Elder Joseph Espiritu: The Short but Sweet Time In Laoag

Quite a different week this week, but it was all for good! These couple weeks here have been a little challenge, but in the end I am very grateful for them. I know I am continuing to learn a lot.

We got to end this cycle with a blast, because we had an Family Home Evening every day with a different set of family. All were very fun and we got to teach many different things. We also celebrated a members birthday on Tuesday, Sister Andrada's during zone conference this week, my companion Elder Salazar on Friday along with another member who had a birthday on the same day. All were very fun and I enjoy having family home evenings with all these people. I have grown pretty fond of the members of Laoag 5.

When Sunday rolled around, it was disappointing to see that only 1 of our investigators were able to make it to church, even though we thought we had a lot of people who were going to come. I understand it's hard to keep commitments and sometimes it's hard to follow through and go to a strange building at 8:30 in the morning, but that's just what we got to do.

That's exactly what our zone conference was about actually, was helping people understand commitments. Sometimes we feel like commitments are just a little side thing we do, but they’re actually very important. If they understand the importance of the commitment, they'll want to do it. Especially if they understand the promised blessing with it. It may take some time, but one day they will understand. For now, we just keep sifting for the ones who are ready!

So I have a surprise for you all: I am being transferred again! While teaching our investigator who came to church we received a text from one of the Assistants to the President that we will both be transferring! It's a little weird and very fast since we were only here for 1 cycle, but I know this is the will of God for me to serve somewhere else.

Looking back at everything that has happened this cycle, I am glad that it all happened. I am a little sad that we didn't get to see a ton of progress, for what we started with, I would say there actually was progress. I know that we have a lot of good information that we can leave behind for the next Elders and even though we didn't get much, we at least tilled the ground for the soil to grow. It may be a very slow process, but I know something is happening.

It says in Preach My Gospel in Ch.9, no effort is wasted. Even though it may feel like that, you have affected those you've come in contact with. Right now we just can't see it.

So I am happy and grateful for this short time to serve in Laoag, and I am ready for the new challenges of my next area! I am ready to learn and to gain relationships with more people in this mission.

I do love the people a lot and I got pretty close to some families and members in the short 6 weeks I was here. It's sad to leave them, but this is part of mission life.

For now I must focus on the work, and I am excited to go now to Claveria, which means I am going back to the border of Cagayan! I'm excited to be able to serve there and we'll see what the future has in store!

Elder Espiritu

**you can email Elder Espiritu at joseph.espiritu@myldsmail.net