January 16th, 2016

Hello,

This week was pretty awesome. On Tuesday we had interviews with President and we talked a little about what to do with the applications for BYU and he gave me permission to go online and start that if I wanted, so today I will take a little bit of time to look at that because I also need an ecclesiastical endorsement to be able to get in to the BYU schools and Pres. Thurgood can do that for me.


Then on Wednesday we had my last district meeting and it was pretty good. We talked about miracles and how to make them happen. It is very eye opening, at least for me, to know that miracles only require two things: our faith and the power of God. Two things that are somewhat simple and easy to understand are combined to make something extraordinary. It was good! Then for the two days I was on companion exchanges with the elders from Don Orione (one of the areas en the zone). The first day we went out and did contacts and tried to find new investigators, and then we had a lesson with a less active family and then a meeting with the ward mission leader. Then we went to the church to train the new ward missionaries (why didn´t I get any training?).

 Then the next day we were planning on just doing our studies and then find new investigators, have lunch and then change back. But the night before, we got a call from the other district leader in the zone to do splits because his companion was hurt and couldn´t leave the apartment. So in the afternoon I went with him to do his baptismal interview and then we went back, but by then it was too late to go out and work so we planned for the next day. Overall it was fun and I learned a lot! 

Then yesterday was super good because we had a lesson with a part member family and the members in the family are inactive but the oldest daughter who is not a member is also listening to the discussions. We had the impression to teach the plan of salvation so we did and we set a baptismal date with the investigator for the 28th of February! She is super pumped for her baptism but she will not come to church this week, but next week she promised so that´s good.


So yeah, last week of the mission. It will be super awesome: On Tuesday we will do exchanges with the zone leaders then on Thursday I will go up to the Capital of Buenos Aires with the rest of the group that goes home and then in the evening we will have an self -sufficiency class. Then on Friday we will go to the temple in the morning and then have our last interviews with president in the afternoon and then I go back to Adrogué and work until Monday morning when we have our last meeting in the mission home. So fun last week! It will be great!


Have a great week!


Elder Giles

Jan 11, 2016

Hello,
This week has been pretty good. We had a few things to do in the offices but thankfully we were busy with other things. Everything sounds like it is going well there and I am happy that you are getting some rain there in Camarillo, we should be getting rain but the norm in Argentina is that it rains when you least expect it and then it rains when you don´t want it to. So it might rain today but we don´t know. hahaha. I am also glad that Seminary is going well and the everyone is learning even though the Old Testament is pretty hard to understand.


So this week we didn´t have much to do, but the other day we didn´t have much to do and we had to inspect the apartments of the missionaries in the district (only the elder´s) and so we went and did that in the morning and it ended up that the Elder was feeling a little sick so we got there and gave him a blessing. It was cool to see how the Lord guides us because I was planning on going on another day but then I just had the feeling to change up the plans. So then we had emergency companion exchanges because the Elder and his companion had to go the hospital and they both are deathly afraid of hospitals. So my comp went to the hospital and the other elder came with me. We went preaching in the evening and found new investigators and then the next morning we did a painting service project for a less active member. It is so weird walking around in normal clothes...

These 2 next weeks will probably be the slowest in my mission. It is so hard to be focused but thankfully I have plenty of things to do and the Lord helps us out so that we are not being idle. I am happy for the time I have left in the mission and I hope that everything is going well.

Thanks for the letter (1 of 3 for the new year). That´s pretty awesome that you´re starting your new work this week! Congratz! I hope everything went and continues to go well. That´s pretty awesome that Daniel and Zach got back already. It would be cool to be able to room together with Zach in Idaho, but my comp and another elder here in the offices are trying to convince me to go to Provo because they did a year there before coming on the mission and they say that it´s great. I don´t believe them... haha just kidding.

Have a great week!

Elder Giles

This picture is of Elder Giles (on the right) and his cousin, Matthew Jacobson (on the left). They are in the same mission. Lucas is at the end of his mission and Matthew is just getting started!

January 2, 2016

Happy New Year!!!! (¡Feliz Año Nuevo!)


So this week was actually very stress free in a way. There is always that one week in each transfer where you don´t have that much to do, so this week was one of those. But it was very good. At the beginning of the week we had some good lessons with some less actives but we weren´t able to find and teach our regular investigators. Then on Thursday we did the same thing as last week where we got the group back together and ate BBQ again and hung out for the night watching the fireworks. It was a fun night and I was able to go to sleep a little earlier this time. :D Ha ha ha!

The offices are pretty fun right now and we are doing great. I forgot my camera so I will send pictures later.... Not much else is happening, except for that we will get a new missionary couple here in the offices on Monday. They are the Medina Family from one of the wards in the mission and will be helping out with the paperwork and stuff for the elders that are in charge of apartments and visas. The goal is that the new missionary matrimony will take off some of the work load from these elders and they can get out more and preach. My companion and I are fine because we get out everyday at least so that will be good for them. Other than that, I am excited for these last 3 weeks in the mission and I can´t wait to see you all again. That´s also super cool that Daniel got back but it must be super hard to get back and then go straight out to school again but I know it will be good!


Have a great week!


Elder Giles



So these are the pictures from the new year´s party in our apartment. they are of the bbq that we did and then everyone on the roof as we watched the fireworks. They were super cool and I took a video but i´ll have to show you when you get back. have a great Sabbath Day!