Ke Alaka'i - April 2021

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Determined unstoppable

Student mother of four says hard pregnancies and an overload of responsibilities didn’t stop her from graduating BY SERENA DUGAR IOANE

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anlavtsogzol Battulga said her and her husband’s determination to take responsibility for their lives motivated them to fulfill their obligations as parents, students, employees and club presidents. She expressed gratitude for her BYU–Hawaii education and everyone who helped them along the way.

A dream come true Battulga, a senior from Mongolia majoring in accounting, is graduating magna cum laude in April 2021. She said graduating from BYUH had been a dream of hers since she joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was 16 years old. “My parents are middle-class workers, so studying abroad was financially impossible for me. But when I heard about the IWORK scholarship, it gave me hope. I started to prepare myself by learning English and taking BYUH online classes.” Battulga came to BYUH in Fall 2016 with her husband. Working part time and studying full time with four children was not easy, she said. “There were many nights that we looked at each other and cried, prayed, despaired and exhorted together until we came this far.” Odgerel Ochirjav, Battulga’s former stake president, said she is a diligent and positive person. “She just goes and gets whatever she wants. She is very persistent with her goals. Having four children while studying abroad in a second language is a great success. I have no doubt that she will do great things in future.”

Refined by hardships Battulga said all of her pregnancies were extremely difficult, sharing many of her difficulties were especially bad within the first

38 KE AL AK A‘I 2021


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