Week 27 - January 29, 2018

Six Months and Some Miracles!

Wow!  Six months in the mission.  It honestly doesn't feel real, but I wouldn't take this time away for anything.  It's the Lord's work and I'm so blessed that I can be a part of it.  But for this week....

(Translation:  "The distance isn't anything when it's about us.")

Tuesday.  Today we had an awesome day we went contacting and found this one guy, Fauta, and he was so happy.  He told us that he's been praying to receive some help, and he just started crying, so it was kind of weird but a little miracle.  After, we found another family and they were amazing, but something cool happened after we were supposed to go to a different meeting, but I had a feeling to go to a different place.  So we went down this road and this guy stopped us and told us that he was a member, but he's been inactive for four years and that his kid died and his family won't talk to them.  They live on the Coast and they didn't want him to be with him.  So, he came here to Cayambe, and we talked for some time.  He was so cool. Listen to the Spirit.  It's real and there are people out there that need a little hope in their life.  We are the ones that can bring that.

Wednesday.  Today we had a Zone Conference in Otavalo and were basically there the whole day learning how we can baptize 1000 people this year.  It was amazing, honestly! President Murphey is one of the best men that I know.

Thursday.  Today I went on an Interchange with Elder Beckstead.  He's like my best friend, honestly.  He's from Meza, Arizona.  We just had a bunch of lessons today, but one that stuck out is with Fam Trujillo.  Elder Millett and I baptized their family, but not the oldest one, Alexis.  He never has really wanted to listen to us.  So I would always talk to him about my favorite stuff like Star Wars and Smallville (Superman for those that don't know) and he likes the same thing.  So I decided to ask him to listen to our message.  And he said yes and that he wants to be baptized, too!!! FREAKING MIRACLE!!  He's been reading and praying on his own time and wants to change.  I've never been so happy!

Friday.  Today was a good day.  We had some good follow- up lessons; also, some weird lessons and some lessons that fell through, but it was a great day.  One of the couples that we taught was so happy when they found out that there were prophets, apostles, and the Book of Mormon in the world. That's why we are here--to help these people know that they can receive daily help from God's prophets.

Saturday.  Today was another hard working day.  Something sad happened, though.  We have been working hard with this family for awhile, and we finally got to teach them again.  They just told us that they need a lot more time to think about it.  It's always the saddest part when they're so close, but they just don't want to make the jump and change.

Sunday. Today was a good Sunday.  We had some investigators come to church, but other than that, we just went and taught some families we have.

Great week here in Cayambe.  Hard work pays off and God will bless us.  Love, Elder Copeland

Week 26 - January 22, 2018

WOOW!

Not too much time this week and honestly, not much happened--sooo.

Tuesday.  Today we had a great lesson with Fam Cabezes along with the President of the Branch.  It was so good.  They are progressing really well and honestly, they are some of my best friends.  We taught a lot about faith and it was unreal.

Wednesday. Today we talked to a lot of different families. Honestly, it was just a cool day.  We worked hard with these families so that they can just come to church.  They all want to change.  They are just so close.  It's kind of frustrating, but it's just part of the job.

Thursday.  Wooow today was long!  We had nothing set up for today, so we contacted for honestly five hours without stopping, and it was so hard wooow.  But we did find a lot of potentials.  Also, we found a family that used to live in USA, so I'm so excited to see them again.

Friday.  Today we had a lesson with a family that are part members.  We brought Fam Trujillo with us to have them share their story about how they came back to the church.  We read ENOS, and honestly, it was probably one of the best experiences that I have had.  The Spirit was so strong, and The Book of Enos is unreal!

Saturday.  Today was a really hard day.  WE contacted the entire day again, but when we got to the night time, we saw so many miracles.  We found all of the families that we were supposed to teach and honestly, it was such a blessing.

Sunday.  We got to teach a family that I haven't taught in months, and they have been doing so good.  They told me that my Spanish has gotten better, which was awesome ahah.  We taught them a lesson and it was so cool, but honestly, this next couple weeks will be hard because everyone here in Cayambe works in flowers.  Right now is when they send all of the flowers for Valentines day.  SO if you get some flowers, they are most likely from here.  One of the biggest flower industries is right from here!  Fun fact ahah.  Love, Elder Copeland

Today we hiked Volcano Cayambe. 

My best buddies.

Week 25 - January 15, 2018

Dear Family,

Tuesday.  Today I was with Elder Johnson for the day in Ibarra.  We were looking around his new sector because he is opening it and it is huge.  We contacted for awhile, and it was pretty cool getting to see another part of Ecuador.  After, we took a 2-hour bus to Quito to wait for our Trainees.

Wednesday.  Today we woke up and had a meeting in Quito with the new missionaries, and then we found out who our new missionaries were.  I got Elder Ton from Mexico.  He was waiting for his visa there for three months and he just got here to Ecuador, so I'm not really training him which kind of sucks hahaha.  But he's such a good guy.  He's a little quiet, but we get along really well.

 Elder Copeland with his new trainee, Elder Ton

 Elder Morton, Elder Copeland, and Elder Johnson

Thursday.  Today we had our first full day in Cayambe.  We started it off with Hno Andres.  He told us that he has been reading and that he's feeling better about his baptism.  He, also, came to church on Sunday, so that was so cool.  He has such a cool story.  He had cancer when he was a kid and all he does is charity events for kids with cancer.  He's such an amazing guy.  He also visited some of our investigators and introduced Elder Ton to them.  It was awesome.

Friday.  Today we got to watch the funeral of President Thomas S. Monson and it was beautiful.  He was such an amazing man.  It's going to be so weird not being able to listen to him anymore.  

After that, we did get to finally teach fam Tamayo again--the family with the cows.  They are doing so well.  They just live so far away, so it's hard for them to come to church.  

Then we taught Fam Cabazcongo.  One of the kids doesn't really listen to us.  He just plays on his phone the whole time, and it's so frustrating, but we taught the other two kids and they want to be baptized.  I hope I can help the kid that plays on the phone.

Saturday. We had a lesson with one of our families with Fecha.  They told us that they want to get baptized.  They have been reading and they believe that this is the true church.  It was such a good lesson, but then after that, her brother walked in soooo drunk and it was honestly pretty funny.  He had no idea what was going on.

Sunday.  Today it rained the entire day, and our mommita cancelled on us, so I cooked some hot dogs ahhaah.  After, we basically contacted for 6 hours in the rain and just not much came.  But at the end of the day, we went to Fam Trujillo and they are still doing so good.  The dad just got called as Second Counselor in the Bishopric.  They are so amazing.  But overall, best birthday ever haha.  (Elder Copeland turned 19 today!)

Elder Copeland's companion gave him this Darth Vader Lego for his birthday, which he thought was pretty great!

For their P-day, Elder Copeland and some of the other missionaries in the area went to a beautiful waterfall.

Week 24 - January 8, 2018

Yeah, so another transfer here done in the mission. 

It's so crazy how fast everything is going by.  This last change literally felt like nothing, soo weird, but it gets better every day.  I'm loving it so much.

Tuesday.  Today I went to Compañia and it was pretty fun.  I went with Elder Lavayan.  It was so fun there.  The sector is straight farm and old indigenous people.  Half of them don't even speak Spanish, only Quichua.  It was so awesome, to be honest though.  We taught one of their ladies with a baptismal date.

Wednesday.  We went back to the house and a huge storm came in.  Our apartment is on the 4th floor and it rained and hailed so bad that the rain got into our apartment and flooded our kitchen, so that was awesome. 

Other then that, we went with one of the Recent Converts (Christian) and contacted so that he can prepare for the mission.  It was so fun.  We, also, taught one of the families we have with a date for baptism.  They are so cool.  Fam Cabazcongo

Thursday.  We honestly contacted pretty much the whole day,. We did get into some important lessons with some guys that have a lot of potential, so I'm excited to keep going with them, but other than that, not much happened today.

Friday.  Today we had so many things.  We met with two of the families that have a baptismal date, and we went with Christian again.  He did so good.  He's already like a missionary, but we gave both of them a baptismal plan and they both accepted.  It was such a miracle.  There are so many miracles happening right now in Cayambe. 

Saturday.  Today we worked for the day and waited for the changes.  We found out that Elder Millett was going to leave the sector and be the secretary.  I'm so grateful for the time that I had with him.  I learned so much from him.  To be honest, he's one of the best missionaries that I know.  I found out that I'm staying in Cayambe and that I'm going to be training somebody, which is so crazy.  I'm so young in the mission, but I'm so excited for this opportunity that I have to train someone.  I don't know who it is or where he's from, so I'll let you know all of that next week!!!

Sunday.  I said bye to ELder MIllett and stayed with the Zone Leaders for the night.  Love, Elder Copeland

I'm with Elder Johnson right now waiting for our trainees, so here's a photo.

Week 23 - January 1, 2018

New Year--New Me!

Honestly, not too much happened this week.  Everyone was traveling and enjoying this season.  So sorry for the lame email.  Hope everyone had the best New Years ever.

(Crossing bridges - 2018)

Tuesday.  We had a lesson with a guy.  His life has been awful lately.  His mom has cancer and his wife and kid left him.  I feel so bad for him, but he told us that he has never prayed before and we taught him how, and he just started  crying after his first prayer ever.  It was unreal--one of the cooler experiences yet.

Wednesday.  Today I went on an interchange and we basically contacted the entire day and had some Bible bashes.  That's it haah.

Thursday.  Today we met a family that has been inactive for 14   years and now we're teaching their kids.  They are so cool.  They had so many questions for us.  They're such an amazing family, and I hope we can continue to work with them.

Friday.  Another day of contacting the whole day, but I love it.

Saturday.  We had some awesome lessons this week.  One of them is this new family, and they are so cool.  We taught them about prophets and now they want to know everything so bad.  Also, we had a lesson with another guy and he had read all of 1 Nephi in 7 days.  What an incredible feeling.  He loves the Book of Mormon.  He just needs to change his life around so he can be baptized.

Sunday.  We went to church and then ate, but after we had to go and stay in the house because everyone was partying, so we just watched them.  Love, Elder Copeland

 (New Years)

 (A puppy that looked like Koda--Elder Copeland's family dog that they loved so much.)