Today has been a bit out of the ordinary. Well, at least part of it has.
Five Elders from Mongolia who had been serving in the States and one more who had been serving in Japan, returned here to finish their missions. This is one remedy that our Mission President has come up with to help with the problem of a sudden and unexpected lack of American missionaries (see previous posts). Of course, he didn't manage that all on his own. The Church endorsed the idea and did the actual reassigning.
All six speak excellent English and will be a real asset to the mission and to the Church here.
We have spoken with all of them and they are excellent young men! We are very inpressed. One in particular was special to us; Elder Onon. He does not look Mongolian, at all - light hair, green eyes, fair complexion. And VERY American mannerisms and language, now. But that is not what made him special to us.
It took us part of the day, but we soon learned that his mother and sister were two of the group we went to the Hong Kong Temple with for the first time, in March/April of 2009 (there are no surname's here which would have triggered us to that when we met him)! Not only that, but he had been serving in the Utah Ogden Mission. Sister Caldwell was raised in Ogden and most of her family is still there. In addition to that, his sister just received her mission call to day and she will be serving in . . . drum roll please . . . the Utah Ogden Mission!
More of the Lord's tender mercies!
Elder Onon translated for us tonight as we attended the weekly baptism. He is a young man who is very easy to like!
And we ought to tell you about baptisms here. Those baptized, change out of their wet clothing quickly and then rejoin the congregation back in the Chapel. We all sing songs while we wait for them. Once they have all returned, they bear their testimonies. Yes, brand new members stand in front of the congregation and tell us they know the Gospel is true. And the Chapel was filled to capacity! And somehow, their testimonies are extra special.
Don't you wish you could be here sometimes?!
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4 comments:
Hey! I live in that mission! Maybe I'll get to meet her (although I don't think I have ever met a sister missionary serving in this mission). I'm surprised they didn't just keep her there in Mongolia!
Maybe you will be able to see his sister when you come home, that would be neat.
Maybe the sister is being called to replace her brother who got called back to Mongolia. Apparently that family is supposed to serve in Ogden.
Whenever I think I am in charge of my life, I hear stories like that and realize who's really in charge!!!
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