Week 27 - January 31, 2022

 Hey, y'all, 

So this week we were in quarantine everyday because I woke up sick on Tuesday and had been in contact with Covid, so pretty exciting week...  I was fine after a couple days. 

We were inside almost every second except for when I would workout/ shoot hoops outside on the court we have here.  Also, got some good tanning sessions in.  Couldn't do much. Learned a lot more Kiche' too.

But this week while reading my scriptures and thinking, I reflected a lot about who I am as a missionary and my mission.  I am so grateful for who I am and the experiences that have shaped me my entire life, and my six months now as a missionary, as well.  For my family and the people that have supported me in everything that I do.  I really am very lucky.  I'm very thankful for this knowledge that I have and this opportunity to share it. 

Also, this week while listening to conference talks, I was thinking about how thankful I am to have the knowledge that there are people leading this church to this day.  

That Jesus Christ leads and guides his people through the craziness of this world we live in.  I can't imagine living without this knowledge and the scariness of feeling lost in what I believe.  I have been so grateful this week and realizing all the blessings I have.

Looking forward to this next week of getting back to work and spreading the perfectness of this gospel to everybody. 

Xink’olik Xinilo e'tewechib'al chupam numisión. Y K'o  nukikotem wumal K'o Chi. K'o Loq'bal che Ix!

- Elder Copeland

Pic of the Week

Week 26 - January 24, 2022

 This week was probably the most physically demanding of my mission.  We walked and climbed more than we weren't.  Lots of stuff to remember though.

Wednesday, while we were on exchanges, I was in Choqui. The other mountain over with a chapel.  We woke up to do service for a family.  They asked us if we could help them get their water for the day from the "river" and the bottom of the mountain.  They handed us these huge storage gas can type things.  Once we got to the bottom, I was shocked with how dirty the water was that they were using to fill up the big jugs. We then hiked up the mountain for a good 25 mins with at least a 90 lb jug of water.  It's hard already getting up, but with the water it was miserable.  And it was 91 degrees with 11 UV rays.  Why do all of the cool stories I have come from hiking a mountain with something? 

 

Once we were done, we asked how often they have to do that to have water.  She said every day.  I can't imagine.  We also asked what happens if it doesn't rain and she said, "Morimos" (we die). We thought she was joking, but she was dead serious. Literally.

That same day, me and Elder Oaks decided we were going to try a new path to get from the Choqui mountain, to the Patalup one, one over.  We were able to get down to the river pretty fine after about 30 mins.  But once we got down there we realized there was absolutely no path up or through the thick vegetation on the other mountain to go up.  And we couldn't go back up the one we came because it was too steep and wet.  So we went.  With our newly bought and sharpened machetes, we hacked our way through every plant/tree/ banana spider webs, everything you can imagine in a jungle.  It took us a good hour to figure out where we could get up without falling off the side and not through bed-sized spider webs.  There were many times we had to stick our machetes in the ground and pull ourselves up.  But we did it.  

The best part was as soon as we crossed the arch at the top, dripping in sweat and blood, and with our dirty clothes and machetes.  An old kiche' lady was in her corn field absolutely shocked at what she was looking at--2 dirty, big gringos with machetes had just came up from the side of the mountain that nobody had ever came up from before.  It was pretty funny. 

Thursday, we got right back up again and walked to Patalup Centro to contact all of Patalup in a day.  We did.  

One of the last houses we were walking by, a lady called us from her home that was on the side of the mountain higher than us. We walked up and met with them, we found out they were inactive and so we were able to share some stuff with them. Once we were done, they asked us if we could give the dad and grandma a priesthood blessing.  We did.  But as I was about to give the blessing to the old lady who was sick and only could speak/understand kiche, my comp said "Could you do it in Kiche'?"  As soon as he said that, I felt the Holy Ghost so strong.  A feeling of like, "I can do that!"  Wow.  I asked the family how to say, "I bless you. . ." And from there I was able to give a good amount of the blessing in Kiche' with what I know from bearing a testimony and saying a prayer.  It was one of the coolest things ever.  The lady was so grateful and had tears in her eyes after.  Amazing.

Super crazy week of walking and going between areas for citas.  We also went to Chuinajtajuyup and was there for a night.  Nonstop.  Also, as of yesterday I haven't felt great which we know is from one of the member meals we had. But doing great and am loving here in Patalup and how much Kiche' we are learning daily.  It's not easy, but that's why I'm doing it. 

-Elder Copeland

Week 25 - January 17, 2022

Back in Panca

Not really.  But pretty much.  We had transfers this week and I was shipped to an Area called "Patalup."  It is very, very similar to Panca.  Up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere.  Not many homes (structures or cement/adobe) and we are living in the house next to the chapel.  Panca is actually not too far from where I am.  It's only a couple mountains over, but because of the lack of dirt roads out here, it takes about 50 minutes to get there.  So, Panca Pt.2.

Once we got here, we traveled with other Elders who are re-opening the area of "Choqui."  It's about a 2-hour walk to the other mountain where the chapel is.  That night we got a call saying their keys don't work and that we were going to have to walk over to them and bring them back to Patalup for the night.  We walked for a little more than 3 hours in total... love being back in the mountains... but it was a cool experience.  When the Elders of Choqui were praying on what they should do because it was getting dark, and right as they said amen, we walked over the hill where they could see us.  It was cool.

Friday was one of the coolest days of my mission.  After studying, we were going to Patalup Centro which is about a 25-minute bike ride.  When after 5 mins, my new gringo comp, Elder Peterson, breaks the bike.  I don't even know how. So we walked back and felt prompted to pray about if Heavenly Father was telling us that we shouldn't be going to Patalup Centro, also because we saw some thunder coming. Right after we had finished praying, we walk out the door and the first counselor is driving his truck to Chuinajtajuyup (our other area/ward) and says he'll give us a ride.  We both felt good about it, so we went.

 After sometime contacting and meeting members there, a huge thunder and lightning storm came over us, actually more through us, because of how high we are here.  

And so we were under a tin roof at a member's house when a truck passed us and stopped to talk to us. 

A man and his dad in the truck said that they want a chapel in their Aldea where they live.  So I asked if they are members and his response was, "No, but we want to be!!"  So cool.  So we invited them to come to church two days later and they came!  They said they live over an hour farther out from Patalup and they still came to church.  During church, both me and Elder Peterson gave talks about the power of prayer and once I saw that they showed up, I threw in how we can receive answers to our prayers if what we are doing in our lives is correct.  I could definitely feel the Spirit with me and gift of tongues as I was speaking because everything I should say was coming to me, and I was saying it as if I wanted everyone to feel the depth of my testimony and how much I know this gospel is true.

After the reunion, we pulled them Into a room and we taught them lesson 1.  They both said they felt good about the things we had taught and our faith.  We invited them to pray about these things and if they receive an answer to be baptized, they said they would. 

The Lord was definitely guiding us to meet these people.  If the bike wouldn't have broken, we would have never met them.  If the bike would have broken any sooner or any later, we would have missed the truck.  If there wouldn't have been a lightning storm, we wouldn't have been waiting under the tin roof by the side of the road.  So many little things as well happened so perfectly for us to meet these two men.  I am so grateful to be able to have the gift of the Holy Ghost in my life, for it to be able to guide me on what I am needed to do and how.  These two men have so much potential and we are praying that they receive an answer soon.  I love missionary work.

On Saturday, we had a Zone Council in Momos.  And Hermano Armando from Panca was dropping off the new Panca Elders, so I got to talk to him and ask how Panca is doing and everything.  It was really cool.  Then seconds later, other members from the Canquixaja Branch passed by and I was able to catch up with them, too!  One of the Panca Elders told me as well that the family that would always feed us there, told them that Elder Copeland would eat everything!  I laughed because every time they would give me cow feet and caldo, I just had to eat it.  It's fun being back in Momos Zone and being out here in these far out areas.  I love it.

Lastly, me and Elder Peterson have been studying Kiche' all day long.  We both have diccionarios that we study from every day.  We both have a rule that every time we give a prayer, it's in Kiche.  With members, Elders, nightly prayers, always in kiche'.  In my talk as well yesterday I gave my testimony in kiche' to end, and after the Bishop gets up and says how amazing it is that these gringos are here learning kiche' and being missionaries.  Pretty cool.  So in six weeks when he goes home, we hope to be pretty good.

- Elder Copeland 

Weeks 23 and 24 - January 3 and January 10, 2022

 What an amazing and wild last two weeks.  No email last week because of how crazy things have been.

First off, I am not in Nahuala anymore.  The conflict again has gotten so much worse, with now five more police officers being killed about 10 minutes in a bus from where we live.  For that reason and our safety, the President of the area of all of Central América, has decided to pull missionaries out of that área.  Which is us.  So as of this week, I'm in Xela!  Which has been fun because now there is McDonald's and real buildings in my area rather than just spiders and borrachos every where.

Last week for New Years, I was able to go to Xela as well to play hoops with other missionaries.  Man, I miss it.  We played 3v3 and 4v4 and it was amazing to feel it again and get shots up.  Even though I've added 30+ pounds of muscle, I'm still able to dunk, which is great. 

After that, that's when we were called and told that we had to leave Nahuala the very next morning with a member and not on a bus because of how dangerous it is.  Once we got to Xela, me and Pres were able to talk about his ideas for me and my situation.  This is what he told me....

Right now, there is an Elder who is finishing his mission on Wednesday when we have transfers.  He said that he has been writing a book on Kiche'.  And that come Wednesday for transfers, I will be receiving the book to add a "Volume II" to it. And that for the next six months, I will be writing Volume II on everything I've learned and will learn, on Kiche'.  Then after those six months, I will be teaching Kiche' to the whole mission.  He wants me to be the Kiche' pro of the mission. How cool is that.  So come Wednesday, I will be heading to a Kiche' speaking area, probably a lot like Panca I imagine, and will be learning and writing this book.  I could not be more excited.  KINKYTAKINIK! (Estoy Feliz)

He also said that I am ready to be a senior companion and that I should be soon.  He then later wrote to me and told me I will be going to an area where I will be the comp Meñor for a transfer, to learn the area first, and then after I will be the Senior comp from then on.  Just hoping wherever I go has warm showers.

So for the past week almost, I have been in Xela with a different companion, eating amazing member meals (nothing close to cow feet) and seeing a lot of other missionaries in services and reunions.  

It kind of doesn't even feel like a mission really.  I feel like its too easy.  Member meals every day, restaurants, don't have to hike mountains to find people, fletes.  That's probably why revelation has me going out to these jungle areas because that's how I think a mission should be. 

Right now, I could not be more excited to work.  Sitting in Family Home Evenings with members and seeing the young men reminds me of when I was that deacon or teacher and we had the missionaries over for dinner and lessons.  I Just reflect about how crazy it is that now I am that missionary who's in their homes, inviting them to share the gospel with their friends, when I was the one receiving that invitation not too long ago.  I think about how far my testimony and love for this gospel has come throughout the experiences in my life, and how grateful I am to be that missionary that I have looked up to for so long.  I love this feeling that I have that I am little by little becoming the missionary that I have always wanted to be. 

There are no greater feelings than those from this gospel. 

Embá Wachalales, Elder Copeland

Week 22 - December 27, 2020

Another crazy week.  Ever since Wednesday, we have been in a trio.  It has been fun and more exciting, especially with Chrstmas P days.  The comp of our DL had to go to Costa Rica because he passed through customs without getting his passport stamped haha.  So, it's been fun. 

First off, ever since the killings here, there has been a lot of government military and police here to keep things calm. There are still a million borachos, but if they try anything, the army guys have there AK's and shotguns, so it's fine. 

On Monday, president told us we had to get out of Nahuala because the closed roads and more possible killings.  So we left to San Cristobal which took us 4 hours para llegar because of the traffic which normally is a 50 minute drive.  And we were on the chicken bus that is blasting music the whole time and so hot.

We had Zone Conf this week.  I got to see Alvarez again, which could be the last time if either of us leave Momos or Toto Zone.  I also gave the closing prayer in Kiche'.  It was cool.  Been practicing a bunch and said it perfectly.  I'm now known as the gringo that has the best Kiche' and plays basketball haha.  I'll take it.

 

This week we invited a lot of members to light their homes with the true meaning of Christmas.  We had some really cool responses of what people have been doing and how they have felt the Spirit and joy in their homes more. 

Christmas.  You guys . . Right at midnight, every single human, boracho, perro, was lighting a firework.  And there are a lot of chuchos and borachos.  It was the craziest scene ever. I wish you guys could really have seen how many fireworks there were.  All of Guat lights them right at 12 and it lasts about an hour nonstop.  They’re bigger than any I've seen and everyone has them.  It was really cool and made me being in Guate for Christmas a lot better.

This week just a lot of being with members and getting references.  All five of our investigators that we had hoped for, either had a problem in their lives we didn't know about, or feel as if they have already been baptized in a different church and don't want to go against their own decision.  It's sad, but they have their agency.  We teach, invite, and serve.  After that, it's up to them. 

Solo quiero invitarle a buscar oportunidades en sus vidas a sentir el espíritu más, con sus familias especialmente en estas fechas. Recordar el nacimiento de nuestra Salvador y Rendentor. El es la Luz del mundo. Mantener el en sus pensamientos, no sólo en este mes, si no también en todas sus vidas y trabajo. Ustedes sentirán más paz y gozo si hacen estas cosas. Yo he sentido mucho paz y felicidad con el conocimiento que estoy haciendo las cosas que el quiere para mi. Aun que, estoy bien lejos de mi familia y mis amigos, estoy feliz con las cosas que tengo. Y yo se que mi Padre Celestial esta feliz también. Les amo mucho y ojalá ustedes tenían una buena navidad y tener un bien año nuevo!

 -Elder Copeland 

Week 21 - December 20, 2021

 Nahuala vs. Ixtahuacan

Crazy week in Nahuala.  Had 23 lessons and lots of new people we're teaching.  But every time we get close or feel like they can be baptized, something comes up that prevents them.  The usual is they work on Sunday which they can't give up, and not being married with who they are living with.  A lot of the non-members here aren't married, which makes it really hard to baptize.  There always seems to be something.

This week we had a Kiche' seminar with a former missionary that can speak English, Spanish, Kiche' and Mam.  I was watching it on Zoom while all of the Elders who are in Xela right now were there in person.  And I made a comment to everyone on Zoom and in person that I know I have the best Kiche' of any Gringo in the mission.  And that got everyone wanting to learn Kiche' because I called them out.  So now everyone is coming for me, so I've been studying a bunch haha.  I can now say a normal sized prayer, give my testimony off the top of my head, and do a full contact all in Kiche'.  I also found a English to Spanish to Kiche' dictionary that I bought, which has been great.  This week with a member I also learned the many differences between, K and K', Q and Q', L and L' , Chi and Chi', which I was told make all the difference in speaking.  It's very cool how intricate this language is, and how little a difference can change everything about the sentence.

Other thing, which I know my mom won't love, is that here in Nahuala, there is a really bad "war" going on with the people of Nahuala vs. the people of Ixtahuacan and Citijux which neighbor Nahuala.  All the people here are very nervous for themselves and even more for us missionaries. This past week,15 people were killed on Friday, including a member of the Citijux ward, in the conflict here that has been a thing for almost 25 years.  But now it is ramping up big time.  Yesterday we were eating lunch with the first counselor of the Xeraxon Ward, and he said that it is very scary to go to Xela right now if you are from Nahualae cause you have to pass through Citijux to get there, and that's where these killings are happening.  He also said that if he was on the bus to Xela and someone from Citijux or Ixtahuacan recognized him and knew he was from Nahuala, they would shoot and kill him.  So everyone is on edge here and staying put for now.  Hopefully things get better soon.  Also great news is that we have Zone conference tomorrow in Momos, so we will have to go to Xela on the bus . . . Wish us luck.

Saturday, we had a lesson through a phone call, an Investigator from Ixtahuacan.  And we asked if he would want to come to a sacrament meeting here in Nahuala this week and he said absolutely no chance because of the conflict.  Don't blame him.  It's pretty bad.

This week, broke a new record of 11 total borrachos coming up to me. (Drunks).  Completely wasted.  Some nice and some not so much.  They either come up to me like I am their best friend they haven't seen in a while, or come up to me and say every bad word in English they know.  Both are hilarious.  All have never showered a day in their lives, but I'm used to it now.  All of them at the end, nice or not, ask for money after they say what they want to hahah.  Here in Nahuala after 6pm, it looks like a Call of Duty zombies scene, just zombies barely able to stand up or sleeping face down on the road.  There are so many.  It's probably why there is a lot of fighting happening.

Pretty exciting week haha, but looking forward to having Zone Conference and Christmas this week, all of our lessons with members have revolved on the true meaning of Christmas and remembering our Savior.  He is the light of the world and our message to everybody.  Remember his birth in your homes this week and enjoy being with your families.  It will be interesting for me being in a War rather than at home this year, but I know this is where I need to be. 

I love you all and Merry Christmas!!

-Elder Copeland