April 2016 in Rajahmundry--The Heat is ON!

Indian summer is April through August, but the hottest is April through June.

Even the dogs know to take it easy in the afternoon.

Much like Mexico, Indians take a siesta in the afternoons.

One day on our morning walk we heard a commotion down the street from the park where we walk and noticed this truck with three guys running around with aluminum poles that had nets on the end.

It was the dog catcher! Here is his truck.

The dog apparently turned mean and they had to come take it for safety reasons.

We were wondering the other day if  Rajahmundry had newspaper home delivery.

Here was our answer!

So, how many kids can you get in the Auto School Bus?

Answer: 
One more.

We counted 16 plus the driver in this auto.

Here is a sign of the times...


We found this coal fired flat iron full of hot coals on the street on one of our walks around the neighborhood.

Yugadi or Ugadi is new years day for the Telugu and Kannada community of India. It is the Hindu lunar new years day, based on the position of the moon each year near March and April. Here three bulls are decorated for the occasion. They make a special food out of bitter neem flowers and jaggerty and everyone partakes of it to remind them that both happiness and sadness must be experienced in one's life.

We went to the Schade Girls High School in Rajahmundry. It is was started 120 years ago by a Lutheran missionary.

When we arrived we were greeted by drums and singing.





They showered us with flower pedals.

We had a small program with speeches by the staff and teachers.

There was a dancing and singing program.





The girls had made these flowers and presented them to Sister Newton.

There are 160 students, K through 10th class.

We hope to be able to provide them with some microscopes, a teaching laptop, projector and printer, some overhead fans and a new hand water pump to help them cultivate a garden to grow flowers as well as vegetables to augment their lunches.

There was a Rajahmundry District Relief Society activity on the Telugu New Year day.

There were four groups that rotated between workshop rooms. We were the "game people" as always.

We played pictionary and did silly dances like the Chicken Dance and the Bunny Hop.

Sister Penugula, RS President, gave instructions.

There were probably 120 women in attendance.

They learned and had fun.

April 11th was Elder Newton's birthday.

We had our usual Young Single Adult FHE, then the birthday party started!

It was great.

We even celebrated with a haircut and head massage!!

Sister Ball, one of our YSAs, made a special card for Elder.

While waiting at Rajahmundry Intergalactic Airport...we noticed a very nicely dressed lady waiting for her flight.

What struck us as unusual was her shoes...

Green Nikes with a very proper Indian saree. Very Cool.

The dogs of India...

They sleep wherever they want any time of the day...

While driving along a highway we saw some men selling palm fruit.

We stopped and purchased a few to eat on our way.

It was like three very large grapes inside the hard palm fruit exterior.

On April 26, 2016 we had a combined Zone Conference with the Visakhapatnam Zone.  President and Sister Berrett as well as Elder Funk and Sister Funk taught us more about how to teach repentance and the importance of baptism.





Elder Funk in the foreground.




President Berrett in the background.

On April 28th we attended our fourth wedding in India.

Sudhkar and Radha were married in the Rajahmundry Chapel.

First the Bridegroom and then the Bride came in...

The people sang a very special wedding song as each walked to the special seat on the platform at the front of the chapel.

Because the LDS Church is not recognized as a church in India, our clergy cannot marry people--so a Christian clergyman performed the marriage.

Elder Newton was asked to give some remarks and advice to the newly married couple.

Brother Chitti was kind enough to translate into Telugu so that family and friends could understand.