I Love Lucena

Hello everybody!!

I hope everybody is enjoying summer and is happy and healthy. I love my new area and companion! I am in Lucena and my new companion is Sister Collins!! She is fresh out of the MTC and has such a big excitement for missionary work, I love it. She is from Salt Lake City and is half African American, half Samoan. We laugh all the time and are already bff's. She has been having a great attitude even though life in the Philippines can be hard at first (I think we all remember my first couple emails haha). I am so excited to train her! She has already taught me so much. 

With Sister Bisbee, the senior couple we love so much.

I love the Lucena ward 2 so much! We are the first sister missionaries to be here in like 20 years so they are sooo excited. Yesterday at church it was like we were superstars walking into the chapel.  Everybody was just staring at us and started hugging us and telling us how much they loved us already and wanted to work with us. How amazing is that?! And during testimony meeting the spirit was so strong. These are some great members of the church. A lot of them talked about trials they are going through right now and how even though life is hard, they know they can overcome anything because they have faith in Jesus Christ. Amen to that. I know with all my heart that we can find joy even in the hardest times because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ! It can strengthen us every single day. I am so inspired by Lucena ward 2 and I know I will love my time here. 

A super, super sweet nanay in the ward who loves to pull our heads down so she can kiss us on the forehead.

I love you all so much and I hope you all have a great week!! Sister Collins and I will have a great week finding some special souls and building up this area. And also hopefully finding a new apartment (this one's pretty bad with some termite and rat friends haha). The church is true and missionary work is the BEST! Also shoutout to my bff Shaye Smith on getting engaged. SO happy for you and Connor! I hope my cardboard cutout makes it to the wedding haha, maybe just my head on a stick or something. Love you!!

Love, 

Sister Giles 

Poor Sister Collins getting used to the heat here. She uses a spray bottle and fan to cool down.