Elder and Sister Condie Mission Blog: June 28, 2015

Can't believe we are at the end of another month! Time is flying by! New people, new experiences....makes things go by so quickly! Our Monday was a catch up day! After talking to the kids, we were able to get a lot of paperwork done. Finances, seminary, etc....So glad to get some of that done. We had a great District meeting with the elders. Vanan came from Jafna. He was going to visit his wife in India....who he has not seen for 8 years! So unbelievable the things they do here! But he is a great kid! He stayed for the district meeting and then we took them all to McDonalds! I was quite excited about that! We had our seminary evening with Deek and Deyan and the family! We stayed extra long for some reason! Such great kids! Darshini keeps bringing us food to try. It was from some restaurant close by. Tasty!! Wednesday was a crazy busy day. We went shopping first thing so i could get to the church to teach piano lessons. Steve picked me up and we headed to Sister Myrnas so we could visit our favorite guy, Kingsley. He had been in the hospital for quite awhile. They did surgery on his cancer but could not get it all. He had skipped out on his previous treatments and that really messed up his healing. He starts more radiation next week. In the meantime, we had a wonderful visit! He wanted to talk to us so much but he has a trachea tube and it makes it so difficult. It was frustrating to him. He still has the best wit and fun about him. I just love him. He asked if I would play the piano for him. We visited for over an hour. Hope he can pull out of this awful cancer. We then headed to the Hagobians home to give them blessings. They called and said they were all sick and wondered if we could please come. They live so far away...plus Kingsleys home was in the opposite direction. Plus....the driver got lost! But we made it. Armens wife had prepared lunch for us....bitiyani....(do not know how to spell that) and of course the ramutan fruit is on and so delicious! They have a tree so they kept giving us some of that. She made some date bread that was really good as well! We had to hurry back home because we were having President Nishan and his family over for dinner. We were late. But they were really patient. The food was wonderful and we had a nice visit while the kids ran wild through the house!!! Thursday began with more piano classes and then our weekly visit to Inoka, Naveen and Stephanie. Fun visit! I hope Naveen can keep progressing in the gospel...and to quit smoking. We hurried back to our English class. We are getting quite a crowd! It really is quite fun. They had a hard time with the word....aisle! It was funny. After class, Eashani and her kids picked us up and we went over to Pres Antons for his birthday! I bought a cake with some crazy candles for the top! We went over and had a fun time! Their niece, Mitali had come home that day with her new baby....just weighing over 3 kilos....Kumar Ryan. He is really sweet! It was fun to hold a new baby! Ann made a "small lunch" for us....rice and chicken curry, etc. It was very nice. Friday, we went with the Elders to teach Zeeniya! She is the best! Still excited about her decision to be baptized. We had also received a letter from customs that we had a package waiting for us. It was close to Zeeniyas home so we went there to pick it up. Closed for 1/2 hour. We ran to get a DVD from one of the members and then went back again. It was the craziest thing. It was supposed to open back up at 1:00. We got there about 1:20. They were still not there....some people were back there just visiting and laughing and watching something on the computer screen. We were warned about the government employees! Then they meandered in and started helping the 15 customers that were there waiting! ANYWAY....package from my MOM and DAD. It was so much fun! Socks, Downeast tshirts, licorice, MEGA STUFF OREOS...and handkerchiefs, a book, jerky....for Steve! It was really fun! I came back for piano lessons and ended up staying there for over 4 hours! Steve had a wonderful meal of corned beef hash (Yes....I love it) waiting and it was so YUMMY! Saturday was really busy! I taught piano lesson from 8 to 11. We then headed to Chilaw....about 100 kilometers from here. We met at the home that they are holding church meetings in 3 times a month. It has potential! It is right near the beach and has nice sandy soil all around!! I taught some piano classes and Steve taught English! We then went back to Negombo where we met with Nishanta (the Pot guy!!) and the elders there. He made his family sit around and listen to us. He was concerned about the word of wisdom and especially the part where we don't drink tea or coffee. He said that is very offensive when we turn it down. He wanted to know the scientific reasons behind everything. I guess he has been like that for awhile. The elders don't know what to expect when they get there! He just doesn't get the part about the Holy Ghost and obedience....and faith! So interesting! Today was a wonderful Sunday! I had to give a talk in church. Luckily I was able to resurrect an old talk I gave in Negombo and Kandy! I then had to teach Gospel Doctrine. I actually enjoyed teaching that class today! Everyone was so great and made wonderful comments. Fun class! Steve was supposed to teach about the Priesthood in young women but there were no any young women that came today. He helped the elders teach some investigators after church. We had the Cordells over for dinner tonight with their 2 young girls. They are from the US...back East....where he is working at the American embassy and she will be heading the math department at one of the international schools. It was nice to get to know them....plus I have a new contact at the commissary for American food!! So excited for that! The elders...all 4 of them...came over for dinner. We told them that we are going to ask different families over for dinner each Sunday....and will make enough for all of them later in the evening. It was fun to have them all together! Another great week!