Enkhbayar and Bolorsaikhan Gansuhk and their daughter, Anu are from Mongolia.
They were sealed as a family today, but only because of a miracle.
They arrived at the temple on Tuesday, after a 33 hour train ride with their
two-year old daughter and Enkhbayar's mother and sister. Traveling on a train for that amount of time with a two year old can be a challenge, to say the least.
After attending an endowment session, Bolorsaikhan felt impressed to mention to President Wong he had been married before in the temple, but was divorced 5 years ago.
When President asked if he had documentation of the sealing cancellation, he said no. He did not know that his civil divorce did not cancel his temple sealing, and he had not been told by his Stake President that documentation was needed. President Wong immediately contacted Bolorsaikhan's stake president, only to learn that he too, didn't know of the requirement for the First Presidency to approve a temple divorce, and he had not seen this situation before.
Bare in mind, the Church is young in Mongolia.
Imagine how disappointed these two were to be told that getting a temple divorce takes months to get approved, and unless a miracle happened, they would not be able to be sealed after all.
They were in tears.
President Wong then contacted the Temple Department, who then in turn contacted the First Presidency. Pres. Wong was instructed to interview Bolorsaikhan again with more detailed questions, and then contact the Temple Department ASAP, still with no assurance that something would be decided before they were to go back to Mongolia in two days. Several e-mails were sent back and forth throughout the day and night over this. Finally, Thursday morning at 3:00am in Hong Kong, Brother Choi, the Temple Recorder who had stayed awake all night, received a message from the Temple Department stating that the First Presidency had given approval to go forward with the Gansukh's sealing. He hesitated to call President Wong at such an early hour, but because of the urgency, he did, and Pres. Wong said it was not a problem because he too, had been awake all night thinking about this family.
He could hardly wait until 7:00am to tell Bro, and Sis. Gansuhk the good news.
That afternoon, they were sealed as a family, and Enkhbayar and Enkhsaikhan were sealed to their mother, Namchin and their deceased father. Enkhsaikhan bore her testimony that she felt her father beside her during the sealing. He had passed away while she was on a mission for the church.
Miracles happened and it was quite a special day here for all who witnessed it.
Important comments President Wong shared regarding this day:
President Wong's son had an occasion to personally visit with President Thomas S. Monson. During that visit, he asked him what was the most difficult thing he had to do as President of the Church? Without hesitation, President Monson said, 'To cancel temple sealings. It takes months, sometimes a year to make that decision'.
President Wong was touched by Brother Choi's concern and his going the extra mile to help. He even drove to the temple from his home in the early morning to get information about which room this couple was in, so that Pres. Wong could inform them as soon as possible of the good news.
He was touched by the Temple Department putting in extra hours to help the Gansukhs.
Most importantly, he was touched by our loving Heavenly Father's compassion for
Enkhbayar and Bolorsaikhan.
We are touched by President Wong's love and concern and his efforts to bring a miracle.
two-year old daughter and Enkhbayar's mother and sister. Traveling on a train for that amount of time with a two year old can be a challenge, to say the least.
After attending an endowment session, Bolorsaikhan felt impressed to mention to President Wong he had been married before in the temple, but was divorced 5 years ago.
When President asked if he had documentation of the sealing cancellation, he said no. He did not know that his civil divorce did not cancel his temple sealing, and he had not been told by his Stake President that documentation was needed. President Wong immediately contacted Bolorsaikhan's stake president, only to learn that he too, didn't know of the requirement for the First Presidency to approve a temple divorce, and he had not seen this situation before.
Bare in mind, the Church is young in Mongolia.
Imagine how disappointed these two were to be told that getting a temple divorce takes months to get approved, and unless a miracle happened, they would not be able to be sealed after all.
They were in tears.
President Wong then contacted the Temple Department, who then in turn contacted the First Presidency. Pres. Wong was instructed to interview Bolorsaikhan again with more detailed questions, and then contact the Temple Department ASAP, still with no assurance that something would be decided before they were to go back to Mongolia in two days. Several e-mails were sent back and forth throughout the day and night over this. Finally, Thursday morning at 3:00am in Hong Kong, Brother Choi, the Temple Recorder who had stayed awake all night, received a message from the Temple Department stating that the First Presidency had given approval to go forward with the Gansukh's sealing. He hesitated to call President Wong at such an early hour, but because of the urgency, he did, and Pres. Wong said it was not a problem because he too, had been awake all night thinking about this family.
He could hardly wait until 7:00am to tell Bro, and Sis. Gansuhk the good news.
That afternoon, they were sealed as a family, and Enkhbayar and Enkhsaikhan were sealed to their mother, Namchin and their deceased father. Enkhsaikhan bore her testimony that she felt her father beside her during the sealing. He had passed away while she was on a mission for the church.
Miracles happened and it was quite a special day here for all who witnessed it.
Important comments President Wong shared regarding this day:
President Wong's son had an occasion to personally visit with President Thomas S. Monson. During that visit, he asked him what was the most difficult thing he had to do as President of the Church? Without hesitation, President Monson said, 'To cancel temple sealings. It takes months, sometimes a year to make that decision'.
President Wong was touched by Brother Choi's concern and his going the extra mile to help. He even drove to the temple from his home in the early morning to get information about which room this couple was in, so that Pres. Wong could inform them as soon as possible of the good news.
He was touched by the Temple Department putting in extra hours to help the Gansukhs.
Most importantly, he was touched by our loving Heavenly Father's compassion for
Enkhbayar and Bolorsaikhan.
We are touched by President Wong's love and concern and his efforts to bring a miracle.
Sister Lolo taking a selfie of Enkhbayar and Bolorsaikhan, her sister Enkhsaikhan Gansukh
and myself.
There is lots to smile about today.
1 comment:
I love this story!
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