Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Elder and Sister Anderson


Hello Elder and Sister Anderson! Goodbye Elder and Sister Anderson!

This is Elder and Sister Anderson - another of the new couples we were so happy to welcome! They were SUPPOSED to stay here in Ulaanbaatar but President Andersen felt they were needed badly in the countryside and reassigned them to Choibalsan. How lucky can you get!

But we didn't hardly even get to know them. We were fortunate enough to have them over for dinner on Monday and they are super people! Choibalan's gain - our loss!


This is Choibalsan from the air. Everyone likes the countryside. All the young missionaries get really anxious to be assigned there and all the couples tell us how wonderful it is. Oh, there are a few challenges, like not having quite the selection of the American items available in the local stores. But we usually help with that and send out things to them whenever they request it.

Choibalsan is about an 11 hour drive almost directly east from here. And the first part is even on a road! The last two thirds you follow dirt trails -- using the Toyota Land Cruisers, of course! It is a fun drive! They could fly in, but President is going out there for a conference anyway, so they are riding with him.

But it is A LOT less hectic out there, not so much air pollution and they really get close to the people. Couples that get assigned to the countryside always tell us they wouldn't come to the 'big city' if you paid them!

This is the church building in Choibalsan.

No chance of us having that opportunity. We have the specific assignment to keep the employment center running, teach self-employment principles (a huge thing here the 'big city') and keep the online computer center running.

Rats!
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6 comments:

The Fendleys said...

Hi, Bye! I am sure that they will love where they are at, but they are the ones missing out because you both are not there!!! Not to mention you were probably looking forward to the help. You still got two more new couples right? They better not ship them off somewhere else!!!

Loren and Tama said...

Thanks so much for putting up a photo of my in-laws! We haven't yet received any photos from them, just quick blurbs to let us know they got there okay, and are being transferred to Choibalsan. What an amazing mission!

Ryan Cowley said...

That's what you get for knowing all that techno stuff!!

Angie said...

maybe your next mission you can go to the country side:)

Julie said...

Oh, you wouldn't last a week out there. You like the "conveniences" of the big city too much! : )

Marcia said...

At least they didn't have to transfer companions.