Ninety-third Week - May 2, 2016

Well, like always, there goes another week. 

Trying to take advantage of the time.  This week was a good week, found a bunch of new people.  We are working super hard right now, trying to load up our vision before I leave, trying to pull out all the baptisms possible.  This week it rained like five times, first time in like seven months.  And because the rain is starting, it has been sooooo humid!!!  I honestly have never sweat so bad in my life!  But its all part of the experience:) 

Also, Happy Birthday Hannah.   Youre such an awesome little sister.  I can't believe that you're a teenager!  I love you so much, have a great day.

This week, Elder Heileson and I spent a lot of time out of the area again, doing interviews and animating people for their baptisms.  

 (Elder Heileson and Elder Copeland.)

I love these people so much, but it is so hard to see some of the decisions that they make, breaks my heart.  We live in an evil world with so much bad influence, but also with a lot of incredible influences.  We just need to look for them.  But I will promise you one thing.  It's a lot easier to find that good influence in Utah than Nicaragua.  Beyond lucky to have parents and a family like mine; faithful, supportive, happy, successful, loving and the list goes on. 

This week I tried to write in my journal again.  First time in like 8 months.  I just honestly have no time to do it.  I was reading through it, my first half of my mission wasn't great, but the second half has been absolutely amazing.  I have loved it so much!

Thursday we had consejo at President's house.  It was super good.  It's the last five-week month.  President made an incentive:   The best zone in May is going to Volcán Mombacho and will hike to the top and have a BBQ.  So were going to do all we can do to win cause i wanna go!  Later that night, Heileson and I went and visited a couple possibilities around the Zone.  For the most part it was good, but also a couple disappointments that were frustrating. 

(At La UCA with some missionaries after consejo.)

 

Friday was the Zone Meeting.

Saturday, we went all day to recommit everyone to church.  At night time, we invited some members over to the house of Jose.  We tried convincing his partner to get married to him so that he can get baptized.  It was alright.

Sunday I brought seven investigators to church.  Four of them were new investigators.  I have Jose.  Last night we ended up convincing his partner to get married to him, so now I'm just getting everything set up with the lawyer.  He will be getting baptized this Saturday! Super cool.  I also have Maritza who is 44 and her 17 year old daughter Betania. T hey are super awesome.  Their baptism date is for the 21st of May.  Maritza's husband left her this past week after 20 years, sad.  But she is super positive.  She is a nurse.  She worked all night Saturday and got home at 9 am Sunday morning and still went to church.  Pray for her that she will have the strength to keep coming and the courage to get baptized.  Then I have a couple other people that came.  We will see what happens with them this week.

 

 (Maritza and her daughter Betania, Elder Copeland, and his companion, Elder Solis.)

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness."

Elder Copeland