Elder Joseph Espiritu: The New and Busy Life in Batac

It's great to have lots of experiences filled within one week, because those are always the most memorable, such as this week. Lots of random things happened that I didn't expect, such as observing a surgery, my suitcase breaking during transfer, a maggotty floor, and some new special people I have met here in Batac!

So right after we left Vintar last week Elder Trinidad had to go to the doctors to actually get a wart removed. Surprisingly, because they knew as missionaries we are supposed to stick together, I was allowed to accompany him. We did wait 4 hours just to have that surgery so I definitely won't forget that day.

After that I was talking with Elder Johnson and showing him a couple of things from my luggage. As I tried to close my luggage, both zippers broke on one of them leaving my suitcase wide open. So what we had to do for an hour and a half is sew my suitcase shut until I got to Batac. That will definitely be something to remember.

So now I'm here in Batac with Elder Havens, and so far it's been an awesome experience! It's also been really busy, but I like it so far! Fun fact: Elder Havens and I are both used to just having our companions do the cooking and we just clean, and since we are 2 Elders from America our cooking skills here aren't exactly up to par. So I guess we are going to learn now! It hasn't been too bad so far. I am good at making french toast and a couple of others, and he's testing his skill.

As for another fun/gross fact: We throw the garbage out every Saturday morning, except last Thursday apparently our trash was highly attractive to the flies, which I did notice there were a lot. When we came back from work I noticed there were several maggots on the floor, all over the apartment. It wasn't something I was expecting to happen anywhere in my life. So we took the broom and swept them all out, and destroyed their base in the trash can.

Alright now to the more mission/spiritual side. Batac is great. I'm grateful to be in a ward now after being in a little branch for the last 4 1/2 months. Our attendance last Sunday was 175, which is actually lower than the week before of 200. The area is a little big, and I never expected that one of the main transportation in this area is actually bus. It may take me a while to get the place memorized.

As for people to teach, we actually have had a lot of days where we weren't able to hit everyone! There is this one family that we are contact every day though. I haven't even known them for a week and yet I already love them so much and feel so close to them. Their names are the Ulit family. They're actually a pretty big family, but I have mostly gotten to know the dad (Antonio) the Mom (Marlyn) and their 17 year old daughter (Ethel).

I have taught them twice so far and every time I go I feel the Spirit so strong. I was complimented when they actually told us that with past other missionaries from different religions, they get really bored while they teach and just want them to leave. But for us, every time we come they say they always feel "magaan sa pakiramdam" which would be basically good feelings. They also told us that even though we teach a little longer, they love listening to us. This last Sunday all 3 of them came to church and had a good experience. I'm glad that the Ward is doing well.

As for one last awesome fact that happened this week is I met a couple of people who knew who I was. The first is our next door neighbor to our apartment who served a mission in Hawaii. Turns out when he came back from a mission, he knew and sometimes worked with my parents, Elder Espiritu and Sister Misalucha when they served around here back when this was under the Philippines Baguio mission. He told me my parents were both the model missionaries of the mission and he found my mother very attractive back then.

I also met another woman by the name of Ann Yapo, but who was known as Ana Repotula back when she met my Dad at the age of 4 years old. She didn't remember much about my Dad except his face, and would see him often at their house when she lived in Pasuquin which was one of my Dad's areas. She also told me that apparently my Dad was her crush when she was a 4 year old, and they have a picture together (but she hasn't found yet). Several months ago she found out I was serving here in the Philippines Laoag mission and has apparently been hoping for a long time that I would be assigned here. Now here I am!

I can't even express how lucky and grateful I feel that I am here in this specific mission. I know God sent me here for a reason and I love all the good that happens here. I love meeting people who have known me through my parents back in 1987-1988. I'm a little sad to see that that one member is less active, but I'm still grateful for the opportunity to help her come back to church.

I know this church is true, and sometimes we just have bumps in life. If we stay true and faithful to the end, we'll receive the greatest reward. I can't wait to see what opportunities I still yet have to see in this mission! Let's see what it holds!

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