They the builders of the nation....

19 May 2013

A year ago when I was in India pursuing joint ventures with Indian universities, towards the end of my trip our CEO came to meet with representatives of those institutions where a tie up seemed most promising. On his first day he asked the Indian woman who had been making introductions for us and facilitating the meetings, “How do you say ‘hello’ in Indian,” assuming I think she would say namaste or some other Hindi word. Instead she told him: “hello”. Which is true except the pronunciation is typically closer hahllo than hello. In any case, I digress, if it is possible to digress before one even “gresses.”

I have thought long and hard about what I should select as the topic of the blog this week. After several suggestions from Rae, some helpful and some, shall I say, a bit less so, I have decided to write about the Church in India. For those who read this and who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I apologize for the parochialism. Most of the readers of this blog are members of that church and that is how we refer to it. I must also apologize to those who are mostly interested in pictures. There are none this week. If a thousand words are worth a picture, I hope I can at least create a meaningful sketch.

According to a fascinating Facebook page, “Welcome to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints India”, (it’s on FB, it has to be accurate, right?) the Church entered India in 1850 when some British sailors started teaching some people in Calcutta. The first called missionary entered the same area a year later and some people were baptized, Priesthood was conferred and a small branch (a very small perish or congregation) was started. Over the next few years, missionaries were called to various cities in India but typically what would happen is when the missionaries went home, the most faithful members emigrated with them and a true foothold was never begun. Although there was at least one branch in India continuously organized until 1903.

Over the subsequent years until 1981 it doesn't appear there was much success in building the Church in India. In that year a missionary couple received permission to reestablish a branch and also in that year the Book of Mormon was translated into Telugu, one of the official languages in Southern India. In 1993 the Bangalore Mission was created (prior to that India was part of the Singapore Mission so Nick and Sue Collins can provide more information about that period). Now there are two missions: Bangalore and New Delhi. At this point I will switch reference materials from FB to what I have been told by those involved and what I have been able to observe.

New Delhi Mission covers all of Northern India, Pakistan, and Nepal. In the National Capital Region (basically Delhi and the closely connected cities) there are seven branches. Most of the branches meet in rented space except for the branch where I attend and two others who meet in a Church owned building that also houses the Mission Home, Mission Office and other Church administrative functions. I was just called last week and sustained today as the Second Counselor in the Branch Presidency for 1^st Branch. We average between 80 and 100 members a week in Church, although I understand there are many more on the rolls. The average age of the adult membership is probably 30 or so. There are many young returned missionaries, both men and women, a few families with children, and even fewer older folks. Meetings are conducted and lessons taught mostly in English, although there are some talks given and comments made in Hindi. When that happens, usually the person next to me as tried to make an abridged translation, or the teach will, so those who don’t speak Hindi can also understand.

I have told some of you this experience but when Rae and I were here in February for interviews, as we sat in the chapel listening to the prelude music and waiting for the meeting to start, I was strongly impressed by the Spirit and received the clear impression that this is where the Lord wants us to be.

Rae and I are and will be witnessing in many ways the “pioneer era” of the Church in India. It is the story of one such pioneer family I would like to make the heart of this post. Just over 20 years ago, Grandma Massey saw missionaries walking through her neighborhood. She called them over and talked with them and was intrigued with what they said. She invited them back to teach her family and her husband, although he was not thrilled consented. She joined the Church as did her husband and her three (I believe) sons. The Massey family is a bedrock family of the Church in Northern India. There are first and second generation Masseys serving in significant leadership positions throughout the New Delhi area. I don’t think it is too much a stretch to believe that years from now when a comprehensive history of the Church in India is written, that Masseys will play as important and prominent role as Youngs, Smiths, Snows, and other names we revere in Church history in the United States. I have gotten to know several members of the Massey family and they are amazing, strong, friendly, loving, righteous, and faithful people.

We will be here three years. I am intrigued to see what those years bring to the Church in this area. Bangalore now has a Stake. I wonder, can Delhi be far behind? What of a Temple. The members now, at great personal expense and sacrifice go to the nearest Temple, in Hong Kong. Will we be here when a Temple is built and dedicated in the subcontinent? For the answers to these and other amazing questions, stay tuned to this channel. For now I am looking forward to this evening. Elder Neal Anderson, one of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, is here in Delhi and is going to speak to us. It’s only 114 F today so I hope this auditorium has good AC! I would have been a terrible pioneer. I am such a wimp.

Namaste.