Elder/Sister Meyers

What a week we have had! It has been filled with joy, excitement, and memories.
Monday was Sister Meyers' 59th birthday. The celebrating started early that morning with skyping with most of our children. After skyping the doorbell rang and there was Anura, our tri-shaw driver, with papaya, bananas, and sesame candy. As he was preparing to leave, President Anton, Sister Ann, Codi, Milli, Anjeli, Mightily and Jared came bearing gifts and food that would last all week. They also brought a birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday. We had a wonderful day visiting and answering phone calls.
Wednesday, our English Class threw a party after class. The men planned, prepared and decorated for the party. Dinuka, Gihan, Krishnan, and Nishanta were the party planners. Nishanta is the baker so he did most of the food with the others paying for it. Nishanta made a cake that said, Happy Birthday, Sister Meyers. He made it in the shape of a book. They all said that that was our English book. On the other side of the book he wrote in Sinhala, Wishing you a long life. As I rode away in the tri-shaw with tears in my eyes I thought, what will I be like on the last day when I have to say good-bye to them? It is just amazing how much love we feel for these people that we work with!
Thursday the Colombo Branch held an Open House. The Relief Society and Elders Quorum Presidency planned and carried out this program. They selected several clips and put them together to make one continuous video that showed the believes of the Church. It was wonderful! There were 115 people in attendance. 65 of those were either less active members or non members.
We had invited several people to attend. Four of our English students showed up. They were Dinuka, Gihan, Susan, and Helen. After the program was over I asked Susan and Helen what they thought about it. Susan placed her hand over her heart and said, "It feels good inside." I looked her in the eyes and said, " I know, that is because it is all true." Dinuka and Gihan came up to us and asked if it was ok if they came to church on Sunday. We quickly replied, "That would be great!"
Elder Meyers continues to have pain from his kidney stones. President Anton has kept him supplied in pain medication but he wants to have a scan done sometimes this week to see what is going on. It is amazing how the Lord blesses Elder Meyers to do any assignment that he has and then when it is over the pain returns.
Today is Sunday and who should appear at the doors of the Church? You are right, Dinuka and Gihan. They stayed for all three meetings and attended our Gospel Principles Class. They asked so many questions. It was sooo exciting! They had a hard time understanding about a God that had a body and on top of that he has a son, Jesus Christ. We gave them a Bible and some pamphlets. Elder Biggs had given them a Book of Mormon earlier. We assured them that we loved them and didn't want them to feel like we were pressuring them into the Church. We told them we would always be their friends. They left smiling and saying they would see us on Wednesday for class.
Sister Primali brought a surprise birthday cake to Primary. At the end of Primary all the children sang Happy Birthday to me and we all enjoyed a piece of cake. This is the first year ever that I have had three birthday cakes.
This week we have had memories of a year ago. On the 6th was the 1st anniversary of Asher's accident and on the 8th was his death. We have relived those memories. Some good and some very unpleasant. But we know that Asher lives today. As we were reading the scriptures this week, we read what Alma said to his son, Corianton about death. In Alma 40:11it says: Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. Asher has been taken home to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Asher is happy. I think he has probably learned not to use his favorite word anymore, honky. He understands the total plan. I'm sure he is cheering for us and all his family to be happy and live a good life so that we can see him again.