First Monsoon

Hi everyone!

I hope y'all are doing well. This week was super busy! Here are a few highlights.

I neglected to mention last week what my area is called. I am in the Salt River Stake and my companion and I cover the Mountain Ridge and Fremont Hill wards. A ward is just a congregation of people in a geographic location and a stake is a group of wards.

We had the first monsoon of the season last Monday evening! We looked outside and saw the palm trees shaking from the wind, it got misty, and then poured huge, hot water droplets. There was so much lightning! It was kind of cool but then the next morning it was so humid :( Monsoon season lasts for the month of August I'm told.

I met David this week; he has been being taught by the missionaries for only a few weeks and he is on date to be baptized in October!! He is the coolest. He has such a strong relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He is so excited to be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. He has been a Christian his whole life and talks about how he always had questions that he couldn't find answers to and just felt like something was missing until he found the missionaries and read the Book of Mormon. His faith strengthens my testimony.

On Friday we had zone conference which is basically a meeting for a bunch of missionaries led by our mission president and his wife. They give us guidance and invite us to do certain things to better do God's work. My take away from zone conference was to use the Book of Mormon more often in lessons because it contains the fullness of the Gospel and changes lives. Also to record spiritual experiences and look back at them when I'm struggling. 

The Book of Mormon is amazing! I love studying it everyday. I see it change lives and I know it has changed mine. It brings me closer to my Savior. I encourage everyone to read it! Even if it is just one verse a day. Pay attention to the feelings you have when you read it. I know it will bring peace.

I love you all!

Sister Chilson

 Sister Chilson, Sister Sherman and Cookie(the dog)

 Sister Chilson and a mini pineapple in Walmart

Sister Chilson and Sister Sherman

It's a Mesa Adventure!

Hi all!

I'm in Arizona!! I am really liking it here. I'm still mesmerized by the palm trees and cacti. It is a beautiful place and I'm happy to be here. Yes, it is HOT, but luckily we have a car with air conditioning which is a blessing.

We had a lot of training meetings earlier this week with our mission president, President Andrews. He and his family are so sweet and I'm taking their advice and applying it to my work.

My trainer, Sister Sherman is amazing!! We actually used to be in primary (class for kids at church) when we were little when her dad did med school in Rochester. Small world! She makes me laugh so hard which keeps me happy and having fun while working hard.

My first lesson was Thursday with a man named Carlos. His wife became a member of the church a few years ago and has such a strong testimony. We put Carlos on date to be baptized on August 31!! We are so excited and proud of him. He is working to quit smoking so yesterday we fasted for him to give him strength to do that. I'm excited to continue to get to know him more and help him in his journey to come unto Christ.

I have also gotten to know Alisha who was baptized a few months ago as well as two of her children, Josh and Heaven. They are such a sweet family!! They love coming to church and yesterday evening we hung out with them and made banana bread at a member's house. We are hoping to start teaching her son, Noah, soon! 

I know Heavenly Father is aware of us and our needs. He has called me to be a missionary in Mesa for reasons that I don't know yet, but in excited to find out. I'm hoping this week I get to teach more people and work on my teaching skills to gain confidence in doing that. I know I am not alone in this work. I know this is Christ's true church restored on the earth and that His Gospel brings happiness and blessings. Life is not easy, but the Gospel brings hope during hard times, I see that in my life and others. 

Let me know if y'all have any questions or want to hear about specific things. Thanks for all your prayers and support!

Love,

Sister Chilson 

 Sister Chilson and a cactus 

Heaven and I goofing around 

Josh and I cheesin'

First Day in Mission Field

Sister Chilson and her trainer, Sister Sherman

Sister Chilson with President and Sister Andrews

Pictures 7/16

 The Sisters in my District and I enjoying class at the MTC

 Possibly goofing around when our teacher left the room...

 District picture after Sunday evening devotional

My District in front of one of the beautiful murals at the MTC

Arizona, Here We Go!

Hi all,

This week went by fairly quickly. Our classes and lessons went fairly well. I'm feeling more and more comfortable sharing the Gospel with others. It was a little sad saying goodbye to my MTC teachers and district. It is crazy how close we all got in 3 weeks, but it makes me excited for the future relationships I am going to be making in Mesa.

I'm currently on the train headed to the Salt Lake City airport and I land in Arizona this afternoon. I'm feeling really nervous about this transition but I know Christ will be walking beside me the whole way. 

Favorite scripture from this week: 

Mosiah 23:10 Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth.

I know the Lord hears the cries and prayers of our hearts. I know He will be helping me as I strive to do His work. I know if you reach out to Him, He will gladly help you too. This Gospel brings me so much hope and comfort and I'm excited to share that with others.

Love you all,

Sister Chilson

 My district on our last day with our teacher, Brother Jenkins

Sisters in my district pointing at the map of where we are serving

Week 2

Hi all,

This week has gone by faster then last week. It is crazy that I only have one more week to go at the missionary training center. I fly to Arizona on July 16. I am trying to enjoy my time here as much as I can.

Something out of the ordinary this week was for the 4th of July we had a devotional on religious freedom and then got to watch fireworks from the 6th floor of one of the buildings on campus. 

My teachers are incredible and I am strengthening my testimony in Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost. I am continuing to strengthen the friendships I am making with my district. Being with a companion 24/7 is DIFFICULT. I knew that was going to be a challenge for me on the mission. I am praying daily for patience and charity. I know God is there for me and hears my prayers and is blessing me with strength strength - I can feel it. His power is so real. 

I played kickball this week with my zone and district and some said I was pretty good so yeah haha! Kickball is a blast. 

I played piano in sacrament meeting on Sunday and my companion and I taught relief society. It was nice to play piano again, I do miss it a lot. Playing church hymns is nice because they always bring me peace. 

I hope everyone has a good week and remember that you can always turn to your Heavenly Father when things are hard. We are not meant to go through life alone. 

My favorite scripture from this week is Alma 7:11-13: 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Love,

Sister Chilson

 The sisters in my district on the fourth of July

My district with our teacher, Sister Brown

Made it to the MTC

Hi all,

I have been at the missionary training center for 6 days now though it feels like I've been here for longer than that. All my flights getting to Utah went smoothly. It has been an adjustment living here at the MTC though. They waste no time in getting us started. After dropping off my luggage in my room and getting my name tag, I had class right off the bat. There is not a single minute of the day that is not planned; we are always doing something which is exhausting but good at the same time.

My companion's name is Sister Swinson. She is from Lehi, Utah. We make each other laugh all the time. It's different adjusting to having another person with me 24/7 but so far I'm doing okay with that haha. 

I absolutely love every person in my district. A district is a group of missionaries. There are 10 Elders and 4 Sisters. It's crazy how fast you build relationships with people when you see them all day every day. We are like one big family which is great because we support each other and study together and have fun.

My favorite part of the MTC so far has been studying the scriptures with my district and the Sunday night devotional. The head of all the MTC's (there are 11 around the world) spoke to us about how missions are life changing experiences. 

One thing I was not expecting to do in the MTC was teach actual lessons but I've been doing a lot of that! They have people pretend to be investigators of the church so we can learn what it will be like to teach lessons in the mission field. I'm slowly gaining confidence in teaching gospel principles and it's incredible the improvement in just a week. Cannot wait to see what the next two weeks bring! 

My favorite scripture verse from this week is 3 Nephi 18:24 - "Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed." From this verse I learn that the most important thing I can do on my mission is be a light to the people I meet. Yes, sometimes I will say the wrong thing but ultimately sharing with people that God loves them and that through Christ there is hope is the most important. 

If there is anything specific people would like to hear about, feel free to let me know! 

Talk to you next week!

Love,

Sister Chilson

Sister Chilson's District

 The sisters in Sister Chilson's District

Sister Chilson and her companion