Christmas Fun

Leadership Council

The council gathered to discuss issues that will help the mission and the missionaries who are serving.

 

Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy

Well, it's a week before Christmas or at least a couple of days . . .

This week Amy and Martha ended up getting baptized! We just found them knocking doors around a month ago and now they are members of the church which is pretty cool. Everything went pretty smoothly and there were quite a bit of members there to support them. 

This last week was just kind of a normal week. We went to President's house on Saturday and I forget his house is nicer than 2369, so it made me a little trunky. The whole entire neighborhood is a different place when you pass the security to get in. We ended up playing a game, having breakfast, then making little ornaments and putting them on their tree. It was pretty fun to do.

Other than that it's been a pretty normal week, I almost forgot . . . but we put another baptismal date on for the January 11th.  Sadly the mom and dad can't get baptized since they aren't here legally, but the daughter can. Then we have also found another Venezuelan family that said they were gonna come, but for some reason they did not show up. 

I've discovered that in the October 2022 General Conference they sing Brightly Beams Our Fathers Mercy and it's absolutely fire and I have been spamming it during personal study.

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and hopefully you guys get to enjoy the cold and snow!

Espero que sepan que voy a dormir hasta tarde en Navidad 

Miss all you guys,

 

Elder Roper 

Consider the Lilies

 Well, another week down in the suburbio of Guayaquil . . .

This week was just pretty much another normalish week of work. We did 2 intercambio or exchanges with 2 different Elders, both of the Elders I was with were younger so I was able to help them and felicitarlos (I don't know the word in english) For the things that they have accomplished in the mission. I did one with Elder Dixon, an Elder from Idaho, he's a really down to earth kid and hard worker. He even knows Elder Bundy -  which makes sense since they basically have the same work ethic. What I'm getting to is that I learned a lot from him, he has in his mind that this time serving other finishes and to work hard every day and give it your all. 

Thursday, we had our mission Christmas conference. We got together with half the mission and had a pretty fun conference, to start President showed us that we can finish the year with 130 baptisms in the month of December. We have never gone over 100 in President Suarez' time here. And then gave us a message on what is our favorite gift that was given to us. It was pretty cool to hear what other missionaries have received, to things as simple as a basketball or a giant Lego set. 

It finally rained so with all the orange lights I felt like Batman walking around just being soaked in rain. Gracias a Dios the light cuts are getting smaller and the 20th they are finally finishing. 

This week we should have 2 baptisms on Saturday, then we are going to put a joven on date for the 11th of January. Sadly, the parents can't get baptized since they aren't here legally and aren't married but o have faith they they will be baptized at some point. 

Also, a long time ago I shared 3 Nephi 13:34, but reading that part of Jesus' ministry in the America's there's a bunch of verses right before where He is talking to all of his disciples in verses 25-34 basically telling them to not worry about anything of the world and go preach the gospel. I can honestly see this being applied to my almost year on the mission and know it will apply to this next coming year, too! 

Miss all you guys 

Elder Roper 

Christmas Conference

Our Zones gathered together to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, share spiritual moments through the inspired messages of President and Sister Suarez, exchanged gifts and had lunch together.

Pursuit of Happiness

 Well, sorry for not writing last week, there wasn't a whole lot of time finishing p day up...

Starting with last week our friend Winner ended up being baptized and you could see the joy that he could feel having the remission of His sins. The gospel of Jesus Christ really does change lives and it's pretty cool to see someone go from being sad or feelings lonely to knowing they have a loving Heavenly Father and that loves them so much to give them His Son. 

We also invited another lady to baptism with her family and all accepted but the thing is, is that they aren't here legally or married🫠🫠. So we can help the daughter get baptized but it will be a long process for the mom and dad to be married and baptized. Again we've been able to see the change in the mom or Liliana just by reading the scriptures and getting to know their Savior! 

This last week feels like we have knocked the whole entire area and everyone says that they are Catholic and just leave it at that. Kind of frustrating when people don't want to know the message we bring or just to get to know us. But there is always people to teach! 

I'm starting to realize that my companion is 27 years old, everything he does reminds me of Dad in away, but not quite old haha. But it should he fun to go through Christmas together. 

Anyways 3 weeks until A YEAR BABABY!!!

Miss all you guys 

Elder Roper 

A Baptism