This has been one crazy week of adapting to the new changes and whole new routine of life! When I first hopped out of the van at the mission home, Sister Miller(our Mission Presidents wife) came up to me and said ''Hello sister Giles, I am from Camarillo too!'' It made my whole week!! She grew up and joined the church in good ole Cam and graduated from Cam High! It is definitely so fun to talk about home with her and is sweet blessing!
I am in more of the countryside called São Josê dos Campos! It has a main city than some suburbs and country side. The people are absolutely amazing!! My trainer is Sister Ashcraft from Springville, Utah and she is awesome!! She is really good about sticking to speaking Portuguese but it is nice when we really need to communicate we can speak English. So nice! She has helped me with the language a lot this week and I am feeling more comfortable talking to people.
We wake up at 7 am in our mission which is super nice, get ready for the day, do personal and companion study, then head out the door at 11 or 11:30 for our Lunches with members! That is their main meal here. Then we walk to our appointments, we have taken the bus twice, so it is mostly walking around and visit less active members or go contacting! Contacting is so much fun! The people here are very open to talking about religion and are interested to hear our message. Super awesome! I wore pants for the first time Saturday and it was very weird haha but it has been getting warmer and warmer so we try to stay cool with eating lots of Açai....so delicious!!
On Friday we had a really neat experience where it was hot out and we were out walking when Sister Ashcraft stops and we talk to an older man sitting outside of his garage smoking his cigarette. Then 2 minutes later his wife comes back from shopping and invites us in for water. Seriously 3 minutes later it started absolutely pouring outside and begins to hail! The streets flood and it went non stop for almost an hour. So got to chat about the gospel and watch the rain storm with this fun couple. God knows each of us and cares for His children! We were worried that our house would be flooded because there are openings under the doors, but when we returned everything was fine. Tender blessings!!
2 hour church was really cool and the members are really welcoming and so sweet! Only 8 bug bites this last week, not too bad I thought! haha
Thank you for all your support and love! It is so worth it to share the message of Christ with these wonderful people! I hope you all have a great week!
-Sister Giles
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Letter from President and Sister Miller:
Sister Miller and I were excited to welcome Sister Giles to the Brazil São Paulo East Mission. She has been assigned to an area with a companion who will serve as her in-field trainer. You should receive an email or letter from your missionary in the next 10 days in which she will tell you about her area and her new companion. Her companion has been given the assignment to help your missionary become a powerful instrument in the hands of God in her missionary service. Sister Miller and I will also do everything in our power to help her have a successful mission experience.
Preparation day for our mission is on Mondays. All missionaries are given the opportunity to email and/or write their families and close friends on that day. In as much as their time on the internet is limited, we encourage all to be brief in their communications. The use of internet social sites such as Facebook, Twitter and other chat sites, including email “conversations”, are not approved for missionary use. Note also that missionaries are allowed to call home, but only on Mother’s Day and Christmas Day. Should family emergencies arise or you have concerns or questions, please contact us in the mission office.
Letters and packages from home must be sent directly to the mission office. The office address is:
Rua Caa-Açu, 229 Belenzinho
03122-010 Sâo Paulo SP
Brazil
We are confident that Sister Giles will enjoy spiritual experiences and see miracles occur in the lives of people as she dedicates all of her heart, might, mind, and strength to this sacred calling from the Lord. We invite you to join your faith and prayers with ours in her behalf.
Sincerely yours,
President and Sister Miller
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