Skyping with Elder Chadderton on Christmas Day - 25/12/2011

December 26 2011

Hey Family,

Since I got to talk to you all last night, I'll just reply to Mum's email.  Thank you all so much for your happy, smiling faces and all your words of encouragement.  My, "Battery" is now charged and I am ready for a big year ahead.  Next week I will be entering the 8th month of my mission and wow, the time has flown.   I remember my first transfer where I came from the MTC and was put with Elder Hansen as a trainee, second and third transfer I was still with Elder Hansen as a Junior.  My fourth transfer saw me become a Senior Trainer to Elder Cortezano and soon after I was made District Leader.  Now, I am in my fifth transfer where I will remain with Elder Cortezano as Senior Trainer but take on the new role as Zone Leader.  Amazing!  I know that the Lord has a lot of trust in me and that I have been given a great opportunity to help other missionaries in their own progress.  Our other Zone Leader is constantly taken back by how all the new Zone and District Leaders in our Mission are so young.  This is an inspired mission and we continue to grow and increase in many areas.  My Zone is awesome and we consist of 8 Elders and 4 Sisters who are all ready for the New Year. 

We received new instruction from President DeLaMare that our Mission will be turning into a, "Rescue" mission.  This means we will concentrate on, "Finding and Rescuing" all the less active members that have fallen away or have become inactive due to being offended or other reasons. I know I have shared this before, but I strongly remember that before my mission I set a personal goal that I wanted to serve a, "Retention" mission, meaning that all the baptism's that I get are retained and not lost.  From the short time I have been here I have seen how this isn't always easy and that we have a lot of work to do.   While we have over 650,000 members in the Philippines, only about 150,000 of these members are active.  So, you can see how we have a lot of rescuing to do of less actives which means we need to work hard.

The work this week hasn't been easy because everyone has been preparing for Christmas but, despite the difficulties, we continue to go out and do the work that is required of us.  This is the Lord's work and we know that if we put the Lord first we will succeed.  This country is young and it needs a lot more help and while the missionaries range from ages 19 and upwards - both Elders and Sisters - we have the Lord on our side and as we remain obedient to his terms he is bound to bless us and that gives me courage during those difficult times.

I hope you had fun seeing Sister Chadderton on skype.  She is so awesome and I wish I could have spoken to her too, but I can wait until 2013.   Thanks for the  news that Nicole Horsford has been called to our neighbouring mission - Quezon City North Mission.  I take my hat off to her and any other Sister who chooses to serve a Mission.  I think I have said this before but, I think highly of any sister missionary being able to leave their old life and give up everything they have to go out and serve the Lord.  I look up to them so much.  It's amazing and it's so cool.  I was thinking that when Nicole returns home after her mission we will be able to speak Tagalog to each other.  Sweet azz!

Well, family, I have had a great Christmas and I am looking forward to the New Year and focusing on the less active families.  This is the Lord's work and I am glad to be apart of it.  Family, thank you so much for the love and support you give to Sister Chadderton and I.  The packages, the emails, the letters and the prayers are received happily and I feel of your love.

To my uncles, thanks for your example to me, be strong and stop getting sick.  Dad, thanks for being a great father and keep up the good work as you take care of the family.  Cousin Aneta, "Good on you for choosing to get baptized." This gospel is true and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share it everyday. 

Mum and sisters, you are all amazing and I love you all heaps and will see you again when I get to Skype home on Mother's Day :).

Love you all so much.

Elder Chadderton

P.s. Give my love to the Grandparent's and tell them that if it wasn't for their decision to be baptized all those years ago, I wouldn't be here on a mission. Salamat sa inyo lahat.  

December 20, 2011

Mum,

Good to hear that all is well. Life is good here in the Phillipines.  We've had rain but nothing extreme.   It was transfer announcements today and Elder Cortezano and I aren't going anywhere.  Woohoo!  That is great news, especially with Christmas just around the corner.  I hope that my package is here.  I should be able to pick it up tomorrow if it is. I am so excited! Hopefully it is there!

We are all good here and Christmas for us in the Philippines started in September.  From September onwards,  their have been lights, Christmas songs and a spirit of happiness.  The spirit of Christmas is very much about Jesus Christ because this is a Christian country.  A tradition here is where the kids do something called, "Mamasko" which is when they come to your house, sing a Christmas carol and then ask  you for either food, money or a present.  We had some kids come over to our place this morning and after they sang we gave them some bread snacks and canned food and they were so happy.  It's so cool, but very different to how we do Christmas back home.

I hope Uncle Rana gets better.  I will definitely pray and fast for him this week.  Please give him my love when you see him again and tell him, "He's the man!"

It is so good to know that Cola is home because I think she needed family after her trip abroad.  Mum, that is me after the Mission -  come home, sleep for two weeks and chill at home with the family, then begin life.  Close az now!  I have got to set up an account for skype so that I can call you, so I will be sure to get that done. Woohoo!  Excited na!

This week has been slow because we had our temple trip, then temple tour, then another meeting, then work on the other days.  Oh man Mum,  we got our bums kicked again yesterday.  We went out at the normal time and went to work and we were out the whole day and taught two lessons.  Sayung!  I was watching a church DVD and one of the talks given said, "We can choose to humble ourselves or we can be compelled to be humble." I think from that talk, I realised that it is better to humble ones self then to let the Lord do it.  But, either way humility is for our own good.  I have learnt that being on a mission is a real privilege and I am learning heaps.  I am still district leader this transfer, but they're splitting the Zone and I don't yet know which way I am going yet.

Elder Able is not transfering either so we're hopefully, going to be in the same Zone for another transfer.  The tagalog language is coming along well and I'm learning a lot more.  I have come to realize that the more you listen, the more you learn.  I don't understand all of what the people are saying, but  I am able to piece things together and figure it out for myself.   It is a little hard when people talk about certain topics that I have no idea what they're going on about.  I have been told that I'm fluent, but that I've still got a way to go.  I keep telling myself that the work isn't easy but it definitely is worth it, and that is so true.

The schools are out now which means the streets are packed with little kids.  I walked down this one street and all the kids started calling me, "Big Show!"  He is a Wrestler.  I just laugh because, seriously, I think I am the biggest person that most of these kids have ever seen.  It's quite hilarious how the smallest things like my size, can light up their lives and I think,  "Just imagine if they had the gospel?"

I've attached a few pictures for you that I think are cool.  I'll also send some to other family members.

Mama, love you heaps and I hope you have a good week and I will see you on Christmas day.

Say thanks and Merry Christmas to the Grandparents for me and, "Paki-bigay ang aking pagmamahal sa pamilya natin!"

Maligayang pasko at mahal ko kayo.

Elder Chadderton

December 13 2011

Hey Mum,

I'm doing good but feeling a little smoked, as I had to do all my washing last night which meant I got to bed late and then had to wake up early to go to the Temple.  Masarap ung paki-ramdam ko doon.  It was awesome going to the Temple and I took through another family name - Chief Kahukura - I could feel that he's the man when I was in the temple and his spirit helped my tired, weary, body stay awake in the air conditioned temple room at 6:00 a.m.   It was an awesome session.

The temple tour that we had last week was fun despite it raining and not having an umbrella which meant I got soaked again.  Don't worry, I didn't get sick and it's a different kind of cold in the Philippines.   The Christmas lights were up on the Temple too so we got to see the temple all aglow in the rain.  It was so cool.

Mum, it is so good to hear that Uncle Rana is doing better and also to hear that Josh (Elder Solomon) is all ready to head out to the field, or at least the MTC. He is going to love it.

Oh yeah, I was so excited because I got one of my Christmas packages, the one from Cola while she was in Utah.   Cola got me some shoes, some basketball shorts, lollies  and also sent some pictures.  It was so cool and I was really happy and the lollies were yum azz.  I haven't received your package yet.

The work has been better despite the rain, but the weather is starting to get hotter.  Like today and yesterday, it was hot azz and we really enjoyed going out and doing our work in the pinoy sun.  It was a lot of fun.

Elder Cortezano is doing good and I'm trying to take care of him.  We went through some of the plan of salvation discussion last week and he taught me a few things... hehe!  He's good, but still shy.  I gave him an assignment to try and talk to the other  Elders and Sisters in our Zone.  He failed, but he's slowly, slowly, opening up.  It's all good.  I talked to some of the Elders who were in the MTC with him and they said that he was the same there. So, I'm relieved, as I thought it was because he was scared of me. (lol)

President DeLaMare is the man and he takes good care of me.  He gave me a blessing and in it he said that I would be able to support all the responsibilities that have been and  will be placed upon my shoulders. It's a blessing to have a Mission President that is so caring and good at what he does. He is the man! 

Next year our main focus in the mission will be on recent converts and less active members.  As mentioned in an earlier email, we have over 600,000 members in the Philippines but only about 150 - 200,000 are active.   I remember talking to someone before I came out on my mission, and saying how one of my main focuses was going to be on retention.  That's exactly what the mission is turning to.  Cool aye!

Well, Mum I don't have much else to share this week but I love you all heaps and heaps and can't wait until I can call home on Christmas day - December 25th. Malapit na. Astig.  I am  looking forward to getting my package soon and am so excited, but if not, that's all good because the Book of Mormon is still blue ...jks.

Give my love to the family and I will write you next Wednesday as it is transfers next week.  Hehe!

Elder Chadderton

December 5 2011

Hi Mum,

Thanks for the email/ epistle. It is so awesome!  You really have had a busy week. I'm doing good and I've had a good week too.  I received some of your letters in the mail today and also one from Ashleigh Vaughn - not sure if you remember her. It is so cool getting mail from home.   Tell Danii thanks for the pics.  They were so awesome.  Baby Joe is the man!

Well, Mum, being a district leader comes with a lot more responsibility, but I'm doing well.  I received an email from President telling me that he trusts that I am able to do all the Lord asks of me.  I know that it's true and I am still coming to that realization. 

Last week, I caught the flu after being out in the rain.  I don't have an umbrella as it broke and have been getting soaked.  By the end of the week I was sick and so I was layed up on Friday as I was wasted.  I rested up, took some drugs and went back out on Saturday.  I'm still not 100% but I'm going.  I had to do another interview for baptism on Sunday and it is a huge responsibility knowing that the persons salvation depends on your recommendation.  It was good! 

This week the work has been a little bit harder because I've been feeling sick and it's been raining a lot too.  But, we continued on and persevered and we did alright.  Our focus in the Mission right now is on fellowshipping recent converts and the less actives.  We were told that there are over 600,000 baptised members in the Philippines, but only about 150,000 are active.  Shocking!   Apparently, 2/10 baptised members are still active. Kaya nga!  Hence, our focus on the recent converts and less actives.   We met a man this week that was baptized in 1980 and was active for about a year or two and then he fell away. We talked to him and told him to clean up his life, get rid of his  word of wisdom problems and basically get back on the right path.  He said he would try and we have already set up a return appointment to visit him again on Wednesday.   His family are all, "Born again Christians"  but he still claims to be Mormon.

We had a service project last Wednesday to help smash down a house.  It was a lot of fun.  We were given some sledge hammers to help with the demolition. I came out with a few scratches and some blisters on my hands but  I'm sweet.  It was fun just to let loose on smashing into this house.   Helped release a bit of stress too. Haha! 

Now, with the skype thing, I'm pretty sure I may have to skip Sacrament or something, on Christmas Sunday,  which is a sacrafice I'm willing to make for my family.  Our  Ward meets at 1:00 p.m.  on Christmas Sunday so I'm not sure if we are having just Sacrament meeting on this Sunday like we do at home or if we will have the full 3-hour block program.  But, don't worry because I will call you on Christmas day. 

We have Temple Tour coming up this week and our Zone is hosting it so we have the opportunity to do the workshops at the Temple.  The workshops are held outside the Temple and we do little 5 minute stations where we talk about the importance of Temples.   My companion and I will talk about eternal marriage and how Families can be  together forever. I know it's going to be good.

Not much else has happened.  My companion and I are doing good. He is still very quiet but we do converse.  The work is good, the area is good, and we are safe.

Man, I can't believe about what happened to Uncle Rana.  I hope he gets better soon and can get back to his life asap.  Please pass on my love to Uncle Rana and tell Uncle Dan to keep up the great work and to remember the commitment I left with them for when I get back.  Give my love to all the Solomon's - all of them!  And the Chadderton's.  Tell Nanny and Grandad thanks for my email and sorry for not writing back. 

I love you heaps mum and whanau. Take care. Malapit na ang pasko. 

Elder Chadderton  

November 28 2011

Mummy,

Hey thanks for your email, it was awesome.  It is crazy to learn that just about everything I've studied this week, you mentioned in your email.  Just before coming to email you, I made the decision to study first and guess which talk I read in the Ensign?  Yep, the same one you mentioned, "You Matter to Him" by President Uchtdorf.  Tapos, I just finished reading the book of Alma this week and so I am fully aware of all the characters and stories that you mentioned.  Crazy hah! Teancum is the man,  Moroni is a beast, the Stripling Warriors are an amazing example for us all, Helaman is so humble and Pahoran (mentioned by dad) shows how we have the choice to either be offended or not.  These are all great men and all amazing servants of the Lord.

Yeah, it is less then a month now to Christmas, and I just realized why you are so excited. lol. Meeeeee!!!!  Will Sister Chadderton and I be calling on different days?  I asked my Mission President at interviews if we were allowed to skype home on Christmas day and he said, "Yep!"  So, can you please send me your skype information so I can skype you all.

This week has been good.  We had P-Day on Monday, interviews on Tuesday and MTC exchanges on Wednesday.   It has been a full on week but fun too. Oh,I met this girl in my Ward and learnt that she and her family used to live in Dubai.  I was thinking about how the church isn't very big in Dubai and asked her if she knew the Coopers.  She did! (Oh, and she knows English) Woohoo!  So, I spent a bit of time talking to her about Dubai, the Coopers and how crazy small the world is to have someone from here know one of the only pinoy families I know that lived in Dubai.  Crazy.  Her name is, Venim Lequinto and she is a Ward Missionary and she worked with us on Sunday, and she speaks English!!! Ha, so cool.  I told her to say hi to Eph next time she goes on Facebook.

Other news, "I'VE BEEN MADE DISTRICT LEADER!"  "What the freak?"  President texted me on Thursday and said, "Elder Chadderton from now on you are the District Leader for your District"  "And if my job wasn't hard enough already, I thought!".   I had to take all the key indicator numbers on Sunday and I had to interview an investigator for baptism as well (in Tagalog) and then I taught the district meeting today.  It was awesome but I feel totally unqualified.  I won't receive any training until next transfers so it's training on the job I guess. Haha!

The missions amazing and I'm having fun and I'm safe.  Our investigators and their families are doing well. 

Good work on the construction in the kitchen and for being such exercise machines. I'm off soda now and doing my push ups in the morning.   It's a beauty!

I love you all heaps and miss you a lot. I'm looking forward to my package coming soon. Woohoo! 

Ingat po kayo. Mahal ko kayo lahat.

Elder Chadderton

P.s. Can you tell the Ables to write to AJ.  Last week he said that he hadn't got any emails or mail yet.  I don't know if it's a fault or if they are just busy but he has been sick with the flu and could use a letter from home.

November 21 2011

Hey Mum,

Thanks for the email.  I'm doing good and my new companionship is going well.  We've had a whole lot more success this week and we have had a member work with us and has helped us to find 5 to 6 new families and where they live.  So awesome!  We have stepped it up this week and it will take some time to get our numbers up to standard but we're willing to work hard to get there. 

It rained here on Tuesday and because I didn't have an umbrella, I just soldiered on in the rain all day.   We got the strangest looks from the Pinoys, basically because they have a disease here called, "Pasma", that causes you to have the shakes or shaky hands, and apparently you can catch it from being out in the rain.   So, when my companion and I went to our appointments, people were asking us if we had pasma.  It's very superstitious here and quite hilarious but I guess they all have their own beliefs.

We have Zone interviews tomorrow with President between 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  I am looking forward to the interviews and after that we head back out and get straight back into the work. That's the hard part, but we can do it.

We don't have an oven in our house but we do have a stove and my companion has been trying to teach me how to make, "Adobong Baboy" (braised pork in a tangy sauce).  Very masarap!!!   He is still really quiet.  

Oh, I saw a green Rav 4 yesterday and thought of you guys.  I told my companion that we have a car like that back home and he told me that at his house they have a bike with a side-cart, or they just walk where ever they need to go.  Hard life style!

About the washing of my laundry by hands, I only do it on P-Days and it takes me about two to three hours with all the soaking, scrubbing, rinsing and bleaching that has to be done.  It's all good and it is definitely teaching me patience and perseverance plus a good learning experience. 

Not much else has happened this week but its been good.  We were invited over to the Elders Quorum President's house, and he is so cool and is also Bishop's brother.  The work is going well,  I'm doing well and having fun doing it. 

Oh yeah, our water filter broke this week so we've been a bit dehydrated.  At night time, instead of drinking water we go out and get soft drinks.   It's not good, so hopefully, our filter will be fixed sometime this week so I can get off the soda. Pero.   We have this supermarket that I go to, and I found a place there that sells Bundaberg Ginger beer and PEECHIES.   It is expensive - about 67 pesos a bottle - and the other day I got one of each and cherished them.  Hahaha!  They were so awesome!

Mum, I love you heaps and wanted to let you know that I've almost finished reading through the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon.  I used to think that the book of Alma was boring but man I was so wrong.  I just finished reading about Amalickiah and now I'm reading about the Stripling Warriors.   Amazing Talaga! I really liked the part where Captain Moroni fortified all the cities so that they were strong and then he gave the soldiers armor so their bodies were protected. i compared it to how we need to do the same in our lives, that is, make our fortifications strong - our homes, our lifestyles - and then after that, we need to then strengthen ourselves.  It is so cool and really important to do that.  The Book of Mormon is true and it hurts when I see people not reading these awesome words that are right in front of their eyes.  It hurts me to think back and ponder as to why it took me so long to read it.  It is the word of God and it is there for us.   All we have to do is open it and read.

Good work on the running and exercise.  Keep it up.  I love you all heaps.

Elder Chadderton 

November 15 2011

Hi Mum,

Mate, I don't even think that epistle covers what you just sent.  Wow!  But, thanks, I loved it!

So, news about me, well, firstly, transfer day was a huge success - really awesome.  I'm now in Quezon City Zone (City) in Bago Bantay 2 area.  We live on Road 10 just off Visayas Avenue.  If you want look for it on the map, it is right next to a golf course.  I am companion to a missionary fresh out of the MTC.  He is a Filipino from Bicol, in the Naga Mission area.  His name is Elder Cortezano, he is very quiet and I think he is scared of me...hahaha!  I don't blame him.   I have been speaking the most Tagalog I have ever spoken in my whole life because I have a Filipino companion.  I have to lead our area and the other missionaries in our house are all Filipino too.  Woohoo!  I love it!  District meeting is a wonderful break as it is all in English.  I am learning to form sentences a lot faster and to speak Tagalog a whole lot better so it's the best thing that could have happened to me.

Elder Cortezano is super shy and he follows almost all that I do.  He is 22 years of age  but looks like a 14 year old.   He loves the scriptures and is good at cooking.  He is skinny azz.  It is so cool Mum because he wrote me a letter in English today and told me about his life.  There are four children in his family and he is the third child,  but the first to serve a mission.  His dad passed away about 5 years ago and he would work with his mum at the market during the week. He is really a quiet person and the cool part is that he knows the doctrine really well.  He bore his testimony at one of our lessons and started to cry.  He is here for the right reasons but he just needs to gain some confidence within himself and try to make friends.

Our area is a beast.  The City is sooooooo, much hotter than the provinces and we have a map of our area but its useless.  The first day we spent walking around looking for families and had no success.  The second day the same thing but we actually got to find people.  I was praying hard that day and then on Sunday we went to Bishop's house for dinner and got to visit with him and his family and they showed us some of the other members houses in the area.  That was sweet.  This week will be a beauty week and I just need to get out there and do it.

Oh, Mum, I finally got to see Elder Abel.  Astig.  He is our Zone Leaders companion.  I didn't realise that he had put on so much weight but he's awesome. He told me that he used to live up by Whangarei before his mission.   I didn't even know.  He is doing good and he has a good companion.

I hope you're all doing well.  Good work on the 10 km run.  Keep it up.  Glad you got to see pictures of Elder Stebbings.  I know he'll lose any excess weight before I get home.

Oh man my pants are getting too big for me and I'm on the last notch of my belt. Aaaargghh!  I think I will lose more weight now being in the city as it is so, so, hot here.   Mum,  I had my first experience today of having to wash all my clothes, "by hand!" Crack up azzz Mum!  I've washed like, one or two pieces of clothing before by hand, but this was the first time I had to wash everything by hand.  It is hard work, but at least I have clean clothes.  Hehehe! 

I love you heaps family.  Please say hi to the Stebbings and the Coys for me.   Give my love to the kids. 

Mahal ko kayo lahat.

Elder Chadderton 

November 9 2011

Hey Mum,

Thanks for the emails and the freaking huge package.  I'm  looking forward to getting it.  It must have cost you a fortune.  Wow! 

This week has been surprising and scary at the same time.  Firstly, we've had dinner pretty much every night which is awesome.  We went to Elder Teh's house for dinner last night. Mum, he is the Area President over the Philippines and is a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.   The food was amazing and it was awesome to be in the house of a general authority.  He said he had to get permission from our Mission President before he could have us over for dinner.  His house is in Masagana 2nd Ward area and we were invited to tag along to dinner as well.   It was awesome!

Now for the scary part.  As you know, we have transfers tomorrow, and I already knew that I would become a senior companion.  Well, I got a text from the Assistant's on Tuesday telling me that I will be, "TRAINING!".  Holy smokes, I've been in the Philippines for four months and now I've been called to train a new missionary.  But, in district meeting this morning when they were calling out the other announcements on who will be staying or transferring, my name was called out to transfer!  So, what this means is that not only will I be training, but I will be transferring as well and I'll be moving into a new area that neither I nor my companion has ever been to.  Man oh man!

I was reassured at the training meeting that the Lord has trust in me and that the trainers are called because they are the most elite missionaries.   I feel so inadequate.  When I was sitting in the meeting yesterday I was surrounded by missionaries that had been serving for over a year.  All of them have trained before, they know the language and they've all had a lot of experience as a missionary.  Oh man!  I know that I'll be taken care of and I keep telling myself, "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies!" 

So Mum, this is my new calling and it's going to be a huge growing experience, huge, but I know that through much fasting, prayer and faith in my Savior Jesus Christ I will be fine.  All these experiences will be for my good.

I'm gonna include some pictures for you:

1. Me and another Elder in a trike

2. My zone

3. Dinner at Elder Teh's house

4. Again

5. A birthday party we were invited to

6. Me and Mowgli.  I dont know his name but hes a cute little kid.

7. Another pic at the party. 

8. Me and two of our Ward missionaries

Sweet as. Mum I'm having fun here.  I'm scared about training but I know I'll be fine. I usually work well under pressure. I love you heaps and am so grateful for all you do for me.  The pics of the package are mind boggling - chocolate galore!  Me and my companion are going to have fun eating that. 

I'll update you next week  on the haps with my new area and companion and I'll try to send some more pics too.

Love you heaps,

Elder Chadderton

P.s. One of the Ward missionaries told me my blog was cool. Haha!

October 31 2011

Hey Mum,

Thanks for the emails.  It was our mail run today and I got all your letters, postcards, and the calender.  So cool!  All the sister missionaries were looking at the pictures of Baby Joe, Hinalei, and my sisters.   Funny aye, but thanks heaps for the letters and everything. 

The Christmas package that you are putting together sounds great and it's just what I need for a good Christmas in the Philippines.  Thanks heaps Mum.

We have transfer day next week and a little birdie told me that I am going to be made a Senior Companion!  Wow!  So exchanges definitely, but I probably won't be able to see Elder Able for a while like I had hoped but it's all good.

Our baptism on Saturday did go through and the girl was so happy.   She was very nervous at the beginning and a little uncertain of what was going to happen but once we started, the spirit came and  she calmed down and we all had a great time. I've included some pictures of the baptism for you.

Some sad news.  So, you know how I told you we had exchanges last week?  Well, some of the older Elders thought that it would be cool to go to the Mall.   This is not allowed unless it's P-Day.   Anyway, they went to the arcades and did some shopping.  (Idiots!)  Turns out that a member from that area saw them and contacted President.  They got in trouble and lost their Cellphone and DVD privileges.  Pretty sad really, anyway,  President talked to each of them and they have committed to improve.   Unfortunately, my companion was one of them, so while we were working in the hot sun they were all out in their P-Day clothes playing games at the arcade. 

Everything's going to be okay and President said that as long as we're doing the right thing we won't get in trouble and to make sure that as missionaries we all need to step up and watch out for our companions.  That is what I've had to start doing.   In my patriarchal blessing  it talks about my name and how Richard means, "Powerful" and Solomon means, "Humble".   It also talks about how in my formal mission and church callings I will exercise these attributes of, "power and humility" wisely and prayerfully. That's exactly what I've had to do this week Mum.  I keep telling myself, "Only a week and a half to go!"  I'm happy though, and prayer has become a big part of my mission.  It really does work.

Mum, I love you very much and I'm so greatful for all that you do for me.  Take care of yourself and the family.  Pray always and the Lord will take care of you. 

Have fun on Guy Fawke's day and don't hurt yourself.   Love you heaps and heaps.

Elder Chadderton 

p.s. The pics are of the baptism we had on Saturday. The girls name is Antoinette Bo David. 

The other pic is of an investigator we have, the girl with the kid, the boys a member. They're my age, and the other one is of my comp, the same investigator and one of our ward missionary sisters.

Awesome.

October 24th 2011

Wow Mum,

Thanks for the email. Sounds like you've had a pretty awesome week and you're all doing well. I'm doing fine and the mission conference was good and yes I got to shake hands with both of the General Authorities. They have both served in the pacific and Elder Callister said he knows Dad. So that was cool. They gave really great talks.

Elder Callister talked about the blueprint of the true church as contained in the bible and proved it with scriptural references about everything. It was so awesome. Elder Nielson talked about how to address certain concerns with the Pinoys and the issues that they have with our church and about realizing that the will of God or His commandments outweigh culture and how you've been brought up. It was great. Following Elder Callister and Elder Nielson, their wives spoke and after that Elder Callister addressed us again about becoming a consecrated missionary.

It was a really special and uplifting opportunity for us to listen to the speakers and it was good.

Now about the package . . . don't worry about the corned beef and the peaches we have them here. The only thing is that they're expensive. But that's all good! The cakes we don't have an oven so i couldnt make them even if I wanted too. I'm not a huge fan of minties so you can have those, but chocolate, yes please i.e. black forest, almond, rocky road, coconut rough mmm, then pineapple lumps, jet planes, naturals, bullets if possible. Ohh mate.! Then everything else on the list sounds great. Maraming salamat po.

Haha, funny story about the World Cup! One of the Elders from here called me last night. His name is Elder Hemi Arthur and he's a kiwi. He was at CCNZ when I was there. Anyway, he called last night and he was excited and he said, "Bro, I just got a call from my dad he said the All Blacks won by one point!" I was buzzing out and the funny thing was we were at a less active member families house when he called. It was awesome.

Missionary work has been good despite our busy week. We had our district meeting on Monday, P-Day/ Temple day on Tuesday, Mission Conference on Wednesday, exchanges on Thursday, weekly planning on Friday, Temple Tour (it's different) on Saturday, then church on Sunday and now P-Day again. Woohoo!

Despite our busy week the Lord has blessed us in the work and we have had a good week and my tagalog is coming along good as well. You asked about our baptismal dates. We have a baptism this coming Saturday and about 6 more set in the next month. It is going to be a great month.

One of the sisters in our zone leaves in 3 days and she has been like our mum in the mission. She is super cool. It's funny because when the missions were split, it was thought she may not be included in our mission but she was. Cool aye!

Here are some pictures for you. It's been a fun week.

I'll send some more pics to the others.

Love you Mum and thanks for everything aye.

Elder Chadderton

Pictures of Elder Chaddertons Mission so Far