Weeks 69 and 70 - October 20, 2023

Two more weeks down!  I hit 16 months and this transfer is getting towards the end.  Last two weeks have been busy with a lot of the same stuff--running around talking with everyone to grow our teaching pool.  We've got a solid group of people progressing and making changes in their lives. Nothing new or secret to finding people.  You have got to put in the time to see your efforts pay off.  Some people accept it and others don't.  Our job is to talk to those who are willing and to give everyone a chance.

This past week we had interviews with the mission president and after he took me and my comp out to dinner.  We gave him the option to choose because we didn't know what was around, and so without hesitating he brought up the idea of going to a place called Mundo Animal.  We showed up and it was straight up a fancy Chuck-e-Cheese.  The only people that were there to eat were for little kids' birthday parties and then us three in white shirts and a tie.  We thought it was a joke at first, but Pres was being serious so we trusted him.  It ended up being a blast and the food couldn't have been any better.  I couldn't tell if Pres or us were more excited to take a picture with the mascots after dinner.  Everyone in the place was just as confused as to why we were, there but we just owned it and had a good time. 

Something I've been reminded of in this last little bit is that there are no shortcuts to doing things the right way.  Doing things the right way in order to have good quality results always comes with a sacrifice that is usually our time and effort.  Taking the easy way out is a decision we make because of the desire to have success fast.  However, that's not necessarily how things work.  The steps taken in the process to achieve something are there for a reason.  Whether it be school, sports, work, or our testimonies, failure and setback are meant to happen.  The process gives us a chance to learn from our mistakes and grow and become better.  This type of mentality is key to being able to maintain focus on our end goal but trust the process and be willing to change with time to achieve that.

Love this work and all of the experiences it gives you!

Elder Copeland