Week 2 in Tijuana

Hola y como estan todos??  In other words hi and how is everyone?

Week 2 has come and gone so stinkin’ fast.  The days are super long but the weeks fly by.  I am beginning to understand a little more everyday.  I do get a bit frustrated when I can’t understand what is said and people can’t understand me, but what can I do?  I am where I am supposed to be -  doing what the Lord wants me to do.

Thanks for all the updates from home.  I still don’t feel like me and all my friends should be going through the temple and on missions.  It feels like just yesterday we were playing for state against American Fork.  We passed by a baseball field the other day and stood and watched for a bit and boy it made me miss baseball.  Nevertheless there is a lot more to life than baseball huh?

Well as for the teaching I teach a couple parts of the lesson usually depending if it goes smoothly.  We met with a lady yesterday that went off about how she could see spirits and what not so I just stayed quiet because I didn’t really know how to express myself. Sometimes I understand everything in the lessons and other times I don’t.  I feel like when I really need to understand something I can - especially during the lessons.  The gift of tongues is super powerful.  The more work we put into it the more powerful that gift becomes.  I learn a lot from Elder Castelan everyday.  Although he listens to Metallica-yes Metallica-he really knows how to teach and how to apply the scriptures to people.  I wish he was more obedient but I can’t worry about that because it’s not in my control, right?

It’s funny because with all of our investigators the lessons are going great and they are really understanding until we drop the baptismal question and date.  It seems like everything after that falls apart.  For example, we are working with a lady named Mirtha who is so ready for the Gospel and baptism.  But since we have invited her to be baptized everything has gone down hill.  She had 2 family members pass away and all this stuff has been coming up to distract her from praying and reading.  Just shows me the work is real and Satan is doing everything he can to stop the work.  Elder Castelan speaks English very well so I try to say something in Spanish and if he doesn’t understand I just spit it out in English.  No big deal

We walk or take the bus to our lessons.  We don’t have to walk too far...but then again we don’t have to tract or do contacts in the street.  Just a different style of work here in Tijuana.  Dad, please do all that you can as the WML.  Ours does nothing for us and I haven’t even met him yet.  We are pretty much on our own with the help of the members for referrals.  It’s definitely different than I imagined but it’s all good.  

Dad I hope you enjoyed your birthday!  I was definitely thinking of you on Saturday and hope you had a great day!  

Church here is wild.  If you think the Spanish Branch is bad just come here.  Kids running everywhere and all sorts of stuff but the Church and the Spirit is still the same.  I really enjoy the chance we have to sort of relax at church on Sunday and hang.  

The weather here is great.  Perfect during the day and super cold at night.  I love it though.  A lot better than the pounding snow.  

The food is delicious.  Tortillas and rice and beans with every meal and some sort of meat or burrito.  Just depends on the meal.  I love it!  

Well, I am glad to hear everyone is doing good.  I am struggling a bit here but I am doing just fine.  The days are hard and long but the weeks fly by.  These first 3 months will take an eternity but after that it will pick up!

Well I had better go.  Good to hear from everyone.  If you send a package soon I could use some Shout for my shirts, my black Nike backpack, and some under armor ankle socks so I can double up when the weather gets hot.  And whatever food you want...

Well take care and until next week :)

Elder Roper :)

P.S.

It’s a rule down here that we can’t drink Coke with the members....ahhhhhh!!!  ha oh well :)

View from The Mission President's House

la casa :) best one in the mission I guess! 

My bed is on the left! 

It hailed here the other day! 

Baseball game I watched the other day :) The field is sweet!!

Our neighborhood 

Look out of Tijuana!

Elder Castelan and I with a lady named Tere.  Reminds me a lot of Granny J.  

A Letter From The Mission President

19 February 2013 

Dear Roper Family,

We express our love and congratulations that your son, Elder Jackson Jason Roper, has been called by the Lord to serve in the Mexico Tijuana Mission.   It is our privilege to welcome him; be assured that the Lord will surround him with his love and support (D&C 84:88).  We will also do our part to help in his spiritual and physical well-being.

The purpose of your son is to "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."

Letters from the family are very important for the missionaries.  We suggest that you write to your child every week and provide him with encouragement and good news; in order to write to you, the missionaries are only allowed to use the email provided by the Church, myldsmail.net, and the rule is that they write you every week on Monday.

So that letters and packages can arrive even more quickly to your son, we have a United States P.O. Box.  It is at the following address:

Elder Jackson Roper
Mexico Tijuana Mission
PMB 157
P.O. Box 439056
San Ysidro, CA 92143-9056

We would also like you to know that the missionaries receive a certain amount of money each month.  These funds are sacred and represent the sacrifices of family and other members.  The missionaries should have a monthly budget, be savings minded, and prudent in how they spend these funds.  We suggest that you do not send money very often.  It is appropriate to send him money only when they have needs such as the replacement of clothing.  This will help your child learn to be self-sufficient and prepare him for his future life.

We appreciate the support you give your son.  In this way, you help support missionary work.  May the Lord bless you in this work of love.

Sincerely,
President Armando Carreon                       
Sister Carreon

First Week In Tijuana

Hola!!

Wow!  I can’t believe I am in the thick of what is known as Tijuana, Mexico.  Right now I am downtown because I had to go to the mission office and fill out more forms for my Visa.  Anyways, I am doing good!  The mission is hard.  The language is rough.  I can barely understand anything, ha not to mention say anything.  I just kind of follow my trainer around the field and do what he does.  His name is Elder Castelan from somewhere in Mexico.  I don’t have my camera right now but I promise pictures next week!!  He reminds me a lot of Chuck for some reason, just his mannerisms I guess.  He isn’t the most obedient as he sleeps in and listens to all sorts of crazy music but I have no complaints.  He knows what he is doing, how to teach and how to speak Spanish and that’s all I ask!  

My first area is known as Otay.  It’s about 10 minutes right outside of downtown Tijuana.  Elder Tall is in the same stake, so I see him about once a week.  It’s a super rich area compared to the rest of Mexico.  The houses are super scummy on the outside but on the inside they are super nice.  Everyone has their iPads, TVs, and sound systems.  It just makes me laugh.  It’s a pretty busy area.  We either walk to appointments or take the bus.  It just depends.  At 2 in the afternoon here, we eat with the members.  We usually just eat a bowl of cereal in the morning and then have lunch at 2 with someone.  The food is super good!  Tacos, and burritos, and rice and beans.  The usual.  My day consists of waking up, breakfast, study til noon, then we go do our thing.  We work primarily with members here.  I haven’t been tracting once!!  It’s a lot more effective and a lot more easy to do it that way.  

We have taught somewhere around 10 discussions I would say.  I just kind of of sit and listen and nod my head but what can I do?  haha at least I am trying.  I messed up the First Vision the other day super bad but I’m not worried about it.  All the Elders here say I already speak better Spanish than they did when they arrived, so I am not too worried.  Still frustrating that I just have to sit there though.  I want to be fluent already but there isn’t much I can do now.  Ha!  

In the entire mission there are about 150 Elders but I think there are somewhere around 200 more coming.  The Lord is hastening his work.  

My address for letters and packages is:

Elder Jackson Roper
Mexico Tijuana Mission
PMB 157
P.O. Box 439056
San Ysidro, CA 92143-9056

So yes send letters and packages there to California and the assistants go and pick up all the mail.  I will only receive mail once or twice a month, so email will be my first form of communication.  

I don’t really need anything now, but I could use some Shout...the stain fighter for my shirts...and whatever candy you want to send.  

Overall I am doing well.  A bit frustrated I can’t really teach or do much right now to fulfill my purpose but I am trying my best.  I get a little down when we aren’t doing anything  but when we are busy I am fine.  I enjoy working and walking around much more than the study.  Just like the MTC I guess.  

Well that’s about it for this week!  I love and miss you all!  I will get you some pictures and more info for next week!  

Gotta run!

Love you!

Elder Roper 

P.S. A few elders here knew Mike May when he served here.  Hope all is well at home.  I am doing fine and am safe.  Just trying to understand Spanish ha!

He Made It!

Hola :)

Hey we made it to Mexico in one piece.  I have my companion and we are just hanging in the mission office learning the rules and meeting our companions.  President Correon and his wife Hermana Correon fed us when we got here.  Some sort of ham sandwich with pasta and flan for dessert!  Yum!  I dont have an address yet but my P day is next Monday so I will write home then and let you know how its going!  We made it safely and are well taken care of.  Tijuana is gorgeous.  Hope you are all doing good!

Take care :)

Elder Roper

Travel Plans

Hola!!

So we recieved our travel plans about an hour ago!  I leave Monday morning from the MTC at 11:30am.  Our flight takes off from SLC at 3pm.  So imagine I will have a couple hours to call in between 1 and 3 o' clock.  We fly to San Diego Airport and I am assuming we will just drive to the mission home in Tijuana.  So I will see pretty much the heart of Tijuana my first day there!  Ha this is crazy!! 

I have a phone pass to call home TONIGHT from a pay phone here at the MTC.  I will call the MOM'S CELL PHONE AROUND 6 PM after dinner tonight.  I only have 5 minutes to talk tonight but I will be able to talk more come Monday.  So be watching for a phone call tonight!!  I cant believe this day is finally here!!

Love you all!

Elder Roper

Week 10

Hey Y’all!!

Good news! :) We rode the train up north yesterday to the consulate and got everything squared away so I should be receiving my visa today and leaving Monday or Tuesday morning.  I haven’t received my travel plans yet but I will let you know through email or possibly phone call when we are leaving.  We rode the Front Runner up to the IMC Hospital - yes, 5 minutes away from the house - hopped on Trax, got off by Spring Mobile, walked by the ball park to the consulate.  One of the weirdest experiences of my entire life being out of the MTC and better yet 5 minutes away from the house.  We talked to a few people on the train - mostly members asking why there was a group of 20 missionaries riding the train and walking around SLC.  We got a lot of funny looks on the train.  This shows you how much I have changed but EVERYONE had some sort of iPad or laptop on the train and I couldn’t help but think how much easier life was without all these devices.  I saw people reading all sorts of different books and without even realizing it, I thought, “Man you really should be reading the Book of Mormon.”  Ha that book is of God.  Period.  Read it.  We were talking to a guy before we got on the train just telling him where we were going and why our name tags were in Spanish and he was like, where can I find out more about your church? BINGO!! Ha one of the Elders that was with us talked to him and gave him a Book of Mormon and my boy Elder Gundersen explained some of the basic doctrines in the book.  We got his contact info and gave it back to the Elders here at the referral center so someone can call and talk with this man.  I am so very grateful for this experience.  I forget how much we stand out here.  At the MTC everyone has a black name tag on and everyone is in a suit.  Yesterday really made me look at myself and how I wear Christ's name over my heart daily and represent His church.  I already know the first few days in Tijuana are going to be very overwhelming and nerve wracking but that is what I signed up for - right?  I found comfort for the field in D & C 84:85. I think where it talks about how we are Christ's friends and because we have the Gospel, He expects us to take that to the world.  Very comforting words in those verses.  Christ is truly with us every step of the way. 

My mind is blown that the next time you hear from me I will probably be in Tijuana!!  Ha it will be a great experience to finally get down there.  I will grow so much in the next few weeks.  We are making our final preparations here in the MTC and trying to be ready for the real world once again.  I just fall back that many Elders have done it before and survived.  Better yet . . . the Savior suffered and felt this in the Garden so He knows exactly how I feel right now.  Enough about me though.  I am happy Daniel and Wyatt were able to come by.  It was probably fun to visit with them for a bit.  Also cool that Aubrey got her call to Ukraine!!  That is nuts!  That’s awesome that Hayden and Keaton were able to start ball again at Edo's.  That should be good getting back into baseball for them. 

Well I hope you have all had a very good week!  Can’t believe I was within five minutes of you all yesterday but it’s all good.  Watch your email and phones so I can let you know when I will be leaving and when to expect a call from the airport :)  Take care of yourselves!  I love and miss you all!

Your son and bro soon to be engulfed in Mexico-

Elder Roper

Elder Rentz and I 

Jackson and Elder Nick Paulson
Jackson and Nick went to high school together.  They played on the baseball team and
served on the seminary council together.

The district before the 3 left to Vegas 

The future starting QB for the U - Elder Chase Hansen