Wednesday was Elder Datla's birthday. Now, last week I finally got a package from my family that was for my birthday. It was supposed to get here in August but it got stuck in Indian customs. Long story short, I just barely got it and it was full of birthday stuff. Luckily, Elder Datla had a birthday where I could use everything for him! So, for his birthday, in the morning I got up and blew up a lot of happy birthday balloons and baked cupcakes and put up some more decorations. In the morning, we went to a members home who made us a lot of food for breakfast. Then, we went to another members home for lunch! And in the evening, we went with bishop and yhe first counselor Vaddi Mohan Rao to KFC. It was the first time brother Vaddi came into the mall and the first time he ate KFC. It was a miracle we got him to come. It was way fun and a good birthday for Elder Datla. He really appreciated all the celebration. His grandpa told me he was very impressed with me. He said, "If you're doing this for your companion, your wife is going to be one lucky girl!"
Zone conference and stake conference was amazing. We had zone conference friday, and stake Conference Saturday and Sunday and they were all in Rajahmundry which is 2.5 hours away from Kakinada. So, we just went friday and stayed in the other Elders apartment!! It was a party and so nice to have contact with some other missionaries. Zone conference and my interview with President Thomas was so good!! I was starting to feel exhausted and drained and everything and just after my interview, I felt all invigorated. Then, we got to see Elder Homer at our stake conference. Elder Homer spoke at geneal conference in April and he was here with us. He is a powerful man, it was so spiritual!! I loved it.
Priyanka and Mamatha also came to Stake conference. I was so proud because they had to travel 2.5 hours but they were so excited. They loved it. I was shocked to see Priyanka there because I texted her that morning to see if she was coming. I asked her, "hey are you on the bus?" And she said "noooo" so, when I saw her there I was like, "What the heck Priyanka, why did you lie to me!?" And she said, "I didnt lie. You asked if I was 'on' the bus... no, i was 'in' the bus..." hahahah she is learning english and she thought that was so funny. Anyway, I was talking to Priyanka afterwards and I just asked her like how was stake conference?? And she is normally a really funny, smily girl but she got really serious and said in a small, very respectful way, "Thank you so much for giving all of this to me. I am so happy." AH it made me sooo happy. I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to find her and to teach her and have the spirit testify to her that this is true. She is loving the restored gospel.
Thanesha unfortunately could not come to Stake Conference which made us really sad because he needed to have a baptism interview with mission president Thomas. I talked to President Thomas and he understood so we did a baptism interview over the phone! Thanesha passed the interview and was so so happy. He said, "Elder, I was so worried but my Heavenly Father definitely helped me." Now, he will be baptized either this week or the next week.
LightTheWorld is an invitation to transform Christmas into a season of service. It is a program our church does during December by following the example of Jesus Christ by ministering to others one by one—just like He did. It is full of service opportunities and projects. Yesterday, our ward donated some rice to a girls orphanage school and hostel. We also donated new mattresses, a water purifier unit, and new doors. There are 90 girls that stay here and we provided nearly 3 tons of rice. Yes, you read that right!! Hahah we literally donated 6,000 pounds of rice. That is 2,725 KG's of rice. My favorite part was just meeting and talking with all of the little girls. All of the money that was spent to provide this rice was 100% donations from the ward members. All because of fast offerings, we were able to provide these girls food for like the next year. Fast offerings is what the members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints donate to help the poor and needy each month. Every first Sunday of the month, we fast for two meals and take the money we would have spent on our food and give it to someone else in need! Because of that generosity in our donations, we were able to provide all of this for the girls school. It's such a holier, higher way of loving thy neighbor. The church is true.
I guess that's all for this week! Tomorrow is transfer calls and this week is travel week, so I'll be getting a new companion to be in a trio for some time before Elder Datla goes to the MTC on December 19th. His Visa got approved to go to the Philippines so he is out of here to hopefully get trained by some professionals and not just Elder Baker. I don't know who my companion will be yet, but should know later tonight or tomorrow!
Love, Elder Baker
Light The World poster at our service project
All of the students at the girls high school.
Our ward members walking into the girls orphanage high school for the Light the World service project.
Coconuts drying out in the sun to make coconut oil.
Elder Datla and I about to frost the cupcakes I made.
Birthday decorations in our apartment.
Our ward members and a few girls at the high school.
This is Sandeep!! He loves the church and wants to be baptized but he is terrified of water so we were doing a practice dry baptism to help him conquer his fear.
I had to get a selfie with this guy who has been growing his beard for over 20 years!!
Just your local street market in India.
Nice cupcake with frosting and cookie dough bites. #thanksmom
Thanksgiving in India. Surprise, we had rice!!
Beautiful sunset taken from our apartment balcony. The sun was straight red. You can kind of tell in the picture.
KFC with the bishopric.
Some cool trees at the girls high school campus.
Super cool forest place we went to today!! I'll send more pictures next week. It's called Coringa forest.
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