Pinakamasaya ang buhay sa filipinas!

Hellooo family and friends. 

Kumusta kayo?! Wow, what a great week. Summer is in full bloom which means it's hot but the fruit is delicious. We have mangoes and pineapple and watermelon and more mangoes like everyday. Loveee it! It's Sister Aquino's last week so we are feeling a little sad but we are going to make this next week fun and full of hard work and miracles. Mamimiss ko siya, talaga. (I will miss her very much.) Best friends kami! 

One day this week, we were in Iyaas, a beautiful part of our area and had some fun experiences. I'll just list them so you can get a taste of my life here:

-saw a couple of guys in flip flops and no shirts butchering huge pigs on rocks and washing them in the river. they were also listening to "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift while doing so

Butchering a pig while listening to Taylor Swift,so awesome! 

-saw one of our fav members, Sister P, down the river washing her clothes so we went and washed with her. I'm improving my "filipino squat" while washing clothes

Helping wash clothes in the river!

-in the same river, saw multiple people taking baths

-tried to teach an old couple we found but the brother started rubbing my hands and staring at me very intently in the eyes soooo maybe we will try another day

-got challenged to a game of basketball with 3 little boys. They won.

-started walking up a big hill to the main road and a huge white cow and her 2 babies started running towards us so we started running up the hill and screaming. Don't worry, they stopped. I think they just liked seeing another white person.

So yeah, pinakamasaya ang buhay sa filipinas! (I have the happiest life in the Philippines!) We also found so many new investigators this week, we are so excited to go back and teach them! 

Pineapples growing at a member's home (also wearing my new crocs, thanks Grandma!)

I just want to share a really sweet experience I had at a Family Home Evening with the S family. Sister Aquino shared a great lesson on not worrying about riches here on earth, but just focusing on the riches in heaven we will have if we live faithfully. She comes from very humble circumstances and so does the family but hearing them all talk about how money isn't important to them and that their family and the gospel is all that really matters was just a really spiritually strong moment. My companion said, "it's ok if we don't live in mansions here because there are mansions prepared for us in heaven in we keep our covenants." And they all just agreed and bore their testimonies and the thankfulness and humbleness I felt from all of them was amazing! I am learning sooo much from theses amazing Filipino people. Truly, riches here on earth do not matter. Be thankful for everything you have and remember what's really important. I love you all so so much! Have a great week!

Love,
Sister Giles 

At zone conference in my new blue dress. I had it made here for about $7!