Monday, May 30, 2011

Sain uu!

What a week! Happy Birthday to Skyler, bayar khurgii to Brayden! I was able to get the email about your mission call on Thursday afternoon. Sister Ford had sealed it up, so I had a mini " mission call opening" party in the office with Elder Verdusco, Elder Wilson, and I. Estoy muy emosionado que has resivido tu llamada a Buenos Aires, Argentina y que vas a servir a nuestro Padre Celestial. Estoy orgulloso que eres my hermanito y que decidistes servir.
Como te gusta mi espaniol. Tengo el don de lenguas!

This week flown by and we've had a lot of incredible opportunities! I've included a section of my letter to President Clark that will highlight some of the experiences we've had this week. Time is super short today, but I want to write a little bit about our mission conference... especially the meeting we had with Elder Holland! As you can see from my letter to President Clark I was a great trainer this week and we missed the opening "ceremonies" to mission conference. The Conference started Friday night and went until Sunday night, full of training meetings and practice sessions, with the main event being our Saturday morning meeting with Elder Chung, Elder and Sister Pratt, and Elder and Sister Holland. It was incredible! To do it justice I'll scan the notes I made and send them to you all, I'll try to email them if I can. The things that impressed me most about meeting Elder Holland, being able to learn from him for an hour was his countenance. There was a noticeable light and spirit about him, an influence that you can't not feel. A living example to the world of the reality of Christ and His Restored Church!

Here's from my email to President Clark:

This week Elder Verdusco has begun teaching at his English Sponsor (the Suxbaatar DIstrict Police) and he will be teaching Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 12 to 1:30 pm. So it is a good thing to have figured out, but bad from a missionary point of view. We made great progress with our last active members this week and 3 of them attended the Conference on Sunday! We have 3 great investigators right now, 1 with a baptism date and 2 that need them! It did not happen this week because of some appointments that fell through, but I look forward to reporting that progress in "moving our numbers up" on the key indicators this next week. I have loved planning and studying with Elder Verdusco this last week as we have been planning to meet the needs of those we are teaching. The first thing he focuses on in each study period is the scriptures and principles that a investigator or struggling less active member needs to hear! He's a good example to me and though his language is not perfect he cares about the people we teach and that makes up! I'm sure you noticed that on Friday we did not attend the baptism or the mission conference opening meeting. That was a misunderstanding on my part, sorry! We had planned to go to the baptism, but I understood the meeting after to be for the new missionaries and their trainers and we had a great meeting opportunity come up with one of our less active members. This brother became a member of the church a few years ago, but fell back into old habits... when the bishop recommended him to us he was a week out from being released from prison. So I was very skeptical about how meeting with him would be! We began meeting about 2 weeks ago and received a very warm welcome into his home and have been meeting with him ever since, especially with the goal to help him quit drinking again. He remarks that he was able to quit without problems at the time when he was investigating the Church but feels like since he has fallen again he cannot cut this habit. I have realized that is one of the adversary's most powerful tools... despair. We have been meeting with him often and he was doing really well until running into old friends on the street which led to a 2 day drinking binge, we didn't know where he was or when he'd be back. Then on Friday morning we decided to stop by his house and found that he had come home and were able to come back that night, with the Branch President, to give him a priesthood blessing. I gained further testimony that perfect love does cast out all fear and that the light that this Gospel brings can dispel all darkness. By coming unto Christ in any form we feel humbled and feel nearer to Him and His love. It lifted the darkness from this brother's eyes and gave him the courage that, with help from his Father in Heaven, he can again become the saint and father he wants to be! The power of the priesthood is not just in healing the sick or in baptism, but as D&C Section 84:20-21 states, that in all ordinances and acts the "power of godliness is manifested."

I love you guys!

Elder Jolley

P.S. The fact that I know Spanish has nothing to do with the fact that I've got a companion from Spanish descent.... gift of tongues, shuu dee!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Sain uu!

What a week it's been and what a week this is going to be! It's seems like we've had a little bit of everything this week. Especially in this new area I've noticed how important it is to make the best of the precious time we've been given. Preach My Gospel has a whole chapter dedicated to using our time wisely through setting goals and I've gained a testimony of how important that is! This new area and branch has had a bit of a slump this last few months (for example, our area of Khailaast hasn't had a baptism in over a year) and that mindset is hanging around the area. The danger is that that mindset can be applied to new Elders and then the slump continues. That's a problem because then you feel you are justified in not doing as well. And justifications lead to lowered expectations and I've been feeling that pull, that temptation a lot this week. But it's a lie! And so Elder Verdusco and I have set goals and now through our own willingness and effort will continue to see these goals become reality.

All day I've been thinking about where Brayden is getting called (I thought I wouldn't have to make my decision until next Monday) and I've gotta say I'm going with Ukraine. But I'm keeping Mongolia as a close second! I've sent Brayden an email (don't open it til when you get your call!), but I'm on my toes to hear about it! This week we also have Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Carl B. Pratt visiting Mongolia! We will be having a special mission conference on Saturday and then a conference meeting on Sunday for all members. We had the opportunity to hear Elder Holland in our last week of the MTC and now the special opportunity to have a mission conference together! So I'll have lots to fill you in next Monday. But here's a little about the week:


We set our first baptismal date in Khailaast last Wednesday! Our investigator Battugs (I wrote about him last week) has set the goal to be baptized on the 17th of June. We've had a lot of great experiences with him and I love his enthusiasm for the Gospel, our biggest challenge will be to get his family on board as well! Thursday we had Zone Conference, focusing on Chapter 8 of Preach My Gospel and how to really become effective missionaries by focusing on the Key Indicators. I love how it gives us goals to focus on, in the order that they need to be accomplished in! I was blessed to have no English this week and I hope that continues! Right now my sponsor is super busy so we'll see how long that goes for. We received the call this morning that Elder Verdusco's sponsor would like to meet with him and so he should be starting up teaching some time soon. I'll let you know what happens! Saturday was a bummer because I got super sick and naucious, so we came home about lunch time and couldn't go out the rest of the day. I've been really blessed by the Lord with health and this was the first day I've ever missed on my mission because of sickness, but even missing that one day really threw off our work. So now off to a new week! Sorry my times up for today... love you guys!


Elder Jolley

Monday, May 16, 2011

Sain uu!

It's hard to email after we've just chatted ya? Everyone's emails said, "well, we just talked last week so now I don't know what to write!" I thought it was cool how when we talked this time it really felt like no time at all since we talked at Christmas.... I'm getting scared as the year mark approaches because I know time won't be slowing down anytime soon! This week has had lots of improvements in our work here in Khailaast because now we have people to teach! I've gained a huge testimony of the power of an area book and keeping records because coming to an area that didn't have an area book led to a very slow start in the work. But we had 2 investigators at Church and now am excited to see the work continue to progress, it's completely different from my time in Sansar, but I love it! I'm including the promised pictures. The first couple are of our last preparation day in Sansar, with Elder Zolthbayar, our sister district, and I (we didn't have any other Elders!).

Elder Zolthbayar and Elder Jolley on their last prep day

The Sansar District

The other pictures are of Elder Verdusco and I in our new area. As you can see it's on the outskirts of the city and "high on the mountain top."


Anyways, a little about the week...

Monday was crazy! After we Skyped there were big plans to see a bit of the city and get a lot of "renovating" done in our apartment, but we ended up doing government registration almost the whole day to get Elder Verdusco his living permit.

Then Tuesday we had our first district meeting with the Khailaast District and I look forward to working with these Elders and Sisters. There are 6 missionaries in the Khailaast Branch, our 2 Zone Leaders Elder Tuvshinbayar and Mungunsukh, Sister Nasanjargal and Orkhontuul, then Elder Verdusco and I. Then off to English and that took up the whole day. I'm hoping that Elder Verdusco doesn't start teaching English for a while because that could take up a lot of our work time if he and I were to teach.


Elder Jolley and Elder Verdusco


Wednesday Elder Mungunsux and I went on a companionship exchange and he showed me around Khailaast where all of the inactive and new members live and that was a great help in learning this new area. It snowed and the temperature dropped a bunch, but on those hard weather days it always feels good to be about the Lord's work, come rain or snow and it was a very great day! It also gave Elder Verdusco a chance to experience a day with a Mongolian companion to really test out his own Mongolian skills. With me he slips into English easily and so I'm trying to be really diligent about speaking Mongolian as much as possible.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday I taught English from 5:30 on (I taught Elder Wilson's class) and fit in as many appointments as possible before that! We have one great investigator now that we will set a baptism date with this week! His name is Battugs, he is 29 and introduced himself to us on the street. I have a picture on Elder Verdusco's camera that I'll get forwarded to you soon. He's reading a ton out of the Book of Mormon and praying, but has a hard time coming to Church because he feels he does not know enough. But we kept him in our prayers this week and he was at Church on Sunday! It highlights the differences in investigators and their readiness to accept Gospel principles. We also had a new senior couple, the Richardsons, arrive in Khailaast and will be attending that branch throughout their mission, so this gives me a great opportunity to sharpen my translating skills.


This week I have been especially grateful for the priesthood and this amazing Gospel that brings such power into our lives. How blessed we are to live in a time where the Restored Gospel is again on the earth! I have been studying the Christlike attributes this week and found a passage on Hope that I would like to share with you all:


"Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence that all things will work together for your good." (PMG pg. 117)


As I was studying this topic I thought about all the promises the Lord has made to me, especially baptism and temple covenants along with my patriarchal blessing. These are all goals that I know are possible through the Savior and it gives me such peace knowing that I don't have to rely on my own strength, because there is someone much greater than I who has covenanted to help me! That is something I did not understand before my mission as well as I do now. It helps erase all feelings of doubt and fear as we learn to rely on the power of our Savior and His Atonement. I love you guys, take care!


Elder Jolley

Monday, May 9, 2011

Hey Family!

It's been a crazy day after our call. We've had to get Elder Verdusco registered with the government and it's a pain and a half, but I can't tell you all how much this mornings call made my day! Here's the email I sent to President Clark that will give you a little look into last week. Take care, talk to you again soon ya?...

Hey President,

This last week has flown by and I can't believe that Elder Verdusco and I have been companions for almost a week! It's been a classic "whitewash" week here in Khailaast. A whitewash means that neither of the 2 Elders have ever served in a newly transferred area before. So Elder Verdusco and I have created an area book, received assignments for less active members from the Branch President and this week are ready to start some real work! You'll see in our numbers we did not teach any lessons, as we went out to teach the few appointments we had, they kept falling through, but through some diligence we were able to obtain lots of great potential investigators that want to meet this week! On 3 occasions we were stopped by people on the street saying they would like to meet with us.... now we will begin teaching those people starting on Tuesday! I am so grateful for the Lord's blessings and I love the first couple weeks of a new transfer when everything is in the rebuilding stage, Elder Verdusco and I will be able to look back on these first couple of weeks and see how the Lord was guiding us and laying the foundation of our work here. Khailaast is a great branch! We met with President Nasanbold on Sunday and will continue to work closely with him, especially after your email concerning the need for active Melchizedek Priesthood holders, we are going to work closely with him in this effort. We had 70 members attend Church last Sunday, a good start but not where we need to be, so I'll be reporting to you in the next few weeks how that improves, but 18 of those were Melchizedek Priesthood holders!

As we listened to the Sacrament meeting talks I had a confirmation of my testimony in the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that God gave us this Gospel to be able to experience His joy (according to our own desire) by having us live by the same principles that He does. We get these glimpses of that joy here in this life, what a blessing that is! Elder Verdusco is still a little starry-eyed about being here, but he has a mind to work and I look forward to seeing his progress. I will continue to inform you on this as time goes on. On a side note, I mentioned to you before that my brother was filling out his mission papers and I heard today that he will be turning them in next Sunday. Have a great week President!

Elder Jolley

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Happy 20th Birthday Elder Jolley!

We love you and are thankful for your willingness to serve our Heavenly Father and the people in Mongolia.

We are so excited to be able to speak with Ryan this coming Sunday!! We would love to pass along any well wishes and/or questions. Just post them in the "comments" and we will be sure to pass them along.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Sain uu!

We've got a really busy Preparation Day today, our transfer call came on Saturday and so we're going to do a "parting" activity as a district that'll be in an hour or so. And I've gotta move! I'm off to Khailaast! Back to ger districts and the mountains! The sad thing is you guys have no idea of what I'm talking about so I feel like there's so much more I need to explain... but Khailaast is an area right next to Chingeltei, it's a district on the outside of the city and about as close to the countryside as you can get without leaving the city. It's been a strange couple of days since getting that call. I will always go wherever the Lord wants to send me and I'm incredibly excited for Khailaast, but I will definitely miss the people here in Sansar. Since coming to Mongolia I've served all but 1 month in this ward, I've grown to love the people and this area feels like home. But... I'm getting a son this transfer! I will continue to serve as District Leader and Trainer in the Khailaast Branch and training Elder Verdusco, 1 of the 2 American Elders coming in on Wednesday. He doesn't know that I'm his trainer yet or how hard we're gonna work, but it's going to be great! It will be fun for him to take part in the work in a way that I couldn't my first transfer. If there's anything I've learned is that the language barrier is nothing! The Lord will make up the difference and the work will continue to roll on. They will fly in on Wednesday and we'll go to Zaisan and read the Mongolian Dedicatory Prayer before he starts all of his new missionary orientation. It's really strange to now have the roles switched and to now be the "old Elders" in their eyes. Time's flying by way too fast! Elder Zolbayar's also really excited to be heading to Bolthgun, off to the countryside! He'll be companions with an Elder in his group, Elder Batdul. I've done all I can to set an example for him and now I hope he takes that and runs with it!

By the way, the package came, and once again you guys have spoiled me! Don't do that! I haven't opened any of the birthday stuff yet (except for the pen refills... just ran out!) and I'm waiting patiently for Wednesday. Between being a missionary, getting this new training opportunity, and talking with you all soon after, I am receiving too many birthday blessings on both ends! Mom I did read your talk and parts of it have made it into my PMG, and I wish I could've been there to hear it! I wanna save some of the good stuff for the call on Monday, but I want to close with a scripture:

"Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.

Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!"

D&C 128

Xairtai shuu!

Elder Ryan Jolley