Sister Sarah Bottorff: Week 70 - This is why I am here...

It's been another great and super-fast week here in Ulaanbaatar! We kept things low key on P-Day last week. We went shopping (and tried on all the fur hats we could find) and wandered around the city. No orange sky or craziness - just super cute kids we ran into on the city square singing and dancing. They were some of the cutest kids I've ever seen. That night, we did service for our new member who has 4 kids and recently got a job and was also sick. So we cleaned. And it was one of the most fulfilling nights of my mission. I got to clean out her fridge and freezer and do lots of mopping while my super awesome companion did dishes and scrubbed bathrooms. It felt so good. The whole evening, I kept thinking, "THIS is why I'm here. And it feels so good!" :)

Wednesday was kinda rough for setting an appointment, so we walked around an unknown part of our area. It turned out to be a success because we found a great grocery store and met a dog just like my dog, and we got to be in the warmth. The weather is beautiful now and I'm obsessed with being outside. Well, today and yesterday are a little cloudy, but it's still warm! :)

I practiced piano a lot on Thursday because my companion had a training meeting and I needed time to practice for Stake Conference. It felt so good to play again.

Friday we taught English and then we had a dinner appointment and totally ate another sheep head. That's a record! 2 in one week! We are pretty proud of ourselves! :) As we watched our hostess tear the goat head apart, all that came to mind was the medical textbook we had read all day...

The other excitement happened on Monday and Tuesday at English Conference. We overdosed on Japanese food and Lasagna and cookies and other stuff, but we learned a ton. It was such a pleasant experience, and I learned a lot that can be applied to the lab and for the rest of my life. We learned about improving reading, writing, and conversation skills with our students. And keeping them engaged.

Other things that happened:

1. My companion and I had a competition to eat a whole packet of pop rocks all at once. I lost. But I did laugh super hard and watch my companion eat the whole thing. Good times.

2. At our Saturday appointment, the little 8 year old daughter said the prayer in a very very very hushed whisper. All the while, her dad was snoring SUPER loudly in the background - down the hall in another room. We all tried our hardest to keep ourselves together, but as soon as the mom let out a laugh, we couldn't hold back any longer. The daughter promptly closed her prayer and we all laughed for another 5 minutes and then throughout the lesson and the meal.

3. Our investigator family all came to church! They loved it and can't wait for next week! :)

Anyway, sorry my email is short. But I had a good week, don't worry! Life is amazing! I love it! :)

Sister Bottorff