So the work here is still pretty slow, but that's expected especially since we are picking it up from nothing and starting from scratch. We didn't do as much finding this week, but we did meet more members that were willing to work with us. The members here are very friendly, and we really need their help.
Every day this week when we went places there was no one there so we just walked around a lot. My legs got pretty tired a lot of the time but hey, at least I got a work out. Everyone says I look thinner now than the pictures they've seen of me at the beginning of my mission. Maybe I can get more toned here. Who knows?
The heat of the Philippines is starting to affect me more. Aside from it being tiring after doing a lot of walking every day in the hot sun, my skin gets a little cooked. Apparently Laoag is the 2nd hottest place in the Philippines. So maybe one day I will be able to turn brown like a true Filipino but for now I guess I am just kinda getting a farmers tan.
I guess the weather here is starting to heat up again, because I have been sweating non stop. Even in our apartment, if I don't have a fan on me at all times, I will be soaking through my clothes. Maybe I can sweat all my fat off. It is hot, and it's only going to get hotter from here. But it's nothing I can't handle.
It's been awhile since I have updated you all with the language so here is an update. Last week I felt like I struggled a lot. It was not super fun. This week felt better. I am still certainly not fluent, and I definitely struggle in a lot of areas of the language. I am learning a lot of new words here though and it's fun to talk to the members about it.
Them, my companion and other missionaries are a big help. To be honest it's still a pretty big struggle. It also depends on how comfortable I am with the people. I've noticed myself speaking a little more English here and even though it's alright to them, I want to be able to say all I want in Tagalog. I will be very excited for the day though when I don't have to worry about how I say things. But it's not going to be a sudden day, relating to the saying "line upon line, precept upon precept." It's a slow and gradual process that can be pretty frustrating. But one day, it will all be alright.
So we got a surprise text the morning of our district meeting, the text was from our mission president saying he was coming to our district meeting and having another special meeting with us! Our District leader got a little stressed after he saw that text, but he did great. We did practice teaching with President Andrada, and he taught us how to more connect what we are teaching to fit the investigators needs.
When he did it he taught so smoothly and connected so well. I admire his skill and wish I could do it just as well. But I know I am just in the middle of learning and he has many years of experience more than I do. After that he gave us basically a review about what Elder Bednar said to the Laoag Stake last week. We need to really try to work with the members and get them to help out. We read in the PMG that we can use any worthy cause.
So we tried to think of fun ways to get investigators interested. An example was free piano lessons. I really wanted to do basic dance lessons, but I don't think it's allowed. So we thought of other activities and had a ward council with the Bishop, his counselors and the members. The meeting went well and hopefully we will all act after what we said instead of just saying it.
On Saturday we got to listen to another broadcast of Elder Bednar for the Philippines. This time it was in Manilla for the whole Philippines. It was more like a Question and Answer, but it was a great broadcast. I had a couple of points that I really enjoyed. One was about how home teachers aren't just there to teach. They are there to watch over, be with and strengthen. So as members and home teachers, we have a responsibility to watch over each other.
The second thought I liked was modesty. It was mostly for the youth but it talked about how important modesty is. It's not just for girls, it is for guys too. In the Articles of Faith 13 it says "If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." So we always need to seek after goodness. Modesty is an outward representation of your commitment to follow God. So always strive to be modest.
The last one I liked was about RM's struggling with doubts. Of course in this time and in this Church there are so many people trying to attack and tear us down. There is a lot of anti Mormon things that can make us fall away. So David A. Bednar asks this: With all the time you are spending finding and reading anti Mormon literature, are you spending as equal amount of time reading in the Book of Mormon? He then made an analogy.
Picture you are in a room with no lights and a bunch of very dangerous traps and such. All you have to protect yourself is a flashlight. The flashlight is the Book of Mormon. If you are not using the Book of Mormon and reading it often, you just turned off your flashlight. So of course, you are going to run into something that can hurt you if you have no light to guide you.
This will be a little way to end this email, but I am going to end it like this: As members of this gospel, we always need to make sure we are doing are duty and to know what path we are on. Sometimes we forget where we are going and forget or our too lazy to do what we need.
Then a time will come when we are tested. I hope we all have the light of the gospel ready to guide us. I am thankful for the light of the gospel to help me know what I need to do. Of course as a person here on this earth, we have trials and challenges in our lives. But if we stay strong and follow all that we need to do, we can make it through. Then of course, as members we can also help others find the path and come closer to Christ. We are all family right?
Let's always help each other out. Once again, I love and miss you all and I hope you always remember that we can always help each other out! Till next week, Mahal ko kayong lahat!
Elder Espiritu
**you can email Elder Espiritu at joseph.espiritu@myldsmail.net
Dabbin it up at the Bishop's house
The Mamasig family (and Diane on the left)
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