Monsoons...

This week went well, somehow we stayed really busy despite it being summer. A lot of people have gone to the countryside already so we are hurting for people to meet with. Luckily most our investigators didn't leave. Transfers are this Thursday, and I'm going to a new ward. It actually borders the ward I'm in but it has mostly ger districts and is in a kinda ghetto area of town, I'm stoked for it. Hopefully we can get to the mountains more now. The city was good, but I miss the gers and the trees and dirt roads. It'll be good to be back. My new companion is Elder Sorenson, he's a real cool guy. Him and I get along like brothers. He is from Salt Lake area, he went to Skyline high school. So yeah him and I will be together for the summer which I'm stoked about, it's gonna be really fun. They also made us Zone Leaders so we are hoping we can get a split out with the Elders in Hovd. We will see, fingers crossed. The summer is definitely here though it's been raining like nuts. Most the week was really hot but then Saturday it started dumping rain. We were getting back from a baptism for someone we helped teach with the AP's, and we realized we needed some chicken for Sunday dinner. So we went to the store next to our house that usually always has chicken. But they were out, so we bought our other groceries and walked to the other close store but they were out of chicken too. This is all happening while a river is flowing out of the sky by the way. Yorke and I needed chicken bad, so we started walking with all our other groceries to the other stores around. We checked over 12 stores and walked about 3 miles. We walk into the last store soaking wet. Our grocery bags had filled a little with rain water, and our hair was soaked through. Puddles started forming at our feet and all the workers there were looking at us with concerned faces. We found chicken and when we were checking out the lady wanted to check our other grocery bags to see if we stole anything, but the other employee just gently pushed her hand down and said "no they are fine." Haha so we got some huge sympathy by looking like some desperate confused Americans. Works every time. 

But yeah, so we actually did get to do some work this week. Our mutual is getting crazy big now. 20 people came and brought some friends and stuff. A lot of people from other wards and the other stake came too, I guess we just know how to throw a party the right way. So that's going really well, its helped retain a lot of new members too which is probably the hardest thing out here. I'm pretty grateful I get to do this though, I think without it the retention rate would be pretty low.

We got some good walking around too. Yorke and I had nothing to do so we decided to walk everywhere instead of bus. We went to some book stores to find a book to get Enhjin for her birthday gift and we ended up walking 10 miles by noon. It was so hot though. We got lunch and we were so sweaty. It was kinda gross, but it kept us really occupied and busy, so it was successful. We did find the book The Alchemist and gave it to her and she was really happy to get something from us. I didn't think seeing people smile could make you so happy. 

During our walking around trip we ended up at Naraantuul, the black market. I found this guy who makes handmade leather goods and he can't afford to rent a shop inside the market so he sells his stuff on a cardboard box outside the place. He makes stuff super good, so we all bought some stuff from him (little wallets and pen cases) and I asked if he can make a book case. I told him about my sheep fur leather scripture case and he said "oh yes I would love to." We talked all about the design and he has some awesome ideas. I got his number and I'm gonna try to meet him this week and give him the stuff. I'm stoked. He's a cool guy, just does his leather work and everything by hand. If he makes it really well I want to get some knife cases made. Super nice guy though, maybe when I give him my scriptures he will read some and get interested. Who knows.

We also wandered around the richer part of the city and found this super cool restaurant. It's like a little strip of shops, kinda like a farmers market. There's a guy who makes sour dough bread and a make your own salad place. And you know how much I love sourdough bread. So we got some bread and salads. It was a high class little place, and still really cheap. Definitely my new favorite restaurant. It's hard to find fresh food like that out here. 

We also met with Mugi and Altanorgil, the relatives of Enhjin. We have been teaching them for a while but they haven't come to church. So we were trying to get then to come to church. We read the first chapter from the Book of Mormon with them and it went really well. We helped them understand the scripture language which is really tough in Mongolian. It was an awesome lesson and they came to church finally! It was great to see them there. 

We also met with Haliun, the lady we teach English. She is sorta interested in the Gospel. We want to make sure she genuinely interested for the right reasons. We usually read from the Book of Mormon and discuss it. She wants to practice english too so we do it all in English. She lived in America so she is really good at english. It's fun to teach in my native language though lol. 

That's really it. All the roads are flooded though today. Shout out to Russia for not building storm drains. Love ya guys.

Austin

 Baptism party

 Flooded streets

 I don't know why I found this so funny.  "Do Not Scramble" haha

 I bought this hat for the Nadaam festival that is coming up in July. 

 Scrimsher and Teasdale.  Scrimsher wears his visor like that because that's what the Asians do.  He's trying to blend in. 

 Pretty cool view at the restaurant. 

I have not eaten this many fresh vegetables in such a long time.  It was awesome.