Elder Joseph Espiritu: 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