Twenty-One Month Mark

Hello Family and Friends!

Life is good in Delhi...the heat is coming and it is coming fast. I'm back to swiping my debit card across my face to get the sweat off my forehead, I used to carry a towel but it just gets too wet too fast and then it's no use. I also am going through a stage where I am tired of Indian food....it happens like once every few months. Right now I just want a piece of real American pizza. But in a few days I'll be good with Roti and curry again.

This week was awesome. We found great people and so many blessings were obviously handed down to us. Yesterday we were finding between appointments and we were just going around our focus area looking for buildings to get into. Most of the buildings here have guards, and they never let you in. But yesterday we saw that there was one guard sleeping so we pounced on the opportunity to go into the building. Just as we were walking up the stairs on the second floor the guard noticed and he, as the Indian elders would say "scolded us nicely". We immediately told him that we were visiting the Christian family in the building, not knowing at all whether there would be any Christians there or not. He then thought about it and in Hindi sent us directly to door 304 (theen so char). The family opened the door, spoke great English, had a Christian background, and was interested in Prophets and the Book of Mormon. Pakka (for sure) we were led there by the Spirit and met the family Heavenly Father had prepared for us. I love having experiences like this, it never gets old. 

After that we went and taught another Christian man. He had some interesting beliefs about salvation and agency. It's interesting to me to see so many different beliefs and different ideas, I love to learn about others points of view, but in the end all it does is build my testimony of the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It's true, I know it with all of my heart and I know this work is real. I invite all of you to be a part of the Restoration and to help in the Work of Salvation.

Love,

Elder Armstrong

Week Ninety

Hello everyone!

What a long and busy and crazy week I have had. I hope yours has been a little more easy going. Life here in Delhi is starting to get hot again, and I am not that excited for it. I am, however, excited to sweat off all the weight I gained over the last two or three months. I'm positive that by the time I come home I will be skinny and ready to put down a burger and a shake. This week I was sick again, but not as bad as I have been before. I thought over time I would get stronger, but I honestly think that when living in Delhi you just get progressively worse and the food and water just eats at your immune system. It's all in good fun though.

This week we had the wonderful opportunity to conduct a Ward Missionary Activity. It was a blast. Indians are some of the most fun people you will ever meet, and they love competition. I mean I'm a very competitive person, but some of the ward members are right up there with me. I'm talking about Relief Society president's Primary teachers, young men and women, and even the Bishop. They all want to win, and that makes simple childish games at a Ward activity the best night of the week. We had relay races and scavenger hunts and way more and you would have thought they were playing Pakistan in cricket. After the games we sat them down and talked about the new Stake Vision for 2018 which is based off the scripture in Matthew 6:33. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all things shall be added unto you." We talked about what our priorities are and about how if we all put God first our newly formed stake can rise and reach out to many many people in need of the gospel light. 

The members here in the Munirka ward might be my favorite in all of Delhi. I mean I can't really choose a favorite I don't think, but I truly love this ward and its members. They love us and we love them, they give us referrals and we eat their food. It's just working really well;) But it all starts with having a great relationship with them. I truly care about these people. I care about my Bishop and his family. I care about the less actives across the ward. I care about the Primary kids and what their favorite color or favorite chocolate is. The lesson here, which is for everyone not just missionaries, is that when you truly care about and take interest in other people’s lives, you build true friendships that will last a lifetime. You don't do it because you have to, you don't do it because they are the family you home teach, you do it because it's the right thing to do. Love your neighbors and care about them, they will do the same for you, and that's when your home, ward, or stake will become as Zion. Where everyone is of one heart and one mind. That's the dream.

Love,

Elder Armstrong

American Toilet

India Taco Bus

Week Eighty Nine

Hello Family and Friends!

I hope all of you are doing well and that you are all happy and safe. My week went really well and I can't even begin to tell you how many blessings we are receiving in our mission. The more I am involved in this work the more my testimony grows of the Church and the Restoration. Every lesson I sit through and teach and just think to myself "This is the truth, it just is." And I love teaching the truth! Coming on a mission was the best decision I ever made, looking back now I can't believe I thought of not going. No matter how hard it has been the blessings are always greater.

Today for P Day we are going to Old Delhi. Old Delhi is such a cool place and I could spend forever there, especially eating the food in Pulbangash and Chandni Chowk. Man I love this place! We are going to a really big GuruDwara, which is a Sikh temple. I may have told you before but Sikh people are the coolest and nicest people you will ever meet. Extremely successful people and it's really cool to learn about their religion and their beliefs. We are also going to the Spice Market, that's an interesting place. You can barely breath because the spices are so hot and you just cough the entire time...but it's a must see place. All the general authorities go to Old Delhi when they come, it's such a cool place...I'll have good pictures next week.

ME!

This week we had tons of great experiences, teaching new investigators and helping others learn about the restored gospel. One of my favorite things though about being a missionary is working with the members. I love working with the members in this ward, they seriously are the best and they would do anything for us! I love working with less actives and helping them find their way back to the straight and narrow path. We have seen so much success in that lately and we are seeing less actives come to church that haven't been in 2 or 3 years, and we have others who are starting to give us referrals again. It's so awesome. The people in this country are amazing, but the people in this country who have accepted the gospel are above and beyond the rest. 

Vonya (Member's daughter so funny!)

Vonya's rendition of me

I hope all of you have a good week and stay safe. I know my letters aren't as good as they used to be, we are extremely busy and it really cuts into my mailing time. But I hope all of you know how much I love you and want you to be happy...and I know true happiness comes from the gospel and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Love you!

Elder Armstrong

Editor's Note:  Woke up to pictures from his Pday excursion.  Will post more next week.

Spice Market in Old Delhi

i

So strong, hard to breathe

 

Chandni Chowk

 

GuruDwara  Sikh Temple