Happy April Fools!

The Bongabon and Cabanatuan Zones meet for a big Preparation Day basketball showdown on 04/01/12 . . . before play.
(Jordan is on the far right.  Notice the absence of ankle braces.  Oy.)

            Sorry it has taken me awhile to send this today.  We played basketball early this morning at Cabanatuan, so that's why.  We had a really fun game, though.  It was a big game between the Bongabon vs. Cabanatuan Zones.  The games were fairly even, so it was really fun.  Well, I have some bad news, good news, good news, and bad news.  The first bad news is that I rolled my ankle after shooting a three point shot.  The guy moved right where I was going to land.  I heard it my ankle pop and stuff, so yeah it hurt pretty bad.  The good news is that, in spite of my injury, I still made the shot :).  (I should have had a four point play.  You know what - let’s just say I made the foul shot so I can add some more good news here.)  The good news is that after walking on my ankle, getting it loose, and with adrenaline I was able to play again about an hour later.  The bad news is that the adrenaline later wore off and my ankle hurts again.  That would have to happen the week of transfers (haha).  I have ankle wrap and some ointments at home, so I should be good within a few days. 

A not so clear post-basketball photo.  (Notice Jordan bent over in ankle pain)

            This was a pretty fun week, I guess.  I'm kinda bummed that I didn't get to see General Conference this week like you guys, but I'm so excited to watch it!  I'll most likely be watching Conference in a new area this weekend, so we'll see how that goes.  I've been in Kalikid for four months now....yikes.  That was pretty fast.  I've been on my mission for over six months now and I still feel brand new in the mission field.  Man!  I don’t want to feel like I just got here (haha).  Anyway, I guess I should get started now about my week (haha).  Our investigators right now are either really progressing well or they are very far from progression.  EJ is doing well.  He is a great kid and we love working with him.  He has made quick connections and friendships with the youth and the rest of the ward members.  His faith in and understanding of the gospel are increasing.  I suppose all missionaries are faced with some investigators who keep commitments, others who keep only a few commitments, and still others who do not keep any commitments.  Not to focus too much on the negative, but it is really frustrating when great people, with so much potential, cannot keep the simplest of commitments.  If they do not read assignments given between lessons, we usually read with them or give them something shorter to read.  Right now, we have an investigator who is about 21 years old and doesn't know how to read.  We told him that the Book of Mormon has the power to help people learn how to read.  It's true!  Why wouldn't it be?  If God's prophets wrote the Book of Mormon and other scriptures, why wouldn't God give us the gift to read and understand what He has written?  I'm convinced that the Book of Mormon helped me learn how to read back when I was a little kid during our family scripture reading every night.  Some people limit their faith in scripture to just answering questions and problems by the revelations given to prophets from the Lord.  Certainly, they provide that.  We can pray for answers, and then find them in the scriptures. However, Heavenly Father also blesses us with other talents and gifts in the process of seeking Him and His word.  I can testify to that through my own personal experience.  Anyway, our investigator who cannot read . . . still cannot read.  His biggest problem is that he lacks faith to even try to learn to read.  That is frustrating.  But, we just keep working with him and others.  So long as there is a spark of faith, we try to fan it into a bright, warm flame (haha).

            So some more bad news; I lost March Madness on Saturday.  The series was tied 3-3 and we played the final game on Saturday.  It was the closest game we'd ever had.  Elder Talento beat me only by two, 12-10.  We've both won a series, so I don't think we're going to play a final series because of transfers on Wednesday.  So we're both winners :) (haha). 

Four months of "Dear Elders" stacked high

 

            Congrats to Steven Olson (Brazil Sao Paulo East) and Dallin Jenkins (Pennsylvania Philadelphia) for receiving mission calls this week!  I've been wondering where you two would be going for awhile now, but I'm glad you finally received your calls.  The Olson Family is now a Portuguese speaking family (haha).  Hayden and Ethan will need to go to Brazil now so that all the boys can speak together (haha). 

            Well, I hope I'm not forgetting anything.  I hope everyone enjoyed General Conference this weekend.  Apply what you learned!  They were inspired by God to tell you something that you needed to hear!  Learn it and love it!  magtatapos na ako....mahal ko kayo!  Be safe!

            Elder Jordan "Crippled Ankle (once again)" Royal

            P.S.  I'm trying to send more, but it's not letting me right now...so this will be good for this week, right?  Sorry.  I took a lot of pictures this week that I wanted to send, but it's not letting me do anything, so probably next week.

We pulled up this one from Homecoming 2010, Jordan here with Hannah Christensen
(Just because we found it and thought of him as our wee little one.)