Heed The Spirit

Hey everybody! Another week already gone?!?

      First things first, thanks sooo much for all the birthday wishes! It was a great day for sure. A lot different being six thousand miles away, but special all the same. One thing in Korea is that I'm actually 20, and not 19 (; If I go by age, I'll never be 19 in my life. Kind of a cool thought (; I'm so grateful for all the support I'm receiving. I love the emails so much. Know that I'll get back to you all as soon as I possibly can. Hopefully sooner than later (: Thanks so much. I'm sooo grateful for them all. It completely made my week (:

      This week it seemed like everything began to fall in place as missionary work goes. This week we really focused on picking up new ways to find investigators, and we found it... well, for now at least (;  Crazy enough, we found that one of the greatest things here to use is basketball. We challenge the Koreans to basketball games, and then teach them lessons after we finish playing. It's one of the greatest ways we can relate to those around us.

      This week I had a neat experience on the basketball court. No, it wasn't playing in the state championship game or the high school stage like I'm use to, but an experience just as special to me. On a ghetto basketball court that doesn't even have nets on the rims, I found my first investigator in Korea. As we were playing a three on three game with a few others, I watched as a kid stood far off from the court. He was wearing glasses, his school uniform, and watching us play. On first sight, I had the strongest prompting... I needed to speak to this kid and ask him to play. I walked off the court in the middle of the game and walked up to the kid and in broken Korean, asked the kid if he liked basketball and if he wanted to play. His eyes gleamed with light as he followed me to the court, where we put him on our team and began to play. We played for a while, and the night ended. After the game, we introduced ourselves and the kid showed some interest in who we were. He began to ask questions, and we taught our first lesson there in the middle of a run down basketball court. Later this week, we met with him again, and taught him another lesson. It only took a month, but through the spirit I was led to someone. I don't know where it will lead, but I can't deny the feeling I had when I talked to the young man. 

      The spirit is the most powerful thing we have in our lives. It's the thing that truly leads and guides us in all that we do. As a missionary, if we don't have the spirit, we can't teach. There are a times as a missionary when it's obvious when the spirit isn't completely present, but there's also times when you're so in tune that you know exactly what to do, where to go, and who you're suppose to teach. In my life before Korea, I didn't follow the spirit exactly. It seemed like the spirit would have to be yelling at me in order to get my attention. It's something I wish I would've have done differently. However, the most important things the spirit speaks to us in are in the smallest, tiniest, and most unexpected moments. As followers of Christ, we have to listen for the smallest sense of inspiration. The spirit is kind of like a phone call I've learned. It'll call you constantly, but if you don't pick up, you won't receive what needs to be said. The spirit may act like a loud ringtone, or maybe a small vibration. However, we have to be in tune to feel whatever it may give us. Listen for that small, tiny prompting of the spirit in your lives. Live by the spirit in all that you do. If you heed the spirit, you'll be a true disciple of Christ. It's something I wish I would've learned sooner in my life. 

      I love this mission, and I love waking up knowing I'm a servant of the Lord and doing everything I can to help other people. There's still hard days, but that doesn't take away from the love I feel each and every day. In the last three months, I've never felt sooo happy, and so lost at the same time. However, I wouldn't want it any other way. How grateful I am to be here. I love the gospel. I want to testify of the grace of Christ. I know He lives. I know His grace is sufficient for all we do. Never is there a thing that can't be conquered through the Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the Redeemer of the world. He was crucified after He shed drops of blood from every pore in Gethsemane. Many, for my mistakes. However, because of His love, we all too can partake of his eternal, and perfect love that He so fully offers us. I love my Savior more than words, or feelings will ever be able to describe. There's nothing I wouldn't do to repay Him for leading me, and guiding me each and every day. 

      Thanks for the support everyone. I'm eternally grateful for every single one of you. I've got the greatest support and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I wouldn't be who I am, or where I am without every single one of your help in one way or another. Thank you so much. I love you all. I pray for you daily, and I continue to be amazed by the example that you all set. Thanks again talk to ya'll next week can't wait!

Elder Roper