Week 27 Baptism!!! My Favorite People & My Favorite City!

Hello everyone! 

So much has happened in the last 2 weeks! I will give a basic overview of events!

Zone Conference:

We traveled to Zagreb and had a great conference. It's so strengthening to learn from our amazing mission
President and his wife. Being a missionary is so amazing. Everyday we get to go out and share a message
 about Jesus Christ and how people can personally come to know Him. He is not just a story that people spread.
He lives! If He is only a story to you, read the Book of Mormon and apply what you learn in your life.
 I promise you will come to see that He lives and loves YOU(:

P-Day in Pula & Rovinj:

Last Monday we went to Pula and Rovinj. WOW. Pula has a really cool Colosseum that was built by the
 Romans around the same time the famous Colosseum in Rome was built. So much history and beauty!
 Then we went to Rovinj. I have been to some beautiful places here in Croatia, but Rovinj is by far the most
 beautiful! It is the cutest little Croatian city! When I tell people that I am serving in Croatia- the "Croatia"they
 think of is probably a picture of Rovinj. It is magical with orange rooftops and small streets. It use to be an island,
but they filled in the sea between the main land and the island. We got to ride bikes along the coast, dip our feet
 in the sea, then enjoy some yummy Italian gelato! All day long my heart kept swelling with gratitude. For this
beautiful place I get to live and serve and for the amazing Senior Couple the Christensen's! They are the most
caring, loving people I have ever met. They share their testimony of Jesus Christ everywhere they go- with or
without words.I want to be just like them when I grow up! They are incredible! 

Marino's Baptism:

WOW! What an amazing day on Saturday! Marino got baptized!!!!! He is so humble and was so prepared to
receive the gospel. We have been teaching him since the end of last transfer, and all of this transfer. The
Spirit at the baptism was so sweet. We had around 16 investigators come and got to watch the Restoration
 video with them. After Sister Gunnell and I got to share our testimonies. I know that God restored His church
through the Prophet Joseph Smith. That the Church of Jesus Christ is on the earth again. This is His church.
Marino was baptized just like Jesus was! And by the proper authority. How cool is it that we can be washed clean.
And that every week when we partake of the sacrament, we renew that covenant?! A few of the investigators after
the baptism commented on how cool it is that Marino was baptized just like Jesus Christ was. There were so many
miracles that came from the baptism! 

Exchanges:

We had a double exchange here in Rijeka! So it was fun to have 2 more Sisters in our apartment for a few days!
Sister Taylor and Henderson are so good!

I am so grateful to be a missionary! It is the hardest thing I've ever done, but also the best thing! I know that
God has a plan for each of us! I'm so grateful for the small amount of time I get to spend serving
 Him and helping others come unto Christ.

I'm so grateful to my amazing parents for all they do for me. They constantly support me and have supported
me throughout my life. Thank you Mom and Dad for everything you do for me! I can't express my gratitude enough.

Thank you all for the prayers and support! It means the world! 

Hurrah for Israel!!

Sister Gittins

Week 26 Love You Lots!

Message from this week......
Love you Lots! We are going to Pula and Rovinj today! So have a good time! I might be able to message back and forth a bit but probably no
We still have a baptism on Saturday!

Week 25 A Real Missionary

This week Momma G didn't get an email but she did get this cute note on Hangouts!

I've really been thinking of this lately. I don't just want to do missionary things, but I want to be a real missionary. And just share and love people. It's like life! I don't just want to go through the motions, I want to serve and LOVE people and feel joy! Pure joy! I want to be a joyful missionary and person. And these last couple weeks I've really felt that joy! me and Sis gunnell have SO much fun! I really love being with her! 

Week 24 A Firework Show

Bok bok!! 

Happy 4th of July! This week as Sister Gunnell and I were talking about America and fun traditions we have, we looked out the window and what did we see? Lightning in the distance! So instead of getting ready for bed, we opened the big windows next to our beds and watched the lightning storm. We both fell asleep to the sky full of lights and feeling so blessed to have a summer storm that reminded us of home!

Last p-day we went on a hike! It was so good to smell dirt and walk in the trees! The view from the top was amazing! You could see lots of islands then the beautiful valley too!   

Last week we went tracting with Sister Christensen! It was so fun for us 3 to go knock doors together! She even knows enough Croatian that she explained to people who we were! 

We are teaching some really cool people! Our friend Marino is doing so well! He is continuing to progress towards his baptismal date. He always shares with us the experiences he has as he is changing his life through Jesus Christ. He has seen so many times, that as he lives God's commandments- he is blessed. When we taught about keeping the Sabbath Day holy, he immediately said he would stop fishing on Sundays. The next week when we asked him about how keeping the Sabbath Day holy went, he said he caught more fish that week(monday through friday), then he would have if he fished on Sunday. His faith is so strong and he really wants to follow his Savior! There is power in keeping the commandments! And there is even more power when we keep our covenants! I am so excited for him to make this covenant with God and begin his journey on the covenant path! 

I love the talk "The Immediate Goodness of God" by Elder McKay.

"The immediate goodness of God comes to all who call upon Him with real intent and full purpose of heart. This includes those who cry out in earnest desperation, when deliverance seems so distant and suffering seems prolonged, even intensified."

I know that God is putting Immediate blessings in front of us all the time! He is constantly blessing us and giving us that tender boost to keep going. When we do our part, keep the commandments. work hard, and pray- God will always place tender mercies in front of us.

Thank you for all the love and support! I love serving in Rijeka! and I love being a missionary! 

Doviđenja!

Sister Gittins

America Day, so naturally we ate watermelon! 

This picture is called- How many commy blocks can you get in one photo?

Week 23 Hike to Ućka Gora

Hello! So I will give you a quick run down on this week!!

IT WAS SO HOT! so we try to do our studies in the heat of the day, then go finding in the morning or in the evenings! I'm always dripping sweat! 

We had 3 lessons with Marino and taught about Prophets and Word of Wisdom! he said he use to smoke a whole packet a day, but came to church on Sunday and said he hasn't smoked once!! Sister Gunnell during our lesson said- When you go to smoke ask yourself, do I love God or this cigarette more? and he told us he's been doing that and it really helped! He's so COOL! He has such great faith and really is progressing and changing is life to follow our savior Jesus Christ.

We are going on a hike today! I think it will be like a 2-3 hour hike with the Christensen's ! Should be super fun! 

We hung out with the Hachi's and they made us Vegan burgers! Super yummy they make great healthy food! They always feed us so much! We bought Dajana something for her bday and I just love that family so much! 

Lots of laughs this week and crazy adventures! Lots of ice cream to cool down and lots of smiles(:

Love you lots! Thanks for all the love and prayers! I so feel them!