Elder and Sister Condie Mission Blog: November 15, 2015

Rain, rain, go away.....except if you are Steve....Rain, rain, please stay! He loves that it cools to the lower 80's when it rains!!! We started out the week with our calls to the kids! Lots of things going on! Love feeling like we can be a part of it through Skype! What a blessing for senior couples! We had a visit from Elder (Steve) Nugara and Elder (Frank) Rajan. They are just like our kids! We love them so much! Great to visit with them! We later had a District activity at the bowling alley! It was fun! Steve beat us all terribly! We took the elders to Chinese Dragon for dinner and it was so yummy! Even the picky elders found something they enjoyed eating! Tuesday, we began with district meeting and then doing some visiting. We visited Tania and Riyana so that Steve could interview Riyana for baptism. Tania is so excited but a little nervous because she is so frightened of water. She is doing so good! We visited Gayani and her girls after. They are also doing so good! Such sweet families that are excited about the gospel! We taught seminary at Darshani's salon in the evening! We ordered McDonalds so Darshani didn't feel like she had to get something for us! They love McDonalds here in Sri Lanka. And the best part....they deliver! They have motorbikes with a little trunk thing on the back seat! We taught our lessons and had a wonderful discussion. We always have such a great discussion. Deek and Deyan want to learn and learn in the Gospel and it is great to see them excited about it! Our A/C in the bedroom went out for a few days and we got the guy to come and fix it. A leak! He had to leave and go get welding stuff to patch it all up. So nice now! We went to Inoka's for our English class and piano and then to Shanika's with the elders. They taught Joel and I visited with Sheramy for quite awhile. She wants to serve a mission and is ready to do all she needs to do to get it done. Her class should be done in a few weeks so she will be able to come back to church. I hope she can hang in there and get to where she needs to be so that she can serve. She wants it so much! She is 20 and very mature for her age! She has a great job as an editor and works hard. She is a sweetie and I hope we can help her get things together! Joel wants to get baptized in 2 years he said. He feels that he has to stay in the Anglican church because of his school. They take roll on Sunday to make sure you are there. If you are not, you are kicked out of school. Good family! We enjoy visiting them very much. Our Thursday was busy as well! Taught piano and English class. Steve went to visit Tania and Riyana with the elders. We had a nice dinner with Pres Nishan and Sandi at Dolce Italia! They haven't been out together without kids for 10 years. I think they enjoyed it! But it was very strange for Sandi! Great people! Friday morning, we visited Kingsley...our favorite man in Sri Lanka! He is bed ridden now...just getting home from the hospital. He can't speak and is fed through his nose. He is so thin. I just wanted to hug him and hold onto him. It was hard for him to have us see him this way. He had a notepad close by that he wrote a few things down for us. He feels like he is done and would just like to pass on. He hates being layed up and not being able to do the things he could do before. Steve gave him a blessing. It was a nice visit! Brought tears to my eyes! I taught piano classes and then our evening appointment cancelled. Sister Mitali called and asked it she could bake a cake for her husbands birthday! She doesn't have an oven and wanted to make it and then bring over to cook! She brought her cute middle son! Her husband lives in Quatar and works there. He wanted to make a cake and then send pictures of it to him and wish him a happy birthday with the kids! She is sweet! Saturday was Riyana and Tania's baptisms! Steffaniya asked if I would help her with her baptism talk. Inoka and Naveen came over with her of course. We ordered pizza! Steve went over to Tania's a little early to visit with her. Her husband that was in Quatar, was fired and came home. He is out running around and partying and it has been tough on her and the girls. Steve gave her a blessing. They came to the baptism (without the husband) and she was pretty excited but still nervous about the water! The baptism program was wonderful. We had a good turnout and took lots of pictures! Riyana was also scared of the water and the first time she went under, didn't get everything under....so she did it again and it worked great. Tania was so frightened. It took her 3 times! I don't think she could have done it a 4th time! Riyana and Tania both gave wonderful testimonies! I hope things work out for her in her home life! I made a yummy cake for everyone after the baptism and everyone enjoyed visiting and talking to each other. Primali and Sonali and Deandra came by to use the computer for a minute so we ended up feeding them and enjoying our visit with them....laughing and laughing! Such fun people here in Sri Lanka! Our Sunday was wonderful of course. Naveen gave his first talk in church today and did a great job. We couldn't understand much but everyone said he did well. We had Darshani and Julia, Deyan, Deek and Cass over for dinner. I just love them! They are so helpful and kind and grateful. We had a great time with them! It is hard to believe we have been in the mission field half our mission as of tomorrow. 9 months have come and gone. I wonder if the last half goes by faster....like all the young missionaries say. I know Kim is hoping it will!!! Darshani looked at all my pictures in the apartment of the kids and grandkids. She said she knew we had them up so we can remember our kids and grandkids. She said we will have to put pictures up of all the people here in Sri Lanka back home so we will remember them! We will never forget the wonderful people here. They are in our hearts forever!!