Storm Before the Calm (A special note from Elder Royal’s pappy!)

Typhoon Santi approaches the Philippines coast from the west 

           Well, we were counting on receiving our last letter from Jordan yesterday, but received only the sounds of silence.  We blame it on Typhoon Santi (see footage), which ran its course straight through the heart of Jordan’s mission, leaving about two million people without power, and several thousand with sorely damaged or destroyed homes.  This should make for an interesting week for us as we leave for the Philippines to see Jordan for the first time in two years.  Reports are that most of the area will remain without power for the next three to four weeks.  We received word yesterday from the mission leadership that all the missionaries are safe and sound.  Sister Martino wrote that Jordan is fine.  (I’m sure Jordan will have a lot to say about his typhoon experience.  There have been other typhoons during his mission, but this is the only one to have landed directly in his area.)  We are looking forward to reuniting with Jordan, but feel badly for the people who have suffered through the storm damage.  Our prayers go out to the Filipino people who have been so kind and loving to our son and the other missionaries serving there.

The aftermath of Typhoon Santi

            Jordan is planning to attend a temple wedding on Saturday.  We will miss that event by one day.  It is the second occasion in which Jordan has been blessed with the opportunity to accompany someone whom he has taught the gospel to the temple in Manila/Quezon City.  What a great blessing that has been for Jordan!  We plan to arrive in Manila on Sunday, October 20^th and will reunite with Jordan at the mission home in Tarlac on October 22^nd (well, that’s the plan, anyway, washed out roads permitting).  We will attend the temple with Jordan and his mission group, and will then travel to different areas with Jordan as our guide before returning home with him.

Jordan with President Martino and (from Pres. Martino's left) Elders Armatage, Viquerra & Hernandez

            I am not sure whether we will receive another email from Jordan before we see him on Tuesday, so I am going to write a kind of mission epilogue as his father.  Jordan is the last of our three sons to serve a two year LDS mission.  All of them have served in foreign areas (Brad, Philippines Angeles Mission (same as Jordan), and David, Peru Piura Mission).  All of them have met the challenge of learning a foreign language, adapting and embracing a new culture, and loving the people with whom they serve.  They have honorably displayed the name of Jesus Christ on their chests as His representatives, teaching and testifying of Him and His gospel, restored to the earth in its fullness in preparation for His Second Coming through the Prophet Joseph Smith.  They have boldly testified that Jesus lives, that He suffered in Gethsemane for the sins of the world, opening the door for all of Heavenly Father’s children to repent and become cleansed that we may return to our Father in Heaven through Jesus Christ, who opened the door to salvation and exaltation, Eternal Life, that He established His Church on the earth in its fullness again, with a living prophet at the head, twelve apostles, and a complete organization designed to safely lead us through these turbulent last days.  They have shared the message that God is real, that He is a loving Heavenly Father who has called a prophet on the earth today, through whom He reveals truth to the world, just as He did in the days of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, etc.  These exciting revealed truths provide us with an understanding of who we are (literal children of God), where we came from (God’s presence as His spirit children, with whom we dwelt even before the foundation of the world), and where we can go after mortality (return to the heavenly home from which we came, having successfully completed our mortal sojourn by accepting Jesus Christ, keeping His commandments, living His gospel and leading others to Him).  These truths further provide us with the wonderful assurance that the family is the eternal form of governance, a glorious institution designed to endure forever for the righteous who accept Christ and answer His call to “come, follow me.”

Jordan with Elders Viquerra & Hernandez, and Sister Littlefield

That's me, the sharply dressed missionary on the
right, teaching with Elder Day in Vidalia, GA 1979

            I served for two years in the Florida Tallahassee Mission from 1979-81.  I continue to reap the blessings of that service all these 32 years after my release, having made eternal friendships.  One of our family highlights this year was being present in the Atlanta Temple in February for the marriage of Evelyn Parker to Michael Warren, with Evelyn’s daughters, Rachel and Rebekah, Rachel’s husband, John, Evelyn’s mother, her sister Ladye Grace and her husband, Eddie, her sister Crissy, her friend Debbie, along with other family members and friends.  I first met Evelyn in Vidalia, GA in October 1979.  She invited us into her home as missionaries of the Lord Jesus Christ

Maralea and me with Evelyn and Michael

and was the first person who I found, taught, and baptized.  I lost touch with Evelyn shortly after I transferred from Vidalia in February 1980 and wondered what had happened to her.  In July 2009, I was contacted by Evelyn’s daughter, Rachel, who made the effort to find her mother’s missionaries “to say thank you.”  That was a literal answer to prayers for me personally, as that contact came two weeks after we had returned from a visit to Georgia when I had been talking with Maralea about Evelyn, expressing frustration at being unable to locate her and find out how she is doing.  Once Evelyn and I got back in touch, I was thrilled to learn that she had remained active in the Church, had taught the gospel to her family and led many others to Christ.  So, February was a great reunion.  I have shared those experiences with my family, and with my mission companion, Lamar Day, with whom I served in Vidalia, GA.  

With John and Rachel Murphy (left) and Rebekah & Parker

Tyler & Caitlin at the Nauvoo Temple

            Another wonderful highlight for us in 2013 was attending the temple wedding of Tyler Berns and his wife, Caitlin.  Elder Steve Jones and I found and taught Tyler’s grandparents and their children Angela, Tim (Tyler’s father), and Michael in Foley, AL in March 1980.  (We attended the temple wedding of Michael’s daughter, Mackenzie to Daniel Crump in the Provo Temple in August 2011, which was a wonderful experience.)  It is a great blessing to be in touch with those we first came to love as missionaries so long ago.

            I have shared some personal experiences to highlight the wondrous blessings associated with missionary service.  Heavenly Father blesses us beyond any possible measure for service to Him, and those blessings come in the form of peace and joy that is magnified when it is shared with others.  Brad and Whitney returned to the Philippines in January of this year (2013) where Brad took Whitney and Beckham (our grandson) to his mission areas. 

With the Moquia family, September 2005

They had many great experiences, one of which was Brad’s visit to the Moquia family, who Brad taught and baptized while serving in the area of San Isidro, where the father, Kuya, reported to Brad: "Elder, I fulfilled the promise I made to you.  We were sealed in the temple in 2008."  That was Brad’s first contact with the Moquia family since we visited their home with him in September 2005.  (They do not have computers or other means of communication.)  Brad and his family later attended church in the Cabiao Ward during their January 2013 visit, where Brad was first assigned as a missionary.  We had attended there with him in September 2005 (and were called from the congregation to speak during sacrament meeting).  Brad related that he and his family had arrived late to church, just as Salvador Garcia, a brother who Brad taught and baptized in the fall of 2003, stood at the podium to speak.  Of this experience, Brad wrote the following:

               When Salvador saw me he smiled, and after the hymn, he got up to the podium as the last speaker.  Here's a summary of what he said:

             “Before I start my topic, I want to say hello to Elder Brad Royal who just walked in.  I didn't know he was going to be here today and didn't know if I'd ever see him again.  He was the one who taught me the gospel and baptized me.  If it weren't for him, I wouldn't know any of you and wouldn't be standing here today.  I need to do something before I start my talk.”

             Then he walked off from the podium and came down to us and gave me a hug and shook Whitney's hand.  Salvador then walked back to the podium and started his talk.  That ranks in the top 10 coolest moments of my life.  I met a guy who worked with us in Alaska last summer who served in Cabiao and recognized me.  He remembered seeing my wedding announcement on the wall in Salvador's house.  Salvador told him, "When I have a bad day, I'll look at this picture and remember my elder."  I didn't think I'd ever be able to tell him that story in person.

Brad with Salvador Garcia in September 2005

David with Cecilia & her family, July 2010

             When we visited Peru with David at the close of his mission in July 2010, we had some wonderful experiences.  One of the sweetest was our visit to Chachapoyas, when we were part of a gathering at the home of David’s pensionista (I may have spelled that wrong), where it seemed the entire congregation of the branch gathered to say goodbye to David, including Cecilia and her daughter (who David taught and baptized).  No English was spoken during that gathering.  However, the love we felt was incredible and entirely unforgettable.  We lingered a bit too long and had to be rushed to the bus station to catch our all night ride to Piura.  As we got into our seats, we noticed that all the members who were present earlier had followed us to the bus station to say goodbye.  They lined the streets on both sides, waving goodbye.  Those wonderful people so loved our missionary son, and it was an amazing moment, as a father, to see the kind of impact David had on the people with whom he served.

With the Chachapoyas Branch, July 2010

          Heavenly Father loves us.  He is pleased when we bringing others to Him through His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  There is no greater joy than that which is associated with saving souls, because that is the purpose, the very essence of life.  It is why we were born into mortality.  Each of us have a quest to find and embrace Jesus Christ, He being the only means through which we may return to our heavenly home.  We have been blessed with sons who have eagerly joined in that effort as full time missionaries.  It is our desire to continue to serve as missionaries throughout our lives, that we may continue to be instruments in the hands of God.

This will be our last family picture (November 2012) with "Life Sized Jordan" (Yay!)

            This week will bring a close to six years of receiving weekly missionary letters, from September 2003 - October 2013.  Those weekly reports from a missionary son will be sorely missed.  They have brought great happiness as we have watched our sons grow tremendously in their role as ambassadors of Christ.  However, we look forward to this new chapter in life for Jordan, as he follows in the steps of his brothers by continuing with his college education, getting married and starting a family, with an incredible foundation of faith laid during his two years of service.  I am grateful for missions, for missionaries, and for parents of missionaries.  We have many nieces and nephews serving full time missions presently, including: Chelsea (Uruguay), Steven (Brazil), Jeffrey, (Pennsylvania), Kyle (Arkansas), Kimberly (Philippines), and even have Dave and Chris Foote (Maralea’s sister) serving in Germany.  We also have other extended family serving, such as Michael Finch (Philippines) and other close family friends.  We love writing them, supporting them, praying for them, and especially love welcoming them home.

I love this picture of the Savior as our Good Shepherd

            So, if Jordan does not write again from the Philippines, I can at least close his blog with my testimony, as his very happy father, that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that President Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet who guides the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today, that the priesthood authority of God has been restored to the earth, which holds the keys of all the saving ordinances necessary for our return to Heavenly Father.  The next time you see a missionary, invite them to share their message and testimony with you.  It may change your life forever.  It changed the lives of my sweet parents, who joined the LDS Church when I was young.  The Santa Clara II Ward in Eugene, Oregon will forever hold a very special place in my heart for the members there who so loved our family, who fellowshipped us into activity, led us to be sealed in the Oakland Temple in June 1969, and helped me decide early in my youth to serve a full time mission.  I have certainly been blessed as a missionary; however, I have been especially honored to be the father of a missionary.

Maralea and I were blessed to serve with my parents in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission in 2012-13
(here with President and Sister Neider, left).
For that period of time, we had three generations of Elder Royal serving somewhere in the world.

Mom and Dad with "their missionary," the former Elder Arnold (with Sister Arnold) who first introduced them to the gospel.  I  had the great pleasure of thanking Elder Arnold for the great blessings he brought to our family because he chose to serve the Lord.  What an incredible legacy of faith he planted with just one tiny mustard seed of testimony!

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

 

Heyeyeee

            Hey family!  I'm in Tarlac today for P-day and it's been a very, very long day.  All of the foreigners going home this year had to go to the office to get finger printed as a requirement for going home.  Then, we went to the hospital to get my chest X rays done.  It was cool to see my batch again for the last time before we gather together again in three weeks.  I went to the hospital with Elders Palmer, Dadizon, and Hawaikirangi for our required chest x rays.  (Normal results, by the way.  It’s all good.)  Sorry, but this email will probably be really short.  We have to get on the last bus to Gapan which leaves in about 45 minutes, so I don’t have a lot of time.  Unfortunately, I can't send pictures right now, because the computers here are terrible, so we'll have to wait until next week again.

Jordan at the Manila Temple last month.
We will be seeing him in this same spot in about three weeks

            The work was pretty good this week.  Some members from Cabanatuan Ward 5 came and worked with us on Tuesday.  Elder Hernandez was assigned there back in the day, so they came to visit and work.  We had a good time and were able to find a new future progressing investigator, Madel Mactal.  She's cool and really wants to know where to find to the truth.  Once we gave her a Book of Mormon, she read it and was really excited to know more about Joseph Smith and the Restoration.  We have another family where the mom reads the Book of Mormon all the time and expresses good understanding of it.  She really wants her family to be united in religion, and to be forever.  Sadly, none of them came to church yesterday.  All they have to do is come to church and they'll feel the Spirit, right?  (That is the most frustrating part of working in this area - it is just so difficult for people to get to church, because it is so far away.)

This picture was taken in May 2012 by Sister Adonis.
We had not seen it before, so figured we may as well include it now

            I hit my two year mark on Saturday, which was awesome!  We had a service project at the sisters’ apartment and that was pretty fun.  We just lifted a bunch of bricks while the others painted the inside of the sisters' new apartment.  It was pretty fun.  I know the sisters appreciated it.

            Again, I’m sorry that this email is not very detailed and has no pictures, but I'm in a bit of a hurry.  I'll hopefully have a lot more time, with much more to report, next week!  Love ya!

            Elder Jordan "Yay, No TB" Royal

A family gathering over the weekend in Salt Lake City for Aubrey's baby blessing
(Jordan will be in the next big family picture!)

David & Kambria with Aubrey for her baby blessing on Sunday

Miracles Really DO Happen!

Jordan enjoying his last leadership training meeting

            Hey Family!  Another week has gone by and it was pretty good.  I attended my last zone conference on Tuesday in Cabanatuan, and it was it a pretty good (as last zone conferences go).  We talked about a lot of things, but I really liked the AP's workshop about reaching our spiritual privileges.  Our Heavenly Father knows our potential.  When we reach a goal that He's set for us, He'll put another mountain in our path to climb.  It's a never ending process.  If we keep climbing, there's no where to go but up, so the higher the mountain that we climb, the closer that we come to Heavenly Father.  A lot of people (including myself) will look up at the mountain and say that it's too high, so they either don’t want to climb or refuse to climb at all.  But, we just have to push ourselves, with faith that we can reach the top if we take one step at a time.  I mean, it's not like Heavenly Father's just going to leave us at the bottom with no way to climb the mountain, right?  When He has a will, He always has a way that He will reveal to us if we ask Him.

 

Jordan is all smiles this week!

           We were at church yesterday with no investigators again at beginning of sacrament meeting.  But after the sacrament, seven of our investigators that we've been teaching from an area that we'd opened up walked in!  That was probably my best Sunday here.  Our Gospel Essentials Class was completely filled up!  I'm so grateful that the Lord answers our prayers.  Even though it took awhile, the Lord answers and will only answer on His time.  What a great way to end the week!  It felt like we had been climbing the mountain, and Heavenly Father gave us food and water to sustain us in our journey to lead others to Him.  That was sweet.

Elder Yu (from Australia) and Jordan were friends at BYU in 2011.
We found him serving in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission and sent this photo to Jordan

          We spent a lot of time finding again this week.  (Yay.)  We encountered a minister of another faith who invited us in began teaching us almost non stop for almost an hour.  We just sat there patiently while he just taught us.  Then, when we thought he was done, we told him that since we gave him time to share that we would now appreciate an opportunity to share with him.  He agreed.  As soon as we started teaching, however, he would interrupt us and start preaching again.  It was really frustrating, as he did not extend to us the same courtesy of listening.  We finally got to the Apostasy and Joseph Smith, at which point he stopped us before we could teach anything and told us he already knew that Joseph Smith wasn't a true prophet.  We asked him how he already knew that.  He responded: "Just cause."  We taught about that we can only know spiritual things through prayer.  We later asked where his authority came from.  He said from the Bible and that someone just said the name of God to him and he received authority.  (He actually told us at the beginning of his lesson that a person couldn't just grab a book and then automatically claim that they have authority because of the book (speaking of Joseph Smith).  So really he contradicted himself a little there.)  He told us to come back another day.  When we did, he said he was busy.  Oh well.  It was interesting.

            Well, I hope that everyone is recovering from BYU's painful loss to Utah this past weekend.  You know, it is great being on a mission where I do not have to freak out about things like that.  (I’d like to thank BYU for making it so easy to forget about football these past couple years.)  Well,  I hope that you're all safe and happy.  The next time I write you, I'll have been out for two years and two days.  Crazy, right?  Ingat kayo lagi.

            Love,

            Elder Jordan "the best two years" Royal

We began a project months ago to identify all missionaries having served in the Bermuda Ward.  It all
came together this week when the plaque arrived.  Looks pretty sweet!

A Different Legacy Perhaps?

Jordan and Elder Hernandez with Nanay Galang & Ila

            Thanks for all of the family updates.  I really appreciate those a lot.  It was a busy week with a bit of a let down (oh the ups and downs of missionary work), but I am very excited for this coming week.  Tomorrow will be the last zone conference of my mission, so I am making sure it will be the best one.  I enjoy zone conferences a lot.  They are definitely a great time to regroup spiritually and focus on ways to improve the Lord’s work.

            We had transfers this week and I'm still here in Gapan!  So, this will be my last area and I am really excited about that!  A lot of other people transferred, so we have some new missionaries in the zone, who I will get to meet tomorrow at zone conference.  This was by far the best investigator finding week I've ever had on my mission.  We found and taught 11 new investigators in just one day!  We found a former member's house, which is a giant mansion, but they moved to Tarlac, so we just found people to teach near their house.  Everyone that we taught knew them and told us what great examples they were of gospel living, so they left a very positive impression on their neighbors.  We taught this one sister who asked that we visit her neighbor, because she was once taught by the missionaries, but didn't continue, because she worked abroad for five years but said she had recently returned.  We visited her right afterwards, and she was so happy to see the missionaries again and remembered some of what was taught to her years before.  She used to go to church, but was never baptized.  We committed her to come back to church and we were really excited how our day was going so far.  On our last finding attempt, we were welcomed by a large family.  We only planned on sharing a quick lesson, because it was getting late, but they had us stay longer, allowing us to get to know them better.  We also committed them to attend church.  We went home that night grateful for the area that the Lord lead us to.  We were really excited for Sunday.  The rest of the week was kind've a drag after that, because we did not have the same kind of success.  Also, we could hardly wait for Sunday to come to see our new investigators at church.

Jordan & Elder Hernandez with Lana, Jona and Ila Galang

             We went to church looking forward to seeing all of our new investigators.  We were so sure they would be there and arrived at the chapel with so much excitement.  However, I am very sad to say that not one of them made it.  That was so disappointing.  All week long we looked forward to Sunday.  We were so sure they would all come.  On the bright side, we did have another investigator attend, who we have been teaching for a while (although they are not progressing very well, but at least we did have someone there).  At the end of our day of labor in the Lord’s vineyard, all we can give is our very best effort and leave the rest to the workings of the spirit and the exercise of agency.  We will see what we can do to overcome their obstacles this week and hope to see them at church next Sunday. 

Jordan, taking a brief nap during a meeting?

            Okay family, I think that's about it for this week.  I hope you all stay safe and that the Lord will bless you all.  I have to admit that I am a tad jealous that I will not be with you wearing those “Royal Strong and True” shirts when BYU plays Utah this coming weekend.  (Go Cougars!)  But, I have been extended a few more weeks in the mission field for a reason, and I'm grateful for that opportunity.  Take care family.

            Elder Jordan "planting na naman" Royal

We will be reunited with Jordan in five weeks.  In the meantime, we enjoy the "life sized Jordan" we have
had with us for the past 18 months (since David and Kambria's wedding).
(Look carefully.  Can you find him?)

The Legacy that Almost Happened

            First off, congratulations to BYU for upsetting Texas on Saturday.  (Thanks for the detailed game report, Dad.)  I cannot tell you how happy/shocked I was with that news!  (After last week’s loss on the road to Virginia, it seemed likt it would be a long season.)  Earlier today, before receiving Dad’s letter, I sarcastically told Elder Armatage that I was, "excited to see how badly BYU got destroyed by Texas."   I could not have been more pleasantly surprised.  I’m glad to hear that BYU shocked the world.  I guess Taysom Hill is the new Vince Young.  (Wow, 259 yards rushing and three TD’s.  Amazing.)  It sounds likt the BYU receivers need to learn how to catch in the near future as teams are going to be all over BYU's running game in the future.  Anyway, we'll talk about BYU football again some other time (next week?).  I just couldn’t help myself today.  It is a good day to be a Cougar - even as a full time missionary.

 

Last District Meeting Before Thursday Transfers

            So about my "legacy."  It relates to our quest to find a meeting house for our ward.  We went to the exact spot where the bishop told us to investigate for a possible temporary chapel, and there happened to be a nice building that we could use on that exact spot.  We were taken through the building and were shown all of the rooms, and it looked perfect for sacrament meeting.  We told the bishop about it and he came right away to look at it.  After some discussion, the stake president was involved and wanted to know the price.  There is an apartment right next to the meeting house, too, so that would've been a perfect place for us to live.  We left that day very excited for what could happen, but then the bishop texted us a couple of days later telling us to find another meeting house, because the price of the rent was too expensive. Dang!  That was so disappointing, but we think we found another possible meeting house that we located while teaching a new investigator.  The Quest for Legacy is not over yet! 

 

Jordan & Elder Biggs say their mission goodbyes

            The first part of the Legacy is finding a lot more people to teach.  So that's what we did all week in the Lord’s vineyard: prepared the soil and planted seeds.  We found a new family this week, so hopefully they have some potential.  I was reading Jesus the Christ this week about the Savior’s Sermon on the Mount and His parables, and there is one parable that Christ taught about planting.  It wasn't the Sower or the Wheat and Tares, but it was another one like it.  I forgot what it's called, but it's only the Book of Mark.  The parable is about a man who plants a seed, nourishes it, and then goes away to plant some other seeds.  Meanwhile, the seeds that he left began to grow.  Then the man returned and harvested the fruit from the tree.  This parable means that when we plant a seed and nourish it, we usually don't know if the seed will grow or not, but if it does grow, someone will come and harvest the fruit.  When we plant seeds of the Gospel in people's hearts, we sometime's leave with sadness or other mixed feelings, because we don't know whether or not they believed or accepted what we shared.  But then somewhere down the road, they'll have more experiences from people sharing the Gospel to them, and then they will accept the Gospel, grow and bare massive fruit.  The first person that plants the seed often leaves a profound impact on the person.  I have experienced that already in my mission.  The people that we baptize always seem to remember the first missionaries that taught them and never forget their names.  Just a cool thought to think about as we're planting seeds of the Gospel in people.  The power and reward in missionary work comes in the teaching and testifying by the Spirit.  We cannot control how agency is exercised by others who hear the gospel.  However, we can control whether we cultivate gifts of the spirit and testify with power of the Holy Ghost.  When we are led by the Spirit, we are serving the Lord with great success and have every reason to rejoice.

 

The zone rocks its jerseys in Cabiao

            So we got zone jerseys this week.  We went to Cabiao on Saturday to play basketball with our new jerseys, because the elders there had a baptism that day, so we went as a zone to play there. Saturday was Elders Revillo and Agrabio's last full day in the mission field before going home, so it was also the last time that I would likely see them in this life.  We took a lot of pictures and then waited at the chapel for Elder Biggs coming from Arayat for their investigator to be baptized in Cabiao.  It was also the last time that I would see Elder Biggs, because it was his last day, too.  Elder Biggs is the first Elder from our batch to be going home.  It was really cool to see him, too.  We had our final lunch and then said our last goodbyes to Elders Revillo and Agrabio.  I'll miss Elder Revillo.  He was definitely one of my favorite missionary companions.  With Elder Revillo and his batch gone, we are now the oldest batch in the mission as of this coming Thursday with our last transfer starting.  (Yes, you read that right.  Last transfer.  This transfer's already over, so I'll expect my last transfer to go by even faster.)  Later that night, we went to the chapel for Sister Javate's (member in the ward) farewell party.  It was a really fun day. 

Jordan & Elder Revillo say their mission goodbyes

            Well, I guess this is it.  Transfer Day's on Thursday, and I'm 90% sure that I won't be transferring. I don't want to transfer, anyway.  I just want to finish my mission here as we complete our Quest for Legacy (haha).  We are engaged in a great work.  I love it.  I can hardly believe my mission is so close to being over.  I have loved serving here in the Philippines as Elder Royal and I am grateful to still have a little more time to do some good.  I hope everyone is doing well.  (Also, I hope BYU can beat Utah.  I’m sorry, but that just had to be said.)  Have a great week family!   Mahal Kayo!

            Elder Jordan "Working For a Righteous Legacy” Royal

It's Already September

           I can hardly believe it's September already.  I'll be hitting my two year mark on the 28^th of this month, but will still have a month after that before coming home. Well, I am sorry to hear about BYU’s opening game loss to Virginia on Saturday.  It sounds like Mom and Dad had a fun trip even with the BYU loss.  (Thanks for the recap, Dad.  But, I have learned not to get my expectations too high for BYU.)  But, onto more important matters.  Congratulations to David and Kambria for the safe arrival of my newest niece, Aubrey Marie Royal.  She looks so adorable.  It is so weird to me that I'll have four new nieces and nephews to meet when I get home.  Our family's just gotten so big these past two years!  

 

David & Kambria welcomed Aubrey Marie into the world this week
(Jordan's oldest nephew, Beckham, was born a month before Jordan entered the MTC.  We've had three more grandchildren join our family since then, so Jordan will have some catching up to do when he returns home next month.)

            We went to Tarlac on Tuesday and Wednesday for my last MLC at the mission home.  This month we are studying the doctrine of the Gathering of Israel.  I really didn't know that much about the Gathering of Israel and didn't think that it wasn't really important to understand.  I've learned a great deal about it, though.  We learn from the Book of Mormon, as taught by Elder Russel M. Nelson, that the Gathering of Israel will commence when the "Book of Mormon shall come forth." (3 Nephi 21 - Heading.)   More of that was fulfilled when Moses appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdrey in the Kirkland Temple and restored the keys to the Gathering of Israel, which keys are held by President Thomas S. Monson today.  The prophet has always held these keys.  We then learned just how important we really are as full-time missionaries in the Gathering of Israel. (Jeremiah 16:16.).  So, it's pretty awesome being apart of this work in Gathering Israel in preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ.  It was really cool being with all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders.  I'll probably not see most of them again.  It all depends whether I get transferred on September 12^th or not.  I really hope that does not happen.   Not only because it would be an incredible hassle to pack, but that would mean I would have to say goodbye to all the people I've grown so close to.  I’m just not ready to do that yet.

Jordan at the Mission Leadership Conference

Jordan at the Mission Home for MLC

            We average about six new investigators a week, which is really good, but we had no one come to church yesterday, the reason either being financial problems or they're shy.  It's just disappointing when we work so hard for miracles in our area, but the day they're needed the most, these great people do not come to church.  I read an article this week by Elder Dallin H. Oaks in this month's issue of the Liahona about receiving personal revelation.  He says that we can't force ourselves to have spiritual experiences or demand revelation on our time, but that it all comes from the will of God on His time.  I guess I'm still new on this whole revelation thing, so I guess I'm still a little impatient about those things.  Two years as a missionary isn't enough time to really begin to understand just how revelation works, although Id’ say I have a lot more understanding than I did before my mission.  I think that our prayers are getting answered little by little.  The Bishop told us yesterday that they've got an area they want for a meeting house and want us to be the ones to find a specific location.   Once we find one, then the work will start to really progress.  We could be the ones to start a legacy here in San Leonardo.  How cool would that be?  I guess that'll be my goal before I go home: Begin a legacy of faith.

Jordan with Elder Blackham

            That’s it for this week.  I hope that you're all doing great.  I can't wait to hear from you soon.  I love you all.  Stay safe.   Ingat.

            Elder Jordan "Legacy" Royal