We are back home!  We got here Monday evening at 7:10pm and Chris and Josie were there to meet us.  We had an exciting trip home.  We left Mongolia Monday Dec. 3rd just a little late -only about 15-20 minutes- and then the flight took a hour longer than on our schedule so we missed our connecting flight in Moscow.

Here we are at the Ulaanbaatar airport in front of the board showing our flight to Moscow with all our luggage.  President and Sister Clark stayed until we and our luggage were checked in.  Sister Clark was outside the window as we went through security blowing kisses.  We will miss them.

This is what UB looked like as we left Mongolia, cold and frosty!!

This is in Moscow from the airport window.  Since we had missed our flight we spent about four hours there.  Tom bought me a Christmas egg on a little stand there.  As you can see the ground did not have as much snow and ice as UB.  Since we missed our flight here, we also missed our flight in Stockholm.  There they wanted us to purchase another ticket because we had not canceled ours.  We told them the plane was late not us and then we had to call Salt Lake City to missionary travel.  They got us on the next flight that left within the hour.  When we got to Gothenburg, Sam, Lilli and the kids were waiting for us.  When we were mnot on our scheduled flight, Sam called Salt Lake and told them his parents were lost, but they assured him that we were fine and would be in on the next flight.

Sweden had plenty of snow.  This is Sam and Lilli's home.  It snowed when we got there and all of the next day.

So the first day we went out to see the snow.  We watched a very large barge go through the locks just like watching a small version of the Panama Canal.  And yes it was very cold and still snowing.

We baked Swedish pastries that are a holiday tradition.  And they tasted very good.

 Levi and I strung beads.  We made a necklace and then we made a bracelet for Kayla.

On another day we took the kids sledding.  Levi is the one oin the ground near the top.  He decided he liked rolling down the hill instead of going down on the sled.

We also ate some traditional Swedish holiday foods.  The top one is sandwiches with hard boiled eggs and shrimp, very delicious.  And then I am eating what is like a very light and fluffy marshmellow with a chocolate and coconut coating.  Very yummy but rich!!  We also had Swedish meatballs, lots of sausages and cheeses, and Christmas bread.

One day we spent several hours at the Christmas village called Liseberg.

In the summer it is an amusement park and this is the roller coaster.  It looked fun but of course was not running with all the snow.

The sign says Merry Christmas.

And how do you like these icicles!!!

There were many little stores like this candy store.  There were also many stands where we tasted sausages, cheeses, fudge, candies, and drinks.

Everything was beautiful with all the lights.

And of course Levi got to talk with Santa.  And outside his shop were live reindeer but then what else would we expect, right?

We rode a ride through storybook land with Levi...

And then we ate at Burger King!!

Before we knew it, it was Monday again and time to leave.  We had a tearful good-bye with Sam and family at the airport and within 10 minutes were on the plane to London.  We are so glad we had the chance to go to Sweden and visit with them.

This is a mural in the London airport.  It shows exactly what we saw as we flew in.  We were in the airport for three hours and then on our way to San Diego.  It was a long flight but we had no problems and had good food and free movies to watch.  When we got to San Diego we got through customs quickly and found Chris and Josie waiting for us at the bottom of the escalator.  Hugs, Smiles and more tears- happy ones this time.  We also saw an old friend, Siliva Fely, who was there picking someone up.  We also found out that we had been on the plane with President Meacham's son-in-law who is in our ward here at home. President Meacham was the mission president in Mongolia before President Clark, our mission president.  What a small world!

So in the last two years we have been to Mongolia, China, Russia, Sweden, and England!  We went on a mission and turned into world travelers!!!  Our mission was great and we love and miss the people in Mongolia, but we are happy to be with our family and friends here at home too.

Our last day has been very eventful so far.  We drove to Nalaikh for sacrament meeting.  Of course we were asked to bear our testimonies since we are leaving which we had expected that since all leaving missionaries bear their testimonies on the last Sunday.  Then we had some members who bore theirs for the first time.  One was a police officer who has worked all the time since we have been here but was there today in uniform and bore his testimony.  And many of the testimonies were emotional.  It was the beast testimony meeting we have had in Nalaikh.  After the meeting, we took a picture of us with the branch.

Then on the way home we had a car accident.  Just bumped bumpers but still had to call the insurance people.  We had hit ice and though we were stopping, the car in front stopped quickly because another car had cut him off, and so we slid into his back bumper.  Luckily he was a nice guy and spoke some English.  We were in the van and they had not put the snow tires on it or else we may not have slid.  But it all worked out okay.

 Then at the building we met more friends to say good-bye to.  This young man is Baaska and he is in the stake choir and came to some of our Michigan classes.

And this is Tsoogii.  She served her mission in the US and we have spent a lot of time talking to each other over the past year.

This is Baatar.  Every Friday morning he drives the senior missionaries to do their grocery shopping.  And he really spoils them.  Not only does Baatar drive us to the stores, he comes in to bag our groceries, make sure we get the right change, and carries our groceries to the van.  He keeps all the couples groceries separated and knows what belongs to who.  We go to four stores and he comes into them all.  Then  he drives us to the front door of our apartment house  and if we have bought a lot, he evens helps take them up to our apartment.  I will really miss him when I go shopping at home!

Friday afternoon was out farewell party at the office.  Miigaa, the Hunts, Bolormaa, and others did a lot of work putting this on for us.  They wanted it to be a surprise but of course we have a farewell  for every couple so we knew there was going to be one but they still surprised us in what they did.

 Many people that we work with in the building, those from the service center, and the other couples were all in attendance.

 Several people brought lots of wonderful food and everyone was enjoying eating and visiting.

 Then they had us sit in these two chairs in the center of the room.  These are the king and queen chairs since Miigaa calls us the King and Queen of our office.

 Sister Hunt was the emcee as she started the program that Miigaa had planned for us.

 First was traditional Mongolian music played on the horse head fiddle called "Morin Khuur".

 Then a traditional Mongolian dance called Bide.

Then Munkjargal joined in on the Mongolian harp for a duet musical number.

 This was a different dance-traditional western Mongolian called Sevjid.

 Munkjargal then did a harp solo. 

The conclusion of the program was when all of our Mongolian friends stood and sang "Haluun elgeh nutag" which is Mongolian Song of My Motherland.  It is beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. 
Then it was time for hugs, good-byes, and pictures with our friends.

 With the wonderful performers...

 Batbold and Tseegii...

Muugii and Zulbayar who we first met in the Provo MTC...

 President Odgerel and Soyolmaa...all people we are going to miss very much.  But it was a wonderful party and we are so thankful for the love of these wonderful people.

Then we went to dinner with President and Sister Clark at the Monet restaurant on the 17th floor of this building.  It was a beautiful view of Ulaanbaatar that we never get to see at ground level but unfortunately my camera did not like taking the pictures through the glass window!  But it was great food and a wonderful visit.  We are thankful for all President and Sister Clark have done for us during our mission here in Mongolia.

Last night was our farewell dinner with the couples.  We have been to many of these over the past 23 months but this time it was our turn to be the couple leaving.  We went to the Indian restaurant in the Flower Hotel which we like very much.  The food was good but the company even better!!

 Elder and Sister Gardner and Elder and Sister Stewart.

 President and Sister Clark

 Elder and Sister Richardson and Elder and Sister Hunt..and of course Elder Shrope.

And Elder and Sister Wood.  Only Elder and Sister Farmer were not there because Elder Farmer was under the weather and with it being -17* outside, he did not need to be walking to the restaurant.  I think the only thing we will not miss in Mongolia is the temperatures!!!  But we will miss these couples and all of those we have come to know and love in the time we have been here.