Mongolia and drunkards go together like cheese and crackers

Mongolia and drunkards go together like cheese and crackers- it's just the way of life here. But there are those special few that I will just never forget. Like the man this week who stared at us for a good 10 minutes across the street before approaching us and attempting a conversation in Russian. He quickly realized that we don't speak Russian, and we weren't about to let him know that we speak Mongolian. But he went on for about 5 minutes about how he was so mesmerized by my green eyes and just couldn't bring himself to walk away and blah blah blah. When the member that we were waiting for finally showed up, he held and kissed my hand for so long until I all but pushed the poor guy over. We left with his parting "би чамд хайртай" meaning I love you. Yikes.

Anywho...

A little peek of the suburbs of UB. I am very sheltered here in the city.

2 miracles happened yesterday!


1- I did my hair for the first time since coming to Mongolia! Wut. Let's be real, that's not happening again any time soon. Also, Sister Gardiner informed me that I am probably the only girl that didn't bring a hair straightener on her mission... guess I didn't get the memo.


2- M got baptized! It was so beautiful. She is so wonderful and was so excited and even though the water heater is still broken and she had to go under freezing cold water, she still came out beaming and happy and it was just a great day. Her sister S was going to be baptized with her as well, but had to take a last minute trip to the countryside for work. We were afraid that M might not want to be baptized without her, but we were so happy she decided to move forward with her decision. Now she can be there for her sister when she gets baptized, hopefully this week!

M's baptism!! Mongolians make us look like giants.

They were also really adorable when we asked them who they wanted to baptize them, and both of them wanted us to do it! Hahaha. Sorry, remember that priesthood authority thing? Yeah, we don't got it. But they did say they wanted an American, so we asked Elder Fillmore, because he's in our ward, and he did a great job and made it a beautiful day.

Sister Gardiner and I also had the really cool opportunity to help with the long-distance sacrament meeting! Because there's lots of members that go to the countryside during the summer, they have set up this long-distance call and hook in people from all over so they can listen in to sacrament meeting- and if they have 2 or more Melchizedek priesthood holders, (and permission from President) they are allowed to have the sacrament. So Sister Gardiner and I prepared talks and were able to give them over the phone! It was so neat! We just did it from the mission office, and there was just 5 people there, and we got the sacrament and everything! It was super cool. Also I got a really great compliment from the man who was conducting, who was very surprised that I have only been here for 2 months because he understood my Mongolian very well! So that was a nice little confidence booster.

This week while I was studying Jesus the Christ, I loved the discussion about Jesus being tempted by Satan after his baptism. Talmage mentions that Nobody is meant to meet the foe and overcome our trials once and for all. The opposition that comes from the adversary is persistent throughout our lives. I keep being reminded that there is no "arrival" while in this life. We've never just "made it". If we have overcome a challenge, it has only strengthened us and prepared us for whatever it is that is coming next. We should never be at ease in Zion.

Keep being righteous!

Love, Sister Hansen

P.S. So sometimes on my mission, I get weird cravings for random things, and this week it was dirt biking. Don't ask me why... I don't know. But I just really wanted to go dirt biking this week! So I've started a list, and when I get those weird cravings for things, I write them down, so when I get home, I'll have a big list of things that I will want to do. Right now a lot of it is food. Some places I want to go. Things to do. Movies to watch. Etc.

Mongolia