Elders Green and Gittins / Missionary sons in action

Hello,Green and Gittins families!

I'm the mission leader in an English-speaking ward that meets in the same chapel as the Gurnee Spanish Branch where your sons are serving.

Yesterday, Elder Green and Elder Gittins and I took part in a book giveaway at Lyon Magnet School in Waukegan. The book drop was sponsored by Bernie's Book Bank and United Way of Lake County.

BBB gathers new and gently used children's books, sorts them by school grade, then distributes them to children in low-income schools throughout the Chicago area. Each child receives a bag of books (6 books for grades K-3 students; 3 books for grades 4-6). Most of the kids do not have their own books at home, so they are very excited to start their own "library" at home. BBB and United Way believe that helping children have books they can call their own will help to foster a lifelong love for reading.

Yesterday was my third time to take part in a book drop. It's a great, great experience. It's like watching kids open presents on Christmas morning. They're very excited to have books they can call their own and share with their brothers and sisters.

The other volunteers are from the Community Affairs Department of the Chicago Bears organization. The two boys are from a school in a nearby affluent community; they raised over 1000 books for Bernie's Book Bank.

Elder Green and Elder Gittins saw a child from the Spanish Branch in one of the classrooms; he was very excited to have the missionaries at his school. Another girl whose family had studied with the elders in the past but hadn't seen them for a long time asked them to come back and visit her family again. The United Way coordinator has met several missionaries over the past year that we've been involved, and she loves having their help. Dozens of school administrators, teachers and aides get to see the Gospel in action. This service provides great visibility in our community for the Church and the missionaries.

It was a real pleasure to serve alongside your sons. Thanks for raising such wonderful young men and preparing them them to come to this corner of our Heavenly Father's kingdom.

David V. Stuart
Spring Hill Communication