Sain uu!

Hey family! And hello to anyone else who reads this letter! I have found out this week that these letters get to a bigger audience than I thought. We've just gotten through transfer weekend here and what a week it's been! I'm now a trainer! It's been a great few days with my new companion and I couldn't have asked for a better missionary to work with. Elder Travis Neuberger arrived on Friday and probably has the strangest responsibility as a new Elder. But how grateful I am to be working with him! I say strange because he will be viewing a side of the work that most new missionaries never see. Because of the need for trainers, all zone leaders in the mission as well as the assistants have received new missionaries this transfer. Elder Tuvshinbayar has also taken on a new trainee and has been transferred to Chingeltei to be the district leader there. Elder Myagmardorj has been called as a presidents assistant (we served together in Chingeltei, he was my district leader), and so we each have taken responsibility over 2 of the zones of the mission.

Elder Neuberger swims, is from St. Louis, and is doing great with the language! We became companions on Friday- and we finished our first day together with a baptism (which pictures I'll have to send later because they're on another camera)! I have more than anything been feeling the joy of being a missionary lately! I'm not going to lie these last few weeks have been going by incredibly fast! We've been busy from the time we wake up until we hit the pillow at night- but we're still able to do missionary work on top of our other responsibilities and that makes me incredibly happy. I want to show the Lord my gratitude by working with all my heart, might, mind, and strength during this precious time! I have to apologize for the shortness of this letter, and I will make sure that I get plenty of information out next week. I love you all, you are in my prayers and I want you to know how much I love this opportunity to be a missionary! Uragshaa!

Lots of love,

Elder Jolley

Elder Jolley and Elder Tuvshinbayar with the new American Elders
Wow! Eight new Elders. Awesome!

The new apartment

Hey Jolleys

How's it going? I'm riding the email high after all the great emails and pictures this week! Especially from nuguu Elder Jolley (means the other). Whoohoo! I didn't know Brayden was such a fly Spanish speaker and I'm super excited for him. He will pretty much unpack, and then his plane ticket comes and he's off to Buenos Aires. That's how it felt to me and my district watching all the 3 week missionaries at the MTC... you'd get to know them and then they're gone! But now I'm looking forward to hearing about his time in Argentina even sooner. It's been a nice full week here in UB- and we attended the Asia Area Conference in our home ward (Sansar), which felt great! Elder Tuvshinbayar and I right now are the only two Elders in that ward and so I'm pretty sure over the last 6 weeks, with all the traveling we've been doing that our ward thought the missionaries were transferred! But even with all the traveling we've been doing I have been grateful to see the work progressing on multiple fronts, and a little in our own area. This week, right before Transfer Saturday we have a baptism! Our investigator Munkh-Orchlon has been meeting with us since August, but previously met with the Sansar sister missionaries. She has a solid testimony, attends church as well as institute and other ward activities and is more than ready to be baptized- just one of those investigators that you have no doubts about and has truly been prepared to receive the Gospel.

So this week is transfers. That means lots of stuff to do, people to send off and pick up, and it's going to be a great week where a lot of good gets done. It's been very interesting to see the "behind-the-scenes" of these last two transfers working with President Clark. There's nothing secret about it, but I have especially gained a testimony this last week that the Lord knows where He wants His missionaries. This process is led by revelation through prayer! As the three of us have sat in President's office, discussing the needs and location of each missionary, that voice that "comes more as a feeling" has spoken to each of us; sometimes things just wouldn't feel right, so we'd go back to the drawing board. And when things were right a feeling of peace, that that missionary was in the right place. Then we'd move on to the next missionary. But before we sent out the transfer call we knew that everyone was were the Lord would have them be. It was a very simple, powerful experience for me and I am grateful that the Lord helps us line upon line as we go forward in His work. And there are some big changes occurring in our mission this transfer, it's exciting to see our mission be shaped to what it needs to become! I will be staying here in Sansar (sweet) but moving to a new apartment. I will still be an assistant to President Clark but taking on a interesting assignment. With the 8 new Elders coming from the MTC this week, they all need trainers and all need to be in UB. So, I'm going to be a trainer! We are splitting up; there will still be two assistants, but each will take a new missionary for at least the next 3 months. Elder Tuvshinbayar is on his way to Chingeltei (as a new trainer), and my old Chingeltei district leader, Elder Myagmardorj, will be stepping in as the 2nd assistant. This makes this next transfer very interesting- I feel the pressure of a lot of responsibilities and the need to very, very carefully organize my priorities. More important than my duties as assistant is my charge to train this new Elder to be a faith of power missionary, to help him be someone who will bring others unto Christ- and I want him to have the best first 3 months in Mongolia. Having said that, I've got to be honest and say I have no idea how I'm going to do that! But, I do know what I have been called to do. More importantly, I know Who the call has come from and so I'm calm about it. I shared this scripture with you before but I keep thinking about it again and again: Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me." That is a basic testimony that must be present (to some degree) in the heart of every saint. I know that we all have doubts, insecurities, and weaknesses, and I know that there is a Savior that will strengthen us as we come to Him.

I will make sure to let you know a few more details about my companion in the next weeks email. It wouldn't be the Mongolian mission if there wasn't an element of suspense involved with visa's. Like that, we don't know how many Elder will be here this week yet- some have their visas, and some are still waiting. But I realize that the uncertainty was good for me then and I'm glad these new missionaries have it now. It's just another sign of the amazing opportunity it is to serve here in Mongolia.

Oh and before I forget, I got my drivers license last week! So on Friday, I drove for the first time since leaving on my mission. This will be a big help when it comes to transfers and shuffling missionaries in and out of the city. Thanks you guys for the package ( I know you haven't even sent it yet, but I get spoiled by such a great family)!

No new pictures this week, but I'll send a few that I got from the Ford's during our youth conference trips. I love you guys!

Elder Jolley

Elder Jolley and a little friend

Elder Jolley and President Gankhoyag (the new branch president in Khovd)

Sain uu,

It's been an incredible week here- so much's been going on in the last week on top of swallowing the fact that Brayden will be in the MTC this week! When we talked about the time that Brayd and I would both be on missions, but I'm still don't understand the magnitude of that yet. But wow I'm excited for you Brayden, the MTC is the best (next to the mission field), take this time to have a spiritual feast for the next couple of months. And first thing, go find the Mongolian Elders for me and tell them hi (they've been delayed a week or so but it'll be sweet for you to run into them. And also tell the MTC teachers "sain uu" for me/try to get them as your TRC investigators). By the way- I was just kidding about the weekly email switch off! Bad joke Mum, sorry :) I look forward to now hearing about the other Elder Jolley's experiences and we're going to have to work it out so we get one anothers emails.

It feels really good being back in UB! We just flew in about 2 hours ago and all the weeks events are now weighing on our eyelids. We started our trip last Wednesday at 6 and drove all that day until 11:30 and stayed in a place called Tosontsengel for the night. The countryside was everything from beautiful fall colors to deep snow in the mountain passes, a total of 1500 kilometers with the larger portion being dirt roads. So we had our trusty mission GPS and map along for the ride- it was an exciting way to travel. Thursday we woke up early and finished our trip, arriving in Khovd about 8:30 that night. Khovd, in a missionaries perspective, is as far out in Outer Mongolia as it gets- if you Google Earth it you'll see it's near Kazakistan and by far my favorite city in the countryside (I've included a picture in this email) in a lot of ways. The branch, the people, and the land are incredible. We then led out the branch's first youth conference in the same style as Murun; activities all Friday and Saturday with a closing testimony meeting Sunday morning followed by branch conference. We had about 35 youth attend and we had an incredible couple of days of strengthening testimonies and the youth in general. I admire these youth, who are literally pioneering all of these programs in Mongolia and the biggest thing that is needed right now is the tools and training to go forward. Khovd is a branch in the mission district and so the Mission Presidency re-organized the branch leadership during the week so there was much to do!

Elder Tuvshinbayar and I had the opportunity to stay with the Khovd Elders and had a great time working and being with them. I also had my first tarvaga, or marmot. In Mongolia it's a special dish and the former branch president worked it out so we could have it Sunday night. We were fed way way way too much food thanks to the generosity of the people of Khovd ( I think we ate 4 or 5 full meals on Sunday) and I think Elder Tuvshinbayar and I will be fine not eating for awhile. By the way, he's still walking around in crutches or a big stabilizer boot until the first week of December, it's now been a month since he messed his foot up. Transfers will be coming up the week the new Elders arrive (probably the last week of October) and we've got a lot of changes coming- I'm excited to see the growth! I'm grateful now for the opportunity to be with Elder Tuvshinbayar and love serving with him. Anyways, we got up this morning early, packed up, got a few things done and then headed off to the Khovd Airport. The mission financial clerk/translator Battsetseg and her husband Munkhdorj flew to Khovd with the Fords and Clarks, but then decided to drive back and we took their place! It was strange to see a 2 day trip being cut down into 2 and a half hours and it felt really good to be on a plane again- I was having deja vu of coming to Mongolia and loved that re-boost! How it's already been over a year in Mongolia I have no idea, I feel like I've been caught up in a dream mission and will be incredibly sad when it's all over. With only 8 months left that means I have a little over 2 full transfers and I look forward to all that will be done in this time- and I want to finish sprinting. Sometimes we get so used to being missionaries that we begin to overlook the miracle that is the Lord's work! I don't want to be that way and am trying to be more grateful and goal oriented than ever before. I love you guys and I hope you continue to see the miracle of the Lord's hand in your lives. To borrow the analogy given by Elder Bednar in last Aprils conference- the blessings of the Lord and the changes that He brings into our lives is like the rays of the morning sun. Look back on how different we were when I left- how the Lord has been pouring out His blessings upon us as we will put our trust in Him and go forward with faith! It is as night to day. I am grateful for the sanctifying effect that comes into our lives through the Savior and I hope all of you will continue to realize the Lord's hand around you- it is awe inspiring and unmistakable.

Make sure to let me know about all that goes on this next week, thoughts, impressions, and such- and let me know when Brayden's preparation day is, I look forward to hearing all about Elder Jolley's first week!

Love, Elder Jolley

P.S. A little explanation of the pictures being sent:

The first picture attached is Elder Tuvshinbayar and I along the way to Khovd (Wednesday afternoon). Right after this we spent about an hour in a snowy canyon wondering if we would get stuck or not! I was glad we chose jeans because we ended up helping dig a stuck car out of the snow bank.

The next picture is countryside. Pretty.

The next picture is the Youth Conference group picture taken at the end of Saturdays events. There's Elder Tuvshinbayar and I as well as the 4 Khovd missionaries, and the young mens/womens presidents.

The next is a landmark shot of Khovd. It's surrounded by mountains, the biggest and most recognizable being Yamaa Uul, or Goat Mountain. Cool eh? Khovd has a real Gobi feel to it.

The last shot is of Elder Tuvshinbayar and I getting on the plane in Khovd. In missionary work you get Spiritual rushe,s but not many adrenaline rushes and so to be honest, it was nice to be in something with a motor and feel a bit of "the rush." Elder Tuvshinbayar always cracks jokes that all of the things I did before my mission are written in the missionary handbook as things we're not allowed to do. It was a fun flight. Za amjilt!

Sain uu,

Hey guys! I hope the farewell party has died down a little bit and it's been a good day all around. How was Brayden's farewell? Let me know how it was Brayd (Hint... hint)! This has been a nice week in that we've been in the city for a week, not to mention the Conference weekend on top of it. Earlier this week we had a few reports and things to get done in the office and then spent the weekend watching conference reports and teaching lessons in between. We found a golden new family! That was the crowning point of the week! Last night we met with Brother Ganbold, his wife and son; they are friends of our new member and we taught them about the restoration.

This week more than anything I've been grateful for missionary work. We found a copy of the world report and watched a few of the Mongolian highlights and for the thousandth time I stand in awe that I am assigned to be apart of this great work here in Mongolia! With only 8 months left I'm not prepared for the thought of returning. This place feels like home. Traveling lately has helped me realize that, every time we get back into UB's city limits it feels like driving back into Utah County did before my mission. I've had the unique opportunity to have worked in Ulaanbaatar my entire mission, in different areas as to see the different sides of this city. I hope that we can all come back to UB at some later date so you can see it for yourselves. By the way, I included some flashback pictures from Elder Verdusco's camera, I was able to get them from him today. They're all of my time in Khailaast: the first one you'll see is Elder Verdusco in I in red metal box. That is a broken down car we stayed in during one of those big rainstorms that Khailaast had.


The second is Elder Batsaikhan and I after he spent 5 minutes chucking barbs at my back (he was super pleased with himself), at a family home evening with Brother Mugii and Sister Battsetseg (our mission office financial clerk).


The next 2 pictures were taken on a district activity we had on preparation day going to the Zaisan monument (The Elder I'm with is my old Zone Leader Elder Mungunsukh).

So we're off to Khovd! This Wednesday morning we leave early with President Batbold, Brother Batzorigt (the Sukhbaatar Branch President) and will arrive in Khovd Thursday night. The first 500 km is paved road and the next 1000 is all countryside roads, so we'll sleep at a hotel or on the road Wednesday night and should make it in Thursday late. I know I didn't write a ton about the Murun conference, but these outlying countryside branches are part of the mission district and so we are conducting these conferences as a way to train the branch leaders how to strengthen their young men/women programs. It's an all day conference so we spend most of our day at the church translating, running activities, and everything in between! It will be a great opportunity and it will continue to bless the incredible youth in these branches. Then after that we will be welcoming 8 new foreign Elders to the mission (for us, foreign is your domestic!) right on transfer weekends. Some big changes are coming up as they all will need trainers and they, like my MTC group, are coming in with English sponsors and must stay in UB. This all should be happening in the end of October and I'll be keeping you in touch. Let me know what ends up happening with the family trip this weekend, word on the street is it's kind of a surprise ya? Man I loved getting the family pictures! Especially Kendyl, Andraya, and Mom look beautiful! The boys.... yax uu dee? I love you guys!

Elder Jolley

P.S. My email next week may not come at the normal time.... I'll try my best to get it out on Monday.Sain uu,

Hey Family!

Sorry this is late and short, we were on the road all of Monday, but I was able to check your emails really quick and loved reading about all your adventures this week! Murun was incredible and we had a lot of great experiences hosting their first branch youth conference! We left last Thursday at 6 a.m., Elder Tuvshinbayar and I along with President Batbold headed off to Murun in one of the two mission Land Cruisers. Murun is about 12 hours away by car, 6 hours on paved roads and 6 hours of off road- we spent 2 hours in Erdenet while Pres. Batbold looked for new missionary apartments and got into Murun about 10:00 that evening. I've sent a couple of pictures of what we saw "on the road," everything from snow covered valleys to sand dunes along the way.

En route to Murun

The conference was all Friday and Saturday and then a closing testimony meeting Sunday morning before Branch Conference. We had a total of 23 youth who participated, 5 or 6 were first time investigators and that was a really cool introduction for them into the Church! A quick explanation of a couple of the pictures: Elder Tuvshinbayar and I did a skit with Elder Ford and President Clark on Saturday- we stood behind the black plastic and did the missionaries "morning routine" on Elder Ford and President Clark- I was President Clark's "arms" and proceeded with caution! In one of the pictures a 8 year old investigator, Elbegdorj is standing with Elder Zorigtbaatar and I; and I think the rest are pictures that I snapped on the way.

Skit with President Clark and Elder Ford
(Elder Tuvshinbayar and Elder Jolley back behind)

Elder Zorigtbaatar, Elbegdorj and Elder Jolley

I love you guys! Excited for General Conference this weekend and to share remarks with you guys. Also, go look up a place called Khovd on the far west side of Mongolia (next to Kazakistan), we're heading there next Tuesday for another youth conference. I love the work and this great opportunity to be apart of this the Lord's work.

Elder Jolley