February 25, 2019

It is hot and humid!!

Another week flown by!

It has been so hot and only a few days it rained so we have been sweating A LOT!!! But it was a really great week of finding new investigators! One night we were at an investigators gate/door and we were about to leave when it started to pour rain so she let us in and her nephew was there so we got to talk with him and gave him a Book of Mormon and he started to read it right away and finished the whole chapter of Mosiah 7! He really liked it and wanted to keep reading! Oh how I love the Book of Mormon! It is such a powerful book! 

We also finished the ward activity and a lot of the members have been telling us really neat stories about giving the BOM to their friends and families! Awesomeness! 

I feel a lot more comfortable talking to people and really feel like I can do more now. It is so wonderful teaching the people about the true Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I love every minute of mission work!

February 18, 2019

1st transfer down!!!

Olá family and friends!!

Sister Ashcraft and I are staying in São José whooot whoooot!!!

Okay, I would just like to say Modern Revelation is sincerely the neatest and one of the most blessed privileges we get on this Earth. So. cool!!!!!! I am beyond excited to video chat with my family and share (in an easier way) the joys of Serving the Lord in His marvelous work!!! 

It has been a crazy couple of weeks which is awesome!! Last week Sister Ashcraft and I did divisions with 2 wonderful Sisters in Campos do Jordão! It is seriously such a cute town! It was settled by Swiss and German immigrants and it is in the mountains, so basically it was the Alps haha but Brazilian style. The houses were all in the hills, there was a railway track down the middle of the roads, all the shops and houses had the ski-slope roofs and there was a chocolate store on every corner! I did splits for the day with Sister Bonham who is from West Haven, Utah (Aunt Gail?)! This was her last transfer in the mission, so it was really sweet to ask her questions and get a lot of advice about mission life and such, and she is awesome so it was really fun! 

It has rained A TON these past two weeks, and one day we got caught in a giant rain storm and got completely soaked ahaha so we learned our lesson to be more prepared.... 

This week was really great because we have several progressing investigators and they are all very interested in learning more about the gospel of Jesus Christ!! Sweet!! We taught about the Restoration to this really sweet couple with their grandson, their names are Paulo and Bethany and they own a ranch an hour north of São José so they were showing us pictures and it was fun getting to know them! They really loved the lesson and are reading the Book of Mormon together! We are hoping to mark them for baptism this week!! 

Another one of our investigators, Silvio, was pulling into his garage when we contacted him and were able to explain about the Book of Mormon with him. He said he always felt there was another book out there that testified more of Christ, super cool!!

Our activity with the ward is about giving the Book of Mormon to a friend, or a family member and sharing the joy that is contained in it!! It is so amazing to see and feel the reactions of people when they receive their own copy and go "This is mine?" because "the Book of Mormon really is the most correct book on the earth and will come closer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book." -Joseph Smith.

I have really grown to cherish my scriptures here in the mission and I can see the Hand of God during my day as I am able to share with people on the street and members during lunch what I learned that morning that can apply to them. What a joy it is to read from the Book of Mormon every day! I know for an assurance that when we do, we can receive inspiration and guidance in our lives. 

Have a fantastic week!

February 4, 2019

Ministering

Olá!!

This week has been super hot!! But the Lord´s work must continue!! I absolutely love my Savior and the people here! We spent a few days in a couple different areas of our area finding the less actives since our mission president is big on that and only found one lady who answered and hadn't moved, so we shared with her a scripture on faith and we hope to teach her more this week! 

We started an activity with the Ward yesterday of who can give away more copies of the Book of Mormon in the next 3 weeks. It is between the 4 groups(elders, youth, young adults, relief) and us missionaries!! They seemed excited and we are excited to hear their experiences!!


I'm glad you are getting a lot of rain..this week we had none and it was so hot hahaha!
I am absolutely loving the Lord´s work and the people here! My companion and I have a good time and like to reminisce about the United States and good movies, and we also are always so tired from walking so much haha!The shoes work so great and all my clothes are perfect and tell Lindsey I absolutely love my bag and it is fantastic!!


My comp did not get hit by a car this week, but she did trip on a brick on the uneven side walk and almost got hit by the cyclist coming up behind her haha oh, also, on Sunday's on our way to church there are lots of cyclist groups riding around and I always think of you, Dad! 

I'm glad to hear Come Follow Me is going well!! I want to do it so bad but the members here tell us about it, so that helps a little. We fast from lunch on Saturday to lunch on Sunday because that's their main meal so it is different but fasting feels easier as a missionary, so its cool. Momma is super cute practising to be a grandma!! What will you guys be called? Granny, grams, granpa, poppy, gram gram? 

The bugs love to attack me here but not too many bug bites so that's good.


Sorry this is short, I'm short on time, but I know that the Lord hears and answers our prayers, all we have to do is kneel down and open to Him. Thanks for all you do! I think of the family often! Have a fantastic week!! Love you all! 

Sister Giles

January 28, 2019

The joy of His Gospel!

It was a quick week!! Also, today is 2 months in the mission, whoop!

We had a great week here in São José dos Campos! There is almost always a giant lightning and thunder storm every day and we have some how always ended up taking shelter in an Açai shop until it passes :)

I had a great week and can understand a ton more and can actually sorta talk to the people so it has been really great! I still know very little but the progress is coming along and the Lord helps me accomplish my mission each day!

We went to the downtown area to a members apartment (they are pretty wealthy here in my area) and she had this darling tea set display that I asked to take a picture to send to you ahaha A lot of members have cute and beautiful tea sets so I may come home with a tea set next may.... also, every Sunday night we go to a members house for tea...it´s so great! The members are so sweet and really take care of us..we received a ton of food from all different members so we are set! :) 

Sister Miller looks out for me too and checks in from time to time because of our Camarillo connection! I love talking to her about cam! She graduated cam high in 1971 so its fun seeing the differences and similarities! haha

It is so awesome contacting people on the street and clapping at houses because the Brazilians are very open to talking about Jesus Christ and will listen to our quick message about Him.

We started teaching this wonderful family of a daughter our age, a son in his 20s and the mother and father. They are so sweet and really liked hearing about the Restoration! Another one of our investigators we visited a few times and she always is so sweet and loves hearing our messages! She wanted us to go shopping with her at the mall one evening haha but it was in a different area and we had appointments. I am excited to continue teaching them about Jesus Christ and the glorious joys His gospel holds! 

During one of my personal studies this week, I was reading the verse in Doctrine and Covenants 62:3 and found this awesome quote by Elder Packer: ´´The Spirit and testimony of Christ will come to for the most part when, and remain with you only if you share it...you cannot find it, nor keep it, nor enlarge it unless and until you are willing to share it. It is by giving it away freely that is becomes yours.´´ And it is true! My testimony has grown a lot over the past 2 months and especially 3 weeks sharing and bearing my witness of the Savior! 

I encourage each of you to this week to find someone either a friend or a family member to share your testimony of Christ, and I know you will have an increase of your own testimony!

Eu sei que vive meu Senhor! Amor de Christ é por todas as pessoas! 

Love to all! Have a great week!!


-Sister Giles

January 21, 2019

"Get off the Road"

Olá!!

It has been a better week for sure!! I am doing better in the language in that I can understand better and have more confidence to talk to people haha but I love sharing the gospel and teaching them about Jesus Christ!! Brazilians are so fun and loving. I think of the fam alot and you guys give me strength! Thanks for your example and love!! I feel it everyday! We eat rice and beans and some sort of meat at lunch with the members, then will have some bread we bought a the store or candy at night time when we return haha or people feed us sometimes when we are in their houses teaching.

I am able to understand a lot better what people are saying although they still speak very, very...very fast ahah. Brazilians are super crazy but fun and loving!! Let's just say when I get into a car with a member or ride the bus it feels like riding the Matterhorn at Disneyland. No seat belts, super jerky and bumpy, no brakes, and whip around corners going super fast. But Heavenly Father watches over every single one of his children and sends angels, especially when they need them!

After emailing last week, my companion looked one way to cross the street and then looked the other way, then started to run across and a car came flying by and hit her. Do not worry though because she is absolutely and totally fine! I am pretty sure she made the long jump record because when the car hit her she flew and landed on her bum in the middle of the road. Where is frodo telling you to get off the road when you need him? I ran out to get her but she was already standing up and we walked back over to the sidewalk where the ladies that hit her came running over and took us to the hospital. She has three major bruises on her knee, thigh and elbow but nothing else! She was conscience (which is a sincere blessing because I cannot speak the language and didn't know how to use the phone, which she taught me how in the hospital haha) and we were in and out of the hospital in 2 hours. The ladies were very nice and we got to share about the gospel with them, so teaching opportunity-sweet! A member was driving by and thinks she was going about 30 to 35 mph so it really was a miracle!

The rest of the week was really good! We met a lady in the park walking her dog and she really wanted to learn more, so on Thursday we went and taught her about the Restoration and she started to cry during it and told us that is exactly what she has been needing to hear! Super neat! We will visit her again tomorrow and I am very excited!

A recent convert who got baptized a month before I came, named Junior, received the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday and that was awesome! He wants to go to the temple next month with the ward, so we will be able to go! There are a lot of less actives in the ward, so we try to visit them as much as possible. We have a bigger area and only one ward, so we are planning an activity to help get the members involved in the missionary work...more details to follow next week :)

On Friday I had my first Zone Conference and that was fun! It was nice to see some familiar faces from the CTM and meet other missionaries in the Zone! Presidente and Sister Miller are really great and they came to check on our apartment, so we got a VIP ride back which was nice (air conditioning!).

It has been pretty hot, but thankfully no or little humidity and there is usually a nice breeze or shade to cool us down...or açai, which we get a lot haha. It is super delicious!

I love being here in Brazil and sharing about our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ and His ministry here in the Americas! You can really feel that these people are the descendants of the Lamanites because of their eagerness and yearning to learn more about Jesus Christ.

Have a fantastic week!!

-Sister Giles

First week/AREA!!! January 14, 2019

Olá!!!

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

******************************************************************************

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

December 18, 2018

Feliz Natal!

Hello!!!

The weeks are starting to fly here at the CTM! On Thursday, Friday and Saturday we did splits with the Brazilian missionaries, where we ate lunch together, then prepared a lesson to give and then taught the lesson (all in Portuguese of course) and then were taught a lesson by another companionship. It was fun and very informative of how little I know haha (they speak very fast) but my companion Sister Ferriera was very sweet and she spoke some English so it was good! I just would read from the pamphlet and then bear my testimony in Portuguese and she did all the rest! I love her!

The temple last PDay was spectacular as always! We went to the Sao Paulo temple again and will go there again tomorrow! Maybe next week we will go to the Campengus temple! Anyways, we got back and went across the street to Mr. Cheneys cookies...they are SO GOOD! Then Sister Vaenuku and I went with our sweet American friends Sister Larsen and Sister Jarrett to get dessert empanadas from a street market and then got a few things at the grocery store (aka snacks and candy). We met up for dinner with the American trio as well (Sister Vuyk, Sister Wilkin, and Sister Andersen) where we went to a delicious burger place called Firewood and it was the most delicious thing!! A sweet taste of home, but I am definitely enjoying this whole new experience in this great country!

Today was super sad because they all left this morning to go to their missions, so it has been a quiet and empty day here at the CTM. A new bunch comes in tomorrow, so now it it our turn to show them the love and friendship we have felt so dearly from the ones before us! Our sweet Brazilian friends on our hallway left as well and they are the absolute cutest things!! Everyone calls Sister Vawnuku Moana and it is so funny, but these dear Brazilian friends call me Cinderella as well haha Sister Vaenuku and I sang them the EFY medley last night and they started crying and said they loved hearing the voices of Moana and Cinderella haha oh how I will miss them and our fun dinner talks where it takes 5 minutes to express what we are saying hahaha

Also, Sister Vaenuku and I became Sister training leaders, but no one has said if any Sisters are coming in tomorrow, so maybe we will be training each other? lol 

It has been getting quite hotter here, so I am trying to utilize the air conditioning as much as possible. Our classrooms have AC but our rooms do not so that is where the sweating really happens...but the rain helps to cool down the temperature so that has been a blessing! 

I am absolutely loving the people here and learning the Portuguese language has been such a hard, but rewarding experience! Learning and teaching the Doctrines of Christ daily has been the biggest blessing of all! I love my Savior and am grateful for this opportunity to serve Him and the people here! Feliz Natal! I cant wait to call next week for Christmas! I hope you all have a very special Christmas! Love to all! 

Sister Giles