August 13, 2018

This week went by so fast! We did a lot of fun things. We visited a member and talked about the temple. She really wants to go in September! She took us around her area because she lives so far away so we got to see the passage du gois where the tour de France went through this year. We also went by a salt field where they cultivate salt by hand from the ocean. It was super cool!

Then we had zone conference in Rennes. I had my last interview with president Sorensen. We talked about the future. He double majored at BYU in accounting and french and he really liked it!

Then at zone conference on Friday, our district sang a version of the Spirit of God as the musical number. It went pretty well! In zone conference we talked about how to teach repentance using simple words and simple testimony. 

The best part of the week was a referral named Favor! She moved from Nigeria to the south of France and then to Nantes a few months ago. She has been searching for the church ever since she left Nigeria. She had been going for a few years before leaving but had never been baptized. But we finally received her as a referral and called her and she was grateful we called! We met with her on Saturday and she came to church on Sunday. She wants to be baptized soon! 

Today we visited the history museum inside the chateau of Nantes and a Viking exhibit. Nantes was a big source of trade for France, especially slave trade. It was cool to see the evolution of the city over hundreds of years.

Yesterday I gave a talk in church and I shared that quote from Brigham young about searching the pioneers in the plains that were stuck. The same one that you used Dad in a talk a few weeks ago. I talked about listening to the Holy Ghost and that I am grateful for those people that went to find our ancestors! Afterwards a lady came up to me and asked if our family would be willing to take her family names to the temple. She doesn't go very often and it takes a really really long time for them to go through the temple even if she sends them for other people to do. She could email us the list and we could print them out and take them! Are you going to the temple soon? 

 
There really is no experience like this one, I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord full time. There is nothing like being able to help other find light and hope in their life because of Jesus Christ!

Love,
Sœur Giles

August 6, 2018

Another great week all the way over here in Nantes. I try to cherish every moment here, every lesson, every french phrase, every baguette. What a blessing it has been to be here! 

We were able to have some really really good lessons this week. We taught two people about the restoration one day and each one came out with the understanding that there is one way back to God and they have to discover and pray for themselves if this is it! One was named Antoine who was an old investigator from a few years ago. He testified of the peace and joy he felt in the past with the missionaries and was so grateful that we came again. The other one was Papis, who we met on the tram a few months ago. He does want to discover the truth but he has a hard time actually reading the Book of Mormon. He said he would pray about baptism though! 

We also saw the family Giraud last week and I ate snails for the first time! They were actually really good haha a lot smaller than I imagined so it was not too much squishy to eat. They were in a really good basil tomato sauce. 

We also had a family home evening with a few members, we had invited a few investigators but they cancelled at the last minute. The members were Spanish speaking and one doesn't speak any french so the spiritual thought was in Spanish by one of the elders who took Spanish in high school. We each learned a phrase and testified afterwards, I testified that I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior! 

Between my companions Soeur Hunt would win a joke contest, she says lots of funny things. It's almost been a year since she came to Nancy with me for the first time!

Last Monday we went to the art museum here and it was super cool! So many cool paintings and some cool modern art things. Today we are going to visit the castle and hopefully go into the museum there, we aren't sure if it is open on Mondays.

I love being able to testify of the restored gospel every single day. Have a great week!
Love,
Sœur Giles

July 30, 2018 Letter from President Sorensen

Dear parents of Sister Giles,

Sister Hannah Rebekah Giles will soon complete her service as a full time missionary in the France Paris Mission. Her scheduled release date is 30 Aug 2018.

At this time we wish to thank you for your invaluable support of her mission through your letters and prayers. We feel certain you are anticipating a joyous reunion. Upon her return she should report immediately to her stake president in order to give an account of her mission, receive timely instruction, and receive her formal release.

During her mission, Sister Giles has served faithfully, has demonstrated an extraordinary attitude, testimony, and spirit, and developed qualities which exemplify the very best in the performance of missionary work. She has treated the various responsibilities she assumed here as a sacred trust. By her faith, humility and devotion to duty, often in the face of adversity, she became an effective teacher and witness of truth. The great personal qualities which she discovered and enhanced during her mission will be a source of strength to her and to all with whom she associates throughout her life.

Sister Giles will be remembered with fondness and love by many friends and members of the Church in France, as well as by her missionary companions. Her life has been enriched by learning the French language, by living in a foreign culture, and especially by serving others.

It has been our privilege to serve with her, observe her spiritual growth, and enjoy close association through personal interviews, and her weekly letters and accompanying reports. She is a fine young woman whom we love and for whom we wish the very best.

Sincerely,

Paul J. Sorensen

Président, France Paris Mission

July 30, 2018

Another good week! :)

We had a few good lessons this week. One with Harris, a niece of a member in the ward. She has been taught before but we decided to call and see if she was interested and she said yes! It was a great lesson, she committed to read the book of Mormon every day. 

We were also able to see a couple, Mary and Bryce twice this week. We taught them the plan of salvation and they loved it! Mary just lost her sister and she felt so comforted that she would be able to see her again. She had actually prayed earlier in the week to be comforted and she felt peace in her heart that it was all going to be okay!

 
On thursday we had district council (the name is changed now) and a few members came. We did a little practice teaching workshop and they helped us with our french. They really enjoyed it and really felt the spirit. It is amazing how much practicing helps haha we taught the principle of repentance once and it was okay but the second time we taught it, it was so much better! 

After that we went to Rennes for exchanges with the sister training leaders there. We taught a man from Georgia, the country, who had some really big questions like why did God create us? Not our purpose in life but why did God need to create us, to what benefit? Soeur Hunt bore a great testimony of the Book of Mormon and he immediately said he would read it. 

After that we came back and went to see the Giraud family! The next time we go over they said they would buy escargot for me because I've never had it before haha that'll be interesting! Apparently there is a snail farm not too far away...

Congrats to Lucas and Kailee! That's crazy and exciting!

Both my companions like cooking so I am the chopper, it's pretty good except when it's onions they get me every time. It has rained a little bit this week, it is still really warm.
Thanks for your emails! 

Love
Sœur Giles

July 23, 2018

So it was a pretty exciting week with the transfer! We had to spend some time reorganizing the apartment so Sœur Hunt could have a desk in the room. And then she came Wednesday evening! She was travelling all by herself with no phone so it took a little while to actually find her at the train station but she got here in one piece! It's so weird...Nancy feels like a different life now! She has progressed so much it is awesome!! I forgot how tricky teaching in a trio is haha that was definitely the transfer I spoke the least! But it is so fun. Much more laughing haha It's been fun reliving our experiences there.

Yesterday in church Sœur Morrison sang and I played the piano for an arrangement of Be Still My Soul and it was great! We have been practicing it for quite a few weeks now. Everyone loved it though! The stake high council guy said in his talk right after that it was like there were angels there!

So Loveth husband lives in Italy right now and last week she told him that she was getting baptized soon. But he wants her to wait until he gets here so they can be baptized together. She had one week left ahh!!! She was so disappointed and didn't really know what to do. But she decided to wait. Hopefully we will start teaching the husband through Skype though! 

Yesterday we met with the bishop to ask how we can better support the ward and I think that really helped him trust us. He also complemented all of us on our french.There is a lot to work to do here and a lot of potential with the members and their families! Sharing the gospel is the best! I am very grateful for the time I've spent out here and I am happy!

Love,
Sœur Giles

July 16, 2018

I'm finishing in Nantes!

Dreams really do come true!! For this last transfer we will be in a trio! And not just any trio...trio with Soeur Hunt!! We were companions for 3 transfers together in Nancy. It's going to be the best!
Last week was so cool, going to see the tour de France. It was in Cholet, which is about an hour away on train or bus.
That night we went to Rennes because we had zone conference the next day. I was able to spend a little time talking to Sister Sorensen and their daughter Amanda. We talked again how they met the Blickenstaffs before they left! It was cool. During zone conference we talked a lot about how to help the people we are teaching feel the spirit. It was a great reminder that the Spirit is the only way for us to know the truth.
After that we had a great lesson with Steven! We met him a few weeks ago, we were waiting to take a tram and he talked to us because he knew that Mitt Romney is a Mormon! He accepted a book of Mormon and we gave him a tour of the church. A member was there with us and she expressed to us afterwards that she was so grateful for the opportunity she had to testify. On Sunday she told us she wrote about it in her journal! Steven came to church and was really touched by a talk about the family during sacrament meeting.
Loveth is still progressing really well. Yesterday she testified to us how she feels she has changed. She feels like a better person, what Heavenly Father wants her to become. She's made us some really good African food and won't let us leave without feeding us. Soeur Morrison asked if she could say the closing prayer and Loveth answered well you are not leaving yet, we have to eat!!
I know Heavenly Father listens and answers our prayers.
Love,
Sœur Giles






















Le tour de France à cholet!!

Sorry I don't have much time to write today. The week was great. We are working hard and Loveth is progressing well. We found a new investigator Stephanie and we met with her on Saturday. She was so sweet and is really excited to read the book of Mormon.
We helped a member move and she was so grateful! She has a hard time making friends in the ward and a lot of people came to help so she felt very loved. We went back again yesterday and helped her build a table!
We went to see le tour de France and it was awesome! We went to the start line and walked to the finish line after awhile. Can you find the rider with the green jersey ?
Also saw a shirt that reminded me of the green machine back home!
I got tons of cool pictures but I'll show them to you later! Emails are not the easiest to send a lot of pictures haha
Sounds like vacation was fun ! Family is the best!!
Love,
Sœur Giles

June 25, 2018

Hello! Youth conference from the food perspective looked really good! I liked the secret menus haha hopefully clay had a good time!

The absolute best part of the week was Sunday when the Giraud family came to church!!!! That's the family that lives far away that we passed by and then the mom called us to come teach the son. Well we walk up to the church building and the son comes running out to say hello and then we look and the whole family was there! It was the best :) the little girls kept looking at us during sacrament meeting and smiling! 

We met a few cool new people this week!

Faïz is a young adult and grew up with 2 very different religious backgrounds and just doesn't know what to believe anymore. We were out contacting and he turned around twice to look at us so we said hello and started talking. We then met with him on Friday. We taught the restoration and at the end he thanked us for taking the time to answer his questions, he really liked it and committed to read and pray about the book of Mormon.

We also met with Narcisse. He has known the missionaries for 15 years but he believes in crazy things. He is really just looking for the truth but doesn't feel like he can trust any religion because of how much man has changed the pure and true doctrine. He also tried to convince us that the earth is not round....anyways soeur Morrison was super frustrated the whole time haha I thought it was pretty fun though! All he asked us to do was search for ourselves. He said he had read the book of Mormon before but that he would read it again and send us his questions.

We went to Paris again!! It really is so weird to go back there. My time there felt like a dream. The recent converts there are doing really well! Cynthia's husband received the Melchizedek priesthood recently and she has gone to the temple for baptism. Lindsay has also been to the temple and moved back to England a month ago and then is going to school in Virginia in the fall. Victor who got baptized right after I left has also been to the temple and is doing so great too! 

We watched the 20 minute Restoration movie with Loveth and she loved it!! Her first word after was wow. She has such a sincere desire to know God. 

 
We also ate a hot dog! It's been awhile since I've eaten one...

The funniest part of the week happened on Friday. We went on a bus ride to visit a family. It is our stop so I get up and the doors open and I get out. I then look behind me to see soeur Morrison still in the bus with the doors closing. She had such a panicked look on her face because usually there is a button to open the doors again but on this bus there was no button. So I motioned to her to calm down and just get off at the next one. It was just a few minutes walk away but the look on her face was so priceless! It made me laugh so hard. During the bus ride she went up to the driver and said she wanted to get off but the driver made her wait till the next stop haha. The walk alone was so boring though, I don't know how people live without a companion with them 24/7. It's so much better with one! She is really doing great, such a good teacher and so kind.

I really do love the light that the gospel brings into our lives! There is so much hope and joy when we do what is right! Have a great week! Enjoy the summer break!

Love,
Sœur Giles