I can't think of a subject line

Wonderful week as usual. I LOVE my companion. She's so sassy and sarcastic and sweet and funny. And so nice to me. She

tells me all the time that she has learned so much while we've been together, for which I am soooo grateful. Sometimes I think

part of the purpose of being a missionary is to help our companions and to learn from them as well. 

Well so we've been working and sweating and working to reach our goals and give every day to the Lord. It's interesting (and the 

best feeling ever) that sometimes when we don't reach our goals or when we fall short, we can still give our day to the Lord and 

feel satisfied and like He accepts our offering as long as we did sincerely serve Him with all our hearts. 

This week I learned again in my life how fun service is. Service outside of teaching the gospel, too. We've been praying for more opportunities to serve others this week, instead of just opportunities to teach. It's been so great. This week I felt sooo blessed every time there was a chance to help someone. I ironed a shirt at an investigator's house, swept a member's house (which was just one big room), and went through lots of hand-me-down clothes so we could give some away to a family in the ward. IT FELT LIKE EATING CANDY!!! Like so simple and so great and like immediate joy:). 

Also, we've received commission to contact, visit and thank all the leaders in the ward (young mens, young womens, bishop....and everyone else). The mission president wants to help us establish the church in Thailand, not just find new members. It's been SUCH a pleasure. For example (Mom and Dad you will appreciate this, your daughter is totally taken care of), we met with Brother Eed and Sister Naa yesterday after church for literally 6 minutes. They've been serving in various callings for a long time. We just shared Mosiah 27:36-37:

"And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer. And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth."

And we thanked them for their service and for being instruments in the Lord's hands. You know how sometimes we look at leaders and they just seem so strong, like they're already good, they don't need help. Or they probably already know how great they are and receive so many blessings...so we just kinda let them do their thing. Well yesterday I learned that a simple thank you from lowly..us...means something! They were so grateful and I felt the SPirit so strong and so much love for them. And after we closed with prayer and stood up to go, they hugged us ...which isn't very common in Thailand....and even hawmed our foreheads.

Hawming! หอมing is something i LOVE about Thai culture. Mothers and fathers don't kiss their children, they หอม them, which means they put their face up to their face and then breathe in....hmmmm it's hard to explain. When i first got hawmed the first time, i was like...whoa why is this old lady smelling my cheek. And Sister Itow was like, "You just got หอมed. that's a huge compliment." haha But now I love it:) it's so Thai and SO special. Such a compliment.

Moral of the story/commitment for the week:

Think of your leaders in your life, ward, home, wherever....and sincerely, meaningfully thank them for their service. I promise it will mean something to them:).

I love you all.
Sister Roper

Pics

 Bre and her two trainees :)

Lock up your bike!

This week was great. Lots of closed doors or no's or rejections:)...but that's okay. This week I really learned how wonderful a dad Heavenly Father is. He is so loving to me. I felt like a few times when i was on the brim to tears or getting upset or discouraged, I would remember a funny memory...like something Sister Itow said once or Jordan's funny face or Beth singing some random Disney song no one knew she even knew....I swear we were watching the same videos growing up but somehow that girl manages to have a sponge for a brain when it comes to music. Or I'd think of a line to a wonderful hymn, like "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet" and the line "we have proved Him (God) in days that are past." Or a scripture or something like that. So blessed to have Heavenly Father who is indeed in charge of everything.

Also my comps bike got stolen...so she got to ride on the back of mine while i sang "THERE IS SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL" all the way down this busy traffic street in bangkok so she would not be sad that her bike just got stolen and so i could get her laughing some. she thinks i'm crazy and so does everyone in bangkok hahahha...so many lookers.. and i bore my testimony in more ways then one if you know what i mean...haha.

Shout-outs:

-Mom and Dad I got your package!!! Thank you so much! I screamed when I saw the zoom lash:) my face finally looks like I'm not tired anymore lol. I really appreciate it! 

I love you all!

Sister Roper

Welcome September

Miracles are everywhere...even if you're not looking!!!! This week it was kinda hard to notice them, meaning I had to try a little harder.. But they were THERE. SIster Church and I found a bunch to talk about last night. Sometimes life just clouds up a bit so you can't see as well. But miracles are still always there:)

For example:

-Even though it seems like much of our work is weeding through people who aren't ready for the gospel or who aren't ready to change their lives regardless of our faith and efforts with them, so sometimes it's disappointing (even though that sometimes is how it is, there ARE people ready). I have been praying so hard to find those who are ready for the gospel. We met a few this week. LIke Boat:). She grabbed a book of mormon (like as in ...wanted it so bad just took it...haha i am not counting that as stealing lol) on tuesday at englsih...then started reading it without us even telling her! and we finally had a chance to meet her on friday and get her really started on learning. The spirit was so strong:) I looove that feeling

-When you pray REALLY hard and believe, the Spirit WILL tell you what to say. Oh my, I feel like my whole mission has been spent on trying to better listen and feel and be a vessel to the spirit. It's so hard! But it is wonderful also.

-Another miracle is that when the rain is raining insanely (on the plain) on the streets of Bangkapi, and there are buses and taxis and motorcycles everywhere...and then two sister missionaries on bikes....slipping every which way. Let's just say that I have a few angels over here watching out for me...either that or I am a cat with way more than nine lives (but I like the angel one better:)

-Also, I got a football today at sports day. big deal.

-Also, the BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE! (Still). I open it and get like spiritual gatorade.

Okay i love you all so very much.

Sister Roper