Transfers Bring New Challenges

Hey Family! How’s everyone doing? Hope the holiday season is going well! Heard you guys got snow!!!!!

A lot has been happening here! It’s about transfers. They were supposed to be on Thursday. I got the call at 10:00pm and they said that I had to move all my stuff with me when I went to English the next morning. Because my house is right next to the school and the elder I’m going to be with companion is going home. So I stayed up till 11:30 packing and freaking out. 

We get a taxi the next morning and go across the city to my new home. I drop my stuff off at the house and go to teach my last time with Elder Malin because the comp I’m with now, Elder Okamoto also teaches at my school. so I’ll teach with him and Elder Malin will teach alone. I had to say goodbye to all my students because I was going to teach Elder Okamoto’s classes. Then the four of us, Elder Ramos (who was the one going home) me, Elder Okamoto and Elder Malin go to the mission home so Elder Malin can pick up his mini missionary. 

When we got there, President called me in and he sat me down and told me of my new found responsibilities. He told me that the American Denj district has changed. He told me that I will be District Leader over the APs, the ZL and the sisters of another area. So, there are 3 areas in my district. Elder Okamoto and I are the only ones serving in our area so I have 4 area books to cover.

American Denj District

Also, I’m in charge of conducting the over the phone branch (Virtual Branch). I have a list of people who can’t attend a church building. They are spread out across the whole country. We have 2 phones with 4 lines each. We have to make calls throughout the week to see who will sit in because we only have a limited amount of spots. Then I play bishop for the hour. I conduct a regular sacrament meeting just over the phone. Its a really cool experience. It blesses many who can’t otherwise attend church and I have to translate for the doctor through all the meetings on Sunday.

 

Virtual Branch Assistants. My new companion Elder Okamoto is on far right

At first I was overwhelmed. It was Wednesday and President Harper wanted me to do district meeting on Saturday, so I had to organize that. I spent the days leading up to district meeting on my knees. Praying for comfort and direction. It came. District meeting was great. I have the largest district in the mission. 8 missionaries and 4 senior missionaries. Also, the over the phone branch was cool to do. I had to conduct the meeting so that was interesting. I also never paid so much attention during sacrament before! 

Translating was interesting, but it was awesome. My language is going to grow. The elder who just went home, Elder Ramos, had the best language this mission has seen. So, it was hard replacing him. Everyone asks while over the phone “where’s Ramos” I get that a lot but it helps keep the fire burning inside to conquer this language. 

 

My Students!

Other than that nothing much is new. I’m back in the apartment I spent my first few days in when I came to Mongolia but now it’s all remodeled so u can hardly recognize it! I’m right in the middle of everything. Right next to my school, the mission home, and a lot of sights. No more 2 hour bus naps, I mean rides into the city.

Mongolians don’t really celebrate Christmas. They have Tsagaansar in February which is like Christmas. They give a lot of gifts and eat a lot of food. But the younger generations are leaning more towards Christmas. 

Elder Heacock