I Know My Savior Lives

Buenas tardes a todos :)

         Sounds like you all had a great week! It was a great week here too :) Remember how last week we didn’t find anybody? Well this week we found the BEST family. The Pillaca family :) GOLDEN. We had contacted them in the street a few weeks ago and set up an appointment and we went and nobody answered. We kept going back and nobody ever answered. Well, this week we were walking past and some guy was delivering water so we jumped on the chance and she came out and was like, "Hey why haven’t you guys come over? We were waiting for you and you didn’t show up." Seriously?! It turns out that they live on the third floor and never heard us come :( But God has a plan and He wasn’t gonna let em get away :) We had two lessons with them this week. Their names are Jesus and Katy. Man that sounds so funny in English! It’s cooler in Spanish lol.  Anyway... They love everything! We took them to the church Saturday night to have a tour thingy and they came to church Sunday all three hours! And we didnt have to beg them to stay! Like I said, GOLDEN. But here’s the catch. They’re not married. They have the cutest little boy and Katy loves everything we say about eternal families. Tomorrow we´ll see them again :) Why didn’t we find them three months ago??? 

         Gerardo on the other hand.... Is a snake. Snake, in mission terms, pretty much means he’s a creeper. So much for our perfect investigator. Once he found out I’m leaving in a week, he just started being super weird and sending us messages and saying he’s gonna throw a goodbye party for me. We were with a member in the lesson and she left the lesson with us and started laughing her head off lol. So the Elders in the ward might start teaching him now. He really is great, just needs a stronger testimony of the church :) He’s still trying to quit smoking and drinking as well. 

         Overall it was a good week. There’s other stuff that happened but since this is the last email I’ll send on my mission, I mostly just wanna tell you all how much I love you! It’s a lot of mixed feelings lately. I’m feeling so blessed, but also sad to leave, but so excited to see you all and wow! It’s just crazy. But it has been theeee best experience of my life. The best, hardest, most rewarding experience. When I think about where I’d be if I wouldn’t have come, I just freak myself out. I’m so grateful that my Heavenly Father loved me enough to give me this opportunity. He knew what I needed, even if I didn’t. I remember being so unsure about the decision, and when I got here, I was even more confused! I remember thinking, "Hey Heavenly Father. Are you there? You’re the one who told me to come here, so why is it so hard??...." And I remember feeling like He didn’t answer me. But He did. In so many ways. He let me struggle a little bit so I could come to know Him. And I have. I have come to know that He loves me SO much. I now KNOW the church is true. No doubt about it. I thought it was true before, but now I KNOW. I wouldn’t know that if I hadn’t decided to come here. For anyone who is even slightly thinking about a mission, GO. It’s hard. Really hard. But SO worth it. I know it’s been hard, but I honestly can’t remember the bad times. But I remember the good times PERFECTLY. I’m not quite sure how it works, but it’s true. Man, I could ramble on forever about how grateful I am, but I’m about out of time. 

         I know my Savior lives. I know He loves me. And I know He suffered for me so that I can have eternal life. Without Him, we honestly have nothing. He is always there to help us. We just have to accept Him. His hand is always reaching towards us. To lift us. To help us. And to show us the way. 

         Well, I’ll wrap it up. I love you all so much! My eternal family :) I’m so blessed. See you all next week! :) 

Love,

Hermana Roper