Welcome to Bangued Elder Lloyd

Elder Lloyd is my new companion and is from the great country of New Zealand! Another Kiwi how cool! He got here on Tuesday and we went straight to work! I love being with another hardworking companion just like Elder Jenson and all of the others Ive had, it feels could to just get back to work right away no matter who you are with. We went around seeing all of the people we visit and members of the Branch! Elder Lloyd has actually been assigned in Bangued before! Just in the other Branch, so he has seen quite a few people which is fun to see their reactions that hes back again!
Ronie and Minda are both scheduled to be baptized in September! It has been so cool seeing their conversion and their faith grow. It just really goes to show how amazing the Atonement is and how powerful of a role it can play in our lives.


One thing that was really fun this week was Thursday. Elder Lloyd and I woke up at about 5:30am, got ready, and were out the door at 6:30 to work. It was so much fun being outside so early and seeing the people that you miss when youre outside in the afternoon. We worked in a barangay called Sagap, and then in San Antonio! The Baga family cooked us duck for lunch, (delicious!) and then we worked back in Bangued for the rest of the day. Just walking talking and having a smile on my face the whole day was the best. We got home at about 9pm DRAINED TIRED. But after a quick dinner we planned for more activities during the week, read the Book of Mormon, and crashed hahha. the next morning was awesome though, we got up and were fully charged!
Another thing I like alot is that every night before we go to bed, me Elder Llloyd, Hennessey and Vilela all read one chapter of the Book of Mormon together. We read in Tagalog too in order to catch the deep Tagalog and ask Elder Vilela what it means haha. Just going to bed on a note like that has been really cool. Very relaxing and inviting.
I love being here in Bangued, I will try to write more next week! Have a great week everyone, Love you all!



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Elder Pitt

Goodbye Elder Jenson and Elder Campbell

So much stuff happened this week it was so much fun! Also, welcome home Elder Newbry!!


On Tuesday, Elder Jenson and Elder Campbell had their last district meeting! Before we got to the meeting, we woke up right at the break of dawn and went to a service project! Our investigators in San Antonio asked us to help them in their field before the rain ruined all their corn, so we became the Bangued Corn Huskers for the day and went to work! It was super fun, we cut down about 200 yards of corn and husked it all. They take some of the corn here, dry it, and take it off the coba nd turn it into almost rice! It is pretty interesting and cool. I cant wait to try some once its been dried and prepared! Pretty much this whole week I have been saying "Woah, this is the LAST-" Because Elder Jenson and Campbell were going home haha, but we had a good laugh from it!
Anywho, at district meeting, we couldn't meet in the Church because they were repainting it, so we sat under a tree in the shade. Little did we know, there were some Bombers (not richland, but birds) in the tree that locked in on Elder Jensons slacks and nailed the target right before the meeting started hahah. After we laughed it off and started the meeting, a second wave came in taking our his other leg. It reminded me of the clip in Ace Ventura when Ace gets speared in both his legs and he screams pointing back and forth at the two spears, and right on que, Elder Jenson had almost the exact same reaction. BUT he has learned real well the last two weeks how to hand wash his clothes so it was easy to get out the marks haha.
Elder Hennessey read a quote by Elder David. A. Bednar about repentance that I really liked. It was "The Holy Ghost operating again in your life is the surest indicator of forgiveness by the Lord." It really helped me undersatand why it is we need to repend, and one of those reasons is to feel the Holy Ghost and to be guided thought it.
I also had a super good personal study from the New Testament. Because of the footnotes in the Church's scriptures I was able to cross-reference verses and different books in the Bible and Book of Mormon.


This week was full of traveling! From bikes, to tykes, jeepneys and buses. and yes, a carabao, we traveled so far! hahah We went to San Fernando thursday night for a meeting with other missionaries in the mission, I got to see all of the Elders who are going home soon or left with Elders Jenson and Campbell earlier! The meeting was really good! We will be having a Seventy come at the end of August to meet with us. Im super excited! We traveled back Friday night and got home at about 12 am. Got to bed, woke up at 6am. and traveled for an hour in a jeep to a municipality close to Bangued to meet with the members there! On the way back, the jeepney was full... so what did we do? Hopped on the top and rode it back! It was a nice breeze and a nice sun burn as well haha it was great! Got quite a few looks too from people up in that area who dont see a lot of Americans often.
Once we got back to Bangued, we went to San Antonio later in the day and got a ride back for free! (Thank you kind stranger!) Elder Jenson got halfway done with packing and washed all his clothes! Elder Campbell as well. It was fun watching them pack and seeing the smiles on their faces hahha. I miss you both!!


Church was awesome on Sunday, the picture I sent at the Church is of all the people who come from San Antonio. Its awesome to see their faith and determination. We got the Elders on the bus at about 9pm which means they got to San Fernando around 1am haha. Its gonna be a long couple days but they wont mind too much! My new companion is Elder Lloyd from New Zealand! Cant wait to get to know him and learn more about his life!


I love you all so much! Have a great week and Happy Anniversary Alyssa and Dallin!!






Elder Pitt

Elder Jenson's Last Week

Well the time is far spent there are 6 days remaining to publish glad tidings in Bangued Abra! (For Elder Jenson!)
He goes home next week and so does Elder Campbell! It will be so weird not having them in the mission anymore. Elder Hennessy and I will be left here to welcome our new companions next week!
This last week was awesome. So last Sunday, a typhoon came through Abra and about 20 people were able to make it to church. Everyone from San Antonio was stuck because the dirt raod going to their barangay was washed out from water coming from the mountains. But! This week we were finally able to get to them! Some very creative Filipinos made rafts and tied rope on both ends, so they just pull the raft to one side, people and trykes get on, and the guy on the other end pulls the raft to the other side. the raft pivits into the dirt next to two pieces of wood so your feet dont get wet and the trykes can keep ridin. In the words of Jim Carrey, the raft fit "LIKE A GLOVE" and we went on our way! They were all doing good! Our investigators there had been reading a lot of the Book of Mormon and the members all met together and read on Sunday because they werent able to attend church. Their faith is a strong testimony builder to me.


This week was awesome like I said. We went on exchanges with some missionaries in our zone and I was with Elder Tumera from Kiribati! I tried to remember the 5 words Elder Mereki taught me in the MTC and we had a blast with one another. People from Kiribati are so humble and caring. They are always so nice and looking out for other people.
At Church Elder Jenson and members of the Branch gave really good testimonies. I love hearing the testimonies of others and took for granted the opportunity I had as a kid growing up to listen to people bare testimony of the Church. Quite a few people were at church which was cool to see. I love meeting new people and seeing new faces at church.
I am going to soak in living with Elders Jenson, Campbell, and Hennessy. We all have unique personalities and love talking to one another. It feels so good to be in an apartment where we all work together to have the Spirit dwell in our apartment and help one another grow as well. Its awesome. Reminds me of college at King Henry with the Bountiful Boys and my house growing up as a kid.
The Spirit is so important to have. And It guides us through everything.
I hope you are all doing good! Welcome Home Piglet! hope the pictures come through!



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Elder Pitt

Bangued for Lyfe

Hello Everyone!! Happy Pioneer Day!! This week went by so  fast but was so much fun! I love being here in Bangued so much.

I also love being with Elder Jenson and living with Elder Hennessey and Campbell, it makes life fun!


This week was awesome. I cant really explain everything that we did but Ill try and give an update on some people that we have been teaching!
We taught almost every single discussion this week with a member of the Church with us. It was awesome. The people here are so willing to work with the missionaries and it makes life alot easier having someone who speaks Ilokano with us.
We are teaching a man named Alex who is about 30. He was paralyzed about 4 years ago after he was shot in the back from a gambling situation gone wrong. Since then, hes been able to get enough power in his legs to get from one side of his room to the other on his own. BUT! We have been reading the Book of Mormon with him  about 3 days a week and we read 1 Nephi Chapter 8 on Friday.
If you haven't read Chapter 8 of 1 Nephi, read it! It is super good and helps explain how we can overcome satans temptations. He talked about how when in the mists of darkness, if we hold on to the Word of God, we can make it through. But we cant leave the word for a night and expect to know exactly where it is the next day while in darkness. I loved his initial though. And yesterday at church, he called us and told us "come outside and help me get in!" so we both ran out and there he was by the gate! It was super cool to see him and he said that he'll see us back at the gate next Sunday.


San Antonio is also as awesome as ever! So many people we confused at the sight of 2 missionaries walking around but now we have been able to break down barriers with them and help them understand our purpose as missionaries.


I am sorry that this email is short! The shop we are in is taking a  while to load up and wont send pictures either so I will send them next week! Love you all! Have a great week :)
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Elder Pitt

Bangued is Awesome

Hello Everyone! How was your week? Ours was amazing!

I wish I could put into words how happy I am to be here in Bangued and how great the work is here. Elder Jenson and I have been getting home late and waking up early because we have been so busy. It is awesome. To start off, I want to focus on one barangay here in Bangued. The towns here in the Philippines are separated into neighborhoods called Barangays. They have their own barangay captain to solve problems in the neighborhood, they have meetings, and they even have basketball tournaments against other barangays haha. One here, is called San Antonio. It is on the outskirts of the town and you have to cross over a bridge, and then go along the shore of the river to get to it. During the rainy season it is sometimes impossible to get to or out of San Antonio because the water raises and covers the path. By tryke it takes about 20 minutes if there’s no water on the dirt road. Everyone who lives there either plants rice or corn for a living, drives a tricycle, or makes cement. In April and May, two families were baptized making them the first members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in San Antonio and since then, the Gospel has spread quick through the Barangay. We go there a lot because there are a lot of people willing to listen to us. We walked back one night because there were no more trykes and it took us about 1 hour and 10 minutes haha. The new members of the Church help us all the time teaching and visiting those willing to listen to our message. At church yesterday, there were 10 different visitors all from San Antonio who came. Some had been before, and others were there for the first time. It was awesome! The price to get to Bangued is so expensive, and the road was flooded from the rain we have been in but they still decided to come. Their faith in Christ is a testimony builder to me and to the other members here in Bangued.

I am so grateful that I have met those from San Antonio and I hope to meet more as my time continue here in Bangued.



Elder Jenson and I also went finding for more people this week and within 15 minutes of walking and knocking on houses, me met a Muslim family, a Hindu family, and a Korean born-again pastor! It was so cool to meet and see the diversity of lives from around the world and through religion. I tried to say the 3 or 4 words that Wesley Thompson taught me in Korean at college to the pastor. I don’t think he understood though hahah so we called our Mission Office Missionary, Elder Kim who is form Korea! He was able to talk to the pastor and explain what we were doing at his house because he didn’t understand English or Tagalog.

I give that man so much respect for wanting to share his message so much that he went to his wife’s home country and is now trying to learn Ilocano in order to teach. That’s awesome.



On Saturday, there was a baptism for brother Reginald! He is from Pangasinan but has been taught by the missionaries here for a while and has now chosen to be baptized! He, along with 2 others from another Branch were baptized Saturday morning. It was a really peaceful service and full of the Spirit. President Bangal was there for a devotional that we had later that evening. The devotional was titled “Come Unto Christ” and focused 100% on what Christ did for us, and how we can come unto him. The missionaries in our zone sang songs, we had people bare testimonies about the Restored Gospel, and watched videos about Christ’s life. I really like the devotional.

On Sunday we taught the Mission Preparation class to the youth of the Branch and it was a balst. We practice talking to people and focused on how reading the Bible and the Book of Mormon can help us not only live the Gospel, but help others live it too.

I have loved being here and being lost in the work. I hope you all have a great week! Find the time to pray to our Father in Heaven, find the time to watch videos of Christ’s life on https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/?lang=eng  and find the time to call your family and tell them you love them. Ingat kayo!




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Elder Pitt

Bangued 1st Branch

Hello Hello! Comin to you from Bangued, Abra how is everyone doing??

First things first Happy Birthday Miranda Kreutz!!

Second, I love the new area that I am in!! My companion Elder Jenson and I have gotten super close the last couple days. We met a while back going to a meeting but have talked every time we see one another so we are both excited to be companions! He is from Orem.. and plays soccer for BYU. This means that he knows the one and only HAMMER HANDS!

On Monday night we went to the De Guzman family for one last round of s’mores before transfers. I am really going to miss the De Guzman family. They have helped us so much with the work and with helping visitors feel welcome at church. I got into Bangued around 1 after a 4 hour bus ride alone! Look ma I know directions now I didn’t get lost! It was pretty easy though, there’s just one highway that goes from the top of Luzon to the bottom almost hahah.

When I got there, I met up with Elder Jenson and Elder Campbell! (Elder Campbell lives in the same apartment as us and he was my companion in Sevilla!) Best part, his companion is also an American from Portland! So that means there are 4 Americans in an apartment, and no Filipinos! Weird no?

We were able to get some work done on Tuesday and Wednesday including visiting some of the other missionaries in the Zone. Then on Thursday we went back to San Fernando for a meeting!

4 hours on Tuesday, 4 hours on Thursday, and then 4 hours again after the meeting on Friday! I think I caught the travel bug! Haha

MLC was super good. President is now allowing us to have a full hour of exercise in the morning. I am really happy for that because exercising in the morning has helped me be more alert and awake during the day, now I don’t have to rush working out! (and I’ll get skinny too!)

We got back from MLC around 11pm. Went straight to bed, got up, and went to the church to get everything ready for the baptism of an investigator in our area! I had only met her 2 times but can just see the joy she has and the Spirit she brings with her! She gave a great testimony about the Restored Gospel and how grateful she was for the missionaries. We are now starting to talk to her husband, who has seen the change in his wife and is a little curious as to why. We are hoping to talk with him and see him at church to help him understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are over two different municipalities so our area is huge!! Haven’t been to the second one yet but planning on it this week! We also had an activity with the whole zone earlier where we played games at the church and got to know everyone! I have been super busy this week and so tired at night but it hasn’t kept us down. We still get up and for some reason are 100% recharged again and ready to go. I will try and send more pics next week! We have a musical devotional on Saturday with President Bangal and other missionaries so I will let all of you know how that goes next week! I love you all so much! Thank you for reading these emails and make sure to let your family know that you love them! Have a great week!



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Elder Pitt

Last Day in San Fernando!

It is a bittersweet feeling but I am transferring!
I have been in San Fernando for about 6 months and I will not forget all of the people I have met here and the things I have learned missionary wise and life lessons. This week was busy but full of laughter and the Spirit. After grocery shopping last Monday, we went to visit Antonio Bullag who had a birthday! It was by far one of the best birthday parties Ive been to. He was sooo happy to see the people there, the food was delicious, and we gave him his own real Missionary Nametag with his name on it! I cant explain how happy his face made me feel when he saw the present and when everyone sang him Happy Birthday. I really love the joy that Antonio brings into wherever he is. I am also grateful that the people here in the Sevilla Ward talk to him and love him.

On Tuesday we had a choir practice for a Musical Presentation that missionaries in the mission will be doing! They are going to each zone and focusing all hymns and songs on Christ and the theme "Come Unto Christ". All of the songs are so beautiful and spiritual. I wont be at the presentation here next week because of transfers but I will be at a different hopefully!
On Wednesday Elder Kamalu and I went on exchanges! He is from Kaysville and knows some of the "Bountiful Boys" so weve been making fun of Richard Haddock for the last couple days! Sorry Hammer Hands! Elder Kamalu and I have gotten close the last couple months being in Sevilla, hes super funny and is also good at playing basketball so it makes the games go by quicker when we are on the same team! ;) We taught a really good lesson about church attendance and it made me realize again just how important it is for us to go to church weekly.
On Friday was the last MCM here in Sevilla Ward for me. I am going to miss the Ward Mission Leader and all of the members who helped working with missionaries and welcoming new visitors into church on Sundays. Brother Spencer is a super hard working leader and so is the Bishopric.
On Saturday we woke up early in the morning to clean the baptismal font at the church! It takes about 2 hours to fill so as we waited, we invited the Single Adults over and played some basketball! Another thing Ill miss here is how good the single adults are at basketball lol. Once the font was full, we went home, got ready, and went back to the church for the baptism of Ceejay Langiden and Flora Bornillo. There were over 50 members there. It was so cool. The talks were great and both Ceejay and Flora were smiley and happy.
After the baptism we went finding in a super far barangay but the walk was awesome! I have come super close to Elder Diaz these last 6 weeks and I am going to miss him a bunch!
Sunday was awesome! Elder Smith and Elder Youngerman are both going home later today so they went to their last Sunday in the Philippines here in Sevilla! They both were assigned here and so we ate dinner at a members house with so much food that I wont need to eat for 5 days. Elder Smith looked like a cyclopes eating because he knows he is going to miss the food here haha.  We were also able to teach Coreene and Mark Ferrer who are going to be baptized on July 14! I cant wait to see the pictures of the baptism that I will make Elder Diaz send to me. The Ferrers have such a contrite spirit and a willing heart. They are so awesome.
All in all I have loved being assigned in Luna, Narvacan, and now Sevilla. I am going to have a fun time in my next area though, Bangued!!! Its very far north in the mission but I am with Elder Jenson! (Another Americano) who goes home in one transfer!! I am super excited! I know this Gospel is true. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the living Prophet, and I know that the Book of Mormon and Bible work hand in hand to help us understand who we really are, and how we can return to our Heavenly Father after this life. I love you all! Have a great 4th of july! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSEY MCCARY

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Elder Pitt