Sestra Gittins: May 2020

Monday, May 25, 2020

Week 70 I'm Grateful to be in Serbia!

Šta ima svima?

This sounds funny, but I still look around and my heart fills with gratitude when I realize I am in Serbia! as a missionary! God is good(:

This week zoomed by! Probably because I slept through a lot of it. Jokes but not. Not feeling 100% healthy, but grateful for a fresh start to smash it.

The people in Serbia are so great! I love their hearts, dreams, and culture!

I've taken up water color again. Fun hobby.

We played soccer today for pday with all the Elders in Serbia and oofff. I haven't ran that much in a long time! I realized how much I love soccer. So fun to get out and move!

We had a zoom Meeting this week with Sister Becky Craven! She and her husband blessed our lives with a wonderful message.

The family we are teaching is so good. The son started reading the Book of Mormon 10 days ago and is in Jacob! A few years ago missionaries invited them to be baptized. He told us that and said that he regrets that they didn't. I can see this family in white. I didn't know my heart could love these people so much! When you study and help one another, you grow together! Please pray for them.

This week I learned very strongly that faith=power. When we really have faith, when we really trust in God, He gives us strength beyond our own. How do you have power because of your faith?

Happy Memorial Day!

Sister Gittins

Pics-everyone gotta love a FB filter, right? Haha. District Council sometimes goes crazy.. (:

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Week 69 Family = Porodica

There are moments in life when you wonder, "why in the world am I here"?

And then you have moments where you say "I know exactly why I am here".

This week was one of those I know exactly why I am here! Because of the amazing porodica we are teaching!!

Once again this porodica blows us away with their questions and humility. Here are some of those questions:

-so say we get sealed and one of us doesn't follow that promise we made, what happens then?

-where does Satan go after this life?

-how did we choose to come to this life?

AND so many more

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BIG prayers for this porodica!

We aren't able to meet and have the Sacrament so it has been a long time since we have had that.

So every Sunday as a companionship we read the Sacrament prayers and reflect on the Savior.

It is so special to remember The One who makes it all possible.

I finished Jesus the Christ this week! I started it my first transfer lolz and hit it hard during this time(:

That book has strengthen my understanding and love of the Savior. I encourage everyone to read it!

We had transfers and the elders are moving around, but the trio of sisters is staying together!

When you are the only sisters in the country and borders are closed haha. But I am super excited!

We have found the trio groove.

I love the talk from conference

"Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God" by Elder Renlund

"Every time we use, benefit from, or even think of these gifts, we ought to consider the sacrifice,

generosity, and compassion of the givers. Reverence for the givers does more than just make us grateful.

Reflecting on Their gifts can and should transform us."

I know that reflecting on the gifts from the Savior will transform us. And we ought to reflect on Him often.

Don't go crazy, rely on the Lord!

Love ya'll.

Sister Gittins

Attachments area

Monday, May 11, 2020

Week 68 Roses to the Lovely!

In the small courtyard behind the church, there are lovely roses which line the fence. They are beautiful and not many get to see their beauty besides the three sister missionaries who bask in the sunlight in the courtyard and make calls from there. There beauty will soon be gone and we decided it needed to be shared. So we cut off a bunch of roses and handed them to women as we walked home from the church. Roses to the Lovely.

The wonderful family we are teaching is doing so wonderfully! They are praying about baptism. My prayers are for the three of them!

Our sweet neighbor brought us bread this week and thanked us for singing hymns every night after 8pm for 2 months.

We delivered more food this week to those in need!

We strolled through Kalamegdon(big famous fort) for exercise the other day. Wonderful!

Today we went to Fruška Gora with our zone! It was SO good to see everyone and have a nice BBQ. Driving with the windows down and the music up, my heart felt whole.

I am grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith. He always had to be the strong one in the face of so many trials. And yet he pushed through those trials with courage and faith in Jesus Christ! The things of this world will pass, and our faith in Jesus Christ will help us to see the beautiful roses amidts the thorns.

Roses to the Lovely. Give yourself a rose. See the roses in your life.

Sister Gittins

Monday, May 4, 2020

Week 67 Prepare the Fonts in Europe

zdravo svima!

Latter Day Saint Charities has been joining up with other churches here in Belgrade and we have been able to deliver food to those in need! This week we delivered to people ages 65+. They can see our smiles under our masks and we have a quick exchange of words that brighten our day and theirs. After that they usually tell us they have a Grandson they want us to marry. But problem.. there's three of us- guess we will do rock, paper, scissors;) Haha typical Balkan Grandma offer. 1st comes the sok offer (juice) 2nd comes the Unuk offer (Grandson).

Last week we got to go stroll through the forest(: SO GOOD.

We had zone conference over zoom! There was training on membership councils, relationships, the Holy Ghost, and GLORY! Sister Melonakos is a great teacher!

A random former messaged us and asked us tons of questions about the Book of Mormon and the plan of Salvation! It was incredible(: We set up a lesson with her and it was great!

We asked Misa and Petar if on our next lesson their wife/mom could join. SHE DID! AND they are incredible! They have been reading everything we assign them to,and really glow with a love for Christ! Our lessons keep getting better and better. They ask inspired questions and I just love these people!

We are super busy with lessons, meetings, calling, staying in contact with our friends, and so much more! I want to quote a few people from this week.

An Elder in my mission said this (take in mind he has been out 15 months)

"I have taught more lessons in this one week of my mission than I've ever taught in a week for my entire mission"

or a member of the Area Presidency

"More lessons are being taught around Europe than ever before"

These things are so true! The success over here has been incredible to see! Prepare the FONTS OVER HERE.

Hope everyone has a great week! God is with us(: The only thing you need to fear is your companion who jumps out at you all the time. Sister Toleafoa is so good at scaring sister Hart and I it is hilarious! It gives us a good jump and then laugh.

Love you all!

Sister Gittins

p.s. enjoy our relationship heheh