Ok I figured it out.  On the doInit, you can't grab the RecordData value because it is asynchronous, which many websites explain.  BUT you can grab the record by going to a serverside apex class.  This code hides or reveals buttons based on field values. the helper class gets called by my doInit AND by the RecordData recordUpdated method.
//////////////////////////////
/////////////////////////////////////
APEX CLASS
        @AuraEnabled
    public static Map<Id, Roy_Acct__c> getOneRoyaltyAccount(Id raId) {
        return new Map<Id,Roy_Acct__c >([Select r.Proposed_Email__c, r.Name, r.Id, r.Account_Number__c, r.Proposed_Phone_Type__c, r.Proposed_Phone__c, r.active__c From Roy_Acct__c r where Id=:raId]);
    }
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10:08:31:014 USER_DEBUG [287]|DEBUG|### response [{"attributes":{"type":"Roy_Acct__c","Name":"Al Hansen","Id":"a0t0v000001M","Proposed_Phone_Type__c":"landline","Proposed_Email__c":"aa@aardvark.org"
/////////////////////////////////////
COMPONENT
<aura:component implements="flexipage:availableForRecordHome,force:hasRecordId,lightning:actionOverride" access="global" 
                controller="RoyaltyServicesController_RR"> 
    <aura:attribute name="record" type="Object" 
    <aura:attribute name="simpleRecord" type="Object" />
    <aura:attribute name="recordError" type="String" 
    
    <aura:handler name="init" value="{!this}" action="{!c.doInit}" />
    
    <div class="slds-clearfix">
        <div class="slds-float_right">
            <lightning:button label="Edit" variant="neutral" onclick="{!c.handleClick}"/>    
            <lightning:button label="Generate Cardless " aura:id="generateCardBtn" variant="neutral" onclick="{!c.generateCard1}" />
   
        </div>
    </div>
    
    <force:recordData aura:id="currentRecord"
                      recordId="{!v.recordId}"
                      targetRecord="{!v.simpleRecord}"
                      targetError="{!v.error}"
                      layoutType="FULL" 
                      recordUpdated="{!c.recordUpdated}" />

/////////////////////////////////////
CONTROLLER
    doInit : function(component, event, helper) {        
        var action = component.get("c.getOneRoyaltyAccount");
        action.setParams({raId : component.get("v.recordId") });
        action.setCallback(this, function(a){
            var state = a.getState(); // get the response state
            if(state === 'SUCCESS') {
                var royAcct = [];
                var responseValue = a.getReturnValue();
                for (var key in responseValue)
                {
                    royAcct.push({
                        Id: key,
                        name : responseValue[key].Name,
                        proposedEmail: responseValue[key].Proposed_Email__c,
                        proposedPhone: responseValue[key].Proposed_Phone__c,
                        proposedPhoneType: responseValue[key].Proposed_Phone_Type__c,
                        active: responseValue[key].Active__c,
                        accountNumber: responseValue[key].Account_Number__c
                    });
                }
                var name = royAcct[0].name;
                var pe = royAcct[0].proposedEmail;
                var pp = royAcct[0].proposedPhone;
                var ppt = royAcct[0].proposedPhoneType;
                var act = royAcct[0].active;
                var an = royAcct[0].accountNumber;
                
                helper.setButtons(component,pe,pp,ppt,act,an);                
            }});
        $A.enqueueAction(action);
    }
/////////////////////////////////////
HELPER
    setButtons : function(component,pe,pp,ppt,act,an){
        if(!pe || pe=="") // null or blank
        {
            $A.util.addClass(component.find("sendVerificationEmailBtn"), 'slds-hide');
            $A.util.addClass(component.find("verifyEmailAddressBtn"), 'slds-hide');
        } 
        else
        {
            $A.util.removeClass(component.find("sendVerificationEmailBtn"), 'slds-hide');
            $A.util.removeClass(component.find("verifyEmailAddressBtn"), 'slds-hide');
        }
        if(!pp || pp=="")
        {
            $A.util.addClass(component.find("sendVerificationCallBtn"), 'slds-hide');
            $A.util.addClass(component.find("verifyPhoneNumberBtn"), 'slds-hide');
        } 
        else
        {
            $A.util.removeClass(component.find("sendVerificationCallBtn"), 'slds-hide');
            $A.util.removeClass(component.find("verifyPhoneNumberBtn"), 'slds-hide');
        }