At Bobby's house with Elder Huskey
Sorry for the late email. Today is Independance Day
in India and President Hodges received revelation that it was safest for
our missionaries to stay in today and take it easy from the crazy city.
So we have just been in our apartment all day reading scriptures and
taking naps and eating food. I am loving every second of my mission and I
cannot believe how fast it is going. All of my friends are now on
missions and I never thought I would see this day. I actually had a
pretty nice week and there wasn't anything too crazy that happened...
So
with that I'll tell you some crazy stuff that has happened in the last
weeks that I never told you;) The first of which is there are a ton of different people here. At a lot of the intersections there are homeless
people, but of those homeless people there are what we missionaries call
He/She's. Because it's a dude dressed up as a girl. So when you stop at
the red light these people come up to you asking for money, and if you
don't give them money they start to touch you until you get so
uncomfortable that you give them money. I can't handle that. So of
course my first experience with this was not cool. I wasn't about to
give them money and I wasn't about to let them touch me either. So I
tried not making eye contact and praying that they would leave me alone.
That didn't work. This guy, or girl, whatever it prefers started to
touch my leg and I lost it. I was so mad and wanted to start throwing
down. But I had to keep myself together and I gave the person 10 rupees
and they went on their way to the next rickshaw. Such an awful
experience. It's hardest to try and remember that they are our brothers
and sisters, and children of God. And to treat them in that way may be
hard, but we'll be rewarded for being patient and understanding.
Tomorrow
is zone conference and Elder Funk from the Seventy Presidency is
coming. I'm way excited to meet him and to learn from him.
I
don't have much time because we aren't supposed to email for very long
today, but I do have a couple experiences from this week to share.
As
we were walking in the heat and dust on our way to Bobby's home this
week a fly about the size of a small pebble flew right into my eye. It
hurt so bad and I literally could not see. Elder Huskey couldn't see
where it was and didn't know how to help me. Then all of a sudden a man
working in his shop on the side of the road had noticed what was
happening. Without hesitation, I saw him with my good eye, run to the
back of his shop to grab a mirror. He held up the mirror for me so I
could get the fly out and relieve myself from awful pain. After many
unsuccessful attempts and probably creating more of a problem he told me
to stop and that he would get it out for me. He had really dirty hands
and long finger nails, it was something I normally would not have been
okay with. But being here in India I've grown to just deal with it. But
anyways, he got the fly out and it was so nice. He was such a good guy
and he was so willing to help me. He was waiting and looking for
opportunities to serve.
Then just the other
night I was at a potential investigators home and we were talking with
him and his family. I complemented him on his shirt and he couldn't
believe I liked his shirt. Then he proceeded to take it off and to try
and give me his shirt, he seriously wanted me to have it. There is a
tradition in India called "Remembrance", where you give someone one of
your belongings so you will remember them. He wanted me to have his
shirt and to remember him. I kindly told him that wasn't what I wanted
and was just complimenting him, and he then understood. He told me that
if I ever need a shirt he will give me his.
My
message this week is to be giving. Be the man with dirty hands and a
mirror, ready to serve your neighbor. Be the man ready to take the shirt
off your back for another in need. In Mosiah 2:17 we read that "When we
are in the service of our fellow man, we are only in the service of
our God" Serve the people around you and be a blessing not a burden.
Make others' work light and help them feel your love. The Lord watches
over us and many times cares and protects us through others actions, be
the person ready to take action and help. The Savior also said "If ye
have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me"
Great
blessings and happiness come to us as we serve, I have felt that so
personally serving Him here in India. I am having the time of my life,
so never worry about me. I was told before the mission to lose myself
and go to work, and that's what I'm trying to do. I ask you the same
thing, lose yourself and serve someone else. You'll be so happy and the
Savior will bless you for blessing other peoples lives.
Love Elder Armstrong from a little Cyber Cafe in Dwarka India
Giving certificates
to some of my best students in English class. I teach so much English
all the time it's like half of my calling I swear...I'm teaching two
nights a week now in two different places.
Videos: 1st: Trying to cross the street and its not rush hour.
2nd: Walking to church, giving Elder Chand a hard time. He will attend BYU Idaho in December.
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