Off to the airport and a small heard of cows are in the fast lane. It's always interesting that no one is typically leading these cows. They just go wherever they please.
The Mission President gave us an assignment to visit Rajahmundry and Vijayawada. The senior couple who has been in the area for the last year and a half is going home and we were asked to check out the missionary apartments one last time with them, Elder and Sister Jolley.
Does that airplane we're getting on have one propeller or two. Good - Two.
When we arrived in Rajahmundry, Elder and Sister Jolley and the maintenance man, Brother Chinna, picked us up. Before checking out the first apartment we dropped by the church where the young missionaries were having their District meeting. They recently formed a Stake (several congregations) in Rajahmundry.
They told us that our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has a different nick name in Rajahmundry. It's not "Mormon", it's not "LDS" or "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", it's the "A/C church". People often talk about how our church has air conditioning while most others do not. So, when you hire a taxi, they often don't understand which church to take you to until you say "A/C church". Then they know right where to go.
Time for lunch at Venky's...
Their motto, "Get in Hungry, Go Happy"
It was good food, even though we were rushed. We have a lot to do today.
Including the Senior Couple apartment, we have five apartments to check out.
I was told that you can often discern what religion someone belongs to in India by looking at their front door. They put various decorations around or on their doors. The missionaries are no exception to this tradition.
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| Simple yet clean. Elder Hakanson has red hair like two our grand children. |
Off to more apartments.
Now that's a secure front door on this apartment.
Oh, it's the Sister's apartment.
Looks like some termite damage.
Elder Gonder seems to have a handle on keeping this apartment in ship-shape.
The missionaries must be in this apartment.
About 90+ degrees here. Time for a shake.
They were great.
There were about five shake restaurants on this street.
Is that our hotel?
The next morning we boarded a train for Vijayawada.
It was booked as an air conditioned car.
Here it comes...
Getting closer, this one says "AC".
Our seats are sleeper beds? Not too comfortable for sitting during our three hour ride but we'll manage. The AC was working but just barely. Nice, they passed out some pillows.
Beautiful scenery along the way.
We had company for the train ride; Poonam and her five year old daughter Charany. They were going back to Vijayawada after visiting grandparents in Rajahmundry. Very nice people. We had a couple of Friend magazines we shared with Charany. The latest one had parts about Elder Bednar visiting India last year. It had some fun activity games like matching the elephants, etc.
Arriving in Vijayawada.
The young missionaries picked us up at the Vijayawada Railway Station. It is the Fourth busiest railway station in India.
Elder Johnson and Elder Dass were our pickup hosts.
Ready for the Auto-rickshaw ride? (In the video, Sister Martin is telling the missionaries that Poonam gave us a unripe green mango and told us that it tastes good with salt and chili powder)
Arriving at apartment one of two.
We recently signed a new lease for this apartment. Looks like the Hindu elephant god, carved in their front door.
That's Elder Loveridge preparing some lunch for everyone on the floor.
Is that scriptures posted on the shower wall? Helaman 5:12... And now my sons, remember. Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation....
I never got used to squatter toilets when I served as a missionary in Japan many years ago and Sister Martin avoids them when she goes to public restrooms.
After checking out the apartment, the Elders were so kind and invited us to join them for lunch that they made.
Elder Loveridge even made some cinnamon rolls, wow!
Waiting for our ride to the next apartment.
Arriving at the next apartment.
Missionary apartments need to have mosquito netting on windows. Looks like this one has a tear.
Showing us on their map where the new church building is. They just moved there in December.
The missionaries had some evening appointments scheduled so we said good bye. Currently, they said that each family they are teaching wants to feed them dinner. They get too full since it's impolite to refuse their food. Many people here have so little and yet want to give so much.
Hopped on an auto to the hotel. Another great day.
We got another Auto ride early Sunday morning to take us to a baptism before church meetings.
Nice new building. The baptismal font is on the top floor. The chapel in on the 2nd floor.
They are filling out the baptism forms over on the ping pong table. The baptismal font is almost full. I asked Elder Johnson, concerned that the water in the font was so brownish/yellow in color. He said it is actually amazingly clean compared to where they used to baptize in the local river.
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| The Elder with the glasses is Elder Mungamuri who we taught a temple class to in a car at the airport mentioned months ago. |
The sister getting baptized is 17 years old, sitting with her mother. Her twin brother and father also attended, but came a little later.
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| President Prasad, back row, is very dedicated. He lives about a two hour drive from the church. |
After the baptism, we attended Sacrament meeting where she was confirmed a member of the church. While sitting in Sacrament meeting, three little girls with toothless smiles sat down next to Sister Martin. One of the girls asked, "Sister, where are your pants?" Sister Martin pulled her nylon away from her skin and said, "In America, Sisters wear nylons with their dresses and not pants." Most women especially outside of Bangalore or New Dehli, wear leggings or pants with their dresses or they wear saris that go down to their ankles. Sister Missionaries, however, typically wear a more western style than Indian style clothing.
Back to the airport after church. We had some lunch which included regular french fries. But what was served looks spicy like Southern India style, lots of hot red pepper sprinkled all over it. Sister Martin didn't like them too much.
Delayed two hours but we finally arrived back that evening. That digital sign is in Telugu language.
