I am at the MTC in Provo UT and it is a completely different world than NY IDK if all has heard about my crazy trip getting to UT but I got on a plane and flew to JFK from Rochester no problem and then of course we had plane troubles in JFK so we boarded the plane and they could not fix the problem so we got off the plane and waited for several hours until they fixed the plane and then long story short I got into Salt Lake City at about 2:30am UT time. Then I stayed with the Morgeneggs at their sons house and then they took me to the MTC and then I got my name tags and here I am I am a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The first couple of days were long for many reasons all of which I cannot talk about at this point, the short version is that I got a new companion two days ago so things got off to a bit off a rough start but no worries because my new companion is a Potato Farmer from ID so you know that we are going to get some work down and put in our hours and he is fine. It was a tough that me and my first companion did not make it a week but all is well I can handle it.
My schedule as you can image in pretty full it consists of exercise time where I usually play basket ball but I have also lifted weights but they do not have the equipment that I would like to use or the amount of weight that I am used to lifting but it is ok. Then I have 2 3hr classes a day generally where I learn Tagalog and that has been fun it is a very different language than I am used to that is for sure everything is backwards in the structure so it has been a little difficult but its all good I have arguably the best teacher here Bro West he served in Naga and we have the same name Nathanael so I think that it was meant to be. It is frustrating because I know the lesson very well in English and I have taught them before so to only use Tagalog has been a little tough we have been teaching lessons to one investigator in particular since last Friday I think it caught me a little by surprise because I knew not much Tagalog but it will just take time so I just have to be patient and basically if I am not in class I am studying either scriptures Tagalog or preparing a lesson with my companion or stuff like that. Sometimes we have devotionals and stuff like that and I cannot begin to describe our Sunday schedule it is crazy but in a very good way. It is all good here the food is not that bad either. Branch Presidency thinks that I am awesome so I thought I would put that in there. I sing in the MTC Choir as well and last Sunday we got to sing with/hear the Nashville Tribute Band and that was really cool. My district is pretty cool to I am the only one from NY and most of the other Elders are from UT or out west but it is all good. I am like the only one in my district with any musical talent which is fun everyone in my district think I have an amazing voice and everyone is surprised that I have never taken voice lessons (Thanks Dad for the musical genes)
Well IDK if there is anything else I should say it has only been my first week at the MTC my P-Days are Thursdays (I got here on Wed so they did not give me a P-day last Thurs it is just how it is) so I will be emailing on those days and if you want more personal conversation feel free to write letters to me I promise I will respond but I would love to hear from you but I am doing well and am excited to be serving the Lord in the Philippines
Love,
Elder Chilson
