We had a fun experience this week so I though I'd share it with all of
you at home. When we got home from vacation and went to church they
announced before the meeting that Alice was going to marry Deraj,
Alice was sitting on one side of the room, Deraj on the opposite side.
I had never even seen them together! Here is the funny part, after
announcement the bishop says " if anyone objects to this marriage
please come talk to me after church". OK that is odd but hey, I'm in
India. This goes on for the next three weeks. So on sunday I get a
call, sister alice and Deraj, want to know if I can loan them 10,000
rps for the wedding(250$)! I swear I am the church bank! I get phone
calls at least once a month asking for money, they always say they
will pay me back, but honestly they have no money. The hard part is
our church is founded on self reliance, it goes against our teachings
to always borrow. ( we have a welfare program for helping those in
need but not for weddings, baby accessories etc.). I'm a softy so I
finally give them half as a "gift". So the next day someone else
calls wanting me to get her baby clothes when I go to the states, and I ask
if she will be going to Alice's wedding. She then tells me how she was
going to let here borrow her wedding dress but when her step mother
found out she threw a fit and told her she could not get married if
the husband could not even buy her wedding clothes. ( turns out step
mom had a hindu man picked out for an arranged marriage.) She tells me
someone in the ward gave them money and they were able to buy clothes
so the wedding was on! That is when I feel guilty for giving money
with bad feelings. I almost stopped the wedding! Good thing I'm a softy.

So any ways here is the funny part. The day of the wedding Bob gets a
call from the bishop, will you give a talk on marriage at the wedding.
( a talk?) So we get to the wedding an hour late... Delhi traffic...
and Bob is the main attraction!!! Every one is sitting like we are in
church, even the bride and groom. We sing an opening hymn and have a
prayer.Bob gave the talk and then we sing a hymn, then the bishop gets
up again and asks if anyone objects to the marriage ( I think it is a
legal thing in India) and then they say a few thing and they are
married!! No kiss the bride no nothing!! It was like a church meeting
very strange. I guess they just don't know what to do in a love
marriage if you can call it that. I'm sure they never dated. People do
not date they just smile from a far and then agree to get married.
( most arranged marriages they meet just a month or two before the
wedding) Any ways then some people kept saying kiss the bride!! So he
finally nervously leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. They were
so nervous. ( apparently it is illegal to kiss on the mouth in public,
but I was assured it is not enforced!)
It is so weird that people get married here they have no job, no money
and yet they do it all the time and get along just fine.
I got to wear a sari and everyone was so happy that I wore one, even
the men came up and told me how nice a sari looked on me, the girls
said it was tied very nicely... thank you Poonam!!! Bob wore his
Indian suit. All in all it was fun to see, it made me appreciate my
marriage, hopefully it will make you appreciate yours too!

Miss you all, Shelly