Last week we went to čačak!! (Pronounced Chaw Chalk) This is the legendary town in our mission! All the missionaries want to go there and serve (but currently there are no missionaries)... We went and toured a few Monasteries! The traditions here in Serbia are strong. They connect Nationality and Religion to the extreme! If you are Serbian- you are Orthodox. If you are Croatian- you are Catholic, etc. At one of the monasteries we wore robes! We might have had too much fun in these robes... heheh(: In čačak we met with the sweetest and strongest woman I've ever met. Her name is Ljubica. She holds up the church in čačak. The active members are her husband, her son, and her. They hold sacrament every week in the little church building and hope that others will come. To be a member of the church in Serbia in general is very brave, but to be a member in čačak is even harder! There is a lot of misunderstanding down there. Yet Ljubica is so brave! We sang hymns together and talked about the Savior. We were all in tears. What a sacred time we had all together. Ljubica is such an example of bravery and love.
On Nov 29th we will be having a concert! Borijana (this AMAZING violinist) and I (piano) will be performing classical music, some jazz, and other church pieces! You all are invited! Jokes. But I'm hoping to get members, nonmembers, and lots of people INTO the church. Even just having people know where our church is or that we are a church is huge! So this concert will be a great way to introduce people to the church in a more normal way. I'll admit- I've been a little stressed and worried about the concert! I am constantly practicing for it during meal times, before 9 and after 9, etc. But hopefully I'll be ready to play and all will go well! I've taken lots of piano lessons, but I've never had piano lessons and practices with a Serbian woman who explains it all in Serbian at a very fast pace. I'm increasing the vocabulary tho! haha.
We have been teaching this really cool guy named Petar! He has come to church twice and we have really great contact with him over messenger! I am so excited for his progression. He went from being afraid of praying to praying with us. He is reading the Book of Mormon!!!!! (chime the heavenly bells) I love when people read the BOM for themselves and try to find out if it is true. If you never read, you'll never know...
I love being a missionary! There are ups and there are downs, but through it all I've learned things that I will hold with me through eternity. I'll explain something I learned through a conversation my comp and I had.
The other day my companion and I were leaving the apartment. We were discussing things we had that day and things we felt inadequate about. My companion asked me, "What if I can't do it?" I responded,"Just do your best" To which she replied, "but what if my best isn't good enough?" I thought about this a lot. There are so many times in our lives when we feel our best is not good enough. We fall short again and again EVEN when we are giving it our all. BUT that is why the Atonement of Jesus Christ is in our lives. God knew that our best wouldn't be good enough. God knew we needed a Savior and so that is why Jesus Christ came to save us. When we are on the Lord's team OUR BEST IS ENOUGH! We are enough! We can do "all things in Christ". I have learned so strongly on my mission that all I need to do is my best and give the rest to the Lord. The days when I give it my best are the best and happiest days. So don't be negative towards yourself if you aren't perfect. Just do your very best moment by moment and in that way you are perfectly trying! Work hard and do your best- what else can you do? Don't let the little things out of your control bother you- just do your best(:
Also we had ZONE conference/ mission tour!! Elder Kopiscke was here! I learned SO much about finding and inviting others to come unto Christ! I'm excited to apply what I've learned! Plus I got to see Sister Roberts (MOM) and Sister Garside again! It was so fun to have them stay at our apartment!
I got to see the Christensens again! I love them beyond anything! They are the sweetest people ever and so caring and Christlike! How grateful I am for them and their examples!!
I am so thankful for my family and all they do for me! The love and support I feel from them is beyond description. I'm so grateful I get to talk to them every week and laugh away stress or just joke around! I'm grateful for this time of year when we focus on gratitude and love! And next up CHRISTMAS!!!
Transfer announcements are in 10 days! Who knows if I'll stay in Belgrade? Any guesses? ;)
I love you all!
Sister Gittins
mission tour and sveti sava
čačak
my mom! and bestest friends from the mtc and such great friends!
we had too much fun in our robes!
tunnels
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