Week 49 Translating is like a Spelling Bee

8 more days until Christmas! We have yet to celebrate Christmas here in Serbia! 
It is weird  celebrating News Years before Christmas! 
But January is always a long cold month, 
so I'm fine with celebrating the best holiday a few weeks into it(: 

We found some great people this week:

A mom and a daughter who want to have a personal relationship with Christ and not go through their priest to do that. 

On the 25th we tracted into 2 painters who paint pictures of Christ for their careers. They let us see pictures they have painted and showed us the view from the rooftop and it was incredible! We talked about the Book of Mormon being all about Christ, and they were super excited to read. 

A cute old woman let us in! We sang Silent Night together and she told us about her life history. She thanked us as we left and told us it felt like we had been friends for a long time. So glad we could brighten a day(:

This week we taught some really great people! 

Our friend Filip has some great opinions on eternal truths! When we get together and talk about the principles of the gospel, he shares some great insight and personal stories. We had a great discussion this week on faith and truth. After reading in Alma 32 about faith he asked, how can you know what is true? We testified to him about the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the "power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things". We challenged him to seek for truth in his life by seeking for the spirit. 

We taught our other friend named Đorđ (George). He went to the U for a year and it was so fun talking about Utah compared to Serbia! He looks at life through a scientific way, but all of his reasoning helped prove why there is a God. He is a successful business man and had to go to a job cite after our lesson. We went to give him a Book of Mormon but he quickly explained he wouldn't have anywhere safe to put it, 

"That is a sacred book, so I will take it from you next time." I loved how he called it a sacred book. The Book of Mormon really is a sacred record preserved for our day. I was so grateful he realized the sacridity of my favorite book. 

While walking down the road this week we saw:

A marching band of Santa Clauses banging on drums and playing trumpets. Everyone was hanging out their apartment windows videoing or just laughing at the group. 

A motorcycle gang of Santa's- riding through the cold all dressed up for the season. 

Yesterday in church I translated for Sister Fitches (senior couple here in Novi Sad) as she gave her talk about the Covenant path. I have translated from Serbian to English plenty of times, but this was my first time translating in church from English to Serbian for sacrament meeting. But don't you worry, whenever I would pause or stumble on a word- someone from the crowd would yell out the translation for me. Or if I didn't know a word, people would give a shot out and help with the translating. It was pretty funny, and also very humbling. I felt like I was in a spelling bee and when I didn't know the next letter people would yell it out for me. It went something like this:

Sister Fitches: "They are wathmen on the tower that look over the horizon." 

Me: "they are watchmen on the tower that look over h.." 

Group: HORIZON! 

Me: thanks

Sister Fitches continue on.

One time after I got shout out help from the audience and I smiled a little awkwardly, one of the members yelled out- "you're doing great! We understand you, keep on going!" hahah. 

It was a fun adventure that helped me learn a lot! 

I really love this talk by Elder Rasband titled:" Standing by our Promises and Covenants"

In this talk there is a quote by President Nelson. "We increase the Savior's power in our lives when we make sacred covenants and keep those covenants with precision. Our covenants bind us to Him and give us godly power." Elder Rasband then said-"when we keep promises to one another, we are more likely to keep promises to the Lord." It is so vital that we honor our promises to the Lord. And to our fellow men. If we say we are going to do something for someone, we need to do it. We need to be exactly honest in everything we do. I know there is power in our lives when we keep our covenants with God.

Happy 2020!! I hope everyone sets some goals this year and makes plans to achieve them! Thanks for all the prayers and cheering me on!

Ћао!

Сестра гитинс

Photos: my little sister is the BEST! HUGE s/o to her. She gave me a Donovan Jersey for Christmas!

Also- balkans love fur coats! So we always are rocking our big fur hoods.

Sister Dimas is a real gem and we have a great time in Serbia together. 

Week 48 Christmas Chat!

It was so good to talk to Tacy and interact on Christmas Morning. She even watched as her siblings opened some gifts. I get to talk to her frequently but Christmas was the best especially with Dad there! She was so Happy and vibrant as usual! She was excited about the Donovan Mitchell Jersey Mo sent to her! We shared our crazy Hoth family Christmas videos with her. She attended a funeral and watched as someone was buried. She is experiencing some very different cultural ideas.

Week 47 Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

I can't decide if people in Novi Sad are the nicest people I've met on my mission, 

or if everyone is just so nice because of the Christmas joy that flutters through the air...? 

Either way! I'm loving it here in Novi Sad.

 We have met some young college students lately and that has been super fun! 

We try to meet up and talk with people in an environment that is quiet and where they can feel the Spirit,

 but sometimes we end up teaching at restaurants or kafić's (cafes). 

This week we met up with lots of young people at kafić's and we drank lots of hot chocolate! 

By the way- the hot chocolate here is like hot pudding! It is so thick and delicious!

We have been trying new methods of finding people who are searching for truth. So this week we went "chalking"! 

We drew a cute, simple nativities on the sidewalk and wrote links to Light the World and other things!

 A few people asked us what we were doing, and then we got to talk a little bit about Christ and Christmas! 

In Serbia, the main religion is Orthodox. They celebrate Christmas on January 7th! Which is really cool.

 A lot of people have asked us ,"So which Christmas are you celebrating?" I have thought about that a lot. 

It doesn't matter which day you celebrate, or how many presents you get, or how many sugar cookies you frost.

 It matters that you celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. That Christ came into the world to take away all pain. 

To give us hope. We should celebrate the day in history that changed all other days, 

because we now can sing JOY to the World the Lord is come!

I am grateful that He was born, and that He lives. That brings me hope and joy!

Sister Dimas and I have had a lot of fun together! 

In the Centar of Novi Sad they have a cute Advent, lights, music, smells, and Christmas spirit! 

They have Chessnuts roasting on every corner! So we got to try "chessnuts roasting on an open fire"! 

It is fun helping her adjust to missionary life and trying to help her learn Serbian. 

Serbian is hard!! I have done a lot of reflecting to my 1st transfer and am grateful for everything I have learned.

 I still have a ways to go.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! When you see your families, give them hugs and enjoy their company! 

And to my family, I would be lying to say that the Christmas season doesn't pull at my heart strings a little extra.

 I miss you all! But I'm so grateful for this time and the joy I feel in my life. 

The Christmas season in the BEST time to be a missionary! 

СРЕЋАН БОЖИЋ!!!! 

hurrah for israel!

волим вас

сестра гитинс

The other day on the street we were talking to this guy who said he had been in SLC. 

He said he tried to go into the big building with the angel Gabriel on the top, but they wouldn't let him in. 

Then he proceeds to ask in which mountain do we keep our spaceship to fly with Joseph Smith to heaven. 

This is all in Sebian so my companion is completely lost. 

I understood it all until he started asking about UFO's and all that. 

So I reasked him to see if I understood and then he just blurts out in english- 

"You are going on that spaceship thing hidden in the mountains to heaven!" 

My companion was caught so off guard we were trying not to die laughing.. AWW good times (:

He continued to say he tried to pay to go in but they wouldn't let him hahha. so funny i was trying not to die laughing.

 But he was super nice!

pictures: 

Eating Chimney Cake in Centar!

We have to bundle up or we freeze!

and serbian pride (: 

Week 46 Silent Night

From Momma G...This week Tacy didn't send an email but I was able to talk to her for a long time. She was in a mall in Novi Sad. Whitney Houston "Don't walk away from me" was blaring in the background. She is so Happy to have a new companion, Sister Dimas from Sandy Utah. They get along well! Tacy received all our packages and loved them. She was happy about her Shutterfly calendar. There were 5 people in attendance at church on Sunday.
      As she told me about a nursing home experience, we cried together. She and some other missionaries went to visit an older woman who is bed ridden. She asked Tacy to get her pills and Tacy placed them in her mouth.  She was in a lot of pain. They all began to sing Silent Night together and Tacy said "That is what Christmas is all about. The way we felt there together and relieving pain as Christ did, through Service" It was a neat experience for me as a mother to hear of the sweet experience she had.
    Tacy also wrote over messenger " Sometimes when I have to get up in the morning and I'm all sad I don't get to sleep anymore I just think "Well this means that my Father is going to sleep and that makes me Happy!" That is what motivates me to get up and out of bed so many mornings(: Get to work so your Father can rest.

Week 45 Moving Up North! Training

Our 15 week transfer came to an end. I was expecting to stay in Belgrade, Serbia but THEN.... I'm going to Novi Sad, Serbia! And I'm training!! Mixed emotions but all of them scream excitement and HERE WE GOOO!(:

Today I drove from Belgrade to Zagreb & have spent time talking to old companions, saying sad goodbyes, and walking through the Advent here in Zagreb! So many beautiful lights and little shops. I asked myself 10x "Am I in a hallmark movie?"

I will miss the Belgrade Branch! They have taught me so much & blessed my life forvever. But I'll return to Belgrade for Zone Conferences(: So all is well!

The people I have met on my mission: companions, members, friends, mission presidents, senior couples, etc. have changed my life forever. I'm so grateful to be a missionary! 

The concert went well! It was so fun to play with Borijana and have people come into the church! We had a good turn out! 

Novi Sad here we come!!

An excited and a little scared

Sestra Gittins

Week 44 I am Blessed

Hello everyone!

This week we met some really nice people on the street! It is getting colder here, the wind blows 24/7! So we just bundle up and try to spread the warmth the gospel brings us to others(:

We are teaching a really cool guy named Petar. This week we had a member present on the lesson. The spirit was really strong as we talked about the Plan of Salvation. The member was sharing his thoughts on a certain subject and proceeded to pull out his phone. I'm thinking "okay, he is sharing a scripture or a quote- great!" But what does he pull out? A meme! It was so funny I died laughing. (Meme Down below)

The meme threw us for a bit- but we got back on track haha. Overall the lessons have been going well with him! He is praying about baptism and really wants to follow Jesus Christ and learn everything he can about Him. 

We went to IKEA looking for furnishings for our apartment! What an adventure with the Benichs!! 

In honor of Thanksgiving I want to tell a few points of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ that bring me JOY & GRATITUDE. 

1-We know WHO are Heavenly Father really is. He is our loving Father & we know that we can have a relationship with Him.

2-Knowing the Plan of Salvation & the perspective it brings!

3-Prophets on the Earth today! just like in the Bible- to lead and guide us.

4-Jesus Christ. Our brother & friend paid for our sins and helps us find JOY.

5- The Book of Mormon brings us closer to Christ when we apply it's teachings.

6- Families CAN BE together forever

7-Eternal Progression. We can continuously "be better & do better"

8- The Gospel! I love this gospel so much! I am so grateful for it & the more I learn the more I want to learn!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! 

Sister Gittins