Closing Doors, Opening Windows

You know, as close as I am to finishing my life here as a missionary, it doesn't really feel like I'm leaving. Things are going pretty smoothly, and as slow as it felt during the days, this week is already over. I had a couple more last things happen this week, last exchanges, last zone conference, yet I still have time left here (although little). So it should be good. And although God may have closed a couple of doors (for now) He's started opening a couple windows for us (and the future missionaries here :D )

Yes, I finished my final exchange as a missionary this last week, with my good friend Elder Furness from Taylorsville, Utah! Elder Furness is an amazing missionary when it comes to doctrine, language and all. I sitll remember meeting him when we were both new back in Cagayan. He is only 6 weeks behind me, and is still working hard. We had a pretty fun adventure in his area with learning the Philippines national anthem for language study, teaching by the beach and finding more people to talk to. I also got to meet some recent converts that were taught by one of my previous companions, Elder Havens. They're pretty solid. It was a dang good last exchange and I'll definitely miss doing things like that. 

The next day was a little sad but I know happened for a reason. We went over that night to talk to Jaynie and Dhina's parents about baptism. Sister Saludes was actually very nice about it and listened to our message, but as soon as we brought up baptism, she told us that their father doesn't want them to leave the roots of their original religion. Which means they will not be baptized now or anytime soon. We're pretty disappointed, but we know things happen for a reason. Jaynie told us how sad she was and how she has been dreaming lately that she was able to become a member of the church and wakes up disappointed. I know God has a plan for them and it's just not meant for them now. It was a discouraging lesson, but on the bright side, we got to eat until we gained  5 pounds at the branch president's house (which took away the sting.)

So life goes on, and the next day we headed to Paoay for my very last zone conference, which was the first conference I got to hear President Peterson teach. President and Sister Peterson just continue to be awesome. I'm sad I didn't get to know them as well. But the highlight of this conference is all the missionaries that are going home get to bear their departing testimony. I never thought that day would come, and I still remember 22 months ago thinking how 2 years feels like an eternity away. But now look where I am! 

The opportunity to share my testimony to anyone is a great privilege, and I can proudly say that I know this church is true, I know God lives, I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God, and that Russell M. Nelson is our living prophet today. I will continue to share that testimony for the rest of my life.

So although God closed the door with the Saludes for now He opened an opportunity to plant more seeds and help grow in other people's heart that were able to come to church. The first is Jimuel, who we met awhile ago who just wants to change. He's now come to church 3 times, and really wants to be baptized. So if we're able to teach him fast enough (because of his busy schedule) he can be baptized August 11th (the week I go home :P), and another woman that we invited to come to church (not expecting her to come) but she did! We taught her and extended an invitation for her to be baptized and she said she wants to understand more first. 

So until the end of my mission, I will continue to help others grow in the gospel and understand the importance of the fruit of this gospel that we have. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, and I have been called of God to help these people come closer to him. Whether it's baptize, teach, or just introduce, I will keep doing my role as a missionary until the end (which isn't much longer :D). 

I may not see all the fruits of my labors now, but I know that no effort is wasted. Now that I am on my last week, I will not waste it. That's all I have for now. Until next week, love you all! 

Elder Espiritu

**if you'd like to send Elder Espiritu one last email before he comes home, you can send it to joseph.espiritu@myldsmail.net

Last trip to Baluarte zoo

Partying and running away from dinosaurs 

Last exchange with Elder Furness 

Sister Cobing and Sister Samoya

My Polynesian sisters Sister Faoa and Sister Latu 

(with Elder Young)

My beloved zone leader Elder Petty

Sister Navales

My beloved Sister Training leaders Sister Daplas 

and Sister Agudo :D

Elder Tauilili, Elder Reyes, Elder Corpuz and my cuz Elder Maroket 

My Aussie friend Elder Tauilili

All In God's Time

Dear Family and Friends,

Does it ever rain hard where you are? I don't think I've experienced the hard rain I have hear at all in Utah. It probably helps that there have been a couple of typhoons. But we're all good. The mission is still the mission and things are going according to God's will. 

So a little fun story before I go into the more informative/spiritual stuff: last Saturday after Elder Peck and I had lunch we went out to work (without knowing of the typhoon in the area) and when we were walking the rain picked up and got stronger, was weak, got stronger and just came in gusts on and off. It was bad enough, that the rain was legit falling sideways, and there was no way to stay dry. The worst part was having to walk towards the wind, which sent rain flying straight at our faces. Although kinda miserable, Elder Peck and I were laughing the whole time, and just tried to enjoy the moment even with soaked bags, clothes and socks. I definitely won't forget that.

Alright now to the more serious side. So yes I was really excited last week for things that we thought were supposed to happen. Well they didn't happen. We were supposed to have 2 baptisms this last week, but things happened, and we're not sure if it's going to happen at all. So on Wednesday we had their interview and they came around 6, and went home around 7 (which is pretty late for teenagers going home) 1 of them passed the interview, and the other one had to wait for someone else to interview her later at night. 

Our mistake was not realizing how early people sleep in the Philippines. So we tried to go to her house with President Peterson (our new mission President from Idaho) but we were too late, and kinda disturbed them. We later found out that they actually didn't tell their parents were they were going and after their father got drunk he was furious that they were home so late, which terrified their mother. So as of now, their parents aren't so hot about the idea of them being baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saings. 

The night this happened, I was pretty devestated. I've been working with this family for about 8 weeks now, and I love all of them. Then when I find out their baptism might not even happen anymore I was pretty sad. Right after the event happened I was talking with President Peterson who gave us some advice. He knows that things happen for a reason and there is a reason they weren't baptized at this time. God has a plan, and it wasn't part of his plan.

It wasn't easy to accept at first. Things were going super well. It's honestly pretty devastating to me that since I'm going home soon I might not even see the the people I've worked so hard with be baptized. But I've come to a better knowledge that it's not about me and what I want, but it's really about God's timing for them. 

I know God wants all his children to come back to Him, but He knows when the time is right to bring them into His fold. So maybe now's not the time. Who knows when it is. It could be August 4th, next month or next year. All things happen for a reason. I've accepted the fact that I might not see what I was hoping to see before I leave, but that's okay. It was never about what I wanted, so all I hope is that they continue to draw closer to Christ even after I leave. Who knows too, they might still be baptized this August. 

I've really come to know while being out here that everything that happens to us, good or bad, is all part of God's plan to help us grow. We can take the hard parts as God abandoning us, or opportunities He gives us to grow. 

So how am I doing? Still doing all I can to work hard until the end, still hoping for things to work out, being patient and trying to stay as humble as possible. It's not easy, but it's not all about baptisms. 

I can still help people come closer to Christ in these last couple weeks I have, and that's what I plan to do. I'll accept whatever God's plan is for me in my last 2 weeks! I know the church is true, and it can change people. But it's up to them to let it change their lives, and follow what God's plan is for them. 

That's all I have for this week, until week, Love you all!

Elder Espiritu

Chilling by the ocean

My awesome Sister Training leaders 

Sister Agudo and Sister Daplas

The Saludes family again :D

Getting Things Ready

Here I am again, writing to all you people (whoever reads, this, good job! I'm impressed :D) It's ya boi Elder Espiritu reporting here, at a computer shop in the Philippines. Has lots happened to you this week? There was fun things this week, and for my family and such. Let me tell you one that stuck out.

So to start let me give a shout out to my brother Derek who just got engaged last week! Why you gotta pop the question without me? Haha jk it's alright. Even though I missed the proposal and a rocking family vacation, at least I'll be there for my brother's sealing to his fiancee forever! 

Speaking of forever, that's what Elder Peck and I have been teaching to people! I have almost been out here for 23 months, teaching about how families can be together forever. Although I'm not with mine now, I can help others come closer to Christ and as a family! What's one way to help people start a forever family? Start a covenant with God through baptism, which we should see this week!

So yes, at last we have 1 (maybe 2) amazing young sisters that we found at the end of May, and have been teaching for awhile, are finally (kinda mostly) ready to enter the waters of baptism. One is super solid and 1 is just nervous but is super awesome, and even though she's shy, she's willing to do it. 

We've gotten really close with Jaynie and Dhina, and several of their siblings and cousins. They're like our siblings now, and we love them. We're really excited for them and hopefully a couple other of their siblings in a couple of weeks) to enter into a covenant with God and become members of His church!

So aside from that, we have some more great things that happened this week, such as meeting some awesome people. 2 specifically. Those 2 would be President and Sister Peterson, the new leaders of the Philippines Laoag mission. I'm not gonna lie I'm a little jealous that I will only be with them for 3 more weeks. Although I've only just met them, I already have a love for them and trust them so much. I was able to be interviewed by both of them, and I can feel their love for me and for every missionary. They even fed us a really nice meal, (which didn't include the other 5 pounds I might've gained from Sister Nelson's cooking and her awesome brownies) and I know they're going to do great things.

Other than them, Elder Peck and I still have so many other great people we know. Members, investigators and others, are all awesome here. Everyone is so friendly, and it still ceases to amaze me how people we just met will bring us into their house and feed us. It's a big blessing and the people of the Philippines are just awesome. We may have not been able to go to several due to how busy people are and timing (we got punted a couple times this week) but we still have so many people that we're helping come unto Christ.

So that about sums up my week. Was it good? Yes. Was it also hard at times? Also yes. We almost didn't get the permission of Jaynie and Dhina's mom for them to be baptized, and had a couple days where we had to fight exhaustion and motivate ourselves the best we can. But it is all worth it? You bet. 

It's not easy to push yourself constantly, but that's what I'm doing. My time here draws shorter and shorter as the days go by, and I'm not going to waste them. Why? Because I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, called to serve here in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. I am here to invite people to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel. 

This church is true, and the gospel blesses families. It's such a blessing to be where I am, and I couldn't be more grateful. Since I don't have much time left here, I'm doing all I can to make sure no time is wasted. I love the people, love the mission, and I love you all! That's all for this week! Until the next!

Elder Espiritu

Just enjoying the streets of Vigan

My batch mate and previous companion Elder Nichols and 

my Hawaiian friend Elder Reynolds

Celebrating 7-eleven day :D

Building Zion in Cabugao and San Juan and More Rain

This is Elder Espiritu here reporting to you live on a Monday morning in the Philippines, Vigan Ilocos Sur. I hope your week was fantastic, cause Elder Peck and I was certainly. Now what would you qualify a fantastic week as a missionary? For us, it's all about the people, which we met a lot of and life is going well. Found lots of people, taught lots of people, got rejected by some people and that's all part of life. Elder Peck and I have been in exploring mode lately so that's how things have been going. 

Before I forget, I would like to say happy 4th of July last week! This will be the last 4th of July I will be a missionary. Next year I'll be there :D 

Anyways as a missionary rarely do you have days where things go according to plan. That day was our 4th of July! Since Elder Peck and I wanted to have a good 4th of July we decided to go exploring to a place close to the beach (we didn't go swimming though so don't worry). There we met lots of fun people who had never seen missionaries in their area. 

We found, we taught and we're trying to build a good image for the future missionaries. So it's a kinda of a slow process, but all is well. The rest of the day was spent teaching the people we planned to go to and lots of happiness. 

We did get fed pizza and lasagna by awesome members and a random couple (who turned out to be a Bishop and Relief Society President from the Philippines Baguio mission who happened to know Elder Unice from my stake). Life was good!

To everything there is an opposite, which can be fun, cause the very next day nothing went as planned. We taught 2 of the people we planned, and everyone else was gone or busy. Although unsuccessful, it was still a good day, because we had Clara and Melvin with us. Now I can say I successfully crossed a muddy rice field, with only my shoes getting muddy. Probably don't plan to do that again.

The following day I went on another exchange, this time with Elder Johnson the 3rd! Okay he's not actually a 3rd, but he is the 3rd Elder Johnson I've worked with here on the mission. The first was from Australia, second Wyoming, and 3rd Idaho. 

Elder Johnson is a really cool Elder. He is also only in his first 6 weeks in the mission, this last week being his 2nd in the field. So his language isn't the best, but he did his best. Although he wasn't able to speak fluently, he still has a power to him. He is a convert to the church at 20, and didn't have a religion before. So he really helped when we were teaching a certain Sister who has been trying to find the truth, but doesn't think Elder Peck and I can relate cause we're both born into the church. So when Elder Johnson told his story there was a strong Spirit there. We're still working on her, she just needs her own experience.

We were hoping to have a lot of people at church, and we did. They just weren't the people we were expecting. 5 of them came from 1 family, 2 was a father and son, and 2 of them were friends brought by a recent convert to the church.

After church we taught the 2 new ones. When I asked them why they decided to come to our church, they answered "because I want to change". 

Something I have realized while being here on the mission was how much the gospel can change one's life. I've seen it in so many lives, especially in my own. I especially see how one can change through knowing the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon because if they know it's true and apply it in their lives, that is how they learn to be more like Jesus Christ, by learning of Him.

So here I am, now with a month left, living as a missionary, trying to be a Christlike missionary, and not just do missionary things. 

I'm still grateful for all the things I've learned, and all the experiences good and bad. We may have been walking with puddles in our shoes almost every day this week, and just walking in the pouring rain everywhere in general, but the people are worth it. 

I know the gospel changes lives, and I'm here to help people make that change. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of the living God, and I fear no man. That's all for this week! Until next time, Love you all!

Elder Espiritu

Just chillin at a beach

Bukid (rice field) adventures 

Just more rain adventures