Week 16 - November 13, 2017

Hola, Familia,

Tuesday.  Today, honestly, was really hard for us.  We have had two investigators that were progressing really well, and one of them hasn't been reading in the Book of Mormon for weeks, and it is so hard to find her.  I think that she'll be okay. She has just needed a lot of money.  And our other investigator, Alejandra, loves our message and her family is the best, but she told us that she only wants to be a Catholic because her family is Catholic, so that was pretty sad for us.

Wednesday.  Today Elder Choque left on an emergency transfer, which was pretty sad.  He was awesome, to be honest.  But Elder Warner came who went to LONE PEAK, also, so we have all of the Lone Peak missionaries in Ofelia, which is awesome.  Today we were contacting and we found a really cool investigator who is in the Army, and he loved every second of our message.  He was begging us to come back when he gets back from his work trip.

Thursday.  We did some service today with some members. Ahhah, it was so tiring, but pretty fun.  After, we had a good lesson with Victor again.  He loves everything, just won't come to church.  I don't know why.  Also, we had a great lesson with Angel and Ximena, and they're doing so much better, which makes me so happy.  Also, I ate chicken feet and pig kkin and it was awful ahahah. 

Friday.  Today we had a really cool experience.  We knocked no more then 10 doors and 4 people listened to us, which is incredible.  But one of them told us that she didn't need the Book of Mormon in her life cause she has the Bible.  We showed her some scriptures about the Book of Mormon in the Bible, and she just didn't really care.  And after we told her that she could be with her loved ones forever, and she stopped talking and told us that we had to teach her more. So we taught her the Plan of Salvation and that she can be with her brother and mom again with this plan.  She was crying the whole time.  It was so cool and such a good experience for me knowing that people don't have the peace the Plan of Salvation can give them in their life.

Saturday.  Not too much happened today.  We finally got to teach Digna today, and she's doing a lot better now and is progressing.  We, also, helped her move, which was pretty fun.  And we read some scriptures with Angel and Ximena, which was good and talked to them about their family. Ximena told us that she wants her daughter to serve a mission, which got me really excited. 

Sunday.  We had nobody show up to church, which was awful and so sad, but it's all good.  And we were reading a chapter with Victor during a lesson, and he can't read well, so we read to him.  We were reading and we looked up from our scriptures and he was out fully sleeping.  We woke him up and he had no idea what was going on.  Hahah it was so funny.

Today, we went to the middle of the world, so I got some pictures of that.  Also, a photo with the Lone Peakers in the middle of the world.

Also a photo with Darth Vader​

 Elder Copeland

Week 15 - November 6, 2017

Whats up, Fam!!  Great week here in Ecuador!

Tuesday.  HALLOWEEN, but it's not celebrated here haha.  It was pretty weird not seeing little kids run around the streets, but it was still a good day.  We had interviews with Pres Murphy, and they were so good.  He is such a good man.  After, we had some great lessons with some of our investigators, and we got to see one investigator that we haven't seen in forever.  It was so awesome to see her again.

Wednesday.  Today I went on an intercambio with Elder Choque, and he knows no English, so this was like the first day in the mission were I couldn't speak English at all the whole day, which went better then I thought.  We taught some great lessons and some of the members here expect the missionaries to do everything haha.  One member's kid ran away and she wanted us to go and find him.  We just told her we couldn't help her, and she got mad at us ahahahl.

Thursday.  We witnessed a fight today!  This girl was passed out on the ground and all of these Black people were trying to punch the cop, but he just left.  The police here do very little! We went to Angel and Ximena's house and Angel wasn't there because he was drinking.  Ximena was so sad and she told us that she doesn't want to marry him.  It was so sad to hear that from her, and it made us so sad because he was doing so well.

Friday.  Today we were in Quito the whole day for a Zone Conference with Elder Fallebela, and it was so good.  He has a program for missionaries to receive more references and some other stuff that I loved so much.  I, also, got to see Elder Harris, McClesse, and Johnson, which was so awesome.  We ended receiving 90 references from the program, which was soo nice for us.

Saturday.  Was such a good day today.  We found a really cool nuevo investagator.  But to end the day, we went to Angel and Ximena's house and both of them were there and Ximena was telling him that she wanted to live alone and Angel was so sad.  He was crying the whole time, and it was so sad for me because they're like a family to me.  Angel told us that he wants to change and that he wants to go through the temple.  We told him this is his last chance.  So I told him that if he lived a perfect month of the gospel, reading every day, coming to church every week, he would not want to drink anymore and his family life would get better.  He told us that he wants this so badly.  It was such a cool experience for me, and I know that they can do all of this stuff and that they know the church is true.  They are so closeeee ahhh.

Sunday.  Angel and Ximena came to church with their whole family, which was awesome.  We had so many good lessons today.  We found two new Neuvos, and they both loved our message and asked us to come back soon (doesn't happen very often).  We have this investigator that has met with the missionaries before but had lots of doubts, so he asked us, and the Book of Mormon had every single answer.  He told us that he really wants to read it now, which was cool.  

And after we went to Angel and Ximena's house.  They were so happy today, and the Spirit was so strong.  We showed them the "Hope of God's Light" video and they loved it.

Hope of God's Light

(Click on the link above to see this fantastic video for yourself.  Interesting fact:  Elder Copeland's dad played on the same basketball team as this young man did in high school.)

Great week here.  Love and miss you all so MUCH!

Love, 

Elder Copeland

Week 14 - October 30, 2017

What's up, fam?!

Tuesday. Today we had a whole day of lessons planned and for some reason no one was there.  Hahah weird.  But we did get to teach Marcia an awesome lesson.  She wanted to push back her baptismal date a little which made me kind of sad.  She feels like she needs to learn more.

Wednesday.  We had a great lesson with one of our investigators about the Atonement, and she loved it so much. But it's hard here cause nobody will come to church and work to progress, but she is so cool.  I want her to know the importance of the gospel so bad.  And we ended today with Angel and Ximena, and it was so good.  We read Alma 34 and they loved it so much.

Thursday.  We got up early and went to teach Marcia again and it went so good again.  We're starting to teach really well together.  And after we went and did service at our Mission President's house.  They have pigs and chickens in the basement haha.  

After, we went to Angel and Ximena's house again and read in the Book of Mormon, and it was so good.  They're the coolest people ever!

Friday.  Another day where we had so many lessons and no one was there, and it rained all day again ahah.  We taught this family in the rain.  It was really cool, they loved it.  And after, we taught Angel and Ximena again.  They really are starting to progress now because they like meeting with us a lot.

Saturday.  Today we had an activity and all of our investigators said they couldn't come, so we weren't expecting much.  But then Angel and Ximena walked through the doors.  I have never been so happy in my life! Ahhh, it was incredible!

Sunday.  We had church today and Angel and Ximena came to this, toooo yaayyy!  After, we went and taught this new investigator (Luis) and he asked us so many questions about the Book of Mormon, and it was honestly such a cool lesson.

Sorry.   I don't have much time today.  Love you all, Elder Copeland

Week 13 - October 23, 2017

Wahoo!  Another week here in Ecuador!  

Such a good week!  We worked out butts off and are starting to get some work done.

Tuesday.  We got some banana splits and they were so good.  The ice cream here is actually really good.  I buy it as much as possible haha.  

We also finally got to teach some old investigators for the first time in so long, and she wants to keep meeting with us, so I'm really excited for that.  We got some new investigators that are very Catholic and talk for so long, but they're so awesome and fun to teach.

Wednesday.  Today was a pretty good day.  We got to teach Marcia and try and prepare her for her baptism, but she has had no time cause she needs $1000 before December to pay for her husband's car crash.  She wasn't able to make it to her interview for her baptism, so we had to push back her baptism which was kind of sad.  We, also, have a really cool investigator, Alejandra.  We got to teach her the  Plan of Salvation, and she loved it.

Thursday.   We got to go to Quito and listen to some people in the Young Women's Presidency.  It was so good.  I, also, got to see almost everyone from the MTC again, so that was so fun.  After we were just contacting the rest of the day, and I got sick, but I feel better now. 

Friday.  Today we left the house early and just went to work. We found a bunch of new investigators that loved the message. They just don't know how to live the message, which is so frustrating.  They don't know how to come to church or anything like that.  But we're working so hard even when everyone cancels on us hahaha.

Saturday.  We had the best lesson so far!  It was so good. A member introduced us to her and she just told us that she hasn't felt happiness in years.  So I told her that we have to answer, and it's the Book of Mormon.  When you read it and do what it says, you will be happy--without doubt, I promise everyone that.  Just do what the prophet says and you will be happy.  And this applies to everyone.  It's weird how it works, but  it does.

Sunday.  Was kind of frustrating because we only had one of our investigators come and we worked so hard with all of them to come.  They just end up not coming.  After, we taught some really good lessons. 

Everything is good here.  Read the Book of Mormon.  Just read it hahaah.  It's not hard.  Money doesn't make you happy.  The gospel does.  Spanish is starting to come slowly. I miss you all so much. 

Love, Elder Copeland

(Some giant bee!)

(Some door that doesn't have a house!)

(I don't know what to say this is.)

Week 12 - October 16, 2017

Dear Family,

Monday.  After P-day, we went to go visit Marcia and she was in front of her house crying and freaking out cause her husband and her son got in a very bad car crash the day before.  She was telling us that they should be dead and the the cops were saying the only reason that they are alive is because it's a miracle from God.  We got to see the picture of the car and it truly was a miracle!  After that, we went into the house and gave them a blessing.  It was the first time that her husband let us talk to him.

Tuesday.  Today we had a lesson with a nuevo named David.  He accepted the baptismal invitation, which was awesome.  Then we tracked for quite some time and at the end, a less-active family invited us over for family home evening, which was so fun.

Wednesday.  I got to go on an inter-cambio with Elder Johnson before he leaves, which was so fun.  I can't even explain.  We got to go to a deaf guy's house and teach him, and he was so cool.  He was teaching us sign language.  I wasn't thinking and I accidentally asked him if he liked music haahah.  I realized shortly after that he can't hear music and I felt so awful, but he told me not to worry about it, which is good, haha.  But it was so fun getting to go with Elder Johnson.

Thursday.  Such a good day.  We went to work.  We found so many new investigators today.  One of them we found when we helped a girl in a wheelchair get off the bus and get to her house.  She lives by herself and nobody really helps her.  She was so cool.  And then a miracle happened.  We went to go teach Marcia, but her husband was the only one in the house and he let us teach him a lesson.  He has a  ways to go, but the fact that he even let us teach him was a miracle.  It was so cool having that experience.

Friday.  Today we taught a lot of lessons and they all went so well.  I had the chance to give my first priesthood blessing in Spanish today, and it was awesome to be able to do that.  It was in my broken Spanish, but it was so amazing to see how my Spanish is improving.

Saturday.  Today we contacted all day and all of our investigators cancelled on us.  But we ended the day going to Angel and Ximena's house, which is always so fun because they are so amazing and fun to be with.  We, also, saw some dude get beat up on the bus which was quite an experience. 

Sunday.  After church, we literally contacted all day and found this cool kid after I had this feeling to say a prayer because we were contacting for hours with no luck.  Heavenly Father listens to our prayers.  It's incredible that we have the chance to pray with him.

One of our investigators bought 50 chickens to eat them when they get bigger.  He's 65 years old and his girlfriend is 39 and they have 3 kids.  Such a good family.

If you look close enough you can see one of the volcanoes in the background.

Love, Elder Copeland

Week 11 - October 9, 2017

Dear family,

Tuesday.  I went on an intercambio with Elder Ayuso and Elder Choque, and it was quite and adventure.  It was fun and we got some work done.  We went to this house tracking, and the lady there was so poor.  We talked with her forever about the gospel, and it was so awesome.

Wednesday.  Today we were in meetings most of the day, and it was good.  After, we taught some lessons, which went so well.

Thursday.  Today we found a cool new investigator and after we went to Angel and Ximena's house. It was so good.  She always asks us cool and crazy questions and we just try and find the answer.  It's fun.  She's the coolest person ever.

Friday.  We taught familia Ponce and it went so well. They want to get baptized, but the daughter has school every Sunday, so it's hard.  It's sad, but we're trying to figure something out for her.  Then after, we prepared Gissel for her baptism yayayya.

Saturday.  Gissels Baptismmmmmm yeah it was so awesome. 

It was one of the best feelings I've ever had, and I cant wait to see her continue to progress.  Also, Marcia told us today that she wants to be baptized, which is just unreal.  She just needs to talk to her husband about it cause he still won't talk to us haha.  And after girl told us that she doesn't want to marry her boyfriend and she only has 6 dollars in her bank account, which was so sad.  She wants to get baptized and have things work out, but right now it's not. 

Sunday.  Such a good day!  We had Ximena and her whole family come with us to church, along with Marcia.  They all loved it so much.  After was pretty frustrating because everyone canceled on us, and we tracked all day, and no one wanted to talk to us.  It was hard and frustrating. 

Hope everyone is doing well.  Miss you all like crazy and would love to hear from all of you. 

Week 10 - October 2, 2017

Hello!

Tuesday.  I went on an intercambio again with Elder Palmer, and it was so awesome.  We got so much work done.  We found a big family that let us in and they loved is.  It's so nice going with him.  He's like my best bud right now in the mission.

Wednesday.  We tracked like all day and finally at the last house we knocked, a small family let us in and he loved our message.  We are planning on meeting with him again this next coming week.

Thursday.  We talked with Gissel and prepared her for baptism.  She is so excited.

Friday.  Best day!  We had Verifications and I got to see everyone again.  It was so nice get to see everyone from the MTC. 

We went to the Virgin Mary statue in the middle of Quito and it was so beautiful.  

After we had an activity with all of the investigators in our ward.  It was so nice.

Saturday and Sunday.  General Conference.  I will just share some of my favorite parts.  ¨Blessings do not come through our abilities but our choices.¨ Elder Uctdorf.  ¨Imagine how your story would go if you gave up.¨ Stephen W. Owen.  And of course Holland's talk and the one about Beau Richy.  It was such a good conference.  Go and find someone that needs help.

General Conference, October 2017

Click the link above to listen to all speakers 

at General Conference.

AND PHOTOS... I connected my camera and the computer and it deleted all of my awesome photos that I took this week, so I don't have any right now.  I'll try and get some from other Elders.

Love, Elder Copeland