8.31.09

Hey everyone,

The temple was amazing this morning holy cow! The Spirit was so strong there. It seems to just get better every time I go.

The language is coming along great, Elder Perry and I had a Teaching appointment with one of the teachers, we were both real scared cuz we didn't know if they'd be able to understand us. We went through it and I'm not exactly sure of what I said but the teachers said that we spoke Tagalog great and they understood everything we said. It was awesome. And the spirit was there when we were teaching. I know that it was only because of the spirit that they could understand us. We taught last week to some other missionaries because the people that we were suppose to teach to didn't show up so that made it a little easier.

Last Tuesday we had Richard G. Scott come and talk to us for our Tuesday night devotional. It was so amazing! One thing he said that stuck out to us is "I know Jesus Christ lives because I know him." It was so crazy and the Spirit just flooded the room when he walked in! It was funny because as the MTC President was reading his introduction Elder Scott got up and said make sure you say this! And he was pointing at the sentence that said "I love missionaries." President Brown replied with a smile, I'm getting to it ha ha. It was funny. Then he invoked 2 blessings upon us. One for protection then one for those of us learning a language that we would receive the gift of tongues. It was really neat!

Elder Perry says to tell you all Kamusta. He's a stud, and we are getting along great and teaching great with the spirit.

I can't believe I'm leaving here in 3 weeks that seems so crazy! Time has just flown by here and I'm not sure where its gone. It is another testimony builder to me that thru the spirit you can do anything. There is no way that anyone could learn a language as good as we have in 2 months. Only by the spirit can such miracles take place.

I was in the RC the other day and I got an email back from an investigator named Thomas. He's read the Book of Mormon and D&C and wants to be baptized, however he doesn't want a calling, especially in the temple, and he only wants to go sacrament and Sunday school. And he doesn't want the priesthood. I've got to go see if he's replied back to my reply. I testified how important the priesthood is and invited him to pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a true prophet. We'll see how goes.

Well I'm runnin out of time, I Love you all. Thanks for everything.
Love,
Elder Chase

8.26.09

I'm sorry you missed me, but if it makes you feel better, I sent my email with 2 seconds left on my time, then it kicked me out!!

I can say what I want! I'll repent, or as J Golden Kimball said, "No way they are sending me down to hell, I repent to damn fast!" I'm just quoting him, haha!

If you want to see what a lot of food is, you should some see our cafeteria. It's crazy how much food they put out here, and most of it gets eaten.

I'm really hoping that something like a typhoon will happen during my mission so I can spend some time just doing service. I bet Kyle (Broadhead) is loving it, I know I'd love to do that.

So here's the cool thing. Tonight we had a usual Tuesday night fireside and guess who the speaker was!! Richard G Scott! It was so amazing, when we walked in it was like a wall of the Spirit just flooded the room, then he invoked 2 blessings on us. One was the gift of tongues and the other was the gift of protection. The whole room was completely silent! Oh my gosh!! Then we all stood as he left and with a wave to everyone he left to room, but the Spirit stayed!! When he pronounced the blessings on us the Spirit was so incredibly strong and when he bore testimony he said I know that Jesus Christ lives because I know Jesus Christ! It was so so crazy, I loved it. WOW!!!

Love Elder Chase

8.25.09

I was so excited to hear from everyone!! I got letters from dad, mom, Caydyn, Denise and Kayla. It was a pretty good day!!

Great Grandma sent me some money in my get well card, Thanks Grandma!! It helped pay for all my co-pays and meds while I was sick.

We went to the 9th Session of the Temple Dedication, with President Eyring and M Russell Ballard. It sounds like they had similar topics in all the sessions. It was pretty cool, but a lot like the Draper Temple Dedication. The Spirit was definitely there.

My teacher chewed us all out last night for not speaking in Tagalog all the time, so we are working on it a lot better now. My vocabulary is expanding, but I'm still having trouble with the sentence structure. It will come, it just takes time.

Love you all
Elder Chase

8.24.09

Hey everyone,

This last week has been so hectic here at the MTC. We are at the point now where in and out of class we are only to speak Tagalog. We are doing it most of the time. Ha ha its kinda hard where our vocabulary is sorta limited. But we have fun trying to understand each other. This week we start teaching our lessons in Tagalog. So that should prove to be quite interesting. I'll let you know how it goes.

On Saturday when I was in the Referral Center I talked to a 64 year old gentleman that wanted to be baptized but he didn't want the priesthood and he didn't want a calling. Especially in the Temple. I had to go but we are emailing each other and I'm going to see what I can do. My plan is to talk about how everything in our church is done with the priesthood and try to help him see how vital it is. I'm excited to go see if he's emailed me. Then I helped this sister with questions about repentance. And I even talked to a guy in Alabama that was willing to have the Missionaries come talk to him. Its been a pretty great week.

Elder Perry and I are getting along great and it definitely shows when we have to teach lessons and in the way we do everything. The lord has definitely been blessing me. We got to go to the Temple Dedication yesterday for the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. It was really cool. And most the Elders I'm with have never been to one so they liked the experience. And chances are, we will be able to go to one in the Philippines. They are currently building a temple in Sebu. So that would be neat to attend.

I can't believe that I'm already half done here. Time is flying by so quick and doesn't look to be slowing down at all. I love it.

I gotta run, But thank you all for everything.

Love you
Elder Chase

8.20.09

I think I'm getting better, I'm not 100%, maybe 75% though. I went to the health clinic, they are so good to you there. Then there's the Urgent Care Center and you get to go out into the real world, it's so cool! I saw Jonathan Wright there, that's where they do blood work, x-rays and where the pharmacy is. I've been there twice.

Elder Gonzales broke his foot playing volleyball when Elder Ron Daly (from St George) landed on it, it sprained his ankle too. Then he got my cold, oops.

So, was it harder for Caydyn to have to drive my truck for the day or for dad to have to drive his car? Bet they were both hating life. haha.

Remember when you told me that I'd probably want pencils and I told you no, but I put one in anyway. You were right, I use my pencil for almost everything except writing you.

Funny Story: Elder Gonzales' parents parents sent a big package and inside it had a 6-pack of Dr Pepper!! He gave me one!!!! It was pretty much amazing.

Tonight is our last night of teaching in English. For the rest of the time we teach in Tagalog. I'm kinda nervous, but I guess I'll figure it out.

Love
Elder Chase

8.18.09

I got an invitation to Will and Ramey's wedding. It was amazing, she does such good work.

Remember what it says about conservative ties? I don't think they really enforce it, I've seen some crazy ties up here.

I saw Jim on Sunday, it was so good to see him. He had some Korean Elders with him, I'm sure glad I don't have to learn to speak Korean, it sounds a lot harder.

Most of the guys here have never seen a temple dedication, so I'm really excited for them to see what it's all about. I hope you guys are planning on going.

That's awesome that Caydyn won the 4-wheeler. Don't let him jump it into Lower Sand Cove. If you do, send me the pictures and video!!

I had one of my teachers tell our class that you get sick when your being disobedient, so I've been trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Did I tell you that I am in the Swine Flu hall! When they had the bad outbreak of Swine Flu at the MTC, this hall is where they put everyone. In my residence hall!!

This week we've been learning how to talk about everything in our lives, family, school and work. Then extending commitments and teaching to pray. That is our language goal for this week, it should be fun.

Love you all
Elder Chase

8.14.09

I miss the county fair, it was so much work, but so fun.

I really do miss work and getting dirty and the Doc's, that was so much fun.

I can't believe I've been here almost a month!! Crazy!!

I got a letter from Weston today. It was so good to hear from him, I need to write him back.

I got a haircut yesterday, I was so worried!! But it turned out ok, Sara would have done better, but it's okay for an MTC haircut.

Tell my girls (his FFA officers) hi, I miss talking to them.

I taught the 2nd discussion, The Plan of Salvation and I was not feeling the spirit at all until the very end when I was testifying. I think it was cuz I'd been calling my comp out on things all day when he did something I didn't like. I think being sick is making me mean. I need to work on having charity. It's tough sometime though.

Hey everyone,

This week has been pretty regular, except elder Gonzales, an elder that I room with broke his foot. He's been getting waited on hand and foot and loving it! He got to experience the outside world for a bit going down to the BYU Urgent care center. his companion and him thought it was pretty cool. Ha ha.

Next week we start teaching the lessons in Tagalog. I'm a little nervous though. We have the main structure down but I can't say my vocabulary is too extensive. Oh well, the lord will provide. I can now carry on a little more conversation in the language but its crazy because the older district will sit there and talk to you and you can catch maybe 3 words outta their 10 word sentence. I usually just have a blank stare on my face and ask them to Paki-Ulit (please repeat) 2 or 3 times. But its a good way to learn. I'm glad I don't have to speak Mandarin or Russian or one of those languages. That would be real tough.

Oh, I joined the choir. Ha ha I know me singing! But this way I'm guaranteed a good seat for the Tuesday night devotionals! The lord also provides in blessing me with good singers around me so they can't tell I'm horrible at it! Its fun. Next Sunday we don't have sacrament because we are attending the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Dedication. I am so excited. It is going to be standing room only in the gym. Wow. I passed my interview barely. I was sweating bullets! ha ha.

Every week we get to go to this place called the Referral Center. That's where all the calls come into when people see the commercials for our church on Mormon.org so we get to chat with them and teach them. I chatted online with this guy that wasn't sure if he had a testimony anymore. By the end he knew he had one. It was amazing how the lord can tell people what he wants others to know through you.

Well my time's running out. I love you all. Thanks for the packages and letters. You're all in my prayers. Till next week.

Love, Elder Chase

8.13.09

I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was sick, mom. I will try to write to other people more, but I don't think I'm even supposed to write you as often as I do.

I got a 10 lbs bag of jerky!! It is great!!

I miss your cooking. I think you should get a cold shipper from the clinic and send me some food. Between getting sick and just sick of the food, I've lost 5 lbs. Thought you were supposed to gain weight in the MTC. Oh well.

It's been a little chilly up here in the morning, compared to St George, but I like it.

We taught the plan of salvation last night to another missionary. I think it went really well. The language is coming, but lately I've been spending a lot of time sleeping and not studying. But it'll come.

You asked about my zone, they are all people that are going to the Philippines Missions. We have the biggest zone in the MTC, almost big enough to have our own ward. We lost about 35 missionaries last Monday and Tuesday, but we will get 50 more in the next couple weeks. Crazy!

This week in the choir I'm trying out the tenor section. It's not working out so well for me, think I'll just stick with baritone. Ha Ha!

A kid broke his foot today playing indoor volleyball. He started crying because he thought they were going to send him home. It was so sad!! They just put him in a boot for the next 6 weeks. Yuck.

Keep me posted on life in St George!

8.10.09

Hi everyone,

This week at the MTC has been great. We learned the basics of conversation. I still need a lot of work and my kasama (companion) still can't understand much of what I say but its fun to try and make up stuff to say! We started last thursday this thing called SYL it stands for speak your language, so whenever we are out of class all of our conversation is supposed to be in Tagalog. usually we speak Taglish because our vocabulary is limited! Today and tomorrow we loose about 30 of the elders and sisters in our zone because they are heading to the philipines. I can't believe i've almost been here 3 weeks already. Time is flying by SOOO fast! Its great! With the loss of some elders, we will gain a few more on wednesday and my district will be the ones they look up to, That right there is a scary thought in itself! ha ha ha!

We have 2 scheduled teaching appointments every week, then my companion have signed up for additional ones and I think this week we're gonna end up teaching like 5 lessons, hopefully we'll get better. Oh, last week I had a bad headache and stomach ache going into our teaching appointment. We said a prayer, and as soon as we sat down to teach my headache and my stomach ache had gone away! The spirit is so helpful and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to function much here without it!

I heard a quote up here, it's from President Hinkley I think. It says no matter how talented you are, if you don't teach with the spirit you're mission will not be successful. I am coming to know of the truthfulness of that quote more and more every day!

It is amazing up here! I gotta run and do laundry, but thanks everyone for your prayers, I've enjoyed getting all the packages, and letters from everyone! Thank you so much!

Love you all,
Elder Chase

8.10.09

Hi family,
How is everyone doing? Staying out of trouble? Are you all ready to go back to school? I just got thinking about that the other day, you all will go to school together! ha ha ha! I guess i'm kinda already in school, just in an accelerated course! oh, one of my teachers Brother Ward, served in Quezon City which is where Mitch Day served, Brother Ward trained Mitch so it was pretty cool that we knew each other. Then Brother Ward told me he was hanging out with Mitch the other night, so I told him to tell mitch hi for me next time he saw him. Small world! Happy Birthday this week mom! I hope you have a good one! Everyone else: make mom's birthday a good one! I'm sorry I won't be there for it!

How is everyone (friends) back home?

Thank you for having grandma send me the distilled water and contact solution, she was smart by sending me just a water bottle full of water instead of the whole gallon! I love having connections up here.

I hope everyone is ready for whatever life brings. Keep your heads up, I love you all. They told us we have to basically leave our old life behind and make a new one to be an effective missionary. I guess i'll never be an effective missionary because I REFUSE to leave behind all my memories of home, the good, the bad, and the ugly. They don't know how great of a family i have. You are a one of a kind family
Until next week,

8.7.09

Things are going pretty good here. Today we started a thing called Speak Your Language, which means that from now on we have to speak as much as possible in Tagalog. I'm a little nervous, but in D&C is says that the spirit will make up for your lack.

My comp gave me a blessing the other night. It was his first blessing and he was so nervous, but he gave me a great blessing.

I was talking to a lady from the Philippines today, she said the food is much better over there, cuz the ingredients are fresh. But I'm not supposed to eat anything that is uncooked.

Don't tell mom, but I've been really sick. I went to the Doctor here, he gave me some medicine. Didn't work, so I went to the Instacare. They did all sorts of X-rays and test's, but nothing tested positive. They decided I have the flu. For the first couple of days while I slept, my whole district took turns sitting with me. It was amazing.

8.3.09

Oh mom, I wish I could tell you how much I miss your cooking. I am so sick of the food here.

I'll only be here for 2 month so the biggest thing they tell us is we're not learning a language, we're learning with the spirit and that's how it works.

My comp and roommates make fun of me and call me "cowboy", but I don't mind.

Did I tell you that I miss your food?

8.4.09

I have decided that dearelder.com or letters is the best way to write to me. I don't have time to read emails sent to my email address. I have gotten a few packages, they are great!!

I had the most amazing time in the temple today. The Spirit was so incredibly strong.

Me and Elder Perry are getting pretty good at teaching, but we still have a lot of work to do.

Faith is the only thing we have to hold onto, so you have to hold on with all your heart, might, mind and strength. Then everything just works out.

Oh yeah, I've been playing sand volleyball for gym time. I still suck...but its fun.


8.1.09

To kind of outline my days: we get up at 6:00, eat breakfast at 7, go to class for a couple hours. A lot of it is up to us to learn though, our teacher explained himself as a walking, talking textbook. Lunch is at 11:30. Then we have 1 hour of personal study, then 1 hour of companion study, here we focus on the gospel. I started reading the New Testament today, I want to finish before I leave.

Then we have Missionary Directed Language Study, then Missionary Directed time, during this one we can choose what we want to study. I usually don't study language during this time, my brain can't take anymore. Sometimes we go to the Referral Center. Dinner is at 4:30, its strange to eat that early.

Side note about dinner: Some of the Elders mixed up a concoction of Tilapia, chicken, fries, tapioca pudding, pepper and marshmallows. They bet me $50 bucks I wouldn't drink it. I smelled horrible and tasted worse, but hey it was $50. Do you think I need to pay tithing on it?

Evenings we have different things, Tuesday we always have a devotional, some nights choir practice. From 9-9:30 we plan for the next day, in detail. Planning is serious stuff here. Lights out at 10:30. I usually lay there until at least midnight most nights.

8.2.09
Probably I'm thinking the best way to get stuff to me faster is letters, or DearElder.com. because I can only check email on Mondays and that is for 30 minutes. It is fun having something to open through the week. I hope I'll get more time in the field.

Have fun going back to school. I'm glad I'm away from that for a couple years. Ha ha

Vera Jean sent me a Schow scoop. It was pretty cool.

Love
Elder Chase

7.30.09
The days are starting to go much faster. The language is presenting a bit of a challenge, but I'll manage. I can pray now, so that's pretty cool. We taught our first lesson it was really cool. We did practice earlier in the day and butchered it. Then the spirit came thru and we hardly even stuttered. It was awesome!!

There is a guy here that is a professional actor that we can practice teaching to and I testified to him the other day. We were kind of just messing around, but the Spirit was so strong! There is so much I should have learned before I got here. I've outlined Caydyn on it so hopefully he will be better prepared than me.

I think I'm finally coming down with the cold. But it's all good.

Love
Elder Chase