Twentieth Week - December 8, 2014

Well... This week kinda sucked, but welcome to the mission. 

But, "I can do all things through christ which strengtheneth me" -Philippians 4:13. 

On Wednesday, i just wasn't feelin' it... And I went in my room and knelt down and prayed and pleaded for help.  After I was done praying, I came back to study and opened my scriptures to Moroni 8 verses 2-3.   They say, 2)'My beloved son "Connor," I rejoice exceedingly that your Lord Jesus Christ hath been mindful of you and hath called you to his ministry, and to his holy work 3)...that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end."  That was one of the most comforting answers to a prayer I have ever received in my life!! 

That night I had the best Piña Colada of my life, so that helped me out also:)  Here in Ticuantepe, they're known for their pineapples.  They're everywhere!  

On Saturday, I got 11 people committed to come to church.  Sunday morning, we left the house at 7:30 am to go pick them up and church starts at 9 am., so I was doing all I could do to bring them, basically running to try to get them to come, and Elder Palacio was just lolligaggin around, so I told him if he wanted to be here he had to work hard, because I don't like lazy people at all.  Ends up, I got one person to church... I cant describe how devastated I was.  I was working sooo hard for them, but they can't every keep their commitments here... 

But around 6 pm yesterday, the AP called me and said that Elder Palacio had emergency changes and that he had to go pack up his suitcase cause the AP would be there in 20 minutes to pick him up.  So I was a little worried about what was going on.  Turns out his Visa came and his mission president wanted him to come to Bolivia tomorrow, so now I have a new companion, Elder Page from Burley, Idaho.  He has one more transfer than I do and our Spanish is like the same.. both not great, but we can communicate well.  This is gonna be tough, but we can do it.  The branch president invited us to his house last night at 7 to watch the Christmas devotional and for dinner.  They make good money for Nica so they have a normal house and a car. 

 Elder Copeland said, "This is my beautiful kitchen and how I wash my laundry."

 Elder Copeland snapped this picture because he said, "I have the best mom in the whole world."

I liked the devotional.  My favorite part was when the sister talked, I don't remember her name.  She talked about the story when the mom told her kids that Santa wouldn't be coming this year and the kids didn't believe her, so the kids all put plates on the table hoping to get something.  They woke up to find a dill pickle on each of their plates, and the mom said,  "I  didn't want you guys to wake up and find nothing."  The kids were devastated, but one of them found a dime by one of the plates and said, "No, Santa came!"  So with his dime, he sprinted out of the house to the grocery store to buy some candy with his dime.  All of the stores were closed, but they guy that owned the grocery store lived right next door, so the kid went to his house and asked him if he could open up his store so he could buy a dime's worth of candy because that is all that he got for Christmas.  The guy was more than willing to open up his store for the little boy and gave him a big scoopful of each candy in the store.  This was something simple for this man to do and because of that, this kid and his family enjoyed their Christmas with the candy.  "By small and simple things, great things are come to pass."  It is the little things that make the difference in this life.

 First Presidency Christmas Devotional

(Click on the link above to watch, listen, or read the talk by Sister Bonnie Oscarson that Elder Copeland was referring to, as well as the entire Christmas devotional.)

Also, today I found something that I really like in Alma that I can relate to my mission:

 27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

 28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

 29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.

 30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

 31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few?  I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.

                   

I really liked that and compared it to my mission... We can't ever forget that through God's power and wisdom, they were delivered from their challenges.  Heavenly Father did not forget them!  They had a mission to fulfill, and his promise was that if they continued in those moments of tribulation and suffering, they would be blessed to save souls.  The reward for continuing on through hard and difficult experiences were amazing!  REMEMBER, HEAVENLY FATHER WILL REWARD AND BLESS THOSE WHO SUFFER AND SACRIFICE FOR HIM.

Let us all press on in the work of the Lord... FEAR NOT!!!

I love you guys so much.  Thanks for all the support.  There's no chance that I would be able to do this without you guys.

Elder Copeland