January 24, 2017

P Day

Hellllooo,

So this week... yea a lot has happened! We have had some great experiences this week! So when I first got to Sansar, I asked from the bishop to print out a list of all the ward members for us so that we could call that list and get to know the members better and so this week we were calling from that list and I saw a name that I thought would be good to call and so I called her and she said we could meet so we go to her house the next day and it turns out that when we met with her she hasn't been to church for a couple of years now. She still does those things like praying and reading the book of Mormon but she doesn't come to church but her whole family is members. All of her children served missions and all of them served in America. All of them except one are actually living in America with their families. But it was cool because the one that still lives in Mongolia ended up coming in just a little while after we had arrived and so we started talking with him. His English is amazing! He served in Ohio. He hasn't been to church in about 3 or 4 years now but he has had a couple of moments where he has thought about coming back but he just hasn't and so it’s really cool that we found him because he still is awesome, he just needs a little push to come back and so it will be great trying to help him. The only problem is that he is super busy so we hope that we will be able to meet with them again and that this isn't just one of those cool experiences that don't turn into anything. This week we also met with our family that’s investigating. The mom and the two kids are doing awesome! They are so excited to be baptized but the husband is now going to Korea next week for work and won’t be back until April!! :( but it’s okay! IT will all work out its just kind of sad now because we won't get to be here for that but we trust in the next missionaries that they will continue the work. We have just had a great week meeting with all our people :)

My last family that was baptized are now living in Unur and the Elders, one of them actually from my group Elder Malin, is currently meeting with them and was able to give a letter I wrote to them. They are doing awesome he said. and then my companion during that time that they were baptized, Ariuntungalag is now training a new missionary and that new missionary happens to be our new members niece and so she was telling Ariuntungalag about them and says that they are great members.

Other news, the long distance branch is doing great! As I called this week, they were talking to me more and they are doing good and really enjoy that I call every week to them so that they can sit in sacrament. It’s a really cool opportunity that I’ve been given to do this. Then one of them actually lives in the Gobi and because we are starting to begin visiting our people we might get the opportunity to go out there:) not sure if we can get permission to go out that far but how cool would that be? haha. There is no church at all out there and so it would be good to go visit some of the members all the way out there. The member I called said that it would be great if I came out there and she said if she was ever able to come to the city she wants to meet with me so that was really cool to hear:) ahh! Everything is great right now :)

English is going great as well! The classes are fun this year and are students are doing a lot better learning this year than they did last year. They do know that we will be leaving soon and they are really sad! They don't want us to go. They won't be putting more missionaries at our school. They are doing things differently next year. It’s changing and for the better too so that will be good.

As I have contemplated everything that has gone on. There are so many changes that have happened and yet at moments I think what has really changed. It’s really funny because it’s like we can distract ourselves with so many different thoughts of, well what have I really done? or have I really changed? And the answer is of course! It is so easy to forget that we are changing because Satan will fill our minds with thoughts that are contrary to what we hope to believe. I have found that while being on my mission our thoughts can be the most crucial thing because our thoughts become our actions, our actions become our habits and our habits become our character and our character becomes our destiny. It is interesting to think about how one little thing can influence us so much but it’s true! Our thoughts lead us to do things or even to not do things. What are our minds truly focused on? As my mission comes to an end that is something that I have been thinking about lately, that when I am focused on the work, I am a lot happier, and just like when my mission does end and also for the rest of our lives when our mind is focused on our Savior and His gospel and as we continue to live in accordance with his doctrine we will be happy. We will experience that fullness of joy that is promised to those who keep his commandments! But it is only when we are focused on those things and don't let those worldly distractions hinder our progression that we are able to do so. Of course we will have our moments of struggle for after all that is life but I have also learned on my mission that His Grace is Sufficient. For those of you who have never read this talk it is by Brad Wilcox and it is awesome! I have learned that as we rely on our Savior we will be able to receive all the help that we need. Sometimes I think we forget to truly rely on Him and that he is the one who knows us perfectly so we should be turning to Him and realizing that through his power are we able to overcome all that we face. As I have studied grace this past week I have recognized the connection between grace and hope. Hope is what allows us to believe and trust that we will be helped and that grace is the power by which we actually are able to be helped. We don't need to be everything or have everything in order to receive his help. As Elder Holland says, The First great commandment is to love God with all of our heart might mind and strength but the greatest and first eternal truth of all is that God loves us with all of His heart might mind and strength. Of this truth I testify and I know with all of my heart that God loves us. He knows us perfectly and he knows exactly what we need to do in order to receive the greatest happiness possible. He knows our needs and he wants us to receive all of his blessings. But we must first turn to him and be willing to open our hearts to all of those things so that we may truly receive all that He hath. I am so grateful for this knowledge and to be able to know I have a Heavenly Father who loved us that he sent us His only Begotten Son so that through Him we may be able to partake of His grace and receive of his strength so that we may do all things.

Well that’s it for the week! Love you all and have a great week!

Love, Sister Kerby

Part of her P Day she went to the snow.