WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: WELCOME to our MONGOLIAN SISTERS

Saturday, April 3, 2010

WELCOME to our MONGOLIAN SISTERS

On Fri. March 5, 2010 our mission was blessed to have 3 sisters transferred to us from the Mongolian Mission. Mongolia has decided not to renew Visas after 1 year. And so now Mongolia will have mostly native missionaries. Three wonderful sisters who have been serving there, were transferred to us to finish the remainder of their missions. After spending 3 months learning the language in the MTC, and then waiting another month in a separate mission for their visas to come through, they only have a few months left to serve with us. But we are delighted to have them here with us. The three sisters are Sisters Howald, Lee, and Lofgran. Pres. and I picked them up around 11:00 a.m. They had been en route for 24 hours. They were tired, yet excited. They told us that when they left Mongolia it was -55 degrees. That's a negative 55. When they arrived here, it was about 55 degrees. They told us stories about tracting and traveling (since there are no cars for missionaries) in this kind of weather. There was a saying that "only dogs and Mormon missionaries are out when it was this cold).

That met with most people in "yerts", some round tent like buildings where a whole family lives. They sleep on the floors. And when I put the sisters down for a nap before dinner, I showed them the 3 upstairs bedrooms, each with 2 twin beds. When I went to wake them for dinner, I found them all three together sleeping on the floor of one of the rooms. We had a Senior Missionary dinner this evening and enjoyed hearing the sisters share stories of their mission. They sang in Mongolian for us. And after dinner their companions came and picked them up.

Sisters Lofgran, Lee, and Howald.

Companions: Sisters Murray, Lee, and Banks Me, Sisters Lofgran, Hahn, Battulga, & Howald.

Sister Lee

Sister Howald

Sister Lofgran

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Stephanie Smith Fireside

Last Sunday evening we were privileged to attend a fireside in the mission. It was held at a beautiful old chapel in McLean. One of the pictures shows the inside of the chapel and the wood beams on the very steep-pitched ceiling of the room. The gym is under the chapel in the basement. I have never seen a floorplan like this one. Very unique. This fireside hosted Sister Stephanie Smith. Her story was in the Ensign sometime in the last year. She has a remarkable conversion story. She has held very high government positions and at one time was 5th in command at the CIA. She said something at the first of her talk that I wrote down: she said, "I've been on some remarkable adventures. But no adventure in my lifetime has been as extraordinary and life-changing as my path to conversion and baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. She then told about her introduction to the church. She was at a time in her life with tremendous worldly success achieved after clawing her way to the top without any regard for others, and she felt her life was shattering into a million pieces. At this time she turned to a colleague she admired who was a member of the church. He told her two things. That her Heavenly Father knew her by name and loved her and that Heavenly Father had a plan for her success. The next day he sent her a map to the temple visitor center. She told how when the missionary sisters came to her door, she didn't think she could relate to these young women. The first thing they did was ask if they could sing to her. They sang,"I am a Child of God." That was the beginning of her conversion, a long a beautiful story. You can read it on the web at Meridian Magazine. Her testimony was a real inspiration to me. There were over 350 people there and she does a great missionary work speaking to investigators. What a blessing to have heard her and felt her spirit.

Chelsea Our recent Convert

We have met the sweetest young sister. Chelsea is amazing. She joined the church during the last year and has an incredible testimony also. She never misses any missionary function and we were able to take her with us to the Stephanie Smith Fireside. She also came to the mission home a few weeks ago and we had family night. She gave the lesson and is was unbelievable. She is hoping to go on a mission next year. What a great young woman. This is a picture of her with Elders Ganaway and Gifford.