Week 33: Thanksgiving dinner, the work keeps going

Some people have asked what the climate is like this time of year in New Delhi. The weather at this time is 80's during the day and it can get into the 50's at night. Occasionally we will get a picture of him in a long sleeve shirt, so there are days that are cooler than others.

The past week we've had a lot of great conversations with people on the streets as well as at restaurants about what our purpose is as missionaries. We hope that a couple of these conversations turn into a little bit more than that in a week or so. We also visited a less-active family that Elder Braganza remembered. That family of five attended church the following Sunday. We also had a 96 people in attendance at church yesterday. My recent convert Bro Kolhi just got called as the 1st counselor. I can tell that he will take over that position in just a few months to the BML. That is the most we've had in attendance in the 3 months that I've been serving in this branch. Also we had 13 people that attended English class this past Saturday. Which is double what we usually have in attendance.

I'm going good. I just found out that a couple brothers in the branch plan on putting in their mission papers in the near future. They are working on getting their passports now. That was probably one of the highlights of this week as well as the great tasting Thanksgiving Dinner. It tasted just like food from the US. Having bomb turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy almost put me into tears. I miss momma's home cooking.

We also had a training from President Gong who is the Asia area seventy. I bore my testimony in front of him and he came up to me after the meeting and said that I have a great testimony of this church. Also he said that Delhi is very close to getting a stake. He said that he could see Delhi getting a stake in the next year and a half or so. Also Bangalore got a stake last month. So it's the second stake in India. Delhi is hoped to be the 3rd. The church is also growing a lot in Pakistan as well. Believe it or not but there are more members in Pakistan than there are in Delhi.

Some missionaries have found Wendy's here in India and I will try to make the 1 hour metro trip to get there this week. Stay frosty my friends. This is what beach volleyball in India looks like.

Elder Dusara

Also another good thing about this Thanksgiving that I didn't have a missionary break my collarbone like last year lol

Volleyball Delhi style

Week 32: New companion and new role as a District Leader

Last week was a bit busy for Elder Dusara. He was given a new companion and a new role as a district leader.  The district leader is there to support 4-6 other missionaries in his area and assist them with their teaching, finding and service opportunities.  Basically, he has been asked by his mission president to assist others in being the best missionaries they can be.

So I was called to be the new district leader. I have a new companion and his name is Elder Braganza. He's from Hyderbad. He is hometown friends with my last companion Elder Jalagam. I can tell that he's a hard worker and our motto for this transfer is going to be "work hard, play harder". This transfer we are going to work well together. So in my apartment is Elder Braganza (Hyderbad,India) then Elder Roberts (Plattville, Wisconson) and Elder Singh (Sacramento, California). My nickname for him is the Hotline Singh.

In the few days that we've been together we've been doing a lot of finding. We have both started to see success already with having strangers come up to us and start talking first.

This week we are having a big Thanksgiving dinner at the mission home. I'll try to take some pictures to show everyone how we celebrate Thanksgiving on the other side of the world. Also all of us missionaries are building the Nativity scene outside of our chapels. I'm in charge of bringing a star to light up. Lets hope that I don't mess that one up.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I'm thankful for my supportive family, friends and for fast cars. Amen.

Elder Dusara

New companion - Elder Braganza

Bollywood hero on a CBR 

Delhi Playground

Chilly day

Week 31: Diwali in India, no letter this week (Photos instead)

We didn't get a letter from Ajay this week, but we did see plenty of pictures. He loves to blow things up on the 4th of July at home and I am sure he was more than in his element during Diwali.  From what we understand, he is doing well and continues to help the missionary work progress in New Delhi.  Below are some pictures we received this past week.

He did tell us of an event he happened to be at where he won 5 designer shirts. He gave 4 of them away to another missionary and some members in the area. Here is some background on the areas in which the church has in New Delhi.

Transfers are next week. I could be sent no further than an hour metro ride away. We have missionaries in Mumbai as well. But our mission president doesn't sent American missionaries there because he thinks it's too dangerous. But from what I've heard from missionaries that have served their they say its not that bad. Plus I hear there is a couple of American families in that branch that spoil the missionaries.

There are 7 Branches in Delhi:

Delhi 1st Branch  Lajpat

Delhi 2nd Branch Vasant Vihar

Delhi 3rd Branch Munirka

Delhi 4th Branch Malviya Nagar (Where I Am Now)

 Dwarka

Noida

Forgot the last one

Go Hawks

Week 30: Meeting an apostle, and a fellow Washingtonian

Dear Friends & Fam

No earthquakes this week! It's starting to cool down a bit in Delhi. It's about 80ish degrees during the day. But during the nights it's about 50 degrees.

<Elder Russell M Nelson one of the 12 apostles in our church leadership. He  travels all over the world meeting with missionaries as well as other world leaders to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations> 

I've met countless professional athletes and I have no fear in talking face to face with them.But when I saw President Nelson I was slightly scared. When Russell M Nelson came to speak to our mission and he spoke to us about being more obedient. Then he went to an auditorium to talk to about 200 members in the New Delhi area. He spoke about doing missionary work and what needs to happen in order for a temple to come to India.

Also he told us how mission calls work. He said he comes into work in the morning and on the computer is a list of all the missions in the world. Then at the top of the page is a list of missions that are in need of missionaries.So their first priority is to fill those spots in those missions that need missionaries. He says that they view your profile to see if you have any restrictions. Then they place you where they feel the Lord needs you most.

At church on Sunday there was a tall white gentleman by the name of Brother Daines that was present. I asked him where he was from and he said "the United States". Well Duh! Then I asked where and he said "the west coast". Then I asked which state? He said "Washington State". In my mind I was thinking "Yes! That's my fellow Washingtonian". He is from Spokane. Which is about a 5 hour drive from my house. He has 7 kids and has one that's serving in the St. George, Utah Mission. He's and Engineer for a telecom company called Ciena.

Overall this week was great. Our main focus for the rest of this transfer is going to be to focus on the less- actives.

Elder Dusara out 

With Bro Daines from Spokane WA

New Delhi crew