Royal Treatment after Missionary Moves

This title can be read with a little humour, but it means that after helping the missionaries move into their apartments, we we were invited to a members home where we received royal treatment. Our week began by frantically making arrangements to get the keys for the new apartment for the zone leaders, Elder Ram and Elder Racharla. We were supposed to meet the landlord's representative at 9:30 in the morning. Finally, about 11:30 all the people arrived at the church so we could get the keys. The sister missionaries were arriving later that night, so we needed to have the elders out of the apartment so we could get their old apartment ready for the sisters. The elders are VERY happy with their new 3 bedroom apartment. We think some of the other missionaries are a tad jealous. It is a great apartment. We were also making arrangements for the delivery of all the elders' furniture, appliances, and kitchen items.

Their apartment building has some nice landscaping, with great walking paths. It even has a playground, which may be too much of a temptation for the elders. We will have to keep our eye on them to make sure the playground doesn't distract them from their work.






By the way, Sister Tiefenbach also made about 4 dozen cinnamon buns on Monday, as well, in preparation for the zone conference to be held on Friday.

We picked up the sister missionaries from the airport on Monday evening at 8:35. Sister Madabathula (next to Sister Tiefenbach) and Sister Jebamani were excited to be in Coimbatore. They were the last passengers out of the terminal. We were beginning to wonder if they had made their flight. The sisters stayed at our apartment on Monday night because the nearly vacated elders' apartment was not ready for sisters. As of Sunday evening, work still needs to be done on their apartment. We hope that the person in charge of the church buildings will work on some of the repairs early this coming week.

While at the airport, we kept company with an elder that arrived on a flight shortly before the sisters. The elders were scheduled to pick up Elder McDonald, but they were delayed in arriving, so we took care of him until the elders arrived. At first, we couldn't find Elder McDonald, but we soon found him around a corner sitting talking to some local people. He was easy to identify. He was happy to see us. He stood up when he saw us, and as he stood up, our eyes kept going up and up and up. He is 6 feet five inches tall.


We spent most of Tuesday helping the sisters clean their new apartment and to buy some items for their apartment, such as a frying pan, a rice cooker, a pressure cooker, a mop, and other household items.

We returned to our apartment in time to be picked up to go to Brother Amalraj's and Sister Punita's home. They have two great sons, Akash and Abhishek (Abu). They have done a great job in raising their sons. Their family was baptized about four years ago, but they seem as though they have been members for over ten years. They are a wonderful family. They have a great knowledge of how the church functions and a great understanding of the gospel. We are impressed with this dedicated, solid family. As soon as we entered their house, we felt a calming peace, created in large part by the soft music that was playing. This feeling was a big change from the hard work and busyness of the day. Sister Punita prepared a wonderful meal for us. She made an alfredo pasta dish, mashed potatoes, brown beans, stew, dinner rolls, and hot dogs. The hot dogs were the meat part; they were not in a bun. They were served with browned onions and green peppers. The presentation looked great. The food was exceptional, and the conversation was wonderful. We hope we did not over stay our welcome. We were indeed treated royally.

 

On Thursday, we went to the furniture store to order 6 more mattresses so all the elders coming in for the zone conference would have a mattress to sleep on. We also bought fruit and vegetables and prepared the fruites and vegetables for the lunch that would be served the next day. Thursday evening, we picked up the two sisters from Chennai at the bus stop at 10:30 p.m. They stayed at the sisters' apartment.

 

Elder Ram and Elder Racharla were in charge of ordering the main course for  the Zone Conference lunch. They ordered butter chicken and roti, and we provided the vegetables and fruit. The cinnamon buns were served as a snack during the morning break. 

Zone Conference was great. Missionaries from two zones, Coimbatore and Chennai, attended the meetings. The sisters loved being together. Sister Batula (2nd from left) and Sister Jebamani (right) were both serving in the Philippines until they were transferred to India. They are both from India. They were surprised by this big transfer. We wonder what the mission president from the Philippine mission thought of ths re-assignment. Everyone is thrilled to have sister missionaries in India. The other two missionaries are brand new. Sister Batula and Sister Guptha (left) are serving in Chennai.

 

It was good to see all the elders from our zone as they sat together.

 

 

 

On Sunday, we went to Semmedu Branch. Both of us gave talks in Sacrament meeting. After the meetings, the young men enjoyed visited with us. They liked looking at our family pictures on our ipads. 

We arrived back in Coimbatore to attend the baptism of Sister Grace. We did not take pictures.

 

Elder Tiefenbach has been given the assignment as a District Counsellor. With this assignment, he will have more opportunities to help  the leadership in the District.

 

 

Miracle of miracles!!!!! Our package that our daughter, Sheri, mailed at the end of May finally arrived!!! It took 4 1/2 months. We think that our inquiries helped move the package along. It was not in good shape when it arrived at the mission office on Tuesday.

Elder and Sister Wigg put it in another box for the trip to Coimbatore. We received the package in Coimbatore on Thursday night. We received everything that Sheri sent, so we are happy. We have already used the mosquito repellent.

 

A great ending to this week's blog: the beauty of the dragonfly. We have had many dragonflies lately. We sit at out dining room table and watch them out our balcony door as they fly around. This dragonfly was at the church. Maybe the increased rain has brought the dragonflies out. We have had rain almost everyday since last Tuesday.