heyyy
a lot of things just happened
hopefully I can get it all together
this week:
☆transfers
•7 months
•talk
•Austin, Texas
this was my last week here in Jaraguá. Jaraguá is where I arrived SIX MONTHS AGO in August.
from then until now I've grown a lot within the work, the language, my capabilities so it's been a challenge to feel plateaued by being in the same area and feeling like I'm progressing but not actually having anything change.
Jaraguá do Sul is a whole chapter in itself within my mission. I remember my first weeks in the parque malwee area,
with a lump in my throat
walking up giant hills in the pouring rain.
not speaking Português
with a comp who had no idea what I was saying, & I had no idea what was going on.
now I'm still walking up giant hills,
but this time
without pouring rain and instead it's 115 degrees
but now I can speak Português
and I get what's going on
I've grown a lot in Jaraguá. it humbled me, honestly was a trial of faith but ended up being something I'll now hold close to my heart.
It's crazy I arrived in Jaraguá with 1 month, and I'm leaving with 7
speaking of 7.
I hit 7 months! I can't tell what that feels like. getting older or still young.
alsoooo
Sister Weaver/ Texas Austin mission
I couldn't let this day go past without giving the biggest shoutout to Sister Weaver. Texas Austin mission! I can't wait for her to come back saying y'all.
when she got her call on Monday, she emailed me her login and password so I read where she was going and when I saw it, it's just perfect.
her video is so sweet. exactly 1 year apart, in the exact spot I was standing. I love Jane so much, oh sorry, Sister Weaver. ;) tbh you have no idea what's coming. 🫶🏻
so cool. buckle up 🤠
random:
-this week we had lunch with a Venezuelan family, and they told me I sound Venezuelan. I actually get the Hispanic accent comment a lot and I love it.
-we were walking and I saw these two teen girls, one with a Taylor Swift canvas tote, so I yelled "moça!!! você gosta da Taylor Swift?!?" you best believe we got their contact and invited them to church, too. that's peak using your resources.
-also, I gave a talk at church on Sunday about how the gospel brings joy. I spoke about the peace and purpose it brings. It felt good to be able to just speak instead of having to read word by word the Português
I really have been thinking of how I can write a farewell letter to Jaraguá. What I can say in this email to make Jaragua make sense.
all honesty, I've had a love-hate relationship with it.
it is the safest calmest city in all of Brazil.
and I'm pretty sure it's one the least successful mission area, number wise in all of Brazil as well.
the people have a lot of money, they're very religious, European and very, very closed.
and I've been here for 6 months. 1/3 of my mission.
I was kind of in shock when I arrived and realized how different my mission is going to be than I expected. this is not what you would think of when you think of Brazil.
before my mission when I learned my mission was a rich, European island, I was thinking...is this not peak life? sounds like quite my perfect situation.
then I got the door shut on me 677 times
for a couple weeks (months), I was really wrestling with why I was specifically called here, for the longer I've been here I've slowly little by little come to understand why this is-was my mission.
It took me 6 months, but I really think I got there.
when I come home, I think I'll laugh and roll my eyes about Jaraguá, but I really do love it. don't like it always, but I love it.
there are four areas within Jaraguá and I served in two of them. everyone was joking I'd have the Jaraguá do sul mission and just keep rotating between the four my entire mission.
the members became my family,
I memorized every house number and street and every record of every person who's ever lived here.
I know which bakery has the best pão de queijo.
all of the business owners wave at us as we walk past because we know each other by now.
I kept thinking how ready I was to leave until our last meal with my favorite members. they mentioned how it's probably my last lunch and they just looked at me and smiled and I walked out of that meal, and my heart broke a little
or when we went to my first convert, 9-year-old Nathaliá's house to say goodbye. and my heart broke again.
buttttt
after 6 months I got a call and
for the first time in my mission I will be leaving Jaraguá Do Sul
yes, I am being transferred!
AND YALL
I'M GOING TO THE BEACH
I'm going to Biguaçu!!! it's where the new temple will be!!
my companion is Sister de Sousa, from Brasil and I will be her senior comp.
I am very excited for an ocean breeze in this heat wow. I also heard there are favelas which I've been waitingggg for.
But always,
Jaraguá Do Sul
Eu vou ter Saudades
Até mais
love you all!!
Sister Copeland
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