Before we leave Mongolia, I simply had to share this...

Mongolia is unique. It is the only country I know of that boasts of Contortionist gymnastics as a national sport...please check this out. I could scarcely believe my eyes!

And now for a bit of authentic Mongolian culture. The man in the green is performing "Turvan Throat Singing." Not as easy as you would think!

Mongolia Revisited

This is a view of Ulan bator from the place where this land was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel.
This is how missionaries in Mongolia dress for their everyday tracting!

And this is what a cloak room looks like when missionaries have removed their winter coats in preparation for a meeting!

While there, the temperature was a wee bit chilly...with averages in the minus 20's and 30's. You can feel the cold on your face, (face ache) and in your lungs when you breathe...(lung ache). However, being a former Canadian gal with deep roots in this kind of weather, it was nothing I couldn't handle--at least for 60 seconds or so! It is so cold there, that even the animals must have some winter clothing!

We visited with two families in their Gers (tent homes). What a lovely experience it was! A Ger, if you remember, is a tent like structure that is completely movable. It is toasty warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The first Ger we visited belonged to this young couple.

When we stepped into the Ger, the parents turned off their television, much to the dismay of their little boy. (Mind you, the television was not playing anything that would interest a child...he just liked having it on!) Ger's come in many sizes...but the ones we visited were 9-10 feet in diameter. The furniture hugs the perimeter, leaving the center open for the stove and a table with chairs. This young mother loves bright colors. Look how cute her cupboards and washstand are!

Their beds are put away during the day, to give them more room to work and play.

The second Ger belongs to this woman. She was born in this very same Ger and raised her own family here as well. (she is one year younger than me). This picture reveals the strength of her testimony. She is holding her temple sealing certificate. Look at the bookshelf behind her. It contains her most prized possessions!

Here she is showing us how she puts the wood in her stove. This stove is not very large, but performs many duties besides cooking and baking. It is used for heating water for personal use, washing clothes and taking baths. Can you imagine how much effort that must take?

This stove is so hot, I can only imagine the challenge it must be to keep little children from getting burned. Her table was filled with refreshments that she had made especially for us. It is amazing to me how much time and effort she must have gone through accomplished this beautiful table! (FYI: We were so relieved when we found out that we were not being served warmed fermented mare's milk--just good old cow's milk! )

She shared with us her testimony and how much joy the gospel has brought to her life and the lives of her children. One of her greatest joys was being sealed to her husband and children in the Hong Kong Temple a couple of years ago. I am so grateful to have experienced this.
Look what else we found driving around the countryside. Yes, seeing is believing!


AND what Latter-day gospel event does this remind you of?

Now you cannot go to Mongolia without sensing the powerful influence of Genghis Khan. Look at this amazing monument built to him in that resides in the middle of nowhere! It is HUGE!

We walked all the way up to the horse's head to get this view of a Ger camp! I shot this picture using my zoom setting. Can you get a sense of how high up we were?

On our last night there, we had a member missionary meeting. We were expecting around 800 saints. We ended up with 1400 in attendance. This is a picture of the choir! They were spectacular! The more I visited this beautiful country, the more I love it's people and history. I am grateful that the gospel is in Mongolia!

MAGNANIMOUS

LISTEN to the tribute given to Grandpa for his 90th Birthday by Lorraine Kawakami. An insightful glimpse into the Dad and Grandpa we all love! Aloha oe, Grandpa...until we meet again...

AND THE WINNER IS...

Laurel! Picture coming soon as to what you have won! Thanks to those of you who played along...AS this was so much fun for me, I just might have to do it again!

I have finally found the courage to...

...have a blog GIVEAWAY! In honor of my one year blog anniversary, I have decided to be a personal shopper for some lucky reader of my blog. (You all know who you are) All you have to do is leave a comment which should include your favorite colors (both home and personal), your shoe size, and a perfect necklace length! You have until Sunday evening March 15th (because that is when the names will be drawn out of a ???( if I can find one)! The winner will be posted on Monday morning! To inspire you to comment, start thinking about silk pashminas, or mother of pearl 'pearls', a fabulous necklace, a pair of embroidered Thai shoes or perhaps something uniquely jade? How about something for your home? A silk table runner? A Chinese leather box? I do have some ideas, but I would like to know a few details about you before I make the purchase.
The only catch is you will have to wait until March 26th or a little there after to receive it-- because that is when we will arrive in the States. I will either hand deliver it to you or put in the mail ASAP. Of course, I shall post a picture of what was selected before I leave on the 26th. Please leave a comment!

As Promised!

This is just a little recap of Adam and Bri's visit in December...Beginning with them posing in front of the Peninsula Hotel with an amazing Foo Dog...sadly, High Tea was not on the agenda!

This picture was taken in honor of Erin and Kara--as one of their favorite stores in Hong Kong. What is a visit to Hong Kong without a sneak peak inside Shanghai Tang? However, there were no wallets being opened here!
One thing Adam and Bri did that none of the others experienced when they came to Hong Kong, was going to Ocean Park. It was walk down memory lane for me as I had two kids in tow and who were dying to experience every little thing. They simply could not resist a mouth this big!
With a little monkeying around, we were able to snap Bri in the moment!

Of course, not to be left out, Adam insisted on wearing outlandish earmuffs while gazing at the jelly fish!

A funny thing happened while viewing the jelly fish...some were hot!

While some were not! (This was totally an Adam and Bri phenomena. I was just an interested observer!)
Now in this shot, I tried to tell them that they really were not that high in the sky...but they simply wouldn't believe me!

Like her big sister Kara, Bri fell in love with the pandas. THIS was the main reason why we went to Ocean Park. For some strange reason, she was hugging every panda within sight!

Adam discovered if you can't beat'em, join'em! (my first cliche in sooo long!)
Bri talked about their walking up the many, many steps to the Big Buddah! This picture validates their claim!
Here they have just cleared their first 50 or so steps--Look how proud they are!

Now they are off! Where am I you ask? Well, there are only so many times you can climb this monument before it starts to lose it's charm. How many times would that be you ask? Hmmm...one? Besides, look at the photo opportunities that would have been lost...

Now I know that you know that they had a "Happy Feet Massage." You be the judge on how happy they look!

Let Them Eat Cake!

On Friday, I went to the the French Revolutions exhibit with two of my friends. It was a complete history of the many revolutions, beginning with Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette--using some pictorials, some artifacts, but mostly through written dialogues. Although it was not the most dazzling of exhibits...we still managed to spend 3 hours there--discussing, reading and trying to dust off our combined memories of French history! Of course, we ended up having more questions than the exhibit was willing to share...Questions like..."When do you think people started to take baths on a regular basis?" That question was brought on from talking about French perfume and why it was invented! Upon viewing a portrait of Marie Antoinette, we all spouted the infamous "Let them eat cake!" quotation. However, we all know that she really didn't say that! She just lost her head over the 'whole not understanding the state of the French economy'...(do you think that is a simplification of her role in French History?) However, I must admit, she certainly knew how to dress!

When we approached this portrait in the exhibit...we were amazed. This was painted while she was imprisoned. We thought that perhaps her confinement couldn't have been too terrible if she could sit for a portrait!

Of course, I had to see what it might have been like to lose one's head...hence the following photo. (do you think dad is shaking his head at my creative photo shoot?) Oh, what I am willing to do for a blog entry...especially when I have had zero inspiration--but I digress!

While on her way to her execution, she stepped on the foot of her executioner...for which she said, "Pardon me sir, I did not mean it!"

Most of the men responsible for the overthrow of the monarchy, also ended up losing their heads. Apparently, Dr. Guillotine designed his contraption as a more humane way to take off one's head. He and others of the revolution felt that the purpose was to end the life quickly, and not to torture the condemned. Furthermore, it was seen as an expression of equality..all condemned, whether noble or otherwise were treated equally. However, to his dismay, Dr. Guillotine was unhappy that his instrument began to be called by his name!

Of course, we met Voltaire...whose real name was François Marie Arouet. (that was another question we had...why on earth would a mother name a son Marie?) He has inspiring quotes and I suspect that I shall have to read a book about his life! We also met Rousseau...who apparently enjoyed a hatred of Voltaire and he of him! We figured that out when viewing a gilded clock with the two of them raising fists to each other. Here is a response of Voltaire to Rousseau after reading a copy of his "The Social Contract":

"I have received your new book against the human race, and thank you for it. Never was such a cleverness used in the design of making us all stupid. One longs, in reading your book, to walk on all fours. But as I have lost that habit for more than sixty years, I feel unhappily the impossibility of resuming it. Nor can I embark in search of the savages of Canada, because the maladies to which I am condemned render a European surgeon necessary to me; because war is going on in those regions; and because the example of our actions has made the savages nearly as bad as ourselves." Although, when Voltaire died he did say that "I die adoring God, loving my friends, not hating my enemies, and detesting superstition." So perhaps they are now friends...

Then there there is Marat, stabbed to death while in his bath by Charlotte Corday...and, and , well, I could go on and on, but I suppose this is way too much information for all of you...Just know that I love a good story!