Heaven on Earth

We took a vehicle up the mountains of Chiang Mai, called Doi Sutep. Oh my heavens it was heaven. Literally. We dressed up in outfits customary for mountain dwellers, called chaaw khaw, and took tons of pictures with beauiful trees ad flowers and heavenly wonder. I LOVE CHiang Mai! And I LOVE the three sisters I'm serving with. I seriously have never been so happy on my mission, which i think means in my life, too:). Crazy. Every morning I wake up and am a little scared to oen my eyes....and then once I do, i just get this wave of relief and gratitude that I"m still here, a missionary, in my beloved Thailand.

Wonderful news, family and friends. Your beloved SIster ROper.....ready?......ready?......CRIED yesterday!!! I'm so happy! FOr some reason my tear ducts have dried up on my mission, which makes me so sad because sometimes I feel like crying but I can't so i feel insensitive and emotionless. Two companions now have asked me, "Do you even have emotions?" Oh my. Yes. So i started praying for the ability to cry. And it came! (Well....tears didn't fall...I think they're like paranoid of making contact with my face skin or somthing.....but my eyes got all up and filled with 'em and my voice got a little chokey:)). THis is why:

We had an American visitor come to church yesterday, and she wanted to bear her testimony during church so i translated it for her. And her words were beautiful in and of themselves....and then translating into Thai to help these people that I love so dearly to know the sweet meaning of this sweet sister....anyway she was talkinga bout how her ancestors were pioneers and the different hardships they faced. Her great grandmother took herself and seven children by herself across the plains after her husband was killed in Nauvoo....and things like that. And then she went on to express how all the members here are like the pioneers for Thailand...first and a few second generation members. Setting the stage for hundreds of thousands of their descendants to grow in the gospel and build the Lord's kingdom. Oh my it was so touching. Anyway i was so grateful to be there and to feel like a played a little part in it.

And now babies can go on mission!!!! Woot! Yay for revelation. I hope the rest of General COnference was just as exciting:).

AlsoI love the investigators we are working with. Suni (an older woman whom I"ve never personally taught before) came up to me on Tuesday and said that her husband had told her how to pray and given her a Book of Mormon that we'd given to him (to share). SHe said since she learned, she tried it (prayer) and loved it. She said she's searched and studied lots of things in her life but she still has so many questions and even confusion. But this was the first, compelling, and influential thing that she's come across...it has results she said:). Yep. It does! I couldn't wait to teach her and invite her to be baptized and continue learning and feeling the influence of the Savior in her life. She totally made my day. And I didn't even do anything for her!!!! I love that. I love seeing Heavnely Father's hand in HIs children's life, even when we have very little to do with it.

He is so involved, in every little detail. He is, I know it.

Okay I love you all dearly. THank you for your support and love and prayers. Have a wonderful week!!! 

Sister Roper