Elder Itgel

This is Elder Itgel.  He is from Mongolia and has been here for 18 months.  He has learned English well and has been a wonderful friend to all his companions.  In October, Sister Adams and Elder Burns came here as visa waiters to work while waiting for their visas to GO to Mongolia.  Last month they were told that the Mongolian government wasn't giving out any more visas or renewing the visas of those already in Mongolia...so these two missionaries have been reassigned to our mission.  That was tough.  Many tears of disappointment.  Since all the US missionaries have had to leave Mongolia, the church decided to send those native Mongolians serving in the US back to Mongolia to finish their missions.  There aren't many they are sending back.  They wanted to make sure they send back those that have been here long enough to learn English well, but that still have 6+ months left on their missions.  Elder Itgel was so upset--he has loved it here.  It is "his" mission.  He said "How will I teach the Gospel to Buddist-I have been teaching Christians so long."  Elder Itgel's Aunt fist joined the church in his family.  She worked somewhere that was a contact for the church to find a meeting place for Sunday worship when the church was first going into his country.  After meeting with them, his Aunt and Grandma decided to visit one of our Sunday meetings and loved it.  They joined the church shortly after--pioneers in the church in Mongolia. This was back in probably 1994.  Elder Itgel (Bayer Itgel) was raised mostly with his Grandmother so he went to church and was baptized at 8 years old.  We will miss Elder Itgel but know he will be a great blessing to his people.