Elder Joseph Espiritu: 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