Sunday, December 20, 2015

December 20, 2015

What a busy busy week!  Full of new experiences and fun!!  We began with a "visit from home"!  About 1:36 am, we got a call from Curt on FaceTime!  He was sitting in church getting ready to bless his sweet baby boy, Jack!  He didn't say anything and just showed us Jack sitting on Erins lap!  Then they announced the blessing!  Curt was sitting only a few rows from the front.  Everyone started coming together and we got to see a glimpse of the blessing.  But we did get to hear the blessing!  It just made me so happy!!  Curt did such an amazing job.  I was so proud!  We saw him hold up Jack and then come back and sit down.  It really meant a lot to us to be able to hear it.  I am sure it is against all rules....but we were so happy!  We went to Negombo on Monday to meet Wasanti and her husband to be!  And Niluka, her sister from Chilaw!  They all wanted blessings from Elder Condie!  It was really great to visit with them and have that special time with the blessings!  After we were done, we went with the elders to visit another Pakistani family that lived in Negombo.  They are asylum seekers, looking for refugee status.  The problem is that they come with nothing, can't work, and want money and help.  It is heart breaking the things that are being done to Christians in Pakistan.   If you get refugee status, you get money and get sent somewhere.  You have a meeting with the government and have to tell your stories to prove you are in danger if you go back.  They don't go to school, so the oldest daughter who is 16, teaches them verses out of the bible and they sing a lot.  It was nice to be with them for the evening.  Tuesday we had District meeting and some practices for the Christmas party.  We picked up Katie and cruised to Sherenes for our last seminary class of the year!  It turned out great!  We enjoy teaching them!  We went to Darshinis right after and taught them too!  They are the best!  I think I say that every week!!  Because it is true!  Wednesday was the wedding!  We met Wasanthi in Chilaw when we were teaching English and piano.  We really hit it off with all of them!  She is marrying a Buddhist man.  I guess he is really nice and the family has been treating her well.  He is going to go abroad to work and will leave her here.  That is done a lot here in Sri Lanka.  So tough for me!  So I got to dress up and be a Sri Lanka lady!  She wanted me to wear a red sari so I got it!  I had to have someone "dress" me though.  Lots of pins and pleating!  So Mythali came and put me together!  It was pretty fun and not bad at all wearing it!  We travelled to Negombo and got there early.  The Branch President was late so it couldn't start on time!  It was nice!  He gave a talk and so did another member of the branch presidency.  I played all the music for the hymns and the entrance of the bride and groom and then their exit!  Wasanthi looked beautiful!  She is really a pretty gal!  We then rented a van and went to the reception at a beautiful hotel closer to home!  Everyone was dressed very fancy!  There were a lot of pictures, lots of visiting and then a wonderful meal.....very spicy for me of course...but good!  There was dancing and more pictures!  Steve told me he has danced more on his mission than his whole life put together before!  It is so true!  They dance for everything and love it!!  We left about midnight!!  (Dinner didn't start until after 10:00 pm!)  Thursday, I decided to get sick!  Sore throat, head thing.  So Steve went with the elders and did some teaching.  Great families are investigating and doing really great!  We have 9 people with actual baptism dates right now!  Such a wonderful blessing!  Things are looking up for the church I think here!  It will be so wonderful when the church is organized here and we can get missionaries!  We feel it is on the way!!  Steve went with Pres Nishan to a dinner for his work.  He also visited another lady and her family the next day!  Steve ordered me some McDonalds delivery one day!  Loved it of course!!!!  Saturday was our branch Christmas party.  But in the afternoon, we went to a hospital and visited our friend, Kingsley.  He is having some troubles and needed to be there.  It was hard seeing him like that.  He was in and out they said all the time.  I took his hand...and it was so cold.  I just held his hand.  Then he opened his eyes and mouthed my name and Steves name and Myrnas....and then went back to sleep.  I just held his hand.  He has been a great influence to me with his positive outlook and fun sense of humor and great happiness.  Cancer has really taken a toll on him.  This hospital was so much nicer than anything we had seen.  They only have 10 "luxury" rooms but everyone was so friendly.  They even brought nice drinks to you while you visited.  We didn't stay long.  We then went to the party at the church!  It was decorated nice and there were so many people that came.  I think our entire English class was there with all of their families and friends.  We had a dance from the young women, one from the Relief Society, one from the Primary girls....we had songs from the YM/YW, a skit/song from the YSA's and seminary kids, some clarinet numbers, songs...and the nativity.  Santa came and gave presents!  We had a nice dinner catered by Hansani's family!  Then lots of clean up!  We had over 260 attend!  Fun night!  Steve got to speak in church today!  He did a wonderful job talking about loving people and forgiveness.  We actually came home fairly early today!  We had Hagobians stay the night last night and tonight with their 2 kids!  Radi always wants to cook and do things for us.  They spoil us rotten!  Oh....I forgot!  We were sitting during the sacrament today and all of the sudden, a squirrel jumps down from the air conditioner thing on the ceiling and runs straight through the chapel and then slipped through the slats on a door in the front.  So funny!  Life is good!  It is Christmas this week.  Have lots of dinner appointments so that will be nice.  Miss the family during the holidays but can't wait to talk to them all.  Also, the boys went to South Dakota pheasant hunting this week.  A bit tough for Steve...although he would never admit that!  And.....during the holidays when Steve was Bishop, we made pumpkin bread loaves for all the families in the ward.  After he was released, we kept doing that.  Steve would get the young boys that he taught in Primary to help take them around.  They loved doing it!  These boys were 8 years old then.  Now, they are almost 16!  They decided that they wanted to do it this year too!  The twins headed it up and they helped their mom make all the loaves.  Then they recruited Braden and delivered a loaf to everyone within the ward boundaries.  They put a tag on it that said, From the Condie Fishing Troup!  Cami Nelson wrote to Steve and thanked him for the example he had been  for those boys.  Very sweet.  The ward members were commenting on how they had received their loaves and loved it!  Merry Christmas everyone!!

Prevez from Pakistan and his family









Yummy treats!









Interesting instrument.  Like a piano and accordion mixed together!



It made it!  Wonder if it melted???!!





The Relief Society from Santa Clara Heights 4th ward sent these pillowcases with signatures and happy wishes!!



They made it!  All except the melt away mints!  Go figure!!!

More fun from home.....thanks McDonalds!!!!

When you go to a wedding, you have someone who "dresses" you!

Mythali was my someone!











Finished product!  Fun!!!



Wedding picture!!





Here comes the bride!

Grooms family.



The bride and her parents!





Beautiful bridesmaids!



Short eats after the ceremony!






Beautiful Sara!

Sara and her mom


Our turn with Sara



Blurry selfie!





Elder Steve and his 2 moms!


Negombo branch Pres Rochan and his kids


Ann







Sharon and Ann






The reception hotel!



The happy couple!









Pres Kolitha and Primali



Brides family

Dancers



Some of our favorite YSA's!







"Champagne toast" (sparkling grape juice)!!




















Reception clothes!



Nice feast!









All the sisters and mom!



Niluka did so much work for her sisters special day!


This waiter liked Steve!



Someone got a hold of the phone!








Travel dinner with Pres Nishan






Jean, our new investigator and her family


Branch christmas party!





















Primary girls dance

Nativity



















Santa came!!




Jean with Inoka and friend



Claire, Emily and I

Shanika, Sheramy and Rowena



The guards for our apartment complex!



English class friends came to the party!

Vindami from English class



Hayesha and her mom from English class and piano




Thilucksha and her mom

with Hansani

more English class friends


Relief Society dance





Family choir plus Steve





YM/YW song





Youth and YSA's skit/musical number






YW dance























Deyan

Priyanka and her mom!



Shanika, Sheramy and Joel

Sherene, Emily and Deandra



Ru!

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