Okay, this is a long running series. I promise I’ll be done when we move here next month. As the attorneys predicted, the residence permit was not issued prior to Mongolia’s largest holiday, Naadam. Government offices will be closed through the 15th, so the absolute earliest I could go home would be the 17th (if they issued it on the 16th, I’d try to get a flight for the next day). I miss my family, but I’m very grateful for video calling. United airlines was good to issue a refund for the unused half of my airplane ticket.
I’ve been spending the last few days here in the apartment we rented. It isn’t furnished, and I didn’t have water for the first little bit, but after the first day or do, I noticed the main water valve for the apartments on this floor behind an panel that was ajar. I had already paid for water, but business is moving slowly at the moment because of Naadam. I wanted to be able to shower before church, so I turned on the water. I bought a few things from a store that had camping equipment so I could stay here comfortably.
I’m still waiting for my residence permit to come through, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to return. I miss my family. Jennifer is being a single parent and continuing to get ride of our extra items so that we can be ready for the move.
I’m still studying for the CISSP. I’m not getting through as much of the book as I would like to have done, but I’ll put more time into it. I’ll be taking the test shortly before I move here. I haven’t taken a certification exam for quite a while, and I don’t think I’ve ever taken one quite this difficult. I feel intimidated. When I was in my mid-20’s and trained some CompTIA courses, I took a few of those exams, but my brain is 20 years older now.
Today is Sunday. I got up and went to the Tuul ward via taxi. It was a pretty short drive. The meeting location is in an office building, and they have a beautiful chapel there. It was a nice meeting. I met some wonderful local members and some great missionaries in that ward.
I started to leave to walk toward home. Church was only an hour because of Naadam, and I wasn’t excited to got back to the apartment to spend the rest of the day alone. I looked at the Tools app and saw that the Bayanzurkh ward meets at 2:00 pm, so I got another taxi and went there. I sat down, and a kind sister sat and spoke with me in mostly Mongolian for 10 or so minutes. She speaks some English as well. She is serving now as a single elder (older) missionary. Her companion was from the US, but her companion got sick and had to go home. She was patient with me because there was plenty that I didn’t understand.
While I was talking to her, a young missionary came and introduced himself to me. As we talked I mentioned that I had served her as a missionary many years prior. He asked specifically which years. I told him from 1999-2001. He asked if I knew a Sister Stephenson. I told him that I did. She was one of the six people in my MTC group. He told me that she is his mother. It was a wonderful surprise. I felt like I was meeting a nephew. We took pictures, and I’d like to post them here, but I didn’t ask his permission, so I hate to post it in a public place.
I promised my sister-in-law (Jamie Pieper) that I would take more pictures. I didn’t do well. I’m not a photographer, and my phone does not have a great camera.
I’m still kind of intimidated. I’m very aware that fear blocks reception that faith keeps open. I feel like the Spirit is teaching the the important of faith over fear. Heavenly Father has already shown that he can remove obstacles. We have accepted an offer of sale on our home. It is contingent upon the buyer selling his really nice home in the same area. Our realtor asked us if we could sell sooner than we planned because she thinks she’ll sell his house quickly. How can I doubt when I have seen so many miracles? I sometimes look to the next “insurmountable obstacle” rather than having faith in my Heavenly Father. I am so glad he is a patient Father, but he doesn’t deserve to have to teach me the same lesson over and over.
I was lonely the other day. I still am, but I was really lonely the other day. Without going into too much detail, I felt very alone here in this empty apartment in beautiful Mongolia. I watched a rainstorm as it approached, and I felt comforted. I love the rain. I wrote what I felt. I don’t know how to write poetry that doesn’t rhyme, so I just wrote what I felt.
The rain climbs the steppes to meet me—
It has been too long.
Cool winds blow fond memories back to me;
Memories of childhood and laughter and wonder—
A heady mixture of happiness and nostalgia.
I am far from home, but not so far—
Never far from home when an old friend visits.
This isn’t my land, but she loves me just the same, and I love her.
The storm smiles at me, and I know it must leave.
Rain or tears run down my face as I bid the storm good-bye.
It never stays long.
A thunderous farewell,
And I am alone again.
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