Not nearly as exciting week as the rest.
A lot of just chopping away at what we have planned. Studying, learning, searching for people and normal cosas. Yes, there are still more spider stories though.
Tuesday - A lot of studying and reading. I re-read all of 1 Nephi through end of Mosiah in the past two weeks because I got scripture pens to mark them. Reading your scriptures while having a pen makes it so that you get so much more out of reading. When you're searching for scriptures that will strengthen yourself and the people you teach, it makes it much more important which makes me read with real intent. I invite you guys to do the same and see how much more you get from reading your scriptures.
We, also, went with the President of the Rama to visit less active families. My ability to share my testimony and teach from the scriptures is miles ahead from what it was. Poco a poco, I'm becoming the missionary I want to be and the teacher I know I can be.
Wednesday - Celebrated a member's 7th birthday at the house that feeds us every day. We had Caldo and Cake. Not sure how those mix together, but it is what it is.
Later we visited with the President of the Rama's daughter-in-law who isn't a member. We have had two really good lessons with her and were confident she could get baptized. But when we went to visit her, she was sobbing. She explained how she doesn't feel loved by this family she married into but doesn't want to leave them because she has a newborn baby who is almost 2-months old. It's very very sad. She knows the importance of families and wants to be strong with her husband (who is a member), but it is hard when this family doesn't treat her like they should. It's more sad that we missionaries can only do so much to help. As we talked with her a little and let her vent to us, I felt the Spirit so strong that I should offer a prayer for her. Even though she was crying, I asked if I could give a prayer, and once I began I stopped and just paused for a good 8 seconds and just let the Holy Ghost do its work. It was so strong. I prayed that she can be comforted at this time and in this trial for her, and that Heavenly Father can guide her footsteps to know what she should do. It was one of the strongest prayers I've had. Unfortunately, she packed her things and left to live in Xela with others. We are still texting her and keeping up with her to let her know we are here to help if needed. Hopefully, in the future we can continue to be of help and show her how important baptism and gift of the Holy Ghost is during tough times.
Thursday - Contacted all of central Panca in about 40 minutes. Takes three minutes to walk from one side of the town to the other. Met some good families that we hope to teach soon.
Afterwards, we decided we were going to walk 40 minutes to visit this member family. As we started, a truck passed us and asked if we wanted a ride to the other mountain (which is where this family lives). The problem was, was that they had the whole truck bed full of wood. So we put our feet on the back of the truck behind the gate, and our hands on pieces of wood in the truck bed. Don't tell President, but as we were going up the mountain, we hit a pothole, shocker, and Elder Alverez fell off of the truck. Luckily he is good with his feet and didn't fall too hard. The guy driving the truck didn't even notice he fell out for like 15 seconds. Pretty funny. Once we got to the house of this family, we had one of the best lessons that I've had so far. This family's testimonies are so strong and they know that the only way to live with Heavenly Father again is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was so cool to hear that from someone other than missionaries here. They even gave some of their favorite scriptures and what it means to them. It was so cool.
Friday - More studying and planning goals. We tried visiting less-actives but the kids said their parents "weren't home." Happens a lot.
Saturday - We went back to the same family's house that we had the lesson with because they told us they are going to kill a chicken for us to eat. So we hopped in the chicken coop and it took us five minutes trying to catch this chicken. Once we did, the mother grabbed the chicken's neck . . You know the rest. Pretty crazy how easy it is for them and how often they do it to eat.
Now the spider story of the week. As we were walking to this family's house, we took a what we thought to be a shortcut to this family's house on the other mountain. There was a reason it's not a shortcut. As we got into the thick of this jungle area, my comp screams and runs behind me faster than I've ever seen him move. This spider web was incredible. Alverez had walked into it without knowing and then sprinted away from it. After I patted him down and made sure he didn't have any tag alongs, I counted 13 spiders in this one web. Some as big as baseballs. I have a picture on my camera but my Google photos hasn't been working so I can't share it. But it was just as thick as it was long. Probably 8 by 8 feet this web. Never taking that path again.
Sunday - The speaker didn't show up so I was asked to give a discurso. Without preparation, I was able to give a talk on repentance and how important it is to be forgiven of our sins. I shared Doctrine and Covenants Section 33 how it says no unclean can enter into the kingdom of God. I keep shocking myself how well I can speak Spanish when I'm forced to. I know a lot more than I think.
Overall my testimony has been strengthened so so much over the past three months of being a missionary. I loved the missionary devotional this month how Elder Holland said that once missionaries realize how amazing it is that we have the truth, they become more bold in wanting to share it with others. I have definitely seen myself becoming more bold in wanting to share with everyone what we know is to be true. Also, because I'm more confident in my Spanish. But I hope to continue to grow in my abilities to teach, my testimony and language. Poco a poco I know it will. I'm so thankful for this church and for every single blessing that comes from it. I invite you guys to count your many blessings and share them as a family.
I love you all and I'm thankful for the replies and emails!!
- Elder Copeland
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