4 bautismos!!!!

What a week -  4 baptisms! This family has come a long way.  Elder Call and I were so close to moving on from this family.  I'm really glad we decided to be patient and work with them. This week they were married and my companion and I got to be the witnesses. So that was quite fun. Then they were baptized. 

We are also planning 2 more baptisms for the coming week and the area should have even more in August.  I can't help but be a bit proud of how much progress we've had in this area. I feel like things have really started to come along out here in Tushmo. 

In my personal study lately, I've been in 3 Nephi - when the Savior Himself comes to the Americas. One thing that has really stood out to me as I've been studying, is just how much love the Savior showed for every single one of the children, and everyone else there. I think it is something quite interesting that we should all try to emulate in our lives as His disciples. Something I want to change about me. 

This week we did a Motokarwash, and I have to say, it was quite fun! There isn't a lot of time when we can just kinda be here and goof around and have a good time and help people at the same time. It turned into everyone dumping buckets of water on each other. Quite fun!

My companion likes to tell everyone that we meet that I learned spanish in 7 months, and it really makes me laugh hahah. I know a lot, but not everything yet. The goal is to be able to read the scriptures and understand everything in spanish. I'm almost there, but it's going take more patience. 

I think thats it for the week! I haven't been sick in a while, so that is great.  We are entering the last week of the change, so we'll see what happens next Monday - if I am transferred or not!

I also opened my mission call a year ago on July 28, 2017 - hard to believe a year has gone by!

Much love from Tushmo,

Elder Roper

un matrimonio esta semana!

Hello all! It seems like just yesterday I was here in internet writing yall. This week absolutely flew by, along with the month of July! This week we have planned a wedding and a baptism. In the next 2 weeks we should have 6 baptisms. Our people are really coming along. While we are indeed teaching well and going to baptize, we aren't really finding that well. In the last two weeks we've had 4 new investigators. Which is kinda frustrating. But were goin hahah. 

Yesterday we helped a lady cut her bannana tree down. We asked her if she wanted help and she said yeah, so we did it. I got my shirt pretty dirty. So that sucks. But its alright hah. It can be washed. I also had a buddy in the ward go to Lima this week. So I asked him to pick me up a sweet tie from the Temple there. That's what the red llama tie is. It costed me a whole 15 soles or 5 bucks. Pretty sweet I'll say. 

This week we've started teaching English. So that has been pretty fun. It has also rained a ton this week, which I hate because my shoes get really muddy. But its alright.

This week we also got to do some service with my pensionista's son in our house. They're pretty much remodeling the whole house, so we help as often as we can. We're also planning to leave this house to move in with Samuel. But I think I'll get transferred before then. We'll just have to see. I'm really scared to spend all this time in Pulcallpa, and then struggle in Iquitos. 

On July 18, I hit the 9 month mark!  So crazy and a year ago is when I was waiting for my call to arrive.  

I think that's about it for this week!

Elder Roper

mejoré de salud!

Hello all! We had a really good week for once. We have 2 couples that are progressing really well - one is married, the other we are working to marry. If we play our cards right, the one will be marry the 26th, and baptize the 28th!!!!! 

In my studies, I have come to a conclusion that a meek person is someone who is humble, patient, virtuous, has charity, and defends righteousness with dilligence. That is who I am trying to become.

 

The members here have really started to help us a ton. Yesterday at church it seemed like every member that we talked to wanted to help us out. Pretty awesome!

I bought a pillow last P-day, and honestly, I think its the best decision I've ever made. 

Our Gospel Principles class yesterday was on personal sacrifice. I think that is honestly one of my favorite gospel terms. It just makes so much sense to me. I think with how I grew up with Dad in Iraq and learning everything the hard way kinda helps me. 

Another short email, but short and sweet - right?!?

Elder Roper

 

Me enfermé, y no me interesa

Hello all,

Another week, another email! This week I got sick, and I am convinced that jungle colds are worse than colds in Utah, I dunno why, but I just think it is worse. 

This week I learned that the bishop here, Obispo Jhon, knows his stuff. He was an AP in his mission, and really just understands how to get missionary work done. He always burns us in Ward Council, but its alright. I'm tryin' to learn as much as I can from him and from Elder Jackson, he'll finish his mission in September.... 

This week in Preisthood meeting, the first councilor shared a huge story from his mission. He said he was really cocky, really arrogant, and pretty much owned the mission. There wasn't a missionary better than him. He said the MP pulled him in for an interview, and told him he was going to be the next AP, and that confirmed all his feelings, that indeed he was the best missionary in the world.  If he could keep this a secret for one week, he would be the assistant, but within 3 hours the whole mission knew that he would be the next assistant! So he lost it.  He said he learned a huge lesson about being humble and meek, and then we read Elder Bednar's talk on Meekness. I loved it!

I also spoke in church Sunday, I spoke about ministering. I thought it was pretty good!

Pretty short this week, but its okay.

We didn't celebrate the 4th, but I decorated my planner real good that day.

Elder Roper!

Sigo en la Misión Peru Pulcallpa!

Hello all!
Well, I stayed up until about 11 Monday night waiting for the APs to call....... and they never did. So I will be here in this area until the beginning of August. We had interviews with Pres. Li this week and he told me that I WILL have a transfer. We shall see. Also he told me that I speak very well, and in our Zone Conference he made it very clear to the 2 Zones here that I speak very well. Which is something that really gives me confidence in myself, because there are days when I really don't know what I'm saying, and it just kinda flows out in perfect Spanish. Well not perfect, but for a gringo really good. 

I've still been reading Jesus the Christ, and this week I found some real good quotes. The first says *The capacity to be GRATEFUL is a blessing.* the other says, *The man with much finds it easier to forget his dependence than he who must ask with every succeeding day. Preach My Gospel talks a lot about being grateful as well.  

I really try to make an effort to thank my Pensionista every meal, because she's really struggling. Her son is divorced and moved in with their kids, she has us - the missionaries and she has her husband who doesn't have very good health. I try my best not to be a burden for her, and I think she notices that. 

I was reading Elder Bednar's talk about meekness this week, and came across Moroni 7:45, which reads :
"And charity suffererth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seekers not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth inthe truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

But I did something . . . I replaced the word ''charity'' with my name, so it reads, and Hayden suffereth.... so on and so forth . . . it really impacted me. It made me realize that of all the attributes and Spirtual gifts I have, I really lack charity.  I think that it could help with my companion, but I really really don't want to change but, I know that will keep me being the same if I don't. Something to work on for sure.

This week we enter in July, and ain't that some stuff.  I hope you all have a wonderful 4th and celebrate the birth of the greatest country in the world. I'll do my best down here hahah!

Until next week! 

Elder Roper