Author: Taunya Neff

This week we were between projects and so had time to visit historic sites in Delhi. The first place we visited was Humayun’s Tomb. The complex is an expansive Mughal garden tomb and was quite peaceful even with other people around. It was built from 1565-1572 for the second Mughal emperor, Humayun, and was the inspiration for several later monuments including the Taj Mahal. There are over 150 family members laid to rest here. It was commissioned by his senior widow, Haji Begum.

 

In India the Mughals used red sandstone for their buildings because it represents the color of the royal tent. It contrasts beautifully with the white marble dome and lime-plastered arches. It is ornamented with the six-sided star. This is not only found on Islamic buildings but on Judaic, Christian and Hindu buildings as well. The delicate carvings are found throughout the buildings here and in the other places we visited this week.

We also went to The Deer Park and found a tomb and mosque there as well. It was fun to be in nature even though the deer were in an enclosure. Besides deer we also saw large bats hanging around, a mongoose scurrying along, monkeys scaring tourists and as always lots of stray dogs basking in the sun. Hauz-Khaz fort is part of a complex that was one of the first cities of Delhi known as Siri and included the lake/reservoir that is now part of Deer Park. The buildings later became a college for theological training.

Bagh-I-Alam Ka Gumbad

Our final cultural adventure was to the Qutub complex on Saturday night with a group of Indian people that do a monthly tour. We enjoyed the dramatic night lighting even though we did miss some of the detail that would have been visible in the daylight.

 

The tower, built by Qutbuddin Aibak in the late 12th century, is 240 feet tall and a monument to Islamic victory over Delhi’s last Hindu kingdom. A later ruler wanting to outdo his predecessor didn’t get very far before running out of funds but it is interesting to see what the other tower looks like under the beautifully carved facade.

I had fun taking photos of the ceilings of the various domes. Similar but each is unique.

One thing that came to mind after visiting these various places was that each of us has the opportunity to leave our mark in the world. Although these buildings were amazing I hope that my mark can be less ostentatious and more positively profound for individuals. I am anxious to do more than we currently are in serving the people of India. The wheels turn slowly as we coordinate the various aspects of our projects–government cooperation, project proposals and approvals, procurement, and vendor vetting to name a few. God is in the details of our lives and although I saw some beautiful dome ceilings, the collapsed dome was impressive as it was opened to the heavens and reminded me that nothing man can do is as great as what God can do with us as we strive to do His work.

 

This has been an incredible week. We had three very long days in which we saw and experienced things I hadn’t expected. I just keep thinking, “Taunya, you’re not in Kansas anymore!” (Or Rexburg)

On Wednesday we returned to meet with Raj Kumar, the community leader of Kalyanpuri (the area where the woman was making poop patties, where we met the ex-deputy mayor of Delhi with the orange office) to finalize the blanket project we are coordinating. He kindly offered us refreshments while we discussed our plans. We looked at the area he was planning to store the 5000 blankets while waiting to distribute them in an orderly fashion and then we walked over to the neighborhood hospital to meet the director to see if there were any needs we might be able to meet. Of course we were offered tea. No thank you. Coffee? No thank you. Hot water? No thank you. Here is some spiced buttermilk. What? No thank–OK. Thank you. We still haven’t tasted it.

After visiting the hospital we returned to Raj Kumar’s office to wait until lunch was ready. He then escorted us down the alley to his son’s home. We walked up the steep narrow stairway and ducked into what was kind of like a tiny mudroom and went through the doorway into, wait, this is the bedroom. They had four chairs set up at a small coffee table where the four of us ate while our hosts watched and kept giving us more food. It was all very delicious but I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable eating while they hosted knowing how little they have. We were told that they would be offended if we declined though, so we tried to enjoy their generosity.

The next day we were able meet with the leaders of the Asha Deep Foundation that runs a Catholic school, orphanage, vocational training center and schools in slums. They are especially active in helping women and children from abusive situations. They are doing so much good here in Delhi. Asha means hope and Deep is light. They are striving to bring hope and light to those that have little of either.

When we arrived at the school they greeted us with marigold garland “leis” and a song. We were escorted to the office where we were offered, you guessed it, refreshments. It included a savory biscuit called vada. Quite tasty. We then saw their presentation and toured the facility and then were served lunch at their home. We enjoyed a variety of dishes including two types of fish, one fried and one that was in a curry sauce. It was funny because just the day before when we saw lots of fish at the street market I wondered who ate fish and how it was prepared. I guess we do!

After lunch we went to the site of one of their small schools that was in a “rag picker” community. We were interested to see what was being done and what might possibly be done to improve living conditions. They earn about 50 rupees a day which amounts to about 70 cents. Of course everyone in a family works although no one under 14 is supposed to work because of child labor laws. They live among the mountains of recyclable trash.

Following this visit we went to the vocational school for underprivileged girls, youth and women. Part of the goal is to break the cycle of poverty through education and training. Here they offer classes in computers, sewing and beauty salon skills. The girls we met were delightful and working toward success. Women and girls in India are very undervalued and devalued.

On Saturday we went to the Model Town slums to check on the five Reverse Osmosis stations that were supposed to be up and running. For the most part they were and that was good news because there are an additional 15 that are supposed to be installed but there have been some problems and delays with this project.

These days of visits were long and exhausting. The travel times going from South Delhi to Northeast Delhi is about 1 hour and 15 minutes of congested streets. With horns honking, cars driving the wrong way on the freeway, broken down vehicles, ambulances, bikes, carts, horses, cows, rickshaws (electric, auto, and pedal), scooters, cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles there is always something to see. Talking with people through an interpreter or listening intently to understand their English is hard work. Then you add to that the poverty, filth, and new things to see and it is pretty intense.

The people are so kind and the children so sweet. Everyone treats us like we are very important people and we know that we are just pretty average. It’s funny how people want to have their picture taken with us and how the children in these communities want to try out their English on us and kind of dare each other to approach us. I’m sure we are quite the novelty on these back roads of Delhi. We are blessed to be here serving in India. Although we can’t directly share the light of the gospel maybe we can bring hope through clean water, blankets, computers and school supplies and change lives for the better.

Other interesting sights this week…

 

 

 

 

 

One of the things we are learning here is to go with the flow. It would seem that no plan is ever a sure thing and that opportunities appear out of nowhere. On Monday we had a relatively simple day planned that included going over to the Mission Home and to Central Market. Once at the office Josh got a call that we had an opportunity to meet with the ex-deputy mayor of Delhi. The time was set for 4:30 but it would take an hour or more to get there. Meanwhile we were invited to lunch to celebrate a fellow missionary’s birthday. Just when we figured out how we could do both the meeting was changed to the following day. I was glad to be able to have a more relaxing lunch and get to know people better. Following lunch we went to Central Market where Elder Jones was to pick up a suit he was having made. Unfortunately it had some adjustments that needed to be made and he had to return later in the week.

Central Market was fascinating. It was a giant bazaar. There were buildings around the perimeter with small shops that had goods spilling out onto the street area. The streets in the center were full of shops that were in permanent booths and then there were street vendors with goods in carts, on poles or laid out on the ground. There were all kinds of clothes, fabric, trims, jewelry, purses, shoes, foods and more. There were crowds of people and the ground was uneven and dirty which made it hard to walk while looking at all the stuff to buy.

On Tuesday we were able to go to the appointment postponed from Monday. The Uber dropped us off on a street that had few buildings and was not an area that any tourist would ever go. As I got out of the car I had to step over a dangling electrical wire. People were giving us puzzled looks and I felt very out of place. Deepanshu (our interpreter) called the man who set up the appointment and we learned we were in the general area. We walked down the road until it turned into a wide uneven path and headed toward a wall. Outside this wall were some piles of garbage, a cow plowing through the garbage looking for food, a litter of puppies in the garbage and various stray dogs as well as a man painting the wall yellow. As we waited to figure out where we should go next another cow came through the stile in the wall. Several people had gone to the other side and we decided we should go that way. It was nicer on the inside than I expected, but when we turned a corner there was another dump area, about 8 cows and a woman making poop patties from a pile of cow manure. She had them all lined up very neatly on the ground and on top of a low wall to dry. When dry they would be sold for fuel. (Think pioneers and buffalo chips.)

Just as we were taking all of this in some children dashed out and shook Rick’s hand. They were as intrigued with us as we were with them. Some teenaged kids were in the park and stopped their game to wave and say “hi”. As we continued down the road everyone we passed wondered about us. We returned many “namaste” greetings and eventually came to an area of the community that was a little nicer. We were directed down an alley to the community leader’s office. It was a room in a block wall type building at the end of this alley way. In my mind I thought we were going to an office, in an office building, in an urban area of town. That there would be a foyer, a receptionist and windows. Here’s a picture of the office.

The people are very hospitable and always offer at least something to drink. We weren’t keen on drinking the water since one of the projects we were talking about was water purification. He offered soda and we accepted but then I felt bad because he had to send someone to the store to buy it. He also offered us some snacks. We have been very careful about what we eat here but didn’t want to offend so enjoyed the offerings. The meeting progressed and after discussing possible project options for his community he connected us with an MP (member of parliament). We headed over to that office, which was more like what I had been expecting, and spoke with his personal assistant. It was rather late when we got home. But at least we had drinks and snacks!

Saturday we went sightseeing to Swaminarayan Akshardham, which is a Hindu temple and cultural center on 100 acres in Delhi. It is an architectural wonder carved in pink sandstone and Carrara marble. They don’t allow photography on the grounds so the first picture is from a book and the second was outside the complex.

We spent about four hours marveling at the intricacies of the carving and the beauty of the philosophies.

So this week we had to adapt and scramble as we navigated the use of Uber on our own, adjusted plans to accommodate sudden appointments and changed appointments not only with government leaders but also for our Japanese encephalitis vaccine. Today I marveled that I am halfway around the world adapting to a different culture and environment and felt so thankful for the constancy of God’s love for me and the blessing of having His plan to guide my life.

 

 

 

This week, being our last here in the Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission, has been both happy and sad. Although we feel like it is time to move on to our original assignment in India we are leaving behind so many new friends and the comforts and familiarity of being here. We had a nice dinner party with about 200 of our fellow missionaries, treats galore, ate out one last time and spent Christmas Eve with Rick’s family and will have Christmas dinner in a couple of hours. No it’s not all about food, but who knows when we will have American food again!

This week has been interesting in other ways as well. While many places across the country experienced extreme cold, India too issued a cold weather warning because it was supposed to get down to 44 that night! Meanwhile our high was about 24 and I know other places were colder than that.

Needless to say this has been a very different Christmas. It has been fun though with all the musical performances that we attended and that we sang in, being with family here in Utah and having very few Christmas preparations. We spent yesterday (Christmas Eve) doing laundry, sorting–what stays here, what goes home, what goes to India–and cleaning our apartment. (It sure was hard to pack those large bags again.)

Mostly I just want to wish you all well and hope that you can find peace and joy as you navigate life in the upcoming year.

 

Merry Christmas!

It has been an interesting week here in the mission. My spirits were lifted by three different men. First was on Thursday when we were out walking and it had snowed. The sidewalks were slippery but not too bad around the Conference Center. I was feeling a little discouraged about things in general and needed to take a brisk walk. That doesn’t work out very well when it is icy. Then as we were walking along we found this…

He totally cheered me up!

This week I was able to help many visitors. They were in town from all over–Bangladesh, Germany, Switzerland, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and California. Which brings me to the next experience. I was working with a man from California and he was super stoked (his words) about creating his family tree. Unfortunately he didn’t know as much information as needed to get very far but was excited to continue at home where he could fill in details with help from his mother. As we were talking about our lives and families I learned that he was a contractor and had a DIY home improvement podcast. After I got home I looked it up and found out that I had been helping a guy who was on the soap opera Santa Barbara, was one of People magazine’s “sexiest men alive” in 2008 and was a host for a couple of shows on HGTV. He was tall and nice looking, but I thought he was just a regular guy in town with his son who was here to play basketball. Funny…

The last experience was at church today when Elder Kevin Pearson, the Utah Area President, spoke to us. It was a needed boost because even though there are pretty lights, nativity displays and Christmas concerts, it doesn’t feel like Christmas is only two weeks away. He spoke of the season and how our knowledge of the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith and his inspired understanding of Jesus Christ helps us to know Christ better. That we are known and loved individually and that as we follow Christ’s teachings we can be abundantly blessed. He also said that as we serve and sacrifice as missionaries we receive blessings, and because of our willingness to consecrate our time, talents and resources our families will be blessed, too!

Spending time here in the Headquarters Mission is a unique experience. There are somewhere around 300 missionaries and that does not include the Temple Square Missionaries! About 2/3 of our missionaries are single sisters and there are quite a few missionaries that are 10-15 years older than us. It is a little strange to be around so many elderly people. 😉 It does mean that our Sacrament meetings are very reverent, but then we didn’t get to enjoy a primary program this year. There is good and bad in everything. President Nelson has said that, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.”

Since I work in the Discovery Zone of the Family History Library I get to help parents and children explore their heritage. It is really delightful to watch the children get excited about their ancestors. At the library entrance there is a sign that says, “We believe families are important. Our family ties stretch far into the past and continue beyond this life. We have a responsibility to help each other discover and learn about our heritage. Knowing where we came from helps us understand who we are and where we are going. You are a divine, unique and important member of the human family. Let us help you discover your story.” This week I helped a young Jewish man from Minneapolis  and an Armenian woman from North Carolina. We have people visiting from all over the world and some just coming in off the street to use the restroom or sit in the warmth for a few minutes. It was a busy week with the start of the holidays.

We connected with our family on Thursday as we celebrated Thanksgiving. It was great to share dinner with some of Rick’s family and to chat with other family members through technology.

As Thanksgiving leads us into the Christmas holidays I am feeling both anxious to be on my way to India and excited for the traditions that I love. The lights on Temple Square and surrounding blocks are on and beautiful. The daily music performances have begun. The decorated trees in the various buildings are amazing. The “Giving Machine” is set up and we were able to go and select a gardening kit and family meal from the vending machine which will be donated through various charities to those in need. I am grateful for this time of year that focuses us on those things that are the most important–our Savior, family, and loving others.

 

 

It has been another busy week beginning with a devotional on Monday evening in which we sang with the choir performing “Peace in Christ” and Sister Sharon Eubank spoke. Since she is the director Latter-day Saint Charities I had a secret hope that she would need to make a trip to India and I would have the opportunity to meet her. That probably isn’t going to happen but I was able to say hello to her afterward and shared that we are headed to India as soon as we get our visas. She was excited for us and thankful for our willingness to serve because there is so much need. She told us of a sister who served there. This sister was touched by the poor conditions of so many people in India. She wrote home about the poverty, the smells, the lack of proper sanitation, shelter and food. She felt extremely sorry for the poor people of India.

Meanwhile the Indian people felt so sorry for her because she was fat and sweat profusely and had to wear nylons. She had no smell. It was like she came from space—she didn’t smell like anything! (Sister Eubank said it better. Wish I was as articulate as she is.)

So, it is all a matter of perspective and what is culturally acceptable to you. Obviously there are certain things that are unacceptable no matter your culture but it is important to remember that what we think matters may not be what is needed by those we endeavor to serve.

We decided we needed to build some muscles so started working out at the Wellness Center in the Church Office Building. It is a very nice facility and I feel privileged to use it. We found some muscles we haven’t used lately! We will continue with the twice weekly regimen.

Friday we received comp tickets to the Utah Symphony. They performed Wagner’s Prelude, Interludes and Entry of the Gods into Valhalla and Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 3 with Stephen Hough on the piano. The piano was absolutely incredible but I enjoyed the Wagner more.

We finished the week with a pretty typical Saturday–laundry, cleaning the apartment, grocery shopping and a short hike.

 

This week we learned that our visa applications were actually sent off to the Indian Embassy! It has been a long process since India is now only granting one-year visas. The batch of visas for the group ahead of us was the start of this change and it took a few days to verify that it was not an error and that they would still be going. Since ours had not yet been issued we had to wait and see if we would be going under the new conditions. We are and so they were submitted. I imagine it will be at least a month.

This morning I found a cockroach in the bathroom. Yuck! I think God really has a sense of humor and is weekly giving me something to accept in preparation for our Indian adventure. This week it was a bug. I’m sure there will be more and bigger ones in my future.

We have several couples that have received their visas and are heading to their missions in New Zealand, India, Australia and Spain. We got to inherit some of their stuff. I was very excited to get a pair of kitchen shears, an iron and an ironing board. (We haven’t quite figured out how to dry Rick’s white shirts without wrinkles.) Funny how such simple things can be exciting when you’ve been making do.

The only spiritual thought I have pertains to the dry bones in Ezekiel. Seems fitting with tomorrow being Halloween. Just as the bones were made to live through the word of the Lord, we too can live as we allow His word to fill us with light and truth and joy.

We’ve finished our first full week in the “mission field” of Salt Lake City, Utah. (I think that’s funny.)

While we wait for our visas I have been assigned to work in the Discovery Zone of the Family History Library. Mostly I help people set up an account so that they can begin to build a family tree. It has been fun to see people get excited as their tree expands, especially if they are able to connect into research that has already been done and they are able to go back many generations. Rick is serving in the Source Records Preparation (SRP) zone. He is reading records that have been photographed and typing the information into the computer so that it can be searched easily. Things like marriage, birth and death records. In other words he is doing indexing. So we’ve been busy working 9-5. It is a bit of an adjustment, especially for me because pre-mission I may have worked that many hours a day but I was used to setting my own schedule.

Life is different in other ways as well. We have walked .9 miles to the grocery store twice and took light rail and the bus to get to a trailhead to go on a hike. All of these things are little steps helping us to be more prepared for India. I realize Salt Lake City is much more familiar than India will be but we are becoming more used to people that are homeless, begging, disabled and mentally ill, traffic and sirens any time of the day and night. Oh, can’t forget date night at the laundromat.

We were reading in Jeremiah and came across this verse.

Jeremiah 12:5–If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?

It said to me that if I find things daunting serving here I really need to up my game to be ready for India. I know that we are all entitled to heavenly help and am counting on that blessing.

 

Does anything ever turn out the way we expect? Over the course of the last few weeks we have seen things come together and have to acknowledge the Lord’s hand in the results. (Like selling our car within 2 hours of posting it.) I’m not sure of the purpose for spending most of our first week as “missionaries in training” in isolation though.

We arrived at the Missionary Training Center Monday morning and were shown to our room. After settling in we went to orientation, lunch and then had some large group meetings and smaller classes, dinner and then another meeting. Rick’s runny nose was worsening, and he could not stay awake. (It was different than his normal drowsiness.) It seemed to me he had a slight fever and so we decided to take Covid tests. His was positive and so we contacted the powers that be and were told to stay in our room until it was decided what to do with us. We ended up being moved to a hotel and were offered Zoom classes for the remainder of the week. Rick’s symptoms were never very bad, and he was able to sleep quite a bit.

From this week’s experiences we have a greater desire to overcome the natural tendency to turn inward by showing Christlike love to all those around us and feel we will have plenty of opportunities to do that as we serve as missionaries. Developing Christlike attributes is a lifelong journey on which we progress one step at a time.