Greetings from the Garden City (Bengaluru, India)! Wow, this week has been one of the most diverse, confusing, interesting, hilarious, awe-inspiring, and spiritually edifying weeks of my life thus far. I guess I will just start from when we (Elder Magnusson and I) landed.
We touched ground in Bangalore at 2AM on Thursday. After we got off the plane and after being rigorously interrogated by a fellow just outside immigration (whom wanted to know every detail of our intentions) we discovered that our bags had not come with us for whatever reason, which was an inconvenience for just about a day. Lufthansa generously compensated us for the mistake. President Berrett was there to greet us and we finally arrived at the mission home at around 5AM, just in time for the Muslim call to prayer. Elder Magnusson and I took a short nap then were transported to our temporary areas in Bangalore (we will be receiving our actual assignment tomorrow along with other new missionaries). My current companion is Elder Doyle from California, he's awesome.
Later that day we ate camel curry for lunch, yes actual camel curry, the meat is tough but not too bad hahaha. Then we went to my first appointment in India with a recent convert who relapsed into a drinking problem. He's trying really hard to become sober again and he really liked me for whatever reason so he had me give him a priesthood blessing to have strength to quit, it was awesome. I will send a picture of him.
The next day we had another appointment, though this one was a little unusual. A member's daughter had (apparently) been having fits in which she was possessed. He asked us to come cast out the devil. This was a little daunting as this is the first time any of us (myself and two other elders) had come across this problem. We prayed fervently to have strength and comfort as we went to fulfill the task. When we arrived at their home, the daughter was normal but something didn't seem right with her. The family fed us lunch: some of the best sambar I've had and fresh fish masala. Apparently it's ok to eat the little fish bones (or so they said) so I did. I don't reccommend it. Afterward, we gave the daughter a powerful blessing. She was so so grateful, though she spoke little English, and has not had any issues since.
On Sunday we went to the newly made Convent Road WARD!!! Bangalore got a stake last week! Elder Robert William of the Seventy (I believe the only Indian general authority) was in attendance and the bishopric called me up to bear my testimony. It was a super cool experience, a good portion of the ward is deaf so there was a little section of the chapel where the hearing impaired sat and watched a translator. I've never had a translator for anything that I can recall, and of all the languages to be translated to in India--sign language?! It was awesome.
I'm loving each and every minute I'm here and am more excited and motivated with each day.
Keep the faith!
Elder Tuscano
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