Ayushman Bhava: "May you live a long life"

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year.  It was my first without my family but it was never-the-less a day of celebration and gratitude for our Savior's life.  I cherish the kind thoughts and gifts of love and support that I received from my family and my "family" of friends.

The week was full of preparation and activities.

At our senior couples FHE/dinner on Monday, we decorated and filled bags with gifts for those elders and sisters who didn't receive gifts/ packages from home.  Sister Prince takes care of the mail.  All mail comes through the office so she monitored the packages and recorded who received boxes.  That way she could tell who didn't receive. The bags were filled with toothpaste, toothbrush, candy, fruit, cake/brownie mixes, misc. goodies and stocking caps and ties for the elders and necklaces and scarves for the sisters.

Preparing gift bags for missionaries.

Wouldn't you know it, we have a Sister PRINCE and a Sister DUKE right here in QUEENS!!

Our FHE treat thanks to my brother, John Terry, the cook.
He sent me a huge box of homemade fudges of different flavors. We were all blessed by his talents.

Tuesday, Sister and Elder Duke escorted the missionaries on their 6, 12, or 18 month temple trip (The missionaries have the gift of going to the temple in Manhattan on the anniversary of their 6, 12, 18 months in the mission.) so that left Elder and Sister Prince to man the office.  I went over in the afternoon and helped Sister Prince with all of the mail. For the past 3 weeks or more, between all the carriers, there have been dozens of boxes delivered each day to put into the zones for dispersal.  That was almost a full time job especially this last week as Christmas drew near.

Tuesday evening I went with the Spanish speaking sisters, in a down pour, to a lesson.  They are teaching an English speaking lady from India.  The sister will be coming to my ward so the missionaries wanted her to meet me so she would have someone at church that she knows.  It was truly an experience I will embrace. We were drenched by the time we got there but Ruma, the investigator, was warm and inviting.  She didn't seem to mind that we were dripping on her hardwood floors.

Sisters Maddox and Jenkins on our way to teach a lesson.

On our way home, the water was over the curb and onto the side walk.
Even with umbrellas we were drenched head to toes.
By the way you should try walking down a crowded sidewalk
when everyone has umbrellas open. Quite a trick!!

Ruma was pleased, as was I, that I had come to her home.  She is a young mother with two boys. One looked to be 12 or a bit older and the other maybe 8 or 9.  She wants to be baptized but her husband says no.  The lesson was about the word of wisdom.  It was easy for her as she does not smoke nor drink.  She drinks herbal tea but not green nor black tea. 

As I left, she reached down and touched my feet.  I was a bit taken aback but she told me it was a custom in her country. We agreed to see each other at church.

When I got home, I Googled the custom of touching a person's feet in India.  "Feet are considered unclean and insulting in India, so it can be surprising to see a Hindu bending down to touch someone's feet with their hand. Why are they doing that?

Touching feet is one of the forms of pranam (there are others, ranging from the namaste/namaskar gesture of palms together to bowing with forehead touching the floor). You might even hear someone say, "Pranam!" as a greeting, especially to their guru.

A gesture of respect, foot touching is reserved for your elders (like your parents or grandparents) or someone worthy of respect (such as a priest, guru, or deity).

There is a saying, "Every time you bow, you receive a blessing" which comes from the fact that the person whose feet are being touched raises the right hand in a gesture of blessing, often saying something like, "Ayushman Bhava," which means, "May you live a long life."

Foot touching is not done despite feet being considered unclean - it's done because feet are generally considered unclean. It means that the person has walked this earth longer than you and gained such wisdom that you can benefit even from the dust their feet have picked up along the way."

After learning about this gesture, I was deeply touched.

Christmas Eve day we had a mission conference.  All 11 zones came to the chapel next door to my apt where the mission office is located so I didn't have far to go.  The day started with hot chocolate, muffins, juice, and clementines.  We had funny parodies of Christmas music with each zone preparing a number.  Our zone performed a medley of songs with the words changed to fit our mission. We weren't "gettin' nuttin' for Christmas cause President and Sister Reynolds were mad."  We sang Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.  Bet you can't guess who Rudolph was with antlers and all!  (They forgot to bring the red nose but no one seemed to mind.) We also sang a couple of other songs. It was fun.  With 11 zones, it took most of the morning to hear all of the "mashed up" versions of Christmas songs. 

We arrived early to prepare hot chocolate. Elder and Sister Lilly beside me.

The senior couples helped with the luncheon. The main course was catered. Whew!! We served over 230 people: ham, scalloped potatoes, mixed vegetables, salad, rolls, and chocolate cake with either peppermint or vanilla ice cream.

A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight... No snow in sight!!

After lunch, we had a guest speaker who is a stake patriarch in the area and then talks by Sister and President Reynolds.  President Reynolds presented the mission goals for 2016.

Someone airdropped this to me during the conference

That evening I went with the six Spanish speaking missionaries in our zone to dinner at a member's home in Jackson Heights.  Luckily it wasn't raining but it was warm (60 degrees) and the house was hot! That was an interesting experience. We arrived at 6:00 but dinner wasn't served until almost 8:00. They had a dance contest.  It was a laugh-filled evening.  The matron of the home didn't speak English.  Her daughter and the daughter's husband prepared dinner and provided the entertainment. We had pork, warm potato salad, and Puerto Rican rice.  Chocolate cake and a glass of milk was dessert.  As we were leaving, the rest of the guests began to arrive. I understand that they party all night.

My dinner companions(left to right):
Elders Pothier & Corzo, Sisters Jenkins & Maddox, Elders Messenger & Pena  

Boys will be boys!

The dance contest winners. The dance was performed riding a stick horse to some lively music.
An example of a horse was shown in video. It was a Paso Fino.
We were to dance as the horse had "danced" slapping our hip as we would a horse. Very silly.

We were visited by the Grinch.

We were very late getting home because of the late dinner so I was up until 1:30ish preparing the French toast strata for the Christmas morning brunch.  I didn't mind though.  I loved the experience at the Hispanic home.

Christmas morning Sister and Elder Duke, Sister and Elder Prince and I prepared brunch for the five sets of missionaries in our close area. I so enjoy having friends in my home.  That afternoon and evening I was able to FaceTime my family members.  What a wonderful day!

Looking out my bedroom window Christmas morning.

Christmas brunch.

Saturday morning I helped clean at our chapel. Our ward was assigned again.  The chapel was a mess because of the many festivities that were held there during the week. People clean up after themselves- sort of - not!  In the afternoon I did my laundry and reports.  A productive day.

This week as I have studied my scriptures, I thought more about my idea of the Light of Christ that I mentioned last blog.  I have re-thought my statement.  I no longer feel that the darkness the people of this continent experienced when Christ died was a result of His light leaving the earth with Christ's death. I think it could have been symbolic but it was only on this continent, not the entire world, that there was darkness.

I also chatted about this idea with a person whom I respect deeply and who has a greater knowledge of the scriptures than do I.  Samuel the Lamanite, in Helaman 14, prophesied of the birth of the Savior and also of His death. At His birth there would be "one day and a night and a day" of continual light and a new star in the heavens. Then speaking of mankind's need of the Atonement and resurrection, Samuel prophesied of the signs of Jesus' death, three days of darkness accompanied by storms and earthquakes.

These signs were "gifts" to the people to let them know assuredly that the Savior had come, had died, and was resurrected and that prophecies had been fulfilled.

I am grateful for the Book of Mormon and for the teachings of the prophets that can be found in this book.  I am grateful for the Savior and His gifts to me.  I am grateful for the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for my membership in the church. I know without doubt that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. He loves me and He loves you.

I am blessed to be here in this mission, to be with the missionaries and to have been able to share in the experiences of being with investigators and members. As Sister Maddox reminded me as we walked through the rain, I was getting a feel for what they experience frequently.  I've always appreciated what the missionaries do but this did truly give me a taste of real missionary life. To borrow from the phrase noted for the mail carriers that also applies to these great missionaries: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

I love you my family and friends.

My favorite Santa!  Love this man!

Many delis/markets have flower shops outside. A month ago, they set up this portable green house.
The store owner leaves a window open for heat.

Christmas tree sales, New York style.