DAVID: February 6, 2012

This week was so crazy!!!! I got my new companion and he is from Utah.  He is reallly good and his dad is a current Bishop in his area.

The first day here in Rajahmundry i was dead scared to ride the bike. On top of that my companion's first day in India.  He is also scared to death.  Man!!  We are both white washed and didn't know where to go. My companion Elder Hodgson almost crashed his bicycle into to running auto.  I am fine now, we are slowly getting hang of the bicycle.  My leg is fine. But my bum is killing!! My companion is also dying.  We are not use to this.  Haven't rode the bicycle for 7 months, especially in India.

I think it is a adventure here in my new area.  so yesterday, we ate so much food. this morning both of us suffered with loose motion.

In Church i really like the members because they are ALWAYS willing to help the Elders.  Many people are calling this place as the Land of Bountiful.  I like it a lot.

Mom, Thank goodness the mother is still alive.  She wanted to commit suicide but the members really helped her and comforted her. She is not dead!!

The new area is like a village, not a developed city.  The people are so good.  People of different religion dont know who mormon's are. But they do know where the A/C Church is.  It's funny I think.  When i asked this one man, he said this " The AC Church is this way and the Luthern Church is the opposite way"

I really like Rajahmandry.  I just have to find more poeple to teach.

Love,

Elder Aruldoss

PS: Elder Hodgson loves the Cocunut water and Mango juice.

SISTER ANDREA FUNK (DAVID'S MISSION PRESIDENT'S WIFE): February 2, 2012

Dear family of Elder Aruldoss,

I spent part of the day today with Elder Aruldoss.  He has been transferred to Rajahmundry and will be training Elder Hodgson.  President Funk and I appreciate Elder Aruldoss's goodness and willingness to serve.  He is very trusted to be a trainer.

I have attached some pictures.

Love, Sister Funk

Elder Hodgson and Elder Aruldoss

New Missionaries and Their Trainers with President and Sister Funk

Trainers Waiting to See Who Their New Companions Are

DAVID: January 30, 2012

This week was very crazy.  I am transfering to a new area Rajahmandry.  I am also going to be a trainer again and Pre.Funk wants me to be a District Leader.  I am so excited for this new opportunity to meet other Church members and others.  I am leaving this Wednesday with my companion to Banglore to pick up our new companions. We are both trainers this time.  However, i was really sad because my trainer left home today.  It was very sad.  I will miss him.

 

My companion and I baptized 3 people this week.  It was such a great experence for both of us.  The people whom we baptized are going to be a stong members of the Church.  I will send photos...

 

I will never forget this week because something happened which i will never forget.  I told you about this girl who had Cancer and was going to die soon.  So we went to visit her on Wednesday.  The previous day we were suppose to visit her, but i completely forgot. I dont know why i forgot.  We went to visit her exactly 1:00pm.  When I enter into her house i felt something different.  It was sad to see sister Pavani.  She was still struglling so much to do everything.  As we were talking to the mother Pavani called her mother few times.  After sometime she did not speak at all. I knew someting was wrong.  We found out that Pavani passed away.  SHE passed away front of me. Her mother was crying so much and just within few minutes all the neigbors gathered around her house.  I was sitting there like a stature watching all these happening. I felt really bad for the mother because she lost her second daugher.  I was crying as well.  Soon afer we left he house.  I did not understand why this event took place in front of us.  I was confused.... then my companion told me that he wants to tell me something when we reached to our apartment because we dicided to go and take a shower.

 

What i am going to tell you is TRUE!!  My companion told me that he talk to the Holy spirit at Pavani's house(girl who died).  He said that he was praying to Heavenly Faher asking why she has to suffer all these things. Why this is all happening to this mother.  The spirit told him that she, sister Pavani is going to die soon. So right after his prayer  when he said AMEN, sister Pacani passed away. At this house i was also observing my companion and he was stirring at this sister. I thought to myself that God wanted us to be there for this very purpose to witness this experence.  I told you that i did feel something different when i enter into her house.  That whole day did not go well for me because what had happened to this family. [EDITOR'S NOTE:  See David's letter from February 6 for an update on this story. Keep in mind that editors do not explain, they only edit.  Or in the case of this blog, they only post UNEDITED emails. . .]

 

This experience really changed my attitude towards God.  I know that he is there who is watching over us.  I know that the Spirit of God is REAL.

 

I love my mission and missionary work is so fun.  I love each of you very much.

 

Elder Aruldoss

DANIEL: January 24, 2012

Hello Families and Friends,

How are you all? I am doing very good. Thank you for writing me mail.

This is my spiritual experience of the week.  I had learned one of the valuable lesson past week. That was to be strong and never give up on the people that I or our missionaries work with.  My experience was this my companion and I made a goal to bring fifty people to church. Not for only one week but every week before this transfer ends we want everyone to come to church every week. We started to focus on the members more and especially with the inactive family in Dwarka Mor Branch. We worked so heard and did our best to and we called every one to church. My companion and I said to ourselves we will have at least fifty five people to church. The Sunday day came and we waited for our members to overflow the chapel. We even waited for 15 minutes extra, but we had the sacrament attendance was 30. My companion and I was really sad and made because we put our whole efforts to bring them to church. We went to our apartment and I had this question of what happened and How can we do better next time? I stated to read the (B.O.M.) My question was answered and I shared with my companion in (Jacob 5).

This what I had learned God given us agency to chose and I also I had learned that some times some we may not get or have what we want but through our efforts and diligence we can accomplish slowly but surely. After I had shared with my companion we both said to our self if it is not this week but we always have next week to help and strengthen our member’s testimony. But we were happy because what we had accomplished on that week.

Love you all,

Elder Aruldoss

DAVID: January 23, 2012

My week was little tough because we went finding for many days.  It was really hard for us to find new people who speak english. The rich people diffently think that they know everything.  I would say that they are little prideful.   Next week we have planned to baptize 3 people and they are so good.  I want to tell you about this couples Madhu (husband), Maduri (wife). They are married for five years.  They are  struglling finacially because of one decision that they maid.  They dicided not to work on Sundays.  They rather keep the commandments of God than being canally minded. After teaching the WOW they stopped drinking Coffee and Tea.  Brother Madhu mother came to visit him last week and the mother asked him for Coffee.  I was also there bit late.  I was so impressed by them because they did not drink Coffee and told the mother that they stopped that habit.  We are going to baptize them next week.  I am so excited for them.   Before we teaching them the lessons they already came to Church for 3 weeks to a different branch.  I like this family very much, they are going to be a great members of the Church.

 

BAD NEWS!!  It was really shocking week for my companion.  One of his brothers also serving in the same mission for 8 months.  He is a good missionary.  We found out that he ran away from the mission.  He left a note saying that there is some problems in the family, so that's why he is leaving the mission. No one knew where he was and what he was doing until few days back.  He was in a member's house in Chennai.  Long story short he did come back to finish his mission. we don't know the details of why he did that.  But we are so happy that he came back.  My companion was stressed out so much. Because he doesn't have parents and only 3 brothers take care of themselves.  so his mind was totally out for few days.

 

It looks like i am going to a different place, I dont know that yet.  I am expressing it because i had a dream and in my dream i got a companion who is my bachmate.  He was also my MTC companion.  I told Pre. Funk i cant do this and i don't want him again.  He told me that JUST DEAL WITH IT!!!  I was so confused when i woke up in the morning.  So i think that i will be transferred sooon.

 

I love my family so much.

Elder Aruldoss.  

DANIEL: January 16, 2012

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This week Daniel sent his mission newsletter.  You can read it here.]

DAVID: January 16, 2012

Hello my dear family and friends,

 

This week was so good.  It looks like we will have at least 3 baptism this month. My companion and i worked really hard to find people to teach last week.  I am happy about our effort.  It looks like I might be going to another place soon.  Transfer coming soon.  Many new  missionaries are coming to our mission.  We will have average of 84 missionaries this year.  I think i told you that we have baptized 596 last year and we have not told the goals for this year. 

 

We went to play cricket for Preparation day.  It was so fun to play with the members.  I did ok.

 

I got all the letters from the ward.  Tell them thanks to all the members for writeng the letter to me. I was really happy to read them.  Also, special thanks to sister Slater for the letter.

 

It is really cold here in my area Vizag.  I was so cold at night traveling to different places.  I wish i could take my Batman blankit with me everywhere.  

 

One day we were waiting for a bus.  This one man named Ravi came up to us at the bus stand and asked us to help him with his personal problems.  As we met and talk with him the next day.  He told us that his own family is making fun of him for not finding a job and kicked him out of the house until he finds a job.  He recently for married as well. so he was asking What is the soultion for me?  What can i do now?  We gave him 3 simple steps as an answer to him. first, we told him to read the scriptures daily. Second, have daily prayer and third go to church weekly once.  He said that he will follow these steps.

I am so happy that i am on mission to rescue the people in India and to teach them about the restored Gospel.  I am really enjoying my mission. 

 

I love you my dear family and keep praying for the people in India.

 

Love Elder Aruldoss