June 20, 2016

Hello,


Well this week was really good. Not much happened this past week, it was just a good week for missionary work. We were able to meet with quite a few people so that was fun! I feel really lucky being able to be in this mission because we are able to teach so many people and I know that all missions are definitely not like that so that fact that I get to have about 10 lessons each week between our investigators and less actives/new members is really awesome! The work really is going good in our area right now. It is crazy to think that I have been in Han-Uul for about 5 months now. I have been able to learn a lot since being here especially about myself. Yes, we were supposed to have a baptism this week but we had to push it back a couple of weeks because we weren't able to finish all of the lessons in time for them to get an interview but it’s okay. We didn't want to rush the lessons. We would rather take our time and help them understand then teach it really fast so that they could get baptized on the date we said. When we told them it would be a couple more weeks they were fine with it too. They really are great and I have been blessed being able to teach them and see how they have changed from when we first started meeting and then be able to see where they are now. I consider that a huge blessing. Not many people get to see those moments on their mission. I have been able to teach them from the beginning so it is really cool. Our other investigators are doing pretty well. With summer approaching a lot of them are busy and a lot of people go to the countryside for work and to be with family and some people go to relax and get away from the city so hopefully with that happening it won’t be as crazy in the city anymore. The other big thing this week is transfers. It will be interesting to see where I go but I am just trying to keep in mind that where ever I am, it will be where the Lord needs me. I am just excited for this next transfer because Nadaam is coming up in July! That month is going to be so fun! It is just like Tsagaan Sar but I think it will be better because first of all it will be warm. haha. Plus they have a lot of activities that go on during this time so that will be fun! I also have my deel now so I will be able to wear that for Nadaam :)

Just to let you know, I didn't get sick this week :) I was healthy so that was good. It was probably the first week in a while that I felt good so that was nice. haha. Bowling was a lot of fun! It was a great day out with the other sisters. We had a lot of fun! Although when we got there we ordered a pizza, it looked good in the picture but it was so gross! They put this weird meat on it, then it had corn, green olives, and it was just gross. I was really disappointed L Never again... I have learned that when it comes to Mongolia don't buy pizza or cake here because every time you will just be disappointed. haha it’s alright I don't need those things anyways

I have had some great experiences being here, I really am blessed. I sometimes forget how lucky I am especially since I’m here every day and so I get used to it and forget what a special opportunity it is to be here. Well that is it for this week. Hope you guys have a great week! Everyone stay healthy. Love you all!

                         Love,

                         Sister Kerby

June 13, 2016

Hello

Hope everyone is doing well! I hope you were all able to have a good week!

So everyone was asking about my birthday... Well it was going to be a perfect day. We had it all planned out, we were going to do our big plan and then we were going to meet with 2 people in the evening. One of them was with our awesome investigator families and Dulguun was going to show me how to make this Mongolian meal and I was so excited! But did we do any of that... no... :( Instead I had to spend my day in bed because I was really sick. My stomach was really hurting and so we stayed home. I ended up getting a health blessing though from our Doctor and that helped. By the next day I felt a lot better but I wasn't able to eat much at all really. But it’s okay today will be fun. We are planning to go down to our area and go to the mall and then we are going to go bowling! So that will be fun! I haven't bowled in over 9 months! haha I am really excited. I am going with Sister Lichtenberg and Sister Tao and so it will be the four of us.

This was a good week... interesting but good.... This week I was able to find out that I am going to be really awkward when I get home. Why and how do I know that? Well when Tungaa and I were going home from a lesson. We got to the bus stop and ran into this guy and he saw us and he said hi to me and so I said hi back and then he asked where I was from and I said CA and then asked him and he was from Jamaica and then our bus came and we left but then when we got off at our next bus stop we saw him again! It was so weird and he was like hey what are you doing? So we told him and then I asked him why he was in Mongolia. turns out he is a professional football player and then he asked me where I was studying and told him I wasn’t a student but an English teacher since I can't tell people I’m a missionary and he thought that was really cool. He was like so how can I contact you if I want to hang out with you.... so I of course was like well I have a company phone and it isn't a number that I can just give out. I didn't know what to do... I’m like I’m a missionary and this guy is hitting on me. haha. But yea that was fun.

But what was even better was while we were also on the bus that day. We were standing next to this guy who kept looking at us and then a seat opened up and he told me to go sit so I did and then he asked my companion something and she just shook her head and laughed. I asked her what he said and she just told me she would explain later. Come to find out the guy and asked her if she was my daughter! It was so weird! That means he thought I was like 35! Mongolia is aging me you guys like no joke. haha. oh well... but yea those were my two awkward experiences this week!

Then we had our district meeting and Sister Bollwinkel made a cake for me:) It was cute.

Then yesterday I gave two talks. One in the long distance branch where we have to call everyone and then talk on the phone and then one in my own ward. People who live in the real countryside don’t have a church building so in order to have sacrament we call them and then they listen to us. It was interesting and kind of cool though. Elder Toronto from the Seventy came to the khan-uul ward and was their while we gave our talks. then he shared a really great little thought with us. It was really cool and I was able to meet him.

Then my companion since you asked about her is serving in Mongolia so she is an actually missionary. She is my companion for the rest of this transfer. Sister Roo is serving back in her old area Unur. Tungaa came from the countryside to the city. Well this is all I have time for! Have a good week!

Love,

Sister Kerby

June 7, 2016

Hello!

I hope that everyone was able to have a great week! I was asked to teach English at the Mission Home during the summer. During the English Conference that we had, we passed around a sign-up sheet for those who were interested to do a class during the summer where we would train them how to teach English. So I was chosen to be one of those teachers. However, when Monday actually came, we were expecting a lot more people to come. However not many showed up and so Sister Nelson and I don't have to teach English anymore. So, since we had that happen, it just messed with our Pday and then we weren't able to do it. I am kind of glad though cause now I don't have to worry about teaching English during the summer, so I can just do missionary work :) Plus I now have a higher chance of being able to go to the countryside so that made me happy. If I was teaching at the Baynzurkh I wouldn't be able to do that so now my chances increased! But yea that is why I didn't have pday until today. 

Also, I got a new companion! Yup it isn't even transfers yet but there was a mini transfer that

happened and so for the next 2 weeks, I have Ariuntungalag for my companion, and yes she is a Mongolian in case you didn't guess. haha. Who knows, maybe Sister Ruu is going to be my only American companion for my whole mission! But I am only with her until the 24th because then we have actual transfers that will happen. Who knows though, maybe I will end up staying with her for the summer but I don't know. She is really cute. She is just this tiny little Mongolian. She is funny because she doesn't like the sun or walking. So she complains about that sometimes but I am just like well you are a missionary and so you have to. haha but she is good, we get along pretty well so I am happy about that.

 

         we painted some hands which were free and it was to           express  your inner thoughts

Lets see other news... we haven't had hot water for the past 3 weeks now. It has been freezing water and so what we have to do in order to shower is to boil pots and then mix it with cold water to make it warm water and that is pretty much how we have to shower... yea not the funest thing in the world but I am getting pretty good at it! haha. You guys would be proud to see me now :)

I also did some service with Sister Lichtenberg today. That was fun. My companion wanted to sleep for pday today and then sister Lichtenberg’s companion was sick and since we live in the same apartment we got permission to do a split so I was able to go up to Jargalant area with Sister L and do the service project with her. It was fun. We just helped an older lady change her ger from a winter one to a spring one :) We basically covered her ger in plastic and then scotch taped it. lol. It was a lot of fun, we then put the cover on the ger which is a light tarpish thing and then tied this rope around the whole thing. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed spending time with her. 

We also had another service opportunity. As Tungaa and I were walking through our area after a meeting, we ran into a lady who had this huge bag of cans and plastic bottles that she was collecting to recycle and so we helped her put those in her bag and since it was really heavy and she needed a cart to pull it all and her husband ended up being sick, she had a long way to carry it and so we took some time to help her. It was a lot of fun and a great opportunity. We got to know her and we will probably meet with her and her husband this week. Yay for a PI! :) Opportunities really are everywhere :) As we were taking the cans we also ran into some adorable puppies which of course I had to take pics with! They were so cute! It was a good week!

Well that is about it! I love you all and hope you have a great week :)

This was Children's Day

Love, Sister Kerby