Temple and Zone Conference

What a week it has been in Sedalana - kind of a boring week since we went to the temple this week and we had a Zone Conference so not much was done at the end of the week. 

But yea, the temple was actually very cool. I had forgotten what it was like in a temple and it was really cool to go back in and just to feel the spirit as soon as I was on the temple grounds. The power of the temple is really awesome and I wish we could go to the temple more as a mission but I think we go only every 4-6 months or so but hey, I'll take it. 

This week we also had a multi Zone Conference which really focused on the "Vision to Baptize". As a mission we have really started to focus on the vision to baptize and learning how to help our friends progress more and become closer to baptism. I've learned a ton from Elder Bundy and also just in that multi zone conference about developing the vision to baptize and applying it to our areas. It really has brought a change to the sector and I feel like there is more potential in this sector right now than there ever has in my 4 months here. It is really exciting stuff and this area will have a lot of success in this next transfer. 

President Suarez also gave a really good presentation about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and invited us to use and see the Atonement of Jesus Christ in many more ways than we have ever thought. That is what the Atonement is for to help us with whatever we are going through. 

So if you remember from my last email, I talked a little about Hermana Sandra. This week she came to church again and we decided to put her on date for baptism. She already seems like a member and completely fits in the ward. That is a miracle that has happened for us in these past 2 weeks is that we were able to find her and that she was ready to learn more about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We also had 4 people come to church this past week! That is the most we have ever had in my time here and the Zone leaders let us know that the whole entire Zone hit their goal so that is a whole zone wide miracle that we have all experienced. I think we should go to the temple more often as a mission!

Now sadly the 2 brothers, Asael and Isaias, who are on date did not come to church so I'm not sure how likely they will be baptized but my hopes are still high in this sector and hopefully I can stay this next transfer so I can see all this success that will happen this next transfer. 

One little spiritual thing but this past week is the most I've ever used my Melchizedek  Priesthood in this week and I can testify of its power. I can testify of both the spiritual and physical power of the priesthood, in every blessing we gave this week I could feel the Spirit very strong and knew that everything  would be alright for the person and everything would work out. 

Hope everyone is having fun on Memorial Day!

Miss and love all you guys,

Elder Roper

Primera Fila: Elder Coque, Elder Villanueva, Elder Boresay, Elder Casahualla, Hermana Garay, Hermana Lloclle, Hermana Benavides, Presidente Suárez, Hermana Suárez, Hermana Osorio, Hermana Deems, Hermana Tanner, Elder Romayna, Elder Villegas, Elder Chuqui, Elder Luna

Segunda Fila: Elder Schaeffer, Elder Aldana, Elder Bermudez, Elder Rodriguez, Elder Vasquez, Elder Spangler, Elder Zhicay, Elder Rodas, Elder Croft, Elder Daniels, Elder Fletcher, Elder Harmer, Elder Encarnación, Elder Zapateiro, Elder Lopez

Tercera Fila: Elder Roper, Elder Casupa, Elder Bundy, Elder Tullis, Elder Bassett, Elder Smith, Elder Call, Elder Johnson, Elder Lynes, Elder Weidauer, Elder Moore, Elder Kemp, Elder Sayer, Elder Valenzuela, Elder Hall 

5 Leaf Clover

Some of you may be wondering why the title is called 5 Leaf Clover and wondering if something crazy lucky or a crazy miracle happened this week. But the reason why it's called 5 Leaf Clover is because Elder Bundy has been singing that song by Luke Combs all week and will definitely remind me of the week that I have had here in Ecuador. 

This week had its ups and downs but I feel like the ups were higher than the downs. This week was pretty productive with our people that we have been teaching and we have been able to find some people this week who seem somewhat interested in learning and coming closer to Christ. We also put 2 of our friends on date to be baptized! Asael and Isaias have been taught for around 7 months or so and have a testimony of the Book of Mormon and we felt like it was time that they might have a date to be baptized. Their date to be baptized is June 15th after transfers so hopefully I can stay just to see their baptism. 

This week we also had a straight up miracle happen. We have been receiving a ton of online references. Usually we only receive 1 or 2 a week but we have been 1 or 2 a day. These references don't really lead to much and most people aren't really that interested in learning even though they filled out the form to receive the missionaries but this week we found a hermana super interested in learning about the church and the Book of Mormon.  We had a video call and taught her this past Saturday and she came to church which is huge. We will see what happens this next week if she goes to church and continues to progress really quick. If so we will probably put her on a date to be baptized either this week or the next. Pretty exciting stuff.  

Something funny that happened this week is that I was supposed to give a talk in Sacrament meeting but Elder Bundy and a sister in the ward took too long so I didn't even have to give my talk that I spent the morning before church writing so that's another little miracle in there. 

Lately I have been sharing the scripture Jacob 4:7 a lot with the members and other friends who may be going through a hard time. It talks about how through the Grace of God we can do all things. If we are trying our hardest God will help us along the way. I have been able to see this help in these past weeks and know God is helping us along every single way. 

Miss and Love all you guys 

Elder Roper 

Se Ven Cansados

Welp another week in Sedalana and we have found some crazy people that all are interested in at least talking about God. I'll just tell a story about one lesson we had with a Jehovah Witness and a evangelico (I forgot what its called in English). 

So we were in an intercambio with Elder Weidauer and we had a lesson with both the Jehovah Witness and Evangelico. We pull up to the lesson and the guy says he has been waiting for us to come by again. Next thing we know it we have been sitting there for about 30 minutes hearing from him how we can't dance to music since it is of Babylon. That was a very interesting 30 minutes to hear from him and the many variety of scriptures he used to prove his point. We asked if we could share with him something and then we pulled out the Book of Mormon. He then proceeded to ask us if it has been approved of man to read and to study. We didn't really know how to answer that but we just said we know that it has been written by prophets like the Bible was and invitited him to pray about it since he seemed a little skeptical about it. 

That was about an hourish long lesson and just introducing the Book of Mormon and hearing him preach about how we can't dance to music. But at the end of the lesson he asked how old we are and told me I look about 25 years old and that Elder Weidauer looks about 30. ( He's only 19 years old). After we told him our real age he just said you guys look very very tired and we just kind of laughed at that. 

Anyways other than that it was kind of a normal week here in Sedalana. Just the normal finding people and inviting them to learn more about Jesus Christ. It is a little weird being in a trio since our house only really has room for 2 people and how there is one more comment to be made in every lesson and stuff like that but its been pretty fun with Elder Bundy and Elder Fierro. This past week we had 2 exchanges and they went pretty good. I've gotten pretty used to leading the sector or at least showing my companions where to go so that has chilled out a little bit. 

Thats all for this week love and miss all you guys,

Elder Roper 

P.S 

Happy Birthday Hayden!!!

Trio Time

You read that right I'm in a trio now. But I'm still in Sedalana so I get to enjoy being with the members and in the area. Elder Knudson also went home so now I have 2 completely new companions. I'm in a trio with Elder Bundy and Elder Fierro, Elder Bundy is from Idaho and has been out for about 10 months and then Elder Fierro is from both Spain and Ecuador. It's a little cramped since our house is only really meant for 2 Elders but we're making it work and it's not too bad. 

It's finally nice to have some companions that don't talk about home and that focus on the work and not so much that they have only 3 weeks left until they go home. There are very good Elders and in these first couple days with them I've been able to learn a lot from them. Ive been able to see a different way to contact and just a different approach of teaching people. But this week we were able to visit one of our friends and they said that they have a set date to start their papers for marriage and that they really want to be baptized! They are pretty much a member at this time and almost always comes every Sunday to church. This past week was fast and testimony meeting, and a lot of the members got up and gave their testimony about the power of prayer. In these 4 short months I've been able to strengthen my testimony about prayer and how I can always pray in whatever moment I need. I haven't always received an immediate answer but the answers do come. 

Yesterday something pretty funny happened, we went and ate lunch with a member since it was Sunday and they gave us a lot of food. It was just the normal Seco de pollo, which is a piece of chicken in a sauce with some rice and fried maduro. We finished up the food and we were giving the spiritual thought then all of a sudden my chair broke. It was pretty funny since I could feel the chair start to slip out from under me before I actually broke it but it was pretty funny. Then walking back to our house from the members house Elder Bundy had pigeon crap all over his hand while we were walking so we stopped by the church so it was a pretty funny little bit. 

But that is pretty much it for this week, not much happened just cambios and I'm out of my training so now we get to go out earlier in the day and try to find some more people to teach. 

Miss all you guys

Elder Roper

Transfer Day

The mission met together for transfer day today.

Keaton's companion, Elder Knutson completed his mission today and went home. 

Keaton was assigned a new companion today . . .

Elder Bundy from Idaho Falls, Idaho!