I got changed

Well we had our change meeting yesterday and now I am in a ward called Lo Blanco (the White) and I am with an Elder Castro from Honduras. I got put into a whitewash. Thats when the two Elders weren´t in that sector before and both are new! Its pretty rare that president does that. So this should be fun! We don´t know anybody so we have to work out of the Area Book and the Members! 

I am so glad to be a part of this church and to know that these things are true! i look at the abundance of blessings that have come from knowing what I know and i cannot help but be grateful for all I have been given! i know this church is true and love my Savior with all my heart! 

Love Elder Groen! 

The bottom of a pig is not so good to eat!

Hello beloved people! 

      To explain the titel! The other day we were offered a "special soup" So of course we said Sure! They brought the soup out and at first look I thought it looked great! Then I realized that the meat that was in it seemed new to me and that I had never eaten that type of meat before! So I went for it! Turns out they didn´t even take all of the hair off of the skin so I was eating the skin of a pigs bottom with hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was not so good tasting!!!! I would not reccomend it to anyone! I just had to do everything I could do get it down! 

      So We were challenged by our zone leader to try and get a baptismal date every week! We were already trying to do it, but it seemed like it just wasn´t happening. I really think that our Faith was not where it needed to be. So We took his challenge to heart and prayed that we would be able to do it! We worked hard and invited All to be baptized this week! We also asked all of our investigators again to be baptized! And guess what! We have 3 baptismal dates right now and we have four more that said they would choose a date for the next visit! That means 7 prospective baptisms!!!! I started to look back and think "why when we were doing it before was it not working?" I think that now I understand! We were doing it for the fact of only doing it. There really was not a lot of faith... and it seemed that when they were uneasy we backed off trying not to startle them into leaving us. We had more fear of man than we did of God! I think this challenge helped us to put our faith first and strive to give ALL we had to the lord! And miracles have been coming from this faith just like they always did when Christ was on the earth! I love what he always said "Thy faith hath made thee whole" When Faith replaces Fear miracles will come to pass! THis I know is true! 

       I also want to share about something that I have seen here that has worried me! It is the LIE! So many people think that a little lie is ok. or that if they keep on lying they will be alright and find a way out one day. These lies will only catch up to you and make you feel even worse than before! Sadly I know this from experience! One lie has the power to make you feel like your heart is heavier than a car! If the Savior is just and always tells us the truth and Satan is the father of the lies and never tells us the truth. Who are we becoming when we lie... I hope that we can all stive to be a little more honest in all of our lives, work, and family! honesty is an important attribute of our Savior! 

       

    Love Elder Groen! 

P.S. Lincoln and William are living together right now! they aren´t in the same sector, but they are in the same house! How crazy is that! My only cousin that is my age and one of my very best friends are together in their missions! CRAZY!!!! 

I know my Savior lives!!!!

    I don´t know if I have had a chance to bear my testimony to each of you in a while! So I would like to share my testimony! 

     

      I lived a life for myself 100% before my mission! It is what almost every teenage child does and honestly isn´t a terrible thing. I was focused on what mad ME happy! I didn´t ever try to put myself into the shoes of others or to live for someone else. It honestly never even crossed my mind to do that! I was living for myself! 

     Coming out here on the mission we are asked to live for someone else for the first time for most of us! For the first time you dedicate studies, prayers, time, thoughts, energy, and more on other people! Wether or not your heart is in it, you are doing it! 

     At first it takes some time to adjust to the new life and to really grasp what you are doing. But then after some time it is like the change begins! It isn´t one moment that happens when you look and you are completely different. It is a process that happens over time! You can´t see it happening in the moment, but after a while you look and see that you are different! your desires are different and you don´t even want the same things anymore! It comes from giving yourself! 

     I have always heard the scripture, If you lose yourself you will find yourself! but now I am seeing it happen! I have strived to give myself to the Lord and in turn he has molded me and made me into a new person! The Love and patience that he has had for me has astonished me! I can not believe that he loves me SOOO much! I know that Jesus Christ LIVES!!! It wouldn´t make sense for him not to live! I know that he is the Savior of the World!!!! What a glorious message we carry! I know that Even though I am not perfect he is there to lift me up and give me hope! 

     I Testify as one of his called servents that He lives and loves each of us! I only have so much time to share this message as a called servent! So I will give ALL I can! 

     Love Elder Groen!!!