Crazy Week This Week!

Hola-

Crazy week this week.  Good to hear the new changes in the ward.  I thought for sure the bishopric would be people from our ward but I guess not.  It’s all good though.  

I had 4 days of divisions with other Elders in the district this week.  I learned a lot and saw a lot of different missionaries too.  With Elder Newell we worked all day and didn’t stop until 9 at night.  With the others we worked okay and returned home super earlier at like 7:30.  There are a lot of missionaries that don’t do a thing here and it makes me sick honestly.  They no lie sit in the house all day and are miserable.  I don’t know how or why they waste their time and money like that but it’s out of my control and I am still the greeny fresh out of the MTC.  I did have some great experiences this week though.

On Saturday we hit up the Sobres or swap meet in English.  Always a blast and there are great deals!  I bought my first 2 Sobres ties...see the pics...for 20 pesos or like $1.50!  Sweet huh? Afterwards I went to Casablanca with Elder Duarte to work with him for the day.  We had a cleaning assignment to help an elderly lady clean her house.  She is blind, isn’t a member and has little to nothing to eat better yet to do.  Her house was honestly the worst condition of a house I have ever seen and it smelt even worse.  Her family won’t help her for who knows why and all she could do was cry to us.  She didn’t have any cleaning supplies so we moved her bed around for her and swept the floor and that was all we could do.  I wanted to do so much more but we didn’t have the supplies or time.  I felt terrible for her but at the same time I felt the love that God has for his children.  No matter who we are or where we come from, God always loves us.  I think I felt just a tiny bit of this love as we were sweeping her house.  Powerful experience.

I had always wondered when this would happen, but yesterday the speakers just decided to not show up to Sacrament and ditch their talks.  It has happened the past two weeks in the ward.  Just shows the different lifestyles of American members and Mexican members.  I was up front at the Sacrament table because there is only one Priest when the one of the bishopric members asked if Elder Castelan and I could give a talk each of us......yes - in Spanish...yes -  without any preparation!  We gladly accepted.  Elder Castelan said that he had always seen the missionaries speak in his home ward about the work.  And now it was our turn. I spoke,,,yes - in Spanish....on 3 Nephi 11 specifically the last verse.  It’s when Christ comes to the Americas and establishes His doctrine.  The last verse is very interesting because it says in Spanish,,id a este pueblo...I can’t remember it in English.  He is inviting the people to teach and spread the word.  He isn’t just talking to the missionaries or the prophets and apostles, He is talking to the whole multitude - better yet because the Book of Mormon is for our time, He is talking to us.  If we are to live the Doctrine of Christ in our lives, we are to spread the word as Christ says.  Something interesting I have found in my studies of the Book of Mormon on the mission.  

Another cool experience I had yesterday was while we were with an investigator.  Her name is Mirtha and looks a lot like and reminds me so much of Jenny’s mom-Nancy.  She is a great...wants to wait to be baptized for a bit...but she is downright honest in everything she says and the type of person she is.  She was asking us about our missions and how we can give up 2 years to work for the Lord and all those questions.  She then told us something very, very special.  She said, “Geez when I see you guys walking down the street, it’s like I am seeing Christ.  You are in your nice clothes and want nothing other than to help people.”  My jaw dropped when she said that and is maybe the best compliment I have had while on the mission.  Granted we aren’t Christ, nor will we ever be but, we are His missionaries and His representatives to bring the world His Truth.  Cool huh?

It was a great week!  I still haven’t gotten the package...I think it just takes time.  I have received 2 letters...one from Sam Staker and the other from Makayla Sharpe.  I want to write back but don’t have any stamps so in whatever package you send next could you get me some stamps please?  There are many members here that work in the States so they can mail my letters I just need stamps.  

To answer Dad's question we have a washer.  It’s not much but it sure beats having to pay for washing machines.  

We haven’t had anymore baptisms sadly.  I am dying for the next one.  It’s a good thing success isn’t measured by baptisms though.  

We will watch conference here in the chapel.  I think from the church website.  I hope they have it in English so I can get something out of it.  Thanks for all the sports updates..they keep me sane.  

Well, I hope you are all doing good.  I have heard the sisters are getting transferred here in the middle of April with transfers so I am sure I will be transferred here in a bit but who knows?  I am doing great and loving the mission.  I pray for a great companion in the future that wants to work hard all day.  I go nuts when we don’t do anything!

Well take care and I will hear from you next week!

Elder Roper

Por Favor Puedo Usar Su Bano

Hola!

Wow where does time go?  I have no clue whatsoever.  I say that every single P- day.  Ha I really have no clue.  

Great news to hear about Mark´s mission call.  I always had a feeling he would go somewhere in Europe.  He can do this sweet Irish accent...ha perfect for him.  It’s actually really great to hear about all of my friends getting mission calls.  Once again seems like just yesterday we were all playing sports together and what not. 

I have grown substantially this past week.  Actually Elder Tall and I got to spend yesterday afternoon together and work here in Otay for a whole day.  Never ever thought that would happen, but it did.  It had to be a funny sight seeing two gringos fresh in TJ walking around preaching the Gospel together. I was super nervous we weren’t going to be able to understand a word but I was able to understand, no lie everything and speak my mind for really the first time in my mission.  It’s funny when I am with a different comp or I have to plan the day and make sure the plans get fulfilled I can speak and understand everything.  Geez the power of the gift of tongues and interpretation is real.  I have to use it everyday and I know as long as I am worthy of it and work for it I can have it whenever I need it.  

Can’t wait to hear who the new bishop will be and the re-alignments in the wards!  How exciting!  I also really like the story Mom shared from Pres. VanWagoner.  It’s definitely hard to get your mind where it needs to be but these 2 years are for the Lord and we have the whole rest of our lives to do and think whatever.  Elder Holland says it will never be the same, so enjoy it.  I always think of that when I get frustrated or tired or the day sucks.  Literally I will never have another time like this in my life.  

Sadly, the baptism of Jose Pablo didn’t happen this week.  President Carreon actually came with us to his house to do the interview.  Because of the complications with his wife, Jose either has to marry the mother of his son or he has to move out.  It’s a really difficult situation and Jose Pablo wants it so bad.  He was in tears when he realized that he couldn’t be baptized this week.  Poor guy.  But I would rather have everything in order for the baptism instead of doing it unworthily.  

Funny story though...we were chatting a bit after a meal with the Sister that we had just eaten with.  I felt something hit my stomach hard but I didn’t want to interrupt the conversation and ask to use the bathroom.  Luckily the urge went away but about 2 minutes later in hit me again HARD!!  My stomach growled and growled and growled and I was hunched over in pain.  Ha i mumbled out...Hermana por favor puedo usar su bano ... hahahahahahahahahaha!!  Needless to say hell was unleashed and I’m pretty sure her daughter was in the next room over and heard everything but what can I do?  I HAD to go that instant!  The same thing happened the next day during a lesson with an investigator and I had to use her bathroom as well.  Elder Castelan was laughing and I had to bust out the Pepto that Jenny sent me in the MTC....boy it sure helped me out a lot.  

I am proud of Hayden and his talk.  He is growing up a ton.  I only imagine what it will be like whenever I see you all again.  I don’t dwell on that thought often because I want to focus here.

Elder Castelan is doing a little bit better.  He still listens to music and sleeps in but it’s all good.  I had a chat with him and just told him that I didn’t care what he did, but that I need the help and training and that’s all.  

I talked with Elder Chappel from Mississippi and Elder Tall about companions and they just told me to raise my voice for what I needed.  I definitely feel a lot better with everything.  We haven’t ever fought . . . I just had a hard time with the disobedience.  There isn’t much I can do, so I just do my best!  The next transfer will be April and I think I will stay here in Otay for a while longer.  Elder Castelan will leave elsewhere but I imagine they will leave me here because I know the area and members.  But who knows...it’s all in the Lord’s hands, right?

Thanks for the updates with baseball and all!  I really appreciate them!  Hope all is well and you are doing well!  I am doing great in the sunshine down here...ha hope you are all jealous...only joking!  I love and miss you all!

Take care

Elder Roper

My district right now! Ha!  Elder C. is cut out but it's all good!

In the morning

Elder Tall and I 

Elder Newell, Elder Tall and I

This reminded me of Hayden!

Had to bust this out this week...

It's Been A Month Already?!?!?!

Hola utra vez!!  A donde va el tiempo . . .

Another week has come and gone and it’s hard to believe.  Every week I sit down at the computer to email and think,  "Wow, how fast has this mission!"  Today marks one month in Mexico and again I have no clue where that time went.      

That’s great that Elder Sandburg made it down here on time.  I will keep an eye out for him.  I hope he is doing well.  

 Eliseo is such a stud.  He even loves coke more than I do.  He says with all his struggles he has, as long as he has his Coke...all is well hahahaha!  Oh we talked for 45 minutes with him the other day about it all.  Such a stud Eliseo!  He got deported here to Mexico on Christmas Eve with just the clothes on his back.  Poor guy.  But because he is doing what’s right, he is being blessed.  

The other baptism didn’t occur but it should this upcoming week.  His name is Jose Pablo.  He has problems with his ¨wife¨ although they aren’t living together so he will talk with Pres. Carreon this upcoming week.  

The weather here is a lot like home.  A few days it’s super hot and the next it’s freezing cold.  It rained for 3 days straight this week.  You can see more in the pictures!  

I haven’t gotten the package yet but I imagine it’s sitting at the offices.  I have to wait for the Zone Leaders to go to the office to bring it to me.  They only go once maybe twice a month to the offices for mail.  That’s why I don’t write letters. It takes forever!  And yes we walk everywhere.  If the appointment is too far away we take a bus for 10 pesos or about 90 cents.  Sometimes I have to buy my breakfast food with my own money because I need the bus money but it’s all good.

Dad in answer to your question . . . Yes they teach that in the MTC:  It’s called, “Teach People Not Lessons”.  Check out Chapter 10 in PMG (Preach My Gospel) to read all about it.  That book has the answers to all.  We have to be careful with the questions we ask.  They have to get the person thinking and can’t be yes or no or like interrogative questions.  You have to show sincere interest for the investigator or they will drop the missionaries because it appears that it’s just another baptism and stat.  I have come to realize every person we teach is a Child of God.  We have to teach them like they are that child, not just any other person.  We teach lessons but we fit them to the people.  One of my teachers in the MTC taught me that every person I talk to should be my best friend.  I should look at them that way.  When that sincere love, or charity is there we teach people not lessons.  

We don’t attend our council meetings on Sunday and I have no clue why.  The bishop here is new so we fill out our progress report for him and call it good.  It’s sad because the ward has their own cliques and the members don’t really care about the less actives or people who are struggling.  We had a sister tell us all about it this past week and she was very upset.  It breaks my heart to see it but what can ya do?  That’s why I serve - to help people out.  We ate with the WML (Ward Mission Leader) two Sundays ago, but nothing was said regarding the work sadly. . . we had an appointment with him to discuss the work and he even set it up and when we went he wasn’t there.  It’s hard but we just do our best to work with the members to get references and then teach them and then more and more.  According to PMG this manner of work is better and I have to agree . . . a lot easier too.  I don’t have to tract 8 hours a day and have no success.  Dad, thank you for your work as the WML in the VP 1st.  I wish you could be here doing our work as WML.  

Thanks for the updates on baseball.  Boy, I sure miss it!  We had a ward activity on Friday and one of the members was watching America and Mexico play in the WBC.  I had to sneak a look...I miss it bad!  Ha I seriously dream about baseball every night.  I carry a baseball in my bag with me in case there is a dog or something but it reminds me of all that I learned last year during the tourney run.  

We already set our clocks back and it’s kicking my butt.  I hate the time change.  But oh well ha.  

It’s good to hear from you all and I love and miss you!  All is well here in TJ though!  Until next week take care!

Much love

Elder Roper

Had to get me a mini coke the other day!! 

The river of rain this past week. . .

The hail. . .

First Baptism

Hola!! 

I don’t have much time to get questions answered this week because I have a million stories but I need my black backpack because some days its nicer to have a backpack than a messenger bag and I could use some sort of socks that pull away moisture from my feet - especially if I spend the summer in Mexicali where it gets up to 120 degrees!!  I haven’t gotten any mail and I haven’t written any either just because we don’t have time and its a pain to get mail across the border.  Email is much easier :)  

We get 800 pesos every 16 days which is about 75 bucks...amazing we can live off that huh?  I use my debit card for drinks or other food I want.  I buy stuff for breakfast usually cereal and milk and then we eat during the day at 2 for lunch and then we work the rest of the day.  I get hungry at night but not too bad.

So, Wednesday we were studying in the morning and we got a phone call from Elder Zuniga in Postal with a referral for us.  His name is Eliseo Zendagas.  He had been taught everything we just needed to baptize him because he lives in our sector.  So we went and found him and talked with him.  He has lived for about half of his life in SLC.  Part in Taylorsville on 6200 South and Bangerter.  He knows more about Utah than I do.  Needless to say, we connected very well.  We took care of the interview and I was able to baptize him Saturday night.  So, I officially have my first baptism here in the field!!  Eliseo has desires to go through the Salt Lake Temple someday so I told him that we can go together after my 2 years are up here in Tijuana.  Cool huh?  I am already seeing the promised blessings to be able to see the fruits of my labors.  Eliseo is a stud and so ready for the Gospel!  

Another funny story but we were eating with a member named Hermana Cardenas.  She is less active so we see her quite a bit.  Elder Castelan says she is like his second mom. Anyways we were eating with her earlier in the week and she asked me, “Elder, would you ever marry a girl from your mission?” - in Spanish of course.  Ha I started laughing as I remembered the words of both Granny J and Grandma M.  I wanted to reply with a never!!  But I said, "Well. . . I guess it's possible, but I am not here to find my wife, so no. I am here to serve the Lord."  It was a good thing I answered this way because number one: she loved my answer and number 2: I guess there was another American elder here before that answered the same question with an “of course not - no way!”  This made Hermana Cardenas super mad I guess. I just have to laugh :) I can still hear Granny J's words clear as day!

Like you said, I can’t believe another week has come and gone!  Where does time go?  And that I have 3 months down in the mission...crazy!  

The weather here changes everyday just like home.  Somedays it’s super hot and sunny and others-like today- are overcast and windy and a bit chilly.  It’s still a lot better than the bitter cold in Utah though :)  

The pictures of Jenny look great!  Did she say much about what she thought?  Oh I remember being like what the heck is this????  Thank you for the pictures though, they look great!  

Like I said, I wake up somedays and put on my badge and can’t really come to terms that I am already a missionary and that all my friends are or will be soon!  Where does the time go??

I have no clue what my street address is.  However there is a tech school right here by the house.  And my neighborhood is called ITR Puebla.  I don’t know the house number though.  My address for the ward bulletin is the one that I sent in my first email in California.  I think I haven’t received any mail yet because the assistants have to go across the border to receive the mail and they only do that once or twice a month.  That’s why I will just use email from here on out, too.  It’s cheap and fast.  

We shop at a place called Calimax.  Just like any other grocery store in America.  I imagined Tijuana a whole lot different that what it really is....it’s pretty much America except Spanish speaking, trash everywhere and a lot poorer.  I was expecting super poor, no running water, no showers or computers or nothing but yeah it’s all here.  

The teaching is getting a little bit better.  Some days the Spanish is pretty good and others it’s rough . . . part of the learning though.  Everyone still tells me that I speak great for only being here for 3 weeks.  I am learning a little bit more everyday though.

Church here starts at 12:30 because there is another ward before us.  Testimony meeting yesterday was awesome.  Eliseo was confirmed and all the testimonies were super strong and deep.  I loved it a lot and meant a lot to Eliseo as well.  

If everything goes as planned we will have another baptism this Saturday but we will see... :)  

I am looking forward for the package!  You know what I like :)  

Thank you so much for your support, love and emails!  They give me strength to make it on to the next week!  Well until next week...

Take care :)

Elder Roper :)  

My first baptism - Eliseo Zendagas

Eliseo is about the average heighth of Mexicans here so I am huge!  We forgot to get a picture in our baptismal clothing but, it's all good!

Like my hair? I have to part it -mission rule here. I feel like a little kid again!