July in UB

This has been an interesting week. It's the middle of July, we had some very warm weather last week. Today, it rained all morning and this afternoon it has been very windy and cool. So cool that I had to wear a jacket and when I got home, I got under the covers with my fleece jacket on too. Somebody told us that it got really hot in the summer, but it hasn't happened yet. Someone also said that this is the coolest July that they ever remember. Wonder what the winter is going to be like. I guess all of you have heard about the trouble last week after the election. They had the funeral for the young returned missionary at the Service Center, since his branch meets there, on Monday morning. It was very sad for his family. We are praying that the balance of power in their legislature will still allow missionary activity and our presence in the country. Dad and I drove up to Erdenet, Darkhan and Selenge with the Hitchmoughs last week. We were gone during all the trouble, and got back to town late on Thursday to find armed military guards stationed on all corners, some streets closed, and horrendous traffic situation. But things are almost back to normal. All the streets are open and we haven't seen any military guards in the areas of town that we have gone to this week. The countryside to the north of UB is so gorgeous. The grass is so green and lush. The animals are getting fat and there are so many new foals, calves and young sheep and goats. The mountains are tall and sloping and covered in grass. They look just like Teletubie Land. We were able to drive 70 km off road to an ancient 500 year old monastery back in the mountains between Erdenet and Darkhan. It was so exciting to go off the road and see the countryside close up. We saw camels, eagles, horses running across the mountains. We crossed a very rickety log bridge, then a mountain stream 3 times through the water. There were mud holes and very rough roads. We loved it! It's so much fun to travel with the other couples, it gives you courage to do more than you would have done alone. It was Pres. Andersen's idea for us to go off road to the monastery. He said it was a once in a lifetime experience and he was right. He, his wife, his Mongolian 2nd counselor and the two APs just got back from a trip across the northwestern tip of Mongolia. They flew into Moron and drove to Hovd, camping and fishing along the way. Then they flew back to UB. Those two branches are so remote, that they don't get to visit them very often. This is Elder Jordan's last month in his mission and Pres. wanted to give him a real taste of outer Mongolia. The Mongolian AP had never been to that area of Mongolia either. It was so exciting to hear them talk about their adventure. We visited several clinics, schools, hospitals and orphanages in Darkhan for potential projects. We think we've found a couple that are workable for us. We found one place that ws so bad that all the money that we have in our budget can't do much to help their situation. It was a pediatrician who had bought a building and opened a clinic for babies. There are so many things that she needs to just make it operational. She also needs much more than we have in our budget to fix the building up so that it will go through the winter as a place for sick children. Oh how we wish that these doctors here could partner with similar groups in America, and the American doctors could send their left overs and things that they don't want anymore to these doctors here to use. This pediatrician has one oxygen tank with one line and one canulla attached. She also has one suction machine, with one line of tubing that she uses on everyone. She said that they clean it between patients, but it looked pretty bad when we were there. It was sad. We know that many things like that are thrown away in the US. One place that we went to was a vocational school. Over here, students go to school till 9th grade then go to a vocational school or college if they want. This school is preparing for 250 students. Their living quarters were unbelievable. Students are expected to bring their own bedding, but many are too poor or orphans and do not have anything to bring. The bathrooms really needed some help too. We are talking with the District President in Darkhan to decide which one of these projects we will work on.