3 Nephi 5:13

Mum, PahPea, Family and Friends!!

Hey hey hey!! what a great week! we saw so many miracles this week while in the Lord's service! I would love to hear some of your experiences as you also served the Lord this week. you have my email (janelle.de.groot@myldsmail.net), feel free to use it. or a letter:

Sister Janelle De Groot

660 Kaiser Drive (basement)

Mississauga, ON

L5W 1T6

CANADA

I find that when teaching individuals, something that brings the Spirit is personal experiences. Sometimes, I don't have very many experiences to connect with them, but I can share one from someone else. If you'd like to help my experience bank, share one with me, and I'd be happy to share it if prompted to by the Spirit! Thanks a bunch!!! I love you all!! ok, so lots to tell so let's jump into some....OH WAIT!! first. a birthday shout out.

ahem.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARL ANDERSEN!!! hey so...I think you're pretty great. eyup. so therefore, you desire a TOP birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM CANADA! get it? because canada's "topping" the states because it's considered America's hat? haha ah man...I'm so funny...:) Happy birthday Karl!!

ok now we really can jump into.....

QUESTION TIME!

1.  Any message for the Birthday Boy (Karl)?

happy happy birthday Mr Karl!!! remember that one time when you were dating my sister and you were super duper sweet to her and now you're married to her and you have a child and you're still sweet to her? yeah. thank you. :) I love you lots Karl and hope you have the greatest birthday in the whole wide world! eat lots of cake and pudding and ice cream for your special day!!! I'm glad someone as nice as you chose to come to this Earth so that you could treat my sister like the queen she is! thanks for being awesome, and Happy birthday Karl!!!! :)

2.  Did you remember to take (and attach) a picture of you and Sister Hansen wearing your glasses?

um...nope...we'll take one today!!! I sowwy...

3.  What's the update with Bradley and his parents?

Well, lots happened with him this week actually. Let me start off by saying that he was supposed to get baptized yesterday. last week I mentioned we were going to push his baptism to the future a bit, but in our lesson tuesday, we invited bradley to pray and receive an answer from God if he should be baptized Sunday (the 30th) and He said the sweetest thing in his prayer. "Heavenly Father, help me to know if i should be baptized this Sunday. I hope the answer is yes, but i will do what you want me to, can I be baptized on Sunday?" .....and the spirit was SOO strong with the answer for everyone was YES! So... we started replanning for his march 30th baptism which was, then wasn't, and now was again. :) We were rather rushed but were so excited! Then, we went to his house for his last lesson and everything changed again. Bradley's parents have been very supportive this whole time and encourage him meeting with us and attending church but this time mentioned concerns of his grandmother who is of another faith. She mentioned that she would like him to learn more, read more, and go to church more, so that he knows what he is getting into so that he will be really committed. We understood where she was coming from but felt a bit disheartened, not for us, but alone for the look on Bradley's face. he was absolutely devastated. so sad. He  looked like he was gong to cry. It broke our hearts seeing him like that, but he will be baptized in the future, we're still going to work with him closely and help involve the family as much as we can and as much as they'd like to be. They're a tremendous family who wants what is best for each other, and we hope that we can adequately introduce the restored gospel to the rest of their family that they may see the blessings that come from families being a part of it. Bradley is such a sweetheart and we love him so much, and it's so evident that his family and our Father in Heavenly do as well!! :)

4.  Are you teaching anyone else?

oh my goodness, yes!! we're teaching an adorable family! The mother's name is Sharlene, her 10 year old daughter (who looks like she's 16), Sharaya, and 3 year old Sheldon. We met them in Bradley's building coming out of the elevator, and we invited her to church to which she said, "I've been wanting to go, but I don't have a way to get there..." well my dear sharlene, we do! MEMBERS!! :) and so, after teaching her twice this week about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith and the Plan of Salvation our Father has lovingly planned for us, they came to church and LOVED it! I'll be honest, I was actually pretty worried about their enjoying it towards the beginning. there were tons of distractions from the individuals seated around us including a younger girl running across the isle and throwing around her toy car...ah man, I was sweating bullets I was so nervous, but we prayed with faith, so it worked out. :) anyways, so they all separated, Sharlene with us, Sharaya to primary and little Sheldon to nursery. At the end of the block, a member who was baptized last February talked with Sharlene and asked her about her experience and she talked about how different it was compared to what she's used to. She's used to a pastor preaching the whole time about (quote) "things I really don't want to hear and that I couldn't apply to myself. But here, I actually feel like my opinion matters, that we're all learning together." and how true it is! I love how in our Father's kingdom, there are MANY different responsibilities, at least one for each of us, but our responsibility (our calling) doesn't mean we know everything there is to know about it, we're all learning, we're all growing, and that's a part of our Father's Plan! Love them so much and so happy to help them prepare for baptism in April!!!! :) The Gospel truly does bless families!

5.  I know Ryan is supposed to get snowy rain this week, in upstate New York.  Are you scheduled to get the same?

ah man, I dunno...we never really know the weather, we just wait for it to happen! haha definitely possible though! 

6.  What song are you and Sister Hansen preparing for Easter?

it's hard to explain...we're doing Precious Savior and Christ the Lord is Risen Today to the tune of Homeward Bound. maybe you'll hear it one day. it's gorgeous. :)

7.  Do you ever have the opportunity to play the piano?

um...not really. I play the 2 hymns I know, a lot! Redeemer of Israel and Now Let Us Rejoice. I'll learn the rest in the future. don't really have time here. :)

8.  Does Sister Hansen play any instruments?

the piano and her vocal chords! :)

9.  What was your biggest "aha" moment this week?

well...this aha moment took me back to the night I was set apart as a missionary, January 1, 2013. what a way to start off a new year, eh? :) anyways, President Gottfredson asked me what my worst fear was as I was about to leave. and I said that I wouldn't step up to my calling or wouldn't be the instrument the Lord needed me to be. and he simply threw down in a loving way about we De Groot's care way too much about being perfect, that it's just not possible in this life, so we need to get used to it. :) Up until this point, I have been trying to become that consecrated missionary that God commands us to be, dedicated, diligent, acquiring the attributes of Christ, I've been trying to truly become a disciple of Christ. and this morning I came across what it truly means to be a disciple. A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ-learning to think, to feel, and to act as He does. it's about LEARNING. You think I'd have learned this a year ago, but I'm glad at I read it at this time, for if I had read it a year ago, I don't think I would have understood it. I love this journey that we're all on, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to become like our Heavenly Father and experience the same joy that He experiences.  To be a true disciple, to fulfill the learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. It is hard, and thank heavens! because were it not, we could not grow.

10.  Have you started marking up your first paperback Book of Mormon yet?

sure have! have you? :)

11.  How excited are you for General Conference?

(!). ! = jumping, screaming, clapping, smiling, laughing, omelet making, sheer joy. that excited. :)

FINISH MY SENTENCE:

12.  This weeks "bonding with my companion" moment brought to you by....

spray cheese in a can and ritz crackers. :)

13.  We watched Women's Conference at....

the Brampton Stake Center. SOOO good!!!

14.  A message from Women's Conference that really stood out to me was....

What I learned from the Spirit was simply the Law of Sacrifice was given so that we may all help each other get to the temple, therefore to be in the presence of our Heavenly Father. I love this Gospel. it's so pure. how grateful I am to be apart of it.

15.  This week we found greatest success by....

talking with everyone and therefore finding Sharlene and her kids!! :) also. we tried out a new finding technique-using the singers in our district and singing at a mall street corner and having other missionaries talk with everyone as they passed by! :) new tools. so great. :)

16.  My favorite teaching moment was....

Sharlene;s family the Restoration of the Gospel. sharing the first vision? ah wow, the Spirit was so strong. How beautiful Joseph's experience was, all because he humbled himself and asked in faith. what was/will be your experience be like?

17.  Did you know that....?

tomorrow is April? yeah, what?

18.  I've been so excited to tell you...

general conference is on saturday and sunday. (!) I know you know. but I thought I'd tell you anyway :)

19.  This weeks exchanges were...

with Sister Caner in Don Mills East. Her trainer's (sister stoddard) trainer (sister zerkle) is my trainee! how precious. :) family connections.

20.  You know how I love to laugh, and this week was no exception!  I laughed so hard when....

Sister Hansen and I tried to reenact a song that Hermana Dudley and I sang on exchange. and we didn't do a very good job. hhaah!

21.  I am SO VERY GRATEFUL for....

the temple. ah the temple.

Discipleship

the scriptures

medical assistance for those I love (daddy :))

well, I'm off again! I know that this Gospel is indeed the work of our Father in Heaven. I was talking with someone I used to work with, through email, who's currently serving in the Phillippines and we were talking about the level of joy that we receive each and every day as we seem to the world to be doing the same thing each and every day. It's because the message we share isn't a cool idea, but that it truly is eternal truth, it is God's message, it IS true. I know it to be. I testify that you, too, are a part of this work, whether a member or not at this time. Come, join with us, Because I can testify that it is true! and How GREAT is our calling!

Love for now and forever,

Sister De Groot :)

Missionary Invitation: Prepare yourselves to be taught by the Spirit. when listening to General Conference this week, try not to merely write down good quotes that you hear or write down as much as they say that you can remember, but truly go into the sessions with a prayer and document that which the Spirit teaches you, for that is the way that we truly learn and then can grow when applied. I love you all, listen intently, and I will too! Don't forget to invite someone over!! :)

pictures...

us with Teresa, the girl who got her call last week, going to Manchester England! We take her teaching a lot. she skips from house to house when we knock on doors. so cute. :)

us and our zone leaders, Elder Binford was in the MTC with me! crazy eh? yeah. I thought so. :)

us and the beautiful Toronto Temple! :)

Mosiah 2

Mum, PahPea, family and friends!!!

GENERAL CONFERENCE STARTS THIS WEEK!!!!! well. for the women. sorry gentlemen. :) next week. :) oh my goodness, what a wonderful enriching week!!! I have learned so much and will attempt to share it all, but I won't even come close. but I'll try. but to start off, both my parents shared with me something that I would share with you in tuning ourselves to our father's melody. The 'companion' could be your spouse, or if you're single, have it be that individual you work closely with. "when a finely tuned instrument plays only the top (5th) and bottom (1st) notes of a chord, one can "hear" the "3rd".  Liken that analogy to us all, in the service of the Lord - specifically in regards to missionary work:  As a missionary companionship strives to work in perfect harmony (using prayer, the scriptures and unconditional love, etc.), they are like the "1st" and "5th" notes in a chord.  The Holy Ghost can then "fill in the 3rd", and the result is priceless!" I love it so much!! our companionship is going to be in tune so that we may hear that beautiful 3rd! :)

also, a shoutout to Kacie Hansen who's wedding invitation I received!!! crazy you two, I'm so excited for you both! Love you both dearly and know that I am praying for you!! congratulations!!! :)

Question time!!

1.  What day did you end up celebrating St. Patrick's Day (translation....when you did receive your package?)  :0)

last monday!!! :) 

Got it when we returned home in the evening! :) as well as a letter from mom, amber and a wedding invitation from Kacie Hansen!! it was a great day. :) Thank you SOOo much mom for the package!!!!! you;re just so sweet. and what is this whole thing with different flavors of OREOs?? I LOVE it!!!! cool mint? best one yet. :)

ah man, I meant to take a picture with sister hansen and the glasses but we went on exchanges both that night and the following night and then forgot...I'll try it this week! :)

2.  How is Bradley doing?

Doing very well! He's loving learning about the commandments and is excited to continue living them, and because we feel his family needs to be more involved, we feel he should not be baptized this coming Sunday but that he will be in the near future, we're not sure exactly when yet but with God's Hand in the work, we'll know. :) Thank you for the continued prayers on his behalf!

3.  Has Joe opened up to you yet?

We still are unable to contact him. We fasted and prayed a ton for him this week, and feel we need to leave him in the Lord's Hands. I think sometimes I feel someone is ready "if they will just call us one more time" and I was humbled to realize this past week that it's not my decision if they are ready or not. I've learned that before and thought I had a pretty good understanding about it, but in this case, I did not show that understanding to my Father in Heaven. So upon praying for him, we decided together, all 3 of us, that we'd leave Joe in His Hands. that's where it is for the time being, until he's ready, and God knows when that is! So all, learn from my slight stubborn personality-just trust God. He knows what He's doing. so in the words of Elder Bednar on Saturday "Get out of the way". ah. how can the Spirit be so blunt and painful yet so beautiful? :)

4.  Kevanique and Camilla?  (am I supposed to be grouping them together?)

yeah you can, and actually we're no longer teaching them. We tried contacting them this week, and had an...interesting conversation with the person on the other end. So drop bys in the future are probably preferred. :)

5.  What is something new you learned about Sister Hansen this week?

She has such an incredible testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ. absolutely incredible! :)

6.  Was Sister Hansen's birthday last Monday?  How old is she?  

yes, it was 20!!!

7.  How was Panda Express?  (are you still getting free meals?)

so good and sadly...no. we go too much they want our money instead. :)

8.  How is the weather treating you?

kinda cold but warming up!!! I'm only wearing 1 pair of tights now!! woohoo!!! 4 down to 1! oh ontario weather. :)

9.  Any plans for you and your companion to sing in church?

yikes....we got asked yesterday to sing on easter. scared. so so scared.

FINISH MY SENTENCE:

10. The BEST thing about my first week with Sister Hansen was....

Staying positive in every situation! :) no negativity in this companionship whatsoever, LOVE it! :)

11. We bonded over...

cool mint oreos. and popcorn. thank you SOOO much. :)

12. When I walked into the meeting where Elder Bednar was, I....

well, we walked in 45 minutes before he got there. so when he walked in, I smiled really really big. and then even bigger. :):):) I love the Spirit that is brought with a servant of the Lord

13. My favorite thing about the meeting was...

how interactive it was, he communicated with us, we learned from each other as missionaries and he taught us that we are free to learn from the Spirit at any time, not simply when a member of the 12 comes to visit. if we learn by the spirit, we can truly learn that which the Lord wants us to know, rather than expecting someone to do that preparation for us. Learning by the Spirit - an incredible tool for becoming like our Father in Heaven. :)

14. He inspired me to....

Read a paperback copy of the Book of Mormon with a question in mind and highlight all that helps me answer that question as I read it all the way through, and do that for the rest of my life. hello bookcase :) SOO excited. 

15. My favorite teaching moment this week was....

Teaching Bradley the Word of Wisdom. I have never seen an 11 year old so excited to learn a commandment of God in all of my life. :)

16. My favorite study session centered around...

Our Father's Plan, and the necessity of Jesus Christ as our Savior. "God's plan is together in the light, whereas Lucifer's plan is alone in the dark." ~Elder Bednar

17. This week, I learned that...

"The Lord is hastening His work, and if you don't keep up, you'll be left behind." ~Elder Bednar. The Lord truly is hastening His work, and we must hasten ourselves. :)

18. Did you know that....

Elder Bednar is absolutely hilarious? well. he is. just picture him describing the prayer of a faithless individual (see attached picture of Hermana Dudley and that's literally what he looked like.) :)

19. I laughed so hard when....

I was on exchange with Hermana Dudley and i can't really explain what exactly was funny. just that we're way too much alike and had the time of our lives in the Lord's service. ah. so great. I love her so much. :)

20. I am SO GRATEFUL for....

General Conference

Elder Bednar

THE TEMPLE THIS SATURDAY!!! 

fasting

Joe 

Well my lovelies, I'm off! And please remember that I know eternally that this is the Lord's work, and has been since the time of Adam, and He continues His work the same way He has since that time; through a prophet He has called. I testify that Joseph Smith was a prophet who our Father in Heaven called to aid Him in restoring to the Earth the true Church of Jesus Christ, and it is watched over by a living prophet today, President Thomas S. Monson, and is led by the Great Man Himself, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is true, and I know it from the power of the Holy Ghost. The Church is true, and how great is our calling!

Love for now and for ever,

Sister De Groot :)

Missionary Invitation: begin a Book of Mormon revelation seeking for someone that you know who is not yet a member of the Church. Pray for them and then mark in the Book of Mormon the revelation you receive on their behalf and prepare to give it to that individual out of your sincere love for them and desire for them to accept the restored Gospel. it's true, help them remember that. :)

Another missionary called to serve....how exciting!! :0)

Mosiah 28:3 :)

Mum, PahPea, Family and Friends!!

Hello hello! I hope all is going well for you this week! Everything here is fantastic, I just LOVE being a missionary? sound cliche? absolutely. but absolutely 100% true! :) I love this truth, I love this work!!! and I hope you are as well in your areas! :)

let's give a shoutout to the birthday girl!!!

ahem.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMBER NICOLE!!!! I hope you have the greatest day ever! :) Make sure that you're little one gives you a giant hug for me....assuming he can hug you already....i'm not sure...:) I love you ber!!! have a fantastic day!!!

so....QUESTION TIME!

1.  Did your St. Patrick's Day package arrive?

not yet! :)

2.  Are you wearing GREEN today?

sure am! well...blue green. almost there. :)

3.  How do those in Mississauga celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

they drink. a lot. like seriously. other than everybody drunk, I actually kind of forgot that it was st. patty's day. :) haha

4.  Any message for THIS WEEK's Birthday Girl?  

HAPPYBIRTHDAYBERNICK!!! I lub you so much and hope you have the best birthday in the whole wide world! 25, eh? yikes, you're old. it's ok, i still love you! :) happy birthday!!

5.  Bradley sounds like a real sweetheart.  What is the update on him?

he sure is, that's for sure! :)  He's still planning to be baptized on march 30th, but we're ensuring that his parents are comfortable and supportive, so it's not set in stone quite yet. But definitely working towards it! :)

6.  Joe?

He's been super busy this past week so we haven't been able to meet with him again. If you could, please pray for him. We feel like something else is going on in his life that he doesn't want to talk with us about, and we're a bit worried about him. So we, along with he, would appreciate some special prayers on his behalf. Thank you so much!

7.  Kevanique and Camilla?

They were gone for the spring break week, appointment this week!

8.  Pictures....are any being sent today?

sure are! :)

9.  How did Transfer Day go?

went well! I went on a mini exchange with sister rogers and worked in our area until our new companions came here to Mississauga! :) 

10. How are you and Sister Hansen getting along?

SOO well! We are so excited to continue working hard in the area and build it up! She's the youngest of 9, from Salt Lake City, sings beautifully, loves obedience and loves the work! so therefore, we're doing GREAT! :)

11. What are your plans for the remainder of today?

taking sister hansen out for her birthday today to panda express and then we're deep cleaning our apartment! woot woot! :)

FINISH MY SENTENCE:

12. My FAVORITE study session centered around.....

Missionary work!! We were planning for a member family and as I studied our Father's purpose, it reminded me more deeply of my purpose as both a full time missionary and a member missionary. Our purpose upon this Earth is to aid our Father in His, which is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" and our salvation can only be truly guaranteed through the work of the Restored Gospel of Our Savior Jesus Christ. I love this work so much and I am so grateful to be here at this time! How great is my calling!!!

13. Sister Hansen and I bonded over....

food. music. singing. laughing. old testament seminary videos after planning. working hard. ah man, this is going to be a GREAT transfer. :)

14. Saying good-bye to Sister Edwards was....

really unexpected, because we had to leave each other the night before transfer day! ah man...it actually felt like we were going on another exchange! but then we 'exchanged back' and it was Sister Hansen. I was really confused....:) I get to see her this saturday though because Elder Bednar is coming to our mission and instructing us, all of the missionaries!!! WOOHOO!!!!! ohmygoodnesssgraciousIamsoexcitedIcan'tevenwaitI'mdyingwoohoo!!!!!:)

15. I'm really looking forward to.....

look above. :)

16. I've been so excited to tell you.....

look above x 2. 

17. You can tell that "Spring is in the air" in Mississauga because....

WE WALKED AROUND WITHOUT ANY COATS ON FOR 2 WHOLE HOURS!!!!! oh my goodness. it was so exciting!!!!!! :)

18. My favorite teaching moment was....

teaching Bradley again. That boy is just so tune with the Spirit! We taught him about the armor of God in Ephesians 6 and he LOVED it, it's just so exciting how joyful he got about the Gospel and the lightbulb that came into his mind as he was applying it to himself and how he could use it in his life. It made me think about myself and if I allow myself that same level of joy whenever I learn something new, do I apply it to my life with that same enthusiasm? I think that's definitely something I could work on. :)

19. Something new I learned this week was....

birds in Ontario fly north too soon.

20. I am so grateful for....

the sun

Sister Hansen being born

exchanges

that I don't need to convince anyone, the Spirit does that. that brings so much comfort! :)

My Savior

Well, I'm off. I know that this work it true. It's too perfect to be anything less. I love my Savior and all that He has done for and for you. I know that there is a repentance granted for us, if we will but live the Gospel our Savior, out of love and mercy, has given to us. No matter what you are going through, I can promise you can find peace if you will but live the Gospel. It's simple, yet so true. That's why I'm a missionary, because it's true. and oh, how great is our calling!!

Love for now and for ever, 

Sister De Groot :)

Missionary Invitation: study missionary work, your purpose, and our Father in Heaven's purpose. and see if there is any distinction between any of them. :)

(L to R): Sisters:  Rogers, De Groot, Edwards, Mitchell

CN Tower in Toronto

Love those skylines!!  :0)

What e'er thou art, act well thy part. :)

Mum, PahPea, Family and Friends!!!

ok, so I have VERY little time today, seeing as transfers are tomorrow and my dear companion has been assigned to Brampton, so we've lots to do today, seeing as we haven't emailed until now! :) This week has been incredible, so I'll do my best to fill you in with all the time that I have!!:)

speaking of time....QUESTION TIME!

1.  Any message for the BIRTHDAY GIRL?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHIT!!! I love you dearly, and look up to you so much! Thanks for being such a wonderful example! I hope you have the best birthday ever and know that I pray for you daily!! oh, AND! I was sent pictures.... and....your kitchen!!! It looks wonderful!! You two have done a wonderful job!! ;) I love you so much, happy happy birthday!!!!

2.  How is sweet Bradley doing?

oh my goodness, SOO good! when we saw him this week, at the end of the lesson he says "Sister De Groot, I've felt that tight squeeze every time I've asked 'is the Book of Mormon true', do I need to continue asking that if I know it is?" :):):) You know, it's so hard when you want to hug your 11 year old boy investigator, and you can't. in the future...:) He knows it's true and wants to keep inviting his parents to come and learn more with him! He's such a little missionary, he's training us sisters! :)

3.  How are his parents?

They are very supportive, and they're wanting to be involved more and more. We had dinner with Bradley, his dad, bradley's friend and his mom, and us. Guyanna food. SOOO good! :) They are thinking of coming to church possibly not this sunday but the next. We have moved his baptism to the 30th to help his mom feel more comfortable as he comes to church more and knows for sure that this is something he wants to do. 

4.  Was Joe able to attend church this week?

No, he was taking care of his sister that was sick out in Scarborough. This week, though! :)

5.  Is his baptism on for Saturday? 

No, it's for march 30, same as Bradley! DOUBLE BAPTISM! They're both just so great. :)

6.  Who else are you teaching?

Kevanique and Camilla (friends who are both about 15) and are SUPER excited to hear the Plan of Salvation. Said they prayed for direction in their life last week and we knocked on their door 5 minutes later. :) Boy, do I love prayer! :)

7.  March 5th came and went.  Another "514".  How did the day go?

SO so good. It's just nice to know that you truly have angels watching over you, eh? :) I love our Father's Plan!!

8.  How has the weather been treating you?

IT'S GETTING WARMER!!!! :) line upon line. Mom, I actually went and bought rain boots today because I'm in need, especially because my other boots aren't waterproof. They came from Walmart, you can see the transaction on the card, they were the only mission appropriate ones. ha!

9.  Will you be doing much walking as the weather warms up, or will you still travel mainly by car?

We'll still have the car, but we'll still be working like before: we'll use the car to get the areas we want to be and then park and walk for the rest of the time. We're trying to use our car as little as possible here

10. Are there any items (clothing, shoes, etc) that you will need as the weather warms up?

I already purchased rain boots, so I'm set!! Thank you!!!

FINISH MY SENTENCE:

11. One of my FAVORITE parts of the week was....

going on exchanges with sister hillman and sister bradshaw. just GREAT missionaries!!!!

12. I couldn't believe it when...

I saw a possum walk up to the church and take shelter in the bushes. Even God's creation know that this is His home. how precious. :) also. possum's are kinda weird looking, eh? just sayin...

13. Sister Edwards and I bonded over...

Downtown Toronto driving after exchanges. good times. :)

14. We received the "Transfer" call, and this is what's happening....

Sister Edwards is going to Brampton with Sister Sorensen (the girl who was previously in my anatomy class at UVU) and I'm staying here in Mississauga North and training the new sister training leader, Sister Hansen! I've met her before and she's SOO sweet! So excited to serve with her! :)

15. I'm so excited for...

MARCH!!!! there's so much happening: our missionary specialty training, MLC, temple trip, women's general broadcast, ah. so great. :)

16. The remainder of today will be spent....

cleaning and packing, giving our car to the elders for a night, and teaching joe! woot!

17. My favorite study session was...

the priesthood. oh my goodness. so great. also the Abrahamic Covenant. blows my mind.

Luke 16:22-31 cross reference Alma 40:11-14

18. My favorite teaching moment was...

Bradley recognizing his answer and sharing it with his cousin!! Conversion is beautiful to witness! one in which an individual, and then all those around them, are blessed! :)

19. Did you know that....

gin dobre is hello in polish? :) (how to spell? no idea...)

20. I am so grateful for....

all of these things!!

Sister Edwards!

New opportunities

Bradley

prayer

sickness (I'll tell the story next week, just remind me flu and prayer. it's a really good story I just really need to go!!! ah man I feel bad....)

Well, I love you! the Church is sOOoo true!!! How great is our calling!

Love for now and forever,
Sister De Groot :)

Missionary Invitation: are you praying for you missionaries in your ward by name? and then are you praying for which of your friends you can refer to those missionaries to be taught? :)

Jacob 3:2 :)

Mum, PahPea, Family and Friends!!!

Hello!!! Happy March!! what the crazy....Life here in Mississauga is absolutely incredible! The work is blossoming, we're doing great as a companionship, the mission is incredible, the Church is true and we didn't run out of gas when we were VERY close to doing so in Orangeville after Zone Conference. aka: the middle of nowhere... :) haha I don't have much time today but I want you all to know I am doing super well!! I seriously do love it out here so much, and the people we are being able to teach are absolutely incredible!! :) I love this work!!!

ok so...QUESTION TIME!

1.  Clarification - when you give me the temperature there, are you giving it to me in Celsius or Fahrenheit?  

Celsius. my mind literally doesn't work in Fahrenheit anymore. ha

2.  How big is your basement apartment?  (# rooms, how big are the rooms, etc)

1 bedroom and washroom, then the rest is all in one big room (kitchen, dining/study area) probably the size of the basement minus the preschool room. 

3.  Do you have a washer/dryer, or do you still need to go to the laundromat?

we have a washer and dryer that we share with our friends upstairs :)

4.  Did you go on exchanges this week?  If so, where....and with whom?

Hermana Martin here in mississauga and Hermana McKinlay in Christie North

5.  Is Joe's baptism still planned for Saturday?

No...he was unable to come to church yesterday and we haven't been able to contact him for a few days. When he gets sick he goes into hibernation mode, and he did mention he was getting sick. culture thing? I don't know, but we're planning for next Saturday for sure! :)

6.  Are you still meeting with Victor and Anna Paula?  (Glad to hear she is improving health-wise.  Prayers continue...)

Thank you so much for the prayers! They truly are felt! We're not meeting with them at this time, but the ward is keeping up with her progress and helping them out as best as they can which is so wonderful of them! They are such sweet people!

7.  Did Khaleel come to church this week?

nope. next week though!

8.  How is Bradley doing?  

SOOOOO GOOD!!! haha cute Bradley came to church yesterday in a suit. ah man. it was the cutest thing in the whole wide world. haha he LOVED church and is so excited to come back next week! :) 

9.  Do Bradley's parents sit in on your discussions with him?

They haven't yet but they are going to Tomorrow, we're having dinner with their family :)

10.  Holly V. gets married on Friday.  Any message for your cousin?

HAPPY uh.....MARRIAGE DAY HOLLY!!!! :) haha I'm so excited for you!!! I got your annoucement the other day and you seem SOOOO happy!! you two are so cute, I'm so excited for you!!! happy day you two, and happy eternity! (it sounded cute.....;)

FINISH MY SENTENCE:

11.  This week was the BEST EVER because....

we had MLC, Zone Conference, 2 exchanges, weekly planning, and Bradley came to church on Sunday!!! Spiritual feast of a week! :)

12.  I've been bursting with excitement to tell you....

that we're having a special missionary meeting with someone coming to see us later in March. and we don't know who it is. the suspense is killing me. so. excited. :)

13.  Before learning about this this week, I never knew....

Sister Edwards ever got frustrated. and it'll happened for a second. and it was a silly situation. ah man I lover her so much!!!

14.  After emailing today, I plan to...

go to the weston chapel with our zone and have a pre-transfer activity! I love this zone SOOO much!!!! :)

15.  My "514" day on February 25th was...

miraculous. :)

16.  My biggest "aha" moment was when....

I read "Ask In Faith" from Elder Bednar this morning. so. good. I highly recommend it

17.  My favorite teaching moment was....

When we were talking about the Spirit with Bradley and asked him how he's been feeling Him, and he described the Spirit like a "tight squeeze", like His arm was around him. ah. so cute. :)

18.  During personal study this week, I have been concentrating on....

the needs of our investigators, and truly allowing the Spirit to teach me what they need. The greatest personal study is when you tailor your study to their needs. So fruitful!

19.  I am so grateful for....

Bradley

Afghan food

goat curry at Bradley's....I'm scared to try it tomorrow...

prayers answered

my siblings :)

and my parents :)

Well, the Church is true!! always and forever! I need to go, but please always know that this is true! I love my Savior, and I love His work, THIS work! You are all in my prayers each and every day, and I thank you for being as incredible as you are! Never stop progressing! Your Father in Heaven loves you!!! How great is our calling!!!

Love for now and for ever,
Sister De Groot :)

Missionary Invitation: prepare for General Conference!!! Pray for who you can invite to your home or the Church to watch the sessions with you! Do it with God and you WILL know who to invite!! :) LOVE YOU ALL!

"Consecration is the only form of surrender that also results in victory"

Mum PahPea, Family and Friends!

Why hello!!! So again, I've heard so much of Uncle Bob's baptism and how incredible it was and I am so happy to hear that!!!! I was praying that all would go well and the Spirit would be strong, so I am glad to hear that it did! :) This week as been wonderful in the service of our Lord, so many miracles and excitement about the area! We're preparing for this busy week, as today is our preparation day, tomorrow is MLC (Mission Leadership Council), Wednesday is Zone Conference and a shortened Zone training on the same day, Thursday is weekly planning, and then 2 back to back exchanges on Friday and Saturday, and then Church on Sunday with appointments taking up every evening! WOOH! crazy busy week and so excited for it!!! :) Hope you are too!! :)

let's jump into.....QUESTION TIME!!

1.  What were you doing on Saturday at 6pm (3pm in Elko, Uncle Bob's baptism time)?

We were just heading out the door to an appointment after having our dinner. I thought he got baptized in the morning so as we walked in the neighborhoods in the morning, we sang "I know when I am baptized" :) Just for you, Uncle Bob!! ps. LOVE the pictures!! You look so happy, and for good reason, eh? :) I love you, congratulations again on being baptized, confirmed AND receiving the priesthood!! You truly are a powerhouse and will do great things for God in His Church! :) Love you!

2.  How high did the temperature get this week?

7*!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOODNESS IT FELT SOOOO GOOD!!! I mean, it was still pretty cold because of the Ontario windchill, but it was in the positives!!! We were pretty excited when we got in the car, to say the least! :)

3.  Where did you go on splits, and with whom?

actually we didn't have any exchanges this week because the sisters we were going to go with have a huge bed bug problem, so in order to keep it from getting spread even more throughout the mission by us going with the other sisters, we moved their exchange to next week. Please keep them in your prayers, bed bugs are a nasty thing up here! haha

4.  What time is Joe's baptism scheduled for on Saturday?

Well actually with guidance from the Lord, we moved his baptism to the 8th, so next Saturday. It'll be planned for around 12:30, so just after English class that is taught by our fellow missionaries :) We're SOOO excited!!! :) and So is he!!! :)

5.  Are the ward members supportive of baptisms (meaning, do they come)?

I don't know, I haven't been to a baptism here yet!  But I've heard that a lot of people attend, the ward here in Mississauga is SOOO supportive of these wonderful individuals that we are teaching! They fellowship all, truly are Christlike members! :)

6.  Are Victor and Anna Paula continuing to progress?  How is she feeling?

They aren't truly progressing in the Gospel at the moment but she is feeling much better! She is gaining more and more strength each day and members continue to be there for them and help them be comforted through this hard time. They are so sweet and I am sure are very grateful for your prayers on her behalf! Thank you so much! 

7.  What about Khaleel?

He's doing well! Wasn't able to come to church yesterday though, and haven't been able to contact him today so more update will come next week :)

8.  Anyone else I'm forgetting to ask about (or that you haven't told me about yet)?

So, awesome story of how God guides us to where he needs us to be...about 3 weeks ago, we knocked on a door, #811, and a man named Zach was on the phone but told us to come back another day. we weren't in the area until a week later where we prayed before leaving our car and then opened our eyes to see a man crossing the street and a gentle whisper from the Spirit telling us to go talk with him. So we jumped out of the car and met him across the street. His name was Reza and he told us we could come by another time to meet him and his wife Cathy. We got his information and went off to our appointment. after the appointment, we went towards the elevator where Reza and Cathy came out of their door, #811, with their laundry. Realizing they and Zach live in the same building, I'm starting to realize that God really needs us to teach these people. So upon their invitation, we went up with them to the laundry room in the apartment building and taught them about the Restoration of the Gospel and they invited us back again to meet them and their 11 yr old son Bradley. When we arrived for our appt, Reza and Cathy said they were no longer interested but that we could share our message with Bradley and he could choose for himself. well, ok! So we taught him and he wants to get baptized in March!! :) He has such a submissive heart and desire to find God's true Church. He said he's gone to a few different churches and doesn't really feel the Spirit all that much, but he wants to. He's such a prepared 11 yr old!! His parents are very willing to allow him to learn and come to church with us, so we're excited to have him come this Sunday! God truly does know which of His children are ready for the restored Gospel, and in this case, it's an adorable 11 yr old! :) How grateful I am for the guidance of the Spirit, He's SOO great! :)

FINISH MY SENTENCE:

9.  I'd have to say that the highlight of my week was....

teaching Bradley as well as seeing Joe when we told him that they announced his baptism in our meeting. his face was so smiley. aw man. He's so excited!! :)

10.  I love learning new things every day.  Today's "new thing" was...

learning why consecrated oil is called 'consecrated' oil! Thanks to Elder Dearden!! also. I discovered last transfer what a 'selfie' was. Did we, as humans, really give a name to when we take a picture of ourselves? wow. so funny. that one was learned from Elder Rowley! haha, who knew...

11.  Sister Edwards and I loved...

being in a bus area this week for 3 days!!! oh my goodness. so great. it took me back to days in London. ah London. how I love that land. :)

12.  I get so excited when...

I talk with people who have previously met with missionaries in another country. I met someone from Wales who is here, in Mississauga, for cancer research. I began to talk with him and he said that he was really good friends with Elder Boysen and Elder....I forgot, in Wales. But yeah, he said that they were sharing with him exactly what I was sharing and it was such a blessing to know that no matter where you go, in whatever land and in whatever language, the message of the 85,000+ missionaries is all the same! Said differently and tailored to individuals needs, but the same! :) I LOVE the restored Gospel! *he's unable to meet due to his schedule to cancer research but he said he'll try to come to church sometime. we sure hope so!

13.  Speaking of excited, I could hardly wait to tell you about...

the one time when I said hello and goodbye to a polish lady in polish and she was so proud of me and only THEN accepted a pass-along card! haha It's true, when you connect with people, they are more open! My goal is to learn "hello" and "goodbye" in 25 languages, and that's a small number for how many languages there are here in this mission! right now I have spanish, polish, odoo (Nigerian), Tagalog, Twee,  and Mandarin. 6 down, and 19 more to go! I only started this 2 weeks ago so I'll reach my goal in no time! :)

14.  If I could describe today in THREE WORDS, they would be....

sister edwards says, and I quote, "HAPPY GO LUCKY!" eyup. let's go with that. ;)

15.  Since tomorrow will, once again, end in "514", our plan to "find 5" is....

well...have a lot of referrals present at our lessons, because we have MLC (mission leadership council) tomorrow til mid afternoon and then appointments for the rest of the evening so we'll need some referrals! :) love 514. :)

16.  My favorite teaching moment was....

Bradley. hands down. :) He's just so excited to read from the Book of Mormon stories and follow Christ's example! The Spirit is so strong when he speaks, it's such a blessing to be teaching him! 

17.  My testimony was strengthened as....

one of my prayers was answered yesterday during our ward conference's ward council. I won't go into details, but just know that God truly does answer every prayer, no matter how small you think it is! :)

18.  I am so grateful for...

buses! and cars! :)

Serge, who works at a car shop we're trying to share the gospel with :)

Family History

the incredible leaders in our ward and stake

Uncle Bob Pepin :)

Well, I need to head out, but please know how much I love you all!! This Gospel is so true, every part of it! There is no greater work than that of our Father in Heaven's, and I testify that that is true! The Bible and the Book of Mormon are scripture from our Father in Heaven "These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved. and they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the lamb shall be made known in the records of thy (Nephi) seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth." 1 Nephi 13;40-41 This work is true, and oh, how great is our calling!!!

Love for now and for ever,

Sister De Groot :)

Missionary Invitation: There is a reason the Church is focusing more on Family History Work, because it's apart of the Hastening of the Work of Salvation. So go to familysearch.org and update your family! and also, mom, thank you so much for the story of your grandma, could I have more stories and memories of your grandpa and daddio, from yours as well? :) Thanks! love you all!!