December 1997 Part 1   John, Nancy, and Gallia   Then the dancing began. It reminded me of World War II when the men were gone and the women and girls had to dance with each other. With great gaiety, the floor was absolutely filled with dancers! Eventually an older sister, Gallia, took my hand and we began to dance around the floor. Most Mongolian women are small but Gallia is fairly large and very strong! She guided me all over that floor as we bumped into other couples. She had her arm around my waist and pushed and pulled me here and there and I laughed during the entire dance—which I thought would never end! It was a Mongolian dance and lasted long enough that Gallia was able to teach me. I looked towards my chair at the edge of the dance floor and was about to return there when Oogie, a teenager, asked me if I’d dance with her. It was another Mongolian dance so I gamely agreed and she taught me two more native dances. It was fun. I don’t know that I’ll remember the steps but I’ll probably get another try at the district party on Thursday. (page 172) Elders putting together school kits We had decided with the elders coming to our apartment that we also wanted to perform a service on this day. We had some humanitarian goods that needed to be distributed and arranged to spend a portion of this Christmas Day with the former street children at the police shelter. (page 175)             Elders unloading a container   About a month ago we received a shipment of clothes, books, medical supplies, and other items from Salt Lake City. These items were for distribution to needy Mongolians and all four tons of it are almost gone. Most of it left our church building in the original bales in which it was shipped but those items that were earmarked for the members were opened and sorted by the Relief Society sisters in the district and branches. (page 165)       <<< back    next >>>