Elder and Sister Condie Mission Blog: August 16, 2015

1/3 of our mission is already done. Oh my goodness! We have been gone 6 months already. So hard to believe. But we had another wonderful week.....even trying to finish getting over the cold junk....and of course, I gave it to Steve. He gets over it a lot better than me though. I am a true wimp! We enjoyed a wonderful dinner with the Cordell's in their new home! Wow, is it ever a beautiful place! It has a pool, air conditioning, dishwasher, freezer, 2 floors with a loft in each bedroom, wide open spaces....gorgeous....and all their furniture isn't here yet. Just using what was in there! Little Claire, always wants us to play games with her. Tonight was mouse trap and a food game. And our dinner was wonderful...roast beef with all the trimmings! Fun night! We had our district meeting with the elders and then our seminary classes in the evening! We had some really good lessons. Everytime we visit Deek and Deyan, they are always so grateful that we showed up at their house that day several months ago. They are so eager to hear our lessons and learn and grow in the gospel. They ask questions and really listen to what is said. They spoil us with dinner each week. We had a great visit with Inoka and Naveen. New people came to the English class. Stephanie and I are getting through the Illustrated Book of Mormon. She loves reading it with me and asking about it. We went later to Shanika's to see her and Sherami and Joel. We took the elders with us there. It was a good visit. Sherami is so excited to be coming back to church and preparing for her mission. Joel told us that he has never had a desire to learn about the scriptures....until now. We are excited for the elders to help teach as well as Sherami! And in the meantime, we hope Shanika has a change of heart as well. I have been going over to the church in the mornings a few times to continue teaching the dance for the District Relief Society activity. Taught the piano lessons and had our English class. Even more new people came this week. We are getting quite the crowd! Steve went with the Elders to give a blessing to a great young man in the branch. He was having a hard time in his life. Such a great kid. On Friday, I had the YW over and I taught them how to make cookies. They were great! I really love those girls! I already have a great relationship with them because of the seminary classes we teach! Their leaders are great too! While I was teaching piano later that day, Steve made a fabulous pork chop dinner! We then decided to go see a movie! We weren't sure how it would be. There is a theater pretty close to us. We paid more to sit in the balcony...because the guy said that was the better seats. It was only about 10.00 for both of us! It was a really large theater actually and it was pretty crowded. The movie that was playing was Mission Impossible. Also, another thing that happens is that right in the middle of the movie, the lights come on and it stops! They have intermission! The guys come around selling popcorn and candy. So funny! Lasts about 15 minutes! Anyway, it was a great movie and we had a great time! Oh yes...it was an air conditioned theater too! We walked home after which was nice! Saturday was piano and our trip to Chilaw! The group leader and his wife and son and daughter in law invited us for lunch before classes! It was a nice Sri Lankan meal! They work for quite a long time to make their meals. We were also celebrating Piyumi's birthday! I brought her a bracelet and she liked it. Later before we left, she gave me a seashell that had Sri Lanka painted on it with elephants. She said it was the first gift her husband gave her when they were dating. I surely did not want to take that...but she insisted. She is the best! So sweet. We taught our piano classes and English classes and then headed back to Negombo. We stopped with the elders at Sister Sherines home. Her husband is not a member and had a bad experience with a senior couple from before. But it was a great visit. He is a javelin, shot-put, etc athlete and he's 50! He has medals and trophies filling up a big glass case. It was a great visit! We took the elders home after and then headed back to Colombo. Long day...but good day. Sunday was the best! Steve was asked to give a talk about being pioneers. It was excellent. The counselor in the District Presidency leaned over to him during church and said what a great job we were doing bringing back members to church. That was really a nice thing to say. We love these people. They always want to come and give you a hug and say hello. We would miss that if we weren't there each week. We left early again to go to Piyumi's baptism in Negombo. We were so excited. She asked if I would make her some brownies....so I got those made to take with us. We are also feeling really close to the Negombo people too. We seem to be going there a lot lately! But today was Piyumi's day. Not only was it her baptism, but it was her 23'rd birthday! Her husband got to baptize her. She was just so grateful and happy. She is the sweetest. After the baptism, she had a cake her auntie had made. Like I have said before, it is the custom to give a bite of the first piece to your husband and parents and siblings. She happened to come up to me and Steve and had us be part of that first piece. That was really special. She came up at the end and gave me a big hug and said, I love you Sister Condie. It was just the best day! We got back to Colombo about 4 and got to relax a little before the elders came for dinner. We waited for them and all ate together! They are the best. We are going to spend a little time with them for the next 2 days because we are all "grounded"! It is a major election here in Sri Lanka and they don't want us to go out. When there is an election, it is also a holiday and people don't have to go to work or anything either. It will be interesting to see how the election turns out. Could make a difference in the way the church can operate in the future here. So hope it goes in a good way for the church. Fun week ahead! Going to Kandy for the Perehera festival!