What we've been up to

We're having a great weekend. We're having District Conference. Dad has been busy for two weeks getting the calendar of events ready for this to happen. Everything went very smoothly yesterday. You know how he can plan. We had our Saturday meetings at Mission Headquarters/Service Center which is 6 stories and we used every possible meeting room. Our Chapel area was standing room only. He had all the meetings down to a science. He also did several reports and forms for President Andersen to use in his meetings with all the District and Branch Priesthood Leadership. We are involved in the making of history here in Mongolia. We truly believe that we will have a stake organized in Mongolia before we leave next year, or soon after. The groundwork is being laid. Dad spoke in the Sat night adult session. Our theme was "Prepare Every Needful Thing". And guess what he talked about! Family Preparededness! This is the first time he's had the opportunity to really say what was in his heart about being prepared for difficult times to this many Mongolians. 80% of all food is imported into this country. If the shipping industry were to have a great problem, these people would starve. About 10 years ago, they experienced such weather conditions and the lack of imports, after the Russians pulled out that many did starve, and many more would have died if the US and a few other benevolent countries had not stepped in and brought huge deliveries of wheat and other food stuffs. Since we came here, on a small scale, we've been talking about putting aside a little food as often as possible, and trying to prepare ourselves for hard times. But, last night, Dad was able to talk to over 800 people and they were taking notes! We're sure that the world economical situation has affected many people's way of thinking. As Pres. Hinckley said a few years ago, there would be "stormy weather" ahead and we must take heed. This stormy weather can come in many forms and the world economic situation has definitely been stormy. Very few people in Mongolia participate in the stock market, but they are definitely affected by it with the price increases on all sides. The prices of flour and rice have gone up quite a bit since we've been here. All of our favorite brands of milk have been withdrawn from the market and we are having to get used to different kinds. We've learned to like fresh Mongolian milk, but the Dr. says to boil it first. As you could imagine, we have plenty of rice. Many people here feel that they don't have any storage places. We are giving them ideas of places that they've never imagined using for storage. Many have always lived in a portable society with their gers and don't have the mindset to keep extra food on hand, because of having to move it. But, the reality is that many of these historically nomadic people have become quite stationary and have not moved in years. Their mindset is changing slowly. We woke up this morning to a SNOW STORM. The wind is coming from the North at about 16 MPH and the snow is blowing sideways. Our District Conference for today will be held at the auditorium downtown. My main concern is how are we going to get there at this point. I'm not crazy about riding on icy streets with some of these taxi drivers or with anyone else I know who doesn't have a lot of experience in snowy weather. I just checked the temp and now it's 25F and snowing bigger flakes. Guess we'll be wearing our long johns today! Isn't this exciting? PS: I came back to report on the snow. It's finally stopped and everything is so beautiful, still and quiet. People are beginning to walk about, so we guess that life will go on today....Sometimes we realize how completely we have put ourselves into the Lord's hands in coming so far away from home and family, and serving among people who are so foreign with their language and traditions. But, we have complete faith, that we are watched over daily, in all our travels and experiences. We feel the Lord's hand over us many, many times. We've had many choice experiences here. It still amazes us that we could fare so well in an environment which is so different from what we have always grown up with. We have no fear of going anywhere without our translator. We somehow communicate. It's priceless to watch your Dad talk with people who don't speak English and who understand him and what he wants. He has the gift of tongues, but it's not always with words. Sometimes he acts out what he's saying and everyone gets a good laugh. He's so funny. You'd love to watch him communicate with these sweet people.We know that some of you probably fear for our health, because of our age. But, honestly, we have never felt healthier. We have felt stronger, more energetic, and witnessed more protective powers from heaven, than at any time we can remember in the last many years. We know that the Lord is very aware of our needs. We thank you all for remembering us in your prayers. We know that your love and prayers are vital to our daily situations. But, we don't want you to worry about us excessively. We are truly fine. We have been reading a book by Elder John Groberg (he wrote the book & movie "The Other Side of Heaven") entitled "The Fire of Faith". He wrote this book after he was called to return to the South Sea Islands where he had served as a young missionary. He was called to be the mission president in Tonga, then later an Area Seventy over the same area. "The Fire of Faith" is a book about his life after his call to serve as Mission President up to his present age. He stated that "many times we look forward with fear and trepidation to the trials and pain we may suffer in the process of being released from this tabernacle of clay. But, in reality this mortal life---let alone that brief part of it that we call death---is such a tiny split second in eternity that we ought not to spend time or effort worrying about it. I am sure that as we look back from eternity, the only thing we will be concerned about is whether we left mortality gracefully, faithfully, uncomplainingly, having taken upon ourselves the requisite covenants and ordinances and faithfully observed them to the end. Our concern will be whether we left doing good and praising His name up to our last breath. This can only be done as we have true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." This is exactly how we feel. So let's all be happy and enjoy this life and all that it has to offer, making sure that we have done those things which are of most worth, first.