Jaylene & Shaneese

We tried to get Jaylene and Shaneese to smile for us but as you see Jaylene was determined not to smile. 
Their mother, Jasmine, had us go to her relatives home and give a couple of the sisters a blessing.The sisters that were given blessings were, Thailnayagi Balaranjani and Logawanam Pathmawathi.  Elder Meyers is getting good at pronouncing these long names.
Jaylene and Shaneese were happy that they got to go with us.  The relatives gave them some balloons to play with.  Elder Meyers had to help Jaylene hold onto the balloons so they wouldn't fly out of the tri-shaw. 
I forgot to tell you last week, that our mission is getting its first stake.  In fact this will be the first stake in India.  It will be created the end of May.  It will be in the city of Hyderabad. This means that they will also get a patriarch.  We asked President Funk if that meant that the patriarch would be allowed to come to Sri Lank and give blessings. President Funk laughed and said, after giving blessings to his own stake members, if he lives long enough, we will see if we can get him to Sri Lanka.
Radi and Hagobian were married in the chapel on Monday.  Elder Meyers gave the talk at the wedding, I played the music, and President Kolitha married them.  This was his first wedding.  He did a great job!  It was a nice simple affair.  Weddings here are usually so fancy and elaborate. We were pleased to see that Radi and Hagobian used good sense and stayed out of debt.
Teri and Kulenthra returned from the other side of the island early this morning.  Kulenthra got word a couple of hours ago that his grandmother had died.  He will return home this evening.  The funeral will be in the morning.  He will come back to Colombo after the funeral.  Teri will fly back to the USA early Friday morning.  Teri is happy to be back at our place so she can enjoy the air conditioning.
Thought for the week:
 "Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord"(1 Nephi 3:16)

Hagobian & Radi

New Couple

Raj, Steven, Franklin, John, Dale and Shilo

Rowena, Ann, Visaka, Radi, Hagobian,
Mythily, Nuranji and Cristion

Logawanam Pathmawathi & husband

Thailnayagi Balaranjani & husband

Sunrise in Sri Lanka

It was wonderful to get back to the daily routine of exercising on the roof this week.  We enjoy the beautiful site that greets us.  We also like how we feel after a good work out. It has been four weeks since I twisted my foot and it is almost completely healed.
Last week was the Sinhala-Tamil New Year but our Wednesday English class decided that we needed to be treated to some New Year treats.  Many brought treats, after class we all enjoyed eating and visiting.  These people love parties!!
Early Thursday morning, Teri Homer, arrived in Sri Lanka.  She is from Washington, the Tri-Cities area.  She came to Sri Lanka to see her fiancee, Kulenthra.  She is staying with us.  The heat is very hard on her.  Tomorrow she will go to the other side of the island to stay with Kulenthra's family.  There will not be any air conditioning there.  She is excited to meet his family but nervous about how she will deal with the heat.  She and Kulenthra went ring shopping.  She chose a blue sapphire for her ring.  It is beautiful!
Thursday we picked President and Sister Funk up at the airport and processed on to Negombo.  There we had lunch at our favorite restaurant in Negombo, The Bijou.
After lunch we all went to the Negombo church for training with President and Sister Funk.  We haven't really thought much about leaving and returning home but President Funk and Sister Funk talked a lot about our leaving.  They gave us several assignments to prepare for the new couple, if and when they come.  After the training, each of us shared our testimony with the group. Then it was time for each couple to have their interview with President Funk.  He asked us how we had changed during our mission.  I responded that I had a testimony when I came but now I feel that I have truly been converted.  The difference in being converted is that we willingly do what our Savior wants us to do.  A testimony is believing but not necessarily acting on what we believe.
Saturday was spend attending auxiliary training and a Young Single Adult fireside. The fireside was on preparing for a mission and also preparing for temple marriage.  Elder Meyers and I were invited to share our testimony at the end of the YSA fireside. We told about how we met.  We also shared how important it was to us to be sealed in the temple so that we would have the opportunity to be an eternal family.
Elder and Sister Kellerstrass are still having trouble getting a visa.  Elder Kellerstrass told President Anton that they would be leaving on Tuesday, if the visa wasn't granted by then.  President Anton replied, "I will paint you black, then you can stay in Sri Lanka."  We laughed so hard at this comment.
Message of the week:
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) 

Wednesday English Class-AKA Party group

Kulenthra & Teri

Sister Pamela & Elder Jack Kellerstrass

President Anton

Between several rain storms and an earthquake, we were able to do a little visiting this week.
Monday the streets were flooded as we ventured out to visit with one of our home teaching families.  Anura made sure he drove the tri-shaw on the highest part of the road so that the tri-shaw wouldn't shut down.  Many of the drivers were plowing through the water and later down the road they would be on the side of the road because their tri-shaw stopped. This was the first time that we had been out when the streets were so bad.  They have little or no drainage in their streets.  The rain comes down fast and you just have to wait for it to drain.  When we returned home in an hour, the roads had improved greatly.
On Wednesday I was sitting at the computer, indexing.  Elder Meyers was resting in the bedroom.  All of  a sudden my chair started to sway.  I thought, I'm getting dizzy.  I walked into the living room and the tv was moving.  I went into the bedroom and asked Elder Meyers if he felt that.  He replied, "It's an earthquake." In a few minutes a friend called. I asked her if she felt it.  She said that they don't have earthquakes in Colombo.  Within five minutes she called back and said that there had been an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.
We continued to go about our business.  We went to English class. Only one student came.  He decided to leave for home.  A tsunami warning was issued for the area.  That is what scared the people.  They were remembering the 2004 tsunami that killed thousands of people in this area.  We were told to stay away from the sea.
We had an appointment to go to Shanika's home to home and visit teach her and her family.  We usually take the sea road to get to her home but Anura took us a back way to keep us as far away from the sea as possible.
Last Sunday we met a lady by the name of Dilki Fernando.  She gave us her phone number and address.  We called and made an appointment to visit with her.  When we got to her home she was out.  Her mother visited with us and showed us Dilki's wedding pictures.  She had just married in December. Her mother was explaining that this was a paper proposal.  In the Sunday paper there are men and women wanting to marry.  If you are interested you can contact them and arrange a meeting.  That is how Dilki met her husband.  After about half an hour Dilki and her sister, Dushy, came in.  We continue to have a lovely visit.  As we talk, we discover that none of these ladies are members of the church.  I guess Kishan, their brother, was a member.  Over the years they all went to church and loved the missionaries.  I was teasing them that they were dry Mormons.  They knew more about the church than most of the members do.  We had a lovely visit and they invited us back.  I'm sure we will see them again before we leave.
It has been Sinhala and Tamil New Year here.  Almost everyone leaves Colombo and goes back to their village.  Most stores are closed and transportation is hard to come by. Since there wasn't much to do, we decided to invite Myrna and her daughter, Ruwani, over for lunch on Friday.  We enjoyed having them.  Ru is 32 and not married. She would love to marry a member of the church.  If you know of a good available man let us know and we will contact Ru.
It rained again last night.  Our bedroom was flooded with about two inches of water.  It took us about an hour to clean it all up.
I had the opportunity to speak in Sacrament Meeting today.  I spoke on the atonement, resurrection and having faith to get us through our trials.  I used Elder Neil L. Andersen's talk that he gave in general conference entitled: "What Thinks Christ of Me?"  I'm always glad when speaking is over for me. 
It is raining again.  We are keeping an eye on the bedroom to see how the water got in.  We don't want to spend another hour cleaning up water.  There is never a dull moment around here!
Thought for the week: President Monson told the Relief Society Sisters this: "In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity.  Life is perfect for none of us.  Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life.  May we recognize that each one is doing her best to deal with the challenges which come her way, and may we strive to do our best to help out."

Sis Shanika, Joel and Sheremy

Dilki, Malika and Dushy

Myrna and Ruwani

Entrance walkway to The Gallery Cafe

On Monday we went to dinner with our friend, Maljini.  We went to The Gallery Cafe.  It has lots of paintings and art work throughout the building.  I was unable to walk around and see all of the displays because my foot was  very sore and tender.  We had a lovely meal and enjoyed our visit with Maljini.
Elder Meyers spent a couple of days this week making flash drives and DVDs of the 182nd General Conference.  India usually sends these to Sri Lanka already made but due to a holiday here they were unable to get them to us on time to show conference this weekend.  Therefore Elder Meyers with the help of Brother Sunil in India took care of making conference available to everyone in Sri Lanka.  Brother Sunil took control of Elder Meyers' computer and Elder Meyers just pushed the right buttons when Brother Sunil told him to.
Friday was spend doing inservice with the teachers.  Sister Sharon and her daughter, Whitney (we call her Charlie), came around 11 and stayed until her parents and brother picked her up around 2:30.  Charlie is six months old and she is a doll.  We had lots of fun with her.  We had a DHL box that we put her in.  Her grandpa thought that was a great idea! 
Saturday and Sunday was spent at the Church watching General Conference.  We only had about 15 people on Saturday.  Sunday morning there were around 68.  We stopped for a potluck lunch, then most of the people disappeared.  I think we had about 30 for the afternoon session.  We enjoyed watching and hearing the words of our leaders and hearing the songs of Zion.  It gives us the courage to go on for another six months, until we once again are privileged to hear from them .
Thought of the week:  Happy Easter! 
Mosiah 16: 6-9:  And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.
And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.
But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.
He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

Sis Meyers, Maljini, & Elder Meyers
eating dinner at The Gallery Cafe

Whitney-Charlie

Lunch between Conference

More eating between Conference

 

Charlie in the box!



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.

Tharin eating his first taco.

Tharin frosting the cake with Aunt Maljini

Jayanthi, Achula, Udari and Sis Meyers

Jayanthi's rock stove

Anura surprised at the door

Anura blowing out the candles

Raj and his new head gear

SisPremila's first baby quilt

The week started out with lots of protests going on here in Sri Lanka against America.  There was a human rights issue going up for a vote at the UN meeting in Switzerland.  America was one of the countries that voted against Sri Lanka.  Monday Sister Ann was driving us to the hospital to visit with Sister Rosemary.  As we passed town hall,  we could hear a man speaking Sinhala over a loud speaker.  We asked Sister Ann what he was saying.  She said he is telling a lot of lies.  I said, "well, what is he saying?" She said, "this guy is a Buddhist monk and he is telling the people, if the human rights issue is passed that the Americans will come to Sri Lanka and burn all the patty fields."  I began to laugh and said, "Most Americans wouldn't even know what a patty field looks like."
When we were walking home from English class on Wednesday, we spotted this lizard in a bunch of tree limbs on the side of the road.  We love all the interesting insects and animals that we see and many times feel each day.
On Thursday we went to Sister Premila's home.  She lives about 2 hours from here. That is a very long trip in a tri-shaw! We love going to her home because it is away from the big city.  It is much cooler with lots of trees and less people and traffic.  Premila is engaged to a man from Alaska.  She hopes to be married by this time next year.  Premila showed us around the outside of her home.  They have many trees, plants, animals, and relatives living near.  As you look at the pictures, take a close look and you can see fruit on most of the trees.  I especially enjoyed the cashew tree.  Premila's aunt got a long pole and knocked a ripe cashew down and also a green one down so I could get a closer look at them.  They warned me against getting the juice on my clothes.  They said that it would stain you clothes and not come out when washed. It was a wonderful afternoon and evening.  Premila's mother fixed a feast even though we told Premila not to plan on us for dinner.  They love to cook and see people enjoy their food!  We got home around 9 pm. We were tired but excited with all the fun things that we had seen and experienced.
Our Sunday English class is progressing nicely.  We are so excited to hear sisters saying prayers and reading scriptures in English.  Last week Sister Kanthi gave a prayer in English.  This was the first time that she had ever attempted to pray in English.  She did a wonderful job.  I told her today how proud I was of her.  I also shared this with her grown daughter, Sandreen.  Sandreen said that her mother is speaking to the grandchildren in English and trying really hard to use English everyday. 
Message for the week:  D&C 88:123
See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.

Lizard

Premila & Sis Meyers at the well

Cashew tree

Overripe cashew

Old homestead house behind Premils's

Papaya tree

Jack fruit-hanging on trunk

Sunday English class

We gave our last discussion at Andrew, Ayoni, and Ann's home.  They are a wonderful family and our heart is heavy that they haven't prayed and read to know if what we taught was true or not.  They promised their missionary son that they would listen and they kept their promise but they aren't ready to commit to the gospel at this point in their life.  We will continue to pray that one day they will want to have the gospel as part of their life.
Sometimes we wonder if we are making a difference in any one's life.  We went to visit the Augustine family.  I have been assigned as Sister Augustine's, Darshini, visiting teacher.  When we go there we sing songs with the family and really enjoy our visit with them.  We asked her son, Abishek, what his favorite song was.  He responded, "Nearer My God to Thee".  As we sang in this very humble home, I felt the Spirit and knew that we were exactly where we belonged at that moment.
Darshini told us that her family wanted to sing us a song in Tamil.  It was lovely.  It was about how our Savior, Jesus Christ, helps us through our trials in life.  Darshini told me that she would teach it to us and we could sing it to our family when we went home.  They have a lot of work to do if that is going to happen.
The other senior couple, The Kellerstrasses, have returned to Sri Lanka.  Even though we don't see them often, it is nice to know that they are here if we need them.  They are back  on a 30 day tourist visa.  If they can't get a residential visa this time they will be leaving and reassigned to another area.  Pray that a visa will be granted!
Garrett will have a birthday in April.  He will be 6.  Riley had her 4th birthday on March 14th.  Their parents hosted a birthday party for them on Saturday evening.  There were around 60 people in attendance.  They played musical chairs, danced, and had a catered dinner for everyone.  It is fun to watch the people mingle with each other.  They are always talking to each other in Sinhala.  Of course many talk to us in English and that is fun for us.
We went to America this morning around 7:30 am.  Kyle blessed Nathaniel Joel Meyers at that time.  He had his Skype set up and we were able to participate with them.  We are so grateful for technology that allows us to be part of our children's and grand children's lives. 
Message for this week:  PUSH- This stands for 'pray until something happens'.  Continue to push and you will see miracles unfolded before your eyes.

Traffic in a roundabout

Cart for moving things around the city

Tri-shaw heaven

Bro Jeffrry's family singing to us in Tamil

Garrett, friend and Riley at their birthday party

Nathaniel for his blessing