Sain Uu Guys!

To start off, no transfers this week! They've been put off until the 10th of August so I'll give you the rundown next week! But I'm grateful for another week with Elder Verdusco and the Khailaast Branch. Tomorrow is Elder Verdusco's 20th birthday so that's cool I get to be apart of that- I think we'll go spread the Gospel! For next week would you all find his email address from my emails and send him a quick shout out? Thanks! Anyways, we'll be finding out about transfers on the 6th so we'll see what happens. When I was first in Mongolia people would always talk about the "best areas," but we all know that's a lie and so I'll be good with whatever happens.

Like you guys, we've had some crazy weather this week- marble sized hail one day and blazing hot the next! Elder Verdusco and I were up in a place called Suragch on Saturday, going between appointments and from the other end of the valley we hear a roar of hail on tin roofs, so we run for cover at a nearby well as hail starts coming down. But the break from the "heat" is way nice. After the hail stopped we headed over to our investigator Brother Nergui to find his house completely soaked! Thinking there would be nice weather all day he was re- roofing his baishin (brick house) and the storm hit while everything was off! So we spent a little while helping them seal up a room with a temporary styrofoam roof and a brick stove to hopefully dry things up before it got dark. This day we had planned to commit Nergui to follow the Word of Wisdom, and after getting the fire set up and drying everything off a bit we all sat around the stove and taught our lesson. I had been praying that day that he would feel the Spirit and accept our commitment. He accepted! It was a unique and very spiritual lesson and love seeing the excitement he has toward his own baptism (he was joking that his house was baptized that night!).

Other than that we had a two day open house at our Chingeltei Meetinghouse and spent most of the 2 days introducing people to the Church of Jesus Christ as we walked around the building. Our Church building is right above a main bus stop and so most people have seen it, but many don't think they're allowed in! So we had missionaries outside the Church inviting others to come and see and the rest of us inside being tour guides. People we're impressed at the contrast of our Church building from the rest of the outside world. We truly are blessed to have a place to go weekly that is dedicated to the Lord and His purposes. I'm so grateful for this Gospel, it stands in stark contrast to the rest of the world because it is truth from heaven, the pathway of happiness that leads to eternal life! Ta nar xairtai shuu!

Elder Jolley

Elder Verdusco and Elder Jolley

Hey Family,

Sain baitsaana uu! It sounds like Trek was a blast and now I can't believe we're on the countdown to fall.... time flies! Next week I'll hit the 3 month mark since Elder Verdusco and I have been companions, what a fast 3 months it's been! It is completely different from the experience I had training Elder Zolbayar and I feel like I've learned more from him than I've been able to teach. Now I feel he's pullin' at the ropes to get out and try out the things we've been working on - not to mention how much better his Mongolian will be with a native companion. But I'm loving our time together while we've got it! Transfers were supposed to be this Saturday, but have now been postponed until the 10 of August. I'm almost positive we'll be getting new companions then.

We've got a couple of investigators now that we are now beginning to see their "transformation" as they exercise their faith in Christ to follow His commandments. I love this stage because these types of actions bring change into their lives! Especially seeing our investigators Nergui and his son Gansukh making the commitments together, establishing prayer and scripture as habits each day. So half of my mind is working for our investigators and the other half our branch. Summer everyone goes to the countryside and so our attendance at Church is all over the board and so progress is slow right now, but we're establishing "celestial principles" in this branch that will bring strength and unity in the long run!

Okay about your question in your last email: my opinion gel inserts would be fine. What's happened is the inserts that are in my shoes right now are going south and I know that Elders in the past have picked up gel inserts and just put them on top and it all worked out. So I'm thinking that's the best way? Also there's a black bound study journal (the one I sent back from the MTC) that I've been wanting to use again- please send that too! And that covers all needs on my part, fill any remaining space with "things from home," that can be treats or what not, just "familiar" things from home! I've found all other needs here so no worries.

As the year mark in Mongolia gets closer (almost 1 month away!) I'm just trying to figure out where the times going? There's still lots and lots that I want to accomplish and do and am grateful that the Lord expects His saints to constantly seek to be better! His plan is so perfect and I am grateful for the peace and direction it continues to give me in my life. Joseph Smith said that "... by constant labor we were able to maintain a comfortable living..." and I strive to continue to be constant with the Lord, to let Him know that I can be trusted to do His will. So.... onward! I love what Elder Paul Johnson said in the last General Conference about being "more than conquerors" through Christ (see Romans 8). Elder Johnson stated that at the end of this life we don't want someone to simply say, "well.... you're done," but rather, "well done my good and faithful servant."

Love you all tons!

Elder Jolley

Sain uu Family,

It's been a crazy week on both ends! Glad to hear that Paka's okay and it's been exciting to read about all the changes that are going on at home.

As you know I've been training Elder Verdusco since the beginning of May and we are coming up on 3 months this next week- which will most likely mean transfers for 1 of us. It's been a strange couple of months having the same "culture" at home, something I haven't had since coming to Mongolia. But I am missing the constant Mongolian speaking, right now I'd be fine forgetting English (til I get on the plane) and just going 100% Mongolian! Anyways, transfers are on the 30th so I'll be letting you know what happens.

I've been studying lately about purifying our hearts to be able to work by the Spirit more freely. I feel like you when you said that you sometimes don't know how the Lord puts up with us, by our natures here on earth we have so much that goes against our "divine nature" and I'm working on ridding those out to be more effectively guided by the Spirit. I really like what Paul said in Acts 9:14 about purifying our hearts through the blood of Christ (my computer won't load lds.org to paste the verse but I'm pretty sure that's right). Take a moment to read that verse! If you read from the chapter Paul is discussing the Law of Moses being fulfilled through the Atonement of Christ. I think we all rely on "dead works" sometimes rather than really applying the sacrifice of our Savior like we can and should.

Other than that I'm feeling good, loving the work, and so grateful for all the many blessings that the Lord so freely gives us!

Elder Jolley

Hey Family!

Happy Naadam! We're right in the middle of the biggest holiday here in Mongolia and so all the internet centers are closed! So we saw this one up and wanted to say we're all alive and well, but that means we've got no time for a good email today. We had a little bit of Naadam celebration as a Preparation Day activity, but other than that we're trying to keep this week as normal as possible as far as the work goes.

Monday we went about 45 minutes out of the city and had a Mongolian kharkhag- where you cook a sheep inside a metal can with hot rocks (check out my picture), a great day with all the missionaries. I'll explain more next week because of time, but the pictures I sent should help.



The work is great. Elder Verdusco has had a lot of great experiences this last couple of weeks with the new family that we found (Brother Nergui and his family), and Nergui and his son have committed to be baptized on the 12th of August! The end of July will mark 3 months since Elder Verdusco and I became companions and so he may be getting a new companion in this next couple of weeks, but man I'm grateful to be his trainer! He's an awesome missionary and has come miles in the last few months. I'm grateful for a great family, for your faith and zeal for the Gospel! Hebrews 10:35-38.

Love,
Elder Jolley

Za.... Sain uu!

First I have to do a few shout outs... Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad (pretend that was in last weeks email! my bad) Happy 4th of July and Happy Birthday Kendyl! It's a b-e-a-utiful day in UB and our 4th of July is about to kick off. We rounded up a pigskin and so Elder Verdusco, some Elders and I are going to go chuck that around for a while and get some grub. Some of the simple joys in life ya? This week Elder Verdusco and I have been focusing on getting more lessons in (now that Elder Verdusco's not teaching English) and finding new investigators and both were a success! We have been blessed to find two families who I am very excited to continue meeting with! Also, I've been reading from the New Testament and studying the lives of Christ's apostles, about their faithful missionary service, and what they did to invite the Spirit into their work. It's been an amazing help to me as I've studied this week! I also found a great reminder in Acts I want to share with you (Acts 5:28-42):

28 Saying, Did not we straitly ^acommand you that ye should not teach in this ^bname? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s ^cblood upon us.

29 ¶Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to ^aobey God rather than men.

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and ^ahanged on a tree.

31 Him hath God exalted ^awith his right hand to be a ^bPrince and a ^cSaviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and ^dforgiveness of sins.

32 And we are his ^awitnesses of these things; and so is also the ^bHoly Ghost, whom God hath ^cgiven to them that obey him.

33 ¶When they heard that, they were ^acut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named ^aGamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as ^aobeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

38 And now I say unto you, ^aRefrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of ^bmen, it will come to nought:

39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; ^alest haply ye be found even to ^bfight against God.

40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 ¶And they departed from the presence of the council, ^arejoicing that they were counted worthy to ^bsuffer ^cshame for his ^dname.

42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and ^apreach Jesus Christ.

There's a hundred things we can learn from this passage it's incredible! Besides Peter's powerful testimony, notice what the Pharisee in vs. 35-39, by following God's commandments we are promised that we cannot be overthrown, or we will be "conquerors through Him." There aren't many promises that we can put our trust in as this one and how grateful I am a Father in Heaven that will not only guide us, but give us the assurance that it is by Him that we are led!

Not going to lie gang.... not in the writing mood right now (so I pasted the scripture), I'll make a deal with you, we'll all write really good emails next week ya? Let me know how the trip was, don't be shy (Brayden kept it super slim this week because he thought he'd throw my mind off the work!). I love you guys, have a great week!

Ахлагч Райн Жолий