Happy 2014!

Hey, how are you all?  This week has flown by . . . not to mention this year. It’s weird to think that all of 2013 I have been a missionary. I keep trying to think about world events that have happened, new songs, etc but all that I remember are companions, areas, and cool experiences that I have had as an Elder for the Lord. It is hard to give up worldly music, movies, iPods, etc but it’s honestly awesome to be able to focus solely on the Lord and His work. I love it! Mom just like you said, in 2014 I will be coming home . . . it will be here before we know it!

It was super good to see you all on Wednesday :) That time always flies by quickly. Always hard to say goodbye, but in five months, I’ll see you all again on Skype and in another six, I’ll be home in 11 more Fast Sundays?  

I actually take pride in my Mexican accent so don’t worry a bit. Now, I just lack my mexi-stash ;) hahaha I have really got ahold of the Spanish language and I love speaking it. I’ll have to find a job when I get home where I can speak Spanish so I don’t lose it all. 

So let me tell you that we had 21, yes 21, investigators in church yesterday. I don’t know how we pulled it off but everything seemed to fall together right at the perfect moment - that and the Lord's help of course.  That’s been the biggest amount of investigators I have had on one Sunday in my entire mission. I think it might be a mission record ha! We have 12 dates in between now and the first week of February. Every single one of those people went to church Sunday . . . it was honestly a miracle! My faith has been strengthened and I know the Lord won’t leave us alone.  We have a family of four that are going to be baptized this Thursday - we are super excited for that! :)

I am enjoying being a district leader. I went in divisions with Elder Garay in honestly the ugliest area in Tijuana - I think. It’s on the side of a mountain. From the pictures you can see we were in a canyon working all day. 

I was super tired by the end of the day. That area doesn’t have a whole lot of success and the Elders are taking whatever they get for success. So last Thursday I told the Elders that they need to improve their faith and fulfill the norms of excellence. Elder Garay just told me, “Well why don’t you come and do it??” Ha - talk about pressure, right? So the night before the divisions I asked the Lord to help be an example for this elder. We ended up finding 7 new people to teach and we set 3 new baptismal dates in one day - something that I think had ever happened in that sector. Another miracle! That experience has strengthened my faith so much and I have already grown a bunch being a district leader. Joshua 1:5-7 has been my motto :)

Here in the ward we have a lot of support from these 2 guys in this picture

Our ward mission leader (he calls me the pequeño which means small guy) and a ward missionary by the name of Hermano Sol. Whenever we work together, we get around in a little single cab pickup that we barely fit in and that’s on it’s last leg.  I’m sure it’s a funny site!  Various members here have told me that I look like Mr. Incredible when he is in his car hahahaha. 

So we were on our way to an appointment this week when we got a flat tire. . . we got the pickup to the tire shop and the workers told us the damage on the tire was too much and that we had to buy a new one.  Hermano Sol is super poor and doesn’t have the money for new tires. So we went walking back to his house in search for a spare. Like you saw in the picture a few weeks ago, there is trash everywhere and random tires in the street. So, I just happened to find a tire in the middle of the street.  It had a hole in it, but we put a patch on it, filled it with air, threw it on the pickup and it worked!! :)  Ha that should tell you all how Mexico is...it’s just kinda like “fend for yourself” - for me it was another miracle!

No one here can same my last name right at all - so I tell them it's like ropero but without the o and it seems to click :) A ropero is like a closet that holds clothing.

Have a happy 2014!!

Love and miss you all!

Elder Roper