Comings and Goings

August ended with President and Sister Gygi leaving Noida Branch. Of course that little branch said their goodbyes in style with a huge farewell card,

a cake and lots of pictures.

They will be sorely missed! They shared their love of the gospel so freely with everyone attending that branch!

The four senior missionary couples took a day off to tour Old Delhi and Red Fort. Brother Anil, the mission driver, was our tour guide. Each couple had their own rickshaw, except the Hubbards had Anil as well.

The area was built by the Mughals in 1638-48 and heavily Muslim. The streets are narrow and well decorated. Here are a couple of views from the wall overlooking a Muslim Mosque.

But we did also tour a 1000 year old Jain Temple just a little ways away.

The Adams had to get back in time for the piano students she is teaching so they missed the Red Fort.

It is massive, but unfortunately most treasures (like the jewels that once adorned the ceilings and the peacock throne the king ruled from) are either in Afghanistan or Britain.

Some things couldn’t be carried away like the carvings.

The District sponsored a Perspective Missionary Fireside and was hoping for 15 missionaries with their parents and leaders. However, we ended up with 40 missionaries and about 100 people there in all. It was a great fireside! I guess the personal invitations that the branch presidents handed out in each branch really worked. Take a look:

Last week there was a reunion for any members who have ever served a mission. All the elders served here in India while some sisters also served in the Philippines. The oldest served about 1985 when India was part of the Singapore Mission.  Then some served when India was all one mission (1993-2007). Now most serve in the Bangalore India Mission down in the southern part of India. The organizer had contacted the previous mission presidents who sent messages via email or video which were shared. The returned missionaries also shared memories, both funny and serious. It was a nice evening.

We often see interesting scenes along the street while waiting to meet up with someone. Here are people setting up tables for a local market.

Kind of rough tables, but they get the job done.

Cute kids all in blue and yellow with their newly acquired Burger King Crowns on display.

What to do when the bus is full inside? There is more room up top!

A family of five on the family motorcycle. (See the child in front of the driver?)

Elder playing volleyball on P-day. (He’s the one with the white shirt and red hat.)

A last picture of Dwarka Elders before Elder Chand returned to Las Vegas this week.

(He is the third from the right, front row. He is full blooded Indian so he blends right in here—he even speaks Hindi!) He will be missed!

We found a Subway just a little ways from the church in Dwarka! For some reason, it is safe to eat all the fresh vegies we want at Subway. None of us have ever gotten sick. But we can’t eat the fresh vegies or fruit at a 5-star hotel. Yeah for Subway!

Just last night we got 5 more missionaries from the United States, including a Sister Gill, a descendent from President Gill, the first mission president of the India Mission back in 1993! Yeah!