March na!?!?

They had a large group for the baptisms on Saturday, which included President and Sister Martino

            Grabi.  I can't believe that it's March already!  By the end of this month, I'll have been out for six months! :o  Times going by faster than anything right now.  Anyway, magsimula tayo.  So I have a lot to write about this week, so just hang in there.  Well first, we had another baptism on Saturday for our golden investigator, Nanay Rose Marie Rabe.  We had another combined baptism with the Palayan Elders (Zone Leaders), but it wasn't as many as last time, but who cares, right?  A precious soul being saved is priceless.  Anyway, while Elder McCormack and I were getting changed in the bathroom, someone opens the door behind me, and it was President Martino.  I was completely surprised to see him there.  He was visiting some areas in our zone with Sister Martino and the two couple missionaries from the office.  They heard that we had a baptism, so they decided to attend.  It was really cool to have them there.  After I baptized her, she just seemed so different, like her whole life just changed right before my eyes (which it pretty much did).  Then, we sang together as Elders, "Love at Home" with piano in the first verse, and then no piano the rest of the time.  It sounded really cool, and the Spirit was really strong in the room.  It was a great weekend.

Jordan and his mission pals sing "Love At Home" at the baptism

            Okay, since it's March.....that means March Madness.  We have a little inflatable basketball at our house about the size of a volleyball, that we use to play basketball with.  We put a little laundry basket on top of the counter, and we came up with this new game called, "March Madness" or "Basket Madness."  It's exactly like HORSE, except you get five attempts to make your shot.  Every attempt that you get in, the next person has to follow it.  So that means you may only have to make one basket, or all five in a row without missing.  If the other person fails to replicate the other person's shot, then the person who made the shot gets a point.  We play to 10, and we're going to be keeping a tally of our wins throughout the month.  Right now, it's 1-1.  I won the first game after being down 9-4 (haha).  Yeah, it's pretty fun.  We're going to be playing real basketball today, so let's see if "basket madness" is better with a real ball (not likely).

            So here's a funny story.  We just ended one of our appointments with a family and were leaving, when there were three geese in the way of our path.  At the risk of offending geese lovers: geese are real jerks.  They just stick their beaks in the air and think they're really something special.  There are other geese in an area that we go to where they just charge at us for a few steps, and then back off.  However, these geese did not want us to go home.  The geese were on my left and so was Elder Talento.  When we were next to them, they got stirred up and went for Elder Talento, but he ran on my right side and pushed me closer to them.  One goose bit my pants, but I was able to get away without a scratch- vicious predators they are (haha).

            Well I guess this story is funny, kinda, maybe.  Yesterday, we were on our way to an appointment when a kid yells at me, "Hey man!  F&@& you!"  Now I've heard stories from other missionaries about this, but I didn't think I would actually see it....in my first area.  I looked at him with a shocked expression that also had some anger in it.  In Tagalog, I said, "What did you say to me?"  The kid suddenly freezes.  I repeated: "What did you say to me?  Come here!"  The kid refuses to come.  I then said (again in Tagalog): "Don't you know that is an extremely bad word that you should never say to a foreigner?  Don't repeat it again.  Alright?”  He then sheepishly responded (in Tagalog): "Ok."  It's not like it was his fault.  The kids just repeat everything that they hear on TV.  Example, I've been called the N word a couple of times, too.  I had to set that kid straight, or else he'll probably say it to a foreigner who won't be as nice about it.  That just goes to show you that the media DOES affect the children.  That's why the prophet has cautioned parents to keep their children away from that kind of bad media, because children don't understand what they're saying most of the time.

A pre-baptism moment with the soon to be baptized souls

            Well, I think that's it.  Hmmm, this was a lot shorter than I thought it would be.  Oh, yes I received the package with everything in it.  Thank you so much!  I loved it!  Yes Mom, if you could send me more of those mission pictures to give out to people, that would be great.  They look good, too :).  I also received about 50 Dear Elders as well, so I'm all caught up with that.  Thank you again for all of your love and support :).  Mahal ko kayo. 

            Elder Jordan "Goose Attack Survivor" Royal

From left: Elder Talento, Nanay Rose Marie Rabie, and Elder Jordan Royal