We are finally feeling like we are settling into life here in Sri Lanka.  We get up around 6:30 am most mornings and walk up six flights of stairs and then take a half hour walk on the roof of our apartment building.  There are usually a couple of other people up on the roof walking or exercising at that time of morning.  If you don't do it early it gets too hot to do it later. 

Negombo Chapel


Last Sunday, January 23rd, we went to the branch in Negombo.  It was very interesting to us.  They would make the announcements in English then translate them into Sinhala. Some speakers spoke in English and some in Sinhala.  Needless to say our gift of tongues did not work for us.  During Primary I was asked to help with the singing.  Singing is good because they all sing in English.  The kids are just like at home, very active and full of life. Sister Fluckiger taught the lesson in Relief Society in English and another sister translated it into Sinhala. After church was over we went to the Fluckiger's apartment and had lunch with them.  It was nice to talk to someone that we could actually understand and they could understand us.  I'm glad that we will be doing most of our work here in Colombo where all the meetings are held completely in English. 

Elder Meyers and I have helped a couple of missionaries that have received their call. Brother Michael is going to New Zealand. We worked with him in "Preach My Gospel" on Wednesday afternoon.  On Friday evening we started Missionary Preparation Lessons for Vino who has been called to the California Santa Rosa Mission.  He is the first one from Sri Lanka to be called to the United States in fourteen years.  Vino is very excited.  He is scheduled to enter the MTC in Provo in May.  It will be our job to help get his visa and prepare him with the Missionary Preparation Lessons and the Temple Preparation Lessons.

We also got our first hair cuts here in Sri Lanka.  Sister Ann came over and cut my hair and also Elder Meyers' hair.  She did my eyebrows with something she called threading.  She used regular sewing thread and wrapped it around her fingers and rubbed it back and forth.  When she was done, around my eyebrows was nice and smooth.  The only place that hurt was above my lips.  It was something I had never seen or heard of before.  It was nice to have her come to our apartment.  She didn't want to charge us but we insisted that she take what we would pay our people at home.  She seemed happy when she left and we told her we would have her over to cut our hair again in the next five weeks.

Our English classes are scheduled to begin on Tuesday.  We have some materials to work from.  We are a little nervous because we have to be so careful what we say.  We can't say anything about the church or have prayer.  I guess one of the men that attended last session was a monk. He would try to get them to talk church and that is against the rules.  If they want to talk church they are suppose to be invited to come for a different class.

Today we were in charge of a Young Single Adult Activity.  There were around twenty five people who said they would be there so we had Sister Ann order rice packets for thirty.  We only had twelve show up all together.  Sister Ann ordered five wimpy rice packets for the Americans.  Those weren't spicy like the other ones.  They were actually pretty good for $1.70.  They were so big that Elder Meyers and I only ate half of ours.  We played games, sang songs, 

YSA Activity

had a spiritual thought and then ate.  We were disappointed that more didn't show up but those that were there seemed to enjoy being together.