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
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