November 16, 2003

Sun. Nov. 16, 2003
Dear Family and Friends,
This has been a good week. We have been especially excited about Matt and Jen’s new baby boy, born Nov. 12, in Mesa, AZ. He was 8 lbs. 1 oz., 20” long and seems to be very healthy. They plan to name him Wade Matthew. (Now the G. Roper family name will be perpetuated.) With three new births in our immediate family since we have been on this mission, Mom feels like we are really missing out. But we feel blessed to be here and know that all the new babies have been born without complications and are doing well.
I have been anxious to go out to Iwakuni (a short train ride from Hiroshima) and see some of the things I remember when I was here before. So Friday was a beautiful day and we decided to go out there Sat. But Sat. was rainy so we changed our minds and plan to go out there on a clear day. We went shopping instead.
Pres. and Sis. Banks got back from their conference in Tokyo late Thurs. night. They had an enjoyable time. Elder Neuenschwander, who is a member of the Pres. of the Seventy was there and conducted the meetings that included all the Mission Pres. from the Asia North Area (Japan & Korea). Elder Neuenschwander helped our family out when I had my fall, a few years ago. As part of the conference, The Presidents and their wives all attended a session in the Tokyo Temple while they were there. Surprisingly things went along quite well here in the mission while Pres. Banks was gone.
Today in Sac. Meeting they announced the death of the mother of one of our faithful Priesthood holders. She was only 55 and not a member, so the burial was following the Buddhist traditions and several ward members were absent from our meetings to go pay honor to her. We have a lot of admiration for the faithful members who are dedicated to their Testimonies and give up family members and traditions that are not compatible with the Gospel.
Marie reported that our neighbor in Cedar City, Coralee Rawlinson (Marvin Ogden’s daughter, originally from Delta) is in the last stages of cancer. They finally had to amputate her arm. On the way home they went to a restaurant to eat and a little boy ran into her and knocked her down which broke her jaw, that really added to her pain and problems. The mother of the little boy just feels terrible. She doesn’t have long to live. Her husband served as a Bishop in an SUU ward when I was there.
Again we thank you for all your communications with us and how well things seem to be for you and your families. Keep sending us those great pictures!
Love, Ropa Choro and Ropa Shimai