el ultimo correo!

Hey guys! I got to use Hermana Parker's laptop for a second and yeah. I got to spend Thursday until Saturday with my friends in the offices and I had a good time!  I got to proselyte one last time with Elder Neves on Friday night just like old times. Sunday we attended church in my old ward - Castanas. It was fun! Obispo Vega asked me to give a talk, so I decided to talk about revelation and how I decided that I needed to stay on the mission when Grandpa passed away just barely. It was a fun experience!

Last night I had my last interview with Presidente Parker and it was a spiritual experience. BE SURE to ask me about that. It was great! I don't want to type it all out.  In short, President gave me a blessing and when the interview was over and he called Hermana Parker in to be there (he didn't do that with the other missionaries) and then at the end he said "I give you permission to hug Sister Parker"  and I was bawling. I love those two so much and hope very much that I can come back to visit them!

To explain the pictures...... We had a medical conference and I got to meet the area doctor and his wife and I told her I was going home soon. I didn't think much of it, but when I left Tarapoto on Thursday I flew with them and spent some time with them in the office. Push comes to shove she sent us to buy a machete for HER and then when we came back she wanted 3 more. We brought 3 more back from the store, and then she said "this one is for you, have a nice trip home!" She and Hermana Parker convinced me that I could take it in my checked luggage. So we wrapped it up and it is just waiting to come home. 

I am excited to come home, but it will be very strange. I am NOT looking forward to flying for more than 10 hours, but it will definitely be worth it! 

We should be leaving the office here within an hour or so just to go goof off for our last couple hours in Iquitos without breaking mission rules. We might go eat some worms, we're not really sure!! ahhhh hahahahahah

I think that is all for now! We shall see each other very soon!!!

Elder Roper

He's On His Way

My last companion - Elder Padilla from Bolivia.

At the mission president's home with Elder Skidmore and Elder Jacobson.

We had dinner with The Parker's and had our exit interviews this evening.

The next morning we got up and hung out for a while.

We messed around with Sister Parker's iPhone because we hadn't seen one in 2 years!

We went out and about.

We went to the markets and bought some souvenirs.

We made sure we went and had a last look at the Amazon River.

We visited members that we taught and told them goodbye.

Eventually we made it back to the mission home after we experienced a typical Iquitos rainstorm.  We were drenched!

Sister Parker insisted that I change my shirt into a clean one for my arrival back home.

I saw this beautiful rainbow as we were loading things up to head to the airport.

Here is our whole group getting checked into the airport.

One last selfie with Sister Parker.

And a group shot with all of the missionaries headed home today.

Here we are going through security - scanning tickets and checking passports.

Goodbye, Peru!

I'm headed home!

Bottom of the 9th . . .

Hey guys!! It feels weird knowing that this is my last Monday writing in a crammed, stuffy and hot internet cafe in Tarapoto Peru. I can't express the gratitude that I have towards all of my companions and mission leaders that I have had over the past 23 months. This week really proved that I have 23 months. I ripped another pair of pants and my belt is about to give up. My shirts are yellow and my name tag is dirty. 

We had a decent week. We got to visit our date last night Raul and I got to say good bye to him, which was pretty sad. We set up another visit for Tuesday, but we will see if it happens again. 

I had a really great experience taking the Sacrament on Sunday. My spiritual curtains (I'll explain this when I'm home) were open for sure!

Last Monday we went to the waterfalls. It was awesome! I took lots of pictures. We had a good time. 

 Today I'm not quite sure what we're going to do. But we will figure something fun to do. 

This week we had been searching for a house, and out of the blue we found one. We are going to try to find time to move this week but we will see what happens. I fly out to Iquitos on Thursday afternoon. I'm also stoked that I get to stay with my friends in the offices, and I will be able to attend church one last time in my old ward of Castañas. It should be a good time!

I don't have much more to say about the week. It has been really hard to want to do things right this week. I'm honestly striving not to leave my companion and the zone in the dust, but it is toooo hard not to hahah.  Life goes on.

Until next Monday or Tuesday I'm not sure!!

On October 10th I need to be in the SLC airport to welcome DANIEL SPRINGER HOME and then after that the 12th of November to welcome home ELDER JACOBSON!!!

I LOVE THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS!

Elder Roper