Some exciting things have happened this week.  We started out on Monday by going to Sister Eashani and Brother Nihal's new apartment.  Brother Nihal is a colonel in the Air Force here.  He came with his driver all dressed in uniform to pick us up. The driver jumps out to open my door.  I was very impressed.  We arrived at the home and Eashani, Dilitha and Shamitha were waiting for us.  Elder Meyers was invited to dedicate the home.  It was a wonderful prayer and you could feel the Spirit.  Eashani showed us around the apartment and then served refreshments to us. The driver drove us home and treated us like a king and queen.
We worked a lot this week in preparing for Saturday's activity with the seminary and institute students. We did a scripture treasure hunt.  The kids loved it!  We had 34 youth attend with 10 adults coming also.  Brother Sunil gave a talk after the treasure hunt on how the scriptures provide us with all answers in life and how the Savior is our true treasure.  After the talk lunch was served.  We had rice packs, cabbage salad and chocolate crinkle cookies.  I made the cabbage salad and the cookies. They ate all of what I had made.  They had never had the chocolate crinkle cookies before.
Today we only had Sacrament Meeting.  There were at least 10 protests going on in the city of Colombo.  It is Labor Day here and they were protesting the UN.  I guess it has to do with some war crimes that the UN is trying to look into.  All public transportation was shut down and the leaders were afraid that there might be some violence.  Everything went great!  No problems that I'm aware of. Elder Meyers and I were asked to attend a funeral for Sister Beatrice Matilda Liyanage.  We had never met her but we did as we were asked.  About a half hour before we were to leave Brother Muthu called and asked if Elder Meyers would give a short talk.  We took music that had been printed to sing with the group.  There was no piano so guess who got to start the singing, you're right, it was me! When we arrived at the home they escorted us into the room where the body was laid out on a brier.  The husband, daughter and a few other relatives were in the room.  Lots of people were gathered outside.  We greeted the family and then sang a couple of songs with the group.  Then Elder Meyers gave his talk.  I've  never been so hot and sweaty in my whole life!  Sweat was pouring off my face, arms, back side and everywhere.  My clothes were soaked through.  After singing another song, we went out and sat outside with the people.  After about 45 minutes, the family went inside, said their goodbyes and in a few moments the pall bearers came out with the coffin.  They put the coffin on their shoulders and walked all the way out of the neighborhood.  When they got to this point they put the coffin in a car and we all drove to the cemetery.  The coffin was lowered into the ground and relatives threw dirt on the coffin.  The grave diggers finished covering the grave. It was very hard watching the family as the grave was covered.  I'm glad we don't do that in America. Then Elder Meyers gave the dedicatory prayer.  We said our goodbyes to the family  and headed home. It was interesting to see how funerals are done differently.

Dilitha, Shamitha, Nihal and Eashani



Carrying the coffin out of the
neighborhood



Treasure Hunt

Treasure Hunt