Sain Uu?

So it's warming up (kind of)! I got through the whole winter without getting down with a cold,then I get hit right as things start getting sunny! It's funny because the thought of it being 30 degreesright now has me excited for this next week. Spring has hit in UB and it's been really windy off and on these past couple of days.

This week we've had a lot of progress with the work and investigators! Our companionship is doing great, Elder Quinton is growing and progressing, though we are both different personality wise we've been improving a lot as a companionship lately and I'm seeing the good "line upon line" growth that yields the success that we both want. We received a referral from Elder Wilson and Elder Call for two new investigators that are really going places! These 2 boys attended a Christian church in Darkhan when they lived there. We met with them last Friday and now Bumbayar (15) and Batbayar (13) have been attending Church, mutual, and meeting with Elder Quinton and I- now they have a baptism date set in April! That's two of the investigators that we have started meeting with this last week that I've been really impressed with lately. I know how much this Gospel blessed me- especially in that 12 and up range, I see them and hope that they can have the same! Elder Haas and Elder Buyanbat, the other 2 Elders in the Selbe Ward were transferred and in their place we got 2 Mongolian Sister Missionaries! I'm excited to have Sister Bolor Erdene and Sister Narangerel in our ward and we've got a few female investigators to pass to them as they start their work here. Over Tsagaan Sar I sent you guys a picture of our new member Tsetsegmaa and her family, well her husband is now attending Addiction Recovery Class at the Bayanzurkh Building with her! He wants to stop drinking and if it all works out this week we are going to begin teaching the lessons! We're starting to have success finding new investigators from our new members and that's been a big blessing.

Our district leader Elder Tugsbaatar called us up early on in the week and arranged a companionship exchange with Elder Quinton in our area for Wednesday. So Tuesday night I headed off to Enkhtaivan with Elder Tugsbaatar's companion Elder Stranski. He came with Elder Neuberger and Elder Quinton in October- has a great desire to study, learn, and excel and is really tearing up the language and the work! It was great to be with him and really soak up his missionary spirit, and both of us having that "hunger" really made it a fun day for the work! Little did I know but we were both up at USU at the same time, have a lot of the same interests and he's just a solid Elder. On top of that we're performing in the mission talent show this Tuesday so we skipped lunch and had much needed practice session. We're going to be playing the acoustic version of "I Can Do Anything Impossible" by Alex Boye. Neither one of us get close to Alex's "soul" voice but we've tweaked it a bit and now as long as we can kick the colds it should turn out fine! (But even now that I'm writing this I'm realizing how close it's coming up) So the mission talent show is the side dish to the Mission Conference that will be this Tuesday and Wednesday! It's going to be an incredible couple of days! Elder C. Scott Grow has flown in and he and Sister Grow will be attending/leading the conference. I'll have lots to include on that in next weeks email, the conference is focused on lessons 4 and 5 from Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel and so that's been a big part of my studying this last week in preparation for conference.

So I've been thinking about something a lot recently, I've been thinking about the Book of Mormon. It amazes me as I read from this book of scripture that a book such as this, with all the amazing events surrounding it's translation and coming to be, has been given to us as a guide and a witness in our lives! And then I think about how lightly I have treated it in times past and I squirm. Neree. As members of the Church it's such an incredible blessing and opportunity in our life to draw closer to Christ through reading this book that there is a responsibility that comes with it; the responsibility to daily study, learn from, and apply the teachings in the scriptures. I
love the words that Mormon wrote to us in the 7th chapter of Mormon:

1 And now, behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people who are spared, if it so be that God may give unto them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers; yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel; and these are the words which I speak:

2 Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel.

3 Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved.

4 Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war, and delight no more in the shedding of blood, and take them not again, save it be that God shall command you.

5 Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.

6 And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat.

7 And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

8 Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles unto you.

9 For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that; and if dye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.

10 And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen."

I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I'm grateful for it's influence in my life, because it brings me closer to the Savior and as I study it I am learning to recognize and follow His voice.

I love you guys, talk to you next week!
Elder Jolley