Elder Hayden Roper: It's Official

I got home after work and seeing all of Hayden's things spread out made him leaving that much more real!

We had so many people stopping by to wish him good luck, tell him goodbye and dropping off little momentos.

His 3rd grade teacher brought this huge fortune cookie for him.

At 8:00 p.m., the stake president was coming to set him apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I was very emotional. As a mother, it is so hard to send your son out into the world!

The moment was here . . . the doorbell rang and my heart sunk.

Here we go . . .

President Schultz gave Hayden a beautiful blessing as he set him apart!

It was amazing what had transpired in those 5 - 10 minutes that President Schultz was here. Hayden was like a different person - I guess you could say he truly was. He was now an official missionary! I felt complete comfort and peace and I had actually stopped crying!

Jason and Elder Roper

Jason, Elder Roper and Jackson

Jason, Elder Roper, Jackson and Keaton

The Roper Family

(minus Jenny - she was taking the picture)

I wonder who will grow the most in the next two years?

The Roper boys

Me and my missionary

I am so very proud of Hayden and I know he will be an incredible missionary. He is going to have some of the most neat experiences and I am sure he will have some difficult times, too!

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "It will not be easy. It will require the very best that you have - - all your intelligence, creativity, faith, integrity, strength, determination, and love. But one day you will look back upon your efforts, and oh, how grateful you will be that you remained strong, that you believed, and that you did not depart from the path."

Jackson, Elder Roper and Jenny

Elder Roper has lots and lots of thank you cards to write. People are so very generous and always so supportive. Not sure what we would never do without our friends and family!

THANK YOU!