The eighth week...

Animals...and Teaching
(See pictures above)

I got some new friends - Petey and Shrek - the birds are a must. because I love chicks! We are teaching Omprakash (right) and Vinay (left) is a [new member]. Both are eating American sweets - that we gave them.

We have a lot of people lined up for baptism...but none this week. T and the greenie set all the people he and I found. And the 2 brothers (Alexander and Sheelan) I found right before the transfer are waiting for a date.

The Jay Raj family - Jay Raj, Mary, Shankeethrana (their daughter) and Abhinay (their son) - was baptized on Sunday. Pydimala and Elder Tyler baptized them - but we were their teachers at the time. Elder Tyler flew in from Bangalore to baptize Jay Raj. Rajini came to the baptism - and to our branch. Rajini was excited as I was to see him. He didn't mention anything about baptism. Then, yesterday, T told me that they set him!!!!!! for the 25th of this month!!! I am so excited. I kinda want to baptize him...but we will see.

Being in India
I love India. The food keeps getting better and better. We had some way good biryani - and a member made us some way good chicken curry.

We can only leave our area for emailing. We need permission to leave our area - especially here just because it could really hurt the Church. It's not scary, but today is some big Muslim holiday. Don’t worry. I am not afraid. There's a Muslim, Hindu and Christian celebration every week - all on separate days. Some we can't even leave the flat and some we can find. Usually we can't tho. We just need to be kept safe. If we leave our area, and we dont know it well enough, we could run into an area that has been closed down due to force from the BJP - which is dying down. I don't know what BJP stands for. They are losing support because people are becoming more educated.

Have you seen or heard about the celebration where they throw colored chalk on people and then squirt you with water?? It's like the who or something.

I haven't heard about that celebration. This week is one where they cut themselves for hours. Weird.

New Year's
We taught aunties about fitness this week. They were all doing pushups and curls and lifts in their saris. We had a way lame fireside. It was lame because it was our "New Year's Bash." The 2nd Branch was doing games and stuff. I am missing 2nd branch...too bad.

Companion
Logan decided to call his companion Elder Mehan Elder "Dwight" because he reminds him of Dwight from The Office. I don't know how much he is actually like him, but the name stuck.

Is Dwight really tall? B wants to know if Dwight's head bobbles?

It kinda bobbles. He's 6'4. So yeah - way tall. My comp's dad is from Punjob. so he's 1/2 native - but no accent is there. Dwight is from Ohio. He hates my pajamas. lol. He heard they lost. He has this recipe for buckeye candy...looks good.

Walking and Weight Loss
We are walking so much more. We have a lot of hilly areas - so autos won't go there. We walk about 10 miles a day. Tell Kerrie to lose weight she must eat 2 meals a day and walk 10-15 miles.

Letters & Packages
On Wednesday (New Year's Eve) when I got home there was a letter from KC and Burke and a letter from the Sanders - it was a Christmas card. How about that? And then on Thursday I got a Christmas card from Elder Tenney - how about that? - and the letters form the Sorensen Krewe 3 (Chris & Tanya's fam). It was opened. I got the letters - the envelope was stapled shut tho. I look forward to letters.

This is an answer for Aunt Tanya - Mom asked if he got your package. Here's the response:

You’re going to love this. I got their letter. Tell them I am in the process of writing them back. I have pics of white people. lol. No package...I'm worried.

I don't think you'll "love" that he didn't get the package, but just remember that everything takes much longer to get there. We have determined it takes approximately 1 month for letters. Packages run the risk of being stolen or eaten, so just be aware. If you need some tips on sending packages, please let us know.

Scriptures to Read
Read Alma 26:9 - I forgot what it's about, but I wrote how it reminds me of some Muslims here and I need to "Ammon" them. lol. and Alma 27:17 - like when I come home or like Friday Night Lights when Coach Gaines gives his halftime speech.

"Ammon them" - is that serve them or cut off their arms?

I was thinking cut off their arms. I could serve them tho. lol.

Funny Story of the Week
How can I not resist posting this email thread? This is not all of it - I just put in some of my favorite lines. Enjoy....

(see Seventh Week pictures)

Kaycee and I need you to clarify - which is the shower and which is the toilet in your bathroom? Is the bucket your shower or toilet?

(Really she had to ask...I already explained "squat toilets" to her, but she just wouldn't take my word for it....)

The hole in the ground is the toilet, where rats come out. lol. Joking only!! The shower head is to the left. You can't see it tho.

(Rats? Really? You had to joke about the "unmentionable rodents with Mom? Where's the Mom filter? Definitely not filtering all to well...)

So what is the bucket for? Not funny about the rats!!!

The bucket is for cleaning you bum. The poop will sink to the bottom.

Sink to the bottom of what?

The junk sinks to the bottom of the bucket. I used the squatter twice this week - but i didn’t use the hand - so I still have my virtue.

So you poop in the bucket? Is the hole like a porta potty?

(maybe he does have a Mom filter...oh wait nope...he turned it off....)

YOU POOP IN THE HOLE IN THE GROUND! I was hoping I didn't have to say this...You wipe your butt with your hand. Then you wipe your hand off in the bucket. That's what sinks to the bottom. I've never done that. You know how I say "I kept my virtue?" - meaning I didn’t use my hand. We have tp and we use it daily.

(and here goes Random Man - trying to change the subject and restart the Mom filter)

I wanna start an auto game like we had on trips.
Buffalo - 5 points
Peeing person - 5 points
Coconut stand - however much they charge
White person - 500 points

running "lol" count = 396