During our video chat with Elder Espiritu last Sunday, he told us his mission president informed him he would be transferred. He wasn’t told where, just that he would be transferred. Transfers were to be the week of March 16th.
Last Thursday night, we heard from Elder Espiritu. He informed us he had been transferred off the island of Palawan early and was now in his new area in Manila. We now know why! Sister Raelinda Fermanis, his mission president’s wife, shared this insight that morning on the Manila Mission Facebook page (see image below). How grateful we are for answers to prayer and for inspired leaders who follow impressions from the Holy Ghost!
A few days before this transfer, Elder Espiritu was very sick and had a fever. Since he was on the island of Palawan and not in Manila (where the Coronavirus had 140 cases as of today), the Mission nurse knew he didn’t have it. She told him to take some medicine.
Unfortunately, he mistakenly took the wrong dosage, which made him sicker.
On Wednesday, he got a call from Sister Owens, the Sister in charge of travel, to tell him that he and a few missionaries were headed to Manila close to a week earlier than transfers. They left for the airport at 2 am. He had no idea why or where he was going. He actually thought he was in trouble for taking the wrong dose of medication! haha
President Fermanis interviewed him and he was so scared! He called him to be one of the missionaries in charge of supplies in the Mission office. He will be in a threesome for a month with Elder Kyle Sessions (Clearfield, UT) who goes home next transfer and Elder Briton Burke (Gilbert, AZ) who is in his batch. President Fermanis let him know he will be in this calling for 6 transfers to assist in the transition of the new Mission President (who arrives in July 2020).
He is in a big apartment with his 2 companions and the 2 Assistants to the Mission President. Their apartment is walking distance from the mission office. They are part of the office staff.
Since arriving there on Thursday, he has been working very hard non-stop. Since transfers was early, he helped with new missionaries from the MTC, getting their name tags, ordering supplies, distributing mail, and even driving around Manila traffic running errands. His companion drove but eventually, he is supposed to get his Philippines driver license to drive around Manila. If you have been to Manila, you know driving there is no easy task! ☺ Philippine driving is much more aggressive and the rules are different.
They are usually in the office by 8:00 am and they leave around 4 pm to proselyte in their areas. Elder Espiritu and his companion’s assignment is the Makati 3rd ward. He is looking forward to working with their ward.
That same day after transfer with very little sleep, they visited the Elders Quorum President, Evan Albania. He looked at Dallin and said, “I know you---you’re Eddie Espiritu’s son! He was my trainer in the Philippines Baguio Mission over 30 years ago!” What a small world! He told us, “I can’t seem to escape anything. Everywhere I go in the Philippines someone knows me because of Dad or Mom or Joseph (his brother who also served in the Philippines).
Since he’s been there, Manila has been on lockdown (no domestic flights in or out of the city), curfew has been ordered by the Philippines President from 8 pm-5:00 am until April 15th to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
All entrances to Metro Manila have checkpoints with military checking IDs and performing temperature scans on each person entering city limits. Buses are sanctioned to practice social distancing by only allowing 20 passengers on 40-passenger buses.
The normally very busy Manila bustling with crowds and traffic is now empty and quiet. Elder Espiritu feels very safe and appreciates what the government is doing to stop the spread of the virus. We are all praying it ends soon so that missionary work can continue.
Overall, he is adjusting well to his new area, his new companions and his new responsibilities. They are allowed to proselyte but have to follow the curfew (at their apt by 8 pm) and practice general hygiene and social distancing.
He was very sad to miss their ten year old convert, Mary Desabayla’s baptism last Saturday in Palawan. He did get pictures of the baptism from his old companion. He misses the people in Palawan but he is also looking forward to serving in his new area and things getting back to normal after this pandemic is over. In the meantime, he has faith our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ are watching over us during this very challenging time.
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| Office Elders & Assistants |
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| Evan Albania & Eddie Espiritu 1988 |
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| Elder Espiritu & Brother Evan Albania |
