Week 20 - December 13, 2021

 Long week.  Immigration and lots of work. 

Tuesday went to Guat City for immigration stuff, we had to wake up at 4 in the morning the next day to be first in line at the immigration building.  Because any later and the line is two blocks long.  The other gringo I went with and I, decided it would be better to stay up rather than have to force ourselves awake at 3:30.  Regretted it later.

Wednesday, stood outside the building for about three hours before another three of paperwork stuff.  Was in and out of sleep the whole time.  Then once we got back to Xela, Elder Alvarez was there with his new comp because he was going through the temple the next day.  It was so cool.  I got to talk with the new Elder who is in Panca with Alvarez.  It is the funniest thing, he is literally living my life from three months ago.  Can't really speak Spanish and is new just like I was.  It makes me feel so old.  So many memories that he is getting the same chance to have. 

Thursday, since we were staying with some other Elders in the AP's house, we woke up and played basketball a little at the church.  It felt so good to get shots up and jump.  I have been working out everyday still and am now 185 pounds.  I was 155 during bball this past year.  And it's all muscle, you guys, I promise.  But once I get a parasite like almost every other gringo has gotten already, I know I'll go back down a lot. 

Friday, had this wonderful meal of fish and guac.  This ranks up there with the cow feet and chicken heart/liver experiences. But you have to eat it or the members will hate you forever. 

We had so many citas this week, too.  We have a bunch of investigators that we are working with and that are progressing.  The main thing that holds everyone back is that the Plaza Day (or day of the market) is on Sunday here.  It's when everyone comes to town to sell stuff all day long.  And it's how people make their money here.  So without that, they don't have a way to make money.  So it's very tricky getting people to come to church and having them realize that Sunday isn't for selling and buying.  But we are hopeful some will change soon.

Pretty normal, hardworking week.  I'm so thankful to be healthy still, happy, and have this work to be able to do.  This week we taught Lesson 2, the Plan of Salvation, maybe five times.  In it, we talk about how Adam fell so that men might have joy.  Without trials and sadness in our lives, how could we feel happy or experience joy.  Being a missionary isn't easy, and there are a lot of blocks and trials while teaching. But without them, how could I know and feel happiness when someone wants to hear our message or chooses to repent and change.  I am so grateful to have that knowledge and be able to share it with others.

Also, my K'iche has improved a lot and am able to connect with everybody I talk to because of it.  It's so cool.

Thanks for reading.

-Elder Copeland

Week 19 - December 8, 2021

2nd area, Nahuala.  About an hour east of Xela. 

Monday, left Panca for the last time.  Got to Xela and found out the AP is sick and had to go to the hospital. (Parasyte) So me and the healthy AP went and did AP stuff for the day.  So I got to be AP for the day, which was cool and maybe good to see for the future . . .

Tuesday - Transfers 

President said, out of all the 70 open areas we have in the mission, 65 of them had transfers.  So pretty much the whole mission was getting new comps.  For transfers, they have the screen down and have a slideshow, and they show the new companionships one by one.  I was number 67/68.  So had to sit there, nervous the whole time.  But found out I would be serving in Nahuala.  Wards, Calvario and Xeraxón.

My new comp is from Honduras.  Doesn't talk much and not sure if he loves having a gringo comp to be honest but it's alright.  Later took a car ride to Nahuala.  This place is huge. It's bigger than Momostenango.  Plus we are the only missionaries here so there is a lot of work.  And we have 2 wards to manage, too.  I'm going from an Aldea with a branch of 25 people, to 2 wards with an average of 120 people in each one.

Elder Copeland playing football (soccer) with the young people in Nahuala.

 

Elder Copeland's father playing on that exact court twenty years ago when he served in Nahuala.  (Notice the mountain range in both pictures.)

EVERYONE here speaks k'iche'.  It's everybody's first language here. 'Only about 80 percent can speak Spanish. Presidente told me he would be sending me to a place where I'll be able to use the k'iche' I've learned a lot more.' In the streets, sacrament meetings, stores, all in k'iche'.  Street signs, everything.  I'm super excited to keep learning k'iche' and have already learned more since being here.' Gave my testimony yesterday and was able to give a little of it in k'iche', too.  Twice a week we will be having k'iche' classes with a member so we can better speak it.  All the kids in the streets love talking about me in k'iche', and when I respond back to them they are shocked, it's hilarious. 'Our house here is an actual apartment and not a house built on church property, so we actually have a landlord and she has kids that cry hysterically every now and then so getting used to that.

Best part so far.  On Saturday, we had a dinner appointment with a member couple that had just moved from Citijux here to Calvario.  We don't know where all the members live, so they meet us at Central Park and then show us.  The wife served a mission in Argentina, came home and met this brother who was then baptized, and were married in the temple four years ago.

But as we finished eating we were talking to them, and the brother (his name is Hernando) paused for a second and then said that we were the first company that they have had in their home since moving to the ward.  He explained how he and his wife have not been able to have kids, and how hard it's been for them.  He also talked about how his whole family are all super super Catholic, but when he was baptized, every single person in his family went to his baptism.  By then he was crying, and the Spirit was so strong already.  But after a second, I started talking, and the second I started talking I was crying, too.  I talked about how for so long how I've wanted to have a little brother, to teach, to play with, and to be a role model.  But that wasn't in Heavenly Father's plan for my family. I also talked about how for a long time my parents tried to have more kids through other options and nothing worked.  By now, all four of us were crying.  But I told them, that after a long time, we were able to have a healthy, crazy, little girl named Brenly, whose 2nd birthday is tomorrow.  

I said how perfect Heavenly Father's plan is. That there are many things that we have to endure and to learn while we are here.  I also said how both me and my little brother are teaching and bringing people unto Christ as well.  That he might be saying the exact same thing I'm telling you to a different family on the other side of the veil.  That appointment was the strongest I have felt the Holy Ghost in my mission.  They said they know that whatever happens in the future is what is planned for them.  And whichever it is, they will be grateful.  It was so, so cool to hear that.  How strong this family is despite how hard of a trial they have right now.  That they would be grateful no matter what happens. 

That is what everyone needs to hear.  There are many things we have to endure and learn, all are for a reason.  But staying close and strong to the gospel with faith is what gets us through hard trails.  I know I am here in Nahuala for a reason. I know I have experiences and a testimony that people here need to hear.  I have given my testimony that I will be able to live and be with Cannon again for eternity, but this time was much different.  I know Cannon was with me as I was saying words that they needed to hear.  It was an experience I will never forget and hope to have more just like it down the road. 

I am so grateful to be a missionary.  I love helping people and teaching the things I know to be true.  I love the time of Christmas and all 500 fireworks that I hear every night while trying to sleep.  But I love it.  I cannot say it enough how happy and grateful I am for this gospel and the blessings I have received from it.  I want everyone here in Nahaula to feel the same feeling I have from it. 

So grateful for you all and for reading these.  Also only saw one spider this whole week haha!!

- Elder Copeland

Week 18 - November 29, 2021

 You guys I can't even keep up with my own stories and experiences.  This week did not have a single second to take a breath.  Very exciting/ hard week.

First, I want to start off with the time-line of this week from Monday to Sunday.

Panca -> Momos > San Bortollo > Pueblo Viejo > Xela > San Francisco > Momos > Panca > San Francisio El Alto > Chiqiumula > Aldea of Chiquimula > San Fran > Momos > Panca. 

Monday - Wednesday I had exchanges with the Elders of Pueblo Viejo.  The Elder I was with is the Branch President in that area.  It's about two and half hours north of Momos.  When we were there, we left the house in the morning at 8:30 and didn't return until 8:30 at night.  We had service, citas, visits, everything.  We helped cut down a 30-ish foot tree with a machete, then chopped each branch off, then the tree into three main logs.  Then had to haul them up the side of their mountain, to their house for them to use in their oven.  Not easy.  This tree was like sideways because it was on the side of the Mountain, so the whole time we are slipping and falling down while trying to cut the tree and haul the logs up.  It took three people to lift them.

Another thing that we did for service was we helped carry already chopped wood up the mountain.  Guys, I can not emphasize enough how hard this is.  We had to carry 10-12, 4-5 inch pieces of wood up the mountain.  All the way from the river at the bottom to the top.  Once we finished our trip up, they said "vamos otra vez."  I thought they were joking because what I had just done was harder than any basketball practice or endurance test I've ever done.  But they weren't joking.  On the way down for the second trip, my legs were shaking so much trying to keep me up.  And then had to do it again.  I took a couple of times to rest, which I never do. Anytime I start running or walking, I hate stopping because I would rather just finish and then be done and rest after.  But this was physically impossible to do without stopping like three times.  Remember the suitcase story up the Xequemeya mountain.  That was cake compared to this.  Like 10x harder, you guys.  Plus we did it Twice!!  The pictures don't justify how big these mountains are and how heavy the wood is.  The people we helped say they do 2-5 trips A DAY, and that's their work.  Also, keep in mind that we are in a much higher elevation than Utah, which means it's extremely hard to breathe even just walking.  Oh, also our lunch appointment fell through, so I did that with only breakfast, too.  It was hard, guys. 

After Pueblo Viejo, we traveled to Xela and then back to Panca.  The very next day I had exchanges again with ZLs in San Francisco El Alto.  While we were there, we went to Chiquimula and then another 30 minutes outside of Chiqui' searching for families that ZLs have to find.  Then back to San Fran and walked all day long.  Then back to Panca.  When we got back, we went to visit a family who needed help with something, but on our way there were these guys trying to corral a pig and move it into a truck.  This pig was giant and strong.  So I helped them corral and lift this fat pig onto the truck. 

Then after, went to the family's house and they said they needed help by getting their chickens out from a tree.  I cannot make this stuff up, you guys.  It is crazy what I have been doing lately, but I did it.  Climbed up the tree, grabbed the chickens by the wing or neck, and brought them down.  Six chickens and one turkey.  Also, had to do it again the next day because they went back up . . .

Now for big news . . . Sadly, I will be leaving Panca.  Was actually pretty sad hearing that I'll be leaving and getting a new companion on Tuesday.  Pancá has been exactly what I wanted for my mission.  Hard, middle of nowhere, lots of walking, mountains, teaching, service.  It has been exactly what I had imagined a mission would be like since I was little.  I might not ever get a chance like this again to live in an area like this and do the work that we have been doing.  I know the work I've done by serving others, teaching people about the restored gospel, and bringing people back to church has been well worth it so far.  I have no idea where I'm being transferred to or who my new companion is.  I'm excited and sad at the same time.  I've made life-long memories here in this area but am excited to continue making more somewhere else.  Next week's email may not say the word "Spider," nearly a much as my first email here did.

I love being a missionary and how busy it is.  I love missionary work and spreading the gospel.  I have seen many miracles so far that I will remember forever, as well.  I'm excited for this next week.  It should be interesting.

-Elder Copeland

Also, remember in my last email in MTC how I said there are always amazing sunsets whenever I start a new chapter in my life, look what happened this week . .

Week 17 - November 22, 2021

First off, thank you all very much for the emails and love that I received for my birthday this week.  Very appreciated, and thankful for you all.  This week was busy and got a lot done. 

Elder Copeland's family and friends enjoyed a special birthday party at his home and then let him be a part of it through the internet.  

His little sister, Brenly, surely did enjoy the party--especially the cake and getting to talk to her brother.  

Gpa Copeland loved talking to him, too.

Tuesday, birthday, went well.  The emails made it a lot better, so thank you all.

Thursday, wild, wild day.  Zone Conference in Momos.  Crazy I am already almost done with two transfers here now.  But woke up early to be ready for the flete to Momos, and none came.  Waited for about 30 minutes in the cold.  It's super cold in the mornings here right now.  Plus while hanging on to the cold bars of the trucks make it worse.  But after 30 minutes, a truck passed that was going horizontal of where we needed to go.  It was going to San Luis and not Momos.  About 2 1/2 mountains over.  But the driver said there are more fletes on that mountain.  So we went on that truck to there, then took a taxi-type car to another point where the taxi would'nt go anymore.  We were still about 35 minutes from Momos.  Then after 25 minutes of walking, a massive truck passed us and we asked if we could hop on.  This truck was like a small semi-truck with no covering on the back where the cargo is.  And it was carrying big machines.  And this truck doesn't have any bars to hold on to, so we had to hold on to the machines that are covered in tar, grease, and oil and it ruined my suit, white shirt, and tie so bad.  I'll have a picture below to show.  We took that for about 20 minutes, the whole time clenching for my life because we're so high off the ground with our feet barely on the bumper and hands on the slippery machines. Then after that circus ride, took another flete to Momos and got to Zone Conference just in time.  Everyone was shocked to see how dirty I was.  I had to explain what happened maybe 10 times.

Friday had good lessons with less actives and investigators. It's frustrating because the less actives know that everything we are telling them is true and that they will be blessed and happier if they come to church, but they just don't want to and don't think it's that important.  They even say they don't have a reason for not coming, they just don't.  The people here in areas like this are just so content with what they have, they don't feel like they need to do more. That's the reason they live in these areas because they don't want to have to do anything other than what their families have done for generations.  Just being farmers.  But that's why we have free agency.  I could be the best teacher in world and they could know that every word I'm saying is true, but if they don't want to come, then they don't want to come.  But we keep trying. 

Saturday, another life threatening story.  I've lost count of how many times I've thought, if I let go right now, or if would have taken another step then I would have died or would die.  But anyways, the boys in a member family invited us to go see some waterfalls close by.  I thought they meant like 10 foot waterfalls at the most.  But after walking for only like 15 minutes, we saw this huge waterfall probably 80 feet or so I'm not sure.  

I had no idea it was so close to where we live.  But I decided I wanted to climb around to go underneath the waterfall.  Made it there pretty easy not too hard, a lot of slips because of the wet rocks but not too bad.  But then as I was coming back to the rocks where we had come from, I went around the other side of the waterfall, and as I was coming down the side of the cliff I got stuck.  Like I couldn't go back up or down because it  was so steep.  I was about 20 feet up from the rocks and water below.  I was there for like 5 minutes and didn't know what to do ha.  After contemplating if I was going to have to jump into the water, I decided to try and slide down and grab on to a small tree that was about 8 feet down.  And if I missed it or slipped then I would just jump out and into the water.  Thankfully I grabbed the tree, but then from there I was still too high up to jump onto the rock.  So I had to carefully flip to my stomach and slide down where my foot could hold me up, and then jump from there on to the rock.  Keep in mind the waterfall is splashing the whole time and so the rocks are slippery.  But thankfully, I was able to get down after a while and feel solid earth again.  It was a very good feeling knowing I survived that and didn't have to jump in the water.  More pictures below of the waterfall. 

Sunday, we had a really good turn-out at church.  At Zone Conference, one of me and my comp's comments in our weekly email was presented to everyone in the mission.  The comment was that before church every Sunday, we go to less actives and try to bring them to church, which is what we have done every Sunday.  And President said that every missionary isn't allowed to attend Sacrament until after they have invited someone to come to church in the morning.  So that's cool that my comment is now a practice in the mission. 

With next week being transfers, I'm interested to see if I'll be here for another one or if I'm gone.  It will be interesting to see how the next two weeks go.  But I am so grateful for the time I have had here in Panca.  I know I'll never get a chance to live or be a missionary in an area like this again.  As different and hard as it is to not have the same benefits as the Xela or Huehue areas, I would not want to be anywhere else right now.  I love being a missionary and spreading the gospel to everyone.  It is the best feeling finding and teaching someone because I think, "When else would this person have the opportunity to hear about the restoration?  I know that we have the truth, and how much it would bless their lives.  If I don't do it, then who else will, especially here in this area?"  I love being the Lord's hands and doing what he wants me to do.

I love you all and am thankful for every one of you.  I'm glad I'm still alive to tell you all, haha. 

-Elder Copeland

Week 16 - November 15, 2021

 A great week in Panca. 

Still a lot of work and teaching a lot as well.  This week was another checkpoint for me to see how far my Spanish has come.  It has progressed so well.  At first, like every missionary I thought it would take me 6-7 months to be able to speak Spanish.  But now 2 months in, I look back at when I started and think how shocked myself would be if it could see how far I've come already.  I am really grateful for how fast I've picked it up. 

I'll skip to Thursday because the other days were days you can hear about in every other missionary's email.  Work, study, teach.  But Thursday, we walked to San José, which is about a mountain and a half over so like a 50 minute walk.  Luckily, a tuk-tuk passed us so we took that and shaved off 20 mins.  But after visiting less actives and teaching them, we were walking back to Panca and there was this kid and his grandma sitting outside of their house.  We had just passed the house when I thought to say something to them.  So I turned around and contacted--and every five seconds another person would walk out of the house to see who we were until there were like 16 people outside this house.  At first they were shocked to see a gringo at their house, 2nd they were shocked I could speak Spanish.  And then the best part was that I started talking in k'iche' to the grandma that only speaks k'iche', and they all lost it.  It was like a celebrity was at their house all the way in San José.  They asked me to take pictures with every single one of them, hold their baby (I asked if it was ok first), take pictures with the baby, talk in k'iche' with them.  It was wild.  We spent like 30 minutes with this family answering questions about me. The dad of the family is hilarious and was making jokes the whole time.  He couldn't believe he was speaking k'iche' to a gringo in his home, it was funny.  We set up a time to meet with them again, so I'm excited to see how the next visit goes haha.

Friday, normal as well.  But Saturday, we found this awesome family who lives like 30 mins away.  I honestly have no idea where they live.  We just walk and look for whatever paths we can find.  You know if there is a house at the end of it by whether or not there are spider webs in the path.  If there are, that means nobody uses this path, so there isn't a house.  Plus after a little, you can tell where the perfect spots between trees are for spiders to set up shop.  My head has brushed so many spider webs lately, it's horrible.  I'll look back and a 2-inch spider is crawling away from where my head brushed its web.  It's scary.  But this family was saying how there is hunger for food, water, and the truth.  We wanted so bad to teach him right there and flip open to Amos 8: 11-12 and talk about the apostasy and how we have the restored gospel again, but he said he didn't have time and to come back Tuesday.  So we are hopeful about them. 

Sunday, we walked and visited so many families and had lessons with them.  We had the Second Counselor of the mission and the District President of Panca in church this week, so they came to visit families with us.  The second counselor has a nice new truck, so it was nice to be on the back of that and not in a janky flete.  Some of these families live around three hours away walking.  They are in literally the middle of nowhere.  The best part was we were at our last appointment, but it was only me my comp and two Hermana leaders in the branch because they were showing us how to get to this house.  Without them, it's impossible.  But as we got to the house, the guy came out and was so drunk.  Could barely stand up.  He wouldn't let us speak much because he just kept blabbering about who knows what.  But at one point, he walked up to me face to face, super close, and pointed right at me and said some words I couldn't understand, and I just started dying laughing.  I couldn't help it.  The way he was trying so hard to stand up and get his message across was too much for me.  It was a scene.  His family was very nice though and we invited them to come back to church.  But that event was hilarious.  There are so many drunk guys here that just sleep in the road or wherever.  We pass them all the time just passed out with a bottle in their hands. 

Overall, I'm doing really well.  A lot of times I'll think of how lucky I am to be in Guatemala.  Ever since I was little, I've wanted to serve a hard mission exactly like what I'm doing right now.  Even though dragging a suitcase and killing spiders isn't very fun, it's exactly what I want to be doing right now.  It makes the trails and long days so much better.  This is exactly what I need to be doing and where I need to be.  I am seriously so so grateful for everything I have and wouldn't change a thing.  Maybe less spiders, but I'll deal with it.  I am so grateful for the scriptures and how much my testimony has grown from them.  I love reading them and seeing how much strength can come to us when we put the gospel in front of personal or worldly things.  All throughout Alma are stories of wars and fighting, but whoever was more righteous and turned to Heavenly Father to strengthen them usually won the fights.  It's the same with us today, if we will put the gospel as number one and Jesus Christ first in our lives, we will be happier, strengthened, and prosper in the land like they did.

Excited to receive some birthday emails tomorrow so don't let me down haha.  Love you all and thankful for everyone of you.

- Elder Copeland 

Pics of the Week