We are not alone, being on our own….

Thanks to the Fruit Bats (yeah, I don’t know them either) for today’s lyrical title. It reflects what it was like at Church today. Since I have been called to be in the Branch Presidency, I have dreaded the day I would be the only member of the Presidency in attendance. Sure, there is the issue of having too many things to do and no one else to get them done, but that isn’t my issue. I always figure I would only do what I could. If things didn’t work exactly right, or if absolutely everything didn’t get done, “oh well”. Fifty years from now, who would remember? I did however have a couple of apprehensions.  Initially one of my concerns was not knowing all the members of the Branch, well that’s not an issue now.

My other concern was and remains speaking essentially no Hindi, what do I do when a member who speaks essentially no English needs something? I have written before about giving interview. At least as long as another member of the Branch Presidency is here, I can always hold up a finger say “ek minute (one minute)” and go get someone else. So what to do when there is no one else there?

Well, today I found out. It wasn’t too bad. I made it through unscathed and got home perhaps only an hour later than usual. President Jurial is with his wife and new born baby boy (Rimpy gave birth on Wednesday – picture below) and President Kuberan is in the South visiting is wife’s family. So I got to live one of my fears. As I said, not too bad. I once again got to give an impromptu talk, as one of our speakers did not show up. However, speaking, whether with or without notice is not an issue. It’s always been a joke in our family, although one born in truth, if you want something done, ask Rae; if you want something said, ask Phil.  In other words, I am all talk.

Here, now is a woman of action, Rae.

Life on the home front was pretty quiet with only some of the usual issues to deal with, i.e. power outages, lies from the landlord and his managers, you know, the usual.  I know, same song and actually the same verse.  I won’t bore you with those fun details, but will say I’m tired of feeling lied to and jerked around.  There, I’ve vented.

Saturday we decided to try another movie.  We had planned to go see How to Train Your Dragon II with the Slocombes.  We were too slow and the movie ended on Thursday.  So we decided to see Planes, Fire and Rescue.  It was a fun movie and the Slocombes first experience at the movies.  Normally we would have gone to dinner afterwards but it turned out that Phil had to go to work for a (hopefully) quick meeting at 4:00.  I went home to chillax while Phil went to his meeting which only lasted 3 hours.  Oh yeah!  So much for his day off.  That’s how we roll in India. 

I did go to lunch with Phil one day this week.  That’s always a nice break. 

Phil did talk about today and how shorthanded he was.  That was the case for primary also.  Just before church Phil got a call from the primary president’s husband saying that she wouldn’t be there today.  That doesn’t seem like a big deal, but they are in the process of reorganizing the presidency and only one counsellor has been called.  She however is the woman Phil spoke of earlier that had gone home to visit her family (President Kuberan’s wife).  Time to regroup.  I told him that I’d go in there and come up with something.  I’m normally in YW for 3^rd hr.   There was a small group today and it really was pretty fun being in there with them.  The Primary all meets together so the biggest challenge is trying to do something that works for the varied age group 3-12.  Didn’t realize that Phil stuck his head in and took a picture of us.  Guess I was having fun. 

I know I’ve talked about how close cars come to each other and to people.  Well, to illustrate that let me tell you why the primary president wasn’t there today.  Last Sunday as she was walking home an auto (a motorized three wheel taxi) drove so close to her that they ran over her foot and fractured it.  See told you we are close.  Poor Ruchika. 

So, today was play the organ for sacrament meeting, teach primary, and then meet with the YW president to do some planning.  My Sunday was shorter and easier than Phil’s.

 Namaste.