Loving Lipa!!!

Hello everybody!

Another great week!! I love Lipa! Of course..missing Lucena, but change is good like my Dad likes to say :) My comp is the bestttt. Cute Sister Labisa. This area is a huge city! It feels like LA but the Philippines version haha! It's different from my past areas but I really love it. So many McDonald's and a Burger King! I was shocked, it's been so long haha. It's also pretty cool here at nights and I'm lovinggg it!

My new city, I love it!

My new roommates

I am just amazed by these Filipino people every day. They inspire me so much!! We had a lesson with a less active sister yesterday and she really opened up to us about sooo many problems in her life she has been dealing with and the depression she has felt.  We were able to share our testimonies of God's never changing love and the Holy Ghost. We taught her about how she is able to always have the Spirit with her as a guide, comforter and best friend! I just felt the Spirit testifying so strongly of God's love for His daughter and the reality of the gift of the Holy Ghost. As a mission we have really been studying the Holy Ghost and I have learned so much. I encourage everybody to thank your Heavenly Father for the gift of the Holy Ghost and then live worthy to always have him guiding you and helping you. 

I am just so thankful to be here in the Philippines doing the Lord's work. I don't really know how to describe how much I love my mission. The miracles I see everyday have changed me and truly made me so deeply grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. I love you all so so much! Thank you for the prayers and support. Remember that God has a plan for every single one of children. Mahal ko kayooooo!

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Cleaning the Elder's apartment after the area was closed :(

Goodbye Lucena :( but Hello Lipa :)

Helloooo po mga kaibigan at pamilya! It has been a great week here in Lucena. Sadly it's my last week in this area :( On Thursday I'm being transferred to Lipa Zone and serving as a Sister Training Leader. I am really excited!! But it's going to be sad saying bye to this great area and my amazing companion, Sister Collins. I know there are more miracles and happiness ahead :) 

My roommates and a super funny kid in the ward

So, exciting news about Brother K (baptized recently)! He passed the Sacrament on Sunday and has a calling as Young Men's Counselor. Woohoo only 1 year away from serving a mission! We taught his friends on Saturday and they were all so interested! We have faith they will continue to be taught and progress towards baptism. 

Brother K passed the sacrament and has a calling! He is seriously so smart and will be a great missionary and leader!

Also we found 2 super sweet families this week from some good ol' tracting. I love these Filipinos and how they just let us into their homes and want to talk about religion and Jesus Christ. I love testifying about our Savior each and every day. Teaching about His Atonement and the Restoration of His Gospel has given me a rock solid testimony that He is our Savior and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church. 

Nanay L who is like my Grandma

Funny L who loves the missionaries

I was reading in Ether the other day in the Book of Mormon and I want to share what I learned in chapter 6. This is when the Brother of Jared and his people are traveling to the promised land in the barges and there are lots of strong winds and storms. I love this chapter because it relates so well to life!! While we are on this journey to our "promised lands" we will face lots of trials and storms in this life. But those trials are exactly what push us to our promised lands and eternal potential! We need trials. We should be thankful for trials. They push us and lead us to where God wants us to be. I love v. 7 because it teaches that because the Brother of Jared was obedient when he built the barges, the people were safe. OBEDIENCE= SAFETY. And in v. 9-10 because the Brother of Jared had faith, they had bright light in the barges. FAITH= SPIRITUAL LIGHT. And in v. 12 when they make it to the promised land, they were so humble and thankful. And they were blessed!! HUMILITY AND THANKFULNESS= MORE BLESSINGS AND HAPPINESS. I love the Book of Mormon and the lessons we can learn each day. I loveee being a missionary and I love all of you!! Ingat kayo!

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Senior couples who we love!

Binyag ni K!!

Another great week here in Lucena!! Brother K is baptized!! :) It was a beautiful service. He bore the strongest testimony after and said he was just so happy and he knew he made the right decision :) His family is now completed! He said he is planning on serving a mission and being Bishop one day haha! We will be friends forever, he is just the best. He also invited a ton of his friends to his baptism and we are teaching them all next week. And his cousin, Brother A, is scheduled to be baptized next month. I hope I stay in this area forever..it has my heart!!

K and some of his friends that we are excited to teach!

 Update on some of our other friends. Sister Ch is still the cutest and so strong. We are working with some great less active families. The P family was sealed in the temple but has gone less active the past year or 2. Sister is so strong and is now at church every week and reading the Book of Mormon! She is setting a great example for her 2 little boys and husband. Brother isn't showing much desire to come back but we are praying and working hard to make them a completed, active, eternal family again! Never underestimate the power of wives and mothers...I think Sister P will get him back soon :) I love less active work. I love these Filipina sisters strong examples to their families!!

Cute Sister Ch!

MJ, one of our investigators

I am still loving Filipino life! Sometimes it feels like camping..like when the water in our apartment always turns off or when I'm dripping sweat and have ants crawling on me. But honestly, I love it! I love being a Filipina for 18 months..only 6 months left and I don't want to talk about it... I love being Sister Giles. 

I was reading a great talk from President Monson this morning from the 2008 General Conference titled, "Joy in the Journey." He talks about how we should always find happiness despite changes and challenges. We should seize everyday and make it the best! He says, "Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days with those things that matter most." Be thankful and fill your days with happy, fulfilling things. Embrace change and let it change you for the better. I love you all!! Have a great week!

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Zone Conference

Pagpapabinyag at Pagtanggap na Espiritu Santo!

Helloooo friends and family! 

What a great week! Sister Ch is BAPTIZED!! Woohoo! We are so happy for her :) She was so excited and doing little dances and went to the church like an hour early haha. She just makes everybody smile and she has the strongest faith ever! After she received the Holy Ghost on Sunday she sat down down and told me she had chills all over her body and the best feeling inside :) and then she goes, "Sister I'm a member now, I can pay tithing!" And that's what she did. After Sacrament Meeting she paid her tithing! Then in our Sunday School class she was participating and stood up and recited the whole Word of Wisdom haha :) We just love sweet Sister Ch! 

THIS is why I'm here. I have loved watching Sister Ch becoming truly converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has so many trials in her life. More than I can even understand. But she totally trusts in her Heavenly Father. She knows He will bless her if she is obedient to Him. And she is so, so right. Brother C is being interviewed tomorrow and hopefully his baptism will be Saturday...please pray for him!! He shared a small desire to serve a mission :) (woohooo!) We have some other great investigators and now we have to get them progressing and really working towards baptism. Find, find, find and teach, teach, teach!! 

I love the Philippines and I love being a missionary so, so much. Time is moving too fast...I am so sad my time with Sister Collins is coming to and end. I love training her!! Everybody have a great week and remember to share the gospel! 

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Happy August!!!

Magandang Hapon so inyong lahat! Agosto na! 

Time is flying. It's been a beautiful week on the island of the Philippines! Lots of rain and sun and wind and more sun, I love it. Yesterday we did some personal scripture study outside and I just looked at the blue sky and mango trees swaying in the wind and I had a "I never want to leave" moment. I have a lot of those lately. I loveeee the Philippines! Especially the little kids running on the streets...they have my heart. 

We have some exciting news...C is getting baptized on Saturday!! Woohoo! President Mangum had to interview her because of her marriage situation and so I got to be the translator, it was really fun. Sister C is like a little energizer bunny. Her desire to be baptized is HUGE! President would ask a question and she would say yes, yes! with a huge smile. Then she would look at me and say "ano daw?" or like "what did he say?" hahaha President loved her energy. She said from the moment we talked to her she has felt a new bright light in her life and she is just always happy. Even in her hard times (and she has a lot), she is just at peace now that she knows the gospel. She has been changed through the Atonement and I feel so blessed to have been a witness! That is my favorite thing about being a missionary- watching the Atonement of Jesus Christ work in a person's life. 

Sister C's baptism interview. The Mangum's son and his family were visiting. His wife is a friend of my sister Amy's and he served his mission in Mesa. Small world!

I love my companion, crazy Sister Collins. She is so strong and so fun! I love Lucena and these amazing people. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know His gospel can heal people and change lives. I love this work! I love it so much! Always remember that God's plan is a plan of happiness. His commandments are there to keep us safe and happy. His will is alwayssss better than our will. Jesus Christ is our perfect example! And this is His church! I love you all so much! Have a great week! :)

Love,
Sister Giles 

I am finally learning to cook Filipino food!