LAST WEEK IN AMMONIHAH, CEELBRATING AT HALO HALO DE ILOKO, GOING TO MISS LINGSAT WARD AND LOTS OF FUN WITH BAMBOO!

Me and the elder sitting next to me both knew we were transferring, so we decided to have a last hurrah at a groovy little restaurant in my area called Halo Halo de Iloko that would usually be too expensive. The specialty there is a Halo Halo they serve in a coconut! Halo is kind of like ice cream but better. These are my blood brothers here in the mission, Elder Moreland, Done, and Krustch! This area was way hard, but these guys made it a fun time, haha.

This is officially my last week in Ammonihah! I have received official news that I will be transferring to an area called Narvacan, and the area which I am going to specifically is rumored to be doing verrry well, which will be a welcome change! I am excited! I have yet another Filipino companion, from here in Luzon. I haven't met him yet, but I will of course send you his bio info and picture this next pday. I'm definitely okay with having Filipino companions though, seeing that I have my whole life to hang out with Americans and speak English but a VERY limited time to work with Filipinos and speak Tagalog, or Ilokano, which is the major dialect of the area I'm going to... cheers for learning yet another foreign language when I just barely become adequate at the first, haha!

I am verrry much looking forward to my new area, but there will be many things I'll miss from this one, namely my companion, the ward, and the close proximity of fast food. Focusing on the second: I love Lingsat ward! They are easily the best ward I've served in since getting here (don't tell any of the other units I've been to) in regards to unity and working with the missionaries. I love the members here, especially the ward mission leader, Brother Ram! The members are beings so nice to me, too, on the way out. Lots of dinner appointments, haha. I have no idea what the area will look like, what the war will be like or my companion or the apartment, but you'll get the whole story next week.

Love you all!
Feed your fire!
Elder Mikesell III

Fun with bamboo, Part 1...

Fun with bamboo, Part II... 

Fun with bamboo, Part III... The bamboo construction is a waiting bench
for the jeep buses that go through the area.

Fun with bamboo, Part III... 

This insect is what translates from Tagalog to English as "house spider". They are horrifyingly fast and can jump. This is the closest I've ever been able to get to one without it running. I love the Phillies :)

The picture of the old grandma made everyone present laugh until it hurt.

This dog is the object of the most pity I have given to any creature on earth.
There are lots of these dogs here in the Philippines. We call them zombie dogs because there's
some sort of contagious disease that only affects them, but this one is down right horrible.