Week 47 - June 26, 2017

Woww, 11 Months already?! 

It's going by too quickly!  This week was such a blur, but it was incredible!  We were able to see loads of miracles and Bir got baptized!  What an incredible man, but more to him later!

Tuesday:   We had Scotland South!  It was our Zone, Paisley Zone and Edinburgh Zone. We received some really great instructions from President and Sister Donaldson, and they talked a lot about the Apostasy and need for a Restoration.  After Jesus Christ and his Apostles died, people changed so many basic truths, how could there not be a need for a restoring?  It seems that all the bashers I ever talk too can never actually answer what God's true church on the earth today is, and that's where I feel blessed to know that it is here!  Right now!  It was good to see some Elders before they go home as well.  Once you get about this far out, all the people you become friends with in the beginning start to leave :(  In the evening, we had a lesson with Bir, and he said he was ready to be baptized and follow all of God's commandments!

 (Views of Glasgow.)

Wednesday:  Lots of finding, and we had our interviews with President.  I love that man.  We had a nice chat about the Conference and what I have been studying recently.  He shared some stories with me that I was touched by, and told me to keep killin' it in the city. We taught a new guy named Mark later on.  He was nice, but didn't want to get too involved. We went over to Angel and David's in the evening and taught them the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity.   They're just kids though and they were saying girls and boys are gross, they don't ever want a relationship, and they can't drink alcohol anyways 😂Love em. 

Thursday:  Such a great day!  We found in the morning, then set up Bir's baptism! Everything was perfect.  A lot of people attended, and we had a lot of Recent Converts give talks and prayers.  I was the Elder to give a wee talk on the Holy Ghost and how it has guided me in my life.  It's so cool because not only will Bir be able to physically help people because he's a doctor and all, but once he receives the Priesthood, he can spiritually help others.  I got teared up talking to him about that.  He is such a good man.  Elder Wang was the Elder to baptize him.  He was glowing afterwards.  Peong was able to come and watch as well.  He's been on holiday for awhile! 

Friday:  A busy day!  We had lots of new Chinese potentials to meet with.  We started with Sandra and Lynn.  Lynn believes in God and was loving the Restoration.  Sandra is an  atheist Chinese girl, but she likes hanging with us. Then we met with a guy named Zhiqu.  He took a Book of Mormon; we're meeting with him again next week.  Then we taught our friend Lydia who came to church and she brought her boyfriend and another friend!  They both were kind, but not that interested.  Lydia loves it though.  We should be seeing her more this week!  Then we taught RC Jacen in the evening, trying to get him to come to church. 

Saturday:  I passed my theory test for my UK drivers license, that was sweet!  The tests are a lot harder here, and they make you do way more to get a license.  I guess that makes sense though.  The roads are tiny and always overcrowded here.  We had some finding in the city, always chaos on a Saturday.  In the evening, we taught Lydia and her boyfriend again, then went to dinner with Margaret and Jasmine who just got back from China!  Love the Chinese converts, they are hilarious. 

Sunday:  We planned on having nine of our friends at church, but only three showed.. AGH!!   Angel and David were there with the fam, and they actually brought along another less active family, which the dad hasn't been baptized yet.  His name is Qiang, and we're going to visit their family this week, woo!!  Best part of the day though was Bir's Confirmation.  I was able to do it, and it was powerful.  I had a few things I was going to say in the blessing, but no joke, everything that came out of my mouth wasn't from me.  It was one of the most overwhelming experiences I have had on my mission.  I promised him things that I never could have imagined.  After I finished, he got up and gave me a hug, and we were both teary, it was really special.  A lot of our friends are planning on seeing us this week even though they couldn't make it to church, so I pray they can make it next week!

So that was my week, it was a good one.  This week we are planning on having Angel and David's baptisms.  They passed their interviews and are excited!  They asked me to baptize them, so I am excited for that as well!  I am thankful for the blessing the Lord has been pouring out recently to us.  Seriously, I am so blessed and thankful for the life I have, and for this opportunity to be a servant of God.  No greater joy comes than from serving others, especially with things that will eternally bless them.   I love you all so much and hope you have a great week, keep enjoying summer!  Bye! :)

Elder Copeland 

 (On the mission home plaque:  "What 'ere thou art, act well thy part.")

This is called the David O. McKay stone:  Watch the short video below to understand why:

David O. McKay Stone 

Week 46 - June 19, 2017

Hiya, guys! 

Another great week out on the mish.  It flew by as always.  Just lots of hard work.  Nothing too crazy, but we have a lot ahead of us these next few weeks to be excited for! 

Tuesday:   We had a great District Meeting.  We talked about getting our friends to church and helping them take the Sacrament and feel the Spirit!  Right before District Meeting, Elder Ward tossed the keys out of his car to some missionaries to get into the building, but he overthrew them and they landed in the bushes, and were lost... All of the missionaries looked for an hour or two for them, and we couldn't find them!  That was the only key we all had to get in and out of the building throughout the week, so we all prayed what to do.  I had an idea.  I knew a guy named Martin who I talk to all the time, who owns a store with a metal detector.  I called him up, asked him if we could come grab it and borrow it, and he says, "Of course you can, Elder, why would you even ask?  Come down and get it!"  So, we drove down and got a metal detector 😂  We kept digging and searching around and we actually found all kinds of stuff including a massive wrench buried in the ground haha, and then we finally found the keys!  It was pretty hilarious.  It's kind of cool being outside all the time as well and talking to people because you make friends with the locals and can get funny match ups like that.  

We taught John in the evening.  He took a train from Preston all the way up here to just meet with us and feed us.  He is doing well.  He just needs to go to church in Preston!  In the evening, we had Ward Council and Coordination.

Wednesday:  We went over to Whenzen's home in the morning and taught Angel and David the Ten Commandments.  I love teaching kids.  They're hilarious haha.  

They make everything simple, and that's really how the gospel should be taught.  Too many people expect to know every single answer to everything these days, and can't just focus on simple truths and the Spirit.  They are excited for their baptism next week!  The rest of the day we went finding, and in the evening we saw Bir!  He brought me back a tie and some jelly beans from Platform 9 3/4 because he knew how much I love Harry Potter.  What a guy!  He told us he couldn't come to church this week because his friends are coming over from Thailand, but that he wanted to get baptized next week and had made his decision, WOO!! 

(Gifts from Bir to Elder Copeland)

Thursday:  Just a full day of finding, a lot of new Chinese students just got here for Uni so we are getting loads of potentials, I'm excited!  We were supposed to meet Lisa, but she is really sick this week and went to the hospital.  We went on splits in the evening to hit up two dinner appointments.  I went with Elder Woodfield to a carvery! 

Friday:  We were on exchanges with the Zl's for the day.  I was with Woody.  In the morning, we were doing some finding and I found a girl named Anca from Romania.  We had an on the spot lesson with her.  She is actually studying up in Aberdeen, just was down here to pick up her mum.  We taught her the Plan of Salvation and she loved it.  We gave her the Aberdeen Elders' number so hopefully she will go up there and meet with them.  We drove over to one of the Zl's investigator's homes named Ebenezer from Ghana.  He had an issue in his baptismal interview which needed President Donaldson to come and talk to him about, so that meant a nice phone call to him haha.  President said he would be up in the evening to talk to him, so we went out and did more finding.  We had another lesson with one of their investigators named Diane from Latvia.  It went well!  In the evening, we had Ebenezer come to the church, and President and Sister Donaldson came.  It was great to see them for a little.  President had a small chat with Ebenezer and said that he was good to go!  Woo!

Saturday:  We had some finding in the morning and RC Sandy had a lesson.  He is going to the temple next week!  We taught our landlord named Tommy.  He is a nice lad.  He has had missionaries in his flat for 12 years, says we always pay our rent on time and cause no problems!  He invited us to a Celtic Football game in a few months if we are still here, wasn't too interested in the gospel, but a really good man.  We also taught a new Chinese girl named Lizzy and she is GOLDEN!  She loved the Godhead and we set her with a baptismal date.  She asked if she could see a baptism, and of course we were having Ebenezers that evening!  She came with us to it, and loved it!  It was a great service and Ebenezer was loving it.  

Sunday:  We were able to have Angel, David, and a new friend from China named Lydia! Lizzy accidentally slept in.  Lisa was suppose to come but too sick still, and Bir was with his friends.  Although we were suppose to have more people, it was okay and everyone is doing well.  After church, we just did some planning and finding.

So that was my week!  It was just really busy setting people up for baptisms in the coming weeks.  Please pray for Bir this week that he may be able to make that decision 100% and be baptized.  He is an incredible man and I love him a lot and know how much this will bless him.  I am thankful for you guys and for continuing to love and support me on my mission.  I will talk to you soon! 😇

Elder Copeland

OH! Forgot, Look up the Iron Cowboy, we ran into him on the streets, and got a picture. He is a member and actually has an incredible story! Another famous Mormon I've met wooo! :) 
 

 (The Iron Cowboy with the missionaries.) 

(Busy Buchanan Street on a Saturday)

(Japanese food.)

Week 45 - June 12, 2017

Hiya, fam!  

Good to hear from you all.  Seems like everyone's having a good summer so far!  It's been pretty rainy and wet this week so not as fun, but the mission work is going well!  Anyways, I'll go through the week.

Tuesday:  We had ZLC in the morning.  It was a really powerful meeting.  President Donaldson has asked all of us to Re-Dedicate ourselves to the work.  In the council, we talked about ways we can do so, and came up with an idea to go on top of a mountain, since we don't have a temple on our mission, and pray!  After ZLC, we had a district meeting, and talked about our goals for this new transfer to bring others unto Christ.  I was on exchanges with Elder Trease and we had good fun.  He was the Elder who sat next to me when I got to Edinburgh.  I was actually hoping he would train me haha!  But we GQ'd in the city for the rest of the day!

Wednesday:  We had a pretty busy day planned, but a lot of lessons fell through.  We were able to go and teach Lisa, who came to church.  She has already become friends with Elder Wang's mum back in China, and she really likes the Restoration!  She committed to being baptized at the end of the month.  Later on, we taught RC Sandy, then Bir took us to his Thai place for Dinner!  He had them bring out pretty much everything on the menu, and we were so full and it just kept coming!  We taught him afterwards and had a really powerful lesson.  He recommitted to being baptized at the end of this month!

Thursday:  We had breakfast with a Chinese family who owns a China Wok in town.  They made me Hong Kong french toast.  It was flippen incredible!  We also went over and taught David and Angel again!  They committed to being baptized at the end of the month as well! it's fun teaching kids, because you have to teach simply and be exciting.  We seem to be doing pretty well though!  They then fed us KFC for lunch, and we went over and taught Hannah who I had met and taught in Aberdeen for five months!  She is working down here for the summer.  We committed her to actually read the Book of Mormon this time for an answer.

Friday:  We had a full day of finding!  The city was packed, it was good criac.  In the evening, we had a Fiesta Friday and invited a bunch of investigators to come.  It was really good! 

 

(Pictures of Glaslow.)

Saturday:  We were able to go in the morning with our District up to Loch Loman and did a hike on top of the mountains.  It was a really cool experience.  On the way up, it was all misty and rainy, and I was able to get down and pray at the top and got some answers to questions.  After I finished, all the fog just disappeared.  We had a mini-testimony meeting up there as well.  I realized how a mission is just like climbing the mountain.  Sometimes it's hard, wet, and muddy.  You just want to stop and go back down.  But if you keep climbing, and get to the top, the view is amazing.  God answers prayers in amazing ways, and It was a truly humbling experience.  

After that, we taught Lisa again, and then did some finding in the city.  There was sooo many people here for the England VS. Scotland Football match.   We went over and taught David and Angel in the evening!

Sunday:  We were only able to have David and Angel's family at church.  A lot of investigators were out of town for holiday, but it was okay!  It was a pretty relaxed Sunday, and I felt a lot of peace.  We just did some finding and had another hotpot with Margaret in the evening. 

Today we got to go over to Celtic Stadium and take some pics, but they were closed, so we couldn't go in, dang it!  

 

 

But, I am thankful for the trials of a mission, for the experiences I have been able to have lately, and the miracles we have been able to see.  As long as we keep working hard, we are going to see a lot of success in the coming weeks!  It's all about the Lord's timing, not our own I have learned here in Glasgow.  I love you guys and hope you have a great week! 

Elder Copeland 

(Kendra made this cool art of Nephi for Elder Copeland.)

Week 44 - June 5, 2017

Hiya, Fam!  

This week was a tough one, a lot of ups and downs.  But I am thankful for the Saviour carrying me through it. 

Tuesday:  We had a pretty busy day!  Our first lesson was with Ali.  He loved church, but the only problem was is that he headed to England on Friday.  He said that he might be getting a job there, so who knows if he is coming back. :/  We had another lesson with a new guy named Adam, from Northern Ireland... that meant a bash hahahha.  Right after his bash, we walked over to the subway to meet Peong.  This man comes up to Elder Wang and I, and oh boy.  It got heated.  He begins to scream at us, saying we're forcing religion down people's throats, and starts yelling at us to punch him, and then takes some pictures of us and says he's going to get us arrested blah blah blah.  Peong watched the entire thing, and was just laughing at this dude.  He asked if that's normal?  We taught him how sometimes things like that happen, but that the wicked will always try and stop the righteous!  Later in the evening, we had another lesson with Bir and just went over some more for his baptism!  Bir is honestly one of the most amazing men I have ever met.  He is already a doctor, getting another PHD here in nutrition, and all he wants to do with his life is serve and help others all over the world.   He knows the gospel is true and he has such a strong desire to be baptized. 

Wednesday:  Pretty crazy day.  In the morning, we got to go get breakfast with Elder Rich or I guess DJ Rich now.  It was good to say bye to him and meet his fam!  After that, we did some finding.  Later, the other Elders had a baptism for their investigator Bonnie. We went with Bir to it. 

Thursday:  A pretty slow day, we taught John again.  He is renting his flat out here now to some people, so that means he won't be here on the weekends.  We got the missionaries' number in Preston though, so that means we can teach him here, and he can go to church there with the Elders, and get baptized at some point somewhere.  We had another lesson with Bir in the evening, just talked to him some more.  Lots of finding! 

Friday:  We had a lot of finding!  In the evening, we went over to Wenzhen's home for dinner with her family!  Her kids are crazy, it's hard trying to teach them about Jesus, especially since I have never taught kids on my mission haha!  But it was well!  Not much more.

Saturday:   We had a lesson in the morning with a new investigator named Sophie from Scotland!  She is so shy but enjoyed hearing about the Holy Ghost!  She wasn't able to come to church this week, but she wants to meet again!  We taught Echo another lesson as well with her son.  She had gotten Anti'd.... and decided that she didn't want to learn anymore.  That was tough.  A lot of Chinese people are scared to trust people, especially religious people.  But we just testified to her of the truth of the Book of Mormon and left her with that.  In the evening, we had another lesson with Bir and had dinner with a RC Jacen. 

Sunday:  In the morning, we were able to go to another Elder's baptism for their friend Ryan!  Afterwards, we had church.  We had five of our friends with us:  Bir, and Wenzhen's family, and two new girls named Lisa and Betty from Hong Kong!  Elder Wang met them a long time ago, but they went back to China for a while, but are here again!  It was really good to see so many people there.  In the evening, we went finding a lot and met up with Elder Reece, well Zach now and his family! 

 

 Elder Rich, Elder Oxspring, and Elder Reece :) 

They took us to get pizza and we showed them the Glasgow Cathedral!  It's great seeing friends from the mission.  I miss them a lot!

 

Monday:  We got to go with Elder Reece and his fam to another castle in the morning! (Bothwell Castle).   It was well good, and then we played some bball with the other missionaries.

So that was my week!  Obviously a lot of disappointments, but also a lot of miracles.  We are now going into a new transfer.  That means we can look back and see how we did, and also set some goals on how to be better.  It's all about improving!  I am thankful to be able to be brought low, and to be humbled.  It allows me to get down on my knees and pray to my Father to help me out.  This truly is his work, and I know that as we continue to work as hard as we can, we WILL be blessed!  I love you guys.  Have a good week, talk to you soon! :) 

Elder Copeland