Superman

Hello Everyone,

February has now come and gone and that is a little bit scary but it is the truth. I had another similar experience to last week that I would like to share with you guys so to not make to story too long I was called "Superman" by some members of my ward this past week and it was pretty funny at least for me. So what happened was a sister asked me if I could help move some of the couches back to where they go because they were done cleaning so of course I said yes no problem and so since I knew where she wanted it I just grabbed the middle and just carried it myself and then put it where it was supposed to go and then after that a little boy about 8 said "Elder Chilson is Superman" and then his mom agreed as well and then other members that were there as well joined in so it was just sort of a funny moment for me but everyone think I am pretty strong but none of these Filipinos saw me going into my Senior year of High School and now I am a lot smaller but it is okay it is all part of the mission

It is also a lot hotter right now in the Philippines as it gets closer to summer but for me summer started when I got off the plane in Manila but now sometimes when we go out to work in the mornings but the time we go to get lunch the back of my shirt is soaked and of course I sweat a lot but at the same time it is not the best sleeping weather but that is okay I just sort of power through and such but if my body is pretty tired which doesnt happen that often for real then I will just fall asleep but it is really hot!!!!! No joke

We also had a jam-packed week with Elder Bednar being here and Elder Haynie as well and we had Stake Conference too and so it has just been a full week of lot's of stuff to do and schedules to keep up with but that is okay as missionaries we just do whatever we are told and if you have good sense you will do it without asking questions at least that is what I do and I enjoy it. I am sorry that this is sort of short but I do not really have that much to say this transfer is moving fast and I am almost to having 6 months here in the Philippines under my belt which is crazy for me to think about as well but that is reality. I know that this work is what we all should be doing so if you have time or even if you think you do not have time get involved in missionary work it will change your life for the better I promise. I love this work very much and I am so blessed to be a part of it here in the Philippines. 

With Much Love,

Elder Chilson       

Baptisms

Hello Everyone,

This week was another very exciting week for me here in the Naga Philippines Mission. We had a baptism in Camaligan on Saturday and it was awesome the investigators were the Sisters investigators but I was asked to do the baptizing so me and Elder Campo were there and it was an awesome experience for me. It was my first time baptizing here in the Naga Philippines Mission and it was so awesome the Spirit that was there in the room during that Baptismal Service. I felt the Spirit very strong, it is hard to describe but I could feel the Holy Ghost in my heart and it was as if it was saying I was fulfilling my purpose here in the Naga Mission and that this was what I was suposed to be doing at this moment I was Baptizing Converts. Since the investigators were the Sister's I was certain that they had completed the Teaching Repentance part and I was honored to be able to help out a little bit by doing the Baptizing Converts part. An unforgettable experience for sure.

If you were wondering in my new appt we still have some weights there becasue Elder Watene Wanted to bring them so I had sort of a little funny experience this week where I was lifting some weights one morning and my new companion Elder Campo comes over says to me "bodybuilder ka ba?" which basically means that he called me a bodybuilder and I just laughed it's petty funny I am a lot larger than my Filipino compnion right now and that is how it is for most American to Filipino companionships. I just thought that was funny so I thought it would be fun to share sorry not really that spiritual.   

 Also yesterday the Camaligan Branch became the Camaligan Ward the proposal that was submitted to the Stake was honored and so that for me was so awesome as well becasue that was something that the members there have been wanting and the missionaries as well have been helping with and pushing for as well. It was so amazing to be in that meeting and to see how perfect the organization of Christ's church is and to have been able to help out with that was just amazing as well. I know that this can be a great starting place for the new Camaligan Ward that as they continue to do their best to remain faithful and grateful for all that God has blessed them with then there will be much that will prosper here in Camaligan. I am also very excited to hear from Elder Bednar as well it will be such a privledge and treat to hear from an Apostle of the Lord face to face. That is about it for me this week, we have just been walking and working a lot as well that way that most missionaries do here in the Philippines.     

With Much Love,

Elder Chilson   

The kids that Elder Chilson baptized.

New Companion

Hello Everyone,

This has been a crazy week and I cannot believe that tomorrow is Valentines Day!!! Pretty soon it will be Easter it is crazy how the time is moving. So my new companion is a native as well which is sort of tough getting back into their sort of culture and the way that they do things because they do things differently that foreigners do as they are called here in the Philippines but that is okay it is all part of the mission and my call to serve here in the Philippines. We have been working a lot this week on finding more investigators because we are trying to strive with the mission goal of weekly baptisms but we need to have the right kind of investigators to achieve that so we are just working hard to get there to continue to do our best to find the people that are ready for the message that we have. 

So my new companions name is Elder Campo he is from around Manila and he has been on his mission for a while now here in the Naga Philippines Mission so I am excited for all the things that I will learn from him. I speak Tagalog all the time now which is fun and some Bicol as well we have just been walking and walking and walking we have basically walked our whole area just finding and teaching the people that are in the most need of our message sorry nothing else that exciting has happened this week. I had pig tongue for the first time last night for dinner and it was harder to put down that I thought but I got it down I thought it was more of a jello type at first glance but it was a lot more chewy than that but it was okay. 

I know that Jesus Christ is at the head of this church and that this is his Church that he created from the will of his Father, I know that the First Vision and that all that Joseph saw and heard was true the Holy Ghost has borne testimony to my heart that that is all true and that is the message that I am sharing with the people of the Philippines the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ or in other words the things that I know are true with my whole heart those are the things that I am sharing to the people that I meet and talk to. I love this work very much and I hope all of you guys have a great week.

Love,

Elder Chilson       

Lupa

Hello Everyone,

This week was another very busy week but for me the funnest parts of the week for me were the service projects that we helped out with. The first one was helping some people build their house and most specifically I helped them put in their floor and that required a lot because we are just starting with what the Filipino's call "lupa" or just dirt or earth and so they needed a lot of sort of a mixture of dirt and cement to put down and then put down stones and then another layer and then actually laying down the cement for their floor (yes most floors here in the Philippines are concrete there is no carpet or wood floors here) so what this all required was filling up basically cement bags full of this dirt stuff and to carry it a short distance to the inside of the room where they are going to be putting in the new floor so IDK for sure how much the bags weighed in Kgs or Lbs but they were pretty heavy and their is no doubt that I took a lot of bags back and forth of that stuff and I enjoyed it so that is how things are here in the Philippines it is what they call "manual labor" because they are sort of old fashioned the way that they do things like that in the Philippines but we are all in luck because manual labor is what I do so I had no problem with it reminded me a lot of my eagle scout project actually so I had a lot of fun. 

Then the next day we went to another house and I helped the cement workers there with cement. I mixed cement I moved cement and carried cement and stuff like that and I had a lot of fun. I really cherish those kind of opportunities that I have to be able to serve the people of the Philippines and other members too. Especially when the language was sort of tough for me and I could not say the things I wanted to it was okay "service na lang ako" which means that I would just serve instead of sitting and talking to people but now it is all good for the most part with the Tagalog and Bicol I can understand but of course their are words of phrases that I still dont understand but that is even how it is for my companion who is going home tomorrow Elder Watene there are words and phrases that he still does know so you just kind of have to be patient and role with things as they come but it is good I cannot believe that I have been in the Philippines Naga Mission for over 4 months now it seems like it has been longer that that.         

All of you for the most part have also probably heard about the new missionary schedule and Key Indicators and if not I would encourage you to ask a missionary that is close to you or look online because it is pretty different but at the same time I think that it is for the best because it is really focused on Baptisms and helping investigators come into the fold of God and help them receive the eternal blessings that Heavenly Father has for them. I will also get a new companion tomorrow because Elder Watene is going home I will be starting my 4th Transfer here in the Naga Mission as well which is crazy I will be staying here in Camaligan for at least this upcoming transfer but after that IDK I could be out and I might move somewhere else but my new companion is a Filipino so that should be fun I hope to learn a lot more Tagalog and continue to work hard it will be different but that is okay you just have to do what you have to do and do your best to work together and that is what I will do my best to do regardless of different everything because believe me Filipinos are different remember no American Football here in the Philippines but it is okay I wouldnt want it any different I am not here to play football I am here because Heavenly Father needs me here to help his children find the truth and hope that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ I have seen it change lives as well as mine as well and I know that it can do that same for you. I know that this work is the work of the Lord it is his work and I am his servant nothing more and nothing less and that is good enough for me I am enjoying it as much as I can for this time that I have to be all that I can be for him.

Love,

Elder Chilson