Meet the Family

 Whenever we get to be with our missionaries, it's like a family reunion! January 9th-11th, we gathered all 35 of them (not counting the 6 Sri Lankans) to our mission headquarters in Bengaluru for a 3-day Conference. 

      Small in #s (and stature) but giants in faith

It was all you could hope for in a gathering- spiritually inspiring, behaviorally motivating, socially satisfying, topped with an all-you-can-eat Southern Indian Food Frenzy for 3 meals a day. What can I say more?  Biriyani reigned supreme! 

                             Carbfest 2024

Words fail to capture the full experience, maybe the photojournalism will aid, but suffice it to say we were fueled and fed in every possible way. We love our little band of warriors so so much! Perhaps it's because Rob and I have no children together that we have adopted these missionaries as our collective children. We have yours and mine but now we have Ours. And maybe because I have no sons of my own, I especially feel this motherly bond with these righteous young men. Although we enjoy them collectively, it's the one on one conversations  and friendships with them that stand out after it was all over. We even had the joy of having two of them stay with us at our apartment for the 3-day event. Even with all the food provided, they still had room for more!

                 Elders Harmon and Rejendra-

                         The bottomless pits 

For the bulk of it, we held the devotionals and trainings in the Whitefield Ward Building. 

          Former Coimbatore Stripling Warriors, 

                          Bora & Koonisetti

                    The 3 Nepalese Amigos

               Capturing their brotherly bond

   Elders Nepali and Benson- Go Abish!

          Favorite Newbies Andrew and Willis

             The Mc-APs McSwain and Macdonald

                       and the entire IBM 

                               The Seesters 

         Elders Rajput, Gudla, Awesomesetti

                  Elders Karmegam and Meruga

                           Cook and Weight- 

            The anticipation before a meal?

                  Or the inevitable result?

                 Elders Prabhas and Andrew

The 2nd Day of the conference, we took a half- day break for a morning excursion to Nandi Hill. Ah, what memories it evoked of past Zone outings! The PBN Breakfast of Champions (Peanut Butter and Nutella on white bread), the bus rides, the hiking, the photo ops. I'm including all their names here for my own sake. 30 years later, I look at my photos from Korea and the names are gone. You think you'll remember everyone at the time but we know from sad experience memories fade unless we preserve them.

   Polupalli & Meruga (Did I capture something  here?) Probably not but time after will tell. 

                Love thy neighbor as thy Selfie

                           We come in peace 

                     Heimlich maneuver hugs?

                 Vermin and Portapotty (jk)

Koolcats Prabhas Gudla Sondi Injeti Koonisetti

         Willis, Nepali squared, Benson, Andrew

                  Made ya look, Sister Bushi

Adhikari and Patta in rear, Abish blazing ahead

         Kaithwas, Johnson, del Plain, Harmon

          Karmegam Sandwich on white bread

  Elder Macdonald deciphering between 

glyph and graffiti 

I spent the most one-on-one time during meals with Elder Massey. What a friend he is to me. He has made huge strides in his English and in his confidence, his humility, and overall personal growth. It was gratifying to see the patience and love his two companions had for him. He is loved by us all.

           My (t)rusty companion, Elder Dunlap

   Is that your hair on top or just a wispy cloud?

 Is that my crazy hair standing on end or a tree?  Well, both.

I was told to be careful, these monkeys would steal your glasses but this one was wary of me. 

Our last venue of the conference was at the mission home where we ate still more biriyani but also got very close and cozy. It was very special and poignant because we shared our mission miracles and dear Elder Adhikari said his final farewells. He loves the gospels and and all the peoples and the childrens. 

              We will miss his Adhikari-isms 

  We were feeling the Kumbaya love singing 'round the figurative campfire

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   We adore off-key singing now, it's our favorite 

So here's the crux of it. The reason why we are so bonded to these young people and why they feel like family to us is because of our shared faith in Jesus Christ that we so openly express with each other. These testimonies are personal and are the deepest feelings of our hearts. They often bring tears to our eyes and lumps to our throats. When these young missionaries bear testimony, we know through the Holy Spirit exactly how they are feeling and the Spirit also fills in every gap that can't be said in words but we get it, we know what they are trying to say in their version of our language and we feel that "whatever they say" to be true too. We love hearing "each and every one" of their testimonies of Jesus Christ and the restoration of His Church through the prophet Joseph Smith. We were so touched by Elder Kaithwas and Elder Rajput. These young Indians were raised Hindu with such different beliefs and deities but when they heard the message of Jesus Christ and read the Book of Mormon and felt the truth in their hearts, they radically changed their whole way of thinking and life paradigm. Not only that, they were then willing to sacrifice two years of their life to teach others about it. And then all of the many Indian pioneers who were the first and only in their families to experience conversion, like Elder Vasamsetti. And then the rebellious ones, like Elder Benson who listened to the Spirit that told him he needed to repent and serve a mission. And the stubborn ones like Sister Mani that didn't want to serve a mission but who softened her heart and then saw everything fall into place. And then the pure and simple testimonies like Elder Massey's who spoke of the Lord's tender mercies and enabling power in his simple elementary English. And then to watch his companion Elder Johnson help him find the words and put his arm around him to encourage him.  And then the powerful testimonies of Elder Willis and Elder Guntu and Elder Nepali, where you see a vision open before your eyes of a future leader in the church. And Elder Gudla tell how the Lord helped him gain 5gs so he could qualify to serve and have sustained health. And Elder Patta tell of giving up his movie dance career to serve a mission. And every single one of the others. We add our testimony to theirs. We know there is a God in heaven who loves us! He sent his Son to save us from sin and death and to give us the abundant life now and forever! He is our Savior and Redeemer. This is His church and it is led by His power and authority and we are giving all our energy and wearing out our bodies here to declare it to anyone who's hearts are humble enough to listen and accept the truth we bear. And we are so blessed because of it. This is our collective testimony!

"Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things....wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven. Therefore dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the upmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

Doctrine and Covenants 123: 13, 17