WEEK 9 She has arrived! Zagreb, Croatia

Miss Tacy has arrived in CROATIA! We didn't hear for a few days (email issue).
We had to put our Rusty Puppy down on Tuesday, which will also be sad for Sestra Gittins.

Tacy kinda thought she would be going to Bosnia but even though we haven't heard from her Rumor has it (Sister Elder on Facebook) that she is serving in Rijeka, Croatia which is pronounced
(REE- EE- KA)
We cannot wait to hear from her on Monday, which may well be Sunday here!
 She is 7 HOURS AHEAD OF US NOW!

Week 8 Time to FLY!

This week we got our flight plans! We leave the MTC at 10 am on Monday! I AM SO EXCITED! After 2 MONTHS in the MTC I am so ready to get to the field & start working! We are flying through Colorado, Germany, then to Croatia! Then depending on where the Lord wants me, I’ll head off to that country. If you are assigned to Montenegro you catch another plane, but the others you go to by train, bus, or car. 

I have learned so much while at the MTC. It is such a beautiful place to learn and grow! I am not the same person that I was when I walk in. God has been teaching me and trying me, and this is just the beginning! I am so excited for what God has in store for me in the Balkans!

This week we practiced teaching English! (We will teach a lot of English classes in the Balkans) We taught a few grammar principles, and I have probably learned more about English than Croatian or Serbian! Our teachers told us that in the 2 months we are here, we have received around a years worth of language instruction. YET, I still am a struggle bus with the language! I can't wait to be fully surrounded by it, that is where the true growth comes.

It has been so warm in Provo! We have been studying outside everyday, and I even got SUNBURNT! It is so nice after months of cold and walls, to be outside in the sunshine and wind. 

So look around! See God's hand in your life. Even if the only thing you can see is the sun. Feel the wind or rain on your face and know that there is a God who lives and loves you! I'm so grateful that He has a plan!!

CROATIAN word of the day: Nemam Pojma!! ( I have no clue) (I will be using this a LOT)

Love you all! Thank you for all the prayers and support! 

Next time I email, I'll be in Europe! 

Love, Sestra Gittins

The ADN Sisters! Reppin' all our countries and all our flags!

Sister Hart and I love to study on the roof! 

Week 7 Cabin Fever

Tacy sent some pictures with her Branch President and his wife (President and Sister Edwards)
 She has 11 days left in the MTC making it 60 days total there! She asked me to send her an ankle support. By the time she leaves the MTC she will be 10% done with her mission! She said they are really working on Serbian now along with Croatian and its hard. She has a feeling that her first area will be Bosnia! She asked one of the guys at the MTC where he thought she would be headed and he said "Bosnia." Not gonna lie, Sarajevo, Bosnia gives me just a bit of anxiety! I know the Lord will be with her every step of the way because Tacy Loves and Serves him! She is a great example to me.

Week 6 Sprained ankle

BOK!

WEEK 7 at the MTC! I really love my time here, but I’m so excited to head out to Croatia! I get my flight plans next Friday, so the countdown begins! 

This week everyone got put on quarantine! We aren’t allowed to high five, shake hands and no hugs- SOS! The flu is spreading really bad here.... & one of our sisters got put into literal quarantine where she couldn’t see anyone or do anything! But as STL’s we broke her out of “prison” today! Hahaha

Also fun fact, I sprained my ankle today saving the MTC cat from a tree. JOKES! I was just playing volleyball, lame... Haha.

My companion and I just got back from the temple. It is the best place to be! There I read the scripture from Matthew 19:26

“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible”

I know that all things are possible through the Lord. But when I read this quote it reminded me of a quote I heard on Sunday

“We can’t expect the Lord to guide our footsteps if we don’t move our feet”

ALL THINGS are possible with God BUT we have to move our feet! He wants to bless & guide us, but we have to keep moving forward(:

God loves you all so much! Keep moving, look to Him, TRUST Him & you can do all things! Jesus healed the blind, lame, dead, & crippled. HE CAN HEAL YOU. Just ask Him(: 

I love & appreciate ALL of you so much!

Love you all!

Love the crippled, ready to get out of here, crazy, HAPPY,

Sestra Gittins

Well hello my lovely family! I hope you all are in good health! 

I'm enjoying life down here (: It's crazy but also so fun! I mean, being a missionary is hard, but MTC missionary wow we've got it easy! I seriously sit in class, get fed tons of food (and ice cream) then we have studying and yeah! Don't get me wrong, it's tough! Studying so much and preparing so many lessons, but it's SO great! I love that all my focus is on the Lord and His work! We all need to help gather scattered Israel! It is an amazing blessing we have!

Sunday- Brad Wilcox came and spoke to us! It was so great! He spoke on Scattered Israel and gathering them in! SO COOL! I encourage all of you to study that and how you can better gather scattered israel! 

Some quotes from Him-

"Be true to the birthright you have been given! True to the responsibilities"

"don't you dare let the world change you, when you were born to change the world!"

He also compared life to a giant cruise! We are all going around trying to gain experiences (it made sense when he said it) anyway! He said- "remember who you are! you are not a passenger, you are a member of the crew!" "There is nothing that could be asked of you that you haven't already been paid in full for" THE BIRTHRIGHT! I love this! I love that we have this opportunity!

Tuesday- We had Elder Cook from the Seventy come! He had 17 of his grandkids come and we sang Called to Serve to them! He told us to help inspire the generations to come to serve missions. Let me tell you this- I have only been out here for 7 weeks, but I know that this expericne is going to be the best thing for my life. That my mission is going to bless me everyday now and into the eternities. I have already seen it change me. I've seen it change the Elders around me. GOD know what he is doing! And we need to help Him gather our siblings(: 

Anyway! sorry I keep preaching... not preaching but I get so excited about all of this! IT make my heart buzz! I love it!! and I can't wait to fly out!!

FUN FACTS-

They put us all under quarantine! We can't touch each other or fist pumps or handshakes! A sister in our zone got quaranitined! she has the flu and was "put away" ! awww!

I sprained my ankle today! hahaha, but I'm totally good! It hurt really bad at first, and a little rn, but I'm totally fine. Ice and iburpofen@ Morgan!! ;)

We get our flight plans in 8 days! Mozemo!! (we can)!! So excited! 

Also happy daylights savings to you all;) what a blessed day.

Thanks for all the emails and love! I love it here! It's great! Enjoy your day!!

Sestra G

Tacy sprained her ankle while playing volleyball. She stepped on an Elders foot! 

Week 5 SECOND SKYPE

It was our Anniversary and she sent us a sweet email!  She didn't send a group email this week. We got to Skype with her again and we loved seeing her cute face! It makes us feel like she is home if just for a little bit. 

HELLO MY LOVELY PARENTS

I hope you have the greatest day ever ever!! Thank you both for your amazing examples to me! You have taught me so much and I am so grateful for your love! I am so grateful you taught me so many important things. Like hard work- wow! That seriously is the most important thing ever! Both of your examples to me of this is AMAZING! I look up to you both eternally. Thank you for raising me and helping me get to this point in my life. 

No words can express my love and appreciation to the both of you. You both deserve worlds on end and happiness in this life and the next! 

I hope you enjoy the play on Saturday and find a way to have a great time today! 

I am enjoying life(: Many people see missions as a check list, like go and check it off! But rn, this moment is my life! I am grateful to be here, but want to be in Croatia very bad! We welcomed in 13 New missionaries last night to our zone! It's the best, but we also have to miss class to do this and it's hard to miss! Not enough time here! BUt also too much.. ya know!? We get to go to the temple rn and I'm excited! It is one of the only places I can relax... It's bad but I think I'm too tense! haha I need to relax. Like lots of people cry and show emotion.. I cry and feel the spirit, but can never cry to let out my anger or stress. haha who knows! I love playing the piano tho- that helps me to relax! So thank you for putting up with years of awful piano! 

I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH! PLEASE DO SOMETHING FUN TODAY!! RELAX AND SMILE!

LOVE YOU BOTH TO THE MOON AND BACK X22

WOOT WOOT!!

LOVE,

Sestra G

ps- a year ago today we were picking up Hayli!