December 21, 2007 - Khristmas Bayariin Mend Khurgeye!

Short entry this week: it’s Branch Christmas Party Day!!! We’ve been preparing all week. I wowed the locals by introducing paper snowflakes, and we made enough to fill the main hallway at the church building. It looks pretty dang good, if I may say so myself.

We’re all heading over to the church to finalize our nativity play. I’ve got a balloon and a bedsheet so I’m pretty much all set to be Mary but some people are kinda blowing their parts out of proportion- Elder Gantugs keeps trying to decide how he should raise his hands for the part where the angel says, “Buu aigtun! Kharagtun!” to the shepherds abiding in their fields.

Don’t worry, I’m planning on taking lots of pictures and videos and such, especially of the part when the branch missionaries waltz to an ABBA song.

Last Saturday we had a big to do when President Andersen and his wife came into town for interviews. They were only here for about 6 hours, but we got to eat together at one of the two good restaurants in town.

Today officially marks one year of physically being in the country called Mongolia. Sunday night at 9:30, the Selenge missionaries are boarding another overnight train headed for UB. We’re having a big mission conference on Monday and then the Christmas party on Tuesday. I will be reciting a poem in Mongolian for the talent show. Pretty much right after the party we’re getting back on another train and returning to Selenge. I hope I can find a spare minute or two to run to Mercury and get some baking powder…

Merry Christmas! -Sister Johnson