseg (I wrote about her last week, our investigator who is preparing for baptism), but were able to meet with her again and she is all ready! The plan is for her to have her interview this Saturday and that's exciting. She has been waiting a long time for this to happen and it's exciting to see that desire in her.

Sunday: Our ward also had their primary program like our home ward, it was cool to find that out from your emails. They were a small group, but they're some of the first kids that have been born into the Gospel and that's really cool! We had a really slow day as far as the work after, all of our appointments fell through which was a big bummer. But nothing like a fresh week, new goals and new opportunities coming! I love the story of Aaron. You read in Alma about his first few "transfers" of his mission and he was rejected, cast out, and thrown into prison. But, here is what makes him a powerful missionary: he remembers something that I just read in a talk by Elder Oaks "Our faith is in Jesus Christ and not in outcomes." As soon as he is released from prison he resumes the work, and was obedient throughout this experience! I'm very impressed by his example and working to pattern my service after that, whether it's a great day, a slow day, to always remember the importance of being steady and patient! A couple of other things before I close, I would love some pen refills for a Zebra F-301 .07 pen, black and blue, my "ole reliable" MTC pens. Also, maybe a few family/other photos of stuff I can throw into my album. I really don't have any preferences on things other than that, just stuff from home is great! I'll look into the Skype stuff from my end and make sure I'm for sure able to do that, but sounds great to me! I love you guys and am always impressed by the examples you are in following the Lord and doing what's right, I see that in each of your emails!

Elder Jolley

Happy Sunday!

Hey guys! I wanted to answer back from all your letters and also give you a little more into my work here, I'm going to do the letter questions from each person that asked them:

Sky Guy — The pics I'm sending this week will show you how I'm dressing... but we've been scoring as far as the temperatures, it still really warm here! Here it's not about bigger coats, but lots of layers and so I've got a bunch of cheap sweat type stuff that you wear under the suit. Ахлагч Амгалан sent me a really cool gift this week too, a beanie made of camels hair (super thick and warm), yeah buddy! How was the Haunted Forest bud? I never heard about that one.... freaky?

Brayd — Don't even give me that ab ripper talk! I bought some dumb bells last week though and that has been sweet to do in the apartment. Before I could run and do pull ups and all that outside, but with the cold coming on that won't happen again until about May. How much are you putting up right now? Wait til you get back from your mission all soft... he he. You asked about the "mission transformation," the biggest thing you can do right now is not slack on the preparation! How's your college prep? Most importantly are you working and SAVING? The one thing I promise you'll regret more than anything is not being ready on the money side of things. I wish I had done better and with you not going to college before you've got a really good opportunity ahead of you! In your next email let me know what your doing with all that. Then I would say to especially get more specific in your study, each week do a different topic, write down your impressions and the scriptures you have found. That preparation you have put in before will mean you will be able to teach with the Spirit- you having a for sure knowledge that it's true and not just a scripture you looked up before the lesson. Also, get yourself set up for college after the mission.

Andraya — Sweet witch costume! I loved the Halloween pictures. Give me an update on how school and friends are okay? You said that you guys were thinking about selling the wii, are you still doing that?

Kendyl — Check out my pictures, I met Michael Jackson! It was kind of a surprise... христмас баярийн мэнд хөөргья! That is how you say Merry Christmas in Mongolian (Christmas Biar een mend khuurgii!). Thanks for the picture you and Draya drew for my package, and you're looking good in the bangs!

Mom — Okay somethings up with these computers, I'll attach the pics and then they disappear (....Windows....). But the pictures I'm sending this week are of my area and with one of my investigators, Ерөө Ах (Brother Ерөө). He's a painter and an artist and really digs Michael Jackson, there's paintings and memorabilia of him all throughout the house! His wife was just baptized a couple of months ago, he was going to be baptized as well, but had a bit of a faith shaker when his younger sister died. In this new area the work has been really slow starting... this week has been a lot of figuring out where things are, trying to find old investigators that fell through the cracks, trying to find new investigators (which is tough without being able to street contact or tract!), and we've been fighting to get just 2 lessons taught each day. This last week we met with a lot of new people, are starting to build up those associations and I'm really excited for this week! Our hard work is starting to show some fruits and I'm hoping it really takes off this next week with the goals we've set! We committed one of our investigators, Наранцэцэг to be baptized! She has a really cool story. Ахлагч Амгалан and I met with her originally about 6 weeks ago, she told us that she had met with the missionaries before, and really wanted to join the Church! That was a cool lesson. She was not in our area at the time and so we referred her to the missionaries in what is now my area and hadn't heard anything else. Then when we were whitewashed (both missionaries transferred to a new area), Ахлагч Ганболд and I began meeting with her again. She had been taught all the lessons, was wanting to be baptized, but her husband would not allow it! He REALLY didn't like us coming over, but respects his wife and she was able to keep coming to church and meeting with us. So, we made the goal to befriend him and teach him the lessons as well... and this last week Даваатөмөр came with his wife for a tour of the Church and we taught him part of the first lesson! Knowing more about the Church and what we do as missionaries has really warmed him up towards the Gospel, and know Наранцэцэг is going to be baptized on the 21st and we are going to keep meeting with her husband. Наранцэцэг struggles with the scriptures to understand them (the scriptures in Mongolian are really hard to understand, even for a lot of Mongolians!), and we've been meeting with her, sharing scriptures and principles of the Gospel and helping explain what she has read. Everything about our teaching here is the simple, simple truths and our lessons are very basic, I love it!

Elder Jolley and Ерөө Ах (and Michael Jackson??) : )

I guess that Skype is fine here and so it will be up to you guys on that! I don't know about the Christmas call stuff yet, but I'll ask around this week. Whoa... I almost forgot.... We have a new mission president coming! President and Sister Clark from Mapleton, Utah have been called and are scheduled to be here as early as the first week of December! I don't know anything more than that right now, but we found that out this week. The Powell's will return to being senior couple missionaries until they leave in April, and the Mechams will stay in the States to ensure a full recovery. I've known for a while that they wouldn't be returning and that's sad, the Mechams were incredible and I loved being able to meet them before coming. That also means that before the end of my second transfer I'll be on my 3rd mission president.... not many missionaries can stay that!

Dad—You asked about English teaching, it's really calmed down a ton. The students I teach now are the really committed learners and it makes the lessons a lot easier and more tuned to their needs which is nice. This last week my lessons were canceled for 3 of the nights and I didn't teach much which gave way for more time to search out our members/less active members and investigators. The roads and addresses here don't follow any reliable pattern and so finding houses can take forever! This week we were looking for a house that was on the 28th road and the 274th house. All the house roads branch off from the main road leading to the city, so we were walking and passing 26th road, 27th.... then all of the sudden we were at the 33rd road. Wha??? So we searched around for a while, but it was time to head back. The next day we were about 1/2 mile away from there and found 28th road, and that's the address system out here!

About Christmas. Would you start checking around for a slim, bifold wallet with 2 bill dividers? My companion wants an American wallet super bad so I've been trying to figure out what kind he would like, nothing too expensive, but quality so it can take a beating out here. Also, he loves Mormon shows like The Best 2 Years, if you can find a DVD of that he would love it! I don't really have any big needs... you know that Degree deodorant I always buy? Maybe send one or two of those and I'm set. I'll add in next week if I can think of anything. Other than that just stuff from home! I bought a pair of winter boots and dumb bells, so that's why I transferred cash from my account. Have Dad work his magic and see if anyone will buy my guitar off KSL and then that can also go to that card as reserve cash. Have him email me when he does it to check the price and stuff. But other than that I'm living really well! I'm making sure I budget the cash and it's really rewarding to have some money at the end of the week to go out to eat or something! I'm usually the sole cooker at my apartment (the other 2 Elders have moved out so it's only our companionship), and so I'm having fun with that. This week I'm makin' my own bread!

My thought for this week is to have you all do a cool FHE. Look up Preach My Gospel page 3. I've been learning a ton, having a companion, about the power of a good relationship and the affect it has on our work! I love the way that PMG sums this up and it would be a really cool thing to do as a family. Will you all do that with me? We'll talk next week and remember that just reading and talking about it does nothing! Goals are probably the coolest and most under-utilized things we have! After you guys read and discuss, talk about what you are going to DO! I love you guys, hope that this would be able to give you a better look into things here.

Elder Jolley

Hey Family!

Oh man, I just checked all the emails and I loved the pictures; thanks for that! Everyone looks so old, I can't believe it! For times sake I won't elaborate... but dang! But, I do remember having a mother and a father- do you have any pictures of them?

A little about this week, it was one of my favorite weeks on the mission - we worked hard! My companion left for his home town, Choibelsun, on Tuesday for a nationwide census. He was gone until Thursday and for the first half of the week I was companions with my Zone Leader, Elder Cardinal, and we got, work, done (pretend those are dramatic pauses)! But seriously it was busy, we both had to teach English at night so we packed the day with appointments to make up for the lost time. From a numbers stand point it wasn't a great week, in general we had a ton of appointments fall through. But Elder Cardinal and I sat in on some incredible first lessons and enjoyed the Spirit that was there. As we taught I thought about the incredible love that our Father in Heaven has for His children. I wanted to turn to them and say, "It just makes sense ya?!" I love that simplicity and clarity that the Gospel brings. It was a great couple of days and I was excited for Elder Ganbolthd to come back so we could again work in our area. We did some of our best planning this week, but had very few people who we actually met with. That's always a bummer when plans fall through, but I had the satisfaction of knowing we had worked our best with the situation! I did get your letters and loved having the hard copies again to read, thanks guys for that! I've been getting a lot of stuff from the Ward as well, I'm working on return letters right now to say thanks. Forgive me for the short email, but I love you guys; I love seeing the Lord's blessings in your lives and I still don't understand/recognize fully the blessings in mine. There is joy in small improvements, getting out of those small ruts in our lives and rising to a higher plane~ Mosiah 4:27 talks about this, we often get overwhelmed with all that must be done and because of that we stay the same or do less. Pick little things that you want to improve, make a goal, it's awesome to see the results!

Elder Jolley

Editor's note: No I didn't forget to post pictures.... he didn't send them. Bummer! Better luck next week. : )

Hey Family!

What a good week, on both ends! I love reading your emails (yes, I'm going to keep saying this) and especially this weeks were exciting- here I sit in Mongolia and I still feel like a part of things back at home, thank you all for that! I didn't lay out any of what I wanted to write, so I'll try to get it all in and still get a couple other emails out. I had the opportunity on Friday to baptize an investigator that the Sister missionaries in our ward taught, and so I've included some pictures of that. It was a really cool experience. The sister I baptized name is бурэнжаргал, жабхлан is the man also in baptismal whites, he's a new member and was baptized a week or so after I got here. He baptized дариймаа, the other 3 in the picture are their missionaries and relative that's also a member (grey jacket). Elder ганболд runs the baptismal services and we were finishing making the plans for that when he remembers that бурэнжаргал asked that I baptize her, this is around lunchtime. So my first baptism in Mongolia was kind of a surprise. As I've been thinking about my investigators, I plan on not baptizing them so that way they'll have that bond with a member that lives here in Mongolia and won't be leaving, but a request is a request. I still feel grateful to be a part of that ordinance, it makes me grateful to witness God's love for His children and after all the change that an investigator experiences, giving up an old way of life to accept the Gospel, the blessing of Baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost stands out all the more. I'm learning to find joy through the accomplishments of others rather than my own, and that change is a slow process, but I felt that especially Friday night. Afterwords some people met to congratulate the new members and we all bore our testimonies and I sat in the back and soaked up the joy as I was thinking about that!

The package came. Thank you guys a ton, it took legit self control to wait to get back to the apartment to open it! But it was fun to get stuff from home. The missionaries in my apartment had never eaten candy corn before and it was really cool for them! I am starting to make a list of some simple things that I know they'd really like, so in the next couple emails can I include that in the next package you send? I know they'd love it!

The teaching we've had the last few weeks has been a lot of growth for me! Where Ахлагч Амгалан was really big on the senior/junior companion relationship, Ахлагч Ганболд is having me step up and do a lot more in our companionship which I've loved! It's all unplanned as far as when, so sometimes I start lessons, the transitions are random, and I work the phone, and it's really helping my language come along being unplanned like that. It's how a companionship will work and I like the extra responsibility there! His English is really good, but he hasn't had the practice in a while so we speak Mongolian out of the apartment and inside I speak English to him. He's got an really sarcastic (almost Elder Jensen like) kind of humor, so our personalities really click well. He's not a big fan of the English teaching though, so I handle that one solo. The teaching is coming a lot easier and it's cool to get to know my students more as my Mongolian and their English improves. Mom, you asked about the food. My companion loves everything so I make American and He makes Mongolian. I've been Americanizing my breakfast here, usually I eat oatmeal, eggs, or toast and fruit (I've got canned peaches.... ya!). I miss constant cereal from home, but it's pricey here so I stick to the cheaper stuff (some times cereal is 5000 төгрөг when a bag of oatmeal is only 500 төгрөг, and milk is about 1200 төгрөг per liter). Everything is so cheap here! That meal you saw in the picture last week cost me 2600 төгрөг, just 2 bucks! When I see a meal for 5000+ I don't want to fork out that kind of cash, then I realize how cheap that still is. It's going to be crazy when I get back to the States and everything's so pricey! About the кола (Coke), definitely agree on the caffeine and sugar, but кола is a great killer of bacteria and it's everywhere! So if we eat risky хоол at someone's гэр that's a great way to "neutralize" any sickness worries! But I limit myself to 2 a week, 1 for pleasure and then 1 if I eat something I'm worried about, which hasn't happened too much yet. I live in a better off area so the food is alright. I did eat my first гэдис бууз, бууз are the meat dumpling things, but stuffed with liver meat called гэдис бууз- and it wasn't too bad and it was a break from mutton. I'm getting a solid 3 meals a day and still working to get more veggies and fruits in my meals- I'm going to go get some food after email time for the apartment.

Happy Halloween guys, I hope you have a great week! More than anything remember to think about other people. Our natural tendencies are away from the tendencies of our spirits. Our spiritual tendencies point to God and in that we find happiness (Moses 1:39, 2 Nephi 2:27, Mosiah 2:41 and lots of other scriptures). SO our natural tendencies to look to ourselves lead us away from being happy and I would say satisfied with our position in life (not to be confused with complacency). Keep that outward focus, especially with those who need to feel the joy of the Gospel. We have so many in our lives that we don't help while we have the Gospel that will bless their lives!

Ахлагч Райн Жолий

Editors note: Ryan's pictures didn't upload correctly on his end, so no pictures to show. Hopefully they will come through next week and I'll add them in!

Howdy— Okay before I forget, a little about the pictures I'm sending this week. One is with my new English class. I teach at the "New West" Hotel now on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, so I'm up to 12 hours a week! With prep time and travel right now it takes about 4 and a half hours out of my schedule each day! Oh boy. We'll see this week what effect that has on the work.


The picture with a bunch of missionaries outside of the Bayanzurkh Church Building is my mission group- all the Elders and Sisters that started their missions when we 4 Americans arrived in Mongolia.


I sent you all a picture of some greasy goodness and a coke. The dish is Tsoivan and it follows the good ole style of Mongolian cuisine. You all know how much I loved getting the glass bottle cokes from Kohlers.... well I consider this a tender mercy! Everyone drinks Coke here, and they cost about 25 cents, so I keep it to a "eating out" only rule or I'm gonna get fat! I'm a solid 192 lbs. right now so I gotta take it easy (ha ha). Now I do try and eat healthy to balance out all this mutton, so don't worry Mom. I've been able this week to get a jump rope and I'm looking around for some dumbbells. There's another picture in the same restaurant, the Elder I'm sitting next to is my new companion, Elder Ganbolthd.



I'm living in the same apartment, but just got a new area- and we've been getting the "lay of the land" this last week. I love it though! Our work has been better than I've had before and he's been a great blessing as a senior companion. The other picture (snowing outside) is the "gardens" at the Bayanzurkh Building. Landscaping hasn't quite caught on here like it has at home and people are blown away by the garden in front of the Church building! The two Elders with Elder Ganbolthd and I lived with us during Mission Conference. We all had the great opportunity to refocus and refresh last weekend with Mission Conference, General Conference, and Transfers all in one weekend- I loved the re-emphasis on having the Spirit to be with us from Mission Conference, and by the last day we were all anxious to get out and work.

I got to go, but I love you guys, and can't wait to hear from you again! I'll send you a written letter with Conference and Mission conference highlights... take care!

Elder Jolley

Hey Family!

Bah, the computer I was just on kept cutting out on me and I've lost some precious time, so I'll get as much in as I can! I haven't had a chance to read your emails more than just a quick glance, but loved hearing about everything. Your lives are so exciting to me, I think not being in the daily grind makes it seem so much more fast paced, but I hope you guys notice that a little bit as well.

A little bit about this week... right after I emailed last Monday I got a call telling me that I would be teaching! No word on the students, how many, or how much they knew so I had no idea what was coming. I'm sending you a picture of me and my "students" against a projector screen, my class has actually doubled since then, but that's a good gauge of who I teach. They're all graduated designers and engineers so it's cool because I can relate to them and also strange that I'm teaching them! But so far so good and I'm right now working on laying out the goals and what they would like to learn from me. I teach every day from 6-8 p.m. and then Saturday's from 11-1 p.m., so I'm still not sure the effect it's going to have on the work... but now's my chance to really give a good impression and serve and I'm excited for that! All in all, it's been a really exciting week with lots of changes.

Transfers were on Saturday and Elder Amgalan was transferred to Nathaink (another area in the city)! It was a surprise to us and really weird to already have a transfer under my belt so early on (usually a transfer is 12 weeks), but I ended last week grateful for the opportunity to serve with him and excited for the new opportunities ahead! My new companion just came from the countryside and just moved in on Saturday. His name is Elder Ganbolthd and I'm super excited for the work we're going to do! He's got a really easy going personality and clicks easily with everyone- I'm excited to have a fresh view on our work and our investigators!

In addition to transfers, Saturday and Sunday were General Conference and then Sunday night to Wednesday is going to be our Mission Conference! I love the renewed commitment felt at Conference and add that with transfers and Mission Conference you have a Spiritual feast and I have been soaking it up as best I can. I especially took Pres. Eyring's challenge to find "my message" in every talk, and enjoyed receiving that promised blessing! My favorites had to be Elder Christofferson's talk on character (love that man), and President Uchtdorf's talks we're both incredible. I have been meaning to write this, but it has been interesting to me to see the spiritual thoughts you share with me, and notice a similar testimony building experience that I had or the things that you have shared will be that answer I'm looking for. Thank you for those thoughts! It's nothing short of inspiration and I constantly hope that I may be able to share things with you guys that will have the same impact. I've been working on an assignment that Elder Powell extended to us at Zone Conference; I have taken an unmarked Book of Mormon and am rereading it, marking every time that I see a word that refers to Christ. Along with that I've been trying to finish up Jesus the Christ and it has been strengthening my testimony of all that our Savior does for us! We have no reason to ever think of ourselves. Every blessing promised in the Book of Mormon is a result of a covenant or a commandment that He has given us as an OPPORTUNITY to be more greatly blessed. It had me thinking about the baptismal, Priesthood, and other covenants I have made and it was a great opportunity to remember the magnitude of those choices! If I can extend the same challenge to you guys, take a FHE lesson and look at these opportunities we have been blessed with, especially baptism and the sacrament- it's incredible!

It's still super warm here to me, compared to how I know it's going to get... and I haven't needed any more clothes than what I've brought so far. A lot of times my size is tricky (especially for shoes!), so I haven't been to the Zaakh yet to buy clothes. But last week I was at the mission office and received most of the clothes I'll need for the winter for free. A lot of the Elders who leave for home don't bring their coats back home and so they're up for grabs to anyone who fits in them. I've now got almost everything I need and haven't spent a Tugrug. I've been really wanting to be smart with money and that was a huge blessing to me! I can't thank you Mom and Dad enough for the sacrifice you have made to help me with this mission! I think about it all the time and I want you to know that I'm incredibly grateful for that! I only hope that I will have the chance to show the same kindness and selflessness that you show to me and the rest of the kids. Kid's- I promise you that you've got no idea of how good our parents are to us! I hope you will remember that, especially when they give you an answer or rule. I think of the Conference talk that was on parent's being "strong and of a good courage" and how I didn't always respect that counsel. I see how life is without that and I'm grateful for you Mom and Dad for having the love to be constant with that. Especially the stage that you're in now Brayd, remember that, because of all the kids right now Mom and Dad will have the most difficult rules, but that is the inspired counsel I was talking about! Coming from the super independent Ryan has got to be pretty ironic! I know. But sometimes a humbling moment is good for us all ya?

Here's a couple of other things I wanted to answer from last weeks emails:

Kendyl- Basically none of our holidays are celebrated here! Christmas is more of a Church member celebration, so that's gonna be strange to get used to eh? Last week I talked a little about the big holidays here so I won't rewrite that, but check that email out for the holidays here! As far as how you'd say Happy Halloween..... maybe "Khalthowhiin Mend!" Ha so that's basically saying "Halloween" and then "mend" after.

Mom- Love the insights each week... thanks! Haven't received the package yet but no fear everything coming to the city is super reliable. I figured out the pouch mail and it's not too bad, so I'm going to send out some letters here soon! Did you get anything from me this last week?

Brayd- I'm missing out on the mission prep updates bud! How's that going? Just got your Homecoming pics (nice work.... or ya..) Let me know how that's going bud! I've got some great ideas I've been cooking up on helping you be way more prepared for your mission- get ready for those!

Sky Guy- Thanks for the reminder on the Pastrami Burger ha ha... I had mutton instead so your totally missing out! You would love my new companion his humor reminds me of you a lot... I don't know a ton about him yet, but I'll fill you in a bit more next week. Plus enjoy the pictures!

Dad- Keep the journal entries coming! I love reading them and seeing how similar the work is! You had (as always) a positive attitude and never cease to find a positive point and a solution! I love that and am trying to have the same outlook, it's really been helping so thank you and see how the journal will bless those who read it after. No new updates on the Mechams, but I love working and hearing the Powells in their absence.

Andraya- Nice work on the tooth! I don't think anyone of us has ever been tough enough to get the tooth out ourselves! I love your emails! Let me know how school and friends are right now okay?

This is to everyone- I love the emails and the pictures especially! I second what Mom's saying about everyone looking older, the 3 younger kids have changed a ton! Kendyl and Draya look way older and Sky Guy's a man now, nice job buddy. Hope you like the pictures!

Elder Jolley

The Elders and Sisters.

Elder Jolley, Elder Amgalan and a couple of Sister missionaries outside the Church building.

Q & A #1

From Todd Campbell (Ryan's uncle):

How many areas in your mission? How many missionaries? Are there several dialects?
What kind of things do you do for fun on p-days?

R: Hey Todd & Family! There are 6 zones in the mission right now. 3 in the city and 3 out in the "Khoodoo," or the countryside. Right now we have 120 missionaries in the country, 7 American and 110 + Mongolian Elders and Sisters. Thankfully no dialects! Super pleased with that, but there are accents and some of them are tricky! When the weathers warmer we will be able to go out, see some of the big monuments and sites around the country, but the last 2 weeks we've been going to the "Children's Park." It's the first ever theme park in Mongolia, it's going to be a hit! It's not finished all the way yet, but they've got all the simple rides like: a ferris wheel, bumper cars and that kinda stuff, nothing intense. Most of the missionaries have never been to a park like that. It's more fun for me to see their reactions- every new ride is the coolest thing ever! It's pricey and so I hope the fad is wearing off!

Elder friend and Ryan with the Children's Park in the background.

Elder Amgalan and Elder Jolley at the Children's Park

From Lindsay Hogg (second cousin):
Ryan, What is one lesson you have learned from your mission that you will share with your future children?

R: Not to be selfish with what we have. At home we have a sense of ownership with everything and it's a bit selfish. In Mongolia there's not even a possessive word. You describe something as being with you and I think that's kinda cool. Everything is shared here, sometimes it's different to me and I'm working to get out of that habit that I have to automatically hold back, because it's "mine."

From Uncle Brent and Aunt Mary Hall:
What tribe do these people get assigned to in their patriarchal blessings? Where do they think they come from?

R: As of last year, all the ten lost tribes have been found in Mongolia! Cool huh? I'm not sure what the "norm" is for here yet though.

From Jonathon Hogg (second cousin):
Trivial question for you. How many 12 apostle quorums can be on the earth at one point in time?

R: Right now, I say just one quorum. But then I think of when Christ ordained Apostles in Jerusalem and the Americas and that gets tricky. Is that correct??

From Aunt Linda Campbell:
What kind of fruit do they have in Mongolia? What are the youth like? Are they very interested in the church?

R: Right now tons! Naturally almost none is grown here, but we have tons of imported fruit that are in street vendors' stands throughout town, but I'm not sure what'll happen when the cold weather hits, so we'll see. Found canned peaches this week though.... PARTY! So I'm saving those. The Church as a whole is super young here, most youth preparing for missions have callings like YM/YW presidents and such. Faithful RM's are seminary teachers and other various callings. It's really cool to see them carry their calling! The church is such a different lifestyle here that the active youth have to really work at it to live the Gospel, but they're strong and the YM/YW stuff is really starting to catch on!

From Uncle Bob Hogg:
What is a major obstacle missionaries face in introducing the gospel to the Mongolian people (other than being able to communicate as well as you would like to in the language)?

R: Hmmm.... probably commitments. I think that's a problem everywhere, but living the gospel here is a struggle, their culture is not built on Christian values and history like ours is. Feeling the Spirit and accepting the truth, but then changing your life to follow it is a big jump! Retention is a big problem here because it's so easy to slip out of that way of living.

From Jen Fullmer (Ryan's aunt):
I don't have a "real" question so I will just ask.... how is the Mongolian Beef in Mongolia?

R: Hey Jen! I have yet to eat beef here.... EVERYTHING IS MUTTON! But they do eat food that is similar to the Mongolian places in the States, it's called tsoivan and it's dee-lish. My favorite Mongol food. Mutton is the staple of everything here and it's cheaper, so not many people dig beef here. It's kinda sad.

From Mom:
I wonder about the holidays there.... do they celebrate any of the same holidays as we do? What other holidays do they celebrate? Do you/can you wear your mission badge everywhere you go?

R: The Church members celebrate Christmas from what I've heard, but other than that I think American holidays are out. The two big holidays here are Tsagaan Sar ("White month" in February), and Nadaam (in July, kinda like the national holiday here). Outside the church buildings Americans aren't allowed to wear tags as of now! I hate taking it off every time I leave....

From Kelly Pia (Ryan's aunt): Hey Ryan!
1. Are the grocery stores the same there as they are in the states?
2. How much is a gallon or pint of milk? How much is a loaf of bread?
3. What kind of cars do they drive? Make and models?
4. Do they have a McDonald's there? Have you eaten it? If so, is it good and is it priced the same.
5. Do they have any American stores there? Example...Target, Walmart, 7 Eleven?

R: Hey Kelly and Family! I haven't found any store here that is found in America. There's not even a Mickey D's here. Mongolia is still considered a "developing nation" and that is part of the reason. The milk here comes in 3% or higher and it's less than a dollar for one liter, a loaf of bread is about the same. Here 1300 Tugrugs equals one dollar, and the biggest bill is a 20000 and that's about 15 bucks. Everything is pretty cheap here, when I eat out I never spend, on average, more than 3 dollars. The " Honda Civic " of Mongolia is a Hyundai Accent, they're super junker cars though! There's a mix of left and right driver's side cars here and it makes driving kind of tricky! Mostly every car is from Japan or Korea, but the super rich will drive Mercedes and American SUV's, Hummers are boss cars here!

I hope that gives you guys a bit of a better look into Mongolia! Forgive me for the short emails and answers, email time is a blur! I love you guys, thank you for the support, and know how blessed we are by our Heavenly Father... we really have no idea!

Elder Jolley

Editors note: thanks to all for your questions... I think he really enjoyed giving feedback. Please keep the questions coming.... we'll do it again as soon as we get a good handful of them gathered.

Hey family! First of all, thanks for all the emails! I'll say that over and over, but I love it!

Couple quick things- I sent you a picture of my area map (with labels!) so you can see where I live! I had this email all planned out with the questions you had asked last week... then I forgot it so I'm going to do the best I can! About the water, President Batbolthd (we met his daughter at the Goodrich's) comes around each month and takes care of it, so we're all good there! I loved the questions from the family, if there are more in the coming months please send them and I'd love to answer them! I look forward to your package, thanks a ton for that! And at the same time, please don't spend an arm and a leg on shipping stuff out here - getting your emails each week is already awesome. I am also sending a surprise your way and I hope you'll like it.... (he he) you wouldn't believe my connections (or my luck) - it's nothing big but I hope you guys like it!

Area Map of where he lives and the district he serves in.

A little bit about this week~ I live with an American! Elder Cardinal was transferred to be the Zone leader in my area, and so know he and Elder Bilthguun live with Elder Amgalan and I. It's been a huge help for translating and improving my communication with my companion! It's also great to have the added Mongolian study help. He's from Bountiful and went to BYU before his mission. He also brought along dumbbells- it's great being able to get a good work out in again! I haven't been legit sore in a long time and it's helping me handle all the mutton I'm eating.

So funny thing just happened, the city's waking up and so a ton of people are at this internet cafe. Elder Wilson is next to me, and a lady just came up and looked at me, looked at the bag of baav we had between us (bread candy stuff), then took it and walked off.... okay. And now the kid next to us is trying to sneakily steal our wallets! His hand was on Elder Wilson's leg, and he was going for the pocket. Good times! Now watching the camera really carefully....

The outlined portions of my area picture are the places we cover, you'll see the mix of ger district and city, I think that's super cool! We received a new area and checked it out on Saturday (I sent a picture of it and a picture of me at the national cemetery there - lots of super old communist era stuff, it was really cool to see!). It's all hills and rough roads. Most of my area is pretty easy compared to others in the mission and so now I'm getting a taste of legit Mongolian roads! It's better to call it hiking then walking because the roads are just smoothed dirt paths out on the hillside!

Ryan at the National Cemetery

Ger District

Thanks a ton for the recipes! I've been trying to work on getting better at making stuff from scratch... that's how everything is done around here. Couple of questions for you guys.... How is everyone doing on the Book of Mormon reading? Let me know where everyone's at next week, ya? I'm working through Alma right now, going through all the great missionary chapters and still can't believe I'm actually on mine.... crazy! Also, love all the exciting stuff happening lately (Andraya lost a tooth!) and I'm printing those emails off after this so I'll be able to read them later and answer any questions.

Still no word on English teaching, the Powell's tried calling my sponsor, but I haven't had the chance to hear from them on what happened. So... maybe next week? I'm stoked to get started, the other 3 Elders are teaching right now and it sounds like they're doing good! I heard that from now on the Church is going to avoid doing sponsorships because of the hassle and the time it takes from missionary work. I'm interested to see how and when they'll be able to get more American Elders to Mongolia from here on out... because I know in the next 8 months or so the 3 "old Elders" will be leaving.

It was weird this week... looking at the clock and knowing that you were starting Conference together, going to Priesthood, all the family traditions, knowing that was happening but being a few time zones away! I'm going to be able to watch Conference at the same schedule, but just one week later. So I'm excited for this weekend and I'll be able to hear the talks you all were writing me about!! We also have Mission Conference the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after; every missionary will be there and I'm excited for that- I'll give some highlights in the coming emails! Let me know if you have any questions, enjoy the pictures, and I love you guys!

Elder Jolley

(Editors note: I have no info on these last 3 photos. Fun shots to share though! Will ask next email and try to post next week)