Missionary Dan Email #38 from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Presented here are portions of Elder Daniel Willoughby’s thirty eighth email from the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission. If anyone wishes to send Daniel a message, write it in the comments and I will make sure he receives it.

Thanks for all the great letters and things. It was really fun to read them all. Thanks for the pictures as well. Paul’s costume made me laugh really hard. Steven’s costume was rad too. Remind me later and I’ll tell you more about that. That hike you went on seems like it was crazy mom! Sorry to make you worry about me. I am good and I did the best I could to help my companion. It’s exciting that we are getting a garden. I really like strawberries and pears. Peaches are good too.

Baptism

So I told the story of when we had a special fast for one of my investigators that hadn’t been able to be baptized for 4 years. She passed her interview this Saturday and we are happy to see her baptized this Friday. It is exciting that her own son gets to baptize her, an opportunity that came for having to wait for so long. I am very excited to have a baptism.

My Companion

This week was a long slow one. My companion met with the President last Monday that took an hour or so. The first 15 minutes or so was just trying to get him to talk. Afterward it seemed that the problem maybe was fixed as he woke up instantly the next morning and went to work. But, the next day he didn’t get up, didn’t want to work, and was a struggle the whole week to just get him out the door. He slowing started to turn inward. He didn’t talk to hardly to anyone. On Saturday I went on an exchange with the Zone Leaders. Elder Romney, my good friend went with me, and my companion with his companion. After that exchange, I was hoping things would be better, but they were only worse. I prayed really sincerely to know what to do and things I could talk to him about. Sunday my prayer was answered and we talked for about an hour about church callings we’ve had and of course video games. It was a relief from the almost completely silent companion the whole week and the one word answers.

So today he had another interview with the President. Since he hasn’t woken up at all this week and has little to no desire, President said he is going to go home this week and think about whether or not he still wants to be a missionary. He’ll come back Friday and tell him. So I have a new companion now, well actually at this very moment I’m waiting for him. I got special permission to write my email in the mission office. This computer is fast. Anyway, President said I was the perfect companion for him. I was patient and didn’t judge him too harshly. He said now he has to do a little for himself. I told him that I hope to see him back in the mission field and that we need him.

I learned a great deal of how to love those that are hard to love. I really did love him for who he was, I just didn’t love what he was doing. I hope that the best comes to him and he can finish his mission. I hope too that everything I wrote makes sense. If you have any questions just ask, I wrote it kind of fast and by wrote I mean typed.

New Member Family

My group went bowling today for our year mark. I wasn’t able to go, but before they left we got a picture.

The other pictures are of one of my new member families. They had a birthday party for their kid in the black suit. The yellow shirt is a member and the orange shirt (bottom photo) is trying to quit smoking so he can be baptized. The green shirt (top photo) is the yellow shirt’s friend that is our investigator. She is great and progressing quickly. I told a little about her awhile ago. How she met with missionaries 3 years ago and then didn’t get baptized because of work.

To Mom

Yeah I use the dictionary. It is actually really useful. The games on it distracted me a little but they aren’t that fun so only for a little while. I think I’d like to get some Skittles for Christmas. Other than that I don’t really know. That was an insane hiking story. I am glad you are OK.  I got a postcard from Texas. Is Bryson walking yet? Anyway no need to worry. I love you Mom.

To Paul

Thanks for the article. I read one similar to it awhile ago but the one you gave me was really good. I think your costume is the best. It is almost better than my fence costume. Maybe you could wear both. Microfence, stopping waves since 1203.

To Dad

There is also a Britain store in Ulaanbataar. It’s on the main road and I always see it when we travel to the main building. I always want to snap a picture but have always forgot. I think you will win with the weight loss competition. I think simple is the best way to do it. Plus you are such an old man it shouldn’t be very hard to loss weight. :) I love you Dad! Thanks for all you do.

To Jake

Thanks for sharing about your experience. I did my best with my companion and I hope the best for him. There are some things we simply couldn’t do for him and he had to make the decision himself. The story you told is very inspiring. Our 15 new members will be 16 this Friday! I look up to you more than you look up to me probably though. Keep up the good work.

Yep, so that that about sums it up. It’s been quite the adventure. So long till next week.

Love from Elder Willoughby

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List of Daniel’s missionary posts.