Ituy

An Adventure to the End of the World

By: Taylor Willingham

Narrated by: Taylor Willingham

"A frank, if somewhat overlong, missionary memoir." (Kirkus Reviews)

High in the teal jungle of Luzon Island is Ituy, the Magat River Mountain valley, where the Igorots, the people of Ituy, ended their 70,000-year adventure eastward out of Eden.

On an inky moonlit night, in Dupax Del Norte, an Igorot man would share with me the legend of the Ayturi tree, the symbol of the kings of Ituy. A Tuy was the Igorot king who embodied the ideal of the deep-rooted Ayturi tree.

My religion sent me to Ituy to convert the Igorot and Cagayanese people to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, it was my adventure to Ituy that converted me to the way of the Tuy.

A phase of child development that is often ignored is the leaving home stage. Unlike other primates, we spread across the globe, inhabiting every part of the planet. Between the ages of 15 to 25, a young adult, particularly a young man, is programmed to go on a hero’s journey. An adventure where he can find his strength to stand strong in the world. The narrative of this journey is so programmed into our psyche that it permeates almost all great epic tales, from Star Wars to the oldest written story, Gilgamesh. My hero’s journey took place in foreign soil rich with experience, a place of high winds, an island where gods and demons fought for my soul.

Mormons are one of the few communities that still practice this rite of passage. Hundreds of years before, Catholic missionaries established Christianity throughout this world through their hero journeys.

Those missionaries converted the first Igorot and Cagayanese people sacrificing their whole lives to maintain peace between the Spanish and the native population in the Cagayan Valley. This epic is my incredible adventure to the end of the world, and how it changed me to become what the Igorot called a Tuy.

©2021 Taylor Willingham (P)2021 Taylor Willingham

A deep experience of hardship and growth

I too served in the Philippines Ilagan Mission at the same time and I can confirm Elder Willingham’s experiences were real, as many of them happened to me too. Taylor did an excellent job recounting the details, which brought me back to my mission days so vividly. It was difficult to stop enjoying the book and get back to regular life. I loved seeing the growth of Elder Willingham over his time and through his experiences on his mission in this story. I plan on sharing this story with family and friends, so they can get a glimpse into Filipino culture from an American’s perspective.

Entertaining journey of exploration and discovery

Entertaining journey of exploration and discovery of self and spirit through Taylor’s experience as a Mormon missionary in the Cagayan valley of northern Luzon, overlaid with historical context into the early inhabitants and Christian experience within the region. Enjoyable listen.

Simply incredible!

Simply incredible! A true raw account of life as a missionary in the Philippines from the eyes of an 18yr old boy. You will learn about his struggles and hidden strength. Beautifully written!

Incredible experience!

Taylor is an amazing story teller. I felt like for a moment I was back in the Philippines reliving my experience all over again. Thank you Taylor for helping me remember!

Captivating and Informative

The book made you wonder what was going to happen next. It was an informative story that shined light on a young man’s journey through his mission. I recommend that you take the adventure!!