December 7, 2009
Hey hey hey
Alright, let’s get this started. We had a pretty cool Prep Day today. We started with playing soccer with a couple zones this morning in a turf field. SO much better than the normal cement courts we play on. And it made it better that Elder Gale brought a REAL American football…that I don’t know how to throw so well anymore. But that was fun. Elder Nelson (in my zone, going home in two weeks) and I went to the center and got some stuff done, like Elder Nelson’s last ice cream shop stop. Then we played volleyball with the rest of the zone in the afternoon. I don’t play very much at all here…and normally don’t like too because it’s just nonsense ball…but when I play I usually just can’t help but take a few monster shots on everyone. So in about 15 minutes I managed to put down about six kills, hit my comp in the face, jam another elder’s finger, and have the sisters (who were on my team) tell me to "stop being mean." Gosh. I thought everyone would be super impressed with my v-ball skills. Well, if volleyball doesn’t impress the ladies, I may never get married - ‘cause that’s all I got. ;)
We had a pretty good week. My area is interesting. It’s a "nicer," more expensive part of Piura, where people don’t listen to the missionaries as much. We are still managing to teach some and find a few new people each week, but baptisms come a bit slower in our area, but we have one, Eva, about 23 years old, who should be getting baptized this next Sunday. She is coming along well but her family does not like the Church at all. She has previously received a several copies of the Book of Mormon in the past and told us that she leaves it in her room and when she goes to read it, it’s gone. So…I dunno if she is losing it, or her family is trashing it, or what, but I thought it was funny. She is a very nice young lady and is coming along well despite her family’s opposition. We have a few other people that we are teaching…Cesar and Lorena for example – I am so bad at remember the last names. I think they may be some future baptisms…possible. They are a great little family with two young boys, and are actually more family focused which is pretty rare. We are helping another inactive mother come back to church and are teaching her son and husband. The husband was kinda harsh to us at first but has apologized since then and is now a lot friendlier with us. The son, Jose Francisco, 9 years old, is hilarious and wants to be baptized. We had a lesson with him when he was falling asleep at the beginning, so I made him run down the street and back so he would wake up. He did it, and . . . it was seriously hilarious. We helped another menos activo lady move her couches from downstairs to upstairs…and, well I could tell my comp never worked as a mover at DSI when he was in high school (like me). Boy oh boy, I think those couches ended up a lot worse going up them stairs with nails sticking out of the bricks. The hermana says that I have to come back and sew up the holes. Ooops.
There is one thing that is so funny about this place. When kids are playing a game in the United States, football or baseball, lo que sea…and if the ball goes over the wall…it’s pretty tranquilo, and you can just walk around and go get it, no problem. Here, it’s different. I kicked the soccer ball over the wall last week and started walking to go get it, while everyone else started running and screaming and climbing the wall to go get the ball before someone stole it. I just love the differences like that.
Well things are going just swell out here. Our zone is doing good and my comp and I are getting along great. The zone is doing pretty well. I love teaching people but I sure wish we had more to teach. There are just so many that don’t understand. We had a return visit to one lady that said she didn’t have time to read the Book of Mormon. I asked her if she had time to read the Bible and to pray every morning to give God thanks. She said no. That is so sad. How sad is it when we can’t give the slightest bit of attention to the God that gave us life - the God that is responsible for all that we have, and all that we are. If we can’t even give Him the time of day, what are we doing? How do we get to that point? How is it possible to get so distanced from our Heavenly Father that we can’t even offer up a prayer in the morning? I wish that more people could understand. It’s very easy to reject the missionaries, reject the message, the Book of Mormon . . . so easy to navigate ourselves in the wrong direction and forget completely about our purpose here in life, and forget about the love that God has for us. I wish more could know that the one and only right way to live happily is to follow Christ with all our hearts. (2 Ne. 25:28-29.) I find it incredible that people don’t know where to find true, everlasting happiness. Thanks to Dad, I know all about the Tiger Woods story, and Dad nailed it right on the head that Tiger has everything the world could possibly offer, yet nothing. True happiness is found in Christ, the family, and the gospel of Jesus Christ designed bind our family relationships for eternity. And that’s that. Nothing else matters.
I hope everything is great at home. I’m looking forward to another Peruvian Christmas, with fireworks, burning life sized dolls and all. I am SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PACKAGES...and love you all very, very much. Have fun this week, and remember that the Church is true. I love you all!
Con amor, tu hijo, el misionero,
Elder "Silver State Stunnah" Royal
P.S. That’s a little phrase I share with Elder Gales, from Ely, NV
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