Well, we received David's email today, the first in two weeks. He was at the Peru MTC this week when about 100 missionaries arrived from Boliva (pulled out recently due to government unrest), so that was a unique experience for him. He is serving now in Piura, Peru. I am surprised that he has not received any physical letters in a while, but we keep sending them. My favorite is www.dearelder.com, because it's so easy. Just get in there, click on write a letter, select the Peru Piura Mission, and put in David's name (Elder David Royal). I suppose it is taking a while for the letters to catch up to him. Hopefully, I've been doing it right. David's physical address (for packages and air mail) is as follows:
Elder David Royal
Los Naranjos Mz. H Lt 4
Urb. Los Geranios
Piura, Piura, Peru
Letters sent as pouch go to the following address:
Peru Piura Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150
And now . . . Heeeeeeerrrrreeeee's DAVID …. (cue music) …….
___________
Hey Fam!
So, this is my first time contacting anyone for two weeks now...figured Mom would be getting a little worried if I waited much longer. But...I've been in Piura for...five days now? Something like that. Yeah. So, we had a flight Wednesday night from Lima and stayed in the mission office the first couple nights...and spent one day with the president and his wife. They live in a huge house by the way. Crazy. Anyway...so out of the six North Americans with us...two of us stayed in Piura...me being one of them - one to Tumbes up north - and three to Chiclayo. My good buddy, Elder Campbell, is in Chiclayo now. So I stayed in Piura, pretty close to the mission home in an area called San Pedro. That's the ward and area that we are in. So...my companion is Elder Yupanqui from Boliva. He speaks English almost fluently so that's really nice...but he makes me speak Spanish a lot and helps me a lot with that. He's a way good missionary. I was really worried about getting a bad trainer but he is really awesome. He can teach really well...knows how to do everything. Good stuff. He's been out 21 months...so he's assuming that we will be together for two transfers. So I should end up being his last companion. He'll go home in December.
There were two baptisms in our ward they day before we arrived...and five confirmations on Sunday. None of them were people we taught...but the members here are very excited about the work and they aren't shy about sharing the gospel. We are the first missionaries that they have had in San Pedro for a while. I guess the president closed the area a while ago...and opened it back up with Elder Yupanqui and me. We've already taught a ton of people...and have a bunch of people with baptism dates set. We made a goal to have four baptisms before September ends...so we'll see if we can get that or not. We almost had our first last night – a 19 year old girl named Silvana...but she's still a little iffy on going through with it. Too bad because we had the font filled and everything. haha. Oh well. I think she'll get baptized this week. She has some really good friends in the ward who are helping her and are very recent converts as well.
Let's see … we live in a house with a family who are all members with...five kids or so. Not really sure because every time we walk in there is someone different...kinda confusing...but they are way nice. One of their kids had a birthday yesterday so they had a ton of family members over for cake...none of whom are members...so we taught them all the first lesson and had them watch a video on the Restoration. Cool kids. So we could end up baptizing all of them within the next two weeks! That'd be so cool. A lot of younger kids here are way nice...they are more patient with me and my Spanish. One of them, named Darwin, 11 years old, is a way cool kid. I'm really hoping that we can teach them more and baptize them. One of the kids that lives at the house with us... a two or three year old girl...cute as a button. Always says hola to me and gives me a high five when she sees me. haha. But I remember when Brad was in the Philippines and said something like ...wanting to be able to speak at least as good as the two year olds there.... Well, I think I'm a little bit ahead of the game... I'd say I can speak pretty good with the three year olds here, 'cause sometimes that little girl asks me something...and I have no idea. haha.
I think my Spanish is coming along pretty well. I still give my dumb blank stare to people every once in a while...actually now that I think about it, I make myself look dumb a lot. haha. Like...I think I have tripped while walking at least everyday...but that's been my entire life. haha. Always fallin', never quite learned how to walk..... actually I had a really bad trip and fall in Lima when we went to the temple and I was running across the street to catch up to Elder Brown… got into the median area where there was some grass...foot caught a hole...totally ate it, in suit and all. Good, good times. Hurt my ankle, too. Worst part though...none of the missionaries saw it...so I didn't have anyone to laugh about it with me. Just thinkin' about all the taxis driving by that saw it and thinkin'... "stupid gringo". haha. Anyway...my comp says he didn't expect my Spanish to be where its at...and says that I'm doing better than most new guys...so I guess that's good.
Alright, I don't really know what else to say. The lady that cooks for us - our Pensionista (I guess that is how you spell it)...anyway she's awesome - makes us way good food and her family is really nice. Her husband is in the bishopric. Really cool guy. They usually sit and talk with us while we eat. umm...to be honest the most frustrating part of being here so far was church...because it was my first time that it was 100% Spanish...and it was a struggle. And at the moment...it takes me a while to understand people. I have to talk with someone for a while and figure out how they talk...kinda weird I guess...poco a poco...step by step. But everyone kept coming up to me and my comp afterward and I had no idea what anyone was saying...when we walked out my comp just looked at me and said...wow that was intense. Everyone just gave us a reference....so all that went right over my head. haha. Oh well. It'll get there. It's coming along.
Alright, well I think I've talked enough about how it's going here. In one word: Awesome! I really like it. So let's see...I just saw some of your emails about BYU football...so awesome that they are doing well. And UNLV beat ASU?! En serio? I refuse to believe that. And no Dad...I can't get on youtube or anything...but man the temptation was hanging by a thread when I opened that email you sent with BYU football highlights. haha. Um...I'm not sure how the mail here works yet...guess I'll find out this week. But, I haven't received a physical letter or anything for a bit now...(including the "dear elders" and such). I'll let you know when they come.
So that's it for now. Wow, that was kinda long today. So Brad...happy birthday this week! Sounds like your party will be pretty awesome. Keep working hard in school, Jordan. Cody and Jason Foote should both starting this year at BYU, right? Good luck, guys. And a final goodbye to my dear friend Jack! You're gonna love the mission field, buddy. I can promise you that. It's so awesome! So that's it for now. The Church is true.
David, the Elder
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