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
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