Week 11!

Hello!! It has been a great week! I had exchanges at the beginning of the week with the Sister Training Leader and that was so fun! I went to Sta. Cruz for like a day and a half. It's a pretty big city and a lot different than Pakil. I learned so much!! I lived with 3 Filipino sisters and that was so fun. They were buying rice and were looking at all the different kinds and picking up a handfuls and smelling it and like examining it. I was like uh just pick one they all look the same haha. They are all so fun. They cooked some really good Filipino food and asked me a million questions about America. I tried chicken liver and it was so good! 

We also had zone training meeting and a service project this week that was HARD. We cleaned up around this family's house and cut down trees, picked weeds and put trash and leaves into piles and burned them. I don't think I've ever been so dirty or sweaty in my life but I loved it! It has been pretty rainy and windy so their house was pretty messed up and it felt so good to help them. The poverty here is really hard to see sometimes. I had to hold back tears when we were teaching a family because the little kids are so malnourished and skinny and they literally have nothing. I have been so humbled. I wish there was more I could do for them, but I also know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring a light into their lives and help them more than anything!

Some fun facts about the Philippines: they do videoke (like karaoke) allllll day, every day haha. Like every morning at 6:30 am I wake up to people singing popular American songs. Party in the USA is one of our neighbor's favorites. They are normally really off key and their accents are hilarious haha it makes me smile. I love their confidence!! They also don't shave their legs. I think that's something I might embrace while I'm here. They LOVE American noses and blue eyes. They always say contact lens? and stare at my eyes and nose haha. I love the Filipinos.

We are teaching some really great people. The young couple who gave us sprite and fudge cakes are the nicest people I've ever met. Every time we go over they listen to us and help me with my Tagalog and give us food and soda. Unfortunately, they said they will never become Mormon, but I have faith that they will have a change of heart! The read from the Book of Mormon and they think it's great but they refuse to come to church. But we are praying hard for them. We are mainly just visiting a lot of less actives and inactives. The Pakil Branch is really big, like 800/900 people. But only like 100 come to church. It makes me so sad. But yesterday was a miracle because 2 of the families we have been focusing on came to church!! We were so happy!!

It's been raining a lot the past couple days, I've loved it! Pakil is still the most beautiful place in the world and I feel lucky everyday to be having these experiences and serving these people. I love you all so much, thank you for the prayers and support! Read your scriptures!! I find so much comfort and strength in reading the Book of Mormon everyday. It really can change lives. I hope you all have a great week! Sorry no pics, we had to go to a different internet cafe and it doesn't work here.

Lots of love, 

Sister Giles