Baptized at age 99 in Mongolia
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ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA
In Mongolia, the culture, the history, and even the land itself, seem very old — even ancient.
The Church, however, is a relatively recent arrival and has had a significant impact on many citizens of Mongolia, from the city-dwellers in the capital of Ulaanbaatar to the herdsmen and their families who populate the frigid and windswept plains of the Gobi Desert.
The Mongolian people have embraced the gospel throughout the land, and missionaries continue to teach those who express an interest in increasing numbers.
One individual who recently embraced the gospel and who might embody the bridge between ancient and modern Mongolia is a 99-year-old sister named Davaajargal (Mongolians typically use only a single name). She was baptized by her grandson, Dashzeveg, in late February in a font in one of the Ulaanbaatar meetinghouses. Davaajargal was happy and excited about her baptism although, because of her age, she had some difficulty in physically entering the water.
In a moment of candidly sharing her feelings, she said that the water was cold, but she felt calm and assured.
Davaajargal was born in Gobi Altai, Mongolia, and her family consists of four sons and two daughters, some who are Church members. She recently received a wheelchair from Deseret International Charities, the Church's humanitarian organization operating in Mongolia, which has made a big difference in her life. Previously, one of her family had to remain home to care for her while the rest went to Church meetings. After gaining her mobility, she insisted that they take her with them to Church. After attending meetings for a time, she felt the spirit of the gospel and wanted to learn more, was taught the principles and decided to be baptized.
She told her daughter, "I think I am going to go pretty soon, and I want to do what is right before I go."
Davaajargal's husband passed away in 1980, and she has had a recurring dream of seeing him dressed in white clothing. She says that when she sees him again, she is "going to go with him".
At her baptism, her daughter, Tsetsegmaa, read Davaajargal's testimony in which she expressed her happiness in joining the Church. She said that, first, her daughter helped her know of God and, second, her family has been a great example to her.
She continued, "My granddaughter is on a mission in California, and I pray that God will bless her. My testimony is that there is a God who answers prayers and that I know that I can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost. I am grateful that I will have the opportunity to be together with my husband and our family and enter the kingdom of God."
Then, to everyone's surprise, she asked Tsetsegmaa to push her wheelchair up to the microphone where she personally expressed her thanks to all and her happiness in being baptized.
