Elder Joseph Espiritu: Another Cycle, Another Chapter

Just like that another cycle passes in the mission, and 6 weeks have passed since I left Batac and came to Allacapan. A lot has happened and I hope it's changing me for the best! This week was filled with great experiences from getting new transportation to zone conferences to more baptisms!

On Tuesday later in the afternoon after working for a little bit the Assistants to the mission President called us telling that they were here in Allacapan and had a couple of things for us. What were those things? It was 2 bikes for Elder Nichols and I, along with a package from my awesome Tita Nenette! It was a very happy day.

Wednesday we had a very spiritual meeting which was another zone conference in Aparri. It's been a year since I've been to a zone conference there so it was cool to see that.

The conference was very spiritually filling and I learned a lot. Something we learned was the importance of teaching for understanding, because sometimes (very often in Tagalog) the words we use when we teach can be really deep like dispensations, gospel or revelations. So we learned how to better teach. We also learned how to use all the things we have to teach to our best abilities, such as art books, drawings and such. I always feel like I have something I can improve on after every zone conference and I'm grateful for that.

One this I really love about zone conference is hearing the testimonies of the missionaries going home. We heard from one Sister (there's only 3 going home this cycle) but I love hearing a pure testimony of a missionary. God lives, Jesus Christ lives, He is our Savior and they know us personally. The Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith is a prophet, and Russell M. Nelson is the prophet in our day. Simple testimonies can be very powerful. I really feel the Spirit super strong and know that their testimony is real.

As for adventures this week: We had a couple of struggles with the bikes this week that we're still adjusting to. First, the first day we had them one of the bikes got a flat tire and several holes in the inner tube since we bike on several dirt roads. So we fixed that.

Then the one I use has a hard time switching gears and my bottom isn't really used to the seat, I also sweat a lot. But that's not a big deal at all. We can have all of those fixed (which we are in the process of) and there are a lot of positives.

One, we save a lot of money and time. It's awesome. It may be tiring and sweaty, but every time my legs start burning I think "my legs will be jacked by the time I go home"!

We still have several people that I love teaching here, and one of them is Sister Angela, who was just baptized this last Saturday! Once again, I loved hearing the power of one's testimony. Angela's was very powerful and simple. She explained how she was shy with us before, but she could really feel the changes in her life. Though young, she has felt the power of the gospel in her life. She's already going to be a great member. We have several other people that we are teaching that will soon progress, and the work's going great!

So another cycle ends, and another one starts, and another companion I am now saying goodbye to. Yes, this is my third companion in a row that was from Utah, and my third companion in a row that I only had for 6 weeks. It was a great companionship, Elder Nichols and I had a blast. He has been a zone leader after almost a year. He did an awesome job, and he's going to do awesome in his next area.

My new companion is now Elder Ballan, a Filipino It'll be another great experience. He'll love it here. The work is great, the people are awesome, and like always, the church is true.

Although not easy, all the experiences are worth it! Just always remember, never give up and always look on the bright side! Love you all!

Elder Espiritu

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