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!