Finding the Gems in the Sand

There are always going to be times where life just seems so hard. But from those, they make the blessings seem so much brighter. 

I was on another exchange with Elder Pongyan in my area and I scheduled 8 different visits for the day. By the end of the day, 6 of those visits fell through. They either weren't home or they were busy. 

Then I went to teach our investigator Raja. We planned to teach the Plan of Salvation to her. Elder Pongyan let me lead the discussion. When I started, every single word that I needed for the lesson went out of my mind. I struggled the most out of any lessons I have ever taught. I could not find the words at all. 

Luckily she was understanding (she's only 13) and still got some things out of it. I ended up learning more about her than before through making my mistakes and stumbling the whole time. As I struggled I just felt so discouraged. I knew and I have always said to myself that it's okay to make mistakes, I just felt bad for her. 

She's a bit slower learner, and my struggling wasn't helping. I know there are always going to be discouraging times, and Satan will use that against me. But I won't let them. It was extremely hard, but it's okay, I can make it through. 

After that hard moment though, we had a great experience with Nanay Genoveva.

I met Nanay Genoveva the first day I was here, and this Saturday, she finally got bapttized. However on Wednesday, we did a baptismal interview review for her. It was so great to see how much she has grown spiritually. 

We have both grown in different ways since the first day we have met. When she answered all the baptismal questions we asked her and testified about the church, the Spirit filled the room so strong. What was even more amazing, was before she was even baptized, she told us that after her baptism she wanted to go to the temple to do baptisms for her family such as her mom, dad, and daughter. 

I was so happy to see her baptized. After she was baptized she shared her testimony, and I felt the Spirit so strong. She became a full member of the church that Sunday. 

To be completely honest, the first part of this week was pretty rough. I just felt like not a ton was going right. But as I go toward the end of the week, I felt so happy and accomplished. 

It may be in different ways than others, but to me I felt great. Sometimes it's hard to connect to the people here, and I have been trying to get a girl here Chola Pajarillo (I spelled it wrong last time) and other people in her family to talk to me. 

As a foreigner it's scary for them to talk to me. But I finally connected to her, by doing stuff an 11 year old would like. Then on Sunday, all the younger kids and some up to my age would actually try to talk to me instead of avoid. 

It felt great to connect with them, even though I don't understand a lot. But that is actually a topic I can use, I can ask them to help me and they think it's funny that I struggle in Tagalog and Ilocano, but they are helping me learn. 

Things in this life can be a really slow gradual process, like learning a language, getting people to church, and many other things. But at the end, when you see all the work you've done, it's amazing. 

I may not even be close to done, but I am sure happy with everything I have done and everything I still have yet to do.

Hope everyone had a good week! 

-Elder Espiritu 

Some service we got to do at 

one of the member's house

Elder Daclag the handyman

Hard at work with a crazy Elder behind me

A family we teach (not really just a bunch of pigs)

I will always continue to love sunsets here!

Baptism of Nanay Genoveva Mateo Patotoy (71) 

I felt like a giant in these pictures

The Gospel Never Stops Blessing Lives!

A couple of fun and interesting things have happened to me this week! Lots of good things though! 

First of all, our zone is basically brand new. we got 5 new Elders and 4 new Sisters in our zone. 2 of them are Americans who are just a cycle ahead of us. The new zone leader is a Filipino, born and raised in Manilla until 11, then he moved to California. He is fluent in both languages. Pretty nice for me. Speaking of the language, it's coming along. Sometimes it's harder to understand the different accents here though but I've gotten used to the fact that I am still new. 

I've seen some new and weird things this week. I watched my first cockfight! A group of guys were holding two chickens and just let them fight. It didn't last long, but it was sure entertaining. 

Another thing that I never thought would happen: We were teaching a new investigator named Jhirley Tacuboy. She is the sister of Jhong (sadly we haven't been able to teach him for a couple weeks. :( ) He had a lot of questions about the church and I was listening to Elder Daclag because I didn't have the vocabulary or enough understanding to answer her. Then it got worse. I got very distracted. 

I looked in the corner and saw a big black thing with 6 legs. Turns out it was a crab. It was just chilling in the house with us. I tried to focus but I got distracted a lot by the crab. I figured out though that crabs can walk crazy fast when they feel scared. It's really loud when they scurry too if they are on concrete or tile. Eventually it left the house and I was able to focus more. We get to keep teaching Jhirley, and hopefully we can get her and Jhong to come to church.

Since my Companion is still the district leader, I have an exchange once a week. This time I got to go to the area of Buguey. I actually really like the area. Parts of it are actually what I thought the Philippines would look like, such as lots of palm trees, just dirt roads and bamboo houses. The missionary apartment is right next to the ocean, except the inside of the apartment is less than glamourous. The people there are still way nice. A problem though, lots of them are pure Ilocano. I'm still figuring out Tagalog so that was rough. The day and a half I was in Buguey my Tagalog wasn't very good. Didn't know why, but just wasn't as decent as usual. 

I got to teach in English for the first time ever here. Elder Solis and I were teaching an investigator who was 14 and her 92 and 5 month Lola was there too. To our surprise, she told us to speak up because she wanted to hear the message from the messengers of the Lord. Even more surprisingly, she spoke complete English. So I taught my part in English. It was really funny to see the girls in the room too, they had their fingers next to their noses the whole time. 

When Filipinos hear English and don't understand it, they call it "nosebleed". We finished the message and the 14 year old agreed to be baptized. I was so happy for her, but sad because it wasn't my area. We ended up teaching a ton more people that day. Elder Solis definitely works hard. The next day we found 5 new investigators just in the morning.

Every third Sunday the missionaries get to talk in Sacrament meeting, and I went first. It's difficult to talk in complete Tagalog, so I went Taglish but mostly English. It ended up going well. I just hope they understood it all!

The 2nd hour the missionaries teach to recent converts and investigators. We had 2 in that class and 1 of our recent converts. We taught about baptism. I am so excited, both of our investigators have baptisimal dates and 1 will be baptized this Saturday! Her name is Nanay Genoveva Patotoy and she's 75. She has been investigating the church for a long time. Finally she decided to set a date for it! 

It was fun to hear the topic of baptism during the whole lesson. At the end, the recent converts and missionaries testified about baptism. It was really cool to share and hear everyone’s testimony about it. I felt the Spirit so strong, especially when our recent convert Sister Janeth bore her's. She has really grown and opened up to us. 

I say this a lot but I know it is true. The Gospel can change lives. It has definitely changed mine and continues to help me grow. I hope that the Gospel can bless everyone’s life that comes into contact with it! Hope everyone has had a good week!

-Elder Espiritu  

Raja (our investigator) Churra and Camille Pajarilo (daughters of Nanay Pajarilo (our relief society president)

Elder Anderson and I at a food court in Gonzaga (he just transferred into our zone)

I spent 35 minutes to try to get Celestine (My relief society president's granddaughter and sister of Aicram) to smile, and that was the best I could get.

The glorious apartment of Buguey :P

The view right outside of the missionary apartment in Buguey

 Elder Solis and I also right outside the apartment (my camera died right after I took this picture so I apologize for a low quality smile :P) 

A nice sunset in the Philippines

Celestine and Aicram playing with their dog (poor girl)

Nanay Pajarilo, Churra and Elder Daclag at the Pajarilo home

Our Actions and Their Effects on Others

You never really can notice whose lives you are affecting by your actions. I am really bad and unmotivated when it comes to any type of studying. Which is really bad, considering 4 hours of my day is dedicated to it. I never really have motivation to do it. A lot of the time I watch to see what others are doing. 

I would always check to see what my companion Elder Daclag would do and a lot of the time he wouldn't study either. So there are many days where I didn't really study. Eventually I ended up talking to Elder Daclag about it. 

Turns out, there are a lot of things we have in common. He was used to his companions always studying so he looked to see what they would do. So when it came my turn, he always waited for me to study first. But that's exactly what I did with him. After realizing that, I promised him that next cycle I will do better. So by next email I will say if I am doing better! That's one thing I need to work on is motivation by myself.

The Spirit can put me in such a great mood for such a long time. We went to have another typical lesson to our recent convert Sister Janeth, and Elder Daclag decided to talk about trials. Trials are actually my favorite lesson to talk about. I know everyone has different trials in their life, and I have had my share of mine for sure. But I know that God puts trials in our lives to make us stronger. I also know the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. 

So I testified to her in the best Tagalog I could about trials. Now I know she knows that this gospel really can help us through trials. I don't know if it was me or something Elder Daclag said (probably just the Spirit) but she started crying. I noticed, and I felt the Spirit so strong. It filled the air and it almost made me want to cry. It put me in such a good mood for the rest of the day, and it helped my teaching to other investigators too. 

This gospel has helped my life so much. I know it is true. I notice how much it can affect others lives too. 

When I first met Brother Anton, one of the recent converts here, he was always so quiet and reserved. Now, whenever we teach him, he always looks so happy to see us. He gives us a warm welcome every time and always has a question about his reading in the book of Mormon. He is always smiling now. He has a glow to him. 

I love seeing how much the gospel can change peoples lives. It makes me so sad, this last Saturday I learned he is moving to a different area that is part of the Cauayan mission. I didn't realize how attached and how much people can mean to you in 6 weeks. I hope that he finds good other missionaries that can keep teaching him. He is capable of blessing lives.

Every single person is capable of blessing lives. I know this is true. Sometimes you just have to open your mouth! That's still something I am working on, but it's getting better! 

By next week, it will be the next cycle! My batch won't be the newest missionaries anymore! Lots can change! Until then, let's see what good things the future has in store! 

-Elder Espiritu 

Elder Fainu and I in Gonzaga when we made a picture collage for a members house

Elder Daclag and I in Sta. Ana

Elder Eusebo, Elder Ossula, Elder Lewis, Elder Mortenson and I in Sta. Ana at Country Inn

Ashley and Syrylle, two  little girls in my Branch 

In the background you can see my apartment (green) the LDS church and then the Iglesia Ni Cristo, a very common and popular church here with an interesting background.

If ye love me, feed my sheep. (Guess it liked my ear)

An investigator (Raja), her friend (front) and a member Chexy

Lots of fellowshippers who help us out in missionary work

The power of teaching with the Spirit

Sometimes in life, the most simple things are the ones that can mean the most. Elder Mortenson had his 20th birthday this last Thursday and we did a lot that day! 

We had a district meeting in Santa Ana, which is the farthest area in the Philippines Laoag Mission. It's about an hour from my area. After the district meeting we went to a really nice restaurant by the beach. It had legit American food. I tried to order some chocolate waffles, a burger and a shake, but they didn't have waffles and they forgot my burger and shake. All I got was fries. I was sad, but hey, I got fries! I also got to take a lot of really cool pictures on the beach! 

After we came back to our area we got to do a little birthday party for Elder Mortenson with the Pajarillo family and a couple of others. It was nice and lots of fun. We had spaghetti and little cakes for Elder Mortenson. It actually reminded me of family parties at home so I felt like I was in the right place!

So more about the 2 cool experiences this week. 

I did 2 more exchanges and the first was with Elder Fainu. We traveled to Gonzaga to my zone leaders’ area. It's actually pretty hard in all of the Cagayan area because by the time the sun goes down around 6, everyone goes inside and starts to go to bed. You can't really go finding so in Gonzaga we just visited members. 

We ended up visiting a couple of members but it was the last thing we did that really hit me. Elder Fainu didn't want to go home early so we decided to rearrange some pictures at this one member’s house. They had lots of good pictures that actually had lots of pictures of older missionaries who have taught them but it was all on a dusty wall and not super noticeable. 

We went to a computer shop and printed a bunch of LDS inspirational quotes. Then we made a little collage on their wall! It was a simple service but it ended up meaning a lot to them and to me. I felt so great after and I was happy I got the opportunity to do it. 

The next Friday, the language of the Spirit continued to bless my life. I went on an exchange with another missionary in my district named Elder Pongyan, who is a Filipino. This time it was in my area so I led. We ended up getting a lot done. 

We found 3 new investigators, 2 referrals, taught 2 less actives, 1 recent convert, and a couple of other lessons. During our lesson with Sister Janeth (our recent convert who I just got to baptize) we taught about temples and family history. Apparently it was really rough for the both of us. I've never really taught that before. I did the best I could. After the lesson Elder Pongyan apologized to me because he said it was rough for him too. I didn't really notice though (because I still don't really understand all) but I told him it was fine because I still felt the Spirit.

I've come to know that when it comes to teaching new things, I am going to struggle a lot. There are going to be days that might be worse. That day was one of them. But do you know what? It didn't really affect me at all. I know that part of growth is to labor and struggle and it's not my words that teach them, it's the Spirit’s. If I just rely on that, then I will always be okay.

This week was actually really happy for me. There are days where I feel like I don't know anything, but this week I gained some more confidence in my ability to talk to people. Little by little, it will keep growing. Always have faith that you can do things and always build your faith. Till next week! "Faith without works is dead.”  

- Elder Espiritu  

**Several more pictures were sent by Elder Espiritu but we couldn't open the files. Hopefully we can post them with next week's email...