Elder Jackson Roper Has Returned

Sooooo, I'm Home!

Sooo, I’m home!  That was a fast two years, or should I say 22 months? Everything happened SO dang fast and I'm just getting around to writing about it so here goes nothing.

Let me fill you all in on what has happened in the past 6 weeks. I’m not gonna beat around the bush . . . so you all get the idea and can understand why I’m home just a bit early. About 5 weeks ago I had come down with a heavy cough and cold. I was sick of it and the cold medicine wasn't working and was ready for relief. Ha its pretty common to drink soda with 3 squeezed limes to get rid of colds so that’s what I did. I had done it in the past and surprisingly it worked. I did it again and later that night I had the runs really bad. I had them wayyy bad for about 10 days when one morning I noticed a ton of blood on the toilet paper. So I mentioned that to Elder Carranza and he said something about the whole Ebola scare going on and how that it was one of the symptoms. (by the way i don't have Ebola!) So, I immediately called the mission nurse to let her know I was bleeding and what to do. She said to buy medicine and that would take care of the problem. This was on a Tuesday and by Sunday the medicine hadn't done a thing and I had noticed a HUGE bump down there. Sunday rolled around and after sitting down in church all day, I could not take the pain. I was using the medicine prescribed and was loaded up on ibuprofen but nothing seemed to work. I couldn't sit. I couldn't stand. I couldn't walk. I couldn't talk the pain was so bad. 

I somehow got to sleep that night and we had to take a trip to the mission offices Monday morning. I took advantage and had the mission nurse take a better look. It was SUPER awkward because we were just in the supply room with me bent over and my pants down. I was embarrassed as well as she, not to mention my companion had to be in the room with us. She was so embarrassed that she didn't take that well of a look. She just saw that it was super inflamed and immediately gave me a shot to help with the inflammation - thats medicine in Mexico. If you need quick relief, you get shots. I got another shot Tuesday morning and manned up all day Tuesday and Wednesday. I had to do 3 baptismal interviews plus all the teaching appointments that we already had lined up. I just remember saying a prayer saying, “Heavenly Father, I’m doing this so people can get baptized and return to live with You. Help me out a bit.”  And He did :) I was fine until Thursday morning when I got up and pooped straight blood. I was in so much pain I couldn't do anything the rest of the day. We went and ate with the sister that fed us. Taught a lesson and that was all I could do. I went home and slept the rest of the day. The mission nurse had told me to call her if I was still in pain and she would get me in to see the specialist. I called her and she scheduled an appointment the next during what would be my last zone conference. We left in the middle of the zone conference and got in to see the proctologist. It was the most expensive 15 minute doctor's visit I have ever had. He had me change into one of those medical gowns and checked me out. I just about passed out when he was fiddling around down there the pain was so bad. That dude had the biggest hands! He said to go change and when I got out the mission nurse and my companion looked like they had just seen someone die. I asked what the deal was and he explained that I had an abscess and that there was nothing he could do. It would require surgery. He then proceeds to look me in the eyes and says this, "bueno ya conseguiste un boleto a tu casa max rapido." or “Well you just got yourself a plane ticket home a lot faster”. Those words hit my soul like a train. I knew it was coming, yet I had never expected to actually hear those words. I immediately went into shock. We got into the car and the mission nurse apologized for not checking me out well enough and how she was embarrassed. I hold no grudges against her :) everything happens for a reason. No one said a word on the ride back to zone conference. President Garcia finished his training and immediately asked me how it went. I said that they needed to operate and he said well we will get it figured out after zone conference. I finally get the guts to ask the mission nurse what’s up with the surgery and when it would be. She then says, "Elder lo van a regresar a casa. Tendra su relevo temprano." or “they have to send you home. You will be released early.” Thats when I realized what was happening. I told Elder Sandberg what was happening and we proceeded to the mission offices. President Garcia had some calming words. He just said that stuff like this happens and that I would be better off at home. I called home. I was super happy to hear my dad's voice. To be honest I did not want my mom to answer because I didn't know how she would react. I imagine its kind of a shocker to be told your son is coming home off his mission in 3 days. After calling home we went out to eat and I was just kinda in “la la land”. We took a bus back to my area and as soon as we got off I went to an internet cafe to give my parents some more details. That’s when Satan started working on me bad. I felt like a failure and that my 22 months weren't worth anything. That I would always be the missionary that only finished 22 months of his mission. That I shouldn't be going home. We got back to the apartment. I opened to birthday packages - one from my parents with 21 reasons why they loved me and another from my best friend, Jennifer Hadlock. I just have to say it was perfect timing with these packages. I needed to read what I read. 

Saturday rolls around. General Conference and hey my birthday! I was in shock all day. It was super hard to focus during conference and I lost it during the Priesthood Session when I saw all the MTC Elders singing. It was just flashback haven that everything was coming to an end.

President Garcia called and said that it was super busy in Salt Lake City and that my flight would probably be for Tuesday morning sometime. I was happy. That would give me one last P-Day to say goodbye to everyone, buy souvenirs, get packed, write what would have been this last email, and prepare mentally for this big change in my life. We went on a wild goose chase for medicine and finally found what I needed, so i wasn't in pain going home. Pres. and Sis. Garcia called one last time to wish me a happy birthday and to make the best of it! 

Sunday gets here and General Conference ends. We ate with La Familia Cerrano as always on Sundays. They gave me birthday cake and sang "God Be With You Til We Meet Again". Bishop Cerrano gave us a ride back to our house to drop our suits off. I was thinking of going to say goodbye to converts and members when all the sudden President Garcia calls me. The call came at about 6:30 pm and he said he needed me in the offices at 8pm that same night. We had to leave Tijuana at 5 that morning. Ha another shocker. I threw everything into my bags and called it good. Bishop Cerrano took my companion and I down to the mission home and that’s where we stayed the night. It wasn't til one of the secretaries told me that missionaries go home a transfer early all the time for school and what not til I had finally accepted that it was okay I was going home.

I didn't sleep much that night. I just remember thinking, “Wow! this is my last night in the mission...nothing how I ever imagined it would be.” It was special though :) I got up at 3:30am to get showered and looking good for the flight home. I threw up twice because of nerves. I had to look myself in the mirror and calm myself down. I told myself there was no reason to be nervous. This was the day that I had been waiting for for 2 years now. I had to enjoy it! Pres. Garcia picked me up around 5:15 a.m. and we crossed the line in seriously 30 minutes. For those of you who know Tijuana, you know that it’s nearly impossible to cross the line at 5:15 a.m. in the morning in a half hour. It just never happens that way. We went and ate at iHop and then we got to the airport around 8am. I got checked in and said goodbye to the BEST mission president and wife in the world. 

It was all coming to an end. I sat down at my terminal all alone. Listening to the cheesy airport music and just people watching. I read the letters the mission had given me, what my companion wrote in my journal, and then and the strongest impression to read Alma 26 in the Book of Mormon. For those of you who don't know, it’s pretty much a mission recap of Ammon and his brethren. I felt so strongly that the Lord had accepted my 22 month mission and that the work I had done would be remembered forever. I have never felt so much love from my Father in Heaven in one sitting. I was truly at peace with what was happening even though I didn't know exactly it all was happening the way it was. A member from Murray, UT came and sat next to me. We immediately make a connection with the Booth family that was from this member's ward. He was telling me all about Salt Lake and what had happened in the past 2 years around Taylorsville. He really calmed me down. 

The hour arrived. I was boarding the plane. On my way home. I don't remember much of the flight. I was just lost in thought. I just about started crying, I was so happy when I saw the Wasatch Mountains for the first time! It was a really rough landing actually. A lady even screamed haha. I was so in shock that it didn't even phase me. I was just happy to be in SLC again :)

I got off the plane and had to pee super bad hahaha. So I went to the bathroom because I knew it would be awhile before I found another one. I then floated to the baggage area where my family was awaiting me. haha I just remember wondering what everyone thought seeing a missionary briskly walking down an airport terminal. And then I finally got to the much awaited escalator. The first person I saw was my Uncle Chuck. Words can’t describe that happiness after not seeing your family for 2 years. And then my parents . . .I can't imagine how they felt that their son was FINALLY home. We shared a group hug which actually really surprised me because my mom had said she was to have the first hug back when we talked on mothers day. But it’s all good :) And then seeing Hayden and Keaton blew my mind. And the rest of the family. Everyone was SO big and grown up. I guess I just thought everyone and the world would be the same while I was gone but the world sure keeps moving. The rest is kind of a blur. 

So just like that I’m home. I’m not a full time missionary anymore in the snap of a finger. We got into the doctor Tuesday morning and miraculously we got an appointment with the specialist that same day. When Dr. Hughes explained that recovery would be around 6 weeks is when I realized that’s why I was home and that surgery was the way to go. If I had never had this problem, I would have been coming home in six weeks anyways. One thing I have learned through this experience is that the Lord NEVER makes mistakes. He knows exactly what He is doing. And that’s that! I’m home and ready to start the rest of my life with the knowledge and experience that I have gained while being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Hope to see you all soon!

Jackson Roper

Welcome Home, Elder Roper!

I'm doing my best to stay calm!  I cannot believe this day is really here!  I went to bed with such a sad feeling that Jackson's mission had come to an end, but I woke up with a feeling of great excitement!  It has been 680 days since we had seen Jackson in real life and today we would finally get to be re-united with him!

We got up early to hang some banners and posters on the house and did some last minute cleaning.

I'm so lucky to have such a great husband and sons who can help me pull things together with such short notice!

Delta Flight 2295 - It was crazy to know that Jackson was on that plane headed for home!  I started tracking as soon as the flight information was available!

I had a case of the butterflies!  I can only imagine how Jackson must feel!

Keaton decided to stay home from school, but Hayden went for a few hours.  We went and checked Hayden out and headed to the airport!

To be honest, I never, ever thought this day would get here!  

So many people showed up at the airport to show their support with such short notice!

We watched the arrival display and my heart skipped a beat when I saw that Jackson's flight had been updated to "landed"!

Nothing can explain the feeling of this day!  It was so exciting - surreal!  I kept thinking I was going to wake-up, but I didn't!  It was the real deal!

We knew at any minute, Jackson would be coming down that escalator!

We all waited anxiously to see him!

You got to love this welcoming committee!

Where is he?

He finally appeared!  He looked so great!  This was the moment that I had waited for for 2 whole years!

Seems like it took him forever to ride that escalator down!

And finally . . . we get that first hug that we have dreamed about for so long!

So good to have him home!

Look at those smiles!

Such an exciting day for our family!

It was so fun to hear Jackson's spanish accent as he chats with everyone!

Words can't express the joy you feel when your missionary finally returns!

Someone needs a new pair of shoes!

Welcome home Elder Roper!  

We are so very proud of you!

It was great to look back and see these boys together again!

We all headed out to Buffalo Wild Wings for some lunch!  That is where Jackson requested to eat as soon as he got home!

It was heaven just sitting there listening and looking at Jackson across the table!

It felt even better to unpack the car with missionary luggage rather than pack it up with missionary luggage!

Jackson's friend Connor and his mom Deb came over for a bit.

It was great that they came and welcomed Jackson home!

President Schulte called us and said he was available to release Jackson later that night.  We headed over to the stake center and just like that, Jackson was no longer a full-time missionary.  What a bitter-sweet moment!  I don't know that I was ready to give it up . . . it was hard for me to see Jackson walk out of Pres. Schulte's office with his missionary badge off!  But, as Jackson would say,  "It's all good"!  Here's to the next chapter!

What a fabulous day this has been!  A day that I will never, ever forget!

WELCOME HOME JACKSON!