Today Ellie turns six! SIX! Can you believe it? Where did the time go? How is this possible? All through these years, our little Elizabeth has managed to win hearts and make us all 'humbly proud' that she belongs to our family. Ellie is a charmer and has no lack of friends! If her friends could have their way, Ellie would always be at their homes playing! She loves her sister, Emma with all her heart, and dotes on Ryan! She is blessed to have a loving mommy and daddy who constantly watch over her, not to mention Grandparents and Aunti's and Uncles who adore her.
She and I love to run errands together...and luckily for me, she is crazy about all things girly--hoorah, hoorah!)Running Errands in Hong Kong on the MTR!
And on the streets where I live!
Her first birthday kiss in Hong Kong!
AND her second!
AND now for a big Birthday hug!
Her adoring fans from Mainland China!
Goin' local--Hawaiian style! 
Pulling a 'whatever face' with Aunti Erin!
Happy Happy Birthday, Ellie Belle! You are dearly loved in Hong Kong!
This is how missionaries in Mongolia dress for their everyday tracting!.jpg)
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.
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!
