Last week's letter was very rushed and thrown together, I'll make sure this one is much better. But, this week was amazing. So many instances where I saw Heavenly Father watching out for me. And feeling El Espíritu Santo con nosotros también.
Tuesday was interesting, travelled back to Panca from Momostenango because we stayed with the Zone Leaders Monday night. Then did our daily studies and went to the members' house that always feeds us. They are so good to us. But, usually the food is so good and I eat everything they give me. But, this time, they gave me some meat-looking item with green sauce drenched over it. I leaned over to my comp and asked what it was, he said, "pollo." So I was like, oh ok great; they always make really good chicken. Took a pretty large bite of this piece of chicken . . . Was definitely not chicken. So, I quietly leaned over to my comp and said it, "esta is no pollo." He then asked the members what part of the chicken it was . . . . . They pointed to their hearts . . . "Corazón" . . Unbelievable. It was so slimy and chewy. I'm not sure how I didn't throw it up right in that moment, it was a battle. It was nasty. However, there was another piece of chicken that did not look the same as the heart, so I figured any other part of the chicken has got to be better than the taste that is in my mouth right now, took a bite. . Also extremely nasty. My comp says, yeah that's the liver. Unbelievable. For sure I thought I would be sick next couple of days, but I was fine so very grateful that, that experience is behind me.
Wednesday was probably the craziest day of this week. We decided we were going to our other area that is assigned to us called Canquixaja. Left around 8:30 and walked for about three hours to get to the chapel there. Three hours through jungle, over mountains, through gangs of dogs, a bull pasture, over big and fast streams with only a log to cross, weaving through spider webs. It was worse than what you can imagine. It was literally the jungle from Avatar. It was really fun and exactly what I wanted in a mission.
Then we stayed in Canquixaja for about 15 minutes to check on the chapel, apartment, and then walked three hours all the way back. Plus, it is extremely hard to breathe here because of how high we are here. I jump rope every day and workout and I still get out of breath scaling these mountains. Later that day, I cooked some carne that I had brought from the meat store. They cut off the piece of meat right off the skinned cow that was in the shop and handed it to me. Cooked it a little too long because I didn't want to undercook it and get sick. So, a little chewy, but I put it in a tortilla with cheese and BBQ sauce and it was great.
Thursday, after studying, the church maintenance guys came to refill our paper towel supply and change our showerhead. They were the funniest guys ever. They were joking the whole time and laughing at everything. They love to say gringo and ask some question about what gringos like to do or eat, and everything I said they would laugh, it was funny. Then there was a massive thunder and lightning storm which was sooo loud. I got some videos but you can't really tell how loud it actually is. Sounds like a concert speaker is blasting thunder noises in our apartment, it's really cool. That night we had caldo from members' house and then they needed some service done. They needed a large water container moved from one side of the mountain to the other. So, we helped them move that. I was on one side and there were three people on the other. So, I heard the word "fuerte" a lot. Me working out everyday helped me a lot there.
Friday, we had to go to Momos to have an Elders' meeting with our whole Zone and President Roden. He interviewed all of us to see how we are doing and what we are seeing in our area. I told him I've adjusted greatly and have somehow always known that I would be serving in a remote area like Panca where I would just have to figure it out. He said I am one of the most culturally and mentally strong, prepared gringo missionaries he has ever seen. He then told me that he has to make some changes so I will be getting a new companion. Elder Juarez will be going to Xela and I will be staying in Panca, which I am very excited about. I'm not sure who my next comp is, but I know he is from the capital and was in a remote Village outside of Xela before. I think it will be good for me to learn from a different trainer so soon into the mission. The AP's told us it will be happening Tuesday, so we will see how tomorrow goes and how my new comp is. Then we went to San Francisco Alto with the Zone Leaders because there aren't any trucks back to Panca after 1, usually. There was also another companionship staying there, too, so for our contacting, all six of us switched companions and we went and contacted to see who could get the most in two hours. My competitiveness switched on and me and this other gringo got 25 contacts in 2 hours. It was really good to contact and be immersed in a town with a lot more people than Panca has.
Saturday, we got groceries in Momos and then waited for a truck back to Momos for about two hours. On Saturdays, there aren't many cars back to Panca,so we weren't sure if we were even going to find one. But, I had this feeling to pray for a truck to pass that was going to Panca. So, I did and about three minutes later, we point to a truck passing, "donde va", "Panca" they said. I knew it was because of my prayer that we were able to get one so quickly. On that ride back to Panca, I really reflected on myself. I reflected on how lucky I am. That I am serving in Guatemala. I still think it's so crazy that I'm just in this jungle with no clean water teaching people the gospel. The Spirit was strong with me on the back of the truck, thinking about how thankful I am to have the Holy Ghost with me and the gospel In my life to guide me and for me to rely on. And then we hit a pot hole and I hit my head on the steel bars above the back of the truck. That was fun. Also, my comp found a cockroach in his cereal which isn't surprising because I sweep out probably 20 bugs everyday that are on the ground in our apartment.
Yesterday, another day of scaling mountains and over streams because we were taking people the sacrament because there is no church meeting right now with the pandemic and Covid numbers. And the branch president is getting over Covid right now, too. Got to meet some other members in our area and bless the bread and water with them. We were so high up at some of these houses that I got out of breath from reading the blessing haha. And from going uphill with no walkway for like 40 minutes to get to some of the houses out here. Literally scaling the mountains. Yesterday, was also a checkpoint day for me, I looked at how far my Spanish has come and how much better I've gotten. Also, in my knowledge for the scriptures and how to use them to teach. I still have a long way to go to be really effective in lessons and get to where I want to be, but I know God reveals line upon line, so I'm being patient and working hard.
One thing I forgot to add is during our devotional with President on Friday, he talked about how the mission is hard, and what we need to do to be obedient missionaries and be good missionaries. (All in Spanish btw) But, what I got from it is that, yes, the mission is hard, but if it wasn't, how would we grow? If everyone said yes to our message, would I become a better missionary? If everyone came to church, would the members grow in their testimonies? If the mission was easy, would my testimony, mental strength, or my dedication grow? No. It has to be hard for us to grow. You can't get muscle without working out. I'm happy knowing I'm in one of the lowest contact, baptism and lessons taught area in the mission. It makes me want to work harder and make those numbers go up. Or maybe because I'm just competitive ha.
Excited for this new week with a new companion and to learn more.
I've got pictures that I've uploaded to my Google photos from my camera, but I can't get them onto this phone we have to make emails. But I will put some of the ones I have from this camera on here.
Love you guys and for the support you guys give me.
- Elder Copeland
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