Well, there goes
another week once again.
Also, this past week I completed 6 months! Big
accomplishment! Crazy how fast time is going. This week wasn't the best, but we
had 2 more baptisms so that made up for it!
Let's see what
happened this week? Well there's this black guy from California that has a
little restaurant. We always go get hamburgers. They're dang good! On Tuesday, he
invited us over for breakfast, first real breakfast in 6 months!!
This week we
went to a new part and had no success, contacted all the 'houses' and no one
wanted anything. Some of them wouldn't even talk to us. It's sad, but it's all good. We are still searching for new humble people. But we had two more baptisms on
Saturday--Eduardo and Esteban.
Just like every other baptism, something that shouldn't have happened, happened. The morning of their baptism, the aunt came to
our house and told us that the grandma wanted to talk to us. So I thought,
"Oh no..." But we went over there. She wasn't happy. She got mad at
the 2 kids from coming home so late the night before and didn't think they
should be baptized because they were being disobedient. Then I went to try to
talk to the two kids, and they wouldn't talk to me cause they were mad. The
grandma said that it was Satan trying to ruin it, and clearly it was.
Elder
Page started to play hide and seek with them and after that they were all happy,
thank goodness. We took 9 people (including us) to the baptism in Managua (Eduardo,
Esteban, the grandma, 2 ladies from the branch including the lady that was
baptized the week before, a kid in the branch, and the guy baptizing for us.) It
was insane trying to get them all in the bus, but we got it all done!! The two
kids on Sunday told me when they were confirmed that their whole body got the
chills. They're awesome 11 and 12 year olds. The grandma and the aunt should be
getting baptized here pretty soon. Sunday we also got 7 people to church (most
in my mission).
Last night we got into the "house" and found a huge
scorpion with like 100 babies on its back chillin' on the wall right next to my
bed... It was way aggressive, but after a long brawl, I took him down!! Basically
everyday we have scorpions, tarantulas, lizards, mice, and bats in our
"house"... Where am I? But yeah, that's basically my week.
I have learned and
recognized that the best paths in life aren't the easiest. Look at all the
people from the scriptures. Lehi had a dream to leave everything to go to a
'promised land,' the life of Nephi definitely wasn't easy but definitely was the
best path. Enos, Alma, Alma the younger, and many more. Also we have Joseph
Smith, look at the life of Joseph Smith and tell me if that was easy??? The
life on the mission isn't easy but is the best path for me to be taking at this
stage of my life. We have to be willing to pay the price of all things. We will receive help along the way. But we are free forever to act for ourselves.
I read a talk this
past week that I liked a lot. Why does the Lord allow the evil speaking to
chase after the good? One reason is that opposition against the things of God
sends seekers of truth to their knees for answers. I for sure have spent nights
on my knees. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "First doubt your doubts
before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and
keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come through faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ." Also, President Holland said, "This is a
divine work in progress, with the manifestations and blessings of it abounding
in every direction, so please don't hyperventilate if from time to time issues
arise that need to be examined, understood, and resolved. They do and they
will. In this church, what we know will always trump what we do not know."
The church is so
clearly true and no one can convince me otherwise. "I have found that
questions of life are far more important that the answers. We can be satisfied
with different answers at different points in our life. But it is the questions
which keep us searching and growing." No life ever goes great until it is
focused, dedicated, and disciplined. I love this church and all of you guys. Thanks for the support. I couldn't do this without it.
Hope you have a great week.
Elder Copeland
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