I'm Just Not Feeling Clever Right Now

Hey Hey Hey!

This week went much better for prostelyting. Much better. The zone of Miraflores has been struggling a bit this month. We had our weekly zone meeting on Tuesday, and it went very well. I really like the zone leaders. We have zone leaders that try really hard to help the zone and be successful. It's not showing so much through the numbers, but they are working hard and I greatly appreciate it. I'm sure they are probably frustrated and at a loss of what to do, but they are good guys. We had a good zone meeting where the spirit was very strong. I decided something I need to do better is write spiritual experiences. I realized that when I can go back and read about a time when I felt the spirit, it helps me remember how much the Lord really does help me and how often I am blessed by the spirit. On the contrary, if I don't write experiences down, I tend to forget about them and then get down in the dumps during difficult times and wonder if I ever feel the spirit. Point is, writing things down so we can remember spiritual experiences.

A few elders from our zone are from outside of Piura and have to travel by bus to get there. Just so happens that they came for the meeting and the same day, a nation wide transportation strike started. Buses and vans, all kinds of stuff, no one was working. It makes traveling really dangerous, because the people that decide to work that day, with all kinds of demand, will be violently attacked by those on strike. It's nuts. So it wasn't safe to send the missionaries back to their areas with the chance that their bus or car get rocks and stones thrown at it by protestors lining the highways. Instead of leaving, the four missionaries came and helped work in the office area. I went out with Elder Ross, cool guy from Oregon who is going home in a couple months. We had a really good day together and got a lot done. The office is really started to step up now. We have a few progressing investigators with baptismal dates in the next couple weeks, and tonight we are doing a big showing of "The Testaments" for the youth and their non member friends. Gonna be sweet!!

It's been a relatively chill week in the office because the president and assistants are out visiting the rest of the mission. And they aren't returning until Tuesday. Which is fine, only that I can't process any money when the president is gone and people are starting to get upset. Oh, and I FINALLY got my license here. I was lazy about getting it back home too, haha. So, I will no longer be driving around Piura illegally. (Not that I…ever…did that.) I don't really have any funny stories from this week. Oh yeah, here's one. Elder Ross and I had some funny times working together. He is all about throwing rocks at dogs – so we had fun doing that, and he totally chucked a rock at a dog as hard as he could and it went too high and hit the side of a house. It was so loud! So I started walking away and as he is leaning down to get another rock, the family in the house comes outside to see what it was, and he kind of played it off like he didn't know what was going on. Haha. It was so funny. (I know, Dad, you would probably not like your Mission Prep class to hear that one.) About an hour Elder Ross, not learning his lesson, threw another rock at the same moment a guy came out of his house (different house) and it bounced and almost hit the guy. Some people never learn.

Dad, thanks for your letter and detailed report about the Encampment. That's awesome. Sounds like it was a great camp. Wish I coulda been there. I woulda done 16 pull ups on the COPE high wire thingy. Haha. It's so great to see the work of the leaders. It seems like there are so many who just kinda sluff off their calling, and it doesn't help the young men. But when real effort is put forth, young men learn to grow into great men. That is just so awesome that the young men enjoyed it so much. I remember signing the plates before, in fact, I think I signed once in 2002 and a second time in 2004. But, I never signed them again before going on my mission. At least... I don't remember doing it. I guess that was probably a part of getting my papers and everything ready up at BYU. Anyway, it's great to see so many young men committing to serve the Lord on a mission. This work is just amazing. I love it!!

I continue to have lots of experiences – good or bad, there are a lot. And I am always able to learn something from them, usually the bad are hard lessons learned, but either way I am learning a lot. I am learning to be more patient, kinder, and slower to judge. The mission is a great thing. It changes people for the better. I'm glad to be here. True happiness comes from obedience. The Church is true. Love it. Live it.

Elder I'm Just Not Feeling Clever Right Now　Royal

P.S. Happy birthday Whitney! The 29th right? Pretty sure that's right. If it's not, well, then it's Mommy's fault, because that's what she told me. haha. So, I sent off a little thing for you this week. I promise you're gonna laugh so hard or if you don't, Brad will. :] And if he doesn't, well then, that was just a waste of 45 soles to send. haha.

This Guy Just Might Have Some Talent!

Hey hey hey!

Alright, so another week has gone by, and I was looking back in my journal to see what has happened. I don't know why I have such a hard time recalling what happened in just the past six days. It shouldn't be THAT difficult. First off, today is P-Day, so Elder Larsen and I went and visited Catacaos. Man, I just love that place. I wouldn't mind going and serving there again. Hermana Angleica, my pensionistta, has had a bit of difficulties there the past couple weeks. It's a really long story so I won't go into details – but we mostly went out there to support her. She made us lunch and we talked with her for about an hour and a half. She is older, and her son that just returned from a mission recently left to go live in Australia with his older brother. So she is again, alone, and sad about it. It was a nice visit with her, but also kinda sad because there has been a lot of drama going on out there lately. She wants to go to Australia and live with her sons, but she doesn't know when she'll be able to go. So we talked with her a lot, and gave her a blessing of comfort before leaving. She seemed a lot happier by the time we left. She's an awesome little lady, so it's sad to see her having problems.

We were able to teach everyday this week but Thursday. We are working on getting more investigators and helping them progress. Elder Larsen and I are really the only ones proselyting in the office who enjoy teaching, or so it seems. I have difficulty getting other guys to go out with me. Unfortunately, Elder Larsen has been sick and this week was condemned by the doctor to his bed for four days. So it was even harder when the only other guy who wants to teach wasn't allowed to step out the front door.. We taught Yesenia a couple times this week, and missed her a couple times because her dad likes to take her to work at night. That seems a bit odd, because he is a security guard at night in the Mercado, and that's…not really the safest place at night for a little girl. Anyway, Flor is doing ok, but her sister does not like us, and is trying to convince Flor that she shouldn't either. So it wasn't exactly a week of great progression, but, such is the life of a missionary. Not every week is gonna end great, but we just keep working hard, being faithful and will hope for a more effective week starting tomorrow.

We did have a lot of work in the office this week. We had a zone counsel and zone conference this week, so that took up some good time as well. The conference was great. President Chipman is the man. Tell ya what, he has an amazing spirit about him. He is very humble, yet has a very powerful presence and strong influence, and always assumes the good in people. Excellent, excellent man. I'm loving the chance to be in the office and serve with him and getting to know him first hand. Being the financial secretary has been really good for me as well. I am really learning how to organize and prioritize myself better. (I bet that is music to Dad's ears), and even more, to deal with and budget money. (Yes, acquiring some awesome new skills.)

Silly story time – Elder Egan and Elder Hill came to the office earlier this week to pick something up, and I was just messing around that day and walking around with crutches. Elder Egan asked me: "Elder Royal what happened?" I told him that I accidentally tripped going down the stairs and twisted my ankle, so I was just using the crutches to take it easy. As I am walking and telling him, I moved to tile floor and the rubber part on the bottom of the crutch slipped out from under me (total accident, really). Seizing the opportunity, I threw my legs up, making the other crutch slip, let go of the crutch and let it fly at Elder Hill, and fell on my back. It was AWESOMELY real looking, even down to the crying. Good ol' fake falling days.

Finally, and this weeks biggest news – happy one year anniversary! UHHH! I burned a tie its in honor. Wow, what a fast year. Hard to believe that two years ago I was starting, or, now almost finishing the summer semester at BYU. Time goes by SOO fast. I'm looking forward to the next year, though. Should be a good one. The mission is only getting better. Spanish is awesome, the office work is easier and getting more organized, we had an awesome president leave and an awesome president enter – so we're still in good hands. Everything is going great out here. Hope everything back home is going good as well. Dad, Jordan, have fun with the encampment this week. Man, ya'll are doing too much stuff this summer and making me jealous!! Haha. I love being a missionary. The gospel is amazing, live it.

Elder This Guy Just Might Have Some Talent Royal
(There is probably only one person who is gonna laugh at that one

Soelberg & Me - OneYear! We look happy.

Mach, Millet, Spanenberg & Alger

casi un añito

Hey hey hey!

So my buddy Kevin Turek the Turok oughta be home from his mission in Ohio by now, right? Pretty sure. That's so cool. Tell him I say hi. I wrote him a letter when I was in the MTC, LAST JULY, and I have no idea if he got it. Can you ask him if he did? And if so, please ask a follow up question: Why didn't you ever write him back? Ok, onward.

This week seemed to go pretty well. Last Sunday, Elder Larsen and I started teaching a nine year old girl named Damaris. Her mother is an active member, and dad has not been active for about a year ago and doesn't seem to want much with the Church anymore. Anyway, Damaris is a cool little girl and knew pretty much everything – so the teaching part went pretty well. At first her mother was hesitant to have her baptized this week: too fast, she didn't have sandals or a dress. So, we bought her sandals and got her a dress from another member. I'm all about eliminating excuses. It turns out the mom was just a bit afraid of what her husband would think about it, but he just kinda shrugged it off like, yeah whatever, if she wants to. So we visited the family a few times this week and made sure that everything was good to go. Today (Saturday) finally came around, and we started getting things together. We went to her house at 4:00 pm to pick her up for her interview, took her to the church, Elder Calderon was late but not that big of a deal, since we planned on filling the font during the interview. The door to the faucet was locked, so we drove to another guy's house to find keys, couldn't find him, drove back to the chapel, and the amazing Hermana Armanda managed to find a key that worked. So we started filling the font, the bishop showed up on time. Oh, and had to go searching for the baptismal tunic that I had inadvertently left on the windshield of our car - which did not stay there for long after I started driving. That was an adventure. Anyway, Damaris's family showed up, we got changed, took some pictures, started the service. Bam. It was definitely the best baptism I have seen in Peru: very well organized, well done. It even included a special musical number. Yep – I played the guitar and Elder Calderon and I sang the primary song, "Baptism." It was cool. I printed off the lyrics last night and…never practiced it, so we just kinda winged it, and it turned out awesome. Then we had the actual ordanince (how you spell that?) and I got to baptize her. The rest of the service just went so well and afterward we had a bunch of refreshments. But, I even have a heroic tale about the refreshments. You see, someone had given the keys to kids, who went into the nursery area with the keys and locked the door. The refreshments (potatoes and cake) were in the nursery area. So, there is a small window above the nursery room door and everyone decided to enlist "Elder Royal because he is the tallest" to climb through the tiny window above the door and almost get himself stuck/killed. Oh yeah, and that didn't work so we had to go to Plan B, which consisted of going up and over the door via the ceiling. Conclusion: The cake was eaten, and it was delicious. Moral of the Story: Don't give nursery kids the keys, because they will likely lock them inside with the cake. Anyway, it was an AMAZING baptism and I couldn't be happier with how the service went, with an excellent turn out. Oh, Damaris's father came as well, which was SWEET, because he wasn't planning on attending - so that was a nice surprise, good turn around from the first time I met him. (We are all about changing hearts, minds and lives. It's all so good.)

We had cambios this week, which went much smoother than the last two that I have been apart of here in the office. In fact, so smooth in was almost shocking. No explosions. No major Royal pains. A good feeling. Good, good feeling. We were able to get out and teach a lot this week, always at least for 2-3 hours. I guess that may not sound like a ton, but it's certainly an improvement for this office. (This is really the first time I have not been slammed with some financial/computer crisis that kept me chained to the desk until the wee hours - so that has been very, very nice.) So we taught a lot and have some good people that we are looking to progress. We started teaching a lady named Karina a while back, a less active member, and this past Sunday she came to church with her entire family – few young kids and her husband. Her kids are all too young still, but her husband is interested. So that's pretty exciting. We are also teaching the Cordova family: Rosa, Edgar, Marilena, Claudilla, Aaron. They are a cool family, but we are just having a hard time getting them to the church. The two daughters, Marilena and Claudilla almost came last Sunday, but had a conflict. We're working on it.

Things are going great here. I'm trying very hard to keep improving myself in all aspects. I see areas of where and how I need to get better, and that's what I'm trying to do. I'm working on things like . . . patience, kindness, being slow to judgment - things like that. I'm trying really hard to get out and teach a lot. It's funny because I just take whoever can go with me (or whoever I have to force out of their office chair) so I have gone out with everyone at least once. People always ask me why I always come, but the "other elder" keeps changing. Haha. Luckily for Elder Bates, the times that he has come out with me we have talked with the Bishop - so he is just all about me and Elder Bates. (Ha.) We visited with him again yesterday and he told us he is really happy with the way things are going, and again apologized for talking bad about us before. In fact, he is now bragging about us in stake meetings, about how well the office is now working. That is exciting to me - because the little things we are doing have made a difference. (The Lord brings about miracles through small means.)

Dad, I really enjoyed your letter this week. Seriously Dad, it may be one of the best letters I have read my entire mission. That, or, just worked out really, really well for the moment. But, thanks for your help. Mom, if you have not sent the package yet, I got something else you toss in: Chapstick. I'm almost out because Elder Larsen took a tube and ended up giving it away to a little girl who needed it more. Now he'll probably take my last one from me. So, if you could? That would be great. Do you remember what kind I like? The Chapstick brand, of course, and it's like the navy, or royal blue color...ish. That would be awesome........my lips hurt real bad!

Time is going by incredibly fast – I'll hit a year this Thursday! Can you believe it?! Pretty crazy. I am happy to be here. I love the mission, Peru, and LOVE speaking Spanish. I love having a ton of friends as missionaries as well. So that's this week. Sorry this is getting to you guys really late. The baptism went late, and then we had appointments, dinner, and then had to buy things that we need for a conference Monday morning because we won't be able to get that done tomorrow (Sunday). So this is getting to you now. But before I go to bed, I want to say that I hope every young man out there will make the decision to do the best thing ever: serve a full time mission for the Lord! The Church is true. Live it. Love you guys. Thanks for your prayers, love, support and for blessing me with great counsel this week.

Elder casi un añito Royal

Bates Damaris, Me & Poma

Damaris Family

Damaris and Teacher

Damaris Family, Poma & Me

Group Foto Damaris Baptism

Hey Peru You've Got Talent!

We just returned home from our trip to Georgia. We had a great time in Atlanta watching Jordan in the Jr. Olympics (volleyball), and then went to Vidalia, GA for the weekend. We loved being able to return to the area where I began my mission experience upon leaving the Mission Training Center. So many wonderful memories, great people, and actually made a crazy connection Sunday night as we sat in the living room of Bishop Taylor's house: Bishop Taylor's brother is married to a close friend of mine who works with me in the Stake YM Program. (Bishop Taylor was in Vidalia 30 years ago and is one of the first members I recall working with - always being available to do exchanges with us - and helped us convert our bathtub to a shower!) Something we got from our trip is that time is kind of a funny thing. Thirty (30) years does not seem all that long ago. We found the old house where we lived three decades ago (it was an antique then . . . even more so now), and got to take the missionaries there to lunch today. (I took a picture with my phone and sent it to their mothers. I'm sure they will love that.)

Anyway, we heard from David yesterday. He has made it through the transition between mission presidents, and did not report any money handling catastrophes - which is encouraging. Below is his latest. Have a great week all.

Mike

________________

July 5, 2009

Hey everyone!

It has been a pretty eventful week here in the office. Monday was President Solis' last Preparation Day with the whole mission. We went to this nice grass field place and played soccer with the five zones around Piura. It was a pretty long day for President, I'm sure, because he played with us in the morning and then drove south to Chiclayo in the afternoon to play soccer with the missionaries there. I wanted to go…access denied. So that was Monday, the rest of us spent the day working. Tuesday was way busy too, because we were getting EVERYTHING ready for the changing of presidents on Wednesday. There were a lot of people running in and out of the office and office apartment - and now my iPod with all my church music is gone. I know, I know - I should have secured it after the whole camera fiasco. (Sigh.) Anyway, such is life. Wednesday morning consisted of more running around doing last minute chores up until President Chipman got off the plane at 2:00 pm. The office missionaries went to the airport with Pres. Solis to pick him up. It was cool to be present for that. The two presidents spent the whole afternoon together, doing…who knows what – probably explaining all the top secret mission stuff. And that night we went to the airport again to send off President Solis. Most of the missionaries in the Piura area came to see him off. It was kinda cool. He was signing Book of Mormons like Michael Jordan signs basketballs. I didn't think to bring mine…just like the little kid who sat in the corner crying cause he forgot his basketball.

When President Solis was walking down the terminal all the missionaries sang, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." You could tell he tried to not cry, but he did a bit, and I was expecting a lot more water works from Hermana Solis, but she just cried a bit. I figure they waited till they got on the plane. Anyway, it was cool – and now President Chipman has the reigns. He is AWESOME. I'm sure the mission will be in excellent hands for the next three years. He has a very calm, gentle, humble way about him – very down to earth, always cracking jokes. Really good guy. And he is definitely excited to be here.

Our zone leaders organized on a talent show for the Miraflores Stake. I was impressed when I showed up. It was very well organized. But, when I got there they told me that there weren't many acts, so they asked me to play something on the guitar. I didn't really know what I could play on the spot, without preparation, but I decided I could play my own rendition to, "I'll follow you into the dark," by Deathcab for Cutie. I'm pretty comfortable with that one. So, I asked President Chipman: "…Uh, President, the zone leaders have asked that I participate in the show – but the only song I feel comfortable playing without practicing is in English, and is not spiritual song. Are you okay with that?" He looked at me and said, "Well Elder, this IS a talent show," and with a little pat on the knee he said: "Go get 'em." So I played it, and it went pretty well. Thinking back, it's the first time I remember ever playing guitar solo in front of a large crowd. There was a pretty good number of people, 150 or so, pretty impressive for a church activity here. So it was cool, and when I finished the song everyone started clapping and chanting, "otra, otra, otra!" (Translated: another or encore.) Haha, made me feel GREAT – but it was getting late so we didn't have time for me to do another. (Always leave 'em wanting more.) But it was cool to be able to do that.

My Spanish has definitely gotten a ton better. How good? Well, (and this is pretty funny), on President Chipman's second day here, he walked into the office and - by this time he hadn't really talked to me much - he began speaking to me in Spanish, saying: "So you must be the elder from Chimbote" (city north of Lima). Yes, that's right, he thought I was a native South American missionary. I laughed and said: "Nope, I'm American." (While I wrote that exchange in English, it was in Spanish, which he thought to be my primary language.) So, I must have made quite the first impression with my Spanish for President Chipman to think I was a native (especially since I don't have any Latin blood in me - just that good ol' sweet Royal olive skin). We went out and visited with a few people, less actives, and a few other contacts. there is one family that I contacted a couple weeks ago that seemed pretty solid, interested, but nothing has happened yet. So we went there and the parents sent their son out to turn us down, using the kids, pssh...but I got the kid to find his older sisters so we could talk to someone. We ended up finding them...se llaman uh...Claudilla and Marilena - so we taught them and two of their other friends, Jose and Victoria. It was short because it wasn't the best atmosphere, but Claudilla and Marilena seemed pretty cool, and committed to attend church. We actually had three investigators attend church - which was pretty cool - but not the teenagers (because they had a conflict this week). But, we are going back to teach their entire family this week. I am excited about that. Also, we met again with the bishop again after church and gained a bit more confidence with him after telling him who we have taught and who came to church. things are looking up. The bishop is an interesting guy. He is pretty quick to attack sometimes, and I think every time I have talked to him he has jumped on us pretty quick for this or that - just a big immediate slap in the face. He said today that he was going to come into the office later to meet with Pres. Chipman about getting regular sister missionaries in the ward. That would be great, but I don't see that happening. Once I told him more about what we are doing he said: "Well it sounds like things are actually improving with the missionaries here. I have definitely seen a change lately. How about we assign four ward missionaries to help you, and I won't talk to the president about getting regular missionaries." So, it's getting better. The other problem now is...well...us. I love going out, especially now because I can talk and do more - but it's presently challenging to find another missionary who is so willing, or excited about teaching. Let me explain without using specific names (to protect the innocent). One of the office missionaries is, for all intents and purposes, a mute. You would think he doesn't speak Spanish or English. He just says almost nothing - ever. It's tough going out with him. Another new missionary here is very awkward socially. And those two should probably never go out together. Now, there is Elder Huanilo who is awesome, and I love going out with him. He is very willing to do whatever he is asked. But, he is leaving the office on Tuesday. Elder Calderon and I don't really go out together, because we are the only ones that really talk - so we have to kind of split with the non-talkers. Regardless, we are charged with the responsibility to be faithful, to magnify our talents for the purpose of bringing souls to Christ. And, who knows, perhaps we are here in part to help love, teach, and even more firmly convert our office non-talkers? So, we need to be always doing our very best to serve the Lord. Then, through our faithfulness, we qualify for His spirit and blessings. I hope to always be faithful in life and have the means to promote and build that kind of faith within the hearts of others.

That is very sad about Brother Gubler's passing. Very shocking. I am so sorry to hear about that. I feel so badly for the Gubler family. Please pass along my deepest sympathies to them, and my assurance that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that temple blessings are real, and that families are forever. Where would we be without that knowledge? I just do not know how I could deal with death otherwise.

I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip to Georgia, and that Jordan had a great experience at Junior Olympics. Tell him I am a tad jealous. (Yes, there can be extra blessings when you are the youngest child. I would have LOVED to do that trip and have that experience. Tell Jordan he needs to be very grateful for that.) I am so glad you guys got to go to Dad's first mission area in Vidalia, GA, attend church and see some people he taught and worked with there. That must be very cool, returning to your mission 30 or so years later - especially to see so many who are still stalwarts in the gospel (Alma 17:2-3). I am anxious to hear details about all that.

In closing, I am very happy to be here as a missionary of the Lord. It's not always easy, but I know that the struggles make me better. I try everyday to become better. I see things in me that I know need fixing, and I focus on really trying to improve myself to become the person/missionary that my Savior wants me to be. We live this life once, for an unknown period of time, so we have to do it right - to give Heavenly Father all we have, every ounce of our souls, setting aside all our personal ambitions/agendas. One time frame that I do know for sure is my time as a Special Witness of Christ, being set apart as a full time missionary. I get two years - and that's it. My one year anniversary is next week, and I feel I have done well - but not great. I want to be great, a great servant of God, which means I have to improve. I don't want to have any regrets about what I could have done better during my two years as a missionary. I want to give it all I've got and leave nothing behind – and to do that I have to constantly improve myself. I know I can do it, because the gospel of Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to better ourselves each day, and become more and more like Him. The Church is absolutely true. Know it, live it, love it, and never take it for granted. Finally, I am grateful for the Atonement and repentance, for it gives us all to immediately right our path, and follow Christ, who is always waiting to welcome us with open arms. Hope you had a Happy Fourth of July. Have a great week. I love you all.

Elder Hey Peru You've Got Talent Royal