Wow . . . the final month!

            Well, October is here.  That was quick.  Anyway, I hope General Conference was great.  We are watching it this coming weekend, and I'm sooooooooo excited!  This will be my 5^th and final General Conference of my mission!  It seems like just yesterday when I was in the MTC as we watched General Conference for my first weekend as a missionary.  What an experience General Conference has been for me these past two years!  I absolutely love it and look forward to it every time!  So no spoilers (ha!).  (Click here to see General Conference addresses online.)
 

Jordan, celebrating his two year anniversary on September 28, 2013
with Elders Viquerra (far left), Armatage (right of Jordan) & Hernandez (far right)

             I attended my last MLC/DLC on Tuesday in Cabanatuan, which was cool.  Our theme for this month is revelation.  We were able to receive some great insights about personal revelation and how crucial it is for our work.  We watched Elder Bednar's Mormon Message where he uses light as an analogy for how revelation comes into our minds.  If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it, because it's pretty dang awesome.  What I learned about revelation is that it is contingent on how we exercise our agency.  We all actually receive more revelation than we think we do.  We have a choice to act on God's instruction or set it aside.  I liked what Elder Bednar said when he answered the question, "How come [revelation] isn't easier to recognize?”  He answered that God won't shout or shake us to get our attention, but will whisper.  He also said that God doesn't need to shake us, because He trusts us to make the right decision.  So what do we do with the revelations we receive from God?  Aside from following the prompting or instruction, we should thank God for the revelation that we've already received.  Revelation doesn't usually come all at once (according to Elder Bednar, it can, but that is very rare), but will be revealed unto us little by little.   Sometimes we receive revelation, but we need to have faith in order for it to fully come together (like Joshua and the Camp of Israel when they crossed the Jordan River).  In short, it was a great meeting and I'm very anxious to hear the revelation the speakers of General Conference have received. 

A noteworthy calendar entry

            We held a fireside on Saturday for the members to become more involved in missionary work using the "We are One" theme from the Work of Salvation Broadcast.  We had a good amount of people attend (after we started the meeting an hour late due to lack of attendance - gotta love "Filipino Time") and the Spirit was strong during the meeting.  We taught the members how to very simply teach the Restoration to their friends and then refer them to the missionaries.  We had a good feeling about it afterwards, so hopefully that'll get the work going here in Gapan.

Sunset in the bukid

            Here’s our funny story of the week.  We knocked on this one house while we were finding, and we were invited in.  When we asked if the man of the house would allow us to teach, they told us not today, but we insisted on meeting him.  So, he came out and went off about how he doesn't believe in the Second Coming and won't believe it until it actually happens and he sees Jesus Christ come down from heaven.  We told him that Second Coming will come quickly and in a very unexpected way and that he won't have to time to believe.  Then, my companion tried to use an example by asking the tatay if he believed that he had a brain (trying to teach the principle of faith by teaching that we can't see our brain, but we know that it's there).  Well that got tatay really upset, because he thought that Elder Hernandez told him that he didn't have a brain.  He didn't really understand the question.  Then we told him that it was only an example, but he just freaked out and raised his voice saying that we insulted him.  I was trying pretty hard not to laugh.  I then tried to change the example by asking him if he had a heart, but then realizing that could also be offensive, I just asked him if he believed if he had any bones.  He just told us to stop using examples.  He was still pretty upset that we "told" him that he had no brain.  (I suddenly have that scarecrow song from the Wizard of Oz in my head . . . “if I only had a brain.”)  Apparently the word on the street is that he's known in the neighborhood for being a bit of a not so nice guy, so it all kinda made sense at the end.  Anyway, kind of a funny little encounter.  Sadly, no investigators at church.  We are working hard to magnify every opportunity the Lord provides us to do His will and have faith that we are, in some small way, laying the groundwork for miracles in this area.
 

Elders Palmer, Dadizon, Royal & Hawaikirangi, training in Tarlac

            I’m glad to know that BYU won again.  Thanks for all the game details, Dad.  Good stuff.  Oh and next week will be my last email ever as a missionary, so just a heads up.  Wow.  I will be seeing you in two weeks.  That doesn’t even seem real when I read it over again.  But, I guess it is.  Until then, we will keep working with all our heart, might, mind and strength to bring people to Christ!  The gospel is true.  Live faithfully and enjoy righteous living. 

            Love,

            Elder Jordan "Pumped for Conference" Royal
 

Elders Wilson, Armatage, Royal (Jordan) & Bagacina after a day of service in Jean