A Great Day of Baptisms in Kalikid

The Kalikid and Palayan areas combined for a great day of baptisms this week!

Jordan and Erick Padre

            This week went by a lot faster than I thought it would.  In fact, this transfer has gone by way fast, too.  I can't believe that this is transfer week already, and that I'm done with 12 Week Program!  Crazy!  I'll most likely get a new companion on Thursday.  We are having the transfer announcements as a zone here in the Kalikid Chapel on Wednesday.  Most likely four of our Elders will be transferred: Elder Manalo (ZL), Elder Declaro (Trainer/kasama ko), Elder Magbanua (Trainer din), and Elder Frearson (DL).  Am I training?  Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  I'm incredibly nervous about possibly being called to train, but it would also give me more motivation to study the language a lot more and my abilities would most likely increase.  So, that would be a good/scary experience.  As for the language, it’s coming along, but I still struggle to speak it.  Of course, I've improved in these last 12 weeks, but there's so much more I need to learn.  I am way better at understanding what people are saying to me than I am speaking back to them.  The thing that I've found easier for me is to just listen to the Tagalog instead of trying to translate every single word that is said into English.  I found when I did that back in the early weeks in the field, I just could not keep up.  It might be hard to explain, but I think that has helped out a lot in trying to be become a true Filipino (or Filifino) (haha).

Jordan and his zone at Dingalan for a Preparation Day excursion

Singing in the Dingalan rain

            Anyway, on with the week.  Even though you have probably seen the pictures from our P-Day activity in Dingalan last week, posted on Facebook by Sister Adonis, I'll send some more photos from it later.  That was a really fun day.  The rain was really coming down on us, but it was coming down softly, so it wasn’t that bad.  At first we tried to focus on playing games that wouldn't get us wet, but we stopped caring after a short while and just played games with water balloons and just ran around on the beach.  Dingalan is really pretty place.  I'll just let the pictures do the talking so you can see what I am trying to describe.  We came home extremely drenched from all of the rain.  Sobrang Astig.

Everyone attending the baptisms - an awesome event, incredible day

             We had an awesome weekend.  We had five baptisms in our branch!  Three were our investigators (Erick Padre, Jarom Sta. Maria, and Jonas Sta. Maria), who are also part of the Rescue Program, and the other two were eight year old girls from less active families.  We combined with the Palayan Elders for their baptisms, so we had seven baptisms total on Saturday.  Elder Manalo baptized their two, and then I baptized all five of ours.  It was so awesome to be able to baptized them.  I forgot to bring an extra white shirt for afterwards, so I had to put back on my regular clothes with a wet white shirt.  I didn't really mind it though, because the Spirit was really strong in the room, and I was just so happy.  Then the Elders (Elder Declaro, Elder McCormack, and Elder Manalo) performed a special musical number of "I Feel My Savior's Love."  They announced the song while I was still changing, so I had to hurry.  The reason why I was delayed, is because I was trying to get as dry as I could using paper towels.  (Yep, I forgot a towel, too.  I know . . . typical me, right?)  I came just in time for the second verse of the song.  Elder Manalo sang the first verse, so I didn't miss any of the singing.  We split into parts during the song, and it sounded really cool.  Even when we sang accapela for the last verse.  The pictures from the baptism are really cool, and I will be sending them right now.

There is nothing like performing a song of praise at a baptism! 

            Well, I think that's it for me.  I hope that everyone had/will have a good week.  Mahal na mahal ko kayo!!  Oh and thanks for sending those cool pictures of baby Royal :).  I have such a cute nephew! haha :)  And, also I loved the picture Dad sent of my mission plaque.  Awesome.  And no Mom, I have not received the package yet, but will hopefully get it during transfers.  Our zone is getting together today for bowling and volleyball.  Should be awesome!!  And finally, HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLI!  Hope your birthday was fun and awesome.  Finally, David, please remember to smile nice and bright in your engagement pictures with Kambria.  I can hardly wait to see how those turn out.  Hope I didn't forget anything.  Segi.  Tapos na.

            Elder Jordan “Wet & Wild” Royal

One more beach photo . . . just because I may never get back to the ocean and it was awesome despite all the rain