Hey guys, sounds like a crazy week there and it's been a great week here! We've been President-less this last week, but you guys know because you met the Clarks! I'm excited to hear about it when they get back. It's been raining a bunch the last 2 weeks and so the area has greened up, man it's pretty! Last Tuesday Elder Verdusco and I were walking out to an investigators house when all of the sudden a siren (straight outta world war 2 era) started sounding off. We had no idea what that meant and asked around, found out that it was our "severe weather" warning! So we picked up the pace and made it to a new members house right as it started pouring. It was just like the storm we had in Oahu, we were out in it for maybe a minute but got completely drenched. Evidently it will rain pretty intense in the spring and sometimes flash flood (hence the siren). I love all the rain and we've had it off and on since. It's so green everyone tells me it looks almost like the countryside right now- I sent you a picture of Elder Verdusco, Elder Richardson, and I in Khailaast. Elder Richardson is the Director of Deseret International Charities for Mongolia and he and his wife attend our branch.
We've been working a lot with Elder Richardson and the Branch President to get our branch council and priesthood executive committee organized. I've talked a bit about this before but a ward/branch can't succeed without them! Sunday we sat in the branch's first council meeting and discussed some of our less active families, it was great to see the branch taking the responsibility, with our help, for these members! The next on our list is to get home and visiting teaching going. I have gained such a testimony of home teaching in the last week, there are so many problems that are avoided as the members go out, serve and teach one another. I didn't realize the connection with home teaching and missionary work, but there really isn't much of a difference! So Dad, Mom, Brayd, Sky, take your home/visiting teaching from that perspective, you're acting as the Lord's servants and have a responsibility for those families. And it makes me excited to know that after my mission I can keep doing missionary work! God's plan is perfect ya?
This week we've also been blessed to find a new family! Through asking investigators for referrals we found a man named Nergui and his 10 year old son Gansukh. Nergui makes aruult (the candy I sent that you all crave!), and he and his son are 2 great, and much needed new investigators. Khailaast has been a completely different ball game for me, completely different from my time in Sansar. We are really working to find good investigators who will receive the Restored Gospel. It's helping me to learn to rely more on the Lord and to seek His direction. Even though our progress in this area has been slow I know that our diligence will lead us to the work that the Lord wants us to do hear. I've been studying the examples of missionaries from the Book of Mormon and was really impressed with Ether and his story this week:
1 And it came to pass that the days of Ether were in the days of aCoriantumr; and Coriantumr was king over all the land.
2 And aEther was a prophet of the Lord; wherefore Ether came forth in the days of Coriantumr, and began to prophesy unto the people, for he could not be brestrained because of the Spirit of the Lord which was in him.
3 For he did acry from the bmorning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be cdestroyed, saying unto them that dby efaith all things are fulfilled—
4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with asurety bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which chope cometh of dfaith, maketh an eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in fgood works, being led to gglorify God.
5 And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they asaw them not.
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that afaith is things which are bhoped for and cnot seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no dwitness until after the etrial of your faith.
It says in verse 2 that Ether could not be restrained in his work because of the Spirit of the Lord that was in him! I was really impressed by his faith and diligence and know that we are all entitled to that same Spirit. How grateful I am for a Heavenly Father who "hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Let me know how your week in.... what was that place you were going to again? Well ya know what they say, it's not Mongolia! Love you guys!Elder Ryan Jolley
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