Countenance

Hey everyone!!! 

     This week was crazy! We just barely got back from visiting the biggest Buddhist temple in Korea. What an incredible experience and something I'll never forget. It's incredible to see the culture and to see the differences in lifestyle. This week has been hotter than hot. We are dying in the heat. You can literally see the humidity in the air it's so bad. This week we've been able to confirm our convert a member of the church and give the gift of the Holy Ghost, find a couple more, and get others closer to Christ. It's been an incredible week full of ups and downs that has resulted in some incredible things. 

     This week I've been thinking about countenance. It seems that it's extremely easy to tell who is living the gospel, who is full of the spirit, and who is following Christ. This week I had the opportunity to interview a man for baptism from another set of missionaries, and it was a very tender experience for me. I walked into the room, and the spirit was there as I shook the man's hand. His eyes glowed, and his heart was open to Christ. He passed the interview with an enthusiasm that I'll never forget. I’ll also never forget getting to witness his baptism, and see the eternal ordinance take place. His countenance was truly that of Christ.

     Last night we finished planning, and a missionary who will return home next week, called and wanted to talk to me one last time before he left. This missionary helped me through some difficult times earlier in my mission, and called and asked me a very simple question last night. He said, "Elder Roper, what do you think of missionary work now?" He knew my answer from a long time before, and knew of my trials and struggles early on. I told him how NOW, I loved the work, I loved the people, and I was lost in serving my mission. With simpleness in his voice he said, "Elder Roper, even through your voice on the phone, I can tell you truly mean that." 

     The countenance of how we look, how we speak, and how we live, is a direct result of how we follow our Savior Jesus Christ. When we follow Him, we're happy, we're full of light, and like Him, we too become the light of the world. We can help sooo many people by simply having the spirit. We've received more investigators through our countenance and because "they just feel good when they're around us" than we have by speaking a language, or even by our teachings. Remember that in our lives, we're seen more than we're heard. May we have the light of Christ in our eyes, and may we glow with His pure love as we strive to help everyone around us. 

     I love my Savior Jesus Christ. He is a being of perfect love. He loves us more than we will ever comprehend, and how grateful I am to be receiving that love through this service. I love this gospel, I love the Korean people, and I love my mission. 

     Thanks for all the support and love. I am amazed by the support I receive and am left speechless through the love I get. With all the love that I possess I sincerely say thank you. 

Elder Roper