Greetings From The MTC!

                Hola! (That's about all the Spanish I know... Just kidding. But really, it's HARD!) It's your favorite missionary here! It's been a pretty great couple of days. The MTC is so great and everyone is so welcoming! Right from the moment I walked in people were helping me and so nice. I went and got nametags, dropped off my suitcases, and went to class. 900 missionaries reported Wednesday with me!! Crazy! Well..apparently I was late because my class left me! So my host missionaries led me to the opening meeting and said I'd be fine with no companion. Well..In the MTC, or being a missionary in general, it's weird to not have a companion, so I got so many weird looks! I tagged along with some other sisters till I found her later that night though :)

         My companion in Hermana Peterson, and she's great! She's from Texas. (She has no idea where Waller is though). She knows SO much Spanish and has helped me so much already. She's going to be sick of having to keep helping me lol.

         Pretty much everyone in my district has had years of Spanish and here I am.. With no Spanish at all! From day one our teacher has talked in nothing but Spanish. Intimidating much? Haha he is great though. His name is Brother Haug (you say it like how with a g). One thing he said that really stuck out to me was, "We aren't creatures of our circumstances... We're creators!" Whenever I get down I just have to remember that. He's a great teacher though. I'm pretty sure he just got off of his own mission not too long ago.

         The first day we went from room to room seeing what it's like to teach real investigators. It was so neat! First, a couple of the Elders who have been here for a few weeks would teach, and then they would turn it over to all of us and we'd take turns teaching (in English, thank goodness). I learned a lot about having to find investigators’ personal needs. We, as missionaries, can't simply teach out of Preach My Gospel and think it will work for every investigator. We need to get to know them and find out what is missing in their lives and which part of the gospel would help them the most. For some it was the knowledge of eternal families that got them interested, and for some it was forgiveness and the atonement. Some investigators wouldn't even give us the chance to speak to them or just shut every one of our comments down. It's all about teaching with the spirit though. If you don't have the spirit, you won't convert a single person. A quote I really liked was, "When you teach with the spirit, that's when the lesson ceases to be yours and becomes HIS." (Elder Holland) It was just a great experience and made me excited to teach real people when I get out there!

         So on the second day of class we had to teach an investigator... In Spanish! Thank goodness for Hermana Peterson! She spoke the entire time lol. I couldn't understand her or him so I wasn't much help. His name is Carlos. He's really a teacher here at the MTC (some of the other Hermanas in our zone let us know that) and he's acting the part of an investigator he converted on his own mission. They are such good actors! I would have busted up laughing at my Spanish if I was him. It was no bueno! After that experience I've been studying Spanish every chance I get. I can see how Hunter loved the MTC so much.. He only had to speak English! Lol I really do love it, just can't wait to get the language down a little more.

         Oh! So the first day Hermana Peterson and I got put in the Elder's living place! When they figured out where they had put us, they hurried and shoved us in another room. When we got there it was a mess and there were no empty beds so we ended up getting to move to the room with the other girls in my district. All four of them are going to Argentina. They're great! There's Hermana Stanley, Albright, McChesney, and Hafen. They're all good at Spanish, so hopefully that helps me catch on. I'm not even all the way unpacked yet. I think I have a lot of stuff ;) All the other girls have just as much though so oh well lol. There's also 6 Elders in my District and I don't know their names yet. Our Branch President is President Peer and everyone says he is amazing. He came and talked to us for a bit yesterday and we had interviews. He wasn't the one who interviewed me, but our Zone Leaders said when he interviews he'll like whip out stuff from their Patriarchal blessings because he's just that in tune with the spirit. I'll keep you posted on that haha.

         I've seen so many familiar faces here! I've seen Hermana Hannah Nelson, Sister Ivory, Sister Kearl and Sister Orrock (Girl's state), Elder Oliverson, Elder Benson, Elder Allinson, and Elder Robertson. I love seeing people I know! Elder Allinson has helped me a lot. He said he really struggled with Spanish and wanted to switch to an English mission, but he said God called us to our missions for a reason and he trusts that we can do it :) He's right! As long as we do our part He will help us. I've seen him every day at lunch along with Elder Robertson. I haven't seen Elder Huntington yet though. Maybe he's gone by now L

         Kinda cool story.. I woke up this morning at 6 so we could stake our claim on a washer and dryer (today's my P-day) and I was half awake, but heard the girls talking about someone sleep talking and was like oh jeez, that was me I'm sure. But then they started talking about someone sleep talking in Spanish in like full sentences and my first though was, "Whoever you are, I hate you" because I want to speak Spanish SO bad. So I didn't say anything and everyone just kept looking at me so I was finally like, "Wait who was sleep talking in Spanish?" and they were like, "YOU WERE!!" So apparently I can only talk in Spanish when I'm sleeping lol. I'm not sure I'll convert many people if I'm asleep during lessons though so I'll have to get this straightened out haha. It is pretty crazy how much I learn in a day though.

         Today we get to relax a bit (aka study some more Spanish) and go to the temple. We do have class later tonight, so I might be teaching Carlos again. Hopefully it goes better this time lol, we'll see.

         Thank you all for all of the support and letters! I'll try to reply to all of them soon. And hopefully you get the picture. Those are the girls in my district. Let me know if it works! Oh and my black watch broke again lol. I tried to beat it like you did, but I must not have the magic touch ;) If you could send me another that would be great! I love you all SO much! I'm so blessed and know this gospel is true! Have a great week! :)

Love,

Hermana Roper :)

Farewell Hermana Roper

Yesterday was my mission farewell. I am seriously amazed at the love and support I have! I am so blessed, and have the best family and friends EVER. No battle.

I was asked to speak on Dallin H. Oaks' conference talk "Followers of Christ." He talks about the specific footsteps we need to follow in order to be like Christ. I'll share a couple stories I talked about.
One of the footsteps that I focused a lot on was the commandment to love one another. Ever heard of the tattooed mormon? Or Al Fox? Well, if you haven't, I highly suggest it. She has the most amazing story! Go to this link. Right NOW.
http://alfoxshead.blogspot.com/2013/04/tattooed-mormon.html She is seriously an amazing example of a true follower of Christ. I shared her story in my talk, and was surprised at how many people hadn't heard her story. It's a must read. Like, really. Read it. Now.
Another story I shared is one of my all time favorites. If you don't cry, there's something wrong with you. Just kidding.. But I bawl every time. "The following event took place in a Salt Lake City ward in 1974. It occurred during sacrament meeting, and was told by a Regional Representative of the Twelve, who was in the meeting. A young man, just before leaving on his mission stood in sacrament meeting and bore the following testimony: Brothers and sisters, as you know during the past few weeks I have been awaiting my mission call. During the time I was waiting, I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and was waiting my call to come to Earth. I was filled with the same excitement and anticipation that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream, I was talking to a friend. He was a dear friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I had never met him in this life. As we talked, a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to Earth. In great excitement my friend and I asked him to read aloud. The letter said: 'You have been called to Earth in a special time and a special land. You will be born into the true church and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will be raised with many advantages and many blessings. You will be born in a land of plenty, a land of freedom. You will go to Earth in the United States of America.' My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call and while we rejoiced the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to Earth. My friend gave me the letter to read aloud. His letter said, 'You have been called to Earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be filled with political and social difficulties which will hinder the work of the Lord. You will be born in Cosa Rica.' We wept, my friend and I, as we read his call, and my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, 'When we are down on Earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, please come and find me.' Then this young missionary with tears in his own eyes said, 'Brothers and sisters, I have received my mission call. I am going to Costa Rica.' There is a sequel to this story. About a year after the sacrament meeting, the bishop of this ward received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it, and on that sheet, written in inch-high letters were four words. . . 'I found my friend.'"
How stinking awesome is that?! I KNOW without a doubt there are people in Peru waiting specifically for ME. I can't believe my farewell is over and there's only 9 more days until I start this crazy journey. Here we go!

My family is forever

"When you come to the temple you will love your family with a deeper love than you have ever felt before. The temple is about families."

—Richard H. Winkel

This is so true! I have never felt more love for my family than I did that night in the temple's sealing room. To know that I get to be with them forever was, and is, the best feeling I've ever felt. It's not about how much we have here on Earth; it's about what I now know I get to have throughout the eternities.  I've never felt the spirit as strongly as I did that night. The entire night was amazing! It's hard to deny the truthfulness of this Gospel after a night like this. There's no denying I have a Father in Heaven who loves me SO much. Everything about His plan is perfect. There's no other way. I'm so grateful He loves my family enough to help us get to the temple. It's been a long time comin' and He was there every step of the way. It makes me that much more excited to share this happiness with the people of Peru! I have witnessed a miracle, and I know God answers prayers. There's no need to doubt or fear if we put our trust in Him. Like my little sister said when we were walking into the temple: "I'm not even nervous. My Holy Ghost is just makin me feel happy right now." That's what this is all about... Being happy! It's the Plan of Happiness! I can testify of this. I'm on cloud 95982892498025897 right now. I love this Gospel! <3 

I love to see the temple.. I'm going there Friday!

Who has two thumbs and is getting sealed to her family for time and all eternity this Friday?! This. Girl. Right. Here.

You could say I'm quite excited! It's been a crazy process (especially today), but my family can make it through. So today, I get a text from my mom that said, "Haidyn can't get sealed until she's baptized." Haidyn is my adorable sister, and she just celebrated her 8th birthday Monday.  Perfect timing, right? No. So when my mom called the temple today they told her that my sister couldn't come and be sealed with us. What they heck? Nobody knew this rule. So apparently this is Satan's way of trying his hardest to prevent my family from being sealed. Well guess what, Satan? Isn't gonna work. :) My amazing mom is throwing together a baptism for this Thursday night! How awesome is she? She could easily throw in the towel and put the temple to the side, but she knows how important this is. Best mom award goes to her. No battle. I love the crap out of my family! And as of Friday, they're stuck with me forever. So ha! 

As it gets closer to my mission I'm freaking out. This is normal, right? Well, as we were getting our interviews for our recommends, a member of the stake presidency bore strong witness to me about missions. One thing sticks out and has been on my mind every time I start to doubt. He said, "People of Peru are going to thank the Lord every single day that Hermana Roper came into their lives. You are being sent there for a reason... Stick it out, and you'll find out the reason." That's exactly what I needed to hear. I know it's going to be hard, but these are people's eternities that are in my hands. I'm starting to feel the pressure! All the Lord asks is that I'm worthy and willing; He'll take care of the rest. Here's to the next 35 days. Five weeks. Holy crap. Here we go. 

Called to Serve

I got my call on January 19th to the Peru Piura mission! Peru seriously never even crossed my mind.  I leave June 5th to the Peru MTC.  I'm so ready to serve!  I actually never though about a mission.  I just always thought I'd wait for my missionary and live happily ever after.  Good plan, right?   Heavenly Father thought otherwise.  When the announcement was made I knew immediately I wanted to go.  My family thought I was CRAZY.  This is how the conversation went with my mom.  Me: "So mom, they changed the age for girls to go on missions.  They can go at 19 now!" Mom: "And??..." And then I hit her with the bombshell that I wanted to serve.  Looking back now I realize I should've planned this better.. Sorry mom. ;)  My family all got over the shock when they all realized they'd get my things when I left.  My mom's got dibs on my clothes, my brother gets my laptop (or so he thinks), my sister's stealing my room, and my dad.. Well, he's out of luck.  So my papers were all filled out and that's when I started to panic.  What the freak was I thinking?!  Why was I going on a mission?!  I had a major period of doubt.  I finally figured it out though.  I got my answer and the papers went in, and now here I am..  Making a blog about my mission.  It's honestly so crazy to me how I thought I had my life all planned out, and then in a matter of minutes my world was turned upside down.  I'm so grateful to be able to go serve the people of Peru.  I already love them so much.  "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!"