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 . .
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