Happy New Year 2020

Jan. 6, 2019

Happy New Year everyone!

It's crazy to think that it's 2020 now. I realized that I'm going to be here in the Philippines this whole year, I thought that was pretty cool. 

On New Year's Eve I had exchanges with Elder Torres, the new zone leader. He's a Filipino and he's awesome. We went to a lot of the people the zone leaders are teaching. We went to Rodell and Hannah (people they're teaching).

They are a couple who just barely had a baby and they're really progressing. Rodell wants to join the Marines so he's waiting to apply. He's really nice. I think he's the only person here that hasn't made fun of my accent when I speak Tagalog so I like that dude a lot. Our lesson went really well. We talked about the Resurrection and he understood it well. 

I didn't know how loud it was here for New Years. Everyone goes crazy! Everyone revs their motors and blows these horns. There's some fireworks too! Here they start doing firecrackers in the afternoon of New Year's eve and they are super loud and sound like gun shots. So the first couple times I heard them I got so freaked out and thought we were being shot at. Elder Torres told me what they were and just made fun of me haha. 

(Filipinos have a superstition if they jump when it's New Years they will get taller so this is Elder Torres jumping when it was New Years hahah) 

Elder Dumanjug and I had a really good week. I realized once I got him out of his shell he's freaking funny and people love him here. He's doing really well. He's such a good missionary. He's killing it and teaches with such power and authority. 

There's a couple of people we are focusing on and that's Tatay Morata, May, and Clark. Taytay Morata's wife is a member but he's not. I met him my first week in this area and with this new year he said he really wants to change. I've seen him change over time and wanting to listen to us. He's really cool and I'm sure he's going to progress well. And then May and clark. May is Clark's mom. They've been taught by Elders in the past so they know a lot already. Clark is 18 and he seems interested just like his mom. 

The last time we visited them, we talked to them about faith and it was such a good lesson. The Spirit was so strong. Elder Dumanjug and I had a whole different lesson planned but literally last second we changed it. It showed me that the Holy Ghost truly does guide us in our lives if we seek His guidance. 

I'm really excited for this new year! I'm grateful for all your support while I'm here!

-Elder Espiritu 

Other snippets from the family’s video chat with Dallin:

There are around 194 missionaries in the Manila Mission. He said about half are in Manila (the big city) and half are on the islands of Palawan (where Dallin is).

He mentioned that a lot of extended families in his area live close by each other so when they teach, it’s convenient to get referrals.

He said he they are also teaching two sisters with the last name of Ferlin.

He really enjoys being in the Santa Monica First Ward. Members are so nice and very helpful in doing missionary work. It makes a difference when they have the support of the bishopric and the members. 

He and his companion share the apartment with the Zone Leaders, Elder Larson (from Arizona) and Elder Torres (from Dumaguete, Negros Occidental, Philippines). 

Both his trainee/companion, Elder Dumanjug and the Zone Leader, Elder Torres are Visayan. Both elders have spoken to Dallin’s Mom (Belenda) over video chat in Visayan (one of the 8 major languages in the Philippines). Belenda & his brother, Joseph (served in Laoag Philippines) chats with Dallin in Tagalog. 

Elder Larson and I

New Years Eve

a member invited us for breakfast
at this beach on New Years day