July/August update

Couples Missionary Life
It seems that time goes by in waves of being overwhelmed to having little or nothing to do but it does goes by. Much of life as a couple serving a mission is very similar to how we live at home. By this I mean that one can do as much or as little as one chooses. We can be involved in most anything we wish to get involved in. We have callings and similar responsibilities as any member may have anywhere in the world. However, one major difference seems to be the overwhelming need of so much to be done. Most of the members are new converts coming from a totally different cultural background than the "born in the church" "multi generational Mormon family". In addition we have a much greater opportunity and exposure to teach others about the blessings of the Restoration than we would in our neighborhood and city in Utah. This aspect of life as a couple missionary (proselyting and teaching) is for us the most enjoyable and rewarding of all the many things we do. So as an update we will begin with these experiences over the past two months.

Dwarka Branch

The little Dwarka Branch we attend has grown from an average attendance of 24 to 36 This growth is the result of convert baptisms and reactivation of members who did not know the church had a branch here.

We enjoyed a great Branch Aug. 15, India Independence Day Celebration with lots of games, food, story telling, and talent show.

Humanitarian and Employment Program work
The work of organizing and preparing for the Neonatal Resuscitation Training has taken much time and effort. Finding vendors for various items needed, negotiating prices, coordinating travel and accommodations needs, meeting with various agency and official organizations and all have been very taxing at times. Just when we think we have all in place and things are set with dates, arrangements, etc., etc. we get a call that the program needs to be postponed due to major flooding in the state of Bihar. So, all things are on hold and attention is now focused on disaster relief efforts for all involved, including the Church Humanitarian Disaster relief program. We have received a request from UNICEF for baby blankets and any and all other supplies we can provide to meet the needs of their temporary field labor and delivery, child care stations. Displaced persons have reached close to 2 million with little relief from flooding in sight in the near future.

We so look forward to the arrival of the Humanitarian Couple Missionaries Elder and Sister Tanner from St. George, Utah. They will arrive on Sunday Sept. 14. There is so much we have been doing that has stretched us to the limit and we are anxious to turn it all over to them. They will for sure have plenty to do as soon as they arrive. The trip to Bihar will take place only 3 days after they arrive.

The work of employment program development continues. There has been much achieved through the Career Planning Workshops we have conducted. The need now seems to be to provide much needed educational and improved job qualification training as most of the easily employed have found jobs. So, we are in the process of defining individual needs which will provide guidelines for development of appropriate resources to help meet these needs.

Proselyting and Teaching
There is so much we can say about this part of our work. There seems to be no end to the many people we meet who become such good friends. People will come up to us at the market, on the street, in the metro and even knocking at our door wanting to talk. Often they too are Christian and because of our missionary name tags, they will introduce themselves as Christian also and want to visit. We have occasional invitations for lunch or dinner with families in our apartment complex. There is such an openness and genuine friendliness with most of the people we meet.
Needless to say this part of our life here in India is the most joyful and rewarding. We have such dear friends, both among those whom we have taught who have been baptized as well as those who are not interested. All seem to continue a sincere and genuine friendship. It is such a joy to experience and will make it so hard to leave when the time comes. Just thinking about it brings tears and sadness to the heart.

Thanks to a visit by Elder and Sister Gibbons, Asia Area Employment Program Directors, we enjoyed another visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal during our day off. One of our good neighbors, Archana, joined us for the day. Interestingly she had never been to this historic place. It seems that most Indians make at least one visit in a lifetime to this most beautiful national monument. It truly is one of the greatest wonders of the world and would you believe, it took 22 years to complete.

Of equal beauty, but little known, are the twin buildings at each side of the Taj. One is a mosque and the other is an ancient guest house for distinguished visitors.