Sister Sarah Bottorff: Week 51 - It's Christmas time!

Holy Cow! Life is crazy busy and I can't believe Christmas is coming so soon - less than a week away!! I'm not too far from my year mark! Whoah!

This week was so fun! On Monday we had a family home evening with a cute family in the ward. We played UNO and shared our testimonies. That is one of my favorite family home evenings because I love hearing the testimonies people have to share. They are so powerful - I am strengthened every time I hear a testimony. And this family had amazing testimonies full of faith and strength.

Tuesday we taught a wonderful little girl who will get baptized on Friday! She is 8, and we are teaching her some of the lessons - she is so ready! She is the cutest! I will send pictures next week! :) Then we had a family home evening with another family in our ward. The mom is an investigator and her daughter is a returned missionary! I love this family so so much! We taught about Christ's birth. It was hilarious because the mom kept asking really in-depth questions like "How did Mary get pregnant?" And "why did they have to pay taxes?" Luckily her daughter could handle those questions. Phew. I don't know how to say all that in Mongolian! They also made a delicious soup for us and we ate banana bread and talked. This family is amazing, I'm telling you!

On Wednesday we taught the 8 year girl old again and then my companion had trainings to do. After we did training we went to visit another family in the ward. We taught about Christmas again, which is really fun! So many people don't know anything about Christmas, and it's so fun to feel the Christmas Spirit and teach people about Christ's birth for the first time.

Thursday we taught English. And let me tell you, it was so fun! We brought a fun new game to play and people were begging to stay and play. Well, they also wanted to stay in the lab to get more hours before their [progress] cards were due the next day. One boy came in and said he lost his card, which is stamped for every hour they spend in the lab. They needed 10 hours in the lab by the end of the semester, which was Friday. And lots of them say they lost their card. So I was feeling a little annoyed that everyone was coming in last minute to replace their lost card, but then he said he lost his WHOLE wallet. Then I felt REALLY bad. He was begging so much, and I was about to cave when suddenly this guy looked up at me and said, "Is Miss Sarah gonna show grace?" I laughed so hard and then I showed grace by giving him a new card with stamps on it because I knew he had come before. But then in thinking about it, I have just wanted more and more to be someone who shows love and grace. That's what Christ and Christmas is all about.

Zone Conference was on Friday. It was awesome. The talks were amazing and just what I needed to hear. The lunch of chicken marinara and cake were also just what I needed. And the white elephant gift exchange proved to be fruitful. I got remote control cars that we are waiting until Christmas morning to use. But it's a great gift. Other gifts included Elder Fillmore's framed family picture and a dog paw that someone found in a ger district this summer and has stashed away. Anyway....the day was so much fun and I love seeing everyone!

On Saturday NOBODY could meet. Like I literally called everyone in our phone, but everyone is working long hours before the new year. So that was a bummer. But we met with the cute family again from Tuesday night, and it was amazing. The daughter wasn't there, but we taught the Plan of Salvation and answered all of their questions. It was a really big day for me. I have noticed so much more than normal that the gift of tongues is real. Before my trainee came, I worried because I felt like my Mongolian was so inadequate. But since she came, I have realized how much God wants these people to know the Gospel. He is giving me strength so that I can understand more than I ever could before and answer questions more than ever before. His gifts are real and His promises are real. This investigator is coming closer to Christ every day. And I feel so blessed to watch her progress. She is helping me to see what change and faith look like, and I hope to be more like her.

Sunday we had church and I didn't have to translate! :) Then we had a musical fireside with a local church choir, and it was awesome! They are on youtube. Look them up. I think they are called BeOne Mongolia or something like that - so cool. You'll love it! They are on Mongolia's Got Talent. And I loved the music and the spirit I felt. I also loved it because I got to see my missionary friends! Sister Hansen and Sister Olsen and then one of my Mongolian companion's best friends found me and said, “hi!” I was so happy!

Yesterday we had a family home evening with a ward member who made us soup and we taught her about tithing. The lesson went really well.

It's getting colder. This week will bring the "9" which is the 9 coldest weeks of the year. But it's not stopping us from spreading the Gospel! I love my life! I love missionary work! I'm so excited to have Christmas! I love you all! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sister Bottorff