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