Weeks 61-63 (CORRECT)

 Hi, everyone!  I hope everyone has been well! Sorry this email is coming out late!  I had an email written up, but it got deleted right as I was about to write 😭.  It was the most frustrating thing ever since I had written a long email/had taken a lot of time.  Anyways, I guess I start from the beginning haha.

After Elder Johns got E.T'd out of Livermore, me and Elder Astle held down Livermore.  We continued to visit Gilma, Hermana Patricia and her children, while also trying to visit the rest of our friends.  We weren't able to find many cool/progressing people while working which was pretty frustrating, but it turned out to be alright; we helped some of our progressing friends to continue to learn and feel the Spirit!

A funny story is while trying to visit a referral that we had received, we were able to receive his information and planned a time when we could meet up with him!  While going to knock on his door, the person inside opened up and questioned who we were; he made us write down our names and numbers on a piece of paper as a way to quote on quote, "sign in."  It turns out that the friend we had been talking to was in a schizophrenic household and the man that was questioning us was his health worker.  He questioned us for a while, but he eventually let us teach the referral we had received.  He was a super sweet and humble guy; he definitely wasn't there all the way, but we were able to help him understand the Godhead and the importance of prayer/how we pray!  It was honestly a really cool experience being able to help him learn more about the Gospel!   

During the final week me and Elder Astle had as well, we were able to help President Cable move a shed in his front yard, we helped a member from the English Ward move a huge pile of dirt into her backyard, and we were also able to help load and unload boxes from a storage unite to a member's house.  She was the sweetest lady ever; she gave us hugs afterwards. (Some Elders got mad [because technically we aren't allowed to hug women], but I told them to use common sense and get over themselves haha.)  

I was able to vote and the public library (they had some pretty funny anti-Mormon books there haha) for the election; I won't get political, but let's say I WAS MORE THAN PLEASED with the results 😀.  Another really cool thing I was able to do was go up to the temple with Susana, the recent convert I helped baptize in Greenfield, go to the temple for the first time and do baptisms for the dead!  She was definitely very nervous doing it (I don't blame her at all haha:  I remember how nervous I was the first time going) but soon loved it after!  It was really good to see her again and I was super happy that she was able to go to the temple!  I hope she can continue to progress! 

After the week had come to a close, it was the night of transfer news!  While waiting for the transfers roster to drop, I get a call from President Larson saying that he had called me to be a District Leader in Las Colinas!  As much as I hate leadership and being in charge, I accepted the call.  As much as I was excited to serve, I was definitely a little sad to leave Livermore and the people behind.  Elder Astle and Elder Johns were great companionship, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them!  Also, the members of the Branch were amazing! President Cable was such an amazing Branch President; he was always willing to help us out with our friends and was always looking to help strengthen and support the Branch!  The members were awesome as well!  Hermana Patricia and her sons were so sweet, and they always loved having us over!  We were able to help teach her and her twin sons, who were recently baptized, learn a little more!  I also loved being able to the help Gilma (the recent convert the Elders had taught and baptize) continue to read in scriptures!  She has such an amazing testimony, and I am so excited for her to continue to grow and progress along the covenant path!  While I was only in Livermore for a short time, I thoroughly enjoyed my time.  The area was gorgeous, and the people were so kind and willing to talk and listen to us.  While we weren't able to find any progressing friends while I was there, I have faith that Elder Astle and his new company will do great things while I'm gone! 

After packing up all of my stuff and heading down to the M.O, I met my new companion and headed to my new area!  Elder Perschon is a super nice guy!  He's only been in the mission for four months, so I've been able to help out with his training; it's been really good! I've been able to clean the area up quite a bit and we have a lot of really cool friends!  There are so many people in this area that have so MUCH potential on progressing towards baptism!  

 

Our friend Lucas (a really cool self-referral who we teach in his workshop: he's going to progress), Rodolfo (a man who has been taught almost everything and loved having us over but struggles getting to church, Jose A.G (an investigator that has been coming to church for a while but struggles with keeping commitments), Cirilo (kinda in the same boat as Jose A.G: struggles with faith a little but loves going to church, Cesar (a super funny/wholesome man who has been taught by missionaries for a while but can be hard to get in contact with at times) and a couple of other really cool friends!  This is the strongest area and ward I've ever been in; they always have activities and events throughout the week!  

Also, a member in the ward owns a Trader Joe's so whatever products they don't sell they donate to the church!  After every single service, there are boxes and boxes of Trader Joe supplies you can take; it's pretty awesome!  The ward is super super strong!  We've also been able to find some really cool people while I have been here!  We got a referral from a man named Rodolfo Santamaria who's really interested in learning more and changing! Also, a really cool experience happened!  While talking to our bishop, he gave us a number of a member who had recently moved here from Mexico to work at a really amazing store!  In this store, there are foods, snacks, and items from over 20 Latin American countries!  It was cool to see some of the stuff my cousins and friends have had or are currently having on their missions.  

Anyways, the lady working there (named Lorena Rica) moved over to San Jose from Mexico to work at this store [she knows the Boss].  One day while working, she felt inspired to ask our Bishop, who she didn't know at the time, if he was a member of the church!  They were able to get to know each other and Bishop was able to get her info!  He passed her info off to us and with that, we were able to meet her, introduce ourselves, and meet some of the friends she had for us to teach!  We were able to meet her boss and get his contact info.  Also, we were able to meet one of the costumers that shopped there regularly and get his info.  He told us he was interested in learning more!  She's such an amazing lady and has one of the strongest testimonies of the gospel I have ever seen!  

Another cool experience that I had is while trying to contact a referral I had on exchanges, shout out to Elder Schriever, we weren't able to find him, but we were able to teach his little sister.  She really wasn't that interested, but we got a return date regardless; when we came back the next time, we weren't able to find her, but we were able to find the original referral that we were looking for!  His name was Rodolfo and he was so cool!  He invited us into his house, and we were able to teach him about the Plan of Salvation and the purpose of life: he loved it!  He even came to church the following week!  

All in all, this area is super strong and there are so many amazing progressing people!  I really hope and pray that I can help these people continue to progress towards making and keeping a covenant!  I'm going to continue trying my best!  As hard as the mission is, it definitely has helped me to become more converted myself, and I hope to be able to do that with the people of San Jose!   Elder Copeland

Week 60 (CORRECT)

 the email got deleted so this one will just have photos 

Weeks 56-59 (CORRECT)

 Hey, everyone!  I hope everyone is doing well!  Sorry for not sending out emails lately, I've been busy up here in Livermore.  I need to be better at doing my emails.  I've been loving my time up here in Livermore with Elder Johns and Elder Astle; they're so fun!  We get along super well and have a great time working together.  

While serving in Livermore, we only work with Spanish Speakers.  So we cover Livermore, Pleasonton, and Dublin!  For the past four weeks, we've been trying to find people, but we really haven't had much success. A lot of the people that we talk to are pretty firm in their belief when it comes to religion, God, etc.  Most of the people I have spoken with believe that as long as you believe in God, it doesn't matter what religion you are part of.  We try to explain the Restoration and the Book of Mormon, but most people just don't seem to care.  It can get pretty frustrating, but I can understand where people come from.  I don't know how I'd react if a couple of random dudes, who were trying to speak to them in broken Spanish, about something they have never heard of.  I'll always love people for who they are, and understanding/meeting people where they are is so important. 

Luckily, we have a lot of cool recent converts down here.  A member that was baptized four years ago, named Patricia, has two little sons named Mateo and Manelo, who were baptized recently that we continue to minister to and teach!  They are super fun! They always have matching clothes, and they look and act very similar; Patricia is the best as well!  She calls us the fathers of her children 🤣.  I was able to give her a blessing in Spanish, as well, which was a really cool experience!  

We also have a recent convert named Gilma who's the absolute best!  She's from Venezuela and moved here to the states with her family.  She loves the missionaries and the church!  Whenever she has time, she's always trying to learn more and become more converted to the church.  Whenever we go over, she always has something for us to talk about. She has a granddaughter who's been coming to activities and church who we are trying to work with as well.  We're trying to work with the whole family, but they are usually pretty busy/tired from how much they have to work.  It blows my mind how much people have to work down here for so little; it's definitely super humbling to see how hard people work.  

We currently have a small branch down here, but we are looking to grow it/support it in any way possible that we can.  The Branch President is an amazing guy!  His name is President Cable.  He's a retired middle-aged man who can speak perfect Spanish; he's also really smart!  Me and him talked about investments and crypto for a while.  I'm excited to continue to talk to and meet the members of the Branch. 

The area I cover is really pretty!  We're surrounded by mountains, valleys, large trees, and various lakes!  The area is definitely hard when it comes to missionary work, but it's still an amazing area.  During the past four weeks as well, Elder Wada of the Seventy was able to come and visit our mission, which was a really cool experience.  He taught us a lot of things that we can use and apply to not only our friends, but ourselves as well!  I was also able to have interviews with President Larson.  I made sure to let him know I didn't want leadership still haha, so hopefully I continue to be free!  I also let him know that I want to continue to serve with Elder Johns and Elder Astle.  Hopefully I'll still be able too.

 

All in all, I've been doing well for the past four weeks! We're really trying to find a couple solid people who we can help progress!  It's been discouraging at times not to have anyone who's progressing, but I have faith that we will find some people who are prepared to receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  I'm exciting to continue to work and serve down here.  I wish I could write more about friends we have who are progressing, but we just haven't been able to.  It's alright, we'll continue to keep working hard and have faith that we'll meet someone who's prepared! 

I love my family and miss them so much!  They are the greatest thing to ever happen to me!  They are all so successful and such amazing examples to me!  I'm always super homesick haha but knowing God's plan of Redemption and knowing the possibility of us living together forever is so comforting to know!  Take care and see you guys next week! Send me emails or messages on messenger as well!  I am able to respond!  Elder Copeland

Weeks 54-55 (CORRECT)

Hey, guys!  I hope everyone is doing well!  Sorry for the late/combined email once again haha.  I've been busy finishing up my time in Greenfield and trying to do the work to the best of my ability.  I'm being transferred to an area called Livermore with Elder Astle and Elder Johns.  Funny enough I was supposed to be companions with Elder Johns during my first transfer in Watsonville (until President changed it with Elder Empey) and Elder Astle (who served in my district and who I was companions for a week with Elder Isaacson when Elder Candia got emergency transferred.) The best of it all is that I'M NOT IN LEADERSHIP 🥳.  I seriously pray that I'm never in Leadership. 

During the past weeks, however, we were able to visit Hermano Villa and help him clean up his kitchen and lift him.  We helped Tony budget out a couple things.  While at his house his neighbor came and asked us for a blessing. However, when we tried to go over there, her son, who was severely drunk, threatened us and told us to leave. 🤣. So, his mom called the cops on him, and I had to be a witness for them.  I don't know whatever happened to the guy, but I'll be praying for him.  Also, we were able to meet and give a friend of the sisters a blessing.  She has been recovering from a shooting in King City and is trying to learn how to walk again; she sadly lost her sister in the shooting.  It was definitely a super humbling experience and I'm glad we were able to help her out a little. 

We also helped out Hermano Mateo by giving him and his wife blessings!  He's going through a pretty hard situation with his family back in Mexico.  They won't accept him since he's a member of the church while the rest of his family are Jehovah Witnesses.  It's super sad and hard to see but his willingness to keep going is so inspiring!  We, also, helped members move furniture and boxes from storage units.  

On a lighter note, I was able to dance and learn some sign language with Johny!  That family is the best!  Also, we were able to have the baptism of Clemente and Irma!  It was such a good day!  Funny story though, since Elder Candia was unable to come down, I was asked to baptize Clemente and Irma.  The font that the Greenfield chapel is pretty small, and it isn't very spacious to say the least.  While baptizing Clemente, we were standing a little too close to the edge.  After saying the prayer, I went to submerge him, but I bonked him on the side of the font while doing so 😭.  I was able to somehow get him down still, but I was so embarrassed.  The witnesses and the crowd were in shock (and so was I).  Thankfully, he was not hurt and thought it was pretty funny!  Caleb (Clemente and Irma's little son) thought I was hurting him, so he started crying while his dad was in the font 🤣.  We kept reassuring him that everything was fine, and he eventually stopped haha.  I wanted to breakdown in the font but luckily, I kept it together.  The baptism of Irma went so smooth!  I made sure she was standing further away and that she made sure to bend her knees!  After, Hermano Mateo gave Clemente the Gift of the Holy Ghost while I was able to give Irma the gift of the Holy Ghost in Spanish!  It was one of the most special days of my life!  I'm so incredibly happy for them!  They're going to be lifelong converts without a doubt!  I'm so excited to see them one day enter the temple! 

Throughout the weeks, as well, we were able to visit and teach our friends Eloise, Jose, Arturo, Camilo, and his family, Susana, Freddy, Brian, and Cesar, Silvia, Elvira, etc.  Elder Paxman, Elder Ayerids, and their new companion are going to do great serving in Greenfield, Soledad, and Gonzales!  What they decided to do (which I don't necessarily agree with) was to put English Sisters in Greenfield!  But, they'll be covering the English speaking of Soledad, King City, and Greenfield while the other Elders and Sisters will be covering their areas, but only doing Spanish.  It's going to be really hard for the English Sisters with how much they are going to have to drive and how little English there is down in this area.  I guess they'll figure it out 🤣. 

My final days in Greenfield I was able to say goodbye to everyone!  We had dinner with Tony, Adri, and Estaban, and I was able to say goodbye to them!  I'll be forever grateful for them and their kindness and generosity towards me!  I loved being to go over there and help them with what they need! They also made us incredible food!  I'm excited to see how Tony, his family, and his business ends up doing!  

The next day, I was able to say goodbye to everyone!  Saying goodbye to everyone was so hard.  I first said goodbye to Hermano Villa!  I'm so grateful for the time I had with him!  I lifted him in and out of his bed for six months and I loved every minute of it!  He has such a strong spirit and such a positive outlook on life, regardless of the situation he has been put in. He got pretty emotional saying goodbye to me!  He truly is one of the best men I've ever met!  He even wrote us a poem just letting us know how grateful he was for us!  I'm seriously going to miss him so much! 

After, I was able to say goodbye to Silvia!  Silvia was the best as well!  We would always go and visit her throughout the weeks!  On Sundays, we'd always go over and visit with the other Elders and talk Chisme, etc. 🤣.  She was the sweetest lady ever!  After, I had to go say goodbye to Freddy, Brian, and Cesar!  This was so sad!  Brian and Cesar were basically my family away from family!  I really hope that they can continue to come to church throughout the years and grow up in the gospel so that one when they are ready, they can get baptized and become members!  I was also sad to say goodbye to Freddy.  Seeing him progress throughout my time in Greenfield was so special.  He changed so much physically, mentally, and spiritually!  He was able to overcome some hard things in his past, get a job, receive the Priesthood, and of course, seeing him get baptized was awesome!  

After, we got to say goodbye to Ayrelle and then Clemente and Irma!  It was so sad saying goodbye to them!  It was so awesome to be able to find them and help them progress!  Seeing them grow in the gospel was so amazing, especially their baptism!  While visiting with them, we talked and joked about our time together!  They even let Caleb sit on my lap, which was the cutest thing ever!  He would always bring us waters when we'd come over!  I'm seriously so happy for Clemente and Irma and for them planning on entering the temple when they can!  After, I said goodbye to Susana!  That was super sad!  I'm so proud of Susana and how far she progressed!  She has an amazing future!  I'm happy I was able to help Susana be baptized and give her the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Susana was our friend we could always go to talk; whether it be gospel related or not!  

We ended the night by saying goodbye to Mateo and the district!  I'll forever be grateful for the friends and people I have met down here in Greenfield!  Not only did Greenfield change me as a missionary, but it changed me as a person for the better!  I'm most definitely planning on coming back here and visiting these people.  The members and the people down here will forever be lifelong friends of mine!  I'm so grateful for the time I had down here!  On to the next!  Elder Copeland