Friday, July 4, 2014

July 4th in Mongolia

Yes there is a July 4th is Mongolia, but it is just another day here.  They do their big celebration next week for Nadaam where they will celebrate the Three Manly Sports, (Archery, Horse Racing and Wrestling) and they will not only celebrate 1 day, but this year the holiday will go for FIVE days.

Any way, living in Mongolia has caused me to reflect on how blessed I was to be born in the United States, in the state of Utah.  I have had so many opportunities because of this.  I have enjoyed freedom of religion and having the restored gospel in my life.  This would not have happened in any other land. In the United States,  with the inspiration of our Founding Fathers and the wisdom they had in setting up our constitution with citizens rights, enabled an atmosphere for the restoration of the gospel.

I am grateful for the freedom and opportunities to choose.  To choose where to shop and the unlimited choices of clean healthy food that exist in the US.  I am grateful for the safety standards that are in place for food, water, sanitation, work place and even traffic.  I am grateful that the US people value human life and children.  I am grateful for the opportunities of education for myself, children and grandchildren and the hope of  becoming anything you want with hard work.  Any way, I am proud and grateful to be an American.  I can hardly wait to get home and be with family and friends again.  We have been truly blessed and I think we don't know what we have until we don't have it.

HAVE A GREAT JULY 4TH!
VALUE YOUR FREEDOMS AND OPPORTUNITIES!
Here are a few pictures of a "indoor barbecue" the seniors had with President Benson's family to celebrate July 4th.


Early morning street view of Tokyo Street where the Bayanzurkh Church Building is Located.
This is the building where our office, the mission office and the 
President's family lives on the fifth floor.

 Sister Francom, Sister Nay, Sister Benson, Sister Lewis and Sister Linford checking out the food.
 Elder Linford and John admiring the 5th floor view
 President Benson grills a great hamburger!
 Taste testing the homemade rootbeer!

 These are the flowers at Chinggis Square.  
Flowers have been planted everywhere in preparation for the Nadaam Celebration
It has been fun to see them and they are all beautiful!





 Last week was our branch's, Branch Conference.  
When we arrived at our building there was lots of heavy equipment digging up the side road that leads to our meeting house.  There was no way to get in.  We ended up  jumping huge holes, walking in front of the machinery and up the police station stairs, and back over and down to get to the building.  When we finally got into the building there was not electricity.
That was okay.  We had our meetings any way.  They started a little late with everyone trying to figure out how to get in, but it was a great object lesson.  
Satan may put roadblocks in our way, but if we are faithful and persevere we will be blessed with the spirit of the Lord.





Scripture of the week:
Alma 46: 12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

 13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land

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