Curtis as Christmas Tata next to Sundar
Elder Chagoya, Chaitenya the younger, his brother and Curtis at his baptism
Curtis and JithendraWell the week was busy but there was no work that didn't have it's reward. After some issues with permission slips and legal forms Jithendra was finally able to be baptized. I don't know if I've mentioned much about Jithendra but he has kind of a funny backround. His dad lives in Tamilnaru which is a good plane ride away from Rajahmundry and his mom lives in Kakinada which is about an hour and a half bus ride away. He's now living with his aunt and uncle while he's studying in Rajahmundry. His cousins are members of the church and ever since he's been in Rajahmundry he's been coming church. Even before I came to Rajamundry he was working towards baptism but he's underage and there are a lot of legal forms that have to be filled out by the parents. So after months of couriering forms and documents to the parents (and waiting for Jithendra to come to church on time...that lazy bum) He was finally ready for baptism. He is a sweet kid and already he's expressing his desire to serve a mission and even finish go to BYU. I thought that would be fun to go to school with a convert but as a missionary I couldn't say anything about so I referred him to the Branch President.
I must say baptisms are exciting but very busy. The Branch President also wants to meet with all baptismal candidates before their baptism so along with filling out forms, getting baptismal interviews, scheduling the baptismal service, we also have to find time to have President come. It wouldn't be so bad but to top it all off we're still not having a phone. So we're kept busy all the time because any time we aren't doing something we're finding a coin box to make calls (not to mention finding coins). But the work is progressing so fast in Rajahmundry. This month will be very busy and it sounds like February may also be busy but we have to keep finding new people or else by the time March rolls around we'll have exhausted our progressing investigators and be left with nothing.
The other night we were finding at some apartments and we found a sister and her two children at their home. They were Christian and very sweet. They wanted us to come in but since there was no male we could not. Both Elder Chagoya and I felt very good about this family so we shared a five minute version of the Restoration and made a return visit when the father would be home. Unfortunately when we returned we found that the father was a staunch Pentecostal minister and wanted to have to nothing to do with our message. I kept looking at the rest of the family while we were talking and my heart broke because even though they may have been willing to listen and hear our message their was no way they could even try the things we were saying. I really was sad and when I walked out of the appointment I kept thinking about them. But I hope that we may have at least planted a seed for the children so that when they grow up they can at least hear and try message of the restoration.
But we found so many good people this week. We met one guy the other day at his home. He was the only one home that spoke any English so we talked with him for a bit and asked if we could come back the next morning. He told us to come but when we did he wasn't there. Instead his brother, Ravi, was there and so we were able to teach him. He kept insisting that he didn't know English but he seemed to be understanding every word we said. I would ask him a question and he would give a perfect answer, or I would explain something and he would repeat it back in his own words so he definitely understood. In fact, he understood a lot more than many of the other people we teach and I think that he is one of those few people who listen with open ears and open eyes (as the Nephites did when Heavenly Father spoke to them in 3 Nephi). We explained the church and apostasy and when we said that the church was no longer on the earth. Then he would say "Yeah. There were no Prophets, no power, no Church!" Then he would get a puzzled look on his face and say "Where is the true church?" I almost laughed when he said that. So we explained about Joseph Smith and the restoration and he ate it up. He mentioned afterwards "Today I am very lucky. I was going to go to tution (class) but it was cancelled, so I stayed at home and now I was able to meet you". I'm almost nervous that there has to be something wrong or some concern that we'll find in the future but for now we are hoping for the best for him.
By the way I have to tell about this one street that we're teaching. There are four houses all in a row where we have progressing investigators, one who even has a baptismal date. There is Chaitenya who is a father of two little girls and with the sweetest wife ever, then there is Sirish and his younger brother Girish who are from Hindu background but came to church and are now way interested, Srinivas who has been coming to church but has less English but a great heart so we're teaching him both the gospel and English, and Kishore and Laxman who are two bachelors who have progressed so well. Kishore and Laxman left for Hyderabad for two months but they're being taught by the elders there. The other night we stopped by each home to make short visits and it hit me. I told Elder Chagoya "Elder, it may sound crazy but I think we can convert this whole street". We laughed but there may be some truth to that.
Anyways I still haven't received the package but don't worry, it may have just got delayed in customs, which is usually the case. I called the office and I think they sent me one too many emails saying that I recieved a package because I got messages saying I recieved three but they only have records of recieving two for me in the month of December. But I love you all so much.
Love you a million reeses pieces peanut butter cups,
Elder Mackay
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