Tsagaan Sar

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Well, this was a very interesting week. Between some companionship changes at the beginning of the week and Tsagaan Sar at the end of the week we taught maybe one lesson. Yes, missionary work is alive and well in the Land of the Big Blue Sky. Really it is. Everyone got excited about the holiday and didn't have time to hear about the gospel, but we met with a lot of people. This week they'll listen for sure!

I got a new companion. Her name is Sister Munkhnasan. She was serving in the Unur area and became companion less this week. I was serving in the Sukhbaatar area and became companion less this week. We are now companions (for the next two weeks, until the real transfers happen) and we are serving in both Unur and Sukhbaatar. Those area's aren't really close to each other at all, but we're going to make great things happen. Anyways, she is from Baganuur, and she has been on her mission for six months. I really like her, and I think we could be good friends but she doesn't ever talk to me. I ask her questions and she answers, but other than that we don't speak. Well, I speak. She doesn't. I'm trying to love her and we're making progress--slowly. Hopefully she'll continue to open up to me. Until then, I'll keep talking out loud to myself.

 

With two areas to work in we had lots of people to visit during Tsagaan Sar. We were in Sukhbaatar for one day, and Unur for two days. I dressed up in my Mongolian deel and then we went from house to house eating buuz and potato salad, drinking herum and airag, and collecting a lot of candy and trinkets. We visited mostly with members and investigators. I lost track of how many buuz I ate, but probably at least 50. Yuck! And it still continues. Today we went to English and there were only five kids total, so I talked with Nara instead of teaching. We talked for a bit about Tsagaan Sar and then she turned to me and asked, "Do you want to eat buuz?" No, not really. Unfortunately, sometimes you don't have an option.

 

Tsagaan Sar reminded me a lot of Thanksgiving. You gather together with your family and eat a lot of food! There's also a Christmas element though because they give you a gift for coming. You also greet the people when you enter a house and say, "Amar bain uu?" If I was constantly hosting rather than being the guest who's forced to eat, I think I'd really love the holiday. I think next year I'll through a Tsaagan Sar party with all of my Mongolian friends. You're all invited to come and Zolgoh.

 

Love, Sister Magleby

 

A member and her family

A family in our branch. These two little girls love me



Our investigator and her daughter



This man is in the branch presidency.
He wanted me to eat half of that cow that is sitting at the table.
I told him I could, but that I would be sitting at his house for at least a week.
Luckily, he let us leave.