DYI Project

Hello Everyone, 

For me this week was a little crazy but what else is new I actually got to do a little construction work or a DIY project if you will I got to install some screens for some windows in an elders apartment this week and that was pretty fun, we drilled holes into cement to put the screws in and then we installed the screens, its just what I do odd jobs like that the kind of odd jobs that I would do at home, basically whatever is asked of me that is what I do. We also had some "mid-transfers" this week so things were a little crazy here at the office because missionaries had to come here if they were getting transferred but it was fine we managed and other little things. So that was kind of the "fun stuff or my week" I didnt travel as much this week I did a lot of work with orders and stuff like that.

I also called America this past week a few times as well and that was fun, we use an online phone service which is fun here in the Philippines I have to call late at night in order for the people to be awake in America so that was fun also. I also talked with the vehicle coordinators at the Area Office as well this week. Nothing else really that exciting happened this week here in the office I dont think so you could say that it was a pretty mellow week but this week we have zone conferences that will take place so I have to make sure that all of their supplies are ready and in the right place so when mission go to their zone conference they will be able to get what they need and if not they will come and find me and then they will probably ask me some hard questions so I will avoid that at all costs and I will just make sure everything is organized and in the right place and at the right time to minimize confusion so I am excited for that. 

We got to work with a lot of members from the Naga 2nd Ward this week which was awesome the youth and YSA have such a strong desire to do missionary work here and to work with the missionaries and every time it just brings me back to when I used to work with the missionaries in my home ward as if that was not very long ago but it sort of was because I speak Tagalog or Bicol and not English in lessons but that is not as important. We had some pretty good lessons this week as well we have one investigator whose name is Grace she came to church and she is progressing but her parents are not really that happy that she investigating that church but we are still working on that. I know that as we do our best the Lord will provide a way for us to do what he has asked us to do and I know that to be true. I know that this work that I am a part of right now is the work of the Lord and I am so blessed to have been given this opportunity to serve his children here in the Philippines and I hope that you as well will find opportunities to share what you know to be true with the people around you because I know that you will reap the blessing from it. 

Love,

Elder Chilson

 Elder Chilson's office and Supply Closet 

    Elder Chilson and Elder Go in the van that Elder Chilson drives.

Lots of Traveling

Hello Everyone,

I cannot believe that it is almost June and that where I live the school year is almost over and I really cannot believe that I have been in the Philippines Naga Mission Office now for over 1 month that is how crazy time is moving, it is like I am in some sort of time phase where time is moving slow for like 5mins and then it goes really fast for a while and I am a lot closer to one year now that when I was when I left home which seems to be a very long time a go now and that is crazy for me to think about because it feels that I have been in the Philippines now for a lot longer than what I have been I am just doing my best to enjoy everything. 

    

So nothing very exciting happened in the office this week I did a lot of traveling this week making different deliveries I traveled to 3 different zones this week and that was fun. The first zone I went to is called Daet Zone that is the biggest zone in the whole Philippines Naga Mission and it takes about 4 hours to get there but I had never been there before and Elder Go had not really been there much either so it took us 5 hours to get to our destination we got lost a few times so that was fun we ended up going 20KMs in the wrong direction daw po so that was a bit frustrating but it was fun overall because the scenery was nice on the ride up there to Daet so that was a plus but that was like the longest distance that I think I have driven in my live so that was fun too I enjoy driving so it was not a problem for me and I got that gift from my Dad he knows all the family trips that we took together they all involved driving in a car that is what Chilson's do we drive in cars for our family travels. Then going to Goa Zone next that was may first time going there as well and I made some deliveries there as well and Goa is actually closer than I realized it was only 2 hoursish away and I can drive pretty fast here in the Philippines in a safe manner of course but there are no speed limits for reals so that is fun but the traffic at the same time can be very annoying at the same time. Then I went to Pamplona Zone as well but I have been there a few times now since I have been here in the office so that is no problem. I have enjoyed getting to know and getting to go to different areas and zones here in the Naga Mission since I have been here in the office because me whole mission so far I had only been in the same zone in Canaman Zone so it has been a fun learning experience.

If I wasnt traveling I got things done here in the office I got a lot of orders together, I had two big orders that were delivered from two of my different suppliers this week as week which was a big help to me. I also got some work done on my van this week as well it got an oil change and a bit of a tune up so that was good. So it was a busy week but my schedule changes all the time so I am not really even affected by busy anymore and we had some good lessons this week as well with some investigators which was good we had one investigator that came to church yesterday so that was good as well my work out side the office is tough but not impossible so we have been working a lot with members to help us keep our work moving forward it is so awesome that there are a lot of members here that are will to sacrifice and do missionary work like I used to when I was back home that was really weird for me to see in one specific lesson where there were youth present to the lesson and I thought back to when I was a youth and working with the missionaries and I was like yes that was me just two years ago and now here I am on the other side of the fence that is crazy but that is life for you once again. I have sort of figured out that there is no real way to beat life it will always win so you just have to take everything that comes and be happy about the outcomes sometimes that is all you can do even if you are in a tough situation just be happy and do your best and the Lord will make up the rest I know that the Lord qualifies whom he calls I have seen that in my own calling as a missionary and my other assignments I have been given and it is so true so do not be afraid to accept callings and serve just do your best that is all that truly matters.  

With Love,

Elder Chilson       

First Emergency Story

Hello Everyone,

Happy Late Mother's Day to all of the mother figures in my life (You know who you are...) This week was a pretty interesting week for me a lot of different things happened. First I was able to skype with my family yesterday for Mother's Day and that was nice if you see my family they will hopefully tell you that I am doing well and that I have not really gotten that tan yet because now I spend most of my time inside an office. My first story was about an emergency that happened, it was an emergency in the sense of an emergency but it was no fatal so everyone turned out to be okay so that was good so we got back home to our appartment one evening and Elder Miller (an office Elder) comes in and has Sister Zapanta (my mission presidents wife) on the phone and he says there is an emergency and someone needs to go to Buhi (an area in my mission) because there is a missionary there that is sick so of course I am all about service opportunities and helping missionaries out so I piped up and said that is fine we will go (because I knew that Elder Miller & Elder Golez were going to Daet in the morning) the trouble was it was 10:30pm and so Elder Go (my companion) was not as excited as I was to go (yes I am not going to lie but I was sort of excited that we had an emergency I felt a little guilty about it but I really wanted to experience something like that and it was fun. So we went to Buhi and it was late at night but I had a blast I like driving at night here it is not as bad as I thought it would be things are not as busy on the roads so that is nice. So we got to Buhi and we picked up the sick Elder and we took him to the hospital and he got checked up and he got some medications and then we got home and to sleep at 3am and then no doubt I was up and going again at 6:30am and so that was my first emergency story since I have been here in the office and we will see there may be more to come. 

I have been working on some other projects and assignments that President Zapanta has given me to take care of, I sent a lot of emails and did a lot of following up with missionaries about different things as far as their supplies and how things were going with their supplies. I ordered a lot more supplies this week as well so that is good that the missionaries have supplies to use and to keep the Lord's Work moving forward. I also have met the Patriarch in the Naga Philippines Stake which has been cool because there has been some issues with the Patriarchal Blessing of a missionary here in my mission so that has been fun among other things as well, I worked with the FM Manager as well this week as well some and he is awesome I like working with him a lot he is awesome. 

As far my work in my area we had an investigator come to church yesterday which was awesome so we will continue to work with them the father has a problem with the Word of Wisdom but we can help him overcome that we have a lesson scheduled for tomorrow with a member and I think that will help a lot and we also taught a pretty good lesson I thought last night with a family and the father said that next time he was going to invite all who would come and listen and so hopefully he will pray about the Prophet Joseph Smith and receive an answer for himself that he is a true prophet and then he will the desire to come to church. 

These weeks that I have had here in the office have been jam packed and this upcoming week we have a lot of travels planned so it is a good thing that I dont get car sick and I enjoy driving because if I am lucky and everything goes as planned I will travel throughout the whole mission which is pretty exciting for me but we will see what happens. I hope that all of you are doing well and enjoying the May Season wherever you are. 

With Love,

Elder Chilson    

Naga 2nd District

Transfer Day

Hello Everyone,

This week was my first transfer week here in the office and it was crazy but a good kind of crazy. So for those of you who do not know a "transfer week" is a week that happens after a 6 week period  or one transfer so after 6 weeks missionaries have the opportunity to move areas and go to a different area that they are assigned by my Mission President Zapanta. So in the office or as one of the Office Elders I have a lot of responsibilities when it comes to transfer day because as an Office Elder I have the pleasure of helping out my Mission President with whatever he needs or asks me to do. So that was pretty crazy I have not really experienced anything like it before but it was a lot of fun at the same time because as an Office Elder you get to meet all or almost all of the missionaries here in the mission where you are serving and there are a lot of missionaries that believe it or not I have not met yet because I have been assigned here mostly in Naga for my whole mission and I have not really gone to any off the other further away areas. 

I also have been pretty busy with my office work as I am sure you can imagine I did a lot of driving this week as well as the missionary that is in charge of vehicles I am also the "designated driver" but that doesnt really mean that I am the only one that drives but I do a lot of driving. I drove missionaries whose missions were over now the airport and that was a really weird experience, I also had a unique opportunity to drive my Mission President as well, President Zapanta that was fun he asked me if I would take him to a certain destination because he didnt have his car at the time and of course I said sure and everything went fine, I also took a trip up to Sipocot this week which is in the Pamplona Zone and I was the delivery boy because I delivered supplies up to them because they needs some I took 16 boxes of Book of Mormons to them and that is sort of a lot but I enjoyed that trip a lot. I drove other places as well I am sure. 

So with me being kind of coming and going it was sort of hard for us to work in our proselyting area this week but we did some and it was a lot of fun we worked with some awesome members this week and it was a great experience, it brought back memories to me when I used to work with the missionaries and drive them around and stuff because as a missionary that is exactly what happened and it was fun for me to reminisce and realize that my mission right now is reality. I know that this work is so important to our Heavenly Father and that he wants us to get involved in it as best as we can there is a part for all of us to do there is no one that is exempt from missionary work and that I know for a fact. I know that as we continue to do our best that angels from on high will come down and give us aid and help is realize what we need to do and they will show us how to do it as well. We are not alone in this work I know that to be true and I hope that all of you will find your position on this great team of players for the Lord against the Adversary that is Satan. 

With Love,

Elder Chilson        

Filipino Drivers License

Hello Everyone,

I cannot believe that it is May now that is crazy that means that before we know it my mission will be almost half over and that is crazy to think about. Things have been pretty busy this week here in the office because it is transfer week so we have been doing a lot of work regarding that and I was also able to do something this week that not too many other missionaries get to do but because of "special circumstances" Me and Elder Robinson with Sister Zapanta and a certain Sister Missionary we left the Philippines Naga Mission and we went to the Legazpi Mission for a day because we had some stuff we had to do there so that was pretty fun but that is kind of how the office is you have stuff to do and when Sister or President Zapanta call you have to drop everything and do what they say and I personally dont ask question so that was sort of a once in a mission opportunity and I was very lucky to have been able to be a part of that. 

As for the rest of the week I worked a lot on the computer doing "secretary type things" I had to make phone calls and make spreadsheets about supplies and things like that and so that was fun, I have busy with all different things like that and the mail or "pouch" as it is called here in the Philippines, I am in charge of that as well. Also I got my DRIVERS LICENSE!!!!!!! So I have my Filipino Drivers License now which is fun as well so it was sort of hard to get it as well like in NY but eventually we got through the process they have like a medical background check and then because I am an American and not a Filipino I had to do like a "practical test" is what they called so I had to take a drivers test essentially and I did fine even though driving here is different it is okay I have just had to get used to some different things but I can drive here no problem because they are still in the "Right" side here in the Philippines like in America but they have a lot of different vehicles here like tricycles, jeepneys, motorcycles, cars, big truck, etc and mostly all diesel the vehicles that I drive are diesel but it is okay. 

Also I have eaten at the Mission Home now more than I ever had now that I am a part of the Office Staff there are a lot of perks of working in the office but at the same time there are some tough things as well like time is tough, our schedule is crazy and sleep is sometimes hard to come by but luckily I have been blessed to not need a lot of sleep so that doesnt really bother me. I love being able to serve the mission it is an awesome feeling, Sister Zapanta always talks about how special it is to serve the people that serve the Lord and I have felt that for sure since I have been here in the office and I wouldnt trade anything back for this opportunity I also love being able to work side by side with my Mission President IDK how it would be if I had an American Mission President like most of the other missions here in the Philippines but I am so lucky to have a Filipino Mission President and he is awesome I love working for him. I know that this is the work of the Lord I have seen his hand lead me and guide me mismo since I have been here in the Mission Office and I know that he will do the same for you as you call upon his name unceasingly he will come to your aid and he will help you individually and personally I have seen that happen. This is the kind of stuff that I cannot make up I love this work and I hope that all of you will be able to find your part in it as well and see the miracle and the blessings that Heavenly Father has for you and that is my prayer and hope for each one of you.   

Love,

Elder Chilson