He Knows The One

Dearest Friends and Family,

I am pleased to inform you that Sister Groneman (me) is never coming home. She will forever be staying in the California Ventura Mission helping others come unto Christ.

But really though, the longer I am here the more I never want to leave. This past week was the best way to end this transfer with Sister W**. We truly felt like we were instruments in the hands of the Lord.

Do you remember D** who I mentioned last email? We taught her 3 times this past week and will teach her more this upcoming week. She is golden! The first lesson we had with her she asked if we could teach her how to pray and she said the closing prayer. She's been praying ever since and wants to say the closing prayer each lesson. She knows that what she is learning is true and she can already see the change in herself that is happening. When we called her to follow up with an invitation we gave her, she went on for about 20 minutes about how she felt while praying and how she goes to the gospel library app all the time and how she loves reading everything etc etc. It was so cool! D** is changing every day! We are so proud of the progress she's made so far and are excited to keep going.

I** continues to flourish. She and another member are teaching us the lessons for her follow up lessons. She loves it! I love hearing both of their testimonies on what they are teaching and how they teach the lessons. I am learning every time. I** has said that by doing this she has been coming to see just how much she likes sharing the gospel.

We meet with one of our members every week who is working his way back to being active. It has been awesome to meet with him and to watch his testimony grow and his countenance change over time. I love watching the gospel, when applied with real intent, change hearts. People become happier, more positive, and hopeful. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it!

Boothing this week was great. We are having more people talk to us which is positive. This last week a girl who always asks for candy came up and asked a question for her friend who had a friend on a mission. It turned into a conversation and we found out that she actually visits C** H** all the time. It was nice to make that connection. She thanked us for letting her ask us a question and she left really happy. It was a testimony to me that the little interactions we make with people can eventually turn into a conversation.

We also were able to contact one of our less active members. *background: her picture and name catches me all the time when we plan our day, but she lives on campus so we have no way to see her* We were boothing and she walks past and because I've seen her picture so many times I recognized her....so I had to ask if it was her. It was! She actually was so happy that we recognized her and really wanted to meet after finals so we will be calling her soon! Heavenly Father really does work in mysterious ways and on His timing. He never forgets and He knows the one.

Saturday was a day to remember. Sister W and I felt so strongly that we were instruments. It started with our morning planning session. We planned our day, but something was off. After minutes of thinking and discussing, we decided to go to Los Osos to see a less active member. We didn't want to at first because we already planned to go to Paso, but we knew we needed to be there. (This meant a lot of driving). We went to Los Osos before Paso (another change of plans) and met our member. We know we weren't there and never have been there for her. That night we were there for one of their friends who lives there. We've talked to her each time, but this time she really opened up and expressed how she wants to get closer to God. We were able to share a Book of Mormon with her and testify of it and the power that comes from reading it.

We then went to Paso and when we got to the house of who we were going to see it looked like no one was home. It was dark and we weren't in the best part of town so we almost went home so we could be home on time. The Spirit told both of us to go back though. We knocked and they ended up being home. We were able to talk to them and it was neat because this member is actually getting married and asked for information about the home ward and church address, which I was able to give because that's where I had served. None of this would be happened if we had gone home. Heavenly Father knows the one.

We are all the one. He knows us individually and will never let us fall through the cracks, even if you think He has. He always has His arms outstretched before us, reaching to help us. Most of the time it is through other people. I hope you all see that this week. That you are known by your Heavenly Father and that you have opportunities to be the instrument to show others that as well.

TRANSFER NEWS: Sister W is headed down to **. She will be with Sister B:) I am staying and will be companions with Sister C**. She is one of the two sisters who go home before I do. I am excited to learn from her!!

Have a great week this week! Love you all! And I'll end with a quote that someone had written in a book in our apartment haha!

"HOPE lets us believe that there will be music in the future. FAITH gives us the courage to dance to it now"

xoxo, Sister G