Week 44 - May 18, 2026

 ok! so this week

this week it hit 60 degrees and I almost died

we went out in 72-degree weather and I had 2 sweaters on and 2 pairs of socks on.

my week:

-division w stls

-working w sister Margraf

-freezing

one of the members, Carol was set apart as a missionary, so she came out and worked with us.

I'll miss her

she's going to Japan! 

had another division w our stls! 

I worked with sister Mendes from Salvador

training has been going good, it has its challenges. it's been a little quieter trying to find things in common to talk about. 

I also feel wiped teaching everything alone, but it's been humbling so that's good

I don't know why last week I was nonchalant about hitting 10 months

I feel like I go home tomorrow 

like one day I had 4000 days left and now I'm in the 100's

197 

but still

I would say now my mission is flying

but like the flight has turbulence

-divisions

-last interview w Pres Finholdt 

had another division w our stls! 

I worked with sister Mendes from Salvador

we always talk about being comps, so now we were able to be comps for a day. 

she is so special 

converted to the church at 19

on a mission 

makes everyone she's with feel like 1m dollars 

my mission has been isolating and lonely at times because we can't see other missionaries, so divisions always make me happy!

our friend Jr. is progressing so well. he's been learning about the church for over a year now. he said he's always had an issue about finding something wrong about churches and never going back. 

but the one he went to and couldn't find anything wrong with,

was the Church of Jesus Christ

I'll always say, there's people that run his church and the people in the church are far from perfect 

but the church and doctrine are perfect

because it's Jesus's 

he rejected our baptism invite two weeks ago, and I was going to back off a little

but on Sunday, as we were teaching him after church, I just had to ask again. the Spirit was begging. 

so, I extended the invite 

& he accepted 

tonight we went to his house and are currently helping him give up smoking and drinking. we have a goal to cut his intake in half and do a fast together for 24 hours. 

the miracles I have seen on my mission from fasting are inexplicable, and I know it works 

I gave him a photo of Jesus as a reminder of our goal and as we got back to our house, he sent us this photo and said "thank you, sisters"

I hope you guys aren't sick of me saying this

but missions are rough,

and I didn't believe that before 

but wow! my testimony is my most precious thing I have ever had in my life. I am so thankful for my testimony. it is my anchor, my joy, my peace, my direction, and my why. 

today when we were teaching Junior and he had his box of cigarettes in one hand,

his head laying on his other hand in stress

I pointed at that photo of Jesus and said, 

"ele é seu porque"

he is your why

and oh, how he is mine 

sister copeland