Monday, April 15, 2013

Pinch me, I'm a missionary. Actually...please don't. Ever. :)


Mum, PahPea, family and friends!!!

That one time when EVERY day I love being a missionary!!!! mmhmm. eyup. it's awesome. :) It was such an incredible week, serving the Lord here in London!:) I'll just jump in with the week by saying that we began teaching a beautiful family of 4!!! The father of the family was actually baptized when he was 14 in Mexico City but because of an accident, he lost most of his memory and lives away from his family so he lost all contact with the Church. After we taught them, he said he could remember the feelings he had before and something about wanting to go on a mission and go to the temple! It was so inspiring to see the Holy Ghost work in him as we sat with him!! His wife, Alli, is SUCH a sweetheart! She's incredibly interested in the Church and LOVES that we are inviting her to find out for herself. She's a latter-day Joseph Smith, wanting to find the truth by visiting hundreds of churches, but hasn't felt like she's found it quite yet. When we taught them this past week, we just watched as the Spirit spoke to Alli and her husband Jaime, telling them that this is the path they need to take. Thank Heavens for the Spirit, for if it was me teaching alone, I would have no success whatsoever! They also have a sweet 5 year old boy Anthony who told us he wants to serve a mission like us one day!!! :) Oh sweet, eh? oh and they have a 9 year old Abby who was at her grandparents this weekend but she prays everyday and loves the Bible, so we're going to teach her as well!!!:) Seeing how excited their family got, to hear about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, made me SO incredibly grateful for the family and friends I have that support me every day while I am here in Canada. To all of YOU!  Thank you so much for being so incredible!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL SOO MUCH!!!!!:)

Feel loved? Good! now let's jump into QUESTION TIME!!!:)
1.  Have you seen (or talked with) Elder Harrs yet?
I have actually! He was at our stake conference this past Sunday and he gave me a message from Mum that said "I love you to the moon and something....plus more...or something....I don't remember, sorry." :) LOVE YOU TOO MOM!!!:) message for his mom: he's doing just great! We'll watch over him here in London, ON! It's a great city to be born in and he'll love it! Don't worry about him, he's got incredible missionaries around him and an AWESOME companion!
2.  How excited are you about my finding your mittens?  :0)
BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may or may not have jumped up and down out of excitement!!!:) Thank you so so so much! they will definitely be needed next winter!:) Thanks a TON!
3.  Which Conference Talk do you want to share this week?
I'll be honest, I don't remember who said it, but someone said to make your testimony visible daily; post it on facebook, on twitter, or whatever social network you are apart of, make it known, spread the truth! I have been thinking a lot about growing up in the Church, personally, I never shared the gospel with anyone outside the church, I didn't know how, and this is one of the simplest ways it could possibly be done! I dunno how she'll feel if I call her out, but I adore her so much, I hope she'll be ok with it...Michelle Radmall! This girl is SOOOO good at sharing her testimony all the time! I remember checking facebook at night and seeing Michelle's sweet thoughts and lessons from either herself, her family, or the Prophet on her status at the end each day. Even as a member of the Church, I learned incredible lessons from her little thoughts each night that made me want to be a better person. Just imagine being a nonmember, reading something your best friend puts up about being a better person, and where you can go to get life questions answered and who you can turn to to be calmed from your worries! They have a desire to get those answers, but they don't know where to turn. Help guide them, it's a simple, nonthreatening way to share the Gospel, and the apostles have invited us to use it to share it constantly. So, don't be shy!:)
4.  Glad to read that you were able to talk with Eloid.  Is he STILL in Toronto?
yes. we have been reassured from calling that he is reading The Book of Mormon, but boy Toronto won't let him go! soon. hopefully very soon!:)
5.  How is Samantha feeling?
Better, we gave her a goal to work towards the 26th of May for baptism, and she accepted. She knows she'll have to work very hard in order to be prepared for that day, but she knows she has to be the one to put in the effort, so she's going to try. She's going through a lot right now, but we know with the Lord by her side, she will succeed! Thank Heavens for His strength that He never withholds if we but ask for help. Why do it alone, when you have an all powerful Father who is ready to help, simply waiting for you to ask?
6.  What about Kim?  (she sounds like a sweetheart!!)
she definitely is! Kim is being attacked, just like we suspected because she already knows it's true. her parents are going through a divorce and fighting constantly, even at the time we were going to teach her, and she was incredibly embarassed and didn't feel like meeting at that time, poor girl. Please keep her sweet spirit in your prayers, please, she will definitely feel of them, we know she will! Thank you so much.
7.  FAVORITE moment of the week...
that one time, on the bus, when I started telling someone about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon, and she kept looking at this guy who was listening at the front of the bus who was also looking at a lady in the back of the bus who was listening. So yeah, I taught 3 people at the same time throughout the WHOLE bus! haha it was a really quiet bus and you know how I talk loud, right? well s zerkle said she just stopped trying to contact people while I was talking because everyone was looking at me, so she listened as well because she was also in the back of the bus. haha SO asides from that, our lesson with the family of 4, the Myers family, that was definitely the favorite!:)
8.  FUNNIEST moment of the week...
you know how I thought I wouldn't be awkward if someone hugged me or something? yeah, no. I'm totally awkward, because that happened this week! so...We went to a funeral for a sister of a member in the ward who had a son. Afterwards, he thanked us for coming and helping with the music, and wished us a good day by giving us a hand shake. But then he says "ah, forget handshakes, I'm a hugger!" and gives me this HUGE hug! I mean, I understand his mom passed away, but apparently my eyes went HUGE!!! I didn't know what to do!!! S. Zerkle said that my eyes went as big as scratch off of ice age's eyes. so just in case you're wondering, your daughter is SOOO awkward as a missionary. eyup. well...I'm sure you already called it....but here's proof. hope you enjoyed imagining it! ;)
9.  BEST COMPANION moment of the week...  (laughed out loud about the boots!!!)
haha ah man...so that one time when s Zerkle and I were walking on the street in the sunshine and as happy as can be! When out of nowhere, S Zerkle body slams into me and says "FLASH MOB!" stops and says "wait no. BODY SLAM!!!" haha man. reitereating that wasn't really that funny. but I thought it was funny. :)

well, my loves, it is time for me to depart. Please don't ever forget that of which you know to be true! In the Book of Mormon, how many times did the Nephites fall into sin because they got too comfortable and thought they were "safe" so they ceased reading and learning from the written word? Please don't ever suppose that you are "safe", for Satan is real and knows you. Continue to do the things that will bring you closer to our Father in Heaven, for not until we are in His presence again are we truly safe! Satan will attempt to distract you, but be comforted in the Lord's promise that as you serve Him, he will have NO power over you! I know this Gospel is true, and that Joseph Smith was, indeed, a true prophet! In Stake Conference yesterday, Elder Nolan G. Archibald came and spoke on many aspects of the Gospel, and focused on the Truth of Joseph Smith saying this; "Joseph Smith was either one of 3 things.
1. He was a deceiver.
2. He deceived himself. or
3. He told the Truth.
Number 1 is ridiculous, for he was persecuted from age 14-32 until he was murdered.
Number 2 would only make sense if those who read the Book of Mormon did not feel a thing, and if the Book didn't inspire men to be better than they are. but alas, it does!
That only leads one more option…
Number 3 HE TOLD THE TRUTH!" 

Ending with what Elder Holland said in General Conference a year ago "No wicked man could write such a book as this, and no man would write it, unless it were true, and he were commanded of God to do so."

I love this Gospel so much and thank all of you for inspiring me to strengthen my testimony each and every day! I love you all!!!!

Love for now and forever,
Sister De Groot:)

MIssionary Invitation: See the answer to question #3, above  :)

P.S. to Karl -
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  AH! I'm so sorry Karl, I really do love you!!!! so... happy belated birthday!!!!!!:) I love you lots and lots and hope you had an AWESOME day!!!! Love ya, goober! ;)

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