Sister Eliza Groneman: Another Good Week

Well, another week down! This past week was good. It is currently raining (more like sprinkling) which is a blessing for California!

Sister G** and I had exchanges this past week which were good. It's always fun to spend a day with other missionaries and learn as much as you can from them. I went with Sister M** who is so awesome!

Ok crazy story! Pictures this: Sister G** and I are walking down the street to visit a potential. I get the strongest impression to knock this door at a particular house. A full glass door. I decide to knock it on the way back. On the way back I get the same impression. I grab Sister G** and tell her "we're going to go see if Todd is home." ( sometimes it's just fun to knock and see if someone is home. It starts a better conversation. This time though I really felt a man with a name that starts with T.) Sister G** replies, "Todd? I'm looking for T**." We knock the door and a man answers..."Hi, is Todd home?" The man looks at us then responds "Todd? Do you mean T**? I'm T**." We proceeded to tell him we had just heard that someone had met with missionaries here. (Which inside I was freaking out because it had popped out of my mouth. Inside I was talking to myself saying "Sister G you just lied to this man's face. You don't know anyone that had met with missionaries here!") T** proceeded to tell us that in fact he had met missionaries a couple of times here. In the end T** wasn't interested but it was a testimony to us how the Spirit can work through us. We had no record of him at all but the Lord knows T** and He loves him.

We had a very special opportunity this week. Elder and Sister Renlund came to the mission, along with Elder and Sister Pimentel from the Seventy. It was a little different though. Normally a visiting authority will visit the whole mission, but he only had enough time for one conference so the meeting was broadcast from S** M** to the T** O** Stake Center where the south half of the mission met. Yep, you read it correctly, S** M**! Haha it's funny that I was just there!

The meeting was full of gold. You could just feel the spirit they had with them while they talked.

Sister Pimentel talked about fires. Not physical fires, but spiritual fires. Negative thinking, self doubt, and disobedience cause a bad fire within us. We can fight the fire of negativity with the fire of our faith. To fuel the good fire we do things like studying the scriptures, serve, remembering and keeping the covenants you've made etc.

Elder Pimentel talked about what we are using to fish. We need to fish with nets rather than a fishing pole.

Elder and Sister Renlund were so powerful. There were three talks we read to prepare for this conference and Sister Renlund talked about them. I loved listening to all the comments. Here are a few I wrote down:

Jesus Christ is the focus.

Obedience is greater than sacrifice.

Your faith will not grow if you start from a position of doubt.

Faith is patient.

Faith is never steady. It is either increasing or decreasing. Which direction is your faith going?

We express our faith with our feet and We have to go the distance.

Elder Renlund is truly called of God. You could just feel it. There were many things I won't share because of the sacredness of them. One thing that he did say that I loved was that the Savior loves to fix things. He likes to take broken things and mend them, especially broken hearts. I loved that. I loved the genuineness and sincerity in his voice when he talked of the Savior as well. It was so real.

He also showed us a quadrant of who we are and who we could become. I'll attach a picture but it all has to do with our attitude and our effort. We all are naturally in one of the 4 quadrant. Our goal is to get to the quadrant of miracles. When we are in that quadrant things happen that you never thought of happening. The Lord is able to help you become the best you can be in this quadrant.

Overall it was a great conference

We had to take our car in to get the oil changed so we had permission to leave our zone; so I was able to get new shoes!! Haha they don't even look like the same shoe or size

We also met with a few of our friends. We are teaching a couple of people right now, but not consistently because of all the holidays and school breaks. We should be meeting with a few of them this week though! One of our friends Kathy has come to church for the past couple of weeks. We haven't taught her a lesson yet because of the holidays and stuff, but she wanted to come to church. She has a couple of really good friends who are members and she wants to learn more! She is so sweet.

It was a little different hearing about President Monson out here. He is truly missed! I am so grateful to have a prophet to lead and guide us here on Earth and I know he truly was a prophet. I am so grateful to know how the new prophet is called and that we don't have to wonder or guess. And to know that the authority will never again be taken from the Earth. One quote I love from President Monson:

The past is behind—learn from
it; the future is ahead—prepare for it; the present is here—live in it.

I love this quote because it's so true. We have to live in the NOW. Give 110% each day that you live. There is no reason do do anything else.

I hope you all have a great week and that you remember how much your Heavenly Father and Savior love you. They know you by name and they are there to help you. You just have to sincerely ask.

xoxo, Sister G