Hey hey hey!
I AM LEGAL IN EVERY POSSIBLE FORM! – I think. Take that world! So I am pretty excited about turning 21 today. Pretty cool to celebrate my birthday on Preparation Day. I am so down with that. The morning was pretty chill. We were gonna go to Gocta, this big waterfall not to far from here, but we decided against it - just not taking chances with the weather. President Chipman said the decision to go was up to me, but reminded me that I am responsible for the welfare of all four of us here . . . . soooo, yeah. Gotta be careful. But we judged well because in the afternoon it started raining and hasn’t stopped, so it could have been a rough hike. We have more Prep Days, so we’ll we`ll make it there eventually.
We played basketball this morning, which was AWESOME. It was by far the BEST basketball I have played my whole mission, seeing as we are four Americans here (and everyone knows how to play). Not to dissss on anyone, but basketball with the local Latinos is pretty much like it is for them to have Americans (at least the majority of us) step onto the soccer field – we just get in the way. So to be playing basketball with these guys is awesome. And wow, it is sooooo hard at this altitude. Someone can research it but I think its about 7,600 feet above sea level, and Chiclayo is pretty much right at sea level. So man, my lungs are really getting worked in this place – even just walking through the week because this place is nothing but hills. But it’s absolutely, totally indescribably AwEsOmE! So I think my lungs will be twice as big here by July. We’ll see. Maybe I’ll be in excellent shape after all by the time I finish. We had an awesome lunch today, too, and I almost got a free haircut today when I told the cutter it was my birthday. I still had to pay but they gave me a little tester bag of cologne for my birthday – score! It’s only enough to use once or twice, but hey, my charming 21 year old face totally got the job done.
Chachapoyas is amazing. It reminds me a lot of Pine Valley, Utah, at Grandma and Grandpa Royal’s cabin – just even more green and, well, jungly. And it rains a lot. I think it has rained everyday so far – with the exception of one day maybe. And I still don’t have a rain jacket. I might get one soon. But, I am rocking the sweater vest. I love that thing. Elder Tietjen (pronounced “Tee Jen,” it’s German, I guess) is awesome. He is doing great with Spanish and teaching for someone having had so little time in the mission – and this past week I pretty much let him run the show entirely. It’s really nice having someone with a lot of confidence who knows what they are doing. I still help him, obviously, with some things, but he is way cool, and we are having a lot of fun together. It’s not very likely that we will be together for two changes, but that would be pretty interesting. Doubtful, though. I think I might build a summer home here in Chacha, when I am super rich and can fly here in my own personal jet. That’s what it’s all about. This is, without a doubt, without the slightest question, THE most beautiful place that I have ever set foot in. It is so clean and organized, I can’t even describe how the sky looks - so pure and clear, it’s amazing really (well, that is, when there aren’t rain clouds and you can actually see the sky, it’s its pretty impressive).
We don’t have a ton of great investigators right now, but there are some. Besides being a beautiful place, the missionary work is a bit more difficult. But that’s not slowing us down at all. We are working hard, and we found a lot of people last week that have potential to progress. We have a family that we are teaching that will most likely get baptized this change, I believe. The mother and her three kids who live with her at home are pretty interested, and have been coming to church for the past few weeks. Her daughter came to church with her mother yesterday and that was pretty cool since she started out really cold with us at the beginning of the week when we first met her. We had five come to church yesterday. The branch revolves around the branch president and the four missionaries. It’s not very strong – and President Chipman told me that our number one priority right now is to strengthen the branch. There were between 30-40 at church. We teach the second hour every week, usually at least one of us gives a talk in sacrament meeting, and we don’t always have to teach priesthood, but we have to be ready just in case. Haha. But it’s all awesome! I love it so far, anyway. This place is just so cool. Elder Tietjen and I are definitely going to make the best of it while we are together. Things are great, we are safe - cold and wet sometimes, but safe. Our apartment is the best I have had. We can shower barefoot!! And it’s WARM WATER! Thank goodness. If it wasn’t, I probably wouldn’t shower. The tap water is sooo cold. Don’t ever take warm showers for granted. I really hope you guys can come to Chachapoyas. Seriously, this place is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, family and friends, we are doing great out here, but challenges surely await us as we try to strengthen the branch. Please pray for us that we will be able to do something. Oh, and I got to participate yesterday in a baby blessing for the first time, that was cool too. Life is good, hopefully I didn’t forget anything. My birthday has been great. Thanks to all those that emailed me and have written me to congratulate me making the adult age. What an accomplishment! The Church is so very, very true. Live it, love it, share it!
Elder “Legal But Under Control” Royal
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