Week 74 HAKA & Fleeing the country!!

Dobar Dan:)

The last 2 weeks have been adventurous. Why?

-We went to Novi Sad for church! So good to see the members there and celebrate Jelena's birthday!

-baptism in Belgrade!! So great to see Saša make this Covenant with God, and the Fam we are teaching came!

-sister Dimas sang "baptism" at the baptism and I got to accompany her! It was great if I say so myself :) 

-zone conference! Presenting went well lolz. We talked about FB finding. 

-AFTER zone conference we all got together and danced! We got to do the dances

that we've all been learning for 3 months through zoom! IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER. 

We did dances from India, Serbia, Scotland, and so many more! 

We also did a send off HAKA for Sister Melonakos! (our amazing mission president is leaving next week!)

-Sister Toleafoa and I had to go to a Serbian Judge this week..

 I was Sister Toleafoa's lawyer because of langauge barriers.. Crazy visa paperwork... Big fines.. 

And we had to flee the country.. 

So after our border run, we still have more to do this week! 

I never thought I would have the role of lawyer on the mission, but I've done many roles I never saw coming. 

I'll probably be in Serbia until I go home in August. That's a full year of Serbia! 

One of my all time favorite talks is:

"Come what may and love it" by Elder Worthlin. 

No matter what comes, you're going to have to face it. So you might as well love it! 

(: I'm a BIG supporter of laughter and smiles. It's always better to laugh through the hard than to cry. 

So come what may-and LOVE IT. 

"the simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him." Elder Worthlin. 

Find something to laugh at today. Even if it's yourself. 

Love you all! (: 

Сестра Гитинс 

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Week 73 No Email but Cute Pictures!

Pictures from a run in Belgrade and a Birthday visit to Novi Sad! 

Week 72 Rescue Mission and Soul Filled to Laughter

DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS:

Yesterday was the first day back at church! It was the first time I got to partake of the Sacrament in months! It was an unforgettable experience. Since we havent been able to partake of the Sacrament, it really helped me appreciate it more. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. 

THE FAMILY came to church and the Dad bore his testimony! He talked about how much he loves the Book of Mormon. It was incredible. You know when you want to laugh because you feel the Spirit so strong? That was me. I was almost full to bursting with smiles and the spirit! 

The dad has had back problems and after Sacrament received a Priesthood blessing from Borko and Brat Savić. Yet again incredible. 

The Rescue Mission:

Sister Andrews has been stuck in Montenegro. She was suppose to go home awhile ago but borders have been shut down and no flights out. .. So! 

The Austin's (senior couple) drove down to the border of Montenegro and picked up the 2 sisters serving in Podgo. They walked across the border to get out.

These sisters came to Belgrade and stayed with us.

Then Sister Dimas and I drove Sister Andrews into Croatia. Borders have been on high lock down, but they let us cross over, drop her off to a few elders and turn around and go back to Serbia.

These elders then took her to Zagreb where she got to fly home! 

So Sister Andrews got to go home! Yahoo

The eagle has landed!

So now Sister Dimas lives with us and is comps with Sister Hart! So I currently live with ALL my past companions who are currently still in the mission!! 

Sister Hart and I have been running every morning and I love running!! Best way to start the day(:

We have found awesome people to teach through FB! FB finding for the win! 

We did service this week at the food Bank! We worked in a big warehouse and made over 500 boxes!

Today we had a surprise birthday party for Elder Krmpotich! We ordered pizza and all got together (: and of course we went to the favorite ice cream place - crna ovca!

This ice cream place is the best! I have been there a lot! But without fail, every time I have gotten icecream from there it rains! So today it poured and ever since we have been enjoying a thunder storm! :) I love summer storms.

This week I bought 1 watermelon, 3 ice creams, and got a free umbrella. Summer is here (:

I have really learned the principle of "magnifying thine office". I know that when I magnify my efforts and do all that I can, that the Lord magnifies ME and helps me keep going! The enabling power of Jesus Christ is a TRUE & accessible power.

God loves you! 

Sister Gittins

Pics: fun pictures with members, service, escape missions, and ICE CREAM

Hello there dear loved ones!

Serbia is good(: I am doing well(: 

I just wanted to share a couple thoughts with you. These thoughts are near to my heart (:

I have read my patriarchal blessing many times in my life. But this week it stood out differently.

I always remember it telling me that one day I would choose to serve the Lord as a missionary, but as I read this line this week my heart was touched: (I added highlights) 

"are promised that we can bring blessings to all the FAMILIES of the WORLD, and YOU will have this OPPORTUNITY as you serve throughout your life."

I am so grateful for the sweet family we are teaching right now. I know that this is one family in the world that I am suppose to bring the blessing of the Restored Gospel to. I am so grateful for this opportunity to meet with them and help them progress in their knowledge and understanding. I am blessed to see my patriarchal blessing being fulfilled!

I also love this scripture 

D&C 121

45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

It tells us what we need to do to stand confident in the presence of God. 

-Full of charity towards all men

-faith

-virute garnish your thoughts

I love these 3 points because I need to improve on them!

I also love the phrase Dew from heaven. Dew isn't a huge flood or a rain storm. But it is just enough to water something to help it keep going. 

I know that God sends us Dews from heaven when we strive to follow Him. He gives us just the right amount of 'water' to keep on going. We can go from 'grace to grace'. I see little dews from heaven everday in my life. God gives me little things everyday to help me keep going. And I know He gives those things to you!

I invite you to look up/think about some of these key words

-Garnish

-unceasingly

-distil

-dews

-doctrine of the Priesthood

I defined those words and it enhanced my study of this verse! 

I love you all so much! I know that God loves you and has an army of angels ready to help you!

With love, 

Sister Gittins 

Week 71 Happy June Everyone!

Zdravo!

Anyone looking around and wondering why in the world God chose YOU for this time of the world?

Me too.

So I read a talk by Sheri Dew and loved this quote!

"We are chosen to run the last leg of a relay, where the coach always positions his strongest runner."

You are the strongest runner! So keep running!

THIS WEEK

-Taught a cool guy from Africa, and we had Sister Toleafoa's cousin in on the lesson! He just returned from serving there.

-The family we are teaching is doing SO well! A member was in on the lesson with us and she helped answer so many questions!

-The Austins (only senior couple in Serbia) took us out to lunch this week! They were so sweet to drive an hour to come and visit! Good for the soul to see someone we know.

-Had to do lots of VISA work🤦‍♀️ We have to apply for resident permits for every city we live in-so the MUP (Police Station) is always crazy fun. Nope.. 

-We just enjoyed some yummy ice cream and Italian food in Centar.

-There has been thunder storms all week off and on! I love the power in the storms.

-We are alive (:

Hurrah for Israel

Сестра Гитинс

Neat stories of getting Sister Dimas and Andrews from Montenegro during this Crazy Corona time!

Love these girls! Love their unity and smiles! 

SO GRATEFUL for Tacy taking this picture yesterday. I haven’t heard from Kierstyn yet, but Tacy’s text to Melinda Andrews that they made it across the border safely, brought she and I to our knees in tears of gratitude. This planned exodus from Montenegro was as Savannah put it... “Savannah referred to their trip to Serbia as the “Melonakos 11” as in the movie Oceans 11 because she said everyone involved was chosen for their very specific skill set.” We heard the specific details of the plan they were preparing to implement from Kierstyn. My family compared the details to a spy movie like “Mission Impossible.” When I asked her if there was anything we could do for her, she asked me to send the details to my family and have them pray and exercise faith on their behalf they were going to need it. Melinda Andrews and I messaged throughout the night, lots of promptings to get out of bed and pray NOW! No information until Tacy’s text. Then she sent this picture to Melinda. Love your daughter, so glad they get to be together even if it’s just for a little while. President Milonakis has said that he wants to get Kierstyn back into Montenegro, as soon as they can. Grateful for Savannah being willing to stay and now glad she is able to go home, her family is so excited!

When they flew in, there was no problem at all. They were only able to take one piece of luggage, so that senior companion when she would go get them would leave her luggage behind and take just a backpack with a few changes of clothes and carry her new companions second suitcase with her.

Here is the message Kierstyn sent me before they left Monday.

Flights from Montenegro continue to be canceled. President Melonakos has been trying to get Sister Andrews out for several weeks, each week they have been cancelled. The flight was supposed to have left on June 2, it was canceled on Saturday so he gathered several people in Serbia and the missionaries and they came up with a plan.

 Part 1: “Elders Smith and Jones serving in Montenegro are driving us to a small town just on the south side the of the Montenegro-Serbian border (2hrs). 

Part 2: The Austins, a senior couple who do not speak any Serbian and two Elders Wood and Miller who speak Serbian the best will drive down from Belgrade (6hrs). 

Part 3: There is a 9 km no mans zone between the two countries (similar to the demarcation line in Korea) If the Montenegrin Elders cross the Montenegro border because they are Americans they will not be able to return back to Montenegro. There is a gentleman, a native from Montenegro and the director of the Red Cross named  Safet,  our friend in Bjelo Polje, who we  met and worked on a humanitarian project with last February who has agreed to take the sisters across the border. Once he crosses into the zone only he can return because of his Montenegrin citizenship.

Part 4: The sisters at one point will need to walk the rest of the way and cross into Serbia.  Border laws change frequently but a call this morning stated they feel the sisters will be able to enter.

Part 5: The missionaries in Serbia will pick them up and take them back to Belgrade.

Tourists and missionaries have only been permitted to enter by plane so they are taking a chance and going by faith.  

They will leave Podgorica at 10am (2am MST)  Having faith that Serbia will let them in and they don’t end up stuck in the zone unable to go either way. Embassy told them they can’t help them in this. So please pray. 

Pres. Melonakos wants Kierstyn to return as soon as possible so most of her belongings are to stay in Montenegro.