Time in Mission Field

Hello Everyone,

This week went by quick once again but it feels like not as much happened. I must confess and Bishop Hall if you are reading this you can start laughing anytime you know what I am talking about. Time in the mission field is so different that time in the real world I am not joking anyone who has served a mission knows what I am talking about I have come to the conclusion for missionaries it is impossible for them to always be on time I am not totally sure why yet but that is a fact even with all of my good time management skills there is always something that makes me come up a little short but that is okay that is all part of the mission. We are still teaching quite a bit we have some progressing investigators with some baptismal dates I extended another one this past week so baptisms should be coming but I know that its is not all about baptisms because it is not but I am working hard there is no doubt of that. My Tagalog is getting better everyday I study hard way harder than I did in school I regret to say but it is true. I had a special new missionary workshop this pas t week which was a lot of fun to see all the missionaries that I came here with and the mission home is really nice it is a mansion compared to where most people live here and they even have staff like cooks and a security guard you see here in the Philippines all the church building have gates around them and there are bars on all the windows and such but it is all good there are policemen all around at different posts in various locations. Also my support or money I get from the mission to buy food and stuff is pretty hit or miss and our cards are not the most reliable so that is also a little obstacle but it is all good because I now how to fast just kidding I am eating food here but we were supposed to get support but we have not yet and this is not the first time it has happened since I have been here not to make anyone worry it is simply for information purpose. Well I know with certainty that this church is true and that Jesus Christ lives I have no doubt of that and I know that with his help I am learning Tagalog and it is because of him that I am here in the Philippines it is not by accident or random that I am here in the Philippines right not it is because he needs me here now and I know that for sure. Also continue to read the Book of Mormon if you can and so many blessings will come I can promise that. 

With Lots of Love,

Elder Chilson     

Music

Hello Everyone,

This week was another quick one it felt like for me but a lot happened and I will give you the "short version" as best as I can, Mom and Dad you know what I am talking about. We had a baptism this past Friday and it was awesome I provided the music which was fun because there is only one piano in our whole church building a lot of singing is done accapella so that is fun but I led the music and such, I will say Bishop's wife in my ward really likes my voice and that seems to be the same for anyone that I am singing around. Music here is in English for the most part hymns, radio, etc but there is some that is in Tagalog it depends but the same music that is popular in America is popular here too so you can figure that out for yourselves. We extended two baptismal invitations to two different progressing investigators so maybe we will have some more baptisms in the future depending how long I am here and let's just keep in mind that my Tagalog right now is not that good so you can imagine me communicating with people I do alright but it is tough at the same time because there are not many Americans here in the Philippines and because I am a missionary people know that I an friendly and so people like to talk/practice their English with me which is fine but that is not why I am here I am here to learn/speak Tagalog but it is all good at the same time a lot of church stuff is in English as well so that is nice. Most Filipinos have some level of English because they learn it in school but my mission language is Tagalog and most people would prefer Tagalog or some other dialect like Bicol which is very hard to understand btw but it is all good I am really enjoying things here it has been really hot the last few days my arms are changing colors you can imagine I am getting tan/darker. My training is going well it is like the MTC a lot of studying planning etc. but it is all for my benefit and my trainer is awesome he pushes me to be better. We also have little ants in our appt which is a little annoying but it is all good there are all kinds of different insects and bugs here and it is not that clean here either overall it depends where you are but it is all good we do our best poverty is definitely a thing here but I am working hard and doing well and  I can't wait to seen what next week brings.

With Much Love,

Elder Chilson          

Two Months

Hello Everyone,

I am still getting used to being called a foreigner I got a call from my bishop Saturday night and he asked me if I could speak in sacrament meeting and of course I couldn't back down from a challenge or say no one of the two so I spoke for about 10mins in Tagalog in church yesterday and I did alright. I also lived through my first Typhoon here in the Philippines we had one from Friday evening till Sunday morningish is was a lot of rain and I mean a lot of rain like flooding/ 3-6 inches of water on the roads and lightning and thunder and wind our power was pretty inconsistent we didnt have it for Friday night and it was hit of miss on Saturday, we also stayed in on Saturday and did not proselyte by the ZL's request it wasn't really that safe either so it was probably a wise choice. I also ate Balot for the first time on Thursday!!! it is really weird but it was okay.  the wierdest things I have probably eaten are liver squid and Balot but I am doing well I eat a lot of rice and when we  shop I just buy normal food that I would have at home I eat oatmeal most morning I REALLY MISS MILK but it is okay laundry is okay I do what I have to do I do it by hand but every area is different in Naga the elders there pay people to do it for them but I am doing fine So there are 4 elders in my ward me and my comp live downstairs and the other 2 elder live upstairs we share things and such there is only cold water for showers out plumbing isnt that great (Yes I meant the Toilet) The lights in out appt are not that great either so I am happy to have my headlamp but all is well I live in humble circumstances for sure we walk alot and use public transportation some too it is hot and humid but what can you do I sweat a lot and I am having fun my Tagalog is getting there I am learning some Bicol as wellI also sort of related football to missionary work this week because you know me so all to mission prep I did before my mission was like weight lifting/workouts in the off season, then me going to triples/preseason stuff was like me going to the MTCs it was tough but it was manageable then getting the the mission field is like the football season it is long and short at the same time for example I am already 2 months into my mission and the season is great if you work hard play hard and with love for the game and want it more than your opposition then the outcome will be in your favor and I hope me mission can be that successful. Life in the Philippines is very different than in the states for example some people do not have a real floor they have a dirt floor, they are lucky if they have a concrete floor like we do in our appt or most people do not have cars they have motorcycles and we use public transportation some but we also walk a lot and it's hot but it is all good. We have our baptism that was supposed to be on last Saturday is now on this upcoming Friday so hopefully that will go through but it is all good I have heard that every area in this mission is different so we will see what fun stuff I do, and I feel like this area that I am in has a little bit of everything so that is cool too city, country, the roads are different here too rarely is there blacktop it is mostly concrete and there are no addresses here so that can be frustrating but it is all good I am doing well here and I hope that all is going well with you to the language is getting better everyday as well. This week I feel like went be very fast and a lot happens and sorry I can't tell you about it all  

I Love you very much

Elder Chilson

Naga Philippines Mission!

Hello everyone from the Naga Philippines Mission!

Yes I am finally here! I got here on Wednesday Oct 5th from the Manila MTC and believe me things are very different here I mean really different but that is okay that is all part of the job I am taller than my companion I am taller that my mission president and for a good part of the Filipino people here and that is very different I am used to being shorter that most people. I am also bigger in size than most of the Filipino people as far as my shoulders and my legs and that is different too but I have heard from a lot of people that I will get vary skinny while I am here but we will see obviously I am not lifting weights as much as I used to but I do not know it is too early to tell but it is all good. I am serving the the Calabanga Ward and my area is Calabanga B. My Tagalog is getting there I can understand some people but they all have different accents to it is difficult and I am also learning Bicol right now it is a language that is sort of like Tagalog but it is different too and a lot of our investigators speak that so that is fun I think/thought they were speaking Tagalog and they weren't but I have been told that if people hear me speaking Tagalog they will speak Tagalog to me and not Bicol but it is all good because I have the best trainer in the world. His name is Elder Paragas and he is a Filipino and he know several languages and English is not one of his strong suits but that is okay because it will help my Tagalog a lot and it has I have learned a lot just from the first couple days that I have been here. Things are very different here our appt is one room and our plumbing is suspect and it is always hot and humid we have not had much rain since I have been here but that is all good it all comes with the call. I have helped teach some lessons and that has been fun I will never forget that feeling I felt at my first ever lesson in the field I felt the spirit testify to me that this is where I am supposed to be so here is where I will stay we also have a baptism scheduled for this upcoming Saturday which is very exciting it is a girl about 10 years old and she is from a part member family and she pasted here interview for baptism yesterday so hopefully next week I have have great news. Overall things are going well with me and I am just doing my best to learn Tagalog so I can communicate with these people as best as I can. The Manila MTC was very different than Provo if you were wondering and I was not able to go inside the Manila Temple because they are doing renovations on it so that was tough but all is well and just FYI I won't be able to go to any temple while I am on my mission but that is okay. Sorry just a quick side about the Manila MTC but all is going well here with me. I love you all very much and I now now more than ever that this church is true wherever you go the gospel is the same in whatever country you go to even in the Philippines I love you all very much 

Elder Chilson            

Elder Chilson's Arrival

Dear Brother and Sister Chilson,

We were happy to welcome Elder Chilson to the Philippines Naga Mission. Your Son is excited about his mission and enthusiastic about entering the Lord’s service in this area, as is evident in the enclosed photograph. Elder Chilson has had an orientation meeting and is now serving in his first assignment with a prayerfully selected trainer. 

Your Son is assigned in the Canaman Zone, to labor in the Calabanga B area. We hope you will write Elder Chilson each week. Include encouraging news of family events and achievements, spiritual experiences, and other matters which will bring joy and deeper commitment.

This is a wonderful mission, and your Son is in for one of the greatest experiences of his life. With your support and encouragement, Elder Chilson will mature and progress beyond your expectations. Elder Chilson will develop a great love for his fellow missionaries as well as for the people he will serve and bless.

We appreciate the opportunity to work with Elder Chilson. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you. We love your missionary and want this mission to be a great experience for your entire family.

Picking up your missionary from the mission field at the end of the mission is discouraged due to problems it has caused in the past. If you are considering picking up Elder Chilson from the field, at the end of his mission, please send me an email at least 6 months prior to Elder Chilson release date.

Sincerely,

Tomasito Zapanta

Mission President

Philippines Naga Mission

Email- 2012545@ldschurch.org