So this week was cool. I got punched in the face!

Heeeeyyy ya`ll:

 

            So this be Elder Royal, calling in.  Sorry it's kinda late.  We had a pretty crazy day today.  We went to a town outside of Piura called Moropon.  It was awesome, 'cause it had mountains, and I love mountains, and miss mountains very much.  So we hiked up through that a bit, got some waterfall action.  Yes Mom, I got some pictures and what not.  I have plenty of pictures that I am working on sending you along with a letter, and no I have not yet sent anything - to the family at least.  (Oooooouch.)  But I have some some to Brad and foos out yonder in Provo, so holla back if ya'll got what I sent.  Don't worry Mom, yours is coming too - just taking longer 'cause its extra special. ;)

 

            So this week was cool.  I got punched in the face!  Yeah, seriously...got in a little run in with a mugger, and one thing led to another...but I got the best of him.......no (jk).  It was actually from a seven year old kid that I was playing with.  I was holding him upside down and he just took a swing right into my face...pretty good hit, I might add.  But yeah, so there is my first punch in the face in Peru.  So far nothing real with a mugger or anything...but I have had some pretty shady looking dudes come up to me and say... "Hey you're the guy from Las Vegas, right?"  Soooo...not sure how I'm becoming so popular here in San Pedro...must be from all the people whistling at me.  Oh yeah, I'm a big attraction, at least for the 9-10 year old girls.  Sometimes I get a whistle from the old maids (the 13 year olds - ha) on a good day.  Probably a good thing that I'm unattractive enough that they lose interest in me a few years after hitting age 11 - one thing less to worry about.

 

            Alright, we had one more baptism yesterday - 15 year old kid named Humberto.  It was a bit weird, because although we had permission from Humberto's parents to teach him, we did not yet have permission to baptize him.  Humberto was with us at a baptism held by the zone leaders and they were like: "Hey, let's baptize Humberto now."  And they did - just like that.  Now my companion is a bit freaked out.  It was definitely not done according to proper protocol, but I just do what I'm told (assuming I understand it in Espanol).  Anyway, I'm sure it will all work out.  By the way (and I really don't mean to complain), but my companion, Elder Calderon, can be a bit on the slightly annoying side.  But, I don't say anything because I don't wanna get into arguments or anything.  He is cool sometimes, and usually when I get frustrated with him, he does something nice for me, so I end up feeling bad for being frustrated, even though I never show or tell him.  Yeah, anyway, so I'm trying to learn to be more patient.  This week I studied the Christlike attributes a lot, and I think it really helped me.  That's one thing I plan on studying more, hoping to become more positive, Christlike in general.  Overall, Elder Calderon is a good guy, and I'm doing fine with him.

 

            Let's see, I'm trying to make this interesting...yeah we are teaching a lot, and have a lot of good investigators right now, and personally I think we should have at least one baptism a week for the remainder of the transfer (especially if they are the impromptu kind with Humberto - ha).  We'll see.  In other news, I lost my CTR ring, which was chained to my oil thing and I walked around all day with the ring on my finger flipping and twirling it around.  Really, all day.  And it's really quite depressing. to make up for it.  (Remember how the guy in Castaway was hooked on the Wilson volleyball?  "Wilson!!"  It's kinda like that.)  But man it was such a cool one, not a fan of the shield CTR.  But it was a solid band with CTR in different languages.  Man, so sad.  So, to make life more interesting, and take my mind off my loss, I started a new game where I step over dogs that are in the road.  It's fun, because they are all super paranoid and for the most part, afraid of people.  The first day I did it, I got over five without any freaking out and running away.  Pretty fun - gotta admit.  So the second day I just had Brian Regan in my head. (". . . Alright, record's 5, record's 5 Brian, Ready?  Go!") Yeah, so one dog...wooo boy, I got a little running start and just leaped over him and, as I was suspended like Michael Jordan in mid air, he got up, and I thought he was just gonna swallow me whole.  (Pretty big dog, too, haha.)  He went nuts, and about 50 other dogs started going crazy, too.  I got scared and ran as my companion laughed at me.  It was funny.  So Mom, anyway, if you could find it within your tender heart to please get me a CTR ring chained to a new oil vile.  It might keep me from participating in my new sport of dog leaping, and ultimately save my life.

 

            Oh and a shout out to Mom for finding Elder Brown's family!!  Woo!!  That's so exciting.  Best part of the day so far probably.  Oh, and please keep it up with the Dear Elder letters.  Man, it is so awesome getting like 20 of those each week.  Everyone is SOOOO jealous and I just feed off of those.  So much fun to read and such a boost.  I do get real mail every once in a while...sending mail is kinda a hassle, only because I don't really wanna write.  Oh so lazy.  But I did get a letter from Jordan's friend's sister, Liz, who I went on a blind date with.  Kinda random, but I guess Jordan can alert her somehow to let her know the mail system is working.  But seriously, getting letters is just awesome...so thanks a ton to everyone.  Oh, and I'm glad to hear another tape is coming.  They are so fun to listen to.  I am still working one that dates back into the CCM.  Oh yeah, my pensionistta is really awesome, and I want to get her something for Christmas.  Last year an elder gave her a calender with temples for each month, and she loved it.  I know Mom is good with that stuff, got something little in mind that you think would be possible to send also?  Just wondering.

 

            Alright, well this is getting long.  I miss everyone, that's for sure.  Dad told me that David Robertson and Jack's sister are engaged.  If that's true . . . well cool!  And if it's not, well that's not a very good joke, Dad. ;)  The people of Peru are awesome.  I've met so many awesome, humble people.  I can't wait until I can fully understand everything, but in the meantime the Spanish is really coming along, and I'm very happy to be here.  But things are good.  Peru is quite the country.  Oh ya, know what.  I had a really interesting dream this week.  I had a dream that I was with you guys here in Peru, at the end of my mission, finishing up, and had my coming home interview with President Davie, was released and everything.  I even remember President Davie telling me that I could remove my badge.  How do you say . . . .uh . . . it was the most vivid dream I have had in a long time.  I woke up and remembered everything and expected to feel just downright homesick.  But amazingly enough, I felt so good because I think a lot about what kind of quality missionary I am, and whether I am a good, faithful, worthy servant, and I have prayed a lot the past few weeks for comfort, for everything really, all aspects of missionary life - but mostly to feel the spirit, to be comforted, to know and feel that I am a worthy servant and that God will accept my sacrifice and in the dream when I went home I knew that I had been faithful, and that my sacrifice had been accepted. and, well it was pretty much just a really nice dream - a direct answer to prayer, really. 

 

            Very sad to hear about BYU and the loss to Utah - sounds like a very sad day for Max Hall.  (Ouch.)  On that note, the Church is true.  Love it.  Live it.

 

            Elder I'm gonna buy myself a guitar for Christmas Royal

knocking a door which sits alongside of this putrid canal thing

    Hey family and ya'll who gonna read this:

    Well, myldsmail is lame - yet again - and its not working today. So I had to open up my old email to get this done today. So many unread messages! Think it was almost 400. Pretty good. So, I'll have to read and respond to all of the 3000 or whatever it will be in 2010.

    Alright so we had a pretty good week. Three baptisms! Yeaaaah that's going pretty good Íd say. Man its really disappointing that my other mail isn't working...can't see what anyone sent me (sigh). Oh well. Back to business. So we baptized three people - young kids actually. Daniel - 9 years old. This was a good one because his family is all active and he was actually baptized a year ago or so....but there is no record of it, and no one could remember the date or anything....sooooo... we baptized him again (or for the first time, who knows?). Hopefully, there will be a record of it this time. So we got him taken care of on Saturday, and then yesterday we baptized Tatiana and Kimber, the two kids we met last week with the inactive mother. Their dad came up from wherever he is living right now - think he was kinda freaking out about his kids getting baptized - but he calmed down after we talked to him and it was all good...baptism went through. It was a much better week for the zone, think we had 11 total this week, after only have 3 the first two weeks. So that was cool.

    Oh and I forgot last week to tell you about zone conference. I had my first one and...guess who got to play the piano for it? That's right - ME. (Woo hoo.) Oh and guess who was going to attend the conference? Oh that's right: The area authority. Perfect. So that was awesome news with 12 hours notice. Haha. It went alright I guess. Coulda been better on the ivories. So Jordan, I'm serious this time - learn to play the hymns - so you can play anything whenever. Seriously. Save yourself the embarrassment of loping through a hymn. Or just don't tell anyone you play. (haha! jk.) Go practice (do as Dad says and everything will be cool).

    Earlier this week we were knocking a door which sits alongside of this putrid canal thing, and while waiting I picked up a big rock and chucked it in the canal - but we didn't hear a splash, which I thought was odd...and then about two seconds later I heard the familiar sound of a dying, moaning, duck. Soooo....lucky throw I guess. We both thought that was pretty sad, well, and funny (in a sad kind of way). So tell Uncle Dan about that. If anyone likes that story it will be him. Then about 30 minutes later, we were walking along side this highway and this lady starting screaming - her two year old child was in the middle of the street, and man cars go crazy fast on this street and cars were flying by and seriously coming within inches of the kid. Woooo boy. It was crazy! Somehow the kid managed not to get hurt . . . as far as I know is still alive and well today. Yay!

    Alright well, I think that's about it for this week. Things are going good. Wére getting work done - I think - so that's good. Spanish is still coming. I guess I have to give myself more credit because a lot of guys tell me that they thought I had at least six months in the mission because of where my Spanish is at. Kinda cool I guess. Just trying to be patient. And hope that eventually the awkwardness of someone saying something to me and my dumb blank stare with no response will eventually end. Elder Calderon is cool . . . most of the time. He's not Elder Yupanqui but it's all good. I try not to get annoyed because we are working well together and I don't want to mess that up by getting annoyed with something dumb, being petty. So, it's great! I am still eagerly awaiting my first mugging, but be sure to tell Dutch that I around at night with chapstick in hand - just in case. :) (haha)

    Happy four months to me yesterday. Time is going by pretty fast - for sure. Something I thought about this week is how we as young men prepare for this our whole lives really, and it's not something that we can treat lightly. So, I try not to be lazy. I always try to be doing something, since I waited my whole life to do this - so I need to give my very best. Hope all is going well back home. The Church is true. By the way, the "U" button on this keyboard doesn't work too well on this keyboard so I might have a few of those missing. (Perhaps that means the "U" won't be playing too good against BYU on Saturday - I'm just sayin'....). K bye!

    Elder myldsmail is lame Royal

--
rjp

Elder "I Seriously Hate This Keyboard" Royal

    We did receive an email from David today - which was a nice change from last week (when we got no email).  He tried to resend the one from last week, but apparently it just got lost in cyberspace.  But, nice to know he's happy and excited about the work.  We just returned from Provo for yet another BYU game.  (We made all home games and the game in Seattle this year - a new attendance record!)  It is always fun to get together with the family.  David references his cousin Cody's broken arm - actually, it is a broken collar bone from flag football.  Cody is trying to heal and get out on his mission soon!  Brad and Cody are in a band and we got to Provo early enough to listen to them play on Friday.  Anyway, we now have to find other excuses to get to Provo.  (I hope BYU has a good basketball team this year - maybe go to a few games at the Marriott Center?)

 

 

    Enjoy the week. 

 

    Mike

________

 

    Hey Hey Fam!

    Alright, so I just heard that you didn't receive my email from last week. That's ok though, 'cause really it wasn't anything special, and I didn't really say much. But yes Dad, you were right, it had been a rough week - so that might be why I didn't have much to say. Anyway, this week was much better. Let's see, guess I'll start with people we are teaching. Holy cow, I think I'm using the worst keyboard on the planet right now.... (Seriously, I have to punch the C key and the backspace key hard to get them to work.)

    So we found some cool kids this week. .... Kimber and Tatiana - 13 and 11 years old and their mother is a less active member. We taught them the first lesson on Thursday and their mom was really excited to get them baptized. Tatiana was WAY shy at first, hiding behind her mom all the time, but she opened up slowly and the next time we came she was like...the elders! Hey come in !! (in Spanish of course), but that was cool. The kids are like sponges, very interested and completely accepted everything. (Pretty much like: "So, we are going to teach you about Joseph Smith, who was a prophet. Do you believe he was a prophet? Si? Perfect, let's fill up the font.") So they should be getting baptized next Sunday. Oh, and we had six investigators at church yesterday after going almost a month without having one, so that was cool - very exciting.

    We found another kid - Michael - who is about 14 years old. The problem is, well, he's a total momma's boy. He really likes the lessons but when we asked if he could come to church his mom said no because he is studying in a Catholic based school. Michael likes what we are teaching him, but his mother is presently an obstacle. After she told us he couldn't go to church, when she wasn't looking, Michael leaned over and kinda whispered: "so what's church like?" So hopefully we can keep teaching him because he definitely wants to learn more.

    And now about Sonya. She has a daughter in our ward and two young boys ages six and seven. So funny. Coolest little kids I've met in the Southern Hemisphere. The problem with Sonya is that she has kind of a husband but they aren't legally married (hence the kind of). And of course no one can get baptized unless they are married...but the thing is, she doesnt' want to marry him because they have problems with each other.....soooooo that's the obstacle there. I'm not sure what we'll do about her. Guess we'll see with time.

    So things are going good here I'd say. My comp, Elder Calderon, and I are getting along and working hard. Actually we taught this one family this week, really shady actually, who I visited a couple times with Elder Yupanqui and even helped one of the sons with some homework. We knocked their house earlier this week and when the mom saw us she came out like, "Hermano! que tal...and hugged both of us. I didn't think anything of it at first but like two minutes later I was like...wait she just hugged us...and felt really awkward. It was the first time since I hugged my mommy goodbye...awww...don't cry Mom. But anyway we saw her again today and in Peru people greet with a kiss on the cheek...so my comp got kissed today by her...but I dodged that bullet...haha...it was so funny... and awkward. haha. Couldn't stop laughing afterward. So, I'm not sure how much wéll actually teach them because I think they actually have some problems with the law and should be...in prison. Sooo...wéll see.

    Not much else really...uhh... I ruined a couple ties, kinda. I got super glue on one of them...don't ask me how...and mango juice on another. Mango juice for some reason turns black and is really hard to get out. So that was lame. Fortunately, I was able to clean that one. But of course I managed to maim my two favorite ties. (Heaven forbid I get super glue on a tie I don't like. haha.) Oh well, life goes on.

    Let's see, I took your advice Dad...got some random notes written here to tell you about. Alright, well there is a guy in our ward that looks just like Brother Scott Taylor, Mike's dad, so I thought that was funny. And yesterday I saw a little white boy with blonde hair and did like a triple take. That was so weird. And I also wanted to tell Aunt Kathy that even though she thinks Cody should go somewhere I the world other that the Peru Piura Mission, I think that we would tear it up together in here, and baptize at an exponential rate. That or buy guitars and sit in our room and play all day. ha! jk! Okay, that's it. Oh, and what about Cody's call anyway? And why is his arm in a sling? Hmmm?

    Wow, this was long. Well, that's all folks. I love being in Peru and I love being a missionary. It's so awesome. The Church is true.

    Elder "I Seriously Hate This Keyboard" Royal