26 February 2013

Hey Mum and Whanau,

Another great week here in Sumulong.  Thanks for the emails, pictures and all the great words of encouragement.  The time is really getting closer to the end for me and I'm happy to be in a good area with a good companion.  For your information, it's transfer day tomorrow and that is why this email is late.  Dad, you're right Sumulong is a massively long road that seperates our areas.  We are part of Marikina Stake and our Bishop is Marcelino Abril.  He was sustained as Bishop two weeks before I arrived in this area. 

Great job on helping Danii and family with their move into the new house.   Moving is always a stressful event, but at the end of the day you get a good nights sleep.   You guys sure have been busy.

Well, this past week we had the baptisms for Sister Charito Ustare and her son Zhenrry Ustare.  Everything went according to plan where we went to the chapel on Friday night and set up the room and filled the font with water.   On Saturday morning we arrived at the chapel around 8:00 a.m.   The baptism was at 9:00 a.m. and we welcomed those who were attending.  Bishop presided over the service and we had great support from the members.   After the baptisms, the nanay - Sister Ustare -  shared her testimony and it was really special.  The spirit was super strong.  She shared the story of how her eldest son was living and working in Abu Dhabi and while he was their his friend shared the gospel with him and later he was baptized.   When the son returned to the Philippines he introduced his family to the missionaries.  The youngest son Zhenrry was associating with the wrong crowd and had a few Word of Wisdom issues.  The missionaries had set a baptism date for the family back in October 2012 but due to delays, it was reset for January 2013.  Further delays saw it reset for February 2013 where they were finally baptized on Saturday 23 February 2013.  It was a super awesome story and I loved the experience of witnessing a mother being baptized by her son.  It truly was great!

Other than that, there isn't much else to report.  We did have all our scheduled appointments fall through within the space of 30 minutes this one particular day.  On the bright side, we were able to carry on and do some finding and more exploring of the area. 

Hey Mum, after this transfer I have one more transfer!  The time is going way too fast and before I know it, my mission will be over and then my second mission will start!  Man!  

Thanks Whanau for all the support and the good words of encouragement.  I love you all and pray for you.

Ingat kayo lagi.  Mahal ko kayo

Elder Chadderton

18 February 2013

Hey Mum and Whanau,

Amazing news about Little Dan's mission call to the Philippines.  I'm gutted that I won't be able to see him before he leaves.  That will be so awesome to have two Tagalog speaking missionaries in the family.  Please give him my love.  Thanks for the emails and pictures, you guys are so awesome.  My week has been great and the work is going well, with two baptisms set up for next week.

Last Saturday we had a devotional with Brother Allen F. Packer, son of Elder Boyd K. Packer.  We also had Elder Nielsen and his wife attend.  Their messages were focused on retention and helping the priesthood here in the Philippines.  It was a really good fireside.  I really enjoyed Sister Nielsen's scripture that she shared found in D&C 123: 16-17 which reads:  "You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves."  It talks about how a large ship is controlled by a very small helm during a storm and that if you move the helm a little bit the large ship will turn.  It also talks about how just by moving the small helm, the ship can be guided through great storms.   In verse 17 it reads:  "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."  This verse talks about cheerfully doing the things that lay in our power.  We have the choice to be obedient, to read the scriptures, to pray etc. and then we can stand still and see the Lord's hand in action.  We will be blessed according to our choices.  I really loved Sister Nielsen's scripture. 

The work in our area is going well and this week we will be preparing two of our investigators for baptism.  They are a mother and her 22 year old son.  The son is amazing because he's not baptized as yet but he love's coming out and doing missionary work with us.  He has a really strong testimony of the Church and shares it when we teach our other investigators.  His mum is awesome and we had a testimony meeting at there house and invited them to share their testimonies about the gospel. The mother said that she knows this church is true because it's the only church that has helped her son to change.  The son used to have a bad smoking and drinking problem and since learning about the church, when he goes out with his school friends he doesn't smoke or drink anymore.  It's so awesome and I'll send pictures of the baptism next week. 

Today, in District meeting the District leaders taught about, "How to receive revelation through the Book of Mormon!" They went through Preach my Gospel where it talks about the importance of the Book of Mormon and how it is the keystone of our religion.  After that they discussed some problems that our investigators and less actives might have that maybe hindering their progress.  It was great.  We also opened the Book of Mormon and found some scriptures that give solutions to those possible investigator problems.  It was a really good experience. 

Yesterday, we shared a lesson about Repentance.  I compared repenting to a cut or wound and how if you get a graze the healing process is short and the problem goes away quickly.  But, if the cut is deep it will hurt more and take longer to heal.  Also, if the cut is too deep, you may have to go to the doctor to get stitches.  In either case you may have to dress and bandage the cut so it can heal quicker.  So, in my little 'parable of the cut or wound' they can be likened to the sins we commit.  Some sins are deep and some are just on the surface but in all cases they hurt.  The healing process is repentance.  The doctor is the Bishop that helps to solve and overcome deep or serious sins and the bandage is prayer.  It always hurts when you sin, or at least it should.  Depending on the depth of the sin, the repentance process can take longer then others and may need more help from the Bishop.   Usually after the healing, there is a little scar.  Repentance helps get rid of scars.  This is only possible because of Jesus Christ's atonement because he suffered for our sins.  He gave His life so that we could live with Him again.  I don't know if the parable makes sense because my English is terrible.  It makes sense to me and I'm grateful to Jesus Christ for all He has done for me.

Thanks for everything family and for always giving me good words of encouragement.  Keep up the good work and keep up your exercising. 

Oh, I forgot to tell you, our transfer day has been pulled forward a day which means...… I'll be coming home a day earlier.... on the 22nd of May - DAD'S BIRTHDAY!  Cool aye!  Happy birthday Dad, you get me for your birthday this year!  Astig.

Love you family.

Elder Chadderton 

11 February 2013

Hey Mum and Whanau,

Thanks for all the emails and pictures.  "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" Hinalei!   After emails last week, Elder Van Dyke and I went home and I packed my bags straight away.  After that we went over to Bishop's house to say goodbye.  It was awesome and Bishop bought us pizza and magnums.  On Tuesday we said our farewells to some of the other members in the area and took pictures.  Around 5:00 p.m. the AP's came by and picked me up.  Everything went well and I was comforted by the Lord during this transfer.  My new area is Sumulong and it is in the Marikina Stake boundary.  I am the Zone leader and the Ward is small but great.  I met my new companion and his name is Elder Carman and he is from Denver, Colorado.  He and I were in the same zone in Mindoro.  He is an awesome missionary.  He has about 7 months left on his mission.  When the AP's and I rocked up to the house where I will be staying, the other companionship came out to meet me first and my companion came out last because he was scared to see who his new companion would be.  One of the other Elders gave me a big hug and said, "You're an answer to our prayers!"  Hehe!  We chatted for a while then went to visit the Bishop.  Bishop is awesome and his second son leaves for his mission this week.    It was about 8:45 p.m. so before we left I asked Bishop if I could share a 15 minute lesson about the Atonement.   He said fine so I explained the events of the atonement, the advantages we have because of the atonement and how we can live with God again because of the atonement.  I shared scriptures and my testimony, after which my companion shared his testimony.  By 9:00 p.m. we said a prayer before leaving.  

I have met a lot of really nice people here and I know we have a lot of work to do.  There are things to do to improve the area and help the Ward.  I know it's my time to step up. 

On Thursday we had Zone leader council - my first one in a long time.  It was awesome.  After Zone leader training we usually train the missionaries but instead President opened up the time for us to bear our testimonies.  It was a really special experience and we were able to strengthen each other during this time. 

My new Ward is small compared to my last Ward in Tandang Sora where we had an attendance of around 250 people, but here we barely get 150.  We will work hard on improving the attendance figures as well as increasing our teaching pool.  We have a lot of investigators that are females and need to find more males.  There is a lot of work to do in a very short time.  I know I've got to make the most of the time I have left.  The work is not easy but I knew that from the beginning.  It will be awesome!

Thanks again for all your words of encouragement and prayers.  They have really helped me get through this transfer and everything is good.  I love you all heaps.  Take care and have a great week.  Keep up the good work with the weight loss. 

Elder Chadderton

  

4 February 2013

Hey Mum and Whanau,

I've just received a call from the AP's informing me that I am being, "Emergency" transferred tomorrow and it has come as a bit of a shock.  It's so sad and I feel that I'm not ready to leave behind the people I've grown so close to.  I'm a little emotional right now from the news, mainly because I don't think I was ready for it.  Oh man!

Anyway, we've had an awesome week and a great time at Zone conference.  The workshop's and role plays went well and we had lots of fun and learnt heaps.  After Zone interviews the AP's worked with us and we went on splits and had a great day.  We taught one of our investigators about the Restoration and had an amazing lesson.  It was cool.  The work has been going well and we almost hit all our goals for the week.  I say almost because we just needed one more member present lesson and we would have reached our goals but our dinner appointment went a bit longer then we anticipated.

Today in District meeting I taught a lesson about putting off the natural man.  It's an interesting topic and I chose it because our focus is to teach and find prospective priesthood holders to help strengthen the Wards.  It was a great lesson so be sure to ask me about it when I come home. 

Oh man, I still can't get over the fact that I'm getting transferred.  I don't know where I'm going or who will be my new companion.  I don't even know who will be Elder Van Dyke's new companion.  I'm really not ready for this but I remember when I was having my interview with President DeLaMare he told me that I was going to be transferred and made a Zone Leader.  I thought that would all happen on transfer day so I was ready for it.  But now it's tomorrow!  I think i just need to accept it.  I'm going to miss everyone here so much because I've been here for 7 months.  This is probably one of the hardest transfers for me emotionally.  I've made so many great friends and their are so many people here that I've grown to love and would do anything for them.  Sometimes it just sucks!

I don't know what else to say. I know I shouldn't feel like this but I do feel sad that I'm leaving Tandang Sora and I know tomorrow is going to be an interesting day.  I love you all so much.  Thanks for the emails and pictures.  Keep sending them.  Have a great week and keep up the weight loss.  Please keep me in your prayers.  I need them.

Elder Chadderton

29 January 2013

Hey Mum and Whanau,

Thanks for the emails and pictures.  Please give my thanks to Aunty Kaye and Uncle Pieter for their cool email.  It's been another great week in Tandang Sora.  Elder Van Dyke and I have followed all your good examples and are jogging in the mornings.  Funny, because after the first day of jogging, our legs were so sore.  Hehe.  We went out again the next morning and we're all good now.  It's hard to cope with the amount of pollution in the air when you're running but we're fine.

The mission is going really well and we had a ton of less actives attend church.  So awesome!  I went on exchanges with the Zone leaders this week in my old area of  Bago Bantay.  It was sweet to visit with some of the members and old faces that I knew.  It also gave Elder Van Dyke a chance to lead out in our area.  He is getting really good at speaking Tagalog and it's been great training him. 

If your wondering why my emails are late this week, it's because we had Temple Day today so our schedule changed a little.  We woke up at 4:00 a.m. to go to the Temple and we arrived at 5:50 a.m. only to learn that the first session wasn't until 7:00 a.m.  Oh man!  No worries, it was special just to be at the Temple.   We had a great session, then had a feed at the Temple canteen after, bought a few things, then headed over to the mall.  I found a nice, blue, paisley tie at the mall so I bought it.  

On Thursday we were invited to a farewell for one of the sisters here who has received her mission call to serve in the Philippines Bacolod Mission - the same mission as Sister McIver. Cool aye.  I asked her to keep an eye out for Sister McIver and to give her my regards.  

This coming week we have Zone interviews and it will be nice to receive more guidance and council from the mission leaders.  As a district leader, I have to give a workshop on Chapter 13 from Preach My Gospel (something I shared with dad).  I'm still finalizing my presentation as it has to be 15 minutes long and then we have to do 45 minutes of role playing.  I still have to correlate with the other District leader as to how we're going to present the workshop and role play. I know everything will be fine.

Thanks for all the notes and encouraging words of advice from your Stake Conference.  It's awesome to read of your enthusiasm to continue to help our Lord in his work.

Keep up your dieting.  75% of weight loss is in your food consumption, so it seems like every time you do something good  you go out and celebrate.  If you have to celebrate, just get something small.  You can do it.  I'm trying to lose some weight too as I've got just over three months left and then I'll be home. Cool aye.  Then the real mission begins, "Mission Impossible" - finding someone who will be my wife!  (Jokes). 

Sa totoo. Tatlong buwan lang ang meron ko para ibigay ang lahat na meron ko sa ating Panginoon.  Short time.  Lots to do.  Mahal ko ung diyos.  Mahal ko ang mission at mahal ko din kayo.  Ingat lage.

Elder Chadderton

21 January 2013

Hey Mum and Whanau,

What to say?  Firstly, thanks for all the great emails and the encouragement that you continue to give me.  I received all your Christmas letters and postcards today along with Geena's Christmas card from Idaho.  Hehe!  Cool!  Amazing blessings! 

You guys make me laugh with your good intentions to do the biggest loser program and then you send me pictures of you celebrating at Denny's.  Too funny!  Keep up the good work.  I think I need to start exercising a bit more because we get fed so much in this area.  Speaking of dinner appointments, we have an appointment everyday this week. Cool aye.  I put that down to paying an honest fast offering.  The Lord has blessed us this week.  Please continue to take care of the missionaries in our home Ward. 

With the new area goals, the Stake is really focusing on tithing.  On Sunday we had a couple of the High Priests and the Stake president speak to us.  The talks were great but I only wish they had spoken in Filipino and not English.  I felt that the people that needed to hear this important message didn't fully understand English and ended up falling asleep and the people that do understand English are those who are already paying tithing.  Oh well,  there's always room for improvement - even in established Wards and Stakes.   

Anyways, our ability to find people to teach this week is going well.  We continue to focus on finding prospective priesthood brethren.   We did some street contacting and made sure that we focused on males.  It was great and we had a lot of success and were able to set appointments with the men we had contacted.  It will be good to teach them and their families and help them to come unto Christ

As an update, our investigator Cokie had an appointment with us on Wednesday but it fell through so we reset for Friday.  We went over and shared a great lesson about the Plan of Salvation and left her a reading assignment in Alma 40.  We set an appointment to return the following Wednesday.  Before we could leave our current appointment she had assembled all this food, set it up on a table and invited my companion and I to have a munch.  That was so cool.   

After church on Sunday we went to visit this one less active family and they explained why they weren't at church.   Apparently, the daughter had an exam at school and the dad had the flu.  I had in mind to share about what we learnt at church that day - Tithing, Jesus Christ as our Savior, Baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost.   We decided to focus on paying tithing and it was a really great lesson.  When I committed the dad to pay a full tithe he looked me straight in the eye and said, "Yes!" or "Gagawin ko!" which means, "I will do!"  It was a testimony to me how true doctrine understood can improve attitude and behavior.  He understood the blessings that can come to him if he payed his tithing.  It was a great lesson.

We contacted a man that we met last month and asked if he was still interested in taking the lessons and he said he was.  We organized to visit with him every Sunday night to teach him  the doctrines of Christ. He is very learned and knowledgable in the scriptures and has a lot of questions for us and I can see how it would be good to have him as part of the Ward.  We are looking forward to teaching him. 

The work is going well and with the month of February almost upon us, I know I've got to make the most of the time I have left.  I am certainly giving it my best.

Thanks again family and Whanau for everything.  Thanks for the pictures.  Uncle Rana looks great.  Please tell him that he and I are going to go jogging together when I get home. I'm loving the Philippines and I love the work.  Keep up the exercising and healthy eating and give thanks for the many blessings you have received.  The Lord watches over those that do his work.  May we always be in the service of the Lord.

Love you,

Elder Chadderton 

14 January 2013

Hey Mum and Whanau,

What great and newsy emails!  I love to hear that everyone is doing well and I want you to know that you're all so awesome.  This past week has been a great week here in the Philippines.  We have had so much fun in the work and this year our mission is focusing on Priesthood brethren.  It is going to be a great year.  Well, a great four months for me.   Tell Uncle TC thanks for his email.  Yes, I knew Sister Schmidt and she was an awesome missionary.  Glad Jenna got to meet up with Sister Leauanae.  Good to know she and Sister Schmidt are home safely.   

Well, we received new zone leaders this transfer and they are great.  We had our zone training with them today and we set some awesome goals as a zone. I realize that I am the longest serving missionary in this zone so I want to help guide the zone to follow the direction of the new zone leaders. 

As mentioned earlier, we have a huge focus on priesthood.  Our goal is to bring 200 newly baptized aaronic priesthood holders into the church by the end of the year.  The other goal is to help those less actives that are of age, to receive the Aaronic Priesthood or advance into the Melchizedek Priesthood.  We have to encourage those who are in the Priest Quorums to step up and prepare themselves for advancement and invite those who are less active priesthood brethren to come back.  It's a great goal and this past week we have committed baptismal dates for two prospective aaronic priesthood holders.  Cool aye!

We visited one of our investigator's last Wednesday but she wasn't home.  We went back on Friday and we were able to share a lesson with her and some of her friends.  She is a college graduate and loves listening to the messages we share.  During our most recent visit we asked if her husband could join us during the discussion and he did. Cool!  With the focus on priesthood and the gospel of Jesus Christ focusing on the family, I felt it fitting that the husband should be invited to attend the discussion.   We shared the first lesson and focused on the prophet Joseph Smith.  We testified of the Book of Mormon and gave them a copy.  The spirit was strong and it was a great lesson.  There is a qoute in PMG that says, "True intelligence is to be able to take true doctrine and simplify and explain it so well that even a small child could understand it."  That's what we tried to do.  After the discussion they fed us and continued talking about the lesson.  It was great because they were able to ask more questions about what we had shared and we were able to answer them.

We had our area broadcast on Saturday night where the Area Presidency presented and explained the new area goals for the Philippines in 2013.  The goals are the same as last year with more emphasis on strengthening the priesthood and also encouraging returned missionaries to marry in the Temple.  Hehe. The goals mentioned are 1. Feasting upon the words of Christ,  2. Establishing the church,  3. Rescuing the one, 4. Saving the rising generation,  5. Strengthening the Family.  With each goal the Area Presidency explained more in depth as to how we are to focus  on helping the priesthood.   When we had Ward Council yesterday we were able to get a list of the priesthood members in the Ward.  We will use this list to help us achieve our goals.  My companion and I have a lot of work to do.

I am excited for our mission goals and it really does make me appreciate how special the priesthood is to me, my family (now, and in the future) and also to Heavenly Father.  I know I only have a few short months left on my mission and I want to give it my all - all my, HEART, MIGHT, MIND and STRENGTH.  It's awesome and I'm so lucky to be here at this time in my life.  I love you all so, so, much.  At alam ko na totoo ung gawain misyonero.  Mahirap siya pero alam ko na biyayaan ako ng Panginoon habang sinisikap kong sundin ung mga utos niya.  Ito ang kanyang simbahan, ito ang kanyang gawain at kaluwalhatian at ako lang ang isang bahagi sa kanyang plano.  Mahal ko ito.  Mamimiss ko ito.  At ibibigay ko ung buong puso, sipag, isip at lakas sa gawaing ito. 

I love you all so much.  Thank you for all your love and support, take care and keep being the awesome example that you are.

Elder Chadderton