tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64898339810138186992023-11-15T22:45:39.272-08:00Called To KoreaElder Roper's Missionary JourneyStephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-81117414950267670032017-06-21T07:05:00.004-07:002017-06-21T07:05:56.361-07:00Last Letter<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey there everyone!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I'm so grateful to be with you again this last week and to write you my last letter as I'm preparing to finish my last week as a missionary. This week has been full of love, and miracles. We're seeing little things each and every day that make it worth it. I've seen old friends, and made new ones. I've seen the work move forward each and every day. For over seven hundred days, I've watched the sun go up and down on my mission and seen my life change along with all of those close by me. How grateful I am for this opportunity to have been a missionary for this church.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> This week I had a really special experience that blessed my life. We had an "emergency drill" that took our whole mission to headquarters, where we had a final meeting. Our mission president will return home a couple days after me, so it was his farewell meeting. On our way to the meeting, I was asked if I would speak for just a few minutes on my mission. Of course, I gladly accepted and was grateful for the opportunity.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> As the meeting began, President Barrow saw me sit down and asked me to come up and sit with him. I sat in a seat so familiar when I served alongside my President just a few months ago. We would get to give our last testimonies together. As I prepared to speak, I really didn't know what to say. Looking at all the missionaries who I love with all my heart, I bore my testimony of the reality of this gospel, and of the power of missionary work. It was a powerful moment for me as I expressed my love, my appreciation, and my gratitude for this two years that has changed my life forever. And like that special moment for me to give my last testimony on that special day this week, to end my mission with all of you, I leave with you my testimony.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I know and I witness that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in these latter-days. I know that on a spring morning in the year of 1820, that young Joseph Smith walked into a grove of trees to pray. What followed changed the world. I testify that he saw God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. They did in reality speak to him. And through this remarkable vision, the priesthood was restored to the earth, and through that power we have unlocked the keys of the restoration. Because of that, we can live with our families forever. We can go beyond the veil and experience the blessings of eternity. I know that through the power of God, Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. I witness with all my heart that it is true. It is God's word. I have read it, studied it, pondered it, and testified of it. The Holy Ghost has confirmed it to me over and over and over again. I leave you with my witness that it is true.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I witness that God hears and answers every sincere prayer. He knows us perfectly, and knows how to succor His people. He is a being of perfect love, and will always be there to lift us up. Because of His perfect love, He sent His Son to the earth and gave us a perfect example, and provided us with the Plan of Salvation. I know that Jesus is the Christ, and the Savior of the world. He was born of Mary in Bethlehem, and lived a perfect and sinless life. He set the example, lifted all those around Him, and then suffered unspeakable and incomprehensible pain in the Garden of Gethsemane where He suffered for the sins of the world. He suffered for each one of us. He was mocked, crucified, died, and rose again on the third day. Because of that, we too will be resurrected and perfected in Him.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">He is the light of my world, my Savior, and Redeemer. I love Him. I want to be like Him. And as I moved forward in my life, I give my heart to Him.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love this gospel with all my heart. The hardest week of my mission will be this week as I prepare to say last goodbyes. With each day I'll put my name-tag on knowing that it's nearly coming to an end. With each day I'll proudly bear the cross of my Lord. And with each step I take forward, I put my trust in the Lord knowing He'll always be there. This mission has changed my life. I'm grateful for every trial, every pain, every happy and down moment. I'm grateful that I made this decision. As we move forward together, may these words that keep ringing in my heart guide our path that say, "Trusting my all to thy loving care, and knowing thou lovest me, I'll do thy will with a heart sincere, I'll be what you want me to be."</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all. Thank you so so much. With all the sincerity of my heart and soul I say thank you. I wouldn't be here without your love and support. I'll see you here in a few short days. I love you all, and thank you sincerely.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">With all love and gratitude,</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Tyson Dale Roper</span></span></div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-45693891575887457952017-06-06T19:11:00.002-07:002017-06-06T19:11:46.673-07:00I Believe In Christ<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Great to be writing to ya'll again this week! This week was a crazy week, super special. This week we were really busy with meetings and a lot of other things. This week our mission was fortunate to hear from Elder Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder Choi Yoon Hwan from the Seventy. What a special experience it was to meet an Apostle of the Lord, and meet other church authorities. Being able to listen to their testimony, hear their strength, and to learn at their feet was an incredible opportunity that I'll never forget. I absolutely know they are ordained of the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> We were also blessed this week with a baptism of a man named Eem Sung Day. After meeting with the missionaries off and on for two</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">years, he was able to walk into the waters of baptism, and I was asked to perform the baptism.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I've been able to gain a great relationship with man while teaching him. It was very natural from the first time we met. As we've been teaching him, he's been up, down, wanted to give up, and had other times where he never wanted to do another bad thing. But after two years of waiting, pushing, fighting, and moving forward, this wonderful man received a remission of his sins.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> During the baptism, the spirit was strong. A testimony from his wife, from other members who have helped, and we even had our Stake President and an Area Seventy also present. The spirit was so strong to confirm the truths of the gospel.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> After we walked out of the font together, the look on his face was that of pure joy. He was so happy, and I could feel it all in my heart again. Why we serve missions, why we follow Christ, and why we sacrifice for others. I remember walking out of the font at eight years old, and walking out of the font at twenty, I only have a deeper appreciation of the gospel and His Atonement. Tears came to my eyes as he looked at me soaking wet and simply said, "Elder Roper, the Lord will always bless you for doing this."</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It unlocks the Atonement unto us through ordinances and covenants, and allows us to grow close to our Savior. I know that He lived a perfect life, died, and rose again so we could wash our sins, move forward, and be perfected. My heart was filled with unspeakable joy when me and this wonderful investigator sang these heartfelt words with the others right before walking in the font. And they read, "I believe in Christ...my Lord, my God! My feet he plants on gospel sod. I'll worship him with all my might; He is the source of truth and light. I believe in Christ; he ransoms me. From Satan's grasp he sets me free, And I shall live with joy and love In his eternal courts above."</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> May we seek to live with Him forever is my humble and sincere prayer. May we seek to do His will. May we seek to be as He is. I love you all, I appreciate you, and with each passing day I become more grateful. Thanks for everything.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-57472507758193369532017-06-06T19:10:00.000-07:002017-06-06T19:10:06.193-07:00A Change Of Heart<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey there everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> It's another week that has just seemed to fly by! The days go by quickly and the weeks are going by even faster. This week has been a great start to my last transfer and we're seeing miracles that keep popping up. Today I'd like to tell you about the miracle that I feel like I've been waiting months for.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> When I came to this area, investigators seemed to be easy to find, and the potential seemed to high. Baptismal dates came, dropped, came again, dropped again, and we've been sitting here scratching our heads wondering what to do. For weeks, investigators have been rare, lessons nearly impossible, and that pestering voice of failure constantly lingering in my head. The question of "what more could I possibly be doing" was ringing in my ears. So like missionaries do, we just kept going, and we finally caught a break and huge miracle from our loving Heavenly Father.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> An old investigator showed up to church this last Sunday. We hadn't seen him for over a month. The last time we had seen him, he was chest high in addictions, particularly drinking and smoking. He couldn't seem to break the habit. The habit had lasted for fifteen years, and he had been trying to get baptized for nearly two years. He wouldn't answer texts, calls, or any sense of communication.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> At church, he asked to meet with me and my companion. He had a new appearance. He looked happy, and peaceful. He told us of what had been going on since we had last seen him. It turns out that during the month, he told us the change of heart that he had experienced, and that he had drank or smoked for over a month. I was astounded.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> We started talking to him and asking questions. "What had changed? What made this mighty change?" He looked at us and he told us what had been taking place. For years, he had been fighting to overcome this habit. He realized how difficult it was when his little daughter was born a year ago. Despite a new daughter, he found himself partying every day with friends after week, leaving his wife and daughter home alone nearly every day. He saw his wife's countenance, and saw the tensions slowly building in his life, and his heart crushed in disappointment in himself. In his words he said, "I've been slowly breaking the heart of my wife for years." The change of heart came from his desire to be a better husband and father, and he knew he could wait no longer.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> This man has committed to be baptized this following Sunday and we're praying that this one will follow through. He has had two years worth of missionaries, a life's worth of heartbreaks, but now, he has an eternity of unimaginable blessings that will follow his decision to follow Jesus Christ.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> The more I serve my mission, the more I realize how infinite and perfect the plan of Jesus Christ is. As a fallen people who make mistakes, who are weak, and who need lots of help, He provided us with His son. He provided us with the Savior Jesus Christ, and allows us to learn, to grow, to be cleansed, and to be perfected. No matter how hard the struggle, how dark the nights, and how long the unwinding road seems to go, there is always a home for each of us in the Atonement. It is the power to become, to change, and to fulfill the deepest desires of our heart. When the times are difficult, remember my dear Brothers and Sister... He loves you, He died for you, and He is always with you. I know this with a certain knowledge. I am a witness that He lives, and that He is always sufficient.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all, and sincerely thank you for everything. Thanks for the prayers, the pleadings, and the love. I'm always grateful beyond words. Love you all talk to ya'll next week!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-78083924062731651892017-06-06T19:08:00.001-07:002017-06-06T19:08:22.734-07:00Blessed Be Their Name<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey there everybody! Happy Mother's Day!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> It's always a special day to have Mother's Day here in Korea as a missionary. Skype, talking with family, and other blessings are indescribable. In Korea, Mother's Day is not celebrated really at all, so it's always a special day for me to think about , to look on, and to think about how grateful I am for the wonderful women in my life.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Yesterday in church I was blessed to hear a talk from an American man who served in Japan, and to hear his testimony of how women have influenced his life. It brought me back home a little bit to listen to the testimony of another in english of how grateful he was for his mom.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Like others around the world, today I just am so grateful for all the wonderful women in my life, especially my mom. As I look at how my mission has influenced me, I can see how much my mom truly has done for me in my life. There are so many things that come into my mind that I could speak about, but some of the most memorable came in the last six months or so of when I was back in Utah, preparing to leave. Those six months were so memorable as I remember how much my mom did for me in preparing to send off her only son.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I think of long late nights, when I come home after curfew and tell my mom all the things that I had done that night. Always so simple, but such a blessing. But I remember one night in particular when I came home late one night in tears, and told my mom that prayers had been answered, and I was going to serve a mission.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Paper work, doctor visits, interviews, and an endless shopping list filled our schedules. With mom by my side, all was done one by one. I'll never forget the day when me and my family made a long awaited trip to get all my clothes. One by one, shirts were tested, and suit colors matched, while mom inspected to make sure it was perfect for her missionary. In the back of my mind, it always broke my heart as I knew that my mom would never see me wearing them.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> The days went by, the day grew near, and tears were always flowing as I continued to prepare. It all led up to the day I left, where the hardest goodbye I've ever said happened. A long last hug, and tear-filled "I love you's" took us half a world away, where my mom has done everything for me. Long late nights, tear-filled prayers, and worries unending has took us down to only six weeks, where my gratitude is only growing each and every day.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> As I look back, I could go on forever, with so many people in my life. But on this Mother's Day, half a world away, I come to know more every day that throughout my life, my mom has been my everything, continues to be, and will always be to me. The heart grows fonder in distance, and love only grows in time, and I know that I've been blessed beyond measure for the wonderful mom that I have. How grateful I am for her, for two loving and beautiful sisters, for two wonderful grandma', aunts, great aunt's and more. I will forever be grateful for their love, their sacrifice. I stand with the scriptures in this simple phrase that says, "Blessed be their name."</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all and I'm so grateful. May we all strive for grateful love in our lives. A love that is pure and true, and guides us to learn, do, and become. I love this gospel, this work, and am so grateful to express the smallest part of my feelings with you guys today. Love you all, and I'll talk to you here soon!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-82932313541102004312017-05-10T19:33:00.001-07:002017-05-10T19:33:19.848-07:00Pieces Of The Puzzle<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey there everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> It's another P-Day and it's so great to be writing again to you. The time is just rolling right on by as this week I'll prepare to start my last transfer in the mission field. I'm excited to see what the Lord would have me do to finish out my last month and a half as a missionary. So grateful for all these little miracles that keep happening all along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> As I'm preparing for my last transfer, not knowing if I'm staying, going, or what, I've really been reflecting a lot on my mission, in particular the last six months. I've been pushing so hard to get people baptized, and confirmed in the church. I've seen miracles that words can't describe, and seen people change, but still, no baptisms. Over the last six months, I've seen eight baptismal dates but only one baptism. It's not a sense of frustration, but as I've looked back, there's so many lessons that continue to pop up that are changing my life, and I'm so grateful for it. And sometimes in our lives, when we're chasing something so diligently and it doesn't work out, we want to ask the question "why", but instead, I've learned to be grateful, to look at the big picture, and see how, like a puzzle, each piece falls in place.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I've learned that with each area, each ward, and each area I go to, there are things being established in the big eternal picture of everything. Without us knowing it, we're establishing our own "puzzle" of testimony, conversion, and becoming like the Savior.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> A few of my puzzle pieces in the last few months have come in a variety of ways. They have come in miracles, they have came in grand ways, and they've also came in ways as simple as heartfelt prayer. They've come from simple glances of hope, like the investigator who had the hope to give up smoking and came to know the Savior. They've come from the faith of others, such as the young man I taught who at nearly being thrown out of the country, stood up for being a Mormon. They've came from investigators saying, "I can't be baptized because I need a lot more time." They've come in so many ways that I cannot express appreciation for, and as I look back, I see a complete picture that has slowly been built up little by little for me to become just a little better, and to become more like the Savior.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> We all have a picture we're building in our life. Sometimes the end picture is not visible, and we find ourselves in the vast pessimistic view of the question "why", but we need to recognize our blessings, recognize our growth, and like my parents have always taught me, "to see the big picture." I promise it's there. As I've asked the Savior to show me how I'm doing, He's given me small glimpses to let me know that I'm enough and doing enough, despite lack of results. And sometimes lack of results, doubts, and even fears, may be the greatest force to push us to the pure love of Christ. May we all keep going, take a second to step back, recognize the good we do, and keep laying it all piece by piece. I know that as we do, a complete and perfect picture of true Christlike countenance will shine through who you are.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I testify that the gospel is true, and is a place for growth and to test our faith. I know that it is place where we can learn, do, and become. I testify that a loving Savior knows us all and loves us more than any words that surpass our imagination. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and is true. I love being a missionary, and understand with a deep knowledge that the hardest day of my mission will be the day I have to take this name tag off of my chest, and engrave it even deeper into my heart. I love this country and people, and couldn't truly imagine being anywhere else in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all and thank you for all your support. It truly means more than you'll ever know. Talk to you soon next week!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-30677796938541105902017-05-01T20:54:00.000-07:002017-05-01T20:54:12.420-07:00Coming Back<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey there everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Can't believe it's already P-Day here again... This week was a little different as we had a few more meetings. Got to travel this week to Busan and go hiking which took me right to my own happy place. Was great to be in the outdoors and get out a little bit. The work in our area is going pretty good but our investigators are continuing to struggle a lot right now. Our investigator that committed to be baptized last week decided that he wants to wait until at least June. I'm really understanding the difference between faith and patience in this area as little things like this keep popping up. But I know that the Lord is aware, and that all will be for their good and for ours as their missionaries. I know that good things are in store.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Four years ago this Wednesday on May 3rd, my family was sealed for time and all eternity in the Manti Temple. By far the happiest and most influential day in my life. It would be a day that Elder Holland would call a "song that cannot be sung" because there are no words, no feelings, and no other things that can ever describe such an experience.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>My family wasn't that strong in the gospel when I was growing up, but we had so many people that would lovingly push us to do more, and to strive to become more. I think a common question that I often asked as people continually tried to push us forward towards the gospel was the simple question, "Why do you keep coming back?"</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>We thought we were comfortable, happy, and had everything that we needed. We know now that of course we were wrong, but we thought we had all that we needed. A little while ago while proselyting, I had an experience that made it all so clear.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>We were proselyting and I saw this man far off out of the way, sitting on a bench, cigarette smoke blowing, and alcohol in his other hand. Being out of the way, we continued walking within his sight, attempted to talk to a few other people, to which they wouldn't acknowledge us, and kept walking. As we kept moving forward, I knew we had to go back to the man on the bench. The feeling was so strong. I grabbed my companion, turned around and walked up to the man.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>He looked at us through his cloud of smoke and arrogantly retorted, "I just saw what you were doing trying to talk to those people. I saw them ignore you." I looked at him with a big grin and responded, "Great, a better reason for you to talk to us then right??" I sat down with the man and began to speak with him about his life, and saw the trials began to show in his face. I could tell he was hurting a lot. No wife, no kids, and facing the consequences of sin. As we kept talking, the tears filled his eyes and started to fall in between swigs of his alcohol. He finally looked at me and asked that question that I'm sure we've all asked the Savior when we too have been lost in sin, hopeless, or feeling unworthy of God's love. He asked me in between deep breaths... "Why did you come back? You didn't have to." I looked at him and lovingly responded, "I knew I had to."</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Whether my family four years ago, this very morning, or any other day, the Savior always comes back. Whether we have sinned, feel unworthy, useless, or hopeless, He always comes back to us. Like the sun we sometimes we can't see, but know is there, or the air that we don't think about, but just expect... it's all the same. Christ is near us, beside us, with us, and most importantly, He is going with us to where we are going. And when we asked that same question in the deepest depths of despair, "Father, why do you keep coming back to me? I don't deserve this." He will calmly, and with great love respond, "You knew I would." </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I testify of the Savior, His perfect love and compassion. He understands our hearts, and our desires. Remember that He works from the inside out. He starts with our heart, and moves that to who we are. He doesn't care who we are right now, but He does care where we are going, and where we want to be. I know He's there, and I know He's walking with us each step of the way. I testify of His divine calling to be our Redeemer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> I love you all, and I'm always so grateful. Thanks for everything you do. I'll be seeing you here next month. Until next week!</span><span class="s1"></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-26099004371717163762017-04-24T19:31:00.004-07:002017-04-24T19:31:48.101-07:00Gifts<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everyone!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Another week has just rolled on by and it was another great one. The weather is about perfect over here. It is warming up, spring is in full bloom, and the work is blooming within our area as well.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>This week we were able to commit one of our investigators to a baptismal date. He's a car salesman for Chevy, and has been progressing so well. He's been to church three weeks in a row, and we finally decided he was prepared to received the commitment. We're praying that he'll stay true to his desires. He's been progressing well. Pray with us that he continues to move forward in faith. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Yesterday in church, we had just finished sacrament meeting and went to our second hour class with a few members. We had a recent convert, my companion, and one other member. To start the class, our bishop pulled out three little bundles. He opened one bundle and revealed a book that looked like a bible. Leather, gold rimmed pages, very beautiful book. He asked if we knew what it was. We all suggested it was a bible. He then took off the wrapper, and opened the book, to which there was nothing inside. It's literally a bible of blank pages. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>He went on to explain that these "journals" were very very difficult to find, and very expensive to buy in Korea. He said he was giving them to specific people. Missionaries leaving, and other members who he thought could use them to great value. He first looked at the recent convert, baptized only three months ago, and handed him a book, and said, ”I want you to keep this, and record your life, just as if it were your own personal scripture." </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Happy for this young man to start recording his own history, I felt so grateful. But then, the bishop moved to my companion, and handed him his own journal as well. He said the same thing nearly as the first. "Use this as if it were your own personal scripture." I was so happy for my companion too. So happy for both of them, that they got this book that's super hard to find. Not thinking about myself at all, in pure gratitude just looking at the smile on their faces, the bishop then turned and handed me my own book. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I was surprised, as I felt that I didn't need it. However, he looked at me, and said something similar to the first two. "Elder Roper, use this to record your own personal scripture." I was astounded at the pure love of this wonderful priesthood leader. No doubt in my mind that he had thought about this and planned it out in his mind. I was thinking about it last night as I was eating my soup with clams, kimchi, and spam, and I thought about what he was really saying to me.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Our bishop offered us this journal for what reason?? He wants to see it used.... </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>In our lives, we are offered gifts from all angles. From people we love, strangers, and sometimes by pure luck. In other words, I'd like to call it the grace of God. We're all offered the gift of grace from a loving Heavenly Father, who only wants one thing to be done. And that is, to see it be used for our benefit of becoming better than what we are. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>What good do gifts do if they are left unused?? A mother who cooks dinner only to not have it eaten? A child learning piano because their parents pay for lessons but they don't want to practice? A person extending service to another who doesn't want to accept? But none of these would be so sad as a Savior, who offered a perfect Atonement that can make us whole, but we decide not to use it... </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The cool thing of this gift that I received isn't the fact that I just got this nice new journal, but the exciting thing is that if I use it, I can truly use the gift to what it's been meant for. And like the Atonement, we must use it everyday, exhaust the Atonement in such a way to we receive all the strength beyond our own that we can. I know that as we use the gifts that are offered, as we understand why these gifts are given, we will come to truly understand and receive the Lord's perfect grace.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love the gospel, and tell you with a certainty that it is true. The Savior lives today, this very moment, and is with you, walking the race with you. What a blessing for each of us.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I love you all, and I miss you all so dearly. Keep going, keep pushing, keep loving, and keep looking for those blessings of grace. I promise they are there. Talk to you all next week.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-22422489392755880222017-04-17T19:25:00.002-07:002017-04-17T19:25:33.966-07:00He Is Risen<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey Everyone!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> This week was a great week. Lots of tracting, finding, and teaching. Right now our investigator pool is starting to narrow down a bit as we're having to drop some investigators and refocus on the ones that we currently have. Our investigators are struggling a bit right now, not wanting to act, struggling to overcome habits, or not making enough time for the Lord. We're working with them hoping that their faith will increase enough to act more fervently and diligently to the goals they're setting.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> This week I had a neat little experience while proselyting. It was pretty late at night, walking home when we saw another white man a ways up in front of us (which is rare). He was trying to wave down a taxi, and the taxi completely ignored him. Mustering up my courage to talk with another foreigner, which is always so weird, we made eye contact, and started talking to each other. He recognized us instantly as missionaries, and began opening up his heart to me and my companion. He was heading to another town to party for the night. He expressed his guilt, his pain, his struggles, and his addictions. My heart was breaking as I listened to this man speak. He asked the question that all of us at one point or another has asked before in our lives. "Elder, with all the horrible things I've done... can I really truly be forgiven for my sins?"</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I looked at this man, and expressed my heart to him that we could. That we can truly receive forgiveness, be cleansed, purified, and sanctified from all that we've done. No matter how bad, how long, or how many times repeated, we can become clean once again. He had a gleam in his eye and I could see the thoughts turning in his heart and a glimmer of hope starting to form. With him having to leave, we exchanged phone numbers, and he left. This has been on my mind all week long. Is it true? Can we truly receive forgiveness for our sins??? The answer is absolutely, positively, yes!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> In America it is Easter Sunday. What a blessing that is. This week I've thought of the Atonement in new and profound ways. I've thought about the perfect Atonement wrought for us by the Savior. A loving Savior, walking nigh unto death in the Garden of Gethsemane under bright shining stars. I can't imagine the agony that began as He began to Atone for the world. Every wrenching moment, every single drop of blood for every single person. I can only picture the love of a perfect Savior when He then proclaimed, "Not my will, but thine be done." From the Garden of Gethsemane, where He was beaten, and scourged. I can hear the cries of the crowd yelling, "Crucify Him," and can see in my mind His disciples all fleeing in fear. I can only imagine the weight on His back and His cross was borne through the dusty streets to Calvary, where the pounding thud of nails going into His hands and feet give me chills, and break my heart. From the depths of sorrow and pain, willing giving up His life for us.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> The greatest words in history, "He is risen", is the greatest testimony that yes, we can move forward, we can keep going, we can be clean, live with our families forever, be perfected, be happy, live with no doubts or fears, and so many other things. And yes, it even means that we can be forgiven of our sins. The perfect Atonement. What a blessing on this Easter Sunday.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I know the Resurrection of the Savior is true. He lives. I know it with no doubts, no questions, no worries. He is our Savior, our Divine Redeemer, our Loving Friend, Alpha and Omega. May we keep Him close to heart always and remember those words spoken so long ago. "He is risen."</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all and thank you all for everything. Miss you all dearly. Have a wonderful Easter, and I'll talk to you next week.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-7521939181359056392017-04-03T17:44:00.002-07:002017-04-03T17:44:58.343-07:00Acting In Faith<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Another transfer has come and went! Like always, it flew by, and I'll be fortunate and grateful to stay in my area and receive a new companion named Elder Sung Jisoo. I know that it will be a great transfer filled with a ton of miracles and so much happening. Right now we have a very large investigator pool but they just won't seem to act on anything. Keep your fingers crossed that they'll start acting on their faith.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Despite the normal week of proselyting, meetings, and transfers, I saw a huge miracle of someone who exercised their faith. Throughout my mission I've often sent letters of a great friend of mine by the name of Bryan. He's from the Philippines. Originally going to college, dropped out so his brother could go because his family didn't have enough money to support both of them. After he left college, he came to Korea, where he's been supporting his entire family through his paycheck. Each paycheck he sends home all the money to support a very large and poor family. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> A few months back, Bryan, physically struggling due to the huge workload he was carrying in work, had to quit his job. Spending six days a week carrying and loading heavy metals, the job was literally killing Bryan. Knowing he couldn't do it, he took a leap of faith and quit his job. Whenever foreigners quit their jobs, they have three months to find a new job before they are immediately sent back to their country.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Bryan, having no job, no money, very few friends, has struggled since he quit his job. He has been homeless, he has eaten nothing for most of that time. He has been sleeping in public bath houses, the only warm place he could find. But never once did I hear him complain, whine, or say anything negative. He has always told me that it would work out.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> This week has signified that Bryan only has one week left to find a job. He's has countless interviews hoping to find one. With only a few days remaining, and having been in contact with Bryan, I got home one night to see I had a missed call from him. I had also had a text. I read the text which simply stated, "Hey Elder Roper, I found the perfect job. Thanks for all of your prayers."</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> With days remaining, Bryan has continued to act in faith, trust in God, and face all his trials head on. He knew it would work out. And I know that because of his faith, he has found a job that is physically good for him, will give him everything he needs, and will even continue to help him support his poor family.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> The gospel of Jesus Christ is centered on faith. Like fuel in a car, we can't go anywhere without it. We could have the nicest car, but if there's no fuel, you'll never move or get where you're going. Even when the times are hard, the questions many, and tears unending, may we cleave to the first principle of the gospel by acting in faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. May we all remember the simple request of the Savior who said, "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." May we never doubt and push forward in all that we do like my friend Bryan, knowing that the Lord will deliver us and put us exactly where he needs us to be.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you guys. I miss you tons. Thanks for the letters, love, and support. I'm always so grateful. Can't wait to write again next week!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-29313799886239551272017-03-27T18:31:00.001-07:002017-03-27T18:31:10.403-07:00Called To Serve<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Good to be writing again. I know I say this every week, but it flew by. This week we continued to find some new investigators who are progressing really well. We're seeing a lot of great success right now, and the Lord is really blessing our area. We have three investigators with a baptismal date and we're hoping that they can continue towards their set dates. We're seeing a lot of wonderful things as we're exercising faith and trusting in the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> On this day two years ago, I opened a letter that changed my life forever. I opened a letter with nervous hands and pulled out a letter that stated, "you have been called to labor in the Korea Busan Mission." It will a call that I didn't expect, but I knew that it was where I was suppose to be, and over the time I've been here, the Holy Ghost has confirmed it to me over and over again.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> At this time of year, I know that mission calls are coming, and missionaries are preparing to serve their missions. Each week I hear of the new calls that are coming in to great friends of mine and I'm so excited for all of them. This week, looking back on that memory two years ago, I went snooping into all my papers to find my mission call. I went snooping through all my papers, and found it near the bottom. Along with my call, there was a small piece of paper that sat on top it. Not recalling what it was, I opened it and found tears in my eyes as I remembered exactly what it was. This is what it says:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Dear 타이슨</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>I think that is Tyson in Korean, but if not you will get a good laugh. How is Korea? I bet it's great. I am very jealous. We miss you back home. I miss your example that was great. I hope I can be the kind of man you are. Life is great soccer just started and I'm pretty excited it's going to be a good year for us.</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span class="s1"></span><br /></b></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Ethan Winter</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> The tears welled in my eyes, as I thought of this great friend of mine. It was a handwritten letter from him from a few months ago before he killed in an accident. He's been on my mind, and in my heart for months. To me, it's no coincidence either that Ethan too, has received his mission call to serve with a loving Heavenly Father. I sat down this week, with gratitude in my heart, and thought of a friend I dearly miss, wrote down a few of my thoughts that I'd like to share with you today. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Called To Serve</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Out driving with a friend on a cold winter's night,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Under bright moonlit stars that were shining so bright,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Pushing through ice and snow as far as my eyes could see,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I lost all control and my truck slipped suddenly.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Off I went and down we fell, through all worldly sorrow and earthly travail,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>No pain, no concern, no worry, no sound,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>When I broke the mortal chains to which I was bound.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Upward my soul traveled leaving earth's thorn-laid trail,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Where quickly I passed through the heavenly veil.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I saw my life pass before me in the blink of an eye,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>As I continued moving forward into God's paradise.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>My friends, family, and all left behind,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>As I was called to serve in God's kingdom on high.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Time seemed to stop and I found myself on my knees,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I looked upward to see the Savior standing above me.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>He gently reached down and wrapped His hands in mine,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>The nail prints in His hands still undaunted by time.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>He lifted me up off my weak, feeble knees,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Where questions and concerns began to overcome me.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I looked in His eyes and started to weep,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And through question-filled sobs asked, "Lord, why me?"</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"I'm leaving all my good close friends there behind,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Where I was never given a chance to say last goodbyes.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And what about soccer, my team needed me,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>My dad even needed me to captain the team. </i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And Father, oh my mission, I was starting to prepare.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>You know to get ready I even cut my long hair.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And what about my siblings, I was the oldest you know,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>What will they do when I don't come home?</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And lastly, mom and dad, oh the fear in their heart,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>When they find out the veil has split us apart.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I'm sorry to question, I'm wondering you see,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I just want to know... Lord, why me?"</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>With light in His eyes, His gaze met mine,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And lovingly asked, "You want to know why?</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>My son, I love you, and because I love thee,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>You have been called to serve on this side with me.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>your friends will miss you during this time,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>But forever grateful that you blessed their life.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Their tears will run free and so will their fears,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>But no need to worry, we both will be near.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And as for soccer you can hang up your cleats,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>For you have been called to captain my team.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I know that your dad made you a deal,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>But now you've been called to lead even holier fields.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And your mission, my son, don't worry you see,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Because you've already served so valiantly,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>There's no need to wait, pack, travel, or prepare,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>For I could wait no longer for you to be here.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>You've been called to serve beyond the heavenly veil,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Where with me together, forever we'll dwell. </i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>As for your siblings, the times may be hard,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>But heaven won't ever seem to be far.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>They will face all of earth's great troubles and frights,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>But they're never alone with you on their left and their right.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>An angel to bear them up in their times of need,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Where in you they will find all heavenly peace.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And lastly, your mom and dad," He said with tears in His eyes,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"They know you're with me here in paradise.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>The days will be long, the nights will be hard, </i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>But because of their faith, they know you're not far.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>With full trust they'll let your eternity begin,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Knowing that they will be with you again.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>So although the veil has split you apart,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Forever, and always, you're with them in heart.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>My son, you know I will lead you and them through,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Knowing that now, will you accept this call given to you?"</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span class="s1"></span><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>The spirit filled my soul, and light filled my mind,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>As I reflected on my short life one last time.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I looked at my Savior, my Lord, and my King,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Hands stretched out forth beckoning to me.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>I gave one last glance and turned my back on it all,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>And walked in with my Savior, to answer my call.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> I know the Savior lives. He has a plan, and has called each of us to be His disciples. On this side of the veil, or even on that side, every call is as real as we make it. I'm so grateful for His plan. I'm grateful for my great friend Ethan, who I dearly miss who truly taught me lessons of a lifetime. I'm grateful for a loving Savior who offers such a perfect plan for all of us.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> Love you all and miss you dearly. I can't wait for next week. Have a perfect week!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-71716674926830437002017-03-13T16:03:00.001-07:002017-03-13T16:03:32.868-07:00Prince Of Peace<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey there!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>It's been another great week here in South Korea! This week was full of a lot of miracles and new things. The Lord is definitely blessing my area as we're finding investigators left and right and have the largest teaching pool that I've had in my mission. We're working with a few good investigators, in which two committed to be baptized this previous week. We're hoping to establish some specific dates and get them going to organize a specific day. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>This week I've been thinking a lot as I've been finding new investigators. Every time we meet a new investigator, they come from specific backgrounds and situations. Most are from very hard, difficult, backgrounds. My heart aches as I realize the severity of their situations. This week my heart was opened to the Prince of Peace and His healing powers that He truly offers to all of His children. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The first man we met, 36 years old, not married, and chasing dreams that he can't seem to reach. Frustrated that he can't catch a break, invited us over to his house to help him with english and teach the gospel. After teaching a while, we began to go into his life where he began to open his fears, concerns, and hopes. He asked faith inspired questions such as "Can I really be forgiven?" or "Is there really any hope for me to do what I want to do?" As our discussion closed, and in the feeling of the spirit, we promised that through baptism he would find answers, hope, and the peace he needs. He accepted to be baptized hoping to find that peace of mind.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The second man, 37 years old, caught in severe addictions of drinking, smoking, and a few more things, wanted to meet with us because he hasn't been happy for years. He just needed someone to talk to, and someone to listen. With a broken heart, he told us his story and just listening broke mine. With sincerity and looking for answers, we promised him peace through our message, and gave him a Book of Mormon, knowing that in its pages he'd find what he was looking for. He committed to come to church this next week so he, too, could search for a greater peace of mind, having not been happy for years. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Lastly, a recent convert of mine, 23 years old, came to see me and a few other missionaries this weekend. He has recently lost his job, his home, has no food, and no money. He sleeps every night in the public bath houses here in Korea. I had many sleepless nights thinking of this young man. We offered him help, and him saying he didn't need it, telling us that God is already helping him enough. He told us that he knows his peace of mind will come as he continues to rely on God and not others.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>My heart has broke over and over this week seeing these things. There's so much sorrow in this world. It's heartbreaking. But the promise is the same for everyone who turns to the Savior in hope and humility. "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you; Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid".... "the chastisement of His peace was upon us, and with His stripes we are healed"...."peace, be still"....</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>The gospel is that of peace. May we always seek the Prince of PEACE. His peace and love is only that of a prayer away. Never doubt, never fear. For in Christ, all things shall be made whole. As the lives of my investigators are changing, I leave you with my sure and unwavering witness that your life too, will change. I know that He lives. I don't simply believe it, but I know it with a certainty. Go to Him, and seek His pure and perfect peace and love, which is desirable above everything.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I love you all and am grateful. You all mean the world to me. Talk to you next week!</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-77753289832924890172017-02-27T19:02:00.001-08:002017-02-27T19:02:29.594-08:00Jinju<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> It's been a great week here in my new area of Jinju. It's one of the most "country" areas in the mission, which of course is right up my alley. I have a wonderful companion who has been wonderful to work with. Right now the spirit is so strong in my life. It's so strong. This week we've been pushing forward in so much faith, hope, and high expectations. This week we've seen so many miracles. We have found a few new investigators and are working with four investigators at church right now, two of whom came for the first time this week after calling us randomly. I'm super excited to work in faith and move forward in this area. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> This week I had a really hard time transitioning to my new area. Whenever I leave any area, it always seems to be very difficult for me. This last week as I said goodbye to my old companion, and left headquarters and everyone behind, it was so hard to say goodbye. There was a lot of tears and good memories as I packed my bags and headed for the bus to one of the farthest places away in the mission.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> It was different this week as my phone wasn't ringing every couple minutes, stress seemed to be all gone. However, being in a new area, with new people, it didn't feel like home yet. As I went to bed on my first night here in Jinju, I got down on my knees and said a very heartfelt prayer to Heavenly Father, pleading for His help, and His direction in my new area. The assurance of the Holy Ghost came into my mind and my heart and told me "that it would all work out" as I pushed forward with faith. I knew that in time, it would all work out just fine, and it has. This area is a place of miracles. I've been pushing forward with more desire than ever, to bring souls unto Christ. My faith unwavering, my heart set on the work, I put each foot in front of the other and walked as it just got easier and easier and easier. And today, I want to talk about the universal answer to all of our trials, questions, doubts, and fears. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> The universal answer, the remedy to every little thing that we have, is "faith in the love of God." Sometimes in life, we are burdened by trials, by difficult times, by questions and concerns. However, with "faith in the love of God", there is nothing that we will not be able to get through. Faith in His promises, His will, and His way. Not ours. Did you know that when we struggle in life, it's normally always because we lack faith in God?? No wonder that faith is the first principle of the gospel, and the first law of Heaven.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> When we came to understand faith and love in God, ours will get easier. Our trust in Him will increase, and His trust in us will then increase. I want you to take a second and think of your best memories in your life... Your favorite memory? Your favorite song? Favorite scene? Favorite sound? Favorite picture? Think about them for a moment. They should put you into your own personal "happy place" and make you grateful for your many blessings. Although those are your "best memories”, there is a promise that I've been thinking about this week, and it comes in this simple scripture. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> When we love God with all that we have, no trial, no hard time, no fears will ever stay there. When we push forward with faith in the love of God, knowing that we are His children, He is our Father, and that He loves us so immensely, there is nothing that we can't overcome. And when we think of our hardest times, but importantly our best times, they will be nothing compared to those things that God has prepared for those that love Him. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard...the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> I love this gospel. I love the Savior, Jesus Christ. I feel His love in ways that words will never be able to explain. I know that He answers every earnest and sincere prayer that we mutter. I know that He's always there as we push forward in His love. He's there to lift, to strengthen, and to enable us to become who we want and need to be. He is Divine Redeemer, our Lord, and our King. It is my humble prayer that we come to know Him sincerely, and trust Him deeply, so we can always push forward in steadfast faith in His perfect love.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> I love you all and am so grateful for the support. I miss you all so much. I'm forever and eternally grateful for each and every one of you. Have a wonderful week!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-47225526573426460382017-02-20T19:55:00.002-08:002017-02-20T19:55:37.077-08:00Sacrifices<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Another week has flown by here! They never seem to slow down. It was the last week of the transfer and we were busy with preparing transfers all week long and getting everything ready for the new transfer. This week I've been transferred and right now I'm in the process of packing and getting ready to leave. It's been a great blessing to serve in mission headquarters and although no transfer is easy, I look forward to new opportunities to apply the things I've learned from other great leaders. I've been transferred to the area of Jinju, and I’m serving with a great missionary named Elder Aurich. It'll be a great transfer and I'm really excited to move forward for my last few transfers here in Korea.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> This week amidst all the goodbyes, I got to meet with an old investigator of mine who I've often talked about. His name is M.C. Mickey. He's been my rapper investigator, and has really struggled with some addictions, lack of faith, and a lack of faith in the Atonement. Knowing I was leaving, he came to church yesterday to see me one last time.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> His problems have only gotten worse since he stopped meeting with the missionaries. His trials have gotten larger, relationships worse, and everything seems to be falling apart. Again,</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">yesterday, he told of us the same story of how he got there, and what he thought was going to fix it (becoming a famous rapper).</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">He will not make any commitments to do anything hard, and he won't desire to change. In particular, his drinking and smoking habits continue to hold him back. And he told us yesterday that they were habits that were impossible to give up.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> To this man who I've thought about for months, and knowing this would be the very last time I saw him, I was very straight forward and bold with him. He told us again that he wasn't willing to try and overcome his addictions and that he just wouldn't do it. With great love, I looked at my rapper investigator, and confidently said. "M.C. Mickey, I want you to understand something. I've given up two years of my life. I gave up everything I had. I gave up family, friends, school, jobs, and put every little thing behind me so I could teach you this message. I gave up everything, and you won't give up anything." He looked at me as tears filled his eyes. The spirit told him that it was true.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">I bore him my witness of the gospel in power and authority, and told him that it was true. I told him that I would probably never see him again, but from here on out it was his choice of whether to accept it, or to deny it. I told him it was up to him of what he would sacrifice from that point on.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> In our lives, it's up to us what we'll sacrifice for the gospel. We all have weaknesses, trials, and challenges, but in the end we choose if we'll do what's right or not. When I chose to serve as a missionary, I gave my heart away, and I've never really gotten it back because I've trusted the Savior with it. When I gave my heart to him, he opened up new opportunities, new growth, and change. We only get where we're wanting to be by doing things that we've never done before. We must always push forward in faith with hope, trusting in the Savior and His plan for us. We must know that all sacrifices we make will be worth it if we continue in them. No matter how hard the trial, how dim the hope, or fade the pathway that we need to walk, I leave you with my witness of sacrifice for the Savior, and how it will change our lives if we only give it to Him.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love the gospel, and I'm so grateful that it's changed my life in so many profound ways. It's a gospel of change but only if we allow it to change us. As move forward, use the Atonement, and do the best we can, I promise that Christ will magnify us in our lives.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all and thank you for your support like always. I have the best support, and I'm always just so grateful for everything. Talk to you next week can't wait!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-27535236784986346552017-02-13T17:16:00.001-08:002017-02-13T17:16:27.304-08:00Learn And Live<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>It's been another week already, and it's time for another letter. Seems like I just wrote one. It's been a good, but stressful week with a lot of stuff going on, but it's been another great week of spiritual growth and progress. Our investigator who was scheduled to be baptized yesterday wasn't quite ready yet, so we have rescheduled his baptism for another day. As missionaries, we "teach repentance and baptize converts", and this man isn't fully converted yet and ready for the commitments. But I know that as he continues to exercise faith, and do all he needs to, he'll be prepared. It reminds me of our own personal conversion, and how we constantly have to exercise faith in order to see our testimonies grow in truth. This week will also be a transfer week, so it will be busy with a lot of office work. I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for our mission this week as we prepare for transfers again. I'll be excited to see what the Lord has in store for me so I can continue to progress and grow.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>This week me and my companion returned late from a Stake Presidency Meeting with our mission president. We got back just before eleven, and had to start translating some talks. We were just sitting there talking off and on, and doing our work, when my companion looked over at me after a few minutes of silence and said, "Elder Roper, why is it that we remember all of our mistakes?"</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>This question is asked a lot in missionary work. As we go on exchanges, this is one of the most asked. Despite the great and eternal changes missionaries are making, they constantly look back, burdened by things they've done, used to be, or disappointed in who they were. It's a great question that at point, I'm sure all of us have asked in our lives. But with an eternal perspective, and a testimony of the Atonement, we can understand why.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>As a little boy, my mom made a batch of cookies. Being little and impatient, I wanted to eat them as soon as they came out of the oven. My mom, knowing the cookies weren't settled and way too soft, told me to wait just a little while. Not wanting to wait, I was sneaking in to get some, and was smelling these freshly baked cookies. And I'm not exactly sure what in the world I was doing, but I touched my chin on the pan, and burned it. I had a big rectangular burn on my chin because I hadn't been willing to wait. I learned a valuable lesson on that day.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Making mistakes is similar to getting burned. For example, if we were to stick our finger in a fire, we would take it out instantly because it burned. We wouldn't want to stick our finger back in it, knowing that it's going to hurt. Our mistakes are a reminder of what sin does. That it burns, that it hurts, and that it can completely engulf us if we continue to leave our hand in the flames. In our lives we look at our mistakes as a negative thing, something that we wish we could change. But instead, we must look at our weakness, our mistakes, as great blessings. Because of the mistakes we make, we can uplift, strengthen, and bless the lives of others who deal with the same problems. As friends, parents, and members of the church, we can bear witness of the Atonement in its fullness, and invite others to partake of that. We can truly change lives through the experiences that we have. Instead of the old cliche saying, "Live and learn", we need to say because of our mistakes, our inadequacies, and our weakness, that we can truly "Learn and live."</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>One day, we will humbly stand before a merciful, and loving Savior. We will feel inadequate, have regrets, and feel imperfect. We will say, "Heavenly Father, I made so many mistakes in my life. I did so many things that were wrong, and I wish I could have done better." The Savior, in perfect love and mercy, will simply respond, "I don't remember that." For those who strive to change, to grow, to repent, and become better, there is no greater words in the scriptures than that of "He who repented of his sins, I the Lord, remember them no more." May we always look at our weaknesses as blessings. May turn to Him so His power and love may rest upon us. May we understand that because God loves, He allows us to remember these things so we aren't consumed by the fire of the adversary.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I leave you with my testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. His Atonement is real. It is the power to do and to become what He needs us to be. It has the power to cleanse, to sanctify, and to purify us. It allows us to leave behind bad habits, and change to become more like the Savior. It is infinite in love, time, suffering, depth, and expands the depths of the eternity, so although we may feel inadequate, we can always keep an eternal perspective, knowing that if we keep trying, repenting, and doing the best we can, God will welcome us with open arms.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I love the Savior. I am lost for words at His love and mercy. He lives. I don't just believe that, but I know that. May we turn to Him each day as we strive to follow Him is my humble prayer.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I love you all. Thanks for the love and support. Grateful for all that you do for me. Can't wait for next week!</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-25452484162613597642017-02-06T20:22:00.003-08:002017-02-13T17:16:56.945-08:00God Needs Us Home<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>What a crazy week over here in Korea! It's been full of so many great learning opportunities. This week Elder Choi Yoon Hwan of the First Quorum of the Seventy came to our mission and addressed us. We had some great meetings and got to spend some good personal time alongside him with all the meetings. Learned a lot of great things from him, and I'm so grateful for that amazing opportunity that we had. This week me and my companion also had the opportunity to cast out evil spirits from a man. That was uhhhh... interesting. A man texted me, asking if we could get rid of evil spirits, so we told him we could attempt to try. We gave the man a priesthood blessing and as soon as we commanded the spirits to leave, he began to freak out. Starting cackling, and shaking, and yelling. It was crazy! We ended the blessing, and he went still. He opened his eyes, said thank you, and then he left. It was definitely one of the craziest moments of my mission. Grateful for the priesthood. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I want to share with you an experience from this week that has been on my mind. This week our senior couple finished a faithful mission, and returned home. I was very close to this senior couple. I served with them for nearly a year, and they helped me out so much. With all my health problems, when we had little food, or when we just needed a spiritual reassurance, they were always there to help. They came to headquarters this week, getting ready to leave and I got to spend a little time with them before they left. I'd like to share a lesson I learned from them this week. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>They were packing their bags, and I asked them what they planned to do as soon as they got home. Sweet Sister Dustin looked at me and said, "Elder Roper we are going to go home and fly back east." I of course asked why they were headed to travel and her response astounded me. "Elder Roper, we have a young grandson who was born without any brain function. I talked with the Lord about it and He promised me that I would get to hold our baby before He took him home again." I stood there speechless for a second, and looked at her. I quietly responded, "I'm sorry, that's hard. I can't even imagine." She looked at me and smiled. "It's not hard Elder Roper. He's a perfect little boy. He finished his mission, and God needs him home again. We're happy that we get the little time that we do." I stood there astounded by their faith, and hope in the Plan of Salvation. I'll never forget that last memory of this senior couple who has changed my life. I'll never forget those sweet words..."God needs him home."</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Likewise, God needs us all home. Our purpose in this life is to go back to our Father. Like that family I don't know who will lose their son, God too sent His son to live, to die, and to be resurrected. That is the plan for each of us. However, I know that some of our faith varies a little bit in that plan. Like Sister Dustin stated in her testimony, it all starts with prayer. Simple, humble prayer. To communicate with our Father, and to learn to trust His plan and we follow it. It requires faith, and putting our trust in things we can't see, but things we can certainly feel through the Holy Ghost. It's my humble prayer that we all realize who we are, where we came from, and what we're really doing. May we remember in all actions and things that we do, that "God needs us home." </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I testify of the Plan of Salvation. Remember that this gospel is eternal. There is no end, but only beginnings. There is no such thing as a closed door, because God always has one open. I testify of the reality of eternal families, of the Resurrection, of the perfect reality of an eternal gospel. I know it, and I'm grateful that I do. May we all walk by faith, walk by the feelings in our hearts, and move forward with an eternal perspective is my hope and prayer. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I love you all and thank you for everything. Thanks for the help and all you do for me. I'm so grateful. Have a perfect week!</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-83549504327219333902017-01-23T19:36:00.003-08:002017-01-23T19:36:51.717-08:00Gratitude<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hello!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Great to be writing another email. It's been another week that has just flown by. Our week started off with a broken water heater, and we're still without hot water. It's been an interesting week in a four man house without it. Carrying buckets, and boiling water right. But a little a work and cold water never hurt anybody right? (; This week has been cold (in Korean terms) as we're hitting just below freezing on most days. It's nothing compared to Utah, but at least for here it's been a lot colder. It's been a great week though. Lots of exchanges, and traveling around the mission. I love learning from all the missionaries.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Yesterday, we had an investigator at church that I would like to talk about for just a few minutes. He has committed to a baptismal date in a few weeks, and yesterday as he walked into the church, I looked him over as he came up and shook my hand. Looking at his feet, his shoes didn't fit, and he had no socks. His feet revealed lots of wear and tear, and I could tell they hadn't been washed in quite a long time. Looking up, his pants were dirty, his jacket covered in dirt, and other stuff. Looking upward,</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">his hair going in every direction, and really dirty and greasy. It was obvious that he hadn't showered in days, his clothes hadn't been washed, and even the smell confirmed it. However, there he was, sitting in the church, coming to serve the Savior.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I have a great love for this man. He's humble, he loves the Savior, and he's learning to be more like him with each week. Yesterday while teaching him and preparing him for his baptism in a few weeks, we asked him the question, "What things are you grateful for that the Savior has given you??"</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> The old man, who’s in his fifties, looked at us without hesitation and said, "I'm grateful for lots. But I'm most grateful that I got to have a wedding, and I'm grateful that I have a son." I almost came to tears as I realized how profound that statement was.... He is divorced, and he hasn't seen his son in a long time. But the thing he is most grateful for is "the opportunity to have been married, and the opportunity to have had a son and been a father." A humble man, no family, no money, no job, basically no home, yet so grateful for all that he's been given in his life.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I've been thinking about this investigator and my heart was filled with the Holy Ghost. And my simple message today comes in a couple simple questions. What are you grateful for? What have you shown gratitude for? What do you look forward to knowing the Savior is by your side? I hope these simple questions will invite the spirit into your life as you recognize God's hand in your life. I know that blessed are the poor and meek, and humble in spirit. It all starts with the simple gift of gratitude.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love the Savior, and I'm grateful for not only his hand in my life, but in the lives of those around me. He touches those who let Him in. And it's always up to us to open the door. I love the gospel, and I testify with all my soul that it is true. I know that. I'm so grateful to be a member of it in these latter days.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all and am sincerely grateful as always. I have the greatest support and I'm grateful for your continuous love and support. Have a wonderful week and I'll talk to ya'll soon!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-45266588265035281632017-01-17T19:40:00.002-08:002017-01-17T19:40:58.041-08:00Not IF, But WHEN<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> It's been a great week over here! It's been super busy with the start of a new transfer but it's been great. This week we were able to commit a man to be baptized, and he's preparing for baptism on February 12th. He's very poor, divorced, lost his kids, and we're hoping that his desire will continue to increase as we get closer. This week, I also had to send my companion of nearly five months home as he finished a faithful and successful mission. I'll sure miss him, but so grateful that I got to serve with him. It's been a really special, spiritual week for me.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> A few months ago, I helped a new sister unload her two large suitcases as she made her way off the train. She had just barely started her mission, and was going to be serving in the same area as me. Me and my companion grabbed her bags and took them home for her. She was quiet and didn't say much, overwhelmed by everything, as most new missionaries are. When missionaries start in Korea, it's really difficult, and it was no different for this young sister. A few weeks into her mission, the companionship asked if I would give them a blessing, so I did. I can't remember what I said, but I had a neat experience this week with that young sister missionary again.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> The sister missionary, having experienced medical problems on her mission, had to return home this week. Working in the office, we were there to help her with everything. The night before she left, we were in the office doing work and she turned to me and quietly asked, "Elder Roper, do you remember giving me that blessing?" I looked at her and said, "Of course I remember." She then looked at me, and again quietly said, "You foreshadowed me going home in your blessing." I didn't really know what to say, and asked her if she remembered what I had said. She said that I told her in that blessing that, "One day, she would have to make the decision if she would keep serving or not."</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> Right now, with the medical conditions, she will have a choice to return back to the mission, and she said that the blessing was true, and that she would now be faced with that decision of if she would keep serving. I stood there speechless for a minute, not exactly knowing what to say. As I've thought about the situation, I've realized in our lives, there is an everyday choice of "if we will continue to keep serving the Savior or not."</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> In Ether 12:27, the whole scripture depends on one word, and that word is IF.... And IF men come unto me, I will show unto them their weakness. And IF they humble themselves, I will make weak things strong. The word IF is a word of doubt, of skepticism, and lack of faith. IF is the deciding factor of this powerful, and life changing verse. So when we take out the word IF, and replace it will a word of certainty, and hope, and confidence, we can personally read. "And WHEN men come unto me, I will show unto them their weakness. And WHEN they humble themselves, I will make weak things strong." In the scriptures Christ always uses words of certainty. "I WILL not leave your comfortless".... "I WILL send angels on your right and left".... "I WILL come to you."</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> In our lives, each and every day, we are faced with the word IF... IF we will do this, or that. Instead of "when I do that," or "I will do that," we all find ourselves in the category of IF sometimes. I looked at this young sister, and I shared that verse with her. I've seen her progress, her faith grow, as well as her testimony, and with that, I looked at her and said, "It's not a matter of if you'll continue to serve, but when, and what you will accomplish." But of course, like her, it's all up to us in the end to replace our doubts and fears of the word "IF" with the certainty of the words "when and will" as we decide to continue to keep serving.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I leave you with my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a miracle. Each day we decide to serve, to love, and to help others. It is my humble prayer, that as Jesus always has, we too like him will say with certainty when others are in need of it, "I will come to you." I know He lives. Our Savior, our Redeemer, our Teacher, our King. I love serving Him in Korea with His name on my chest, right next to my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all, and miss you dearly. I pray for you and your families. Know always how grateful I truly am, and always will be. Till next week!</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-74796754510353815992017-01-09T15:59:00.000-08:002017-01-09T16:00:58.078-08:00 Are You Really There?<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey there everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> It's been another great week here in Korea! It flew by like always. It was transfers this week, and we've been really busy with meetings, planning, and this upcoming transfer. With all the changes, I'll still continue to serve as an assistant to the President, but I'll be receiving a new companion. My companion will be returning home this week, and my companion now will be going home at the end of this transfer. My new companion is named Lee Sang Reem, and it will be a great transfer to serve alongside him. I'm greatly looking forward to it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> This week with all of the stuff going on, there was a lot of stress, a lack of sleep, we dropped a few investigators, and with everybody transferring in the mission, it was a crazy week. We've been busy non-stop. There was a point in this week where I was definitely feeling spiritually drained, tired, and a little worn out. I felt as though my prayers weren't getting answered, and although I was trying harder, I just wasn't feeling the spirit as strongly as I was wanting to. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> This week we met with an investigator who is diligently seeking for answers from God. He initially didn't believe in Him, and had never prayed, or been to church. It's been a blessing to teach him. This week while meeting with this young man, we taught him how to pray. And although he had never prayed, he said a prayer that has been running through my head over and over this week. Translated to English he said...</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> "God, I don't know if you're there. But until I do know, and I get an answer, I'll keep praying to you."</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> Three years ago exactly, I lay in a hospital bed with a blood clot, feeling the same way. With questions, doubts, and fears, I humbly approached the seat of God where I, too, said, "Heavenly Father, I don't really know if you're there right now. Are you really going to help me?" </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> In our lives we face those times when we humbly approach the throne of God, and through our tears, our questions, our doubts, and fears, we muster up the courage to ask like the primary song, "Heavenly Father, are you really there? And do your hear and answer every child's prayer?" We have times in our lives where we are physically, spiritually, emotionally drained. We feel as thought no matter how hard we try, the farther we get from where we desire to be. We feel as though sometimes God has abandoned us, or is testing our patience. And even though we know there's a greater plan in store, we still have doubts and fears that sit in our heart. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> Many times in my life, I have often felt that way. This week, I opened up the scriptures where I always find that peace I'm looking for. I opened up to the same scripture that I did in that hospital bed three years ago as I was preparing to go into ICU for the removal of the clot. And that favorite scripture of mine reads, "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> My favorite scripture spoke that peace I greatly desired this week. And like I always do, I realized that Heavenly Father is personally involved in our lives. He knows us personally. Just as the Atonement is personal for each and every single one of us, He comes to us personally in time of need. Like the Atonement is personal, I know the gift of prayer is personal for the humble seeker of truth. And although there are many times in our lives when we turn to God, and like my investigator say, "God I'm not sure if you're there," I know that as we pray humbly and sincerely, with real intent, we'll find peace in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"></span> I love this gospel. This gospel has changed my life. I never saw myself out here. But I'm so glad that I listened to the spirit and served, because my life will never be the same. The easiest thing about my mission the past year and a half is that I know that a loving Heavenly Father is only a prayer away. Like picking up a phone, I can call Him and seek His help at any time. I'm so grateful for the certain knowledge that He lives, along with His son and our Savior. I'm grateful for that sustaining knowledge that guides and directs each step I take. </span></span></div>
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I love you all, and I thank you for your thoughts, and prayers. I'm so grateful for the wonderful support I receive each week. Thanks for everything. Talk to ya'll next week!</div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-18922261423502564312017-01-03T09:57:00.000-08:002017-01-03T09:57:52.162-08:00Applying Faith<div class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1">Hey everybody!</span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> As I start this email, I want to give a quick shoutout to my dad this week for his birthday. How grateful I am for my dad, and all he does for me. My greatest example, my greatest role model, and my greatest friend. He's been there through every little thing for me, and I want to express my appreciation for him. I would be nowhere without him, and as I look ahead, I hope to follow right in his footsteps and do for others what he has done for me. Have a great day dad, I love you tons.</span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> This week has been crazy, and busier than ever. This week President put me and my companion on a new schedule, trying to figure out how we can help the mission to be more productive. We've been getting up earlier in the morning, and proselyting before study time hoping to find more people. It's been an interesting change, and has brought a lot of success. Also, yesterday at church, we had four investigators attend, which was crazy. We didn't have enough people to help teach and take care of them most the meetings. It was incredible, and I'm so glad that people are starting to make some commitments to follow the Savior. </span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> This week, I'm pretty sure that I received one of the biggest heartbreaks of my mission. The Christmas season can be very difficult on many people, and sometimes for missionaries, it's no different. We have been meeting with our investigator, M.C. Mickey, who is a rapper, for the course of about two months. He comes from a very difficult background. His family is Buddhist, he struggles with alcohol and smoking, has horrible family relationships, recently lost his job, and the girl he's dating is so sick that she struggles to move around. And for some reason, he meets the missionaries and his life began to change. </span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> For two months, he has attended church in his pants that sag low, his flat brimmed cap, and his hoodie that's too big. But despite all the differences, he is so loved by the ward, and everyone. Over the past two months, everyone has come to love him. People, despite the smell of smoke, never questioning, never wondering, walk up to him, give him a fist pound, a half hug, and a broken "what's up man" or "what's up dog" just to make him feel comfortable. He truly felt at home.</span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> We set a baptismal date for him for Christmas Day this past week. We committed him to live the word of wisdom, and he's been trying sooo hard, but it's been hard. I was on exchanges in another place in the mission when I received word from my companion that he didn't pass his baptismal interview because he had smoked a cigarette during the day. I wasn't worried, and we decided to meet him the next day. </span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> We met him the next day, and without a word he looked at us and said, "You guys, I just don't think I can do this. I just can’t, it's too hard." I didn't know what to think, and we started our meeting. So caught up in his addiction, he was losing hope. We went over the addiction recovery program with him, talked a ton, prayed together, and about everything in between... for three hours. It was a long, but spiritual meeting. </span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> During the meeting, he committed to have another baptismal interview. Although he said he would do it, the spirit was just yelling at me in that small whisper... "Elder Roper, you can't let him do it." My natural instinct was to let him, keep pushing him, but the spirit so strong, completely undeniable, was telling me without a doubt, "Elder Roper, you can't put him through another interview."</span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> We stepped out of the room, my heart pounding, breaking, knowing what was right but not wanting to accept it. I told my companion I needed to speak to him personally. I walked with him and having done baptismal interviews, I asked him the question that I ask every single candidate. I turned to him and looked him dead in the eye and with love I said, "M.C. Mickey, why do you want to get baptized?" He looked at me and said, "Elder Roper, I'm not sure." I looked at him again and lovingly asked, "Mickey... do you even want to get baptized?" He looked at me and quietly said, "I'm not sure." The answer confirmed it, and I knew he couldn't do it. I looked at him, despite a broken heart, I said, "Mickey, you don't have to get baptized. I know this is true, and you know this is true. But if you aren't ready for it, you don't have to get baptized." He looked at me, and we started talking, and he began to cry, thanking me that I wasn't forcing him to get baptized.</span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> My heart broke throughout this whole meeting, as the spirit prompted me to invite, and not convince. It was hard, but I knew it was right. And as I've reflected, I know that it's our faith, too, we must apply in these hard times, these hard decisions. When we apply faith to a little bit of hope, all miracles happen. I know Mickey will accept the gospel. Maybe this week, or maybe not in this lifetime. I don't know. But I do know that he knows of God's pure love. He felt it, and he knows that now. I know that one day he will apply his faith, and receive what he knows is right.</span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span> I leave you with my testimony that I gave him during that meeting, when I told him, "Mickey, I know that this is true. You know that this true. You won't trust the Savior enough to give up a habit, but remember what others have given up. For example, I gave up my life, my family, my schooling, job opportunities, friends, and everything else. The Savior gave His life so you could find yours. Mickey, you need to trust in Him and move forward." And by that testimony I will forever stand. The Savior gave His life for ours, and I pray that we are finding it as we lose ourselves in His service. He lives. He is the Son of God, our Redeemer, the Messiah, and the King of Kings. I bear you my solemn witness of His ability to change your life and make you who you want and desire to be. I love Him, and I'm grateful to be serving Him, walking hand in hand as I serve the Korean people. I love this gospel.</span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1"><span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-Apple-tab-span"></span>I love you all. I miss you all dearly. With all my love, I say thank you. Can't wait for next week.</span></div>
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<span class="m_-5939997524991438593gmail-s1">Elder Roper</span></div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-16789629381540207722016-12-19T18:22:00.001-08:002016-12-19T18:22:26.618-08:00Season of Christ<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>It's been another great week here as Christmas just keeps coming closer and closer! Only a week left! Holy cow, can't believe it. This week has been full of the Christmas spirit, and the power of the Holy Ghost has been so strong as we've been talking with everyone about the Savior. This week I've been thinking a lot about recognizing the hand of God in my life, and how small and simple a touch of His hand can be. I would like to tell you about a few of the experiences I had of how the Savior has touched my life this week, and throughout this Christmas season. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>This past week I had the opportunity to travel to my previous area, and do a companion exchange. It was a great opportunity for me to see the members, to see my recent converts, and to see people who I've dearly come to love. I got to meet a young man named Bryan who is from the Philippines. He took us to lunch, and spent the day with us. He's preparing to go to the temple, and his wonderful example of faith, despite hard circumstances was a touch of God's hand in my life this week, realizing how the gospel truly changes us. On that same exchange, another recent convert of mine, seventy years old, walked into the church and started yelling my name as loud as he could in his broken english. "Roper, Roper... where are you Roper??" We met in a big hug and got to spend the night teaching him, and preparing him for the priesthood. What a blessing it was for me.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>One of the greatest examples I had this week of God touching my life was yesterday in sacrament meeting. I had to give a talk and was astounded as three of our investigators showed up to the meeting. I came down from my talk, and sat down, and just looked around the chapel. On my left, a young man, very poor, very humble, listening intently to the talks. His parents separated, no job, just praying to get into college, and has found his way into the LDS chapel. On my right, another of my investigators who is a rapper. At first glance many would wonder who he is, where he comes from, and why he's there, but as I looked at him, I saw a man willing to change, grow and try to be better. Yesterday it was a tender mercy from the Lord as he turned to me and said in his broken english, and like a rapper, "I love ya man." And lastly, my third investigator sitting with my companion on the other side of the room. I was speechless. How the gospel has changed their lives, opened their hearts, and changed who they are.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I know this Christmas season as we look for the small tender mercies of the Lord, we'll find them. Maybe it's in receiving, or maybe in giving. Maybe it's in things you've never recognized. But I know the only way to enjoy the true spirit of Christmas is to search for the hand of God in service to others. I know that as we do our best, He will manifest Himself to us. Not physically, but in feelings of peace, warmth, and comfort. I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the living Son of God. I bear His name on my chest, right next to my heart. It is my humble prayer that we will let Him in during this final week. I know that as we do, the satisfaction of the Holy Ghost will enlighten our minds and souls with the pure and perfect love of God. May we always to drop the last syllable of Christmas, and make it the season for Christ. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I love you all, and I am eternally grateful for all of you. With all my sincerity and love, I say thank you. Have a wonderful week, and I'll talk to you on Christmas Day.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-35918490608190548162016-12-14T15:48:00.000-08:002016-12-14T15:48:07.156-08:00Light Of The World<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Hey everyone!</span><br />
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It was another great week here in the Korea Busan Mission. The time is just flying by it seems like. It just won't slow down. This week was really simple and basic for the most part, not to say I'm complaining! The weather is starting to get a little bit cooler, and it will finally hit about thirty degrees this week. This week we continued to do a lot of tracting, and teaching. We committed another investigator to baptism for the first of January. He's a rapper, and he's definitely struggling a little bit, but his desire and his faith are so strong. He's hoping that he can progress and get to where he needs to be. Our other investigator who is set for Christmas Day has a couple little issues, so we're praying that we'll be able to have that follow through. It's been a great week overall, and the spirit of Christmas is in full swing here. </div>
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As a little boy, Christmas was the highlight off the year. The presents, the lights, the food, everything. I loved Christmas. However, as a little boy, I never really understood the importance of Christ in the Christmas season. I knew it was His birthday, and all that surrounded that, but I never took that to heart.</div>
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Every Christmas Eve, in anticipation of Santa coming the next day, and not wanting to get coal in my stocking, I would pray for forgiveness for all my entire year's worth of sins and mistakes. Sometimes, because I was such a bad kid, I feared that I would wake up to nothing. However, as I grew up, there were always presents under the tree, and I came to believe that God was forgiving. That was one of the first understandings I had of the Savior and of who He was.</div>
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Years later, I stand here as a missionary, His personal witness, and His disciple. I bear His name on my chest. I serve Him, I follow Him, and I hope to be like Him. This Christmas Season my own personal goal has been to come to know Him personally. I've taken it upon myself to start reading the New Testament in hopes to know Him even greater. As I've studied His life, I've come to know Him a lot more fully. As a little boy, I didn't know who He was, why He was important, and how He could apply to my life. As I've taken the time to apply my heart to understanding, and face the effectual struggle of gaining a testimony, I love to bear witness of Him as the Light of the World. It may have started in an attempt to receive those temporary gifts, but how clear it is to me that He is the gift of this time of year. </div>
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I leave you with my witness of Jesus Christ. He is the Savior, and Redeemer of the world. He is the Prince of Peace, Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings. He was born of Mary, and lived a perfect life and Atoned for my own personal mistakes and sins as well as yours. I know that through Him and by Him we can receive all that the Father has. I know that as we open our hearts to Him this time of year, we can strengthen those around us, we can come to know Him more, and we can truly become His witness. I know He's there, in easy and in hard times. I know His love is perfect if we'll only seek it. May we seek it and become His personal witness and disciple during this Christmas Season is my humble and simple prayer.</div>
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I love you all and thank you for the love and support. Thanks for everything. I know that at times these letters can be repetitious, and although you may forgot many of the things I say in these, please never forget the love that I have for all of you. Thanks again for everything I'm so grateful talk to ya'll next week!</div>
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Elder Roper</div>
Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-66005681175071700302016-12-06T19:54:00.001-08:002016-12-06T19:54:49.119-08:00Coming To Know Our Savior<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everybody!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> This week has been the craziest, most stressful week of my mission. It's been nonstop all week long. This week we had Mark Peterson, an old mission president visit our mission, received new missionaries, tons of meetings, and Elder Scott D. Whiting came to our mission as well.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">Our investigators are starting to make more progress, and our area is getting strong. It's been great to see these miracles throughout our mission taking place.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> This week I got to spend time with Elder Whiting in meetings and planning, and a few other things. There's one experience that I've been thinking a lot about that I'd like to share.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> We had a mission leadership council meeting where our leaders gathered and discussed challenges in the mission. We came up with a large list, and President Whiting was going to talk to the mission based on the needs. So the next day we had a meeting, and Elder Whiting began addressing the concerns and gave a powerful talk. As the first meeting ended, and I was walking off the stand, he called me over and said, "Elder Roper, what did you think? What did I miss? What do I need to talk about the second half?" My first initial thought was, "Why in the world are you doing asking me??"</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I turned to him and I didn't really know what to say. I had a thought come to mind and I told him that Elder Bednar had just visited, we've talked a lot about that experience, and all of those things. But nobody has yet addressed his conference talk in coming to know the Savior. I told him for the time of year, I thought it would be good if he focused on helping the missionaries come to know Jesus Christ. I thought it was a bad answer, just on the spot, but I was amazed that his whole second half of the meeting was exactly that... coming to know the Savior. He was humble enough to ask me what I thought, and then use it for our entire mission. It was a great learning experience for me.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> He told of the parable of the ten virgins. He said that it is a parable of members. Ten members, and only five will be accepted through the door. They all had lamps, or a testimony, but only a couple had oil, a conversion. He said that conversion comes in coming to know the Savior. It won't be because He didn't know us, but because we didn't know Him. So there's my question for us all today... Do we really know the Savior personally, with no doubts, and unwavering? He is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord, our King... do we really, truly know Him?</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love this gospel and I love being a missionary. This week has been a little tougher.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">Not only was it stressful, but I just received some devastating news from home.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;">I know that in these hard times my faith grows and I come to know Him more personally. I know He lives. I don't believe it, but I know it. I love Him, and I love serving Him. I would be nothing without Him.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: small;"> I love you all and thank you sincerely for everything you do for me. I love you all so deeply and am so grateful for you all. Thanks for everything.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">Elder Roper</span></span></div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-8240209909865862782016-11-29T05:52:00.001-08:002016-11-29T05:53:46.406-08:00I Am Grateful To Be A Missionary<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Hey everybody! </span></div>
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This week has been maybe one of the craziest weeks of my mission to say the least. By far one of the busiest, and this week will get even busier. It was transfers this week, and I will continue to stay where I'm at. This week two of my former investigators from my last area were able to receive baptism. I made the decision not to attend, but was able to call them both. They were so excited about their baptisms, and told me of the spirit that they felt. We were also able to commit an investigator of ours to baptism for Christmas Day. It's a little ten-year-old girl, and we're looking forward to that day. It's been a week of little miracles, and spiritual enlightenment. I love the gospel, and love seeing the changes that it makes in people's lives.<span class="s1"></span></div>
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This week will be probably one of the busiest of my mission. This afternoon we have a former mission president speaking to us, Elder Scott D. Whiting of the seventy coming, and we'll be traveling to meetings all week along with everybody transferring in the mission. It'll be a crazy week, and lots of planning,but lots of great things coming up this week. <span class="s1"></span></div>
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This last week for Thanksgiving, we were invited to eat with our mission president and his wife in their home. It was a wonderful experience for me. We had us and our housemates, our senior couple, and a few of our church members. As we finished eating, we each went around the table, and expressed thanks for one thing. There was tears shed from a few people as people talked about family, health, the Savior, the Atonement, missionary work, and more. It was super spiritual and there was an obvious spirit present that was so powerful.<span class="s1"></span></div>
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It came to me, and I really didn't know what to say exactly. I sat there for a second. I said that my family was my greatest blessing and how grateful I was for a loving and supporting family. That will always be my priority and my greatest blessing. But outside of my wonderful family, I expressed my thanks to be a missionary. Never in my life did I see myself serving a mission. I never grew up singing "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission", or had hopes of wearing a missionary name tag. I never did. And as I looked around the people, I thought of my life, and the course that I've taken over nearly the last year and a half. My life has been changed because I followed the spirit and answered the call to serve. My testimony has been strengthened, my heart changed. My life has been touched, and I know that although how small, I've helped others. I've felt Christ's love, and had small glimpses of what eternal happiness truly feels like. I've seen the light of the gospel shine within the lives of others that I thought had no hope. And as I looked at my life, how it's changed, I was able to look at those around me on my Thanksgiving night in Korea, and say with a heart full of gratitude... "I am grateful to be a missionary." <span class="s1"></span></div>
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On this special week of thanks, I am grateful for the true and everlasting gospel. I am grateful for my loving Savior who atoned for me and my sins, and my mistakes. I am grateful that He's never given up on me. I am grateful for a loving family, who's been there for me through everything. I am grateful for the loving support of a community, and friends, and everyone who has pushed me. Without you all, I would not be here. I am grateful for little miracles, and blessings, for I know they truly are the most important in life. I'm so blessed, and I'm so grateful beyond words that I've been so fortunate. I love you all and express my deepest thanks with all the love that I truly possess. Thanks for everything, and I can't wait for next week!<span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Elder Roper</span><br />
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-69694134972290361842016-11-21T16:26:00.001-08:002016-11-21T16:26:07.906-08:00The Light Of The World<div class="gmail-p1" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span class="gmail-s1">Hello everybody! Happy Thanksgiving to ya'll this week!</span></div>
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This week was a week of traveling everywhere, and small little miracles in between. This week for zone conferences, my companion and I traveled to every area within our mission and had an opportunity to speak and help train others. I love learning from other missionaries, hearing their testimonies, and being strengthened by others. This week I also received the great news that three of my investigators from my last area will be getting baptized this upcoming week. What a miracle and blessing! I most likely can't attend their baptisms, but how grateful I am that the Lord is always carrying on His work. My last area is at a high, and in my new area we're still just praying to find one investigator (; that's about how missionary work goes at times right?? Gotta love those little surprises that keep you humble, and keep you relying on the Lord. Although we're at a little bit of a down, I know we'll find those people we need to.<br /><span class="gmail-s1"></span></div>
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This week I got to fly to the famous island of Jeju for a zone conference. It was the first time I had ever been there. It's a beautiful island and it's considered the "Hawaii of Korea." We had a late night flight back to Busan on Saturday night, and by some chance, I got the window seat on the plane. We made it to the airport, and got ready, and the plane took off down the runway and up into the air. The plane was pitch black at this time, and as we got higher, for the first time in over fifteen months, I saw the stars shining. I looked down below me at all the lights of Jeju, the ocean below me, and I could even see the dirtiness of the pollution. It was beautiful, and a moment I cherished. I looked at the stars, and marveled at how I hadn't seen them in well over a year. Because of the bright lights of the city, pollution, and large buildings, you can't see them. As I rode that plane home I was reminded of the small and simple fact that a certain darkness is needed to see the stars.<br /><span class="gmail-s1"></span></div>
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In our lives, we are surrounded by bright lights, by worldly "pollution" so to say, that keep us from seeing those things that shine so brightly in our lives. Like riding in a plane, when we rise above all of that, we can then see the stars shining so brightly. When we get above that of the world, we can see the miracles that God has intended us to see.<br /><span class="gmail-s1"></span></div>
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The sign of Christ's birth was light. His death, darkness. Christ intends for us to see His lights, His creations, His love. Only when we rise above those simple things of the world can we see all that we're suppose to.<br /><span class="gmail-s1"></span></div>
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As the plane landed late that night, the hymn, "How Great Thou Art", popped clearly into my mind. "I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, How great thou art.... How great thou art."<br /><span class="gmail-s1"></span></div>
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I testify of Christ, of His lights, and of His brightness. He is the light of the world, the first and last, alpha and omega. I love serving Him, and feeling of His divine love, and seeing His hand through small and simple things. I love this gospel, I love this plan, and testify of its reality.<br /><span class="gmail-s1"></span></div>
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I love you all and am so grateful for all of you. Thanks for the love, support, and everything else. I can't wait for next week. Thanks again!<br /><span class="gmail-s1"></span></div>
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Elder Roper</div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6489833981013818699.post-54692999300125388742016-11-14T18:57:00.004-08:002016-11-14T18:58:37.432-08:00I Have Learned For Myself<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Hey everybody!</span><br />
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This week literally flew by... it went so fast! This week was definitely a really special week. I spent a ton of time traveling this week all over the mission for training meetings. This week, I also got to go to one of the most beautiful places in the mission. It's nothing but islands. The missionaries literally will go island island riding boats, and driving across bridges extended in the ocean. It was really a beautiful place to be for a day. Also, another one of the highlights of my week was going back to the place where I trained for a meeting, and seeing the stake president after a year. He recognized me, and even remembered my name. He welcomed me back with a great big hug, and it just made me realize the love of the Korean people, and just how lucky I truly am to be surrounded by such incredible people. </div>
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Right now we have no investigators, and all we do is tract and teach and talk to people. We're meeting some great people but they just won't commit fully to the message that we're sharing. We'll continue to work hard, and pray for us that we'll start finding those we need to.</div>
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This transfer we've made a goal as a mission to read the entire Book of Mormon. It requires about 13 pages a day, and has been a great experience. My testimony has been strengthened so much as I've read, and applied the things that I've been learning. There's been a new light and spirit in my life as I've been reading. This week as part of our mission conferences, me and my companion will be traveling around the mission giving talks and I've chosen to speak on the Book of Mormon. </div>
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Since I'm short on time I want to leave you with my testimony that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in these latter days. I know that without a doubt. Like Joseph Smith, I too can say, “I have learned for myself.” I leave you with my sure witness that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that as we apply it, we can become the people the Lord wants us to be. May we always remember that true happiness is not made in getting something. A testimony, baptisms, success…Remember that true happiness is becoming something through what we are receiving. Through the Book of Mormon, we can become something as we use it and apply it into our individual lives. I testify that the Savior lives. He is our Savior and divine Redeemer. He lived a perfect life, and atoned for our sins. It is all within each of us to become His witness. It is by Him, and through Him, we can receive all that the Father has. </div>
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I love you all and miss you dearly. Thanks for all the continual love and support it truly means the world to me. Hope ya'll have a perfect week, and I'll talk to you here soon!</div>
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Stephanie Roperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921858014397084958noreply@blogger.com0