Elder Jordan Mark Merrill and the 'Pinakamakapangyarihan' Legazpi, Philippines Mission: Week 36

From: Jordan Mark Merrill [mailto:merrill.j@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2016 3:12 AM
To: Lauri Merrill <lauri.merrill@usu.edu>
Subject: "Never trust a fart in the Philippines.."

So this week has been a little more interesting than weeks of past (passed) I don’t speak English no more:) But anyway, as you may know that we get to view General Conference a week in delay and it’s over a projector in the church. Of course, MAGANDA yung mga talks. The talks were amazing. I think my favorite was Henry B Erying the very first, Jeffry R Holland and Our very own beloved president, Thomas S. Monson. They basically said exactly what I needed to hear so I’m so grateful for our leaders of this church. I pray for them every day and they never cease to fail us. So to get to another unrelated subject; it’s very hot here, we’ve established that. So our main water source is a pump and we use it to wash cloths, take a bath every morning and night, wash dishes, and use it to flush our toilet. Well one day in the morning we were going about our usual business to fill up our storage bucket. I was pumping and pumping till I only got about 5 small buckets filled then it stopped giving water. So then I stopped and thought it would get more later. Then later came and I went to pump again and wala (none) so now I’m really thinking ahh noo. The next day (yesterday) I went to pump hoping we would have water. Nope. Until now we have no water whatsoever. We have 5 blue bins we buy for our drinking water and we have been so desperate we have been using our good drinking water to flush our toilet, even bathe with it. It’s really not fun. So the office is now aware of it and are working on a solution. That’s it for that :) Earlier we had a zone activity in a chapel with our zone. It was fun, we played games, and took some pictures :) Nothing really to say about that ha-ha. Also transfer day is next week and I can say despite the terrible house we live in, I don’t want to transfer. It’s amazing here and I love it. But it’s all god’s plan if I transfer, so ya. Also another thing not so much on the bright side, we had a member’s house burn down 2 nights ago. I found out last night and as I looked at the pile of ash where their house used to be it literally broke my heart. Everything they had was now gone. I mean their house wasn’t big but now there’s nothing. The family has a mother, a set of twins, a younger girl a little younger than Taylor, and a teenage boy. When I saw them I thought they would be in tears and very sad but then I saw them and they were happy, laughing, and joking with everyone. It seemed as if nothing happened. The twins were playing and all was well with them. In my head I thought "the Philippines is already so hard and now it’s even harder for them with nothing and yet they are still happy" It almost brought me to tears but they know and I know because of this gospel they will be ok. So um that’s about it for me this week :) It’s still hot, wet, yummy food, and amazing people. Love it here, couldn’t ask for a better mission. Love ya :) Mga dalawa!

**Elder Merrill**

From: Jordan Mark Merrill [mailto:merrill.j@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2016 3:12 AM
To: Lauri Merrill <lauri.merrill@usu.edu>
Subject:

Oh, and the reason I named the email that… I got a stomach ache then I had to fart then I think you know what happened next... :)

**Elder Merrill**


FHE at Garcia's

So here is the best view I could get of our apartment.

Our backyard

Backyard

Old shower place

What we use to get water to wash and bathe.

Now our new and improved bath :) the green bucket we use to store water and over time the heavy stuff sinks to the bottom and makes a slimy stinky stuff.