I can't believe I have been out for two months already. It feels like a week ago that I was saying bye to everyone at the airport! Time flies when you're doing the work, and although it is the hardest thing I have EVER done, I am loving it so much. Your continuous support and e-mails help me get through each week! All the guys are telling me that it just goes faster and faster each month, too. It's flipping nuts. I'll go through my week as best as possible, but I barely can even remember what happened yesterday, so I apologize haha.
Tuesday: We started off by heading over to the Stake Centre for our District Meeting. I got to share the importance of love for our
companions and our investigators and it went pretty swell. I also
learned more about the importance of diligent working and how I can work
on improving my Christ-like attributes! After the meeting, we headed
over to the library and taught one of our more solid investigators named
Pawel. We brought with us a recent convert to our ward named Sabine and he was in
love with her, so he told us he would come to church with us Sunday if
she was there haha. After Pawel, we GQ'd for a few hours at the university.
Then we taught another very atheist guy named Max who agreed to come to
church with us, too, and experiment on our church and see if God is truly
there. We then went over to ward coordination, GQ'd some more, and
called it a day.
Wednesday: A really busy day! We taught David the importance of
temple work, since he will be going with the Ward next week for their
temple trip and will be doing baptisms for the first time. Then we
taught Vicky more about the Book of Mormon, and helped her read some of 2 Nephi.
Then we taught some new investigators at the university library named Natasha
and Uaurika. Both of their lessons went well, then we headed over to the
sports village and taught Zsolt. After that, we got on a bus and headed
out of the city to the Bishop's house for dinner. We got so lost in the
country side. I literally thought I was in LOTR or something, just
grasslands, sheep, and old cottages. He had to come pick us up in the
middle of nowhere, and we only had a ten minute dinner. He wasn't too
keen to talk to us that night haha.
Thursday: Another crazy busy day! We taught Pawel again. He is
doing pretty well with the lessons and says he has read half of the Book of Mormon. Then we GQ'd for a couple hours--nothing new. Then we taught a guy
named Alex who tried to Bible bash with us so hardcore. In Scotland, a
lot of the people are verrryyy Catholic, but it's super funny when they
try to argue with us about doctrine, and we literally tie their tongues
and have them lost in their own words. We're only 19-year-old guys who
have barely read the Bible and know more about it than these guys who have lived
the Bible their entire lives. It is pretty funny. It only testifies to
me more how true our church is, and I don't want to get into detail, but
by the time I get home, I'll have so much knowledge, it'll be sweet! haha
Friday: Today was a lot more relaxed compared to the other days. We
worked on our area book because the weather was really crappy (I mean,
it's Scotland--the weather is not usually good) and cleaned it up a little. Then we
had our weekly planning, Elder Elsmore and I will be staying here in
Aberdeen for another six weeks to finish off my training, but after that,
who knows if I'll stay and train, or go somewhere else! We then went
over to John Howard's house and had a nice little lesson with him. I will
try to get some videos of Johnny because I really can't explain him at
all. You just will have to see haha. We then had like three lessons planned
which all fell through! But it was okay, we GQ'd instead. Then we headed
over to our church for a baptism! The ZL's baptized a girl named Mary. It was good to go to it. I hope one day to be able to do that with
someone!
Saturday: Today was a pretty tough day. We taught Pawel again. He
told us he is coming to church! Then we taught a man from Hungary named
Kornel. He speaks very little English but is super interested in the
Book of Mormon. So we had Zsolt come with us and translate our entire lesson! It
was actually really cool, and we told him we will try and get the
Hungarian missionaries on Skype next time he wants to meet up! We then
had another three lessons planned... that fell through.. AGH. Why do people
tell us they want to meet up, confirm it the day of, then stop
responding to our calls and texts and never show up? Just say, "No thanks,"
if you don't want your soul to be saved! That is the only reason we're
here! ;) Haha It isnt a big deal though. We just GQ'd instead for the
night.
Sunday: Haha what a day. We met Pawel and Max at the bus stop to
come to church with us. As soon as we said church was three hours, Pawel
said he had to go to the bathroom in the store nearby and that he would
be right back, and never came back haha! He literally ran away from us. We called him later that night and he told us he wasn't feeling good and
that he will come next week if Sabine is there. Whatta joke. But, Max
came to church with us, and sadly, he told us he didn't feel anything
and that he was done trying to find God :/ That kind of sucked, but that
just means he wasn't prepared, and he wasn't really reading the Book of Mormon
with true intent to know if what we taught him was real. But after
church, we taught another lesson with the American Girls. It went really
well. Hopefully we can keep teaching them once they get back from
Octoberfest or whatever it is. After that, we had three more lessons
planned... surprise! Fell through.. haha No worries though. We went and
GQ'd and got invited to go to a church service in the evening at the
King's Community Church. We walk in to a huge rock Christian concert
where everyone is yelling, "PRAISE JESUS." It was quite the happy clappy
church. It was fun though. I was having a good time, the music was
pretty fun. But there definitely wasn't the Spirit there, just a good
time with nice people! After that we went home and had dinner and called
it a day.
So that was my week as best as I can remember! It was pretty busy. We had decent success, but of course this mission is HARD. Top 5 least
baptisms mission in the world is what I was told. But that is okay! As I
continue to put my trust in the Lord and do my best, we will be blessed
for it and I already have been able to feel his love so much more for
me. I have grown up a lot, and learned to put my trust in God for all
things. I love my mission, I miss you all so much, and can't wait for
these next two months and for how fast they will fly by!
Elder Copeland
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