Week 3: Talent Show in Hyderabad

Elder Dusara and O'Dell in a Rickshaw

New district in Hyderabad

So this week was mainly focused on the Fireside we were hosting on Saturday. It was a Missionary Fireside so we were in charge of getting everything set up and squared away. The theme we came up with was Talents. The lord gives us many talents and its up to us to use those talents in a way to invite people to hear and learn of the gospel. So we hosted a talent show pretty much and it was the best fireside I have ever been to or been apart of. There was only like 10 people there at 6pm(when it started), so expected only 20-30 people and we bought 80 boxes full of treats and snacks as well as cool drinks. But at 6:30 there was about 50 people and then at 7 there was 72. How cool it was to see all these beautiful people laugh and smile as we had these talents preforming. Dilip and Sindhu were our hosts for the night and they were the funniest people I have ever met in India, so glad they are in my ward. We had George(Recent Convert) play his guitar and a couple aunties offered to sing these old Hindi songs from like a billion years ago. Either way it was awesome to see the participation in the ward by members and non-members. At the end of the event Brother Jackson said we should play some games so we let him take over and he and Brother Sikeren played games with 70 people. I have videos I will be posting on my youtube so don't change my password. I will be sending you guys pictures of the event and check my youtube on Wednesday to see if its up.

Time to talk about some foods I tried this past week ughhh... I have beef haleem which was alright not the greatest thing in the entire world but it wasn't too bad. I had some dal and Rice and it tasted exactly how mom makes it at home. Gulab Jamun or however you spell it, its like this small round doughnut thing that's dunked in this crazy syrup. Curd rice is nasty, just want to get that out of the way. And every night for dinner I get Chinese food from this vendor that makes the best ginger garlic chicken on the planet! with egg fried rice of course. My companion wants to go to Charminar to try CAMEL haleem and EMU haleem? I was like yea sure.... I will try one spoonful and that's about it for me.

Like I said teaching was really there this week at least with investigators. We could not go finding one day because there was elections going on. But we got to teach some members and answer any questions they had. On Friday we taught the Teofelis family and it was super legit because the wife called us and said the Jehova's witnesses came by and filled her mind with confusion so we went over there to bring her peace. The brother Teofelis is assistant commissioner in the Hyderabad police force! pretty legit. The family just bought this puppy German shepherd and we played with that dog for 45 mins hahah. Other than that it was a pretty chill and relaxing week. The fireside made up for the whole week!

Elder Dusara out:)

2nd week in Hyderabad

Looking over Hyderabad

Egg curry missionary style

Namaste Children,

So this is my second week here in the good area of Hyderabad (West Marredpally Mission). My companion Elder O'dell is still amazing and we are stating to see why we are so great as companions together. One of the missionaries told Elder O'dell before I arrived that he had not heard President Barrett pray so hard and be so confident about this companionship. Elder O'dell is actually one of the guys that started the Color Run. The food here has not quite gotten amazing to me yet. I think I'm still used to american food haha we go to this Chinese place every night to get egg fried rice and crispy garlic chicken for only 120 rupees. I have also been involved in collecting old rupee coins called Paise. Paise was stopped being used around 13 years ago and was started a hundred years ago. On Saturday that's we did some missionary work and stopped my all these places/shacks and asked if they had any Paise coins. Elder Britton are District leader payed this guy 600 rupees for 5 paise coins? I am never doing that but the coins were super rare. 

As for the missionary work this past week was kind of a let down, no one came to church except for the recent converts we talked to and we really only taught like 4 or 5 lessons the whole week. We are having trouble going to bed on time and waking up on time but I know if we can get that down we will be more successful. Saturday morning I prayed that we could be more successful in talking to the people the lord prepared for us and on the bus ride to Bowenpally I talked to this young man who brought this computer on the bus, I asked if he was building it for gaming or just for work and he replied for home purpose only. Everyone is the back of the bus heard my voice and started asking me where I was from what I was doing here in Hyderabad. I told them my purpose and shared with them some facts about our church and what we do. Later in the day some random family of 4 on a cycle (motorcycle) stopped next to us and asked what we were doing. We told him and he asked for our card and we told him where we meet at the church. Moments like this just remind me of how important the work is and how the lord will always answer our prayers if we as with real intent.

Yesterday Elder Britton and Elder Dhandipani Baptised Yeshwanth and Prim. These are two investigators they met a month ago. I became great friends with Yeshwanth and we played basketball together. Seeing these baptisms are so special and makes me want to baptize someone so bad. There is a lot of success to have here in Hyderabad but it requires a lot of work. Everything here requires work. You will not be successful without work. 

Yesterday Elder Odell and Elder Yelisetti made us Egg Curry and Chipatis or Roti. It was pretty good but I still haven't been super amazed at the Indian Food. The fans here in India are way better then any AC that we have at home. These fans actually do their job and keep you nice and cool. That's it for now...

First email and pics from Hyderabad

Elder Dusara with missionary

Drinking straight from the coconut

At Heathrow airport

Doing laundry for once

Dinner time

Good to hear from you guys! India is very very different then america that's for sure haha. When I got here I didn't think I was going to stay because I couldn't really handle the poverty and the people but now after a lot of studying and praying and reading my patriarchal blessing I am starting to see why I was called here and my purpose. My companion Elder Odell is freaking awesome and he is really showing me the ropes around India. 

First day we caught a ride to the Mission Presidents home in Bangalore and we used the Autos( Rickshaws) to get there. Dad would laugh so hard seeing me in one of those things but that's a picture for another time. At about 2:30pm on Wednesday Elder Odell and I flew out to Hyderabad my first zone in which I will be serving in. I will be here for 3 months and possibly more depending on what happens with the mission. I have been riding a lot of buses(about 3-4 times a day) to get from place to place. The buses rarely stop so you have to jump out while it is moving. Crossing the street here is like playing frogger. I have walked out on the busiest streets ever and everyone just goes around you. We have about 5 people with baptisim dates and possibly more. We have already taught a couple lessons to new investigators and recent converts. I am struggling to understand the Telegu language. We have translators during some of our lessons and thats great. 

I was at a members home yesterday( Sis Soni) teaching one of her friends. She called me the "Hindi Hero" and thought I was a movie star lol. Never going to forget that moment. The kids in these certain areas always run up to us and shake our hands and talk with us. I love the people of Hyderabad and hope I can stay in this zone my whole 2 years. My ward(West Marredpally 3 ward) is so legit. Its basically a singles ward with a couple of families. The work is growing and that is good because we have a lot of work to do. I will try to email every Monday at 10am so expect it. Let me know how that family is doing. I will be sending pictures as well. Talk to you next Monday:) Teaching kids how to ball today!!!!!

Elder Dusara  

Sanjeev with Pres and Sister Berrett in Bangalore - Assigned to Hyderabad

Dear Brother and Sister Dusara,

We are so pleased to have Elder Dusara serving in our mission  He is a wonderful young man and a great missionary.  We thank you for sharing him with us  and are grateful for all your efforts in his preparation.  He has a great missionary spirit about him and we know he will touch the lives of many people for good. .  I am attaching a picture of him with us in the mission home the morning he arrived.

Elder Dusara is serving in the city of Hyderabad.  This city has the only stake in India at this time.  His companion is Elder Odell who is very experienced, patient and dedicated.  If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Berrett

India Bangalore Mission

Picture from the Heathrow airport on July 9th

Elder Dusara with Elder Willis at London.

Elder Sanjeev Dusara 
India Bangalore Mission






Email: sanjeev.dusara@myldsmail.net

Elder Sanjeev Dusara

India Bangalore Mission

Anjali Plaza, 2nd Floor

493 C.M.H. Road, Indiranagar

560 038 Bangalore

INDIA