December 26, 2016

Kristin and her companion with on a hike in the snow.

Hello Family and Friends!

So this Christmas has been a little different this year because we weren't able to get together as a mission like we did last year with everything going on, but it was actually a really great opportunity to take a step back and to see what the meaning of Christmas actually is. This Christmas we basically went to church and then we came home and made some delicious enchiladas but then after that we went and taught a family that has been getting the lessons. They are a great family. The other week we taught them about faith and it was such a great lesson. The spirit was really strong and it was one of those lessons where it was a turning point for them and they were able to see that this was something that they really wanted. They turned to us at the end and was like we are meeting tomorrow again right?? And then they came together as a family to church for the first time Sunday. Before they had just come to the stake conference together and so this last Sunday was their first real Sunday together and it was even better because it was Christmas so it was even more special :) But yea during one of the lessons they were just saying how they are really trying and preparing right now as a family to be baptized. They told us how their life has been changed since coming into this church and it was just really cool to see them and to know that they are finally ready. Their time is now and that is just so awesome. What makes it even better is that before they were living in the city, they actually lived in the countryside and they lived right by the church and every time the mom would see it she would just get a feeling inside of her that there was something special about that church and that it was meant to be a part of their life and then they moved to the city and where do they happen to move to? They literally moved right across from the church building and that was just a sign to them that there really was something special there. Their kids were the first to really start coming and then the mom and dad joined in together and now they are all coming together. It really is awesome being a missionary and being able to see so many people’s lives change through this message that we are sharing with them. We truly are the Lords hands at this time and we are helping him in this great work. He truly does prepare the people. That is one thing I have noticed about being here is that the Lord has everything figured out. He knows the beginning to the end and all of those details in between and so we can trust in Him completely. Then we went to one of our other investigators and sang some Christmas songs to her and brought her some cookies. It was really fun and she loved it. It was just a simple but great day. You really come to appreciate the simple things and to realize how much we have been given. This season is a time to really remember what is truly important in our lives.

Have a great week!

Love, Sister Kerby

December 13, 2016

Hello Everyone,

Another good week has come and gone. It’s going by fast especially with the Christmas season upon us. We have been really busy here with different things going on in regards to meeting with our people, English splits, and just getting ready for our Zone Conference that is this Friday. Well I was right, I am currently companions with Sister Lichtenberg so that has been fun being with someone from my MTC group. She has been teaching me the people in our area and so that has been fun getting to know them. We have a couple of great people that we are working with so that has been fun! Sadly I am not in American Denj anymore. I don't know what will happen but we have another mini transfer that is happening right after Christmas because the new Mongolian missionaries will be coming back from the MTC in the Philippines so they will start their mission and hopefully some sisters will be put back in American Denj. President might have me help out the next couple of weeks in my old area but we have to talk to him about it to see if that is what he wants us to do.

We had some cool experiences this week. One of them was we were going to meet with someone in our ward and it was a new person so Sister Lichtenberg had never been to their house before and while we were walking trying to find it, there was this old man walking near us and he was blind and was coming up to a spot that was kind of icy and looked like it would be hard for him to cross so I asked sister Lichtenberg if we should help him and so we went and helped him. While we were helping him get to his building he asked us where we were going and we told him that we were going to meet with a friend but we couldn't find their house. He then asked what their building number was and we told him and he pointed us in a direction and gave us directions on how to get there. After helping we said thank you and we started following the directions he gave us. After just a couple minutes of walking we saw the building we were looking for! We were just like Woah! A blind man somehow was able to lead us to this building. It was just amazing that he knew and he was definitely blind, he couldn't even really open his eyes. It was just amazing because we were planning to go in a different direction so if we didn't stop to help him then he couldn't have helped us. We wouldn't have been able to find it, well at least in the amount of time that we did if he didn't help us. It was really cool! It’s amazing how the Lord works and how he puts people into our paths. Sometimes we first have to help someone else before we are able to receive the help we need. Sometimes it comes unexpectedly but it just goes to show that when you lose yourself and look to helping others first, the help you need will be given to you in a way that might surprise you. I think we can sometimes in the end be the blind ones and forget to see what is around us so we must open our eyes so that we may be lead to where we need to go. Just something to think about! I could probably go on and on about this but I’m going to leave it short so I can share my next story with you :)

So yesterday we had to do a crazy English split and so I ended up being with Sister Nelson after we taught English and we worked in her area which is Han-Uul which is my old area and then we went to go check some houses and one of them was one of my new members who has kind of become less active because she doesn't go to church and Sister Nelson has tried meeting with them but they won't let her in and so she took me there yesterday and we were able to see them. The grandma which was the one I was really worried about wasn't there but her grandkids were there. One of which is also a new member and the other who wanted to be baptized but with the support not being great I didn't want to baptize her when I was there. I taught her once in a while but never gave a baptismal date. Anyways so we talked to them and they tried calling the grandma to come but she never answered and so without a Gerch we couldn't meet with just them so we only talked for a little bit but I straight up asked them about their grandma and what happened. They said she was just busy with work and can't go, but they won't meet with the missionaries there and so I was just like what happened. I was worried the grandma started smoking again and that was why she wouldn't meet but that’s not it. The granddaughter said no she isn't smoking so that was good! They would tell me if she was so that made me happen. So we made an appointment on Friday to meet with them. I wrote a quick note for them giving them a chapter from the book of Mormon to read from as a family by this coming Friday so I hope they do it. They were sad to hear that I won't be there. They were like it would be cool if you two came but I said I can't because I’m in a different area but I might be able to come Monday because I’ll be with Sister Nelson again during that time so hopefully I can meet with them and figure out what happened and to just help the best way I can to at least get them started meeting missionaries again. I love them so much! Ah it hurts seeing them not coming to church. So we will see what happens. It’s in the Lords hands. I know he will help us. These splits had to happen like this for a reason for English so the fact I get to be with Sister Nelson helping in her area means that something can happen :) it’s awesome! I love the work! It’s so awesome being a missionary and seeing these different things happen! I really am loving my life right now :))

There are about 60 missionaries in this mission, about 30 elders and 30 sisters. It’s pretty even. We are all here as English teachers we just have different sponsors and so we work at different schools but it doesn't matter whether you are elder or sister. Those missionaries also include the Mongolians. We are a tiny mission.... haha. I only have 6 sisters in our zone. The rest are in the other zone.


Love you all have a great week

Sister Kerby

December 6, 2016

Hello Family and Friends,


Hope that everyone has been able to have a great week! My week definitely went by fast and it was a really good week! I was able to have a couple of great experiences that I will share later on in my letter. Well transfers are indeed upon us this week and I won't know until probably tonight the full details of what will be happening but I basically know what is happening to me because last Thursday I got a call from one of the AP's Elder Filmore and he was asking me what I had planned for the day and I told him how we had studies and then our big plan and then district meeting and he asked when our district meeting was and I told him 3:30 and then he’s like oh good can you come sit in on our MLC and I was just like umm sure... MLC is the Mission Leadership Counsel... so they had me come sit in on the meeting and then President Harper was talking to me and he was like well I guess you know why you are here and what calling you will be having in the coming transfer. So yes I have been asked to be a Sister Training Leader :) I will most likely be with Sister Lichtenberg from my group but I don’t know for sure. So that will be fun. I will probably be serving in both American Denj and Sansar Ward. It will be fun! I look forward to having this opportunity. It will be great being able to serve the sisters in an even greater form. I love the sisters here so much! I am excited to help them in any way that I can so yea that is pretty much what is going on with me this transfer. I will be an STL for the rest of my mission and train the new STL before I leave so I basically have the rest of my mission figured out. lol.

Like I mentioned earlier, this week was really good. We were able to help some of our members out this week. We went and heart attacked one of our members door and when we went to go visit her this week she was so thankful! She even put the things we made in her book that she was making and she saved them. It was so cute. We had a really good spiritual lesson with her too. We just shared some of our favorite scriptures with her and bore our testimonies and she was so grateful to us for doing that. She just cried and said how she needed that. Her husband isn't a member and he wasn't really the most friendly towards us before, but after we did that, because he had seen it and when we were leaving their house he saw us and was really friendly. He said hi and shook our hands and was really nice and asked if we were leaving or coming and when we said we were leaving he was kind of like oh okay and sounded a little disappointed. I’m telling you guys!!! It truly is the little things that we do each day that make a difference. We never know how our acts that we do will affect others around us. We didn't even think about her husband and his reaction we just wanted to do something sweet for our RS pres. and to let her know how awesome she is and how much we love her and I think that this softened his heart some. It was really cool!

Our next thing that happened was we went to go visit one of our less actives. It was really good that we visited her that day because she really needed it. She really opened up to us that day and told us a lot of problems that she was having. And so we were able to share a message of faith with her and helped her be able to feel that she isn't alone and that there are people who care about her. It made me think a lot about how much the Savior really does look after the one. Whether it’s the one Samaritan woman at the well, the one prodigal son who returned home or the one less active who felt alone and unwanted. No matter who someone may be, the one is always the most important to the Lord and he will do anything to go rescue that person and we should be willing as well to go help the one in need. I hope that we all look for opportunities for when we can help the one person that we see. We can all be a helping hand in someone’s life. I read a talk today that talked about how it isn't coincidence that we are living in the areas which we are living and where we grew up. We are here for a reason. There is a part that we play, no matter how big or small that part may be, it is a part nonetheless. I am thankful for the ways in which I have been able to be an instrument in the Lords hands. I have seen countless blessings from it and am so grateful for it! I have seen a lot of great things recently and have recognized that I am playing a part. Even being with my mini missionary has showed me how much I am helping. She has been a great example to me and I love her so much. She will be one that I contact and talk to a lot after my mission. I am grateful to have served with her. She has been a great companion and a great friend and it is funny that we have no language barrier. I communicate perfectly fine in Mongolian with her and it has been a great blessing to see that I was able to do that. In regards to the mission and the gospel there is no language barrier. I have truly seen that this transfer. She tells me all the time how much she is learning from me and the example I have been to her and I can't help but think that she has been a great help to me as well.

This is all I have time for this week and hope you have a great week! Remember the blessings! Until next week.

Sister Kerby

November 29th, 2016

Hello Family and Friends,

I hope you all had a good thanksgiving. This week was fairly good. We were able to meet with a couple of people. We have a new investigator that was a referral from the Stake President here and her name is Buynzaya. She is 26 years old, is married and has a son. She is really interested in learning about the church and so we have met with her about 3 times this week. She is great. The second time we met her we were teaching about the first vision and it was really funny because I was trying to relate it to her and so I asked her if she wanted to know the truth just like Joseph Smith and if she had the desire to ask God if this church really is true or not and she just straight up answers No! It took me by surprise because that usually isn't the answer I was expecting and I was just kind of like wait what. And I looked at my companion and was like did I ask that wrong and my companion said no you asked it right. Turns out she said no because she’s like I already feel that it is true. haha. So that was a neat experience. I’m not sure if she will be able to act on it though because she thinks a lot and is now having troubles because her religion before was shamanism and that was a family religion and this is like completely different and so she was just kind of having some internal struggle with that and now she is in the countryside so hopefully she comes back soon and we can meet with her and try to ease some of her worries. Our other investigator Bat-Erdene is doing well. He has been busy with a lot of work but on Dec 9th is when he said he will become free and we can meet with him then. I look forward to being able to teach him again because he is awesome! So yea that is about all regarding the work here. It’s going good overall and I’m enjoying this area still. :)

School is going good. I’m enjoying teaching but it’s been a little crazy this last week because I have had to be with a different companion each time because my wonderful teaching companion, Sister Nelson, got hit by a bus!! She was on an STL split and because its winter and roads are slippery. They were running to catch a bus and she slipped on some ice and the bus came and ran over her leg.... Don’t worry she is totally fine. A miracle for sure though! Her leg wasn't broken at all. Her leg should have been broken and her foot crushed but they took an x-ray and she only has a dent in her skin and her leg is just all bruised so she has to stay off her leg for 10 days! So I have just been companion floating for English. She is doing really good though and is a real trooper! I still can't believe that happened to her! Talk about getting one of those crazy mission stories! But yea she’s fine. :)

Nothing crazy has happened to me so don't worry. I only had an older man talk to me and tell me how he wanted to set me up on a date with his 26 year old son. haha. He said that he really wants me to meet him and go on a date... That was awkward and I just told him no sorry I can't do that. Other than that, not too much has happened. My mini missionary is doing good. We have had some fun together. So this is how a mini mission works for those who are curious: They are of mission age and they basically send in an application to the mission president. The mission president reviews it and then chooses the best one that will work with that companion. They are then set apart as a mini missionaries and stay with that companion until we no longer need them. So I only have a mini missionary for 3 weeks probably because transfers are on the 8th and new missionaries are coming. She is basically a real companion though and has to stay with me always. Mostly people are always wanting and willing to serve a mini mission. We just ask around the wards when we need one and then people apply. So yea that’s about it.

My companion actually just got back from Japan. She was there for 2 years studying and graduated in international relations. She is waiting for her own mission call right now and hopes to go to America after her mission she wants to go to BYU Provo so she is trying to do that. She is 21 years old and sometimes is more Japanese than Mongolian. haha. It’s been an interesting transfer for sure... lol.

During my personal study I have been studying patience, of course again, haha and I realize that having patience is basically waiting faithfully upon the Lord. It means trusting in him and his promises. The promise that one day we will receive all that we are waiting for, but as we wait for those promised blessings. It doesn't mean just sitting around letting life pass by. We are sent here to have joy. Out of all the things we are meant to do here on earth. The biggest one is to have joy and sometimes I think that we lose sight of that. Sometimes we let the worries of life get us down and we get upset or lose hope because of the smallest things that occur. But when we have patience we are letting go of our own wills and desires and giving it all to the Lord and having faith that His will is what needs to happen. So how can we align our will with His? For that is how we will truly find joy. If our wills are always differing, of course we will be upset when things don't work out, but if we learn to accept his will and his timing then we will find that joy that is promised to us in this life. Heavenly Father desires us to partake of it, we just have to be willing to accept it and part of that means humbling ourselves, being patient, having faith, and just trusting. Now I know better than anyone that patience is hard and can frankly suck at times because we have been raised in a world where we want everything when we want it and the way we want it. We are so used to being able to get things whenever and whatever we want and forget that this is not how the Lord works. For the Lord works our patience and our faith and this is why we experience certain trials in this life but it is so we may learn what the Lord wants us to learn. We forget that as we go through different things that most of the time the heavenly virtue of patience is required. But first take a step back, relax, and patiently wait and hold on to the faith that all will work together for our good. The promise of a bright tomorrow is ahead. Each day will be better and better if we choose to make it so.

I love you all and hope that you have a great week :)

Love, Sister Kerby