July 21 Email!

Kinfolk,

 

It sounds like ya'll are really enjoying your summer! !'m glad to hear that ya'll had a fun, busy week.

Sounds like it has been pretty hot in Utah! Perfect weather to go swimming, play tennis, or write me a letter. BY THE WAY: Thank you so much for all the letters I have been getting lately! I really love to read them all! Letters are a very cherished prize in the mission. 

The heat never ceases here though, even at nighttime it is still really humid. We'll go sit out on porch at night and just be sweating and feel like we are in a sauna.. haha. oh well.

THIS WEEK.... WHERE TO BEGIN....

Well, Elder Whitney and I are no longer companions haha, last Monday he got what is called an "Emergency Transfer". It's when someone has to be transferred to a new area and it can't wait fro the regular Transfer Meeting. My new companion is Elder Kunz. The reason they transferred is because Elder Kunz was in an area where they only ride their bicycles, and he has some really bad knee problems and can't ride a bike anymore. So, they switched. It was pretty sad, and unexpected, to say 'adios' to Elder Whitney. Elder Kunz is really cool though, and we already get along great!

We were very busy this week, showing Elder Kunz the area and having many lessons. We have a few people who are preparing to be baptized, one lady named Shelby Barr, and someone else named David Sanchez. They'll both be ggetting baptized in the next few weeks! That's very exciting!

The rest of the district here is also having a lot of baptisms this week. There are 4 on this Saturday! So, I will be going to Austin on Thursday and basically spending the whole day having baptismal interviews with these people.

That is going to be a really cool experience. I get to meet with people who are making changes in their lives, who want to follow Jesus Christ, and are ready to be baptized into God's Kingdom. I get to hear their testimonies and tell them that, "yes, you are ready to be baptized."

That is just one of the many amazing experiences I am so lucky to have in my mission!

Dinner Updates:

Homemade Tacos

Chicken-fried steak (the size of the entire plate)

Fresh crock-pot chicken (from their backyard)

More deer steak wrapped in bacon

Hamburger Helper :)

This next week is going to be really busy. We have a District Meeting on Wednesday and two of the AP's will be there, then we are going on an exchange with one of them for the rest of that day. Thursday i'll be in Austin all day doing Baptismal Interviews. I'm excited! It's going to be a fun week.

Today is my 11 month mark! That's crazy! What even more insane is to think that I only have 13 months left!

The mission is flying by, I really am trying to just hold on haha. I love it. This is the greatest thing I have ever done.

I love ya'll!

Be good, and have a fun week

Love, Elder GIles