Called to Serve

Another week and another month have gone by quickly. The speed at which time is flying by was driven home this past week as we began preparations for two couples to return home. When we are called on a mission, we know that it will come to an end; however, it seems to us that the end seems to have come quickly for these two couples. The Hatches (below) and the Allisons (to the right)will be departing for home on August 3, 2013. We will have a farewell for them on August 2. Both the Allisons and the Hatches had been out for about only 6 weeks when we arrived fresh on our mission.



At that time, we thought they had a lot of experience, and we felt we didn't know very much compared to them. Now, we know 6 weeks is not a big difference. The difference between their missions and ours is that they are both serving 18 months, and we are serving for 23 months. If we had volunteered for 18 months, we would be following them home 6 weeks later. That seems way too soon for us. We are not sure we would feel we had finished everything we needed to do. Mind you, the Allisons and Hatches also feel that way. We wish that we had more couples coming to India to replace them. We need more couples to answer the call of the prophet. The Learys will hopefully have success with their visas, and we look forward to seeing them the end of July (perhaps, if everything goes well with their visas).

 Whenever we prepare to say good-bye to some missionaries, we are always saying hello to new missionaries, fine young people who have been called to serve and have answered that call. This week, we received two missionaries from India who are going to England. Usually, young people from India are almost always called to serve within India, but there are a few exceptions, as is the case with Elder Botcha (left) and Elder Ganta. They are both from the same city, Visak. The are, however, going to two different missions in England. Elder Botcha is going to the England London mission, and Elder Ganta is going to the England London South Mission. They were certainly excited about their calls. We had the opportunity to have 3 different accents for the English language in our office for them to compare. We had the American English accent (Elder Pehrson), the Canadian English accent (Sister Tiefenbach), and the British English accent (Sister Smith). Elders Botcha and Ganta became a bit concerned because of all the different accents, they could least understand the British English accent. They wondered what lay ahead of them. We told them they did not need to worry because by the end of their missions, they would be talking like the Smiths.

President and Sister Berrett were in the USA at the MTC for the week, so President William (right)was asked to set these missionaries apart. Elder Tiefenbach has particularly enjoyed participating in these settings apart. The act of setting missionaries apart creates special connections between both the givers and the receivers of the ordinance, connections that will last forever.

We and Elder Pehrson had a victorious day this week. Elder Pehrson has been trying to register in Bangalore since last November. For some reason, the registration turned into a LONG drawn out process. Through a series of events, he was finally required to return to Bangalore to complete his registration. One would think that when one is summoned by the authorities to finish the registration, the process would be easy. But, this was not the case. We brought him in last Saturday, and he did not receive his registration until Tuesday. Here is the happy and triumphant Elder Pehrson with his registration certificate! At long last, it is over. He is now ready to leave India in August so he can apply for another visa so he can serve for his second year here. Then, he gets to register all over again! We bet he is SO looking forward to that.

The Assistants have been working hard in the office this past week. We will be having a lot of movement of missionaries going home and new ones coming in the next month, so they have been working on several possible arrangements. They have been getting ready for another round of zone conferences. Elder Kumar is in deep concentration at the computer. He was completely unaware that we were taking his picture until the camera flashed.




Here we have his enthusiastic looking expression for the work he is engaged in.

Elder Ram wasn't a whit behind Elder Kumar. Elder Ram is great at talking on the phone and working on the computer at the same time. This is proof that they actually work at the office. The work at the office is different than other missionary work, but it is just as demanding. They do an admirable job. They are great examples of missionaries who have taken their call to serve to heart.

Now, we have a less serious pose from Elder Ram. But, even in his more relaxed moments, he still remembers his purpose as a missionary. The boxes you see there are packages waiting to be sent by the courier to missionaries serving outside of Bangalore.








Sister Tiefenbach works a lot on the computer, but once in a while she gets the chance to be "creative." Here she is getting extra copies of a phone list that is put in the welcome packets for all the new missionaries that come into the mission. She prints the lists off, cuts them, and then laminates them. She is having SO much fun. But, as Sister Wigg always said, "All service is good service!" She indeed is correct.

While all this serious work was going on, Elder Tiefenbach finally decided to go and get a hair cut. He certainly can't use the excuse for his delay in getting his haircut that it costs too much. He pays 70 rupees (less than $1.40). Here he is before his haircut. His hair definitely looks a little . . .  wind blown. It is all that riding in the auto that he did that day.

Here is Elder Tiefenbach after his hair cut. He is looking more like a handsome, well-groomed missionary who looks determined to be true to his call to serve. Sometimes, when he looks so good, Sister Tiefenbach has a hard time concentrating on her work. It is a good thing that his office is in a separate room. At this point our children and grandchildren are groaning and rolling their eyes.







Elder Tiefenbach is posing with one the security guards at our office building. He is the guard who looks after the parking, and he often brings up mail to our office. Every morning he says good morning to us, shakes Elder Tiefenbach's hand, and invariably asks if we have had our breakfast. Our response is invariably, "Yes. It was good." And he responds, "Good." These seemingly little things make our experience here personal and unique, and we understand the eternal blessings that are in store for those who accept the call to serve. We wonder how long he will remember us. We don't know his name. We should ask him sometime.

Today (Sunday), the missionaries in our branch came over to borrow our stove. We wouldn't let them take it, so they cooked their meal in our apartment. Apparently, they ran out of propane. We didn't mind helping them out. Part of our call to serve is to help the missionaries. Elder Aeshamalla is a great cook. They roll chipati (spelling???) every Sunday. We tried some of the food, but Sister Tiefenbach found it a bit too spicy. Elder Aeshamalla said that it was about only 30% as spicy as what it would be at his house with his parents.




Later that evening, we all attended the worldwide broadcast about missionary work. It was very moving and motivating. The word of the Lord must and will go forth to all the world. We can be part of that work; as disciples of Christ we all have a responsibility to echo Nephi's words, "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life" (3 Nephi 5:13). We are humbled to be called to serve the people in India. We have a great love for the people here.