MEDAK

Happy Christmas nobody says "merry" here!

Things have been great here this christmas but I am missing the snow like crazy  It's super hot here and there isn't a lot of festivities... ie: ice skating, hot chocolate, lights, Santa Clause, is all non-existent. We did have one fun Christmas adventure this December!

We went to Medak Cathedral, the oldest church in India! It was pretty cool but the place is infested with monkeys. So many Monkeys. After we took a relaxing ride to a big DAM. While walking across the dam I spotted something large and unusual on the bank of the out flowing river. Me and some Elders made the trek down and as we approached the mysterious object one of the worst smells I had ever witnessed was gagging me. This thing was a huge dead ANACONDA! Freak that snake was so big and looked super swollen. In fact it was so swollen it looked like it was about to pop, so we threw some stones at it to see if it burst. Unfortunately, it never did blow up it just made the smell worse...

We have had so much fun this week spending good time with the other Elders in our district because somebody actually stole our phone. Yeah somebody stole the missionaries phone in church during Christmas program. So we have all had to stay together so that we can stay in contact with people!

Teaching has been good, one day our investigator took us to one of the few places you can get beef here! (Beef is rare because it used to be if you prepared beef and were caught you could get your hands cut off) We were able to Jam out in a brothers car to some american hymns and He is preparing for baptism early 2017!

 Well Merry Christmas everyone!!

Elder Erasmus

Quick Note

Hey I have no time to write today. its 7:30 in the morning and we are leaving to medic church at 8. 
It's one of the oldest churches here.  Also next week I will skype you on December 26th at 8am which will be the 25th around 8pm. That's what time I am going to try to give you the call.  Please send the number/username and I will get to you. Also on Christmas day just be sure to be checking your email frequently so if any of the plan changes I can let you know.  This week was awesome I finally got the money. Thanks I love you all!

FUN FUN FUN

"Hey family so fortunately the bed bugs weren't as big as of problem this week buuut maybe that's because we weren't at our apartment for 4 nights. So remember I said there is a big money crisis going on, well it's gotten so much worse.  This week we ran out of money.  We had about 100 rupees left on Tuesday which is like 1.50 usd. To pull out money my companion has to use another elders card in our district because they have a joint account. Anyways, we met up with those Elders and spent a whole day looking for an atm with cash... we couldn't find anything. We were literally stranded in the area Mehdipatnum, which is like 40 minutes by train from our apt. The next few days consisted of the same thing: us wondering around the city in search of money with no luck. Finally we waited in line for 4 and half hours to pull out 2000 rupees. about 33$. There is no money in India. No cash. Which makes it impossible to travel around to our area and even buy food.  One experience I had while waiting in the 4 and half hour line:  Waiting was boring but while we were standing in the super long line the news crew appeared. They interviewed a few of the irritated people. Then unexpectedly they grabbed me to the side and put a microphone in my face. With absolutely no understanding of the questions or remarks they made I said the only things I knew in Hindi. "my name is Erasmus. I am from America. No money. I did not eat today. Not good day". I'm guessing somewhere out there families was watching the news and saw me make no sense on live television hah!"

Happy December

Recently some great things are happening here! For starters The mission has started to take aim on teaching not just individuals but really focus on families. Just this week we have found two families! one of these families doesn't know how to express in English but understands some so we have been able to teach in HINDI language which has been difficult but rewarding for me too! 

Second I will be staying in Hyderabad for another 6 months which is great for me! I am really happy to be here because life is good, I have a fun companion, the gym is close to our apartment, Great ward, and I found a store with toilet paper. Blessings

The money issue is still a burden on everyone here. this last week I have had to live off of 400 rupees. about 6 USD$. which is no money at all for travel and food. lets just say I ate at some really...really cheap places I will never go again! In fact if you want to pull out like 30$ usd you have to wait in line for 4 hours. super efficient. 

I also got to attend a Hindu wedding this week which was interesting to say the least. Im a fan of weddings and the food (biriyani) was incredible but the Hindu traditions definitely put some questions in my mind. for instance people will dye their skin color yellow especially their hands and feet. When I went to meet with the bride and groom its a sign of respect and support to throw rice on top of their heads. Loud chants, lots of fireworks, intriguing clothing

I am super stoked for Christmas. Hope you all "light the world." love hearing from all of you

Elder Erasmus

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Bed Bugs and Ferris Wheels

Dear Family

This week has been challenging as far as missionary work goes.  We've spent a lot of time dealing with the bugs in our apartment including throwing every clothe material in our apartment into scolding hot water and then washing them. This took wayyy too much time. We also got to go to the Gardens as a district which was very fun. It's like a little amusement park. While we were there we decided to take the other two elders on the Ferris Wheel. Holy Cow these Indians are terrified of heights. Each kart sat four so we all jumped in.  There is a vertical pole right in the middle and one of the elders just hugged it so tightly with his head pressed against it, his eyes closed, and yelling "Slowwwww PLEAASSEE!!" He was so horrified what a crazy experience! We also got to teach a few lessons this week. The main thing in India is helping others overcome word of wisdom problem... everyone chews here its very bad. 

A Hindu Wedding and BEEF!

Yo Family it looks like you all had a pretty good week!

This week I got to attend a new thing, A Hindu Wedding. Wow, just wow. Hindus are crazy and honestly I'm not a fan of the culture at the wedding. It was just a loud guy from the Bramen Caste chanting Telagu things I couldn't understand. Also the wedding served some good Roti and Buttered Chicken so that was a highlight. When you go take a picture with Bride and Groom you have to throw rice on the top of their heads to show respect... super weird. 

I also got to attend the zoo this week which was awesome. I saw a white tiger which is one of the most rare animals in the world it was great. 

This week not much new has happned this week. I got to go on exchanges and I found one place that serves beef. Beef biriyani in fact! They are not allowed to publicly call it beef though so it says this on the menu" Mutton Biriyani (beef)" 

This week we found some new people to teach because many of our previous investigators just are not keeping commitments or coming to church. It's unfortunate and sad to drop people but we need to use the Lords time effectively.  This week we actually had a funny thing happen. So we were waiting on the bus to go to our area when I noticed we had just passed our stop... so I will quickly ran to the open door/hole on the bus and jumped out in time, unfortunately the bus began to speed up rapidly and my companion was unable to jump out. When this happens whoever jumped out is supposed to stay put. So I waited at the bus stop for 15 minutes just passing out our new Christmas " invite to learn" cards. Elder Sundas eventually got back to me and everything worked out. 

Well thats about my week love you all. sorry for no individual emails

Love,

Elder Erasmus

Economy Crash in India

Hi

So there has been so much happening I will try to fit some good stuff in this email! I am approaching my 6 month mark on the mission so for those of you who like fractions that means I am 1/4 complete. Time is flying by but I am enjoying it so much, just seems like yesterday I was burning alive in the summer sun of Arizona now I'm Burning alive in the humidity of India (: But really I have already had so many good things happen in the mission.

This last two weeks have been awesome with Elder Sundas and some Economically challenging things have occurred too! So in India the currency is "Rupees" 1 USD is equal to about 60 rupees. Just like America the most valuable bill is the $100 bill, well in India the two highest bills they have are 1000 Rupees and 500 Rupees which equals about 15 and 9 US dollars.

Well this week the Prime Minister of India basically said the 1000 and 500 bill are no longer acceptable currency so at Midnight we got a call to go out and try to exchange our moneys. Well we searched all night with no luck but eventually we found out Subway Sandwiches is the only place that takes these bills. I went to Subway 5 times this week... Imagine if the new beloved president Donald Trump declared the 10 and 20 USD dollar bills are now no longer worth anything. Well that's basically what happened here. Banks had riots outside of them and everywhere people were carrying their biggest bills just trying to find people to exchange!

On a unexpected spiritual note..

One day me and Elder Sundas were cruising along the dirt roads of our area kicking a soda bottle around pretending to be Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when some guy shouted at us in a different accent "hey come here" we approached the guy and he said "are you guys missionaries? Shockingly enough we found the one person in India that already knew about Mormon missionaries and Joseph Smith but had never been taught.  His parents were Evangelists and we were able to answer some of his questions about our church. Mid conversation I pulled out a Book of Mormon to give him and he began to inquire on how he could contact us again. I asked him if he had ever read the Book of Mormon, he said he had never seen it before... I was able to provide this guy who knew everything about Joseph Smith and Mormons his first Book of Mormon. He was so interested with the Book and now we are meeting with him to discuss its origin and help him learn. God undeniably put us in the right place to meet this guy.  

One fun adventure we had is we were able to visit a a birthday party. This party was for a baby girl who was turning 1 year old.  People go all out for birthdays here especially with young children. There was a huge venue, a stage, and so many people. 

I am really pleased with the Indian people we have been teaching and I know there is no coincidences because of Gods plan. I love hearing from you all. 

Love,

Elder Erasmus 

November 6, 2016

Op kaisa Ho? Mai tik Hun, Mera naam Erasmus Hai. Op ka naam KHA hai?

Hello ERASMUS family! 

This week we did lots of fireworks and lots of fun. I got to teach my new comp the area and showed him how to jump on and off moving buses like a pro. We finally got AC fixed in my apartment so that was pretty cool.  I am going to the gym a ton usually once or twice everyday it's great. Funny thing this week, we are teaching a young girl and man about prayer.  Her problem is she uses vain repetition badly.  Like every other word of her prayer she says Jesus name.  So we had her say the opening prayer and My companion really wanted to say Sister that prayer was terrible let us teach you how hahaha but we didn't. Also we had two lessons back to back and we wanted to share the story about how Peter walks on water to Jesus but in both lessons Elder Sundas was unable to find the verses ha I basically was stalling for him in both lessons and eventually told the story without using the scriptures it was pretty funny. I am going to Tank Bund Buddha statue so pictures next week!  Here is a video of my apartment!

Love you all!

No Halloween in India

October 31, 2016

HAPPY DIWALI!, 

No not Halloween, Indians celebrate a holiday on OCT 30th called Diwali,a Hindu Holiday, where they celebrate the triumphant return of a Hero that killed a Sri Lankan king...idk, its basically just like the Fourth of July. There is plenty of Fireworks, Parades, and the whole city is caked with orange and yellow flowers. I enjoyed the festivities and all the embracing hugs from drunk people on the streets. 

I am still in the city Hyderabad but I received a new companion from North India, Elder Sundas. He is teaching me (well trying to teach) the complex language of HINDI. 

The last few weeks have been so full of crazy experiences.. I visited a place called Golconda Fort which is an ancient Muslim fort on top of a mountain, I rode some pretty decorative Camels, and was chased by a wild Great Dane (dog). India still is giving me new experiences everyday.  I've developed a motto for every situation... "No Problem".  Here in India it is very illegal to kiss or show affection to women in public, in fact even the bus is segregated women in front men in the back. BUT it is completely fine to use the restroom wherever you please.  So just the opposite of America "you can piss but you can't kiss". Also another funny thing that I had to get used to is when Indians go out with friends or walking down the street with their buds they will almost always be holding hands.  So many guys holding hands together it was funny to get used to hahaha!

Lastly, this week I had some interesting nights.  But the best was spending Diwali festival at a members home. We got there and their two girls immediately began to plead for us to play UNO with them. I don't know why they are obsessed with playing but we did. After, we had an awesome Dinner called "Chicken Biriyani" then got to blow some stuff up with the member and his firecrackers.  It was pretty cool and super loud... my ears are still ringing. The work here is really good so many peoples lives are being blessed and I'm so happy I've been able to find the ones God has prepared me to meet. Love hearing from all you, thanks for the support.

Love,

Elder Erasmus

Blood by the Hindu Temple

Today is a day I will never forget. it started off as a great morning, President Mortenson came for interviews and I got to hangout with other missionaries from the zone in the morning so that was fun. After the morning me and Elder Martin were not on the best terms because I said he was being a robot, which he was, so it was just a weird/bad feeling on our way to Alwal (our area). We had a few lessons w/ members and I got to know the area more and where these people actually live. After dinner was when it went crazy! Our next appointment was with a new family we had found and was at 7:30 we got off the bus (jumped) late because we were waiting for a member to show up. We walked across the usual busy Indian street which is literally like playing frogger if you know what that is. We got across when I notcied a group of 8 or so people. We got a little closer and they were attending a man laying on the ground very frantically. I noticed some more urgency to this man then just the usual passed out drunk. Finally as I got up to the group and I saw the man... this guy was cold and blood was draining from his head not responding at all. He was dead. right in front of me. I'm guessing some accident happened and he hit his head or got ran over, we walked away from the gruesome seen as people were rushing towards him. We walked about 20 yards away and there was now like 50 people around him. I cannot believe the stuff I have been seeing.... 

Alive in India

Hey Everyone!

India has been great so far! I have been doing a lot of registering work! At one point I was about to get deported lol! These last few weeks have been some of the craziest of my life. I have already seen some stuff I will never forget, good and bad. I've seen people with no legs begging, I've seen little girls with their hands burnt off begging me for money, I've seen dog fights in the streets, I've seen Hindu people and others cast witchcraft on me because I'm Christian and I've also seen some peoples lives changed from teaching them.

This week we got to go to a place called Charminar (the old City) this place is famous for its pearl shopping and one of the worlds oldest Muslim Mosques. We got to go inside and peruse around, its cool because that building is older than all of AMERICA!

We actually missed a lot of conference this last week. Their is a Deaf guy in our church and he was starting to have a nervous breakdown for reasons I'm unsure of.  He has some problems he is dealing with including Alcoholism...which he may have been using at the time.  We were bearing our testimonies and he started crying, I told him Christ will never leave him, that he knows all he is going through. It was a touching moment...and then snot began plummeting from his nostrils.  He kept wiping it away, messily, with his hands and wiping his tears away. After he was feeling better and extended his hand for me to shake it. (thats the thing, in India when people shake hands they like hold your hand for 20 senconds) And oh boy, there was a considerable amount of mucus on his right hand. I clenched my jaw and robotically just continued to say goodbye.

India is fun but there is some improvements I would personally make.... There isn't any toilet paper here, The cities have probably the worst draining I have ever seen which is really bad during Monsoon season because its literally a river in the street, and the level of poverty is bad.. Its actually a rule we are not allowed to give money to the poor here because it will actually cause problems for us. I have eaten more rice here than ever! and there is no such thing thing as silverware, its all just scooping it into your mouth with your right hand. 

There is lots more I can say about this place but I really am enjoying it so far! Everyone thinks White people are celebrities and so I'm constantly getting asked to take selfies with strangers.