Thirty-fourth Week - March 16, 2015

This week was a little bit better. 

We are still looking for some people to teach, man we cant find like anyone.  Freaking Catholics and Evangelicos!  It's all right as long as I do my part, the Lord will always do his without fail.  I learn new things every day, and I am greatful for this opportunity that I have in my life right now to do what I am doing.  But really nothing big is happening right now, so not a lot to say.  But there's a thing I saw that a missionary wrote called, "The Miracle of a Mission."   It was super cool. 

I had a revelation this week.
One of those keys to the universe.
Keys to understanding a question I've had for months and months.
One I've never really fully understood.
Until now.
I see miracles every day.
I see the hand of God in all things.
But some miracles, if you follow the whole story, sometimes they turn instead into a disaster.
a nightmare--for the time being, anyway.
Why?
What was the purpose of the former miracle if it's followed by something horrendous or at the very least, it doesn't quite work out in a way a missionary may hope?
Because the miracle of a mission and throughout all of life is in the moments.
the molecules of eternity.
There is no grand destination.
ever.
Even eternal life is a continuation of living.
The beauty and joy is the process and experiences that come thereby.
and that's the answer.
The outcome doesn't take away from the miracles or moments that preceded it.
To everything there is a season.
a time and place. and He knows all the times.
He knows every experience we're going to have and when we need it.
It's about the experience.  The tender mercy.
Not necessarily whether or not it works out in our eyes.
Just because it doesn't all turn into a beautiful story they share in general conference, doesn't mean that the whole process was foolish or wrong.
God always has a plan.
His plan and timing is perfect.
a master of logistics.
a master of mercies and miracles.
at the very moment they're needed.
God really does give new hearts.
Peace really does exist.
It's not a lie, a vain ambition, or false hope.
but the only peace is in Him.
in trusting Him.  in knowing Him.
because in the end, that's all that matters.
This is life eternal, that we knew God and Jesus Christ.
our father. our brother.
All things are done in the wisdom of he who knoweth all things.
ALL.
the most profound memories of every day, week, month, transfer, or even my entire mission aren't found within the big events.
They're in the little moments.
the miracles, in my eyes.
miracles that someone else may not even see as such.
a magical moment shared with someone that you may never even see again.
a moment of sharing testimony.
a moment of seeing the light brighten and shine within someone's eyes.
All the moments that have no description.
meeting a kind old grandfather that reminds you of how much you love these people and talking with them.
the rain being stayed until later so that you can sing in the park as a district.
telling someone how loving and compassionate God is, and having them truly listen.
the bond shared with companions.  seeing a new missionary be filled with confidence and capability be validated.
watching someone read the Book of Mormon, and be filled with a new light.
singing hymns with babushkas.
or maybe even just the moments with no other person at all.
just something you share with God.
something that He sends into your path just for you.
a confirmation.
a mercy.
a reminder of all that is good.
Because that's the miracle of a mission.
Those are the treasures that we lay up in store, holding forever sacred and cherished in our heart.
That's why we do what we do.
That's why I'm a missionary.
to watch the light and love shine.
I never get tired of the process.
the moments that make any other disappointment or hardship worth it.
the true joys.
That's why.
to find, hold, and share the sunshine that never goes away.
to recognize the children of light.
they're here.

This really helped me cause I would just wait and look for the big miracles, like baptizing a complete family, but I just couldn't get my mind around it.  Just like this missionary, I see miracles every single day.  In all sorts of forms.  I'm working on having a complete change of heart and love for this work cause I'll be honest, especially right now when we can't find anyone to teach, I'd rather just go in the house and read my scriptures or something, cause getting rejected all day long sucks.  But, no, I'm still yelling, "Buenas," at every house I see to find that family of gold that I have been searching for.  I have been humbled this month and learned a lot about patience and how we can't always have success or else we would never learn. 

 (Family Espinosa with Elder Copeland.   Brother Espinosa used to be the branch president.)

 

(Family Mendoza in the branch with Elder Copeland.  Brother and Sister Mendoza both served in Guatemala.)

(Mariaelena, a lady in the branch that cooks for the Elders sometimes.  She used to work in the SLC temple.) 

 

 (The bird is just dead.  As Elder Copeland describes, "It's just there cause the lady wants it there."

 

 

This picture is from church yesterday.  It was Elder Page's bday, so after church we ate cake with some of the branch.  In this branch there are more than 300 members, but only on average 60 come every week.  So many inactives here in Nicaragua because they don't have their foundation--their testimony.  It's sad.  But we had fun!

 

Hope you have a good week and go Cougs!

Elder Copeland

Thirty-third Week - March 9, 2015

Hey, sorry not much time. 

This week has been insane, and we just had a missionary get put with us cause him and his old companion weren't the greatest missionaries, so we have to set him straight I guess.  But this week kinda blew in ways.  I'll get right to it.

On Wednesday, around 6 pm we were walking past the park, and heard an "oy!"  We turned around and saw a guy sitting on the sidewalk very drunk.  He happened to be a dad in the branch with a family of 6 including one on a mission... we are like family with this family.  It was very sad to see this... I asked him what the heck he was doing.  He was super aggressive with me, trying to take all my money and stuff, so I finally had to just shove him away... it's sad to see stuff like this happening especially to a family.  This guy ended up spending his whole week on the street drinking and smoking...

And then on Friday night... a lady in the branch wanted to wash our clothes so we came to pick them up Friday night.  We got there and she was crying, so I asked her what happened. She said nothing.  Then I asked, "and where's your husband (our mission leader)," and she broke down and said that he left a week ago to be with another lady... keep in mind that they are sealed in the temple... So sad to see what Satan is doing to families these days.

 The Sting of the Scorpion

(Click on the link above to watch a short video about making poor decisions.)

 

And then Sunday morning, we were just trying to bring our investigators to church, we turn the corner to be right in front of a street fight.  One of the guys is super inactive but has the priesthood and spends his life drinking all day long.  So this member is getting destroyed and the other dude stabbed him twice right in front of us and his body was completely jacked from getting beat up so bad.  The dude ended up just smashing his head into the wall to knock him out, then left raging.  And this guy that got knocked out has a family, also... so sad.  I seriously thought he was dead after seeing him get stabbed twice, but nope.   He was drunk as ever that night running around like nothing even happened.

I'm so lucky to have a dad like the one I have.  Not easy to find these days.  He's faithful to his wife and family, has a job and works so hard to provide for us to make our lives better, active in the church, worthy priesthood holder, incredible example to everyone, supports me in all that I do, and the list just goes on.  Not easy to find a dad like that.  I hope to be like him one day, such an amazing role model!

 (Elder Copeland's dad)

Well, now about normal stuff.  We are still looking for new people to teach, but it's tough, but we are still working hard!  When sore trials come upon us, it's time to deepen our faith in God, to work hard, and to serve others.  Then he will heal our broken hearts.  Love you all. Sorry no pictures again.  I haven't been taking my camera with me.  I'll take some this week.

Elder Copeland

Thirty-second Week - March 2, 2015

Well, I definitely didn't know what I signed up for... This is hard! 

This week kinda sucked.  We had 8 people that were sooooo close to being baptized, but this week Satan got to them... So they all fell this past week and won't get baptized.  It was tough, I love them so much.  Many are called but few are chosen.  I guess I just need to realize that everyone isn't ready to have the gospel in their lives yet.. That's why you need to work so hard and talk to literally every person you see to find the person/family of gold.  

This past week we talked to so many people and had so many lessons, but none of them seemed to be ready, so we are kinda struggling with investigators right now, but working hard to find some new people!  People have no idea what a mission really is until you go on one.  Whew!  I don't have much to say this week, but so sad to hear what's going on at Lone Peak... It's too bad, but we need to always be an example and nice to people because we never know what they are going through in their own lives.

This week I printed off an article about the Book of Mormon, one word, Incredible.  Bottom line, if the Book of Mormon is true, everything else just falls into place.  Joseph Smith really saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith really was called to be the prophet in the Restoration of all things, Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon from "plates" that everyone knew he had something special, and so on.  Most people that talk bad about the Book of Mormon have never even read the book.  They just hear something from a person and just assume that its correct.  It's absurd.  If the Book of Mormon is true, La Iglesia De Jesucristo De Los Santos De Los Últimos Dias es la Iglesia verdadera sobre la faz de la tierra.  Then it goes on and says just read the book then ask yourself these questions... 

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Christ 

(To request a free copy of the Book of Mormon, click on the link above.)

 

- Could an uneducated boy come up with 531 pages of ancient scripture on his own that was historically accurate and prophetic in nature?

- How could Joseph Smith come up with roughly 200 names in The Book of Mormon and the story that goes along with it?

- If you think Joseph Smith couldn't have written this book, then were did it come from?  If one says the devil put him up to it... them why would Satan want to publish another testament of Jesus Christ and a book that does nothing but promote righteousness.  Jesus said that a house divided against itself would fall.

- Who were the "other sheep" that would hear Jesus' voice in John 10:16? 

- If we have the stick of Judah (record of the Jews or the Bible), then where is the stick of Joseph that is referenced in Ezekiel 37:15-20?  The Book of Mormon is the only explanation for this scripture.  Lehi was a descendant of Joseph.  Think Joseph Smith could have gotten that right by sheer chance?

- How could there be so many witnesses of the Book of Mormon and the plates and not one of them deny their testimony even when some of them became bitter toward Joseph Smith? With so many people involved... a hoax of this magnitude could never go uncovered.

- How could the Book of Mormon never contradict itself while being an extremely complex book?  After all these years... someone would have found something... but no.

***And the most important question to ask yourself, How do I feel while I read the Book of Mormon??? 1Kings 19:12

Doctrine and Covenants 6:23 What greater witness can you have than from God?

If you've never read the book, read it!  If you say no, why not?

Something that Elder Holland said that I put into my daily life as a missionary is, "I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgement bar of God that I declared to the world... that the Book of Mormon is true."

The Book of Mormon is true.  The church is true.  I hold in my hands the happiness of more people than I can now imagine. 

Elder Copeland

Thirty-first Week - February 23, 2015

What's up? 

Normal week here in Nicaragua, nothing much happened.  I got my package on Friday, thanks so much.  You guys are the best.

Anyways, I didn't get transferred, neither did Elder Page, so this will be our 3rd change together.  So I am still here in Ticuantepe!  I really liked the heart cards, one thing that stuck out to me was from my little homie Cole Ashworth.  "They will learn as much from you as you learn from them."  It's super true.  

This past week we went to Managua 3 times... We had stake conference this weekend and had to take our investigators all the way there.  It is way far away.  No one really wanted to go cause it is so far away, but oh well, the mission isn't always about having success.  If it were that way, we would never learn anything.

Also, today is a big day for me, 7 MONTHS!  WOW!  Time is going super fast!  I have learned a lot these first 7 months. 

I have a video called "Missionary Work and the Atonement."  It's amazing.  For Family Home Evening you guys need to watch it! 

 Missionary Work and the Atonement

(Click on the link above to read or watch or read the talk Elder Copeland is referring to.)

 

This week I want each of us to recognize a weakness that we have, and focus on this weakness for the week and how can we improve with this weakness that we have.  If we do that each week, we will develop many Christlike attributes and have a stronger testimony. Each day we need to strengthen our testimonies in every way.  Gain a better relationship with our Heavenly Father.  As we focus on what is important in life, we will see miracles and be much happier.  "When you live right, magic happens" -Austin Collie.

As far as work this week, it was normal:  Walking and walking and a little bit more walking. We didn't really find anyone super positive, but we are still working super hard!  I'm sorry I didn't have much today.  I'll try better next week.  But hope you all have a good week.  Love you so much and thanks for all the support you give me.  In my life i have learned that true happiness comes from giving and not receiving.  Helping other people makes us think of who we really are.  It's impossible to not become a better person by helping someone-- especially bringing the gospel in their lives.  Do something to help someone.  By Small and Simple things, great things are brought to pass.

Elder Copeland

(Elder Copeland added this picture with the explanation:  "We ate some iguana eggs from the big one in my right hand.")

 

Thirtieth Week - February 16, 2015

Well, there goes another transfer! 

WOW!  Every day is faster and faster.  I'm sure it's the same for you guys, also.  I want to say one thing!  On Tuesday, I went and worked in the area of the District leader, and we were just walking and saw a sign of a country club, so I said, "Let's walk over there and contact," so we walked over there and I saw a golf course for the first time in 7 months.  I literally almost shed a tear...

 

But this week was pretty good.  We had another baptism on Saturday!  We were extremely blessed to have as many baptisms as we had last transfer (5).  I have learned a lot about Alma 26:12 on my mission, "Yea I know that I am nothing, as to my strength I am weak, therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things, yea, behold many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."  I love that scripture and its so true!

But to baptize the lady this past week was an adventure... We went to their house at 8:30 in the morning to pick them all up to take them to the chapel in Managua, but we walked in there and she had a ankle brace on and said she didn't want to do it cause her ankle hurt, but I wouldn't let her say no.  I told her we would bring a taxi directly in front of her house and take her right in front of the chapel so she didn't even really have to walk.  She kept saying, "No,"  and wouldn't let us give her a blessing.  Well, about 40 minutes more of arguing with her, she finally said, "Ok." 

So she was baptized, but then on Sunday she told us that she would go to the church herself, so I trusted her and we had to go bring other people to church.  So we got to church.  What do you know, she wasn't there... So we had to go all the way back to her house, and she said she didn't want to do it cause she had to cook for her mom.  I said, "No, come on."  We went and got another moto taxi right in front of her house so she would come, and she was confirmed.  Honestly, sometimes it's so annoying, but that's just a short version.  I can't even describe in words the story of it all. 

All of Friday-Sunday we were without water... That was miserable.  Being in the Nicaragua heat all day and coming in at night all sweaty and not being able to shower for a couple days was terrible!  Last night, I got so desperate that I went and asked a person for a bucket of water to shower hahaah... 

 

But last night we were just sitting in the 'shack' around 11 at night and I asked Elder Page if maybe the valve was turned off.  He said he didn't touch it, but he went outside to look, and sure enough someone went into our water thing and turned it all off... It was bogus!  I guess that's another thing I took for granted, water.  Try Nica heat, being a missionary, and sweating nonstop and to top it all off, no water for 3 days... Bush league!!  But it's all part of the experience:)

Other than that, nothing really happened this week, but we have transfers on Wednesday and I think I am leaving, but I don't find out for sure til tomorrow.  So you guys have to wait another week... But I love you guys.  Thanks for all the support and love. 

Challenges will come to you, but as you trust in God they will strengthen your faith.

Elder Copeland

 Elder Copeland showed the pictures of the kids they took to church last week.  He said, "These are only some of the kids at the house.  Yesterday we watched the movie, 'The Testaments' with them.  They're awesome."

 

 "We bought this baseball for all the kids in one of the families that we are teaching if they went to church.  So I decided to put this on the ball for them."

Twenty-ninth Week - February 9, 2015

Well, there goes another week just like that! 

Sorry, not much time today... But this week was a good week.  We had another baptism. Celfida, she is the grandma of the two kids that were baptized like 2 weeks ago.  When I first met her, she would barley talk, but she's came along way to be baptized. 

On Thursday, we had a Multi-zone Conference and Elder Duncan of the area 70 was there.  It was awesome.  

Here in Nica it is getting hotter and hotter every single day, it's miserable.  Also, this week we didn't have water in the night, so I was lucky enough to shower with the bucket this whole week...:) The water to shower is so absolutely freezing, I have never hated showering so bad in my life, but it's all part of the experience.

(An unspecified spider!)

(Elder Copeland found this little guy, plus this beautiful waterfall on their hike today.)

Baptizing here in my area is always an adventure.  We took like 10 people on the buses with us, so you have to worry about everyone which is kinda stressful.  Then on the way back, we went to the bus stop, and we were waiting for a bus to go the market so we could get on another bus to go back to Ticuantepe.  Most of the buses are card only buses which sucks cause I don't have a card, but a lady had one but had no money, so Elder Page and I ran to a gas station, and they didn't have a place to put money on it, ran to another little store, same thing.. So we ran back to the bus stop and waited another 30 minutes for a bus to finally come.  It's such a hassle to baptize in this area, but we got it done.  We have another baptism this Saturday, also, Flor.  She's the daughter of Celfida.  It's awesome, almost everyone is members in this house now.  We are working with the rest to be baptized. 

Also, this I believe is my last week in this area... everyone is telling me that I am going to leave, so we will see what happens.  But this is the last week of this transfer, so I won't find out for sure til the 17th.  I love this area and the people.  I don't want to leave...

But anyways, sorry it's really short today.  We were busy today.  Hope you all have a good week.

Much love from Nicarauga,

Elder Copeland

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 (Elder Copeland's Mission President's wife sent this sweet e-mail showing how happy he was to get a package.  It just happened to be the one in which the Copeland Family Calendar was inside!  I wish we could have seen his face then!  He was really looking forward to getting it!  Missionaries love packages!)

From the Mission President's Wife:

A picture is worth a thousand words!

This is one happy Elder!  Elder Copeland is a great missionary.  He loves his mission and it shows.

Here he is on Thursday with his companion, Elder Page, picking up a package.

Enjoy!

Hermana Russell

 

Twenty-eighth Week - February 2, 2015

Wow, it's already February... 

Time is flying, but I still have a long ways to grow spiritually and personally.  We went to Managua as a district to eat at McDonalds today, so I don't have much time--sorry. 

But this week was super good.  Just a little brief review.  

The highlight of my week, Thursday, we were just 'hiking' through the forest and came upon a house with a few ladies and a million kids, so I said, "Might as well contact this house."  So, short story, we set a baptism date with the 3 moms for the 28th! 

So, to motivate all them to go to church, I bought them a baseball and told them after church we would play baseball with them.  So on Sunday (my area is huge), we had to bring a family to church in an area called San Pedro (way far from everywhere).  We get there and they didn't want to go to church cause they were too tired... so I just said, "Whatever," and went to this other place where all these people were.  We told them we would pick them up at 8:30 for church but showed up at 9... they were all waiting for us to bring them to church! One of the moms told me, "We told the kids that we didn't think you were coming to pick us up, so we should just go to our church," but the kids all told them, "NO, THEY'RE COMING!" Haah so awesome. 

So we took 10 of them to church!!!!  I got my record of 13 investigators at church, so great. So the 3 moms aren't married and all drink coffee just like every other person here... So we have to marry them and everything.  But I really think they will be baptized.  They have great questions and loved the church. 

So after church we played baseball with them for a while.  It was awesome.  We went in some little field, and I bought them a ball because before they used a sock and their bat is just a wooden stick.  But it was soooo fun!  I love them so much!  It really is the SMALL and SIMPLE things that make the difference. 

 (Elder Copeland with the wooden stick the children used for a bat and the ball he bought them to use instead of a sock.)

 (Elder Copeland says this was their winning team!) 

I have learned so much and have much more to learn.  But the church is true, a mission is difficult but the best thing in the world.  If you're having a bad day, just think how blessed we truly are to have what we have.  These people have absolutely nothing! 

 

(This is the home of one of their investigators.)


Elder Copeland said,

"This is a mototaxi that we ride in everyday.  This was last pday."

 

 (The mountains--taken on Elder Copeland's last p-day.)

Love you all, sorry that it was short today.

Elder Copeland