Monday, July 2, 2012

Well, it's Monday morning here in New Delhi.  We're going to call it our P-day (Preparation Day), mostly because we need to do our laundry and buy groceries if we are going to eat and have something to wear.  With a new mission president and with us being new, it's a little like the blind leading the blind, but we'll figure out what we are suppose to do over the next couple of weeks.  Hopefully, in the near future we will figure out a way to add pictures.  I was using our camera phones in the States, but they don't work here.  The misson issued us small Samsung phones with basic features.  Texting using a phone keypad is more difficult than I recall since we haven't done it since Nigeria 5 years ago. 

Yesterday, we went to the Branch we will be assigned to while we are here.  Fortunately it is within walking distance of our apartment, so we braved the streets of Delhi to get there.  Sidewalks are poorly constructed so we were constantly moving in and out of the street to get there. Roads here is similar to most 3rd world countries with pecking order as follows: large cars, small cars, auto rickshaws, bicyles, people.  On top of that, India is a former British colony, so everyone drives on the left side of the road.  Crossing the street can be an impossible task trying to dodge everything coming down the road and remembering to look the right direction. 

One of the great things about the Church, is that no matter where you go in the world, it is organized the same way so there's a sense of being "home" when you attend church.  Church services are currently held in a large home, with the Sacrament services held in the basement (a large area that holds about 120 people) and the classrooms are both on the basement and first floors.  We must admit we had some difficulty understanding those that taught.  Members here are from many nationalities in addition to Indian - Chinese, Japanese, Congo, Nigeria, Benin, US.  In Relief Society (the women's meeting of the church), most of the women spoke in Hindi rather than English, so Angela was quite "lost".  And as you would expect, before we could get out the door, the Branch President asked us to speak next Sunday.
After church, around 1 pm we walked home and fell into bed.  We're having a hard time adjusting to the time zone change.  Angela in particular is up all night still, from about 1-2 am until mid morning when the "sleepies" hit.  I'm sure we will adjust before we come back to the US...      

3 comments:

  1. Congratulations on arriving!!! I hope your flight wasn't too terrible. You are right about the feeling of Home where ever you manage to find your self at a ward or branch. I appreciate knowing that the spirit is always there to welcome you.

    Good luck adjusting to the time change. I know it's hard, and you're right, just about when you will be used to it, you'll come home. Isn't that how things work?

    Good luck adjusting this week, and getting to know the new MP. You will be amazing missionaries, (wait... strike that... you already are!)

    Lots of love from the Egberts (Kyle, Frannie and Boss)

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  2. We just LOVE hearing about all your adventures....thank you for posting everything!! Enjoy your first FULL week in India and preparing for your talks!!
    Love you both very much!!!
    ANIMO!!! (which in Spain is like a very excited "onward and whoo hoo" at the same time)
    -Josh, Shari, Chance, Paige, Riley, Eli and McKay

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  3. So glad you arrived safely. Sending our love and saying our prayers. ;)

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