Sunday, July 3, 2016

July 3, 2016

What a whirlwind of a week!!  We had a really nice visit in India!  The Grundy's, the mission office couple, decided to bring the senior couples of the mission into Bangaluru for a final good bye send off to Pres/Sis Berrett!  We stayed at the Zuri hotel which was a really nice place just down the road from the Mission home.  The Newtons and Littles came from other parts of India.  We all met at the mission home for a nice devotional.  We all told stories of our times with the Berretts and then bore our testimonies.  The Berretts then shared their testimonies with us!  We gave them a gift...some India traditional clothes!  We then went to the Marriott Hotel and had a wonderful meal at the Italian restaurant there.  We had a really nice time!  The Berretts are happy to be going home.....of course, who can blame them!  They did give us a few assignments to do when we got back to Sri Lanka.  One of them was to get a new washing machine for the apartment!  Ours is unfixable...according to the Abans service man!  It is a very old washer!  So we are happy about that!  We got to have lunch the next day at the Berretts!  They did a nice lunch for all the people in the Service center on the 2nd floor!  It was a nice Indian meal that we really enjoyed!  We visited with the Grundys and the Berretts for a little while before we had to head to the airport for our flight home!  Quick but very nice trip to India.  The flight is just over an hour long so it isn't bad at all!  Wednesday was spent doing end of month things!  I taught piano classes and Steve ran a bunch of errands.  Since we didn't have a washer, we were able to go to the Hendriksens and use theirs.....and their DRYER!!  It was so wonderful!!!  Wednesday night, we went to dinner with Pres Kolitha, Primali and Sonali!  It was Pres Kolitha's birthday on Thursday but we knew we were going to be gone.  We went to the buffet at the Cinnamon Grand!  Very nice food and very nice company!  We love their family so much!!  Thursday, we were off to Kandy!  We met Pres Kumara at the church and talked about a bunch of things!  We then headed to a village that had 14 families!  They are looking for a church to go to and Sister Enoka (Shantas wife) told them to come to ours!  The Elders had visited them the week before and so we all went to meet them!  It was really great!  They are really great people!  We will see what happens!!  We visited Ann and her mother.  Ann is just getting over Dengue!  YUK!  It was a great visit with them!  We dropped off Pres Kumara and then went to Nimishi's for a yummy, Sri Lankan dinner!  Really great day!  Friday brought JULY!  So crazy!  Sister Susila went with us today!  We began with visits at the church from Nuwan (an inactive returned missionary) and Bro Bandara, who the Elders were teaching.  We headed to Angela's to visit her and her friend.  We visited Osmond at the garage where he works.  We then went to Bro Bandaras home to meet his wife and daughter.  They told us of a terrible experience they had several years back.  Some thieves broke into their home and took their jewelry but also covered their faces and held knives to the mothers throat.  They had a contract out to kill her.  Fortunately, the daughters cover from her face fell off and she saw the men...who they recognized as their neighbors.  They got 2 years in jail and now live right next to them again!  OH MY!  We visited Sister Bambalasinghe and her husband and granddaughter.  Then off to Sister Wasanthi.  Busy day!  We dropped Susila to her home and then went back to the hotel for a very nice dinner!  Saturday was more visiting!  Sister Carmelina wanted to fix us lunch and it was very nice!  We visited with Kasun, helped Rebekah get her mission papers done online and then visited Athula and his family.  Another great dinner at the hotel and then a very nice sleep!  We had a nice Sunday!  No one showed up for the youth classes so I taught Sunday School and Young Women!  I had Rebekah come in and translate for me!  Great visiting with all the members!  About 60 came to church.  We came home on the train and then Shehan came here to do his mission papers!  We had a very good pork chop dinner too!  We are down to 5 weeks left.  Curt will be here in 2!  WOW!

Blurry picture of the Marriott Hotel Bangalore India


Sister Berrett





Farewell dinner for Pres/Sis Berrett in India

The Grundys, The Condies, The Berretts, The Newtons, The Littles

Outside our hotel window...Bangaluru India


Nice room at the Zuri Hotel







Sidewalks? in India


Lunch with the Service Department in the Bangaluru mission at the Berretts


Elder Grundy is so helpful!




President Kolitha's birthday!






Randholee Hotel in Kandy




More beautiful scenery in Kandy


Visiting a village that wants to be baptized

Working in the tea fields




Sweet people in the village!




This girl and I really hit it off!


Tea fields behind their homes



Dinner at Sister Nimishi's!  Her mom is cooking!





Sister Susila and Sister Bandara and her daughter



Brother Bandara and Brother Shanta

Bagya and Sister Bambalasinghe

With Sister Susila


With Sister Bambalasinghe's husband!

More beautiful Kandy!



Panaramic shot

Buying the yummy fruit!


Sister Carmelina made us an amazing lunch!

with Brother Shanta!

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