June 24, 2015

Hi everyone,

Well family sorry it has taken me so long to email. Today we get to go

to the temple so they asked us to wait until today to email.  The past

week  has been some of the most glorious and hardest days of my life.

I will just get right to the point. Saturday was just simply amazing.

My last companion, Elder Weber, and I were teaching a family when I

was down in greenfield. The family was just amazing and progressing so well, and leaving them was so hard for me.  We have stayed in contact over the past few weeks and on Saturday I was able to get permission to drive down and baptize there 9 year old boy Treven.  It was easily one of the highlights of my mission.   Randy and Misty were also Baptized by Elder Weber and Elder Rawling. This family has a special place in my heart and I will forever love them!  While teaching this family I am beginning to feel what charity is.  The first night Elder Weber and  I met them we Immediately feel in love.  It was so fun meeting them for the first time because it was like I was see in

them how Christ would see them.  Whenever we would teach them we would see them in white and then just a few days ago our vision came true!

After our first lesson we got in the car and looked at each other and

decided that we were going to try our hardest to help their family and

do whatever it takes so that they can be sealed one day in the temple,

and on Saturday they made the first step. When we met them they were smoking 2 packs a day and drinking more cups of coffee than I can count, and when we told them that in order to be baptized they would have to quit all of that and more they laughed at us and said they never would! Ha-ha that was a little over 2 months ago and now they have quit everything and are baptized!  Watching this family progress and have the spirit come into their lives and into their home has just been amazing.  Watching this family truly has brought me so much joy! 

Moments like this are what make all of the hard times worth it! I read a quote by David O McKay this week that described my week.  "True happiness comes only from making others happy." I love being a missionary!:) The power of the Atonement is real and truly can help

anyone no matter what they have done or are struggling with!  I hope

you all had  an amazing week! Sorry it's short.

I love and miss you all SO much!!

Love Elder Roper