Let the Rain of Emails Drench Me Silly!

             You are NOT going to believe this.  President Martino made the announcement on Wednesday during Zone Conference that the mission has a new email policy.  Before, we were only allowed to email immediate family, but now they've changed the rules so we can email ANYONE that we want!  (Well, there are some restrictions related to emailing within the mission boundaries without permission from President.  But, now we can email ALL family members and friends!  So to all my friends, that means when you send me an email, I can now reply personally to you.  (Mom may be aware of this now, because she is in the mission office, so this is totally legit.)  So, those who want to email me can write to: jordan.royal@myldsmail.net and I will reply.  Everyone's pretty stoked about this.  Now we can write letters without having to wait months for a reply.  Awesome.

Jordan recently reunited with Sister Adonis (Jordan's immediate right), her mother and daughter

            Speaking of Zone Conference, it was incredible.  Our focus for this month as a mission is the doctrine of Christ (2 Nephi 31-33).  The doctrine of Christ is so easy and "plain."  All we have to do is obey it and we'll be saved.  Ironically, because it is so easy and "plain," very few people are willing to believe that if we follow the Christ that they will be saved, which is sad.  I'm just grateful, and always will be, for the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and that I was raised in a home that taught the doctrine of Christ.  It's awesome when people accept the doctrine of Christ and are baptized, like some of our investigators right now, like for example, Gracia and Dinera who will be baptized on March 23.  We were also blessed with a miracle this week as Kim Arahan, after being an investigator for over a year and a half, has finally received permission from her father to be baptized on March 23^rd also.  Kim and the Arahan family are awesome.  Kim has practiced incredible amounts of patience to finally be baptized.  If she had given up on reading the Book of Mormon everyday and attending church and Institute, she would have been lost a long time ago.  But, Kim kept pressing forward.  What a great example of courage and faith!  I was completely shocked when she told us.  Even though the other family members also want to be baptized, Kim will be the first, because she is the most ready.  The other members of the family, and especially Tatay, will follow!

            We were able to teach a lot of new investigators this week.  One of them wasn't able to come to church on Sunday, which was sad, but at least we were able to teach him.  His name is Angelo, an 18 year-old college student, who was a referral from some of the YSA in the branch.  We only taught him once this week, but he's interested and will continue to listen to us.  I have to tell you, now that we've been counting referrals again in the mission, we've been getting at least two or three referrals a week, and we hadn't really asked for them yet!  What a blessing!  Even though that was a blessing, our attendance went down again this week at sacrament meeting.  We usually have nine investigators at sacrament meeting, but we only had three yesterday.  What the heck!?!

            Saturday was a pretty fun day.  We had our “Branch One Day Mission,” where we visit the less active members and then concluded the day with Branch Home Evening at the chapel.  Everyone we talked to said they would be coming to church, so we were excited to see the fruits of our labors.  Unfortunately, the fruit was barren, but no effort is wasted, right? 

Captured rat from Jordan's apartment
(Missionaries love rat stories)

            So we were awakened at about 1:00 am on Wednesday after we heard a crash in the kitchen.  Great . . . another rat.  Not only did it make a huge mess on the floor with the oyster sauce (which had probably been in the house for months), but knocked down a pan from the counter.  This rat was way bigger than the last one.  The body was probably about the size of my foot (size 10).  We spent 15 minutes trying to catch it, but we finally got it trapped and sent it to rat heaven.  That brings the rat count to two.  Bring it on!

            So Saturday, while we were buying food for lunch, a woman came up to me and smiled as she shook me hand.  I stared at her for about two seconds and thought, "Who is this?"  I then quickly realized that it was Rose Marie Rabe, my last convert from Kalikid, who is very active and preparing to enter the temple this month for her endowment!  She changed her hairstyle, so that's why I was a little confused at first, but I was so happy to see her!  We had a short conversation and then parted ways.  That was so, so cool!  Then yesterday after Sunday School, I saw Nanay Adonis and Mayo sitting there waiting for me.  It was the first time that I'd seen them in 11 months!  Great times in good 'ol Kalikid.  I'm happy that I'm a lot closer to Kalikid, so I have.   a higher chance of seeing some of the members again.  I really loved serving there.

            Well, I think that's about it for me.  Oh right, about my birthday package.  If I could have some updated photos of the family included in the box, that would be pretty sweet.  I love you all!!!  Thank you for all your prayers and support on my behalf!  Mahal ko kayo.

            Elder Jordan "Loving the Work, But the Rats Are Going Down” Royal

 

Royal, Jordan's nephew who was born after Jordan left on his mission, took his first steps this past week.  Here's a short clip of little Royal getting the hang of having his legs and feet beneath him.