Elder and Sister Condie Mission Blog: April 26, 2015

It has been a wonderful week! Celebrating 34 years together in Sri Lanka. We started our week teaching seminary to 4 wonderful youth in their homes. Brother Jeffry teaches early morning seminary once a week at the church. We get to teach the others! What a wonderful experience it is. These kids are amazing and want to learn the gospel so much. They do their daily assignments and write wonderful things in their study journals. Such strong young people! And good parents that teach them and love them! When we were going to meet with one of the families, it started raining like crazy. The lightening and thunder was going crazy all around us. We have to go quite far for one of the families. We had been there one other time but figured we knew where we were going. We found the place but it was just pouring. We figured we could make a run for it! We stepped out into a river of water....at least 4 inches of water that covered out feet. We had to go up some stairs to get to the salon. The water was pouring off the roof and we were soaked from head to toe. When we got to the top of the stairs, we saw some old men who looked at us funny, wondering what we were doing there. Yes....we were in the wrong place! Luckily, the nano taxi had not left yet. We jumped in and had the driver talk to the family and finally found our way! We teach them in their mothers salon so they got out the blow dryers and towels and got us dried off in no time! We also spent a lot of time this week getting all the finances for Sri Lanka organized. That is a big job. We cleaned out files, paid bills and organized the file cabinets. It is amazing how much paper work there is to do in the seminary program and in the mission....and we are doing both of them! We had President Anton and Sister Ann over for dinner. He has so much he has to do and worry about in the District. There is always something going on which needs his attention right away. He is such a good man. He has the strongest testimony and doesn't get worked up about anything. He is a great example to us. His wife is just the same. I kind of think they enjoy coming over and being away from all the outside things that he has to deal with. We enjoy their visits! Our anniversary was a good day! I finally decided I needed to be brave and get a haircut! It was getting so shabby! There was a place close to one of the big hotels that we decided to try. First, some guy washes your hair...and then gives you a massage. It started out ok...but then he was really pushing hard on my temples. I think he pushed so hard I got bruised. If I touch my head there, it is very tender. So crazy! But Vena was very nice and I was happy with what she did! It is short...but that is good! We met with a member and a less active member in the evening. So we didn't get to go to dinner until after 8....but it was worth it! We went to an Italian restaurant that isn't too far from here. One of the investigators in the branch works there. They really spoiled us! We had the best homemade, authentic, Italian meal. The owner and his wife were there and we visited with them. They are Italian and were very nice. They gave us free dessert and then pastries to take home for breakfast! It was yummy! Steve met with Harsha, a young 20 year old young man that wants to be baptized. He interviewed him and asked him all the baptism questions. We are so happy for him. He is a wonderful young man who is getting so many problems from his family. It is really hard on him. But he knows the church is true and wants to be baptized and serve a mission. I can't believe the strength of most of these members. They all have stories similar to that. Steve went on splits with the missionaries and visited several members. I taught piano lessons! I really enjoy that. We have had some wonderful visits with the members and with the less active members. We really enjoy missionary work! Our Sunday was really great today! We had about 100 people to church today. We love visiting with the people and they love the missionaries! One of the young ladies in the ward returned from her mission this week from the Philippines! She still had that missionary spirit and it was wonderful! She wanted to share her testimony to everyone and get everyone excited about sharing the gospel. One interesting thing happened during the sacrament today. The Priests were preparing to bless the water and then started talking to each other, looking around and then talking to the District Presidency that was on the stand. They moved things around, left, came back and continued on after doing more things that we couldn't see. We found out later that there was a cockroach in one of the water trays! Yummy! They got rid of it and didn't use it....thank goodness! I had to teach Relief Society today on Continuing Revelation...a Conference talk from Pres Eyring. The ladies were wonderful. They really shared and talked and I hardly had to say anything! It was perfect! We had Brother Jeffry and his family over for Sunday dinner. Such a great family. Sister Darshini is the RS President. They have 3 great boys. One is 17, one 14 and one 12. It seems like all Sri Lankan kids like mashed potatoes and gravy. I thought I would make Ginger Snaps for dessert. We gave them each one after dinner and they were very nice and ate them....or so I thought. Steve said he watched the 17 year old take a bite and then decide it was terrible and didn't know what to do. He slyly put it into his napkin and then got his youngest brothers attention. His brother took it and put it in his pocket!! Too funny! That made me laugh so hard. The missionaries stopped by later and we fed them. They were a little sad because one of the investigators that is close to baptism didn't show up to church today. They are such great young men. It is hard to see those kind of things happen for them. Good week ahead. Can't wait to see what happens!