May bagong kasama ko!

            Well, well, well, another week has gone by, and so has another transfer.  Dang!  That was a pretty fast three months!  I am now officially a Co-Senior!  Which pretty much means that I'm no longer a trainee.  Still, I’ll take it.  I'm so happy to say that I am now companions with Elder Talento (Elder Talent, haha).  He's an older guy - so very cool!  He just finished training Elder Palmer from my batch in the MTC.  I'm so excited to start working with him this transfer.  We had our transfer announcements on Wednesday at Palayan, and every companionship in the zone is now new, except for Elders Crisanto and Nunn who are still on the 12 Week Program for one more transfer.  Elder Declaro went to Sta. Ignacia, Elder Magbunua, Elder Manalo, and Elder Frearson all left.  Everyone on the East side of the mission went to Cabanatuan to pick up their new companions.  Everyone kept telling me how awesome Elder Talento is, how he's very outgoing with the investigators/members, and how awesome he is at basketball.  Well, it turns out that all of those things are true.  I'm very pumped to work with him. 

Elder Royal and his new companion, Elder Talento from Manila

            The day after transfers we had exchanges, because our area and Palayan had baptismal interviews that needed to be done.  Elder Burog (new Zone Leader) worked with me on Friday and Elder Talento went to Bongabon.  We had our baptismal interview for Nanay Rose Marie on Friday.  We went to her house first, because I thought she said we would do the interviews there, but instead we went to the chapel.  So we rushed over there and found her and President Faustino waiting for us.  I'm just grateful that she was still there and she will be baptized this Saturday (March 3^rd).  She is another great investigator that was prepared for us by the Lord to find.  Nnay Rose Marie was in a time of her life when her husband just recently passed away (Nov. 2011), but as we shared our message that families can be together forever, she had a powerful witness of the truthfulness of the Lord’s Plan of Salvation and embraced the gospel.  Who wouldn’t want to be with their family for all of eternity??  She has been such a great blessing to us.  She has a few children in their 20's living at home, so hopefully they'll be interested to hearing the message of salvation and exaltation as well.  When we first started teaching Nanay Rose Marie, they didn't want to listen to us, but they were at least polite about it.  But now, one of them has seen the change in her mother, and just wants to know why.  She read one of the pamphlets that we gave to her mom before and she sat through one of our lessons.  Hopefully, the Lord will continue opening doors for us to do His work.  We also had two less actives return and come back into activity this week.  So a baptism, plus a few less actives coming back into activity is ayos! 

            Since Elder Talento and I are no longer training/being trained, we're really trying to practice teaching in unity and going back and forth with teaching.  Before with Elder Declaro, I would teach as far as I could until I would get stuck and then he would come and back me up, which is what we're supposed to do in the 12 week program.  But now we're done with the training program, so we can become more involved in teaching our investigators.  Since we started doing that, I noticed that I became more aware of what was going on and what some of the issues some of the people had.  I still don't understand a lot of what is said in Tagalog, but it's helping me more to focus on what is being said by everyone.  If that makes any sense. 

            Steven Jex is coaching volleyball at Silverado?!  Lucky!  That's something I would love to do someday.  Oh, and Dad, thanks for sending the volleyball pics from Regionals.  They look pretty sweet :).  I'm trying to see if I'm forgetting anything right now, because I know I probably will once I'm done.  No, I still haven't received the package yet.  I will for sure get mail this week or next week, because the Zone Leaders are going to Angeles for training for a couple of days.  So I will get that and all of the 40 or 50 Dear Elders that are waiting for me also (haha).  Bale, isipin kong tapos na.  Segi.  Pwede na.  Ingat kayo at mahal ko kayo rin! 

            Pinakapogi anak na lalaki ninyo (oo, sobrang totoo),

            Elder Jordan "medyo hindi totoo diyan" Royal

And now, for no particular reason, some pictures of Jordan playing volleyball with SHS in the May 2011 Regionals (just because he misses playing so much and is jealous that Steven Jex is coaching the SHS freshman team prior to leaving for the Germany Berlin Mission).  (Pictures taken by Matt Carter at http://lvactionimages.com/p441377731)

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

Yay For Being A Royal Uncle

            Well, this week went by really fast/slow all at the same time.  How is that possible?  Well, that's missionary work for ya.  You can never tell how fast the week goes by until it's actually ended.  We had a really good week, though.  We had a mission tour this week with Elder Teh, the Area President of the Philippines and General Authority, so that was really cool.  We had a big event at the Cabanatuan City Stake Center from a couple of different zones around the East area of the mission.  It was definitely awesome to hear from Elder Teh, President and Sister Martino, and other speakers.  Elder Teh emphasized the importance of becoming a "Standard of Excellence" missionary, that we work as hard as we possibly can even when we are getting low weekly numbers.  There are a lot of missionaries, sometimes myself included, who are part of the P.N.C. (Puwede Na Current), which means, "Good enough."  He related this to the movie Finding Nemo from the part where the turtles are riding the E.A.C. to get to Sydney.  All you have to do is let the current take you right to it without that much effort.  As missionaries, we sometimes get stuck on this current.  We'll think: "I'm getting a lot of baptisms this month, so I guess I can just sit and relax."  Even though we'll return home honorably from our missions from riding this current, there will not a lot of growth or development that happened over the two years.  Becoming a Standard of Excellence missionary is always working hard even when things are going great/bad.  There are no excuses NOT to work as hard as we should. 

Bowling activity from last week

             After hearing that talk, it made me think about my personal performance lately.  Sure, I've grown a TON since I've been in the mission field (language, teaching, studying, etc.), but there are probably a lot more that I could/should be doing.  Sister Martino gave a really good talk as well from the 2012 January Liahona.  Elder Cook of the Seventy gave an account of his mission experience trying to learn German in the MTC.  He was struggling with the language, and everyone around him seemed like to be doing well.  After he said a prayer in a closet while kneeling on a mop, he received a spiritual confirmation that the Lord did not call him to learn German, but to serve with all "[his] heart, might, mind, and strength."  Instead of always looking sideways at everyone else and see how much better they were than him, he looked up to see how God thought he was doing.  Satan loves when we look sideways, to put ourselves down and compare ourselves with other people.  I definitely remember having this problem in the MTC as well, and even here in the mission field, where I often compare myself to other missionaries who are so much better than I was am the language.  That's where Satan gets us.  If he can convince us that we're no good or that we can't learn the language as fast as others, then we lose our focus and we WON'T be able to do that.  In short, it was a great conference.

Got Jordan's plaque up in the foyer this week.  Nice.

            We did not teach as many lessons as we would have like to this week, but we have three investigators set for baptism next week through the Rescue Program, so there is success there.  Jonas and Jarom Sta. Maria had their interviews on Friday, and their just the greatest kids.  Elder Manalo, who did the interview, said that Jarom will definitely serve a mission in the future.  He's a great kid - both of them are.  They'll probably both serve missions in the future.  They were so excited when they completed their baptismal interviews, even though they really didn't have anything to worry about.  haha.  Erick Padre had his interview on Saturday morning, and it's been a great blessing to bring this family, and also the Sta. Maria family, back to church.  They've been less active for a couple of years, so it's just awesome to see them coming back.  (Yay for the Rescue Program!)  They'll be baptized this Saturday on the 18th.  I'm going to baptize the kids and Elder Declaro is going to baptize Erick.  The Palayan Elders (Zone Leaders) have two baptisms on that day, too.  So we're going to have a combined super baptism.  The picture will look really cool (haha).

            We had a zone CSP (Community Service Project) here in Kalikid on Thursday.  We met at the chapel in the morning to play some basketball first before our service project.  We went to this school/gym thing (yeah, I don't know what to call it), and we made it deeper, because they're going to put a fish pond there.  While we were working, about 20 kids saw us and ran to us (mostly because there were four white guys digging a hole near their school).  Elder McCormack and I stopped working for a second and just talked to all of these kids.  They, and mostly all of the kids here, were amazed that we could speak Tagalog to them and keep a conversation going.  It's always fun to talk to the kids here.

            Yes, I still have a cold or allergies right now, and I still have some cold medicine.  I've been coughing for about a month, but it's not a problem.  There are days when I feel good and days when I don't feel as good as the days that I felt good.  But, nothing I can’t handle.

Kelli and Royal united in the outside world for the first time 

            Well I'm happy to hear that I have another nephew!  Royal is a big boy (haha).  Congrats Kelli, he's awesome!  :)  I can't wait to meet him when I come home!  By then he'll be walking, talking, and adjusted to the sleeping only during the day thing (haha).  Since Beckam and Royal are only about five months apart, they're probably going to become the next generation David and Cody.  (He's a 9th day of the month birthday, too!  That makes three in our Family!  Steven, Royal, and me)  How awesome!

Royal gazing into his mommy's eyes

            We have a zone activity today at Dingalan.  It's a city on the beach in our zone, so we're pretty excited today.  I will be sure to send pictures later.  Well.  I hope I'm not forgetting anything, but if I am, sorry.  Mahal na mahal ko kayo.  Magaling kayo rin!

            Elder Jordan “I’m an Uncle Again” Royal

Kumusta galing sa Kalikid!

Jordan preparing for a lesson

            Grabi.  I can't believe that it's Monday already!  It felt like this week was just like one long giant day, but awesome.  We definitely had some successes this week.  We had a practice for Erick Padre for his baptismal interview this Friday.  We forgot to bring the questions in Tagalog, so we had to use our planners.  The only problem is that our planners aren't in Tagalog, so we had to translate as we read, and guess who had to translate and give the interview?  Yep, me.  I was pretty nervous at first, but then after I said a silent prayer to myself, the Spirit filled the room.  I was able to translate the questions with no problems at all.  I had to stop at question four, which is about felonies, homosexual behavior, and abortion, because I didn't know how to say those things.  Elder Declaro took over for the rest of the interview.  I still felt good to be able to do all that I could before I had to give the rest of the interview to Elder Declaro.  Just another example of the Gift of Tongues, I guess.  His baptism date is on the 18^th of this month, so we're really excited for that.  We have Jarom and Jonas Sta. Maria being baptized on the same day as well.  The zone leaders are also bringing in their baptismal candidates, so it's going to be a large group picture (haha).  That should look cool.  The best part is that our three baptisms are all from the Rescue Program.  We found the less active member first, and then we taught their family members.  It's great to see them all coming back to church, too.  We challenged one of our investigators, Rose Marie Arabe, to baptism as well.  It took her a couple of seconds to say yes, but the Spirit was very strong in the room.  I promised her that if she continued to read the Book of Mormon and to ask for the truthfulness of it, than she will know that baptism is what she should do.  If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith is God's prophet who he called on the earth to translate the Book of Mormon, restore the gospel, the Priesthood, the Church, and that God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith.  All of these questions can be answered through reading and praying about the Book of Mormon.  Her baptism date is on March 10^th.

Elder Royal up close and personal!

            Elder Declaro and I only have two weeks left together before transfers.  Who knows?  We could be staying here, but we're all assuming that he'll be transferring, because he's been here for about four months.  I've been here for over two months and will be hit my third month in Kalikid on the first of March.  Crazy!  I just wonder what will happen at the next transfer.  We'll be getting another new AP next transfer and possibly a new Zone Leader, if Elder McCormack becomes the new AP.  That's just what we're guessing.  It should be interesting.

                                                           

            I had a pretty awkward experience at church yesterday.  I was asked to play the piano again, and I decided to play some hymns that I hadn't practiced ever, but looked easy.  I chose, "He Died!  The Great Redeemer Died!" . . . and NO ONE knows that song here!  I was completely shocked!  That isn't the awkward part, though.  And no, it wasn't the fact that I stumbled through all of the songs, either.  The awkward part was that no one sang the sacrament song.  I played the introduction and then no one came in to sing.  I just had to keep playing the rest of the song.  It was so embarrassing. 

            We went to Sister Garcia's home on Saturday night for her birthday dinner.  Elder and Sister Bowcutt were also there, so it was fun talking with them and stuff.  They're just the greatest people!  They gave me more Dear Elder letters and I got two letters from Elders Harrison (Baguio Mission) and Biggs.  Elder Bowcutt handed me the stack and asked: "Is there anyone you don't know?"  I told him: "Well, in fairness, 90% of these are probably from my Dad."  I was wrong, though.  Only about 85% of the them were from Dad (haha). 

Elders Royal and Declaro during a lesson

            Well, I think that's about it for me.  I can't really think of anything else that happened this week.  If I forgot some things, maybe next time.  We have a great week planned for this week.  Elder Tehh, the President of the Area Presidency here in the Philippines, is coming here for a mission tour.  We have zone conference on Wednesday, so that should be pretty awesome.  We're going to the Bowcutt's house this afternoon to play basketball again, because it was just so much fun last time.  Oh!  Congrats to my cousin Jeffrey Starks for his call to the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission, and to Steven Jex for his call to the Germany Berlin Mission!  News of mission calls is always awesome.  Steven, I wasn't really surprised at all.  I always knew you were going to go somewhere in Germany.  I hoped you would go to the Philippines, but hey, it's all about where the Lord wants you.  And Jeffrey, you will be awesome.  (I’m suddenly very hungry for a Capriotti’s Philly Cheese sandwich, with everything on it.)  You guys will never regret serving a mission.  (Doesn’t Brennen Marshall go into the MTC this week for the Baltic Mission?  Dallin Jenkins and Brody Barker should be turning in their mission papers soon.  I love hearing about my friends serving missions!)  That goes for all you young men preparing to serve missions.  It's hardest work I’ve ever done, but brings with it the greatest blessings I could ever imagine.  As long as you are completely focused on the work, you'll love every minute of everyday.  Well....until next time.

            Mahal ko kayo.  Babalik ako ng susunod lingo.  Ingat kayo!

            Elder Jordan "walang trunky pa" Royal

Dog Days of Bongabon

Jordan and Elder Manalo, chillin' on P-Day

            Well, this week went by a lot faster than I expected it to.  We had interviews with President Martino on Wednesday, which was pretty cool.  It was my first time having interviews since after my initial interview at my arrival.  I have now officially been in the Philippines longer than I was in the MTC, hitting my four month mark on Saturday.  How crazy is that?!  I also received about 40 Dear Elders on Wednesday as well dated back from Christmas until about the third week of January or second week.  So, a lot of things have happened this week.  A lot of spiritual, interesting, and funny things.  Magsimula tayo.

Jordan and Elder Declaro with the zone getting a view of the valley

            We've been really progressing with Nanay Rose Marrie.  We taught lesson one and the spirit was really powerful when we taught her about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon.  We think that she should be baptized by the end of February.  She's a really great lady.  She comes to church by herself every week.  Which is really rare here in the Philippines.  Usually investigators don't come to church unless they are dragged out of their houses.  Speaking of great investigators, we have two kids that we are teaching through the Rescue Program (the Sta. Maria Family).  They've been inactive for a couple of years.  When we met them, they told us that they wanted their kids to be baptized and have us teach them.  What missionary can deny that?!  Jarom and Jonas are great.  Jarom is 12 almost 13, and he has the greatest faith and spirit that I've ever seen anyone at that age.  Even more than some of the kids that are already baptized and have the Holy Ghost.  I know I definitely wasn't like that when I was his age.  He and Jonas have the greatest desire to follow Jesus Christ that I've ever seen.  We did have a sad moment before we taught them this week.  Before we were about to start the lesson, one of their friends came to pick up their uncle, Elmer Sta. Maria, and take him to the Inglesia ni Cristo service that night.  So it was a pretty awkward 20 minutes talking to him.  That was probably the longest conversation that I've ever had with a member of Inglesia.  All of the other members refuse to talk to us, because it's bawal (taboo) in their church to talk to us.  Where's the free agency in that?!  Oh well.  All we could do was talk to him and be polite while Brother Elmer was getting dressed to go with him.  When they left, they were only gone for about three seconds when Jarom shouted, "Go!  Go!  Walang Inglesia!"  As funny as that was, we were worried that they probably heard him.  We don't think he did.  It was pretty sad to see an endowed member of the Church leave to go to another church and have a baptismal date with them next month.  Here's where the miracle comes.  We went early on Sunday morning to pick up the kids to take them to the District Conference in Bongabon when we saw Brother and Sister Sta. Maria dressed up saying that they were going with them.  We were so happy that they were coming!  Brother Sta. Maria definitely seemed different.  Especially since he was wearing a white shirt and tie to go to church instead of his plaid shirt that he wore to Inglesia.  I could tell that our prayers about him were definitely answered.  Hopefully, they can continue to come to church and return, because that's what the Rescue Program is all about. 

Elder Royal - enjoying the hike with the zone

            So we had a funny experience happen on Friday morning while we were doing weekly planning.  We looked out the window and there were about 10 Jehovah's Witness missionaries going door to door.  They even came to our door, but luckily Nanay Estinoco was there washing our clothes, so she talked to them.  We really wanted to go and talk to them, because that would've been really interesting.  Perhaps we could have exchanged pamphlets (we did get one they gave to Nanay Estinoco to read).  Funny stuff there.  Okay, so the Philippines have these really weird goats that sound just like humans.  I don't know if they're like that anywhere else.  Goats laugh and even scream like really people.  Well, it's not really laughing, but it sounds like it. It's so funny.  I've almost busted out laughing during lessons, because I can hear goats outside screaming.  It sounds like they're in pain, but they're really not.  They just stand there and scream.  So the other day, we were eating lunch, and I turned around just in time to see a big dog get run over by a jeepny.  I just saw it rolling and then the back tire went over it.  It was yelping and hobbling to the other side of street until it fell into the gutter.  The gutters here are like two feet deep at least.  Once it fell into the gutter, it didn't make a sound.  It was sad.  After a moment of silence, I continued eating.  We went to see if the dog was still there about an hour later, but I guess the owner got it out.  Okay, isa pang (another) story about animals.  So we were on our way to Palayan this morning to play basketball when the jeepney stopped suddenly in the street.  We looked out the window and saw about a thousand ducks crossing street guided about three guys with sticks, or duck shepherds.  That was pretty funny.  I played basketball for the first time since I left the MTC.  After about two games, I was completely covered in sweat.  We were lucky to be playing in a dome area, because it would've been a lot worse in the sun.  It was still really fun, though.  We played as a zone.

Elder Royal with more members of his zone

            Mom, I see that you already sent my package.  I was about to ask you if you could send some cold and flu medicine, because I have wala (none).  It would be nice to have now, since I started getting a cold yesterday.  Oh well, I'll just have to buy something here.  Hopefully, it works as well. 

            We had District Conference this week.  We were able to hear from President Martino and a member of the Area Seventy.  It was a great conference.  It was mostly about the Rescue Program and how we should encourage the members to bring back all they can that are less active.  I have seen the Rescue Program working miracles this month, and it's only the first month of the year.  It'll be interesting to see how this affects the rest of the year.  I didn't know that there was a song in the Hymn book all about this: "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd" (hymn no. 221).  It's all about shepherd bringing back the lost sheep.  Pretty good song. 

            Well I think that's about it for me.  I hope that you all have a good week and that the Lord answers your prayers, because they're definitely answered here.  I would strongly encourage you all to pray for experiences to serve as an instrument to lead others back to the Savior.  They may be lost, but are never forgotten.

            Mahal ko kayo!

            Elder Jordan "Hit and Run Witness" Royal

P.S.  Special thanks to Sister Lilian Adonis for providing pictures to the family via Facebook!

A Week of Successes

Jordan - close up and personal

            Don't let the subject title confuse you.  It wasn't really the week of success.  It was the week of great success!  We committed FIVE of our investigators to baptism this week and have set goal dates for all of them.  Hopefully, they are successful, because this is pretty exciting.  Three of them are from the Rescue Program here in the Philippines (Jarom and Jonas Sta. Maria, Erick Padre).  The Sta. Maria kids are such smart kids.  Jarom was a former investigator about three years ago and was ready for baptism, but then the missionaries didn't follow up with the date.  They really know their stuff.  It's like we don't even have to teach them (haha, but we do, that's the rule).  We've really been trying to get their parents to come to church as well, because they're sealed in the temple, but have been less active for a couple of years.  After many assurances from the parents that they would come to church, only Sister Sta. Maria came with her children, which is a big improvement from last week since these kids went by themselves.  We'll have to follow up with Brother Sta. Maria and asked what happened.  We're trying really hard not to baptize little children without a strong support system from their parents.  The reason why we have so many less actives in the Philippines, and especially here in the Angeles Mission, is that missionaries baptize little children with no support from their parents, so they never make it back to church.  The missionaries usually know their situation before baptism, but baptize them anyway, which just isn't what missionary work is about. 

Jordan . . . outstanding in his field

            Anyway, we met a woman this week, Rose Marie, and she's just great.  She's a referral from Nanay Rosa (syempre, de ba?).  Almost all of our investigators are from her.  That's what you call a great fellowshipper.  While she and Elder Declaro were talking, and I couldn't understand, they talked about what we were going to teach her.  When we got there, I noticed that she had a shrine for her husband on a table in the corner of the room.  This is a very common thing here when someone dies and it gives missionaries a clue of what to teach first: The Plan of Salvation.  I was about to lean over and tell Elder Declaro that we need to teach Lesson 2, which is the Plan of Salvation, but as I was about to tell him, he already had the Lesson 2 pamphlet in his hand.  So I took a guess that's what they were talking about on the way over there.  We taught her twice this week, and she just loves what we're teaching so far.  She even came to church yesterday with a copy of the Book of Mormon we gave her.  She even stayed for Sunday School.  It's a miracle that we received that referral, which, by the way, is the most effective way in finding new investigators (future missionaries, take note). 

Elder Frearson from New Zealand . . . is awesome

            Yesterday was all about Rescue.  We didn't teach any investigators yesterday.  Instead, the Branch Presidency, the District President, and some of the members took us to some less active families that we haven't met yet.  It was awesome seeing the members doing the teaching and bearing their testimonies.  The Rescue Program has really sparked interest in the Kalikid.  Our less active members are coming back to church and we're continuing to invite other less actives to come back to church. 

            I went on another exchange with the Zone Leaders in Palayan.  This time, I was with Elder Manalo.  He's a fun guy to be around.  I'm glad I was able to be with him.  We taught the same investigators that I taught with Elder McCormack last Sunday, and they all remembered me.  You know why?  Besides the fact that I'm tall and white, they love my blue eyes.  All of the Filipinos here seem to be crazy about blue eyes, and especially the members in Palayan.  At a certain member’s home in Palayan, they're pretty much all girls from ages 12-17.  It was really hard to teach them, because they kept staring at me and interrupting us and trying to make up some stupid pick up lines.  I think they're more converted to the missionaries, but Elder Manalo kept telling me that they have strong testimonies.  I wasn't really buying it.  Oh well.  If any of you are going to the Philippines and you have blonde hair, are tall, and have blue eyes, just be ready.  (Take note Miles Kehler and Seth Bohman.  Congrats by the way, man!  I know you'll love it here.  I had a Sister in my district from the MTC that is in your mission right now, and also some other cool Elders that I met at the MTC.  The Philippines is definitely the place to be.  And Brennen Marshal, you go in the MTC very soon don't ya?  You'll love it there.)

On the bus to the bowling alley on P-Day

Zoning out!  Love getting together with the zone for activities

            Last Monday, after I emailed, our zone went to a bowling alley in my area.  We went with Sister Adonis and others from the Branch.  The bowling ally was actually a lot nicer looking than I thought it would be.  You know how they have bumpers and stuff for little kids?  Well here, they have three lanes that are miniature EVERYTHING!  The bowling balls are like the size of shot puts for Track and Field and the pins were about half the size of regular pins.  I thought it was the coolest thing.  It probably would've been harder, but that would've been really fun to play on those lanes.  Elder Bradshaw and Elder Manalo challenged me and Elder Frearson to a game.  Only two people were allowed in one lane, but the scores were added from the two people, so you could challenge the lane next to you.  I didn't do as well as I have usually done in my prime (like I ever had a prime in bowling, haha), but we still beat them in two games.  The losers had to buy the winners ice cream (which they haven't done yet).  I'm just going to keep bugging them about that until it actually happens (haha).  Elder Bradshaw is actually really good.  He's bowled since he was 12.  He knows how to spin the ball and stuff, but it wasn't good enough to beat us.  Today for P-Day, we went to some place in our area with Sister Adonis and everyone else that was with us last week.  We went on top of his mountain and a great view of pretty much everything. 

Bowling Day

                         Thursday morning during our exchange in Palayan, Elder Declaro and Elder McCormack came from Kalikid to meet up with us to do our service project at a local less active family in Palayan.  The family has a roofing business.  They take long grass (I forgot what it's called) and there's some wrapping involved and stuff, and that's how they make their roofs.  They call them KidKids.  It was pretty hard to get good at it at first.  I was tutored very patiently on how to do it by one of the members in the family.  Of course, they had to tutor and help me, because an American has probably never made a Kidkid before.  I was able to get good at it and it actually turned out to be pretty fun. 

At the Adonis home after bowling

            So this week I've been having random fantasies about volleyball this week.  I thought about that a lot everywhere we went.  On our way to an investigator's house, I'm just completely zoned out.  I just keep thinking about the good times that I had playing volleyball.  I seriously miss it - a lot.  Like a whole lot.  Speaking of volleyball, I read from Dad that Jahren from Coronado got his mission call to Georgia and that Byrin Romney got his mission call to England.  Seriously that's awesome!  There are so many missionaries that are getting their calls now.  It's awesome!  This work is probably the best thing you could be doing right now.  Well, I think that's about it for me.  Tapos na.  Sana Makakaroon kayong maganda ng linggo!  Mahal ko kayo!

            Elder Jordan "Bowling Champ" Royal

The Work Rolls On in the Bukid

            Well once again, I'm grateful for the chance I have to write you all.  I'm in Palayan right now with Elder McCormack from Australia.  He's older than the average missionary (27 will be 28 next week), but he's such a great guy.  He's our new Zone Leader who replaced Elder Villareal.  He's a college graduate with an engineering degree, so he's mas matalino.  We're in the same computer shop as last week with the same kids next to me watching Tom and Jerry on You Tube.  It's kind of a temptation to look at their screen, because it's a pretty great show (ha).  Anyway, so yesterday afternoon, the Zone Leaders came by our house for a companionship exchange.  I went with Elder McCormack and Elder Manalo stayed with Elder Declaro in Kalikid.  I was pretty happy to spend time with a foreigner like me whose been out for a year and a half and knows Tagalog.  I've only heard of Elder McCormack a little bit before he became our Zone Leader.  We got to talk a lot and got to know each other quite a bit in just a couple of hours.  Being with him gave me a taste of what it would be like if I were here with Brad right now.  Mostly because of the age, but also because it gave me an image of what Brad must've been like here.  We taught a lesson to one of their investigators about enduring to the end, and grabi sobrang astig.  During that lesson, I understood every word that was said and all of the concerns that were shared, and I was able to teach the lesson in probably the best Tagalog that I've ever been able to speak since I became a missionary.  It was like that for the rest of the lessons during the rest of the night as well.  I have no idea where it all came from, but I'm so grateful for the Gift of Tongues.  Even though I'm not even close to having perfect Tagalog, I was able to get my point across in understandable Tagalog.  My testimony of this spiritual gift was definitely strengthened.  Elder McCormack was also there to correct me and teach me a lot more words and phrases that make so much more sense to me now.  Overall, it was a pretty great day yesterday.

We love pictures of Elder Royal from any angle . . . even the back of his pretty little head at a baptism

             Segi, so now that I've said all of that, I guess I can tell you what else happened this week.  Right now, we have about 12 investigators in just one area, thanks to Nanay Rosa.  Sometimes I just can't believe her love and dedication to wanting to share the gospel with EVERYONE.  Elder Declaro and I just laugh at how bold she can be sometimes.  When we go to someone's house where it looks like no one is home, she just walks into the house anyway and finds the people, and then we have our lesson (haha).  We're focusing on a woman right now who's just really into our lessons, but it's so hard to get in contact with her or teach her.  Whenever she is there, her husband is usually passed out drunk and she tells us to come back later.  When we do teach her, her husband doesn't want anything to do with us, even though we try to include him or just say hi, but he just runs into the house.  We always have good experiences and lessons though when we do teach her.  She knows that our message is true, but the only problem seems to be the husband's never sober.  She's progressing though, which is good.  Other than that, we really didn't teach as much as we would like, because they're always busy.  It's ok though; there's always next week.

Elders Royal and Declaro prepare to enjoy another awesome Filipino meal

             Our main focus all over the Philippines is the Rescue Program.  There are over 600,000 members here in the Philippines, which is awesome, but just a little over 100,000 of them are active.  That’s a problem.  We attended a special broadcast from the Philippines Area Presidency.  They compared the Philippines to the Allegory of the Olive Tree in Jacob 5.  The tree has many leaves and branches (members) but not a strong trunk (Priesthood holders) or deep roots (doctrine).  If the branches get bigger and bigger with no support, the tree will topple over when the storms come.  So, this rescue program is all about bringing back the less actives and getting more priesthood holders (leadership) here in the Philippines.  Right now in Kalikid, Elder Declaro and I have had some success with our less actives.  Whenever we can’t teach our investigators, we go to our less actives and teach them and encourage them to come to church.  Some of the families and other less actives have now been to church two weeks in a row, but they need to come two more times in a row in order to count them as active members once again.  I believe that the Area Presidency was truly inspired by Heavenly Father, because He knows that this is a big problem here in the Philippines.  Hopefully, the Rescue Program will get all of the members and missionaries excited to bring back the less actives here.  I know I am!  :)

Elders Royal and Declaro share a lethargic moment

            I think that's it for me for now.  I can't think of anything else that really happened this week.  The area is doing great.  Oh, Elder Agrabio from our Zone transfered and we now have Elder Nunn brand new from the Provo MTC.  He was there when I was about six weeks in the MTC.  He's a really nice guy from St. Louis.  So that makes our zone ALL new missionaries pretty much.  Every companionship besides the Zone Leaders are trainers/trainees.  So that's pretty interesting.  Bongabon Zone has become the new training grounds for brand new missionaries (haha).

Dad, I would like also to receive the mission letters from my friends at BYU (Michael Neff and Tanner Johns).  They're in the MTC right now.  You can find them on my Facebook.  I don't know how else you would do that or if you can, but if you can't it's alright.  Mom, I really don't know what you could send in my package.  Just to let you know, I love peanut butter now.  Weird right?  I got some Jiff from the store a few weeks ago, so that's lasting me.  Gatorade would be fine and maybe some cough drops or something.  I love you all very much!

            Mahal Ko Kayo.  You're in my prayers everyday :).

            Elder Jordan "Search and Rescue Fanatic" Royal