Hallelujah

Hello friends and family!! 

I hope everybody had a great Easter remembering Tagapagligtas natin (the Savior). Alam ko na nabubuhay si Jesucristo! Ang Pagbabayad-sala and pagkabuhay na mag-uli ay totoo. (I know that Jesus Christ lives! The Atonement and Resurrection are true.) 

With Elder Richards a fellow Arizonan and friend from the MTC

It was such a great experience to be here in Pakil this Easter. There were sooo many parades and bands and floats and people! I am lucky my companion is really knowledgeable about the Catholic religion because she answered a lot of my questions about their Holy Week. Really cool to be around a totally different culture and belief. I am also feeling extra thankful to have a knowledge about the fully restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel so much peace and happiness because I know Jesus Christ died for our sins and sorrows and that He loves us and has outstretched hands to all of us! We just need to come unto Him and be healed.

View from our apartment window of one of the many parades 

The Holy Week is celebrated all week long

These men are carrying whips with fake blood and masked like the men who whipped Jesus

We had district conference this weekend and then interviews with President Mangum today so it has been a great couple of days. In conference, President Mangum quoted a talk by President Uchtdorf and taught that our Heavenly Father is constantly pouring down blessings on all of His children. But the reason we don't receive all of our blessings is because we put up "umbrellas" of fear, doubt or sin. Our Heavenly Father loves us sooo much. He wants us to receive all of our blessings!! So I encourage all of you to close your umbrellas! Stand in the rain and let God pour down blessings! 

He talked specifically about not keeping the commandments of keeping the Sabbath day holy and the law of tithing. In the Siniloan District there are 2858 members but only 488 attend church regularly. And only 4% pay a full tithe. It makes me soooo sad because I know that there are members here who are not receiving blessings because they have umbrellas up. I am feeling more motivated to help the members put down their umbrellas. And I am throwing away all of mine! I want to stand in the pouring rain and I want the members of Pakil to stand with me!  My challenge to all of you is to get rid of your umbrellas. Let Heavenly Father bless you! Trust Him! 

I love you all so so much. Have a happy week!

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Laundry Day!

Blue Pepsi-sooo good!

Happy Spring!

A picture of a cutout of one of our pamphlets that a guy put in his tricycle. He said he doesn't want us to teach him but he loves our pamphlets and the pictures of Jesus Christ haha sweet guy. I have hope someday he will read the pamphlets too :) 

Hello friends and family! Happy Easter week!! I love this time of year. I hope all you in AZ are soaking up the spring break weather. It's the start of Holy Week here in Pakil so there are lots of bands and decorations and all kinds of commotion! I know this will be an Easter I'll never forget. I feel so blessed to be a full-time representative of Jesus Christ and to have the chance to testify that He lives!! I love being surrounded by people who love Jesus Christ and are happy to talk about Him. 

It was a fun week this week!! We had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders and I learned so much from Sister Sianava. She is from New Zealand and is half Tongan/Samoan. She's crazy and so much fun. Polynesians are the best.

I am officially the branch choir pianist! I had to brush up on my piano skills but I managed to get Nearer My God to Thee down pretty good. We have District Conference this Sunday and The Pakil Branch Choir will make its first debut. Also, those of you who know me well know that my singing abilities are close to zero and my confidence is singing is zero haha.  Brother Dino, the choir director, had me teach the alto and tenor parts of Nearer My God to Thee to the choir anddddd yeah it was rough but I managed to do it. I'm sure my family and the wardies are laughing picturing me doing that hahaha but we all had a good time. I am thankful my mother kept me in piano lessons for all those years and the wardies forced me to sing with them in sacrament meeting. Shoutout to the future missionaries: stay in piano lessons!! And listen to your mom and practice (Jack). 

Some Philippines Favorites: buko (coconut) salad and buko juice soooo masarap and the KIDS! I love the crazy bata of Pakil. We are known for giving stickers so whenever they see us they yell "Sisters!! Star!!" and follow us until I give them a sticker. They are wild but really lift my spirits. Tomorrow marks my official 1 year left! Crazy. Mabalis, talaga. 

Also, R is doing great! Thank you sooo much for the prayers. He was at church and we had some great lessons with him. He is so awesome and will make a great leader in the church here in the Philippines someday. 

I love you all so much and I hope you all have a great Easter. I am so thankful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am thankful for the perfect life He lived and the perfect example we have to follow. I'm thankful that He suffered for our sins and sorrows and completed everything the Father asked Him to do. I know the Atonement is real. I know we can be cleansed and strengthened everyday. I know He rose again on that beautiful Easter morning and we all will live again!! I am thankful to be sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ here in the Philippines! Remember Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you all so, so much. Have a great Easter week! 

Love, 

Sister Giles

At a 1st birthday party for baby Gailee. Filipinos know how to party! 

pag-ibig sa kapwa

Hello friends and family!! Another great week here in the San Pablo mission. This week was full of about 200 Tagalog mistakes, 4 people grabbing my arm and touching my skin because I'm white, and 1 albino Filipino who I thought was American. I started speaking English to but then he looked so scared and said "Filipino ako! Filipino ako!" Haha but then we started speaking Tagalog and all was well. I love being a missionary here in the land of the Philippines!

So sadly, R wasn't at church this week so his baptism is pushed back again. Because there are so many less actives in our mission, we are really focusing on making sure our investigators are super strong in their church attendance before we baptism them. So sweet R will have to wait until he is really ready. But I know that with some more time and some more teaching, R will become the strong latter-day saint he is meant to be! But please, please pray for him. 

The struggle of Pakil is definitely our church attendance. We have some great investigators but none of them are coming to church. What I've come to realize is that they just don't understand the importance of church or they are very, very Catholic. It's a little discouraging when we pass by the Catholic church on our way to church it's hopping with people (sometimes we see our investigators and in-actives) haha but I'm not giving up on them!! I have faith that someday the little Pakil chapel will be hopping with people too. Small and simple means. 

This week we had an amazing zone conference all about pag-ibig sa kapwa tao at Ang Pagbabayad-sala ni Jesucristo or charity and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am feeling so spiritually strengthened!! I love, love, love President and Sister Mangum and I learned so much from them. Something I've really realized here on my mission is that without charity, we really are nothing! It is the 1st and 2nd great commandments to love God and to love one another. I know that the way we show love to our Heavenly Father and Savior is through obedience to the commandments. The commandments are there to bless us and save us!! Follow them! I encourage all of you to read John chapter 14 and ask yourself how you can better love God and your fellow men. I have learned many ways that I can improve and I am feeling more determined to love and serve the people around me. Also everybody go check out the new Easter video on mormon.org!! I love you all so so much. Have a great week!! 

Love, 

Sister Giles 

With President and Sister Mangum and former roommates at zone conference.

Becoming Filipina

Hi family and friends! I hope everybody is having a happy March. It was a great week here in the Philippines! It's starting to get hotttt. But 19 Arizona summers have prepared me well for a summer in the Philippines! Life is still an adventure here everyday. I have moments sometimes when I think "woah, maybe I'm a Filipina now" I really do feel at home here. Like when I crave rice or drink from a fresh coconut in the middle of the bundok haha I love life here!! 

This week was a lot of walking and finding and sweating but I loved it. We are struggling a little bit to find investigators that are really interested. The people here are so nice and are so willing to listen but when 9 am on Sunday rolls around they are all really busy haha. But I know a lot of faith, prayers and powerful lessons will help our investigators have a desire to come to church. 

Sadly, R wasn't able to be baptized this week but no worries- we have a new date set in April. He is a great, great kid and I know at the right time he will be able to be baptized! 

One miracle this week is that we found a brother who has been inactive for many years and we were able to teach a really great lesson to him and his wife. Their 7 year old son passed away a couple months ago and they are carrying a lot of sadness and confusion. We were able to share about the Plan of Salvation and remind the brother that God has a plan for him and his family and that his son is safe and so, so happy right now. I know that Heavenly Father led us to their family. I know that the Plan of Salvation is soooo real and that our lives didn't start when we were born and they don't end when we die. I am so happy to be a missionary and to be able to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ with my favorite people in the whole world, Filipinos! 

I love you all! I love wearing this name tag and serving the people here. Life is so so good. Keep sharing the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And of course, pagdarasal, pagbabasa at pagsisimba. (Pray, read, go to church) Mahal kita!

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Planting rice. The rice workers work so hard! And soooo pretty here, seriously. I am so lucky to be in Pakil for so long. It's well known as one of the prettiest areas. I still look around and everyday and just think, Wow I love it here!

Zone p-day eating rice and BBQ with our hands! Totally normal here, haha, it was fun.

4th Transfer in the Home I Love-Pakil!!

Hello friends and family!

It was a great week. I'm staying in Pakil with Sister Raneses this next transfer. I am so happy! And this transfer is 8 weeks because the MTC schedule is changing. So another 8 weeks in beautiful Pakil- yay! 

This week we celebrated Sister Raneses's 3rd birthday in the church! She was baptized 3 years ago on the 16th. Let me just brag about my kasama (companion) for a sec. She is sooo knowledgeable in the church and so so magaling (good) for only being a member for 3 years, and she is the only member in her immediate family. I learn so much from her when she shares what she's been studying in the Book of Mormon and Bible with me. It's amazing how so many Filipino missionaries are converts but they have a better knowledge of the scriptures than me! I am thankful to be surrounded by people of such great determination and faith! 

Celebrating with Sister Raneses

Yesterday I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting about conversion. In Tagalog! Haha kind of scary but it went well. I am so thankful for the gift of tongues and the progress I've made these past 6 weeks in my Tagalog. I still have so much to learn but I am feeling more and more confident and comfortable every day.

The Pakil Branch is still doing great. Our attendance is so much higher and the leaders are really stepping up. We had a combined lesson yesterday about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy and they asked me what Sacrament meeting was like in my home ward and for suggestions on what to improve. I was able to encourage them to not eat snacks/meals during the Sacrament and to put their phones away and try to keep their kids quiet and busy haha. A lot of the same struggles the Northridge ward has hahaha! Honestly, I am thankful I was raised in a strong ward because now I can help build up the little (but powerful) Pakil Branch! Ah, I just love it here. 

Sadly, R's baptism had to be moved back to March 5 because he has been really busy lately and we still have to finish teaching some things and help him become more prepared. But he is sooo awesome and we have faith that everything will work out the way it should. But please pray for R to be able to push forward and stay strong! A lot of the less actives we have been visiting came to church yesterday too! Miracles and miracles every day!! 

With R, our investigator

I love you all so much!! Thank you for your prayers and support. Keep being examples of the believers wherever in the world you are! I know Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know because of Him, we can have joy!! Each and every day. Even through the hard times. Keep reading the Book of Mormon, saying meaningful prayers, and going to church. It's the little things. Love love love you all!!

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Filipina Updates

Kumusta kayo?! I hope everybody had a happy valentines! This week was great. 

First, the investigator who loved the gospel but her boyfriend said he wouldn't marry her if she joined, came to church yesterday!! Valentine's Day miracle! We have been praying that her boyfriend's heart would be softened and she would be able to have the faith that she needs to keep investigating the church and she is! I will keep you all updated, but please pray for this sister and her family. She is so special to us. 

Also a few months ago we surprised a man when we asked him if he knew someone named R and it was R himself. He is now getting baptized on the 27th and he is so ready. He is facing some challenges right now as his baptism gets closer, so please pray for him also that he will be able to stay strong and keep pressing forward with faith! 

We also had some of our less active families come to church yesterday so I had a happy, happy valentines. Lots of miracles and growth happening in Pakil and I am so happy to be here. 

We also had the chance to watch the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast this week and WOW it was great! I learned so much. I loved how the leaders of the church taught that as missionaries, we are disciples of Jesus Christ. We should be constantly teaching about Jesus Christ and His doctrine. I am blessed to be in the Philippines where people here love Jesus Christ and talking about Him. I LOVE wearing the name of Jesus Christ on my chest and teaching His Gospel. I know this is His church. I love you all so so much and hope you have a great week!! Read the Book of Mormon and remember our Savior! He loves you and wants you to come closer to Him. 

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Treating ourselves to a nice lunch!

In Santa Cruz on exchanges at a well where everyone gets their water.

Salon Selfie

With one of my best friends, Sister Guanica

My companion getting her hair done.

The hairdresser asked if he could give me makeover so I looked like Miss Universe, ha, ha!

Happy Valentine's Day from the Philippines!!

Hello friends and family! I hope everybody is having a happy February and has a great Valentine's Day. I love all of you so, so much. 

This has been a great week! First, update on our recent convert. She is doing amazing! Her testimony is stronger each time we visit her and she already has goals for a mission and temple marriage. Her strength is incredible, especially because her family really doesn't support her. I was reading in Alma this week about Alma and the Sons of Mosiah and I love how they explain missionary work. There really is no happier work. In their words- how great is my joy!!  Knowing that I have helped one child of God onto the path of eternal life makes me so happy! And I am thankful to have more time here to help many, many more. Time is going by too fast. 

Yesterday at church during the Sacrament, a nanay in the branch started having troubles with her heart and fell out of her chair so members had to carry her out. It was really scary and I could feel how worried everybody was. The branch continued with Sacrament Meeting and we had a really powerful testimony meeting.  Then at the very end, nanay slowly walked back in with the help of 2 brothers and then she let go of them and walked straight to the pulpit to bear her testimony!! It was an amazing thing to watch! She bore a powerful testimony and the spirit was so strong. I love the Filipino saints. Even though they may be few, especially here in Pakil, they are strong in the faith. 

My Tagalog has been improving a lot lately with the help of my companion and roommates. We made a rule that if I speak English in the apartment, I have to put a peso in a container and at the end of the month we will buy a treat with the money hahaha it's helping though! I speak slowly and still mess up a lot but they are patient with me.

Each day is still full of crazy new experiences here. Like this week we were teaching in the bundok (really rural part) and a mostly naked drunk man covered in mud was running away from a group of people chasing after him, it was pretty funny. Everybody was laughing and trying to catch him. I'm not quite sure what happened but I said a little prayer that he made it home safely.

Each week there are a lot of ups and downs but each Monday when I sit down to email I just feel so thankful. Thankful for the good times and the bad times. And so thankful for the support of my family and friends! I am truly so happy. I'm excited for another great week. We get to watch the worldwide missionary broadcast this Wednesday and I am so excited! I love you all! Happy Valentine's!

Love, 

Sister Giles