It was another great week! I can't believe it but we're the oldest district in the Korean branch now. Less than three weeks from now and I'll be out of here! On the bright side too, I found the scale this week and still have yet to gain a pound from the nasty food I eat every day (; The MTC ain't gonna get the best of me (; Like always, I'm learning so much here. Every week I'm progressing so much. My testimony has grown more than I could have ever hoped for in only six weeks. My Korean is continuing to grow. We've hit the most difficult part of the language, so it's a slow and gradual process to learn. No matter how much I learn here, there's no doubt it'll be a trial of faith in Korea. I'm ready for it though (:
This week we were able to hear from Elder Russel M. Nelson in the devotional! First apostle we've heard! I was able to sit closer to him than the mound is to home plate. He is such a power speaker. I know that he's a man of God. The spirit is so overwhelming when a man like that walks into a building. It was one of the most overwhelming promptings of the spirit I've received since I've been here.
Elder Russel M. Nelson was a heart surgeon many years ago. To me, everything he said seemed to apply to the heart. The lesson I got out of the devotional was that I needed to "Plant the gospel within the depths of my heart." As he talked about the miracle of the heart, I came to know what that meant. He said a heart surgery is a very complex and strict process. Everything must be done perfectly in order to be successful. The heart is protected by everything surrounding it, and can only be accessed in certain ways. If you truly talk want to keep the gospel in everything you do, the heart is the only place you can plant it. It's protected there. Nothing can take away something planted in the heart once it's there. However, through Jesus Christ, the heart can still be accessed. Like heart surgery, there's only one way, and that's through our Savior.
Elder Nelson also talked a lot about missionary "trials and struggles" and how the Savior is always there to support us. He mentioned the atonement, and how the hardest part of the atonement is forgiving ourselves. Isn't that perfectly true?? He talked about the repentance process and how we're suppose to apply it. The most important thing he said was that "No matter how down, or disappointed you may feel in yourself, the Lord will never be disappointed in you." I loved that quote. There's times here when I feel like I can't do enough, or I'm not doing good enough. But after hearing that I realized that God truly loves me and is so grateful that I've made the decision to serve. There will be times of struggle and disappointment. However, Christ truly will make up all the difference if I do my part. Nothing is impossible with the Lord on your side.
Tomorrow my sister will be sealed for time and all eternity, and it's crazy how quickly it's come. I can't believe that I won't be there. Her wedding has weighed on my mind for days, if not weeks. I made the decision to serve and to miss it, but I know that it was the right thing to do. Because of Whitney's decision to serve a mission just over two years ago, I learned about what eternity truly had in store. Through her actions, I've been sealed to my family. I now get to have the blessings of Whit getting married in the temple. And one day that doesn't seem to far off, I'll to be married in the temple like my parents, and my sister. I'm so grateful for the temple. I'm so grateful that I'll be sealed with my family forever. I'm so excited that tomorrow I'll receive a new brother in Chance. I also can't wait for the day when I'll follow in their footsteps and receive my own eternity with own eternal companion. I know that being sealed is the greatest blessing anyone can ever receive. Only through the gospel can families be together forever.
I love you Whit. I'm so grateful for your example. I'll be there tomorrow in heart, wishing more than anything I could be there. It's truly incredible to see that the little girl who wanted to be married in the temple all those years ago will get that finally tomorrow. I'm so happy for you Whit. You laid the path like the Savior for our family. Everything you've ever done has led you to this day. Tomorrow will truly be the happiest day of your life.
I love the gospel and I'm so grateful to be a missionary. There's no place I'd rather be. I'm not the same person I was six weeks ago when I walked in here. Every day I learn more of what's important. I love my Savior and I know that He knows me individually and that he carries me through everything I do. I know He lives.
Thanks for the support, the love, the letters, the prayers, everything. I'm so grateful for it all. I can't thank you all enough. Can't wait to talk to you all next week!
Love, Elder Roper
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