Mango - Movie - Mexican

Mango season is winding down. We have enjoyed the delicious varieties of mangoes; eating one every morning during the past few months. They are so delicious! Got a big surprise when I Started eating this Mango and big beetles started crawling out of the seed in the center. Almost ate one. I saw two and threw it away before finding out it there were more family members inside.

Sister Martin and I decided to host a single adult movie night for our local ward. After spreading the word, they asked us to change it to a multi-ward or Stake event. I created a flyer featuring a movie called, "Saratov Approach". There was some good information online including some lesson ideas that we were going to discuss with the group. A week before the movie night, Elder Evans of the Seventy saw one of our flyers and suggested we change the movie. We searched and found another movie called, "Praise To The Man", a docudrama about William W. Phelps and Joseph Smith Jr., which included the First Vision and other historical scenes in the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. 

Socializing with Biryani Rice

It ended up being really good that we changed the movie. One young man introduced himself and his friend to us. His friend had never been to our church and enjoyed the introduction the movie offered. 

Many others came up and said how much they learned about church history that they didn't know before. Another said he didn't realize how much persecution the early members of the church endured. 

One sister came up to us and said she was so happy we had the event. She had moved from Hyderabad city to Bengaluru 11 months ago for a job and didn't really have any friends here. She also said she hadn't been attending church because she didn't want to come alone, but was now planning to come.  We saw her in church the next day. 

After the movie we all ate some Biriyani Rice with chicken and socialized.

Yes, we had SPICY POPCORN during the movie.

Everyone, including us, seemed to have a lot of fun.

Elder Martin talking to Sam after the movie

I talked with Sam after the movie. Sam was a member of our missionary prep class. He recently received his mission call to serve in our mission and is very excited to begin next month.

I created a flyer that we posted to advertise the movie night.

Many thanked us for having this activity and said that they hadn't had a Stake event for singles for about two years. Hopefully, we can do another one in about a month. Perhaps a service project.

Sister Martin's temporary companion and a yummy dinner.

Lunch time....sharing my jokes I like to tell. This joke is about the man who is about to die and is just reaching up to get one of his wife's chocolate chip cookies for the last time, but I changed it to include the Indian culture and said Biriyani.

Elder Ramishetty concluding his mission....Sending a box home

More farewells to departing missionaries, Elder Hansen and Elder Farley above, Elder Ramishetty, Elder Slater and Elder Hancock below.

Singing at Stake choir practice.

We joined Elder and Sister Hurst for a public affairs meeting. We also enjoyed a fun dinner and then lunch after a meeting the next day. We don't really have much time for Public Affairs yet. Hopefully soon.

Sister Hurst interviewing the KGF Branch President

Walking to a Mexican restaurant.

We had the best Mexican food we've had so far in India...OK it's actually the only Mexican restaurant we've ever seen. It was pretty good.

Birthday Cake and a Baptism

Enjoyed a quick piece of cake outside the mission office with a new missionary, Elder Nagaraj, that recently arrived. Apparently, many people in India like to have cake smashed on their face for their birthday.

Everyone then told us to look at the sun. I didn't look up but did a safe selfy and got a glimpse of a strange phenomenon with the sun.

We had an interesting Sunday Priesthood class discussion recently. We were discussing a talk given by Elder Dieter F. Uctdorf about Missionary work. Link - Missionary Work

From the talk, we had just read the following and were discussing our comfort zone relating to missionary work, "Perhaps we feel uncertain about how to do it. Or we might feel timid about going outside our comfort zone."  

Then, our blind friend Arvind raised his hand and gave one of his usual profound comments, "Actually I am comfortable when I'm sharing the gospel with my friends and uncomfortable when I don't."

Earlier that day on the same beautiful Sunday morning, we watched our blind friend, also a recent convert, baptize his friend Arun.

Before the ordinance, we all enjoyed a talk about baptism given by Elder Ostler and how to follow the Savior's example.

Brother Arvind currently holds the Aaronic Priesthood which gives him authority from God to baptize, under the direction of the Bishop.

Arun helped guide Arvind to the baptismal font. During the baptism, Arvind listened for prompts to assure that Arun was fully submersed below the water.

After the baptism, while they were getting dressed, Elder Ostler played two videos from stories in the New Testament. Links to videos below.

The Baptism of Jesus

Jesus Teaches of Being Born Again

Enjoyed a nice meal cooked by the Sisters

After cracking open some coconuts the Mungamuri sisters and Sister Babu made some fresh coconut milk.

Spicing up the chicken for a different curry dish.

 Lavanya roasting some peanuts and cashews

saute some onions

Add left over rice - Yum Yum

Elder Martin started playing guitar and singing "How Great Thou Art" while the sisters cooked up the great meal.

Amazing Missionaries and their Testimonies

Getting to know the Mungamuri Family. All three currently serving full time missions. The oldest served a mission before and is now going to BYU Hawaii and working at the Polynesian Cultural Center to help pay for his college. Their parents passed away years ago. A grandmother helped raise them but she passed away years ago as well. They just keep on going, a great example to us all.

Sister Babu, who joined the Mungamuri family and us in the picture above, was helping out in the mission office with referrals. She talked to a man in Southern India who had contacted us and was interested in learning more. She told me he wanted us to send him a Book of Mormon. She then asked me if she should share her testimony of it with him. I said "Absolutely Yes." This is her beautiful testimony below. I asked her if I could share it with others and she said "Yes."

 

 Mission Leadership Pictures

Buzz Lightyear, Baby Shower, Birthday party

At an airport with Lego Buzz Lightyear.

We were invited to a baby shower for a sister in our ward, Arpana, Sunday afternoon. She is the wife of Prabhu who went with us to a Bangalore shopping area, meat market(with the eagles) and parks that we wrote about in a previous blog. They also had us over for Christmas day dinner. The Sister Missionaries were invited so we all went together.

A baby shower in India is a time to shower the Mom-To-Be with love and blessing, wrist bengals, flowers and sweets. Sister Martin made lemon bars. This is usually during the 8th month of pregnancy. In India they do not find out the gender of the baby before it is born because it is against the law. Something to do with the parents responsibility of a dowry when it is a girl. According to a study conducted in 2011, they found that 90% of the 11 million infants abandoned were girls. They wait to give baby gifts after the child is born. The mother and baby will stay with her parents for up to a year after the child is born. Prabhu said his wife will go to her parents home for 6 months.

They decorated her hair with flowers.

Just outside in their apartment's entry/courtyard was quite the setup.

They were serving Biryani Chicken and rice and curry. We were still fasting so Prabhu made a to-go box for us. So thoughtful.

In India, there are certain events that are very important to celebrate. A one year old birthday is one of those events. The boy was a nephew/relative of the person who helps do maintenance for us.

When we were in Vishakhapatnam (with Elder and Sister Briggs before they went home), we were invited to a birthday party for a one year old. Family and friends gathered together for a big party.

The parents hired a company to set up a stage and decorations near where they live. It is set up right in front of their neighborhood homes out in the street. We were invited to come up as honored guests on the stage during the celebration and pronounce blessings on the child which Elder Briggs did.

Sister Martin talked to some young boys sitting on the front row. One of them spoke very good English and the others a little bit. They became instant friends. 

And of course we had Biryani Chicken and Rice. The boys showed us the proper way to eat with your (right) hand.

After church on Sunday, we met the parents and family of one of the great missionaries that we worked with in the mission office, Elder Vuppada. They invited us for dinner but unfortunately we had to catch a flight soon.

Interesting way that they build buildings in India with some make-shift scaffolding.

Remembering some fun with Elder and Sister Briggs.