hi!!
this email will be a little all over the place
my week
-divisions
-chicken heart & foot in the same week
every week we work on a different Christlike attribute. this week tested my patience
knocked on a door and asked if we could share a message about Jesus Christ. she goes "no sorry I'm Christian."
what
we went and visited a person who had literally requested a visit 2 times, then we go and they're upset.
like you left your entire government name, address, and phone number. twice. what do you expect, Andrea? oh my goodness.
so, then she was like, "Oh, must've been another Andrea," and I told her that's crazy that another Andrea has her exact address and phone number. what are the odds fr?
she didn't like that.
we're working on it
at least no hands were laid upon
I've improved from Ethan's basketball game last year
sorry to that random girl
as Natalie said, "you can't put your hands on people when you're 18"
but as my dad says
"It shows you care"
maybe in 9 months I'll be better.
then yesterday in the favela, we were talking with a guy inviting him to church and he said if I give him my ring then he'll go to church.
so I was like, "uh no, I like my ring. if you want to remember Jesus, you'll go to church.
he really just wanted my ring, and I was like yo, it was 5 reis and I like it so no.
guess who pulled up to church 😌
and guess who still has their ring ;)
unfortunately, some of the Irmãs at church said the same man attempted to rob their store and threatened to pour gasoline and light it on fire.
so now we have to be more careful, but people can always change.
it was testimony meeting so he also wanted to go up and bear his testimony, he went up and talked about how he was having problems at home and then two young women stopped him and invited him to church. he didn't mention the trying to rob me part, but I was happy to see him at church.
our baptism from a couple weeks ago, Alexandre, also received the priesthood this week, which is awesome.
& Darlan is still going strong every week, the most loyal member in entire city of Biguaçu
when it was testimony meeting, I turned around and told him he had to go and he just waved his finger at me.
this week when visiting Darlan, he prayed for us and this was his prayer
"please bless Sister Copeland because she now has a huge trial with having to teach in Português alone because before she had the help of Sister de Sousa and now Sister de Sousa has gone to Chapecó and Sister Copeland has to speak alone in Português. please bless her and her family in the United States."
amen, Darlan, amen
this week we set a baptism date with Marivan. he actually has a daughter who lives in Utah, married a member, was baptized but now they're both not active in the church.
we met him last week and he's currently going through a divorce and just found out he has cancer. so sad.
random:
-had Dr Pepper from the states for the first time since I left and honestly... not that good.
-saw baby capybaras
divison:
I had the division of all divisions
sister Evershedddd (future bridesmaid)
sister Evershed & I have come a long way together.
when I arrived on the island to be picked up by my trainer, she was there to pick up her trainee. that day was just a day I'll never forget. but I remember specifically a cute blonde girl w really long eyelashes who genuinely wanted to make me feel comforted and cared for.
9 months later, here we are, now I'm training & she's my STL.
dreams come true
and we finally got to do a division together!! and she came to Biguaçu!
and one thing hasn't changed, she genuinely wanted me to feel comforted and cared for.
I just love her so much, can't you tell? haha
ugh, if there's something about Evershed, it's when she talks about Christ, you can hear a pin drop because the spirit is so strong.
me and my comp are good! I have her tell me about her life in Português to practice and casually she told me she used to live in France and took surfing lessons with a professional body builder.
nonchalant
I also told her to tell me all about Harry Potter and I've never seen it, and this was how our convo went
"so, there's like sorority houses basically, right" -cope
"for you, you could just think of it as like the secret life of Mormon wives but instead they're secret wizards" -kearl
"so, when does the butterbeer come in?" -cope
we're doing great
on Sunday she bore her testimony in perfect Português, and I felt so proud of her
I definitely have used this idea before in an email about grace.
now I realize before my mission I lacked a lot of grace. I had little tolerance for people who couldn't succeed or get through things.
but this week at church got me thinking a lot about it again.
I always sit in the back with visitors or anyone who would be alone, and also this way I can look out and see everyone at the same time in front of me.
this Sunday as I was looking out, I looked at every family, young couple, old couple, single adult, teenager, tired mom, all of the different groups of people on the benches.
by now, I've been able to have lunch with at least all of them once.
one thing I've learned with having lunches with the members is the common truth that everyone is going through something.
every house I've entered, there has been a bigger story in the house than what we can see at the two hours we have at church, when everyone's in their Sunday best, settled on their benches.
the teenager who is fighting with her mom
the mom who is up all night with the baby
the father who is stressed making ends meet
the couple who is dealing with infertility
the overwhelmed bishop
the insecure president of the relief society
or the guy sitting next to me who's living in his car
or even if it's the young sister missionary who's homesick just trying to speak Português
every single one of them has something
yet every single one of them were all there, at church because we all have the same Savior. we're all there trying, renewing our covenants, and starting a new week on the best foot we know how.
even though they all had a reason to not show up. something that could cloud the hope.
because we all have something
and I know right now I'm really far away
but I still know that all of you have something, too
and I love you all
and so again,
I know you all have something right now
but better yet, I can promise that He knows,
so include him and he will lighten the load
I can promise that
have the best week
and if it's not the best week, then that's ok, too
"because of Jesus Christ, no matter how bad things are right now, your best days are ahead."
-Emily Belle Freeman
love you all
send me an update
sister copeland 💌
