God Needs Us Home

Hey everybody!

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. 

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. 

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."

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." 

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. 

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!

Elder Roper