December 27. 2012

Hello!  Merry Christmas!

 

I finally got to go to the post office and pick up that package.  I was so excited to open it.  I opened it up and saw the pictures and the letter.  I thought the christmas sock was so funny.  I looked at the presents and laughed.  They said not to open until Christmas, but It was the day after christmas that I opened them.  I was really happy.  I was also really happy to see the whole family.  It looks like you all had a great Christmas.  

 

Well, there's not too much to write about today.  I got to talk about everything with all o

Oops, it accidentlly sent.  Anyway, I got to talk about everything with you on the VP.  I just want to let you all know that everything is going fine.  Nothing bad is happening to me.  I had a very happy Christmas and I love you all.

 

Love, Elder Giles.

December 17, 2012

Oh, Hyrum is sick?  I'm also feeling sick.  Well, I'm feeling better now, but I wasn't feeling good before.  I had a cold.  :(  But now I'm better.  I woke up today and I was sick, so I told my companion I needed 1 more hour of sleep.  So I slept and got super sweaty then I felt better.  I still have a little cough but I'm fine now.

 

I had the Christmas dinner with the hearing Ward.  It was pretty fun and we brought one of our investigators there, Wina Shem and her son, Calvin.  They enjoyed it.  We're still trying to work with Wina.  She smokes and doesn't really want to stop, she says she can stop whenever she wants, but we're trying to help her stop now.  We gave her a priesthood blessing yesterday (Sunday)  I think she will be able to stop now.

 

And no, there is no snow here.  Only rain.  But it's very nice.  I miss the snow though.  I like snow.

 

I'm excited to recieve your package.  I got one from the Ward in American Fork.  It was really nice.  I got some cards and lots of candy.  I'm going to write a letter and thank them for that.  I hope I'll have time to send it really soon.

 

Anyway, I'll let you kinow when I'll be calling on the VP.  VP is better than a phone because you can see instead of just hear. 

 

From Elder Giles

December 10, 2012


We also had a Christmas party, but it was different than normal. You know how normally it's a Christmas dinner.  This time we had a service project with little treats.  It was great.  We were wrapping blankets and toys and hats and gloves for homeless people.  We did that for about 2 hours.  We also enjoyed some good food.  Then we had a Christmas program with the primary. I was so mad because I forgot to bring my camera.  I didn't get any pictures :(  Oh well, maybe next year.

I have some interesting news, I've been chosen as a Zone Leader.  I don't know what I'm doing lol, but it will be fine.  I'll learn soon.  It just means extra meetings and more  teaching to missionaries.  I'm also supposed to be a good example lol.  I'm not bad, although there are improvements I can make.

I will send you some pictures soon, ok?

Love Elder Giles.

(Write to Elder Giles: Oh shoot! next time, you bring your camera with you everyday. That's okay. Just happened.)

December 3, 2012

Wow, sounds like you're all busy.  Have you set up the christmas tree yet?  I want to set one up, but we dont' have one, and I'm too lazy to buy one.  We have no time to do that stuff. 

 

Remember when I explained the baptismal dates to you?  We had 3 coming up soon, but we had to cancel them all.  They need to go to church 3 times before they can get baptized, but it's too late to go 3 times before the date.  We'll have to set up a new date.  It will be tough to figure it out.  We have 1 person who needs to get married, we have another who needs to get divorced and then married to her boyfriend, or she needs to move out of her apartment, we have another who works during church.  It's a very tough situation.  We'll figure it out.

 

Oh, tell Tim Manriquez that his email won't accept my emails.  It says that it won't accept spam or someting like that. 

 

Hey, I'll get to call you on Christmas!  On the VP!  I'm excited for that.  I'll let you know more detail later.  Keep praying for me.

 

Love, Elder Giles

November 26, 2012

Oh wow!  I forgot it was Luke's birthday.  Cool.  lol He still likes disney cars.  I will be happy to get some pictures.  I also got the memory card back.  I will send the other one in  a few weeks.  I need to take some more pictures. 

 

But Thanksgiving was wonderful!  We had 2 dinners though.  :(  We were so stuffed.  We ate the Texas BBQ, then we went over to another member's house and had normal dinner there.  Too much food!  But it was so delicious.  And we got to meet some non-members and talk to them.

 

We're working hard to get some people batptized before the end of the year.  It's going to be really close.  We have a baptismal day on the 29 of December. 

 

Now it's getting closer to Christmas.  The weather here isn't even cold, but my companion thinks so, lol.  We're getting excited, we're seeing christmas lights and christmas trees start to pop up everywhere. 

 

Everything is going well. 

 

From Elder Giles

November 19, 2012

Yep, Thanksgiving is coming up.  What are you guys doing for Thanksgiving?  Are you staying home?  Or are you going to a friend's house?  I will be going to a member's house.  Instead of Turkey, we're having Texas BBQ.  It sounds delicious! 

 

Hooray for Zach!  He can earn and save monies. 

 

I will be excited to get your mail!  It's always great to get things from home.  I'm still eating candy and the snacks from the package. 

 

This time close to the end of the year will be crazy.  We have 3 baptismal dates.  1 is on Dec 15, and the others are on Dec 22.  We're really trying to help them get baptized on their days.  It will be tough, but we can do it. 

 

I hope you have a great thanksgiving!

 

From Elder Giles

(His mom writes: We are staying home and one family join us this Thursday.)

November 12, 2012

I'm doing just fine here. The Ward and Branch feed us every night.  We've only had to cook dinner for ourselves 3 times.  We're not the best cooks, but we're improving.  We like it when other people cook for us. lol 

 

Now what we're doing is trying to have 2 more baptisms before the end of the year.  We have a couple of people that will be able to be baptized before the end of the year, we just have to help them prepare.  I hope we can have them baptized.  I won't mind if they get baptized next year, but the mission president wants us to baptize 3 people before the end of the year.  We already have 1, Daniel Zopfi, but 2 more is needed.  We're really close.

 

I can't wait to get your pictures.  I'm doing a lot better at taking pictures.  When I send the memory card home again, there will be even more pictures. 

 

Also, thank you for the candies.  I'm still eating them, yum yum! 

 

From Elder Giles

October 31, 2012

Hello!

I'm finally sending my pictures. The card isn't full, but I think it's close. I will try to send it
more often. We've finally had a baptism! There's some pictures in the camera that are of the 
baptism. Also, there are some pictures I printed off.

But, Halloween is coming up! I think the rule is we have to be in our apartment by 6 p.m. 
We're not allowed to be out. I guess long ago, missionaries went trick-or-treating and got
in trouble. That's ok, we'll probably do some study then play some games.

I think we're doing to get a lot of candy from people, especially, members. They really like
giving us stuff. It's weird to think about Christmas. I won't be home for that. I don't even
know if my companion and I will give each other presents. Also NO SNOW!  Has it snowed
there yet? By the way, send me pictures of Luke's Halloween costume. I might make a 
costume, but I don't think I'll have time.

I hope you will enjoy the pictures! I am getting better at taking pictures.

Love Elder Giles

--------------------------------------------------

November 5, 2012

I sent the memory card a few days after I said I did.  I thought I was going to be able to send it on Monday, but nope.  I think you'll have recived it by now.  I did get your white package.  It was filled with yummies.  Mmmmm.  I'm still eating it. 

 

I am excited to get some pictures of you!  :D  I am excited to see Luke. 

 

Things are giong well here, we have some deaf people to teach.  We are teaching 2 lesbians.  They are married.  It will be tricky, but we can do it.  Eventually, if they want to be baptized, they'll have to get a divorce.  But we were blessed with a family that just showed up to church.  They're all deaf and we've never seen them before.  We talked with them and they said that they would come to church the next week.  We'er excited to see them again and hopefullly start teaching them.

Love Elder Giles

(his mom wrote him: we received the pictures today. yes, we enjoyed them. we miss you already)

October 15, 2012

 I am doing great here.  We have Daniel Zopfi's baptism this Saturday.  I AM SO EXCITED!  He is also really excited.  It will be my companion's and also my first baptism.  We can't wait!  On this recent sunday, we had the baptismal interview with him.  He is so ready to be baptizied.  It's a little bit sad though, because after Daniel, we don't have anyone else close to being baptized.  We are having a hard time finding deaf people to teach.  We only have 1 person that is deaf that we are teaching, but he is not progressing in the gospel.  He pretty much refuses to go to church.  We've tried so many times to get him to go.  He's only been to church one time out of the whole year and a half he's been taught.  Other missionaries have been teaching him since about April last year.  We've prayed and fasted for him, but there is still no progress.  We will probably have to drop him pretty soon.

 

Anyways, I've taken lots of pictures, and I will send them really soon.  It's really hard because there's no time to do the things that I want to do.  We're so busy! 

 

From Elder Giles.

October 23, 2012

HOORAY.  On October 20, Daniel got baptized!  I have some pictures that I printed for myself, but the memory card will be sent coming monday.  I promise!  I filled it up the memory anyways.  The baptism went great.  His mom was there.  She's not a member, but she cried a little bit.  Hopefully we will get to teach her soon.  Now we don't have anyone else close to baptism. :(   We have some hope for some people though.  Our goal is to get 3 by the end of the year, and we alreay have 1. 

 

By the way, yes, I do talk with Elder Lesser and Elder Woodhouse.  We email each other.  Elder Lesser has some very interesting stories. 

 

Yes, send us candies.  On halloween, we're not allowed to go outside.  So we'll be stuck inside our apartments.  We would love some candy.

 

From Elder Giles.

October 8, 2012 

We watched General conference at our church building.  It was a wonderful experience.  Normally it's hard to pay attention, but not this time.  I think it has something to do with being a missionary.  I didn't fall asleep or wiggle around.  I paid attention.  I thought it was CRAZY when they announced the change in age for missionaries.  WOW, 18 year old for elders and 19 for sisters.  I wonder what I would've done if they had changed it to 18 before I left on my mission.  If I had the chance, I think I would've gone when I was 18 and then join the Marines Later.  Maybe I wouldn't have joined at all?  Who knows?  Well, I'm happy with where I'm at right now. 

 

I think it was yesterday, or the day before, but I've officially been away from home for 6 months!  WOW time is going by really fast!  Does it feel like a long time to you?  I'll be home in no time. 

 

We have a baptisim coming up on October 20.  Daniel Zopfi is getting baptized!  We are so excited.  It will be our first baptism for my companion and I!  He's been on his mission for about 8 months now.  The work is really slow right now.  We don't have many people to teach, and the people that we can teach, they are really hard to catch.  They're going to work or school or caring for their families or going on vacation or whatever.  We just need need to keep trying.

 

And I'm doing a good job with my journal writing.  I'm writing moslty everyday.  There are a few times where I had misssed a week or so, but never longer than that.  It's really hard to write everyday.  There's not much time at the end of the day to write.  We have to go to bed at 10:30.  It's really good though.

 

I will send pictures today!  YAY! I'm sending the memory card.  It will get to you soon?

 

Love Elder Giles

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

WOAH!  So much news!  That's crazy! 

Today I'm emailing on wednesday because that was the day P-Day got moved to.  We went to the Oakland Temple today, it was really cool.  We finally got to go inside.  It was really neat.  There's not as many people as there are in Utah.  That's ok.  The Celestial Room is really beautiful.  We took some pictures outside, you'll get to see them soon.

 

I don't need any stamps, I still have enough.  I think you can send me some in December?  Not too many.  I've almost been here for 6 months.  Time has gone by so fast!  I'll see you all again in no time. 

 

Anyway, short email today because I have no time left.  I will send pictures soon!  And send me some more pictures of the Family!

Love, Elder Giles.

(His mom writes: Sure, we will do that to send you some in December.)

Elder Giles at the park

September 25, 2012

Hmmm, that's very strange.  I sent an E-Mail last week, and I am sending an E-Mail today, tuesday.  Normally it's on Monday, but we were very busy yesterday, we did not get to email.  Yesterday, the Mission President brought everyone to the same park, and we did a huge service project and then a BBQ.  It was really fun.  We just put woodchips into a playground.  It took about 2 hours.  I got to see every single missionary in the whole mission.  I think there are about 190 of us. 

Last week I did send a letter.  I think it had an attachment too?  I can't remember.  I do remember sending an email.  I don't know why you didn't get it.  When I sent it, my computer was acting funny.  Hmmm.   Well, We have a baptism coming up.  October 20th.  Daniel Zopfi is going to be baptized.  I think I told you about him or you didn't get the email.  He's 16 and lives with his mom.  His dad died when he was 2.  He's doing everything we ask him to do, it's great!  I hope his mom will become interested in learning more about the church.

I got your 37 pictures.  It's nice to see what you've been doing.  I hope you will send me more.  I will send my memory card next week.  I need it this week to print some pictures. 

Everything is going welll! 
From Elder Giles.

Monday, Sept 10, 2012

Yes, I did get your pictures.  I was so happy!  So many pictures!  I will be sending my memory card soon.  Just a few more pictures to take.  I was looking at the pictures you sent me.  Everyone looks a little bit different.  Especially Grandma from Canada.  It was a hip surgery she had, right?  I can't remember exactly.  :(  

 

Well, things are going well here.  Recently, we were talking to Brother Call.  He's a second counselor in the Branch Presidency.  He works for sorenson, so he's met pretty much all the deaf people here in Fremont.  He says there's about 3000 deaf people.  We've only met 6 Deaf People not in the branch.  WOW, there's so many people we have to find.  I'm sure we'll meet a lot of them soon.

 

I'm learning a lot.  I'm learning all the regular spritiual stuff, but also I'm learning Chinese.  Wow, it's so crazy.  I'm not learning it offically or anything like that.  But there are some chinese elders here and they've been teaching me bit by bit.  Hopefully, after 2 years, I'll be able to have conversations.

 

I'm looking forward to getting more pictures and mail from you.  I'll try to send stuff to you.

 

From Elder Giles

Sept 5, 2012

Hello family, I am doing great, I have an interesting story to share.

 

A couple days ago, we were meeting people on the streets.  We did that for a while and we were about to leave.  Before we left, we saw a man and his dog.  We decided to meet him before we left.  We walked up to him and he said  "Hey Elders!  I need to talk to you."  Elder Horlacher and I looked at each other.  "Ok, we can talk to you."  We talked with him for a bit.  His name is Edward Yoda and he is an excommunicated member.  He said he wanted to go to church again.  We told him where our chruch was and what time it started.  Then, out of nowhere, he asked us to give him a priesthood blessing.  We were in the middle of a grocery store parking lot.  We said we would, but we should try to find someplace more private.  We found an empty ally and gave him a priesthood blessing in there.  It was a very interesting experience.  The more we talked with him, the more we realized he wasn't "all there"  He was a little bit mental.  He was normal, except for a few things here and there.  He said he was going to run for president in 2016.  He's homeless.  He said he met president Obama while he was dressed as a gangster.  It was very strange.

 

Anyway, I know I am protected.  I will carry my camera with me more and take more pcitures. 

 

I love you all.  From Elder Giles

The first picture is my companion and I at MTC (Missionary Training Center).

The second picture is my companion and I here in San Jose, California.

And the third picture is me after giving myself a haircut. I think it turned out great.

FUNNY! I put a lamp shade.

Monday, August 20, 2012

I feel bad that I didn't get to email you last week.   We didn't have time.  :( 

But we are having a good time.  This week we met a woman who wanted to learn about the young women's program.  My companion and I were clueless about that, so we invited her to meet with some of the members.  We had a great discussion about the "Strengh of Youth" and how that will help her raise her children.  She is a single mother with 3 kids.  Today she will be joining a Family Home Evening with them.  It just makes me feel good that the members of the church are trying to be friends with her.  I think she will want to be baptized in the future.  We haven't been able to teach a lesson yet, but we will soon.  We also have another investigator, his name is Daniel Zopfi.  He's 16, and the only one in his family that is learning the gospel.  He went to Temple Square while on a tour of the country and had some questions.  So that's how we met him.  He is progressing great.  He's been to church twice and we've almost taught all the lessons.  He's reading and praying everyday, and he says he wants to be baptized, but he says he doesn't know when.  We're hoping it will be soon.  :D

Well, I am happy.  But, can you send me more pictures?

Love, Elder Giles

Monday, 6 Aug 2012

Things are going pretty well here.  We've been teaching lots of lessons, but we don't have a lot of investigators.  We only have 5 investigators.  But 1, his name is Daniel, he looks like he will be baptized sometime soon.  We invited him to be baptized, but he said that he wants to go to church every week.  GREAT!   We think he will want to be baptized soon. 

 

Yesterday, we were meeting people in a park.  We saw a woman sitting on a blanket, reading a book.  We walked up to her and talked to her.  We told her about Jesus Christ and how he has a living prophet here on earth.  She got mad and said there are no living prophets.  We told her that she could find out for herself by reading the book of mormon and praying about it.  She got mad and said she didn't want to read it.  She wanted us to give her phone number to the prophet so he could call her.  I said OK, but I wasn't really going to give the phone number to President Monson.  But then my companion said something and she got mad again and forgot all abou the phone number.  Well, we left, but we gave her a chance.  Oh well. 

 

From Elder Giles

( I, Liz, will add some update pictures of Elder Giles to this website later when I will be in Utah)

 30 July 2012

It's really hard working with the Deaf Branch.  Everyone lives so spread out and there are only 4 or 5 priesthood holders that are in the Branch.  But we have some deaf investigators.  One person who is deaf, his name is Ramon.  He's hard to work with because he can't read english well.  He's from Mexico.  He can't read spanish.  We're slowly progressing with him.  But if he doesn't start going to church, then we'll have to drop him.  We've been trying to get him to church for 6 weeks, pretty much the entire time I've been here in San Jose.

 

How is Luke doing?  Send me some pictures of the family.

 

From Elder Giles

Elder Nelson, Elder Giles, and Elder Horlacher

Monday, July 9, 2012

I haven't recived your letter yet.  I'm looking forward to that.  I'll be able to send my memory card today for sure.   

 

My companion and I are finally meeting deaf people.  We were able to teach Emerald Brown, and the Cruz Family.  Emerald Brown wants to learn more, but the Cruz Family says they're too busy.  We'll keep trying to find time to meet with them. 

 

I am doing well.  I'm always tired though.  I guess that's what happens when you're working all day.  hahah. 

My companion and I met a whole bunch of deaf baptists at a deaf picnic.  We were only able to meet 5 or 6 of them before some of them told us we needed to leave.  Oh well. 

 

From Elder Giles

(Finally, we got his message by email. Whew...)

I'm doing great here.  I'm so busy all the time, teaching, meeting people, serving people, dinner appointments, and so many other things.  Well, I won't need a bike.  My companion and I drive around everywhere.  It's really nice.  We also don't have limits on where we can go.  Normally, a companionship is stuck in an area, but my companion and I can go anywhere we want.  We can even leave the San Jose Mission area.  As long as we're doing work.  

Something really funny happened on Friday.  Elder Horlacher and I were getting ready for bed when someone called us on the VP.  It was Emerald Brown, a 20 year old black deaf potential investigator.  We set up an appointment to meet her at the train station.  Before she hung up, she wanted to talk to Elder Horlacher.  Emerald said "On August 25, do you want to go to Prom with me?"  I laughed so hard.  Elder Horlacher got asked to Prom.  It was really awkward for him.  He said "Ummm, well I can't.  I'm serving a 2 year mission.  I'm teaching about Jesus Christ."  I don't think Emerald understands what we're doing.  We'll try and explain when we meet.  

I'll send more emails later.  I'll probably send my memory card today or tomorrow.  I want to take a couple more pictures before I send it.

Love, Elder Giles

(When his mom and dad read about "Prom with me", they were laughing. It is so FUNNY!)

18 June, 2012

Now I finally have time to send you a good e-mail.

 

I arrived in San Jose around 10:00.  I was all by myself on the airplane.  I had no companion.  It was really weird because I was used to the MTC and always having a companion.  People were nice to me.  One guy even bought me a bottle of water.  At the airport in San Jose, I met President Watkins and the two assistant presidents.  President Watkins is really nice.  He drove me to the mission office in San Jose and there I met my 2 companions.  Elder Horlacher and Elder Nelson.  Elder Nelson tried to pretend he was deaf, but President Watkins already told me that my companions were hearing.  I played along with Elder Nelson.  It was funny, we all entered the President's office to meet with him.  President Watkins was so confused why Elder Nelson couldn't talk.  Watkins was used to talking to Elder Nelson.  President Watkins kept asking "Are you ok?  Did you bite your tongue?  Why can't you talk?"  Finally Elder Nelson gave up.   Elder Horlacher's parents are famous like my mom and dad.  His mom and dad's names are Paul and Kim Horlacher.  I came to the Fremont Deaf Branch and pretty much everyone said "Wow!  You're Bobby and Liz's son?  WOW  I know them."  Everyone was excited.  I saw The Wesloh Family, Pina, Kathleen Ireland, and many more.  I can't remember their names right now, but they said they know you. 

 

The Fremont Deaf Branch had just had it's 30th anniversary of the branch being set up.  We had a BBQ and a fireside.  It was really good. 

I love you all.  I hope you will send me letters soon.

From Elder Giles

2 June 2012

Things are going well. The past week I've been having problems. I've have been having nose bleeds 2 or 3 times a day. I got sick of it, so I went to the Doctor. They gave me a humidifier. It's really cool. My nose feels great and I haven't had a nose bleed in a while.

I'll be leaving the MTC in 2 weeks. June 13th is the day I fly to San Jose. I'm getting excited, but more nervous. Elder Barwell, one of my companions, is leaving June 5th, next Tuesday. He's packing as I write this letter. He's going to San Diego. I think he's going to have a rough start to his mission. He said his mission was going to be 2 years of vacation. It's not vacation.

I finally got my first letter from Elder Woodhouse. I really like getting mail. I'll send my memory card when I get to the field. I want to take more pictures.

I'm getting sick of  the MTC,  it feels like I've been here forever. (His mom's mind says "Awwww him")

Love,

Elder Giles

                                                                  Elder Davenport

                                                                    Elder Barwell

                                                                       Elder Peck

                                                                        Elder Hogt

5, May 2012

I have 4 more weeks until I leave the MTC. I'm really excited to go. I'm still learning a lot. I've already heard 3 Apostles. My hope is I'll hear the Prophet speak. It could happen.

I remember you wanted to know if there were sisters in my district. Nope, no sisters. There is 5 of us and we're all guys.

I drew some pictures of them. In case, you're wondering, Elder Barwell isn't a slug and Brother Ikeda isn't in a wheelchair (not in a picture).

Elder Jordan Lesser (Elder Giles' best friend) sent me a funny story in his email. He's in Mexico right now. He and his companion were walking along when a gang came out and stopped them. The gang told Elder Lesser to show his pockets. All he had were a couple of vocobulary papers, a marble, and one dollar. They took his one dollar and left. Elder Lesser and his companion continued. Later he realized that only he was robbed. Why? His companion was Mexican and Elder Lesser was white. At least no one hurt.

Love, Elder Giles

27, April 2012


I'm doing great here. I miss all of you (family) but I'm not homesick. I'm
learning a lot here. I don't remember if I've talked about my teacher,
Bro. Peterson. He's a good teacher. He's also deaf. He served in
Riverside, CA and San Diego, CA. He has no idea what San Jose is
like. What he does know is that there is only 2 missionaries serving
there now.. When I get there, I think I'll be put in a 3 person
companionship. It won't be so different than the 3 companionship I'm
in here at the MTC.


Elder Davenport will be serving with Elder Malm. I think. Elder Malm
is New York New York North Mission that's where Elder Davenport is
serving.


The Firesides and Devotionals are really good. I've already heard
2 of the twelve apostles speak. It was Elder Ballard and Elder Nelson.


Love, Elder Giles