Week Forty-Five

Namaste from Hindustan, 

What a great week in India! We had a lot of exciting days with a lot of new things. It was one of those weeks that felt like it was the start of my mission where everything was new and crazy! Last night we ate at a member's home, and I have no idea how, but they fed us Pork. It was okay, not my mom’s pork chops, but it was a nice surprise. I will admit though, it was tough eating some of it, I haven't eaten anything like that in 10 or 11 months, if you don't count the dog and the one time me and Elder Openshaw got beef from the nice Muslim guy. But it really was hard to eat, the texture, everything was different and felt weird...it's scaring me that in a year I won't be able to eat normal in America. 

Then in the middle of the week we had another sketchy moment where things could have went really bad. We went to a member's home, the Aryan's, to teach a lesson and eat dinner, they are our most active family and are our favorites;) They are so nice and seriously would do anything for any missionary and we are teaching one of the sisters who lives there. The problem is they don't live in a nice neighborhood, the things you see around their home is stuff I could never take pictures of, because I would feel awful and disrespectful, and I could get stabbed.  Anyways dinner went later than expected so we tried to get a quick auto ride or rickshaw home, but no one came by, then at 10:30 the metro shut down and we couldn't travel by metro. So here I was in Trilokpuri trying to get home late at night in a bad area. The family then decided the best option would be to walk me through the neighborhood to the main road, this whole time not worrying one bit about my companion. (white kids with backpacks are the target for criminals I guess.) So I take off my tie, untuck my shirt, and basically they tell me to not look at anyone. So I was escorted through town by Brother Sumit and 4 of his close family members and friends...all pretty big guys. It was awesome, I wasn't worried for a second, and neither was Elder Mani, but we would have been if it weren't for the members. 

Then we got a call last night that Sumit was robbed as he left an ATM withdrawing money to help pay for his sons tuition. 5000 rupees gone, and now his kid has to wait until next year to start 1st grade. So who knows how many more visits we will be making to the Aryan family. It's sad. 

Not much other news. Transfers are this week and we are waiting to see if I will be staying or leaving Noida. I have no idea what will happen so I guess you will hear about it next week. This week we watched General Conference and I loved it. I loved President Monson's short but wonderful talks. Usually I feel like some talks are boring and some are great, but this time I felt as if just about every single one of them was really good. I had a lot of questions answered and I felt the Spirit, especially as the choir sang...they're good. 

This week I just wanted to share some thoughts about Humility. The same crazy night we were in Trilokpuri we had just shared the scripture Luke 18:10-14. I hope you will read and mark that. It was later shared in conference with us this weekend. I love it and I know that it applies to us so much today. It is very easy to think of ourselves as higher than another person. Or to think lowly of another, but we know better. In the scripture the Pharisee exclaims in prayer that he fasts twice a week and that he does so many great and wonderful things, and then he says that he is thankful that he is not as the Publican who is right next to him. But the best part of the scripture reads "for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." What a scripture. If we are as the Pharisee trying to talk our way into heaven, we will not get there. It's about actions, and it's about understanding who you are. The publican understood he wasn't perfect, saying "God be merciful to me, a sinner." No one is perfect, we have heard that over and over since forever. But sometimes we forget and still think that we are. Try and work on Humility, even if you are already good at it, because no one is perfect, and we should all be striving to be perfect. Do it because God, will bless you. Those who are humble by choice will be more blessed than those who are compelled to be. It brings peace and happiness, to us and to others. 

Love you guys, Go Jazz

Elder Armstrong