May 23, 2016 - Bengaluru, Whitefield

Hello!!
Well another great week for Elder Thompson and I!! Man we kill it together! I don't know what it is, but we just seem to be able to work really hard and well together all the while enjoying it like crazy!! We really have a great time together!!!

This week we taught more lessons than i have ever taught here in whitefield.  We really had an awesome week and achieved most of our goals.  Prathapan and Shanthi got confirmed this week, and they are doing awesome.  So happy and it really brings me so much happiness seeing how well they are doing.  Also, a big step, Prathapan who just a few weeks ago was struggling with alcohol, is worthy for the priesthood and got ordained to a priest yesterday!!! So amazing to see that.  He and his family are so excited that he has the priesthood, and that in the near future he will be their Melchizedek priesthood holder in the home.

Sindu and Swathi are doing amazing and are still scheduled for baptism on the 5th of June.  Babitha was also scheduled for that date but again she didn't come to church.  Very frustrating.  Not sure what the problem is.  But at Ward Council we came up with a pretty good plan to involve her in the Young Women's because she is a teacher and also Preethi, her daughter is probably going to get called as a Young Women's advisor, so it will very comfortable environment for Babitha.  Hopefully that helps her get excited.

Raj Kumar is awesome.  He committed to June 12 baptism and came to church again and is doing really well.  We just have to keep working with him and help him get involved in the ward.  We found a couple new investigators this week.  One is Thanush's 10 year old cousin who we taught and his mother is also a potential.  Also we were looking through our area book and called every single former investigator, so we called like 100 people.  We only got like three interests but one of them we went and taught yesterday and it was good.  Very nice family, so hopefully there is some potential there.  

This week we have really been noticing God's help in our work.  This area was really struggling just a couple weeks ago, but now is really picking up and we are really improving things here.  The Bishop and the ward are really pleased with us right now, so we are going to try and keep that up.  But none of our successes are possible without the Master and the Lord themselves.  Especially since Shanthi keeps thanking us for helping her husband change, but really it was the Savior and his Atonement which has changed him.  And not only him, but has been changing me as well.  The Atonement and repentance are amazing.  And it isn't just to make bad men good, but also to make good men better.

Crazy about the ward split!!!! That is so weird.  Especially about the Harbaughs and some other people!! Not sure if i want to come home to that!;) haha. 

GO OKC.  Thanks for the trunky note dad;)  (note about OKC)
Love you guys!!!!
Elder Ball

Recent Leadership Training by President Berrett and Elder Funk

Elder Ball, investigator Raj Kumar, Elder Thompson

Elders Thompson & Ball with investigator, Shabbeer

Their housing complex called Brigade Metropolis.

An excerpt from Elder Thompson's letter this week...

"Walking around the streets of Bangalore with another tall white guy that looks exactly the same as me regularly causes people to lift their eyebrows and turn their heads as we walk by. When we talk to people on the streets, our conversation usually goes something like this:

Us: Hey guys, how are you?

Them: Fine! Where are you from?

Us: We're from America. 

Them: Ahh, okay okay. Twins Ah?

Us: No we're not twins. We're looking the same right?

Them: Yes! You are own brothers?

Us: Nope. Also not brothers.

Them: Cousin brothers?

Us: Yeah, let's go with that. We're cousin brothers. (which in India really doesn't imply that you are blood related but related because of friendship or something)"