It feels like I got set apart a month ago, but I also feel like I've been in Guat for much longer than three weeks. Another crazy and long week.
Tuesday, said goodbye to my first ever companion, Elder Juarez. It was more sad than I thought it would be, but right after I met my new comp, Elder Alverez who is from GC. He knows 0 English and cannot pronounce anything I tell him in English. But, we have got along really well. Always laughing and joking but also working much harder than I was before. It is great. My Spanish has skyrocketed since being with him this week because I have to use it and more words to be able to do anything.
That night on Tuesday, I was able to listen to Ella H open her mission call . . I'm still in shock. Antigua Guate haha. After the call we went to eat dinner at the member's house who always feeds us, and they could tell something was up, so they asked what happened and I told them. The whole rest of the night they kept making fun of me saying I was excited which is "emocionado" in Spanish. So, the whole night they were saying "emocionado emocionado!" It was funny. Now every time we go over they say, "emocionado??" And I respond, "Si" and every time they crack up. I think I've heard them say "Su novia . . ." And then a question, more than we have been to their house to eat, ha.
Wednesday, washed my clothes for the first time since being here. Actually first time ever washing my clothes by hand. Elder Alverez had to teach me how to do it like a Guatemalan. You have to use the pillas outside and scrub super hard. Also, as I turned on the water to start, a spider as big as my palm ran up my arm. So, the next day me and my comp bought spider spray and went around the whole church property that we live on and killed probably 25 spiders. All were massive. A lot of them were on the walls outside our apartment.
Thursday, a lot of studying and then contacted, pretty normal day. But on our way back, these two ladies needed their motorcycle pushed up the hill because it was out of gas, so we pushed it for around 30 minutes when my comp said, "I think there is gas in here" . . . There was gas, we tried to start it and it worked. So we pushed it for 30 minutes up a hill when it had gas the whole time . . .
Friday, woke up and Alverez had a massive spider bite on his leg. So red and big, luckily the spider didn't come to my bed. But, we were sorting our books and a shelf we have, and I found a Book of Mormón in English. Which is big because I forgot to bring some in English from home. So I read the first 15 chapters of 1 Nephi and then finished 1 Nephi the next day. It was cool to re-read the stories that Nephi had with Laban, and then with his brothers. Nephi was so connected with the Spirit and was able to receive so much guidance and strength when he needed it. To break the cords and to build a boat. Even when his brothers were mocking him the whole time. It was empowering to read because sometimes we get made fun of out here. I don't recognize it right away, but my comp will tell me after some of the words they used when we walk by or try to contact them.
Saturday, we did service all morning by a big rotoplast water container (look one up) from one side of a mountain to the other. It was so heavy and nasty and muddy. I was the strongest one so I was underneath it while we moved it through trees and over a stream. It was very hard. Later we gave a member a priesthood blessing for the sick and afflicted because her husband has recently passed and she is going to get the Covid vaccine soon. It was really cool to do my first priesthood blessing here.
Sunday . . . Might have been the craziest day since I've gotten here. First, we had church for the first time since being here as well. The night before the branch president asked us both to give our testimonies. So, I didn't have much time to prepare (use Google translate). But, it went really good, gave my testimony on Jesus Christ's love for everyone and sticking to the iron rod. Also, because I just read 1 Nephi. It went well because there was a total of 17 people in attendance, including the President and First Counselor and us. President plays the piano and gave a talk, and the first President presides and passes the sacrament. I'm not sure how they did it before without missionaries because we blessed the Sacrament, and there were only two people who could possibly have the priesthood in attendance. Very crazy.
But afterwards, Alverez asked if we wanted to go to Xepon, which is another area in our district with other missionaries. He said they needed food because they don't have money and it's Sunday. So, I said sure where can we get a truck to go? He said, "Caminando" which means "walking." And instantly flashbacks of walking to Canquixajá came back to me. So, then I asked how far away is it to walk. The phone says 3 hours and 58 minutes. Unbelievable. After 20 minutes of discussing if we should go, we went. I'm not joking, it was worse than Canquixajá. By far. Somehow it was hotter, more rocks, more uphill and downhill. Also, we took some wrong turns because the roads don't show up on Google maps because they aren't really roads, so we just have to guess which one and hope for the best. It was not the best. We came across a pretty big river that was about 20 feet wide that we needed to cross. Could not find a way to get across, so we had to back track a ways to find a bridge. Also, my water bottle was gone after about two hours. It was very, very challenging. But we made it, had lunch and rested, then called a member to come get us and take us back, we told him we would pay big bucks because there was no way we could physically make it back by walking. After a 45-minute car ride back to Panca, we get in the apartment and my comp, who rarely speaks English says, "That walk was good, but . . . Never again!" It was hilarious. So, hopefully now, my extreme walking adventures are behind me, and only stories now. But we will see.
Some pics from this week and the hike to Xepon.
- An excited Elder Copeland
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