Elder/Sister Meyers

Our friend Maljini and her nephew, Tharin, came for dinner on Monday. Tharin made a chocolate cake with me and he especially enjoyed frosting the cake. He had his first taco, ever! We enjoy seeing the people experience new things.
It was Achula's 19th birthday on Wednesday. Her mother, Jayonthi, invited us to her home for the birthday celebration. After the meal, Jayanthi thanked us for helping her when we first got here. She had asked us for some money. We had been instructed by our mission president to not give the members money. We did give her 500 rupees or $5.00. I explained to her that we were glad to help but we would be unable to assist her anymore. On Wednesday she told us, thanks for encouraging her to pray and read her scriptures. She said as a result the Lord gave her thoughts and ideas to support her family. She was able to get the sewing machine she needed and her life is better than it has been in a long time. She told us that we were the first missionary couple that she felt she could invite to her home. She is very poor and she was embarrassed to ask the couples to come to her humble home. We were happy to share this special celebration with her family. She showed us the rock stove that she had cooked our dinner on. The dinner was delicious and we are grateful that the Lord answers our prayers.
Kellerstrasses, the other senior couple in Sri Lanka, came and spent the night with us on Wednesday. They had to leave Negombo for their own safety. The last couple made some choices that are now affecting the Kellerstrasses. They were told by the leaders not to do what they did. This shows us the importance of following our leaders even when we might not always understand. They stayed one night with us and then went out and found a very nice studio apartment and rented it for four more nights. They came to dinner tonight. We enjoyed ourselves. It is always fun to talk to someone that you know you really are understanding.
Elder Meyers and I walked to the corner market Thursday evening. It started to sprinkle as we left the apartment building. We went into the store and got the few items that we needed. As I was walking down the last aisle, I tripped over a loose tile and almost fell. I turned my ankle. I thought, I'll just walk this off and be fine. When we walked outside, it was pouring rain. Elder Meyers put up the huge umbrella and started walking very fast. He said, hurry up. I replied that I couldn't walk that fast. I told him to walk on home and I would join him as soon as I could. He said, no way. He said put your finger in my belt loop, then I will know how fast to walk. It took us quite a while to get home. We were soaked. The security guards were laughing at us because we were so wet. We must have looked like wet sheep dogs. When I put the sugar away it was wet inside the sealed bag. My ankle is very sore and tender. President Anton, a doctor, looked at it and gave me some medicine and advised me to wrap it and put it up when I could.
Friday was Anura's birthday. Anura is our tri-shaw driver. He turned 58. We had a surprise birthday lunch for him. Ann and Anton got him over here without him knowing why. He didn't realize it was a party until he saw a poster on our door saying, Happy Birthday, Anura. Ann brought fried rice, chicken curry, and potato curry. I made a big tamale pie and a german chocolate cake. He was so excited about his new shirt that Ann and Anton gave him and the rupees that we had given him. He told us yesterday that he had bought the lens for his new glasses with the few rupees that we had given him. He is a wonderful man! One of the Lord's chosen servants.
Raj, one of our institute students, came to institute sporting a shaved head. His friends helped him out by letting him wear their flat basketball.
Sister Premila was proud of her first baby quilt. Her fiance, Matthew, encouraged her to learn to quilt so she did. She brought it to church to show it to me.
Message for the week: Elder Meyers and I were reading the Book of Mormon and these verses touched my heart deeply that day, so I will share them with you.
Alma 13:27-28: And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;
But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering.