LAST WEEK OF ENGLISH

So Wednesday was my last day of English. I was so happy the whole day. I kept saying to my companion "NO ENGLISH"... and by saying I really mean yelling.  So much pressure is off.  Last week I was in my last 2nd grade class. This class was especially bad. They were not listening to me at all.  We were even playing a game and they still just were messing around.  I had two choices, to get frustrated and be mad at them, or just let them be and do my best.  So because it was the last day I let them be.  As I was making the choice I learned a little gospel lesson.  In my class, I only want the kids to learn english.  I seriously love them so much, even though they don't listen to me sometimes.  The other paid teachers hit the kids with rulers and yell if the kids are not listening. There is no way in the world I would ever do those things. I don't want to force them.  So Heavenly Father is the most patient person.  He does not get frustrated.  He sees all of his children, some make good decisions, some make bad decisions, and even some bad decisions that will affect the people making good decisions. Yet he does not force us to do anything. He patiently watches over us, hoping that we will follow his will.  Not that I would ever compare my experience to Heavenly Father, but I understood a little more.

So only drunk people talk to me on the streets, or in the bus.  I never know they are, but my companion tells me after I talk to them.  This week, we were walking home from an appointment, we needed to get home because we were almost late. But then this guys starts asking us for the right bus stop.  My companion tells him, we start walking away. He didn't understand I guess so he kept asking as we were walking away. Then he starts crying. Seriously a grown man starts crying in the middle of the street at night.  I think that is the first time I have ever seen that.  In mongolia, I have seen women crying on the streets, but not men.  Anyway, we went back to try and help him.  So it turns out he is from the country side, he doesn't know the city. He came and had some kind of celebration with his relatives, but offended them.  So he was having a really bad night. We told him to call a friend and we led him to the right bus station.  After trying to leave again, he says thank you and gives us an asian bowing thank you. I died.  But he was thankful.  I hope he found his way. I felt bad because I was laughing at him.  I knew this guy was drunk. I thought he was kidding at first.  But, my companion was laughing to. haha it didn't help.

So one day one of our appointments, wasn't answering her phone.  So we were deciding what to do.  She lives kind of far, so to go all the way could be a waste of time if she isn't there.  But I felt like we should go to the Recent-converts house and so did my companion.  That day was especially cold. Mostly just windy, and my companion and I were not dressed right.  So she didn't end up being there, but her neighbor was kind enough to lets us in while we waited.  So eventually this led to a small lesson on prayer, and God. After the lesson, she prayed and she was so thankful. She said Xaurtay shoo, which means I love you!  Usually i say it first to people, but she said it first. I was so happy, she was happy. This week we are going to try and meet with her. I'm so thankful for this opportunity.

We had 3 baptisms this week again.  Which I was so thankful for. It always reminds me of my baptism. But I am always reminded that the success is not the baptisms.  This week my new convert from a month ago, is struggling between Buddhism and being LDS.  It makes me so sad, her husband died almost a year ago, and is still really struggling.  Which I don't expect her not to be.  But Sunday morning we felt like we needed to go get her and go to church together.  She ends up just unloading what's been happening. I guess this Buddhist shamen said that if she goes to church again, she will die.  When I first heard that, I thought that sounded insane. And then soon remember we have so crazy doctrine.  Anyway, I have been praying for her to try and help her.  But a lass, it is her choice.  We can pray and teach but she needs to honestly pray with faith.

This week, I got my traditional mongolian vest, thing, or hauntas. I love it so much.  I've decided I'm going to get temple clothes made here.  Its so dang cheep for someone to make clothes.  There is a picture of what I wore. I dressed up for my baptism.

Life is going great. Mongolian is still a struggle, but it's okay. i'm getting better everyday.

Love you all,

Sister Sara Eskelsen