Fully invested

Many random happenings to report this week. Our great young friends Pugal and Akash came over this week to hang out with their surrogate parental figures. They wanted to take Elder Dunlap shopping for a new pair of pants. (I think they were attempting to buy him some skinnier trousers to help him look a little more "hip"!) Inside this bustling department store, Rob was being pressured from all sides. Then he eyed something he'd been secretly wanting. So in a truly generous gesture, they bought him his heart's desire. A vest! 

                      Looking very Mod(i)

Doesn't he look dapper?! As for the skinny pants? They were put on trial and there was an objection in the court.  

The verdict is out. Senior missionaries look goofy in skinny pants. 

Back to our afternoon with friends, after feeding these fine young men some of Elder Dunlap's famous Chicken Soup for the Soul, we got Akash to help transcribe gravestone information in Tamil for @Billiongraves.com

And Pugal helped me make zucchini bread for English group. He's currently working on submitting his mission papers. Cooking and baking are great mission preparation skills! 

Nice apron Poog!

Later that night at English Group, we had two new young men come that we met at the Race Course walking path. This always makes our day!  Plus, who should show up but an old friend, Raju who hadn't come for quite a few weeks. Imagine our surprise when his phone ringtone went off during class to the theme song of "The Chosen"! We talked to him afterwards about it and he said he's been watching all the episodes and was very intrigued by this man Jesus Christ. We were so blown away by this admission. Now that he is showing some interest in our faith, we can talk to him more about it. Before our mission even began, we bought a Hindi Book of Mormon, thinking we'd try to give it away on the plane ride over, but it never happened. Raju is from Mumbai and speaks Hindi. Are you seeing where this is going? 

Raju, trying to explain in English how to draw a plane.

Jason trying to take instruction in English to draw a plane.

Jason is another prospective missionary getting close to serving at some point in his future.

He's got his missionary haircut already!

Pugal and Elder D playing Funny Bone  

What a couple of knuckleheads!

     Ajay helping clean the church is also good mission prep! 

The Blues Sisters- Ranjani, Lakshmi and me!

We are loving our calling to work with the young adults of Coimbatore and are becoming so attached to them. They are so very dear to us. And it's only been 4 months! 

Last Sunday the prospective, current, and returned missionaries were in charge of the 5th Sunday Sacrament meeting. Elder D was asked to speak in one branch. I volunteered to lead the choir since I can only sing alto these days and with everyone else on melody, I am the odd man out anyway.

Calling all missionaries

Lucky for me I had a mustard colored shirt! 

Another night, Brother Ambrose and Sister Amalraj had us over to their home. We suggested they identify a family in the ward that had young adults that could use some encouragement to come to their home too. They arranged for Brother Sounderajan, Sister Vijayshanti and their two sons to come. We suggested a night of snacks and chips but instead we ate like Indian royalty as we conversed and got to know this wonderful family. Dani is of missionary age so we hoped that something was said that night that might persuade him to also consider serving a mission. I know when I made my decision to serve a mission at age 23, it was the last thing I thought I'd ever do but the message was so very clear to me, the words were nearly audible and quite unmistakable as the Spirit spoke directly to my heart that this was the right thing for me to do. We know we can't take credit for saying the right things in these situations but we always pray that the Spirit will touch the hearts of our young adults to make righteous decisions in their lives.

In other news,  P-day the 31st of July, marked our 16th anniversary of the first day we met on the banks of the Snake River.  We felt like celebrating with an all you can eat buffet. We found one at the Vijay Park Hotel and ate Southern Indian food to our hearts content.

                         ₹399 All you can eat!

                     No blues about this place! 

Then as it happened, we were fortunate to spend Saturday evening with Elder Gutty the Area Seventy, President Bushi, and Elder and Sister Chestnut who are the mission leaders over the Indian MTC. They were in Coimbatore for YA missionary training and it just so happened to be the Chestnut's 47th wedding anniversary. We were treated to another fine buffet at the Welcome Hotel, (2 in one week!) and had such an enjoyable evening in their company and getting to know them. 

              Minus the jazz instruments is all

             The very best of India's leadership

                       Chestnuts toasting

We had to say goodbye to Elder Bora this week at transfers. :(  

but in his place came Elder Injeti, a giant among the Stripling warriors! :) Our district has been very small, both in numbers and stature.

        Until now! We are growing as a district.

Honestly, we can't imagine serving anywhere else but Coimbatore now that we have made such close friendships with our Indian young adults and missionaries. We are fully invested in this mission! 

Wherefore if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work. D&C 4:3

...having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another. Mosiah 18:21