Sunny with occasional sprinkles

 I've been searching for the perfect theme or metaphor for this week's happenings. How about "when it rains it pours"? This saying is true in describing both blessings or trials. (also very true with monsoon season gearing up.)  So I'll start with the scattered showers and then hopefully end with a deluge of delights.

 Quite honestly, we've been driven a little stir crazy just trying to get some minor repairs on our apartment done. We work through a contractor since the repairmen they send don't speak much English. Not making a judgment on all situations here but getting anyone to say when they will come and then to actually show up at that time has not been our personal experience. We have had to stay in our apartment endlessly on many occasions to wait for them. (Well that part sounds like America!) But then when they do show up, they only stay for maybe 15-20 minutes, indicate they need a part, saying they'll be back but then we don't see them again for 3 weeks. So yesterday we FINALLY got the same guy in to do some electrical work he had started 3 weeks ago. Rob mentioned we also had a slightly leaky toilet. He proceeded to immediately pull it out from the wall, left parts strewn on the floor of my bathroom and then left soon after saying he'd be right back. 5 hours later he was not back. 

     Um..the toilet's in the shower. Can't close the door. Can't use the sink or the john. Now what?

I wasn't feeling charitable enough to live my life with this much upheaval and no promise of it being rectified anytime soon. So I was cranky enough to complain to the contractor. Because I voiced some righteous indignation, the repairman was somehow coerced to return  today. SHOCK! He did move the toilet out of my shower, I'll give him that. He put the bottom half of it back in place but true to form, in sign language/Tanglish he indicated he'd be back with a missing part to reassemble the tank. And away he goes. What??? Did we just experience de ja vu? We didn't have the presence of mind to bar the door. How can you confront someone, even diplomatically, without speaking their language? We were simply dumbfounded he had disappeared AGAIN and then completely resigned. I have no energy to even complain a second time! All I'm hoping for now is a working toilet for my birthday on the 17th. It's all I really want. Rob is coping with this insane way of doing business that goes against all his principles by drinking lots of Thumbs Up Soda. Missionaries are not meant to spend this much time in their apartments with no satisfactory resolution. Calgon, take us away!

Ok, sorry for that venting session. It's somewhat therapeutic to be heard. Now let's move onto the earlier marvelous parts of our week. Like a baptism!

 Sweet little Jennifer is 9 years old and comes from a member family but because there was a year delay for reasons undisclosed to us, was treated as a convert baptism. The elders invited us to sit in on one of her lessons and we just thrilled being in her home and seeing the love her father and family had for her. 

Daddy's lap, the best seat in the house

Surrounded by her loving family 

The Savior saying, "this is my beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased!  

The night before, the family asked if we might give some help in the way of refreshments after the baptism. I said of course, but then I went into panic mode. I happened to have one brownie mix on hand but that would surely not serve a crowd, so I thought I might make some cookies if I could find a) chocolate chips b) cookie sheets that would fit into our small convection oven so we went searching for both. We found chips in a cake mix, which turned out to be mini ones but would work in a pinch. Substitute butter for shortening. And we found some round pans too. Hurrah! Thank you Lord for small miracles!

 They were a hit, thank you Tollhouse recipe.

You've never let me down my whole life.

The baptism was lovely. District President Charles was there and doubled as pianist. The missionaries had planned everything well; the talks, the prayers, the Primary President and many other branch members were there to welcome her into the body of Christ. There was a concern no one would show up to support the family. I was concerned too many would show up! But somehow there was a morsel of refreshment for everyone. Another small miracle of feeding the 50.

Later in the week we asked Elder Adhikari and Elder Mehta if we could tag along to Chavadi, one of their areas and another very small branch/twig in the countryside. No sooner had we gotten on our but the sweetest little gal came down the aisle gabbing in her broken English and so excited to see me. She was wearing glasses and a scarf in her hair, not in the traditional fashion. This behavior was not typical of Indian women either so the bus attendant was trying to shoo her away to not bother me. Everyone aboard seemed a little embarrassed by her but I took her hand and pulled her down to sit by me and put my arm around her and we hit it right off. Minachi was on fire for Jesus!! She showed me her pamphlet from her purse that might have been a Jehovah's Witness tract, it was all in Tamil, I couldn't tell exactly.

I gave her the 13 Articles of Faith in Tamil with a picture of Jesus and the children and she kissed it and loved it! She even sang a little song for me that I got on video.

Isn't that adorable? She gave me her phone number but hasn't responded to any texts so I may never see Minachi again but she surely brightened my day! 

Chavadi, much like Semmedu, is historic in India. It was the very first church building built in India. It's no longer in use but is still standing in the middle of the village.

The baptismal font behind Elder Mehta with decades old water still in it

We met Brother Matthew, the elders Quorum President and backbone of the twig, his wife, his mother, and his sister. Can't you just see the sweet image of Christ in their countenances?

His wife 

                                   His sister

I spent some time trying to help him get a familysearch account set up so he'll be ready with names when the temple is completed in 2 more years. He, in turn, being a returned missionary years ago, accompanied us to a part- member family in the village and helped with translation of an impromptu lesson. (Even our native elders, one from Nepal and one from Delhi don't speak Tamil either.) After a lovely lesson on searching for Living Water, they challenged the non-member wife and inactive husband to attend church next week. 

                    The baby's name is Nelson!

As we walked around the village, we met many neighbors, just trying to be friendly and make a connection. They were very friendly towards us.

Well, Aaron Paul was a little shy 

Lakshmi in the white shawl and I have been texting for two days now. She is not Christian but says Christians are "so love and so mercy"

Our last visit of the night-A faithful family with the oldest son currently serving a mission in New Delhi

We came away from our day in Chavadi supercharged about being missionaries, about being in India and about doing the Lord's work. We had an hour's bus ride home to reflect on all the good moments.

 

We had to say goodbye to our dear Zone Leader, Elder Magesh this week who finished his mission with honor. For our last night together, we took our Elders out to the lake for some Trash Talk (picking up trash as a conversation starter to talk to people.) Our Elders were so convivial, so friendly to all people from all walks of life. What good sports. We didn't meet any golden contacts but they said it felt refreshing to get out and just talk to people. We were so proud of them! 

                        Oh m'gosh Magesh! 

As a reward and farewell, we treated them to Bangalore Juicy for shakes and sandwiches and sent Elder Magesh home and Elder Benson to Bengaluru for a transfer. We love these boys soooo much!! They are the Stripling Warriors who serve the Lord so diligently. 

                          Our little band

"Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken, they are young and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually."

Alma 57:27