From gers to the open steppe, young women in Mongolia gather as beacon lights

After more than a decade-long pause, Young Women camp has made a return in Mongolia — bringing with it spiritual growth and life-changing experiences for the young women who attended.

About 15 years ago, the introduction of youth conference led to a misunderstanding among local leaders, who believed it was meant to replace Young Women camp entirely.

That changed this year when Young Women general leaders informed local leaders that camps should be organized annually. Local leaders jumped on it and planned camps that would be held just a few months later.

With nearly 13,000 Church members, Bishop W. Christopher Waddell said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Mongolia’s largest Christian religion. Mongolia, though, is the world’s most sparsely populated country, meaning that Church members must travel long distances to attend meetings and activities, thus necessitating separate camps for Mongolia’s three largest ecclesiastical units.

The Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East Stake held its camp July 31-Aug. 2; the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake held its Aug. 1-3 — both in venues just outside of Ulaanbaatar.

The Darkhan Mongolia District held its camp Aug. 15-17 in the Bulgan province.

Each of the three camps filled its schedules with activities that combined fun, culture, learning and spiritual growth. Some of the highlights included learning how to make campfires, shooting bow and arrows, attending firesides and dancing in cultural talent shows.

1995: The first Young Women camp in Mongolia

This year’s camps revived a tradition that began three decades ago. In 1995, just a year after the first Relief Society and subsequent branch of the Church was organized in Mongolia, a small group of young women and their leaders ventured into the countryside for the nation’s first Young Women camp.

Sister Mary N. Cook, then serving as a missionary in Mongolia — later mission leader in the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar mission and Young Women general presidency counselor — helped organize that pioneering camp. They borrowed four tents from the Mongolian Boy Scouts and gathered 43 girls, seven local leaders and a senior missionary couple for a two-day camp on the Mongolian steppe.

It wasn’t easy.

“As soon as we pitched our tents, torrential rains came down on us,” Sister Cook recorded in her journal. The downpour soaked through the leaky tents, drenching the girls’ heavy wool blankets and clothes. The campers had to squeeze eight to nine girls into each four-man tent to stay dry. “They didn’t seem to mind. … We didn’t hear a complaint,” Sister Cook wrote.

At night, the group studied the Book of Mormon by candlelight.

“They loved every aspect of the evening,” Sister Cook noted. “Everything is so new to these people. They have so few opportunities, and it is ever so rewarding to provide some worthwhile opportunities for them to learn and grow. I’m sure we have started a tradition of girls’ camp in Mongolia.”

For two days in 1995, Sister Cook explained, those first campers “enjoyed God’s creations, studied the gospel together, became more united and felt the Spirit as they shared their testimonies.”

Recently, on the Church News podcast, Sister Cook discussed her 31 years of “blessings of Mongolia and it’s people.”

“I know His work will go forth, and it is going forth,” she said. Quoting Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s prayer for the country, she added, “Mongolia truly is a beacon light, as are its members.”

In the years that followed that first camp, Mongolian Latter-day Saints continued to hold Young Women camps as the Church grew. Participation expanded — one late-1990s camp drew around 150 young women from across the country. The impact of those camps grew as well. Soyolmaa Urtnasan, the country’s first Young Women president went on to be one of the country’s first missionaries.

However, as large youth conferences were encouraged, some local leaders assumed those gatherings would replace Young Women camps. For more than a decade, no Young Women camps were held in Mongolia. That is, until now.

A triumphant return in 2025

With clear direction from Church leaders to hold Young Women camp annually where possible, the Latter-day Saints in Mongolia eagerly brought back camp in the summer of 2025, reported the Church’s Mongolia Newsroom.

President Ganchuder, Young Women president of the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East Stake, shared her hopes for the camp.

“When I was 15, I lost my brother. Shortly after, we found the Church, and the plan of salvation brought us peace,” she said. “When I later attended FSY, I gained my own testimony. So when I heard we could hold a camp, I was excited to help other girls feel what I had felt. I prayed I could touch even just one heart, to help a girl know she’s loved — and that her Savior is her best Friend.”

President Tegshjargal, Young Women president of the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake, echoed that sentiment, “I want the girls to remember they are daughters of God with divine potential. Life brings struggles, and families may not always be there — but Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ always will be. If they can build a personal relationship with the Savior, they can get through anything.”

Young women from both stakes and the Darkhan Mongolia District soon found themselves boarding buses and traveling to camp.

The camp venues provided a mix of accommodations, including traditional Mongolian gers, small cabins and lodge-style rooms.

One particularly impactful activity was an evening “faith walk.” After nightfall, the girls were taught brief lessons on a few gospel topics, and then each group set out on a path through the dark woods holding onto a rope lined with glow sticks – a representation of the “iron rod” from Lehi’s dream.

At the end of the walk, the young women arrived at a glowing silhouette of a temple, placed in a clearing and surrounded by photos of the campers. Next to it stood an image of Jesus Christ.

“We wanted to send the message that whatever we go through in life, if we look to Jesus Christ, He will be there,” Tegshjargal explained.

Friendship and connection

Outside of biennial FSY conferences, opportunities for Mongolian Latter-day Saint youth from different towns to interact are often rare.

“I’m an introverted person,” said 14-year-old Khulan from Choibalsan, a city over 400 miles from Ulaanbaatar. “A while ago, I prayed to make friends and learn how to talk to people. My prayers were answered here.”

Khandmaa, 16, from Sainshand, a city almost 300 miles from Ulaanbaatar, expressed gratitude for the camp. “I was called as the class Young Women president, so I thought this would be a good way to grow spiritually. It’s been great to make friends with girls I never thought I’d connect with.”

Even young woman not yet baptized felt they belonged. “I love all of it,” said 16-year-old Enkhanu, who attended as a friend of a member. “I want to stay here forever. At home, I’m always on my phone. Here, we’re spending real time together. It’s refreshing.”

Khongorzul, 17, said, “I feel myself changing little by little. I’ve learned that if something goes wrong, I can change it. We can do anything if we have faith in Jesus.”

Leaders said they believe that the young women felt the Lord’s profound love.

Mandukhai noted, “I know many of the young women are struggling. So it makes me so happy just to see them smile.”

Altantuya, first counselor in the Ulaanbaatar West stake‘s Young Women presidency, expressed that the camp came at a perfect time for the youth.

“This was exactly when the girls needed it. I lost my father a year ago and began to understand the role of a father. Soon after, I was called to the stake Young Women presidency. I wanted to help the young women come to know their Heavenly Father’s love for them.”

Note: Many Mongols don’t have last names and generally go by a single name; most youth quoted in this article have only one name.

Additional photos

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2025: