eye. el oh vee ee. tea aych eye es(!) (Translation: I LOVE THIS!)

Mum. Pah Pea, family, and friends!!

Hello there! we had such an incredible week, this letter won't even be able to come close to expressing how I feel from this week! But first and foremost, I need to do a couple of shoutouts because I didn't last week...

First, to the greatest Pops in the whole wide world....HAPPY FATHERS DAY, DADDY!!!:) I love you so much and hope you had a splendid day! I know you got a little email from me and a shoutout today, but a letter is coming for you! (and you too, mom, don't you worry. ;)) You are such an incredible example to me and hope you know that someone in London, Ontario loves you!!!!:) You're my hero, pahpea!:)

Secondly, I must welcome home all of my friends who have recently returned home from their missions!!! WELCOME HOME!!! I'm sure it's different than what you've been doing for the past 2 years, but just remember how you felt each transfer call-The Lord simply transferred you to this area at this time for the benefit of His children! Don't you forget that!:) Love you all and hope you have a wonderful adjustment. :) And if you want, you're more than welcome to right me. just saying....;) Welcome home, guys!

one last shoutout to anyone who's birthday I missed or special occasion that I probably should have remembered but didn't....I'm ooper sorry but please know that I still love you! I just have an awful memory...:) LOVE YOU, GOOBS!!!

alright. I think we're good. now on to....
QUESTION TIME!!!
1.  How did Polly Ana's baptism go?

oh my goodness gracious it went so well!!!!  Her day was just absolutely INCREDIBLE!!! She felt the spirit so strong as she was baptized! There were also 2 other Chinese YSA's that got baptized yesterday, it was so wonderful! PollyAnna said "I am really glad I'm getting baptized on Father's Day because I feel it's a wonderful present to my Heavenly Father." How sweet is she???? Seriously, she is such an incredible daughter of our Heavenly Father, and our sister! She's so grateful and powerful in being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Her picture makes her look really young, but she's not. she's 24. haha Love her so much!:) 

2.  How is Charles this week?

He's doing well. He's making lots of progression towards his baptism but was unable to make it to church yesterday so we have to push his baptism back a week toJuly 7, but he's still progressing towards it!!:) He's becoming so much more sincere in his prayers, it's astounding!!! The first time we met with him, he found it super awkward and didn't know what to say, but now, he pours out his heart and asks for strength, it's absolutely incredible! :)

3.  Katie?

She got super busy this week between school and work so she couldn't come to either women at the well or church so we're trying to work with our ward mission leader to try and set up a time to with her soon this week.

4.  How did the "Women at the Well" program go?

wasn't able to go because we didn't have an investigator coming but I heard it was incredible!!:)

5.  Have you been receiving mail at your new apartment?

Sure have! oh, which reminds me...Sister Zerkle said she got a package notice for me at the old apartment about 2 weeks ago and that I had to go pick it up, but when we went, they said they already sent it back to the sender...so I'm not really sure who it was from or what it was but whoever it is, you are more than welcome to send it to my new apartment, the address on wonderland (mom, you have that up, right?), if not, don't worry about it!:) Love you!

Sister Janelle De Groot

710 Wonderland Road #303

London, ON

N6H 4W1

CANADA

6.  What do you see when you look out your apartment window?

a giant tree and a bunch of squirrels that look like rats because they're huge. and black. ha! but from our patio, we see another huge tree and a bunch of high rises around us. We like our trees, it reminds me of washington and mom singing to me while the trees "danced" in the storm. :) precious moments...:)

7.  BEST teaching moment of the week

Last night. oh my goodness SOO cool! So we were out in this student housing area knocking on doors as it was POURING rain and in the middle of a storm. poor sister Dyer was a tad bit scared...I felt so bad...anyways so we distinctly felt to knock on one particular door, so we did. A nice girl from India opened the door and she immediately let us in because of the rain. Her two roommates were there, both from India as well, and we taught them the wondrous Plan of Salvation, and they were absolutely drawn to everything we were talking about and asked us for copies of the Book of Mormon. Good thing we had plenty, eh?!:) The Spirit was so strong as we testified of how this Truth has blessed us in our lives, and how it can bless theirs as well. They do have finals this week so we won't be able to go back until next wednesday, but they all committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, their names are Bunthada, Rimpi, and Vedita! They are SOOOOO awesome!!!:) ah. missionary work is just so great.(!)

8.  FUNNIEST moment of the week

We contacted someone who, once he saw our names, introduced himself saying "well, HI, sistas! Muh name's Brutha Wesley!" eyup. good times here in London. haha

9.  MOST EMBARRASSING moment of the week 

so...we had zone conference this past week and the assistants thought it would be a great idea to ask me and Sister Sorensen, a sister I came out with, talk about asking inspired questions to the entire zone and do a demonstration. needless to say, I was terrefied. seriously. Anyways, so we're discussing with everyone and then I introduce the role play, where I am going to be the person on the street and we called up a companionship to contact me and ask inspired questions. So in my head, I made up a certain person who they could contact and was thinking about how I would respond to their questions. But because I was so preoccupied with thinking about my personality and interests, I totally forgot to think of a name for myself. So they walk up to me and stop me by saying "Hi! we're missionaries in the area, what's your name?" To which my mind forgot my first name and went immediately from Sister De Groot to me shouting out..."uh...STEVE! wait...." the entire room of missionaries just erupted in laughter! What?...seriously Sister De Groot? steve? I couldn't help but laugh at myself, realizing what I just did, and had to quickly say Jess and move on with the role play. ah man. haha then later, the assistants asked me to role play with them, and at the beginning, elder sommerfeldt says "so what's your name...steve?" hahaha yeah no. :) something tells me this won't be let go for a while...good thing I'm used to being awkward, eh? ha!

10.  BEST COMPANION BONDING moment of the week

Well we went on exchanges this past week, where I went to Brantford with one of our sister training leaders, sister Tuia and it was absolutely incredible! I love sister Tuia so much! But being away from Sister Dyer felt so weird, I have to be honest. haha so when we got back together, it was, ah, it was just so good to see her! Definitely made our companionship even closer!:)

11.  What memory do you have of dad that has influenced you for the better?

There is no way I could limit it to just one time, because there are so many! From hearing stories, dad, about your mission, watching you treat your family with love and kindness, coming home from basketball on saturday mornings and without fail getting a really nasty sweaty hug from you, hearing you call me peaches every morning and night, taking me on my first date as a new 16 year old, Seeing your face at each one of my sisters weddings and noticing how much you truly do treasure what means most to you, and just being the pops you are!:) Everything you've done as long as I can remember, has taught me to be a better person, and for that, I thank you so much!!! I love you so much, pops!!!:)

well, my lovelies, I must be off, but please know that I love you all SOOO much! This Gospel is true, it truly does make us better people in this life and brings us, if we are obedient and faithful, eternal salvation in the life to come! I know the Book of Mormon and the Bible TOGETHER are the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I know, without a doubt, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is indeed, the Lord's kingdom once again established on the Earth! Thank heavens He will come again, and just like PollyAnna said yesterday "yes, eternal salvation is important, but every single day I want to be as close to my Heavenly Father as possible, and not put it off til the next day in hopes that I will be safe." God be thanked for the matchless Gift of His Divine Son! HOW GREAT IS MY CALLING!!!

Love for now and for ever,

Sister De Groot:)

Missionary Invitation: I attached a paper entitled the 21 Day Promise. Preparing for that is going to be my invitation. I would like to invite every single one of you to participate in this 21 day promise with me, to find someone you know that is ready to hear the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will begin it on July 1, if you would like to join me. :) I may be a missionary with a nametag, but I'm also a member missionary, and I have friends that need this Gospel in their lives in order to find true and everlasting happiness. Share it with others too! Invite them to join in with us, and let us open our mouths and share this great truth so that others may partake of the blessings that God has prepared for them! Let me know who decides to join with me, because I'd LOVE to hear how it blessed both yours and your friends lives!:)