June 2016 in Rajahmundry

Rajahmundry is in the State of Andhra Pradesh. This is its symbol.

Sunset from our apartment complex.

Most mornings we walk from our neighborhood over to a park to visit and walk with our friends. On this day we discovered another friend...a cow patiently waiting for her breakfast at a gate...

A family of monkeys on a yard wall--mom grooming her little ones, dad catching a cat (monkey) nap...

Over at the park, a lizard gives us a frozen stare-down as we walk the cobble trail.

In early June we trained the Elders on basic health and care issues.

First in Rajahmundry.

And then in Hyderabad...

We enjoy being with the Elders!

The Hyderabad Stake presented a Family Discovery Day.

Members learned about how to research family history, prepare names for the Temple and how to be more self-reliant.

L to R: Shekar Alamury, Board Member Dr. Assuntha Yeruva,
Sister & Elder Newton, and Director Suresh Singareddy 

While in Hyderabad, we visited with the Director and Board Member of One Child at a Time Foundation. Their Mission Statement includes the following:

"To restore childhood, protect the rights of marginalized children, end all forms of child labor and insure children grow up in a healthy environment of love and freedom."

A quote posted on the OCAT office wall sums it up with:

"All that is not given is lost"

On our way home from visiting Bibi Nagar Village we stopped for lunch at a new restaurant called "Chef's Miracle". Here are photos of their specialty dish:

"Special Chicken Biryani"--a deep-fried whole spiced chicken topped with chicken biryani on a giant platter. It feeds six people.

At our apartment building we marvel at the women digging two five foot deep holes to accommodate electrical power coming into our building for new retail sales on the first floor. Notice the baby hanging in a sling just inside the parking garage. No-doubt, his mom is one of the laborers.

 About once each week Raju, Sudhira and their two children, Nichol and Jessy, come and make lunch/ dinner for us. Sister Newton is learning to cook Indian--Look out family, here comes the hot stuff!!

Later in the week we came out front to find these men relaying sand and gravel up to the second level of our  building for the construction.

Those pans are very heavy! It takes two people to lift and relay each load.

Monday, July 13th was the "One Year to Go" for us date. We celebrated together with lunch at Deccan Fried Chicken (DFC)--sort of KFC for India.
The chicken is a little spicy no matter how you order it. Fries are good and Diet Coke is REALLY GOOD!

Sister Newton decided it was time to get her hair chopped off! Much too hot to have long hair. Sister Injeti, a member, has a hair salon just two blocks from our house. We did not know that until we asked if she would consider doing the job! Who knew?!
Ahhhhh....much cooler!

On June 15th, Nichol--Raju's oldest--turned 11 years old. We went to their home and had cake and dinner.

It is traditional for Indians to feed each other birthday cake.

Such a lovely young lady!

Elder Doyle completed his mission this week. Here is his farewell. It is a separate meeting in the evening where people come and say nice things about the leaving missionary, he is given a nice flower lei and bears his testimony one last time. It is a time for everyone to visit and appreciate one another.

Elders Monk and Peter...

Two missionaries outstanding in their field...

While walking one morning we discovered three little pigs...

I guess they were taking a break from building their houses.

Checking the availability of food in the hood... 

We also found this Indian phone booth on our walk.

Elder Newton decided to make a call.

Trouble is, he forgot nobody can understand his English 'cause it is American with a Utah accent, not British English. 

Oh, that's not it...they just don't understand English--only Telugu.

Dang.

Home Evening with the Young Single Adults.

We had a lesson on humility...then it was time to play--

This time it was Uno and Liar Liar.

Lots of fun!

Living in a half-million people village like Rajahmundry can have its challenges finding a variety of foods to eat.

So...it's Amazon.IN to the rescue!

We received a package of Old El Paso salsa and cooked up some sliced chicken strips (both spicy and not) with green peppers and onions--added some roti bread to substitute for tortillas--and KOWABUNGA!! Fajitas Indian Style!!!!

We had District Conference on June 18th and 19th. It was very nice. Elder Robert K. William of the Seventy and President Berrett presided.

We expect Rajahmundry to be designated a Stake by next November.

On June 27th all the senior missionaries met with President and Sister Berrett for a devotional and dinner at the Marriott as the Berretts finished their 38 month service.

Our objective in meeting with Hyderabad political leaders is to seek out the needs of the city--where the Church has an established, strong stake--so that we might meet some of the needs and help the political leaders better understand the objectives, operations and functions of LDSC and help bring the Church out of obscurity in India.

On June 29th President Mekala, of the Hyderabad Stake Presidency, made arrangements for us to visit the Hyderabad Deputy Chief Education Minister--Kadiam Srihari. Mr. Srihari is on Sister Newton's left. Next to Mr. Srihari is Chief Corporator for the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, Golluri Anjaiah. Next to Mr Anjaiah is President Mekela.




We found out that Hyderabad government schools needed better quality water, not more toilets, like we thought.

Later, we went to City Chief Corporator Golluri Anjiah's office, where he had invited members of the press to come and take photos for a newspaper story regarding LDSC's objectives to help people of Hyderabad City.

Here is the story in the local newspaper called the Deccan News.

Later in the day--at about 6:30 p.m.--we were able to meet with His Worship, the Mayor of Hyderabad City.

The Mayor--Bonthu Rammohan--came back from a meeting with the Chief Minister to meet with us.




Shown here are L to R: City Chief Engineer, Subash Singh; Jitender Kumar Sanayi, Hyderabad Stake High Council member for Public Relations; Sean Levy, a civil engineer and soilets/toilets consultant visiting from the U.S.; Mayor Rammohan; President Mekela; Sister Newton; and Elder Newton.