Week 42 - February 27, 2023

Hello, everyone.  I hope all is well wherever you are!! Everything is good here in Virginia especially because it's finally warming up and the blossoms are coming 😁

These past few weeks, Sister Fry and I have been trying to find and work with the members so much!  Both weren't really taking us anywhere and we felt discouraged.  But don't worry--this email is not going to be a time where I complain or tell y'all all the negative things that happened this week.  Instead, I'll tell you all I'm learning because of it.  I know that trials are for our good, for our growth.  As we have our perspective on how Heavenly Father sees our divine potential and he will refine us to the person he needs us to be, a trial feels a lot more fun!

 

I remember my brother Kade gave me some advice before my mission and he told me, "Give all you can and have fun!  Make the best of it and if someone rejects you, make the most of it because there will be lots of bad days.  Just do your part and laugh and smile!"  So, I took his advice and did exactly that. When a door would slam in our face or we'd get bashed, we walked away knowing we gave our all and we did what the Lord needed us to do, and we'd laugh and keep going!  Even when it felt so hard!

But the Lord knows us, our wants and our needs.  He knew how much me and Sister Fry wanted to just have someone listen to us, let us in, talk to us, and share our message with anyone!  It was coming to the end of our day and we hadn't had any success so we were pretty sad, but it didn't stop us. We went and knocked on our last door and THEY ANSWERED, THEY LISTENED, THEY WANTED TO KNOW MORE!  HE knew we needed that, and we knew that he was leading us to the right place.  I'm so grateful to know that the Lord knows me and cares about me!  I'm so grateful to be an instrument in his work and that I get to meet so many of God's children!  I'm so grateful for the hard days, the good days, the long days, the miracles I see, the testimony I'm growing!  I'm just so grateful for it all and especially that as a missionary my purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ and partake of his goodness just like I have, and I hope to continue helping other nourish their faith! 

2 Nephi 26:33

"For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile."

Found a cute old piano in an old apartment complex lol 

Our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ only do things that will benefit us for our good.  They are the source of all good and I love them both with everything in me!!

I love and miss y'all! 

Oh!  The pictures are going to confuse you because YES THERE WAS A CAMEL IN VIRGINIA!!!  HAHA

I'm not kidding this CAMEL tried to attack me!  it was terrifying as you can tell.

#CTR

-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND 

Week 41 - February 20, 2023

 Okay, I don't have a ton to say about this week!  But first, we had Zone Conference on Tuesday, and it was incredible and all focused on the Temple!  

We are currently preparing for the Richmond Temple Open House and found out all the Sisters in the mission get to be a part of it and usher 🥳🥳.  I've never been so excited!!  I miss the temple more than anything.  Zone Conference is literally a little General Conference.  I always feel the Spirit so strong and feel so grateful for such amazing leaders here in the VRM!  Here's a quote that we read that has stuck with me:

"The temple itself becomes a symbol. If you have seen one of the temples at night, fully lighted, you know what an impressive sight that can be. The house of the Lord, bathed in light, standing out in the darkness, becomes symbolic of the power and the inspiration of the gospel of Jesus Christ standing as a beacon in a world that sinks ever further into spiritual darkness." By President Russell M Nelson

It's so true!!  As we keep our focus on the temple and our covenants, life just makes more sense and is a lot more bright!!!   Also, covenants are just the coolest thing ever!

I LOVE VIRGINIA

My grandma sent me an email last week with this quote and it's been something that has helped me through this week.  "We cannot force someone to hear a message they are not ready to receive, but we must never underestimate the power of planting a seed."  

This is so essential to remember as a missionary and as a disciple of Christ.  Even though a lot of people didn't want to hear our message, we kept remembering the power of planting a seed and remembering the Lord only asks us to do what we can, and others have their agency to accept or reject!  So, thanks so much Grandma❤️❤️

FREEZING

There are always some crazy things that happen on the mission, but I love being a missionary more than anything!  My friend Maggie from Culpeper came and visited and took me and Sister Fry out to lunch!!  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the people the Lord puts in my life.  It's proof that he knows me and loves me, and I love him!!!

MAGGIE

Also, everyone go give my sister-in-law, Ellie, a big hug for me!!!  I miss and love her so much, so grateful for her!!  She's such a pure light, hope you had the best birthday ever❤️❤️

I hope you're all doing well and had a good Valentines!!!  I love and miss you!

#CTR

-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND 

Week 40 - February 13, 2023

I cannot even believe I'm writing another email and that I've been a missionary for nine months already!!!  It is going way too fast--I never want to not be a missionary.  I love this work with everything in me.

  

This week we had transfers so that means new goals and ideas for things we want to accomplish this transfer!  We want to focus a lot on helping our ward this transfer, and we are already seeing so many blessings by doing so.  We have been able to spend time with lots of members!  

A member gave us a ton of referrals and less active members to go and visit, so we did!  While we were going to visit Candice, we knock and it's definitely not Candice.  This woman couldn't speak English, so I used my Spanish skills (I know nothing) but told her we have some Spanish friends that will come by and she kept saying "Gracias," so I'm thinking my Spanish worked, but honestly probably not haha!  Okay, but beside the point, as we were leaving, we were going down the stairs and I saw a woman sitting on her front porch by herself, so we started to walk over and complimented her hair, and we all start talking and she goes, "Are y'all those Mormons?"  And we responded and told her who we are and she said, "I follow this man on YouTube who is a member and I just love how pure your teachings are.  I think everyone needs that pureness."  So, we end up talking about some of our beliefs and hers and gave her a Book of Mormon and she said, "This is the best gift I've been given, this book is going to become my best friend."  It was incredible, we are going back tonight!!  Everyone pray for Vanessa.  This experience meant so much to me and Sister Fry knowing that the Lord prepared her and us at the time to be in the right place, and the Holy Ghost helped us know to talk to her. 

When she mentioned that the Book of Mormon is the best gift she's been given, it reminded me of the talk: "The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?" by President Russell M. Nelson.

I would give you the run down, but it's worth the read!!!  SO READ:) Truly the Book of Mormon means more to me than anything, I find myself reading it SO MUCH!  I love how the stories can relate to everyone we are around.  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and y'all can know that, too, if you truly feast upon the words and ask God with real intent!!! 

I'll keep this one short and add a scripture that I love, 

Proverbs 3:5-6 

"¶ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

   6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

I saw this a ton this week.  The Lord will truly direct us and tell us where he needs us.  We just need to show him our faith and then be willing to act on the promptings he gives us!! 

I love you!!!  Hope y'all had and have a good week❤️

#CTR

-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND 

Volleyball Night

Week 39 - February 6, 2023

 Well, good news!  I'm for sure staying here in Harrisonburg and finishing Sister Fry's training!!!  I'm so excited for these next six weeks, we've got lots of work to do!

To be completely honest, this week was hard and disappointing.  But that is part of a mission.  We have been working lots with our friends and helping them gain testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  We had six people commit to coming to church and even had members planned to pick them up, and they all canceled and didn't show up.  It can be hard and sad because you come to love these people so much and desire the goodness that we know will help them, and they don't keep commitments.  But I know God wouldn't and doesn't give up on us, and we are not going to give up on them! 

I've been studying a lot on the attributes of Jesus Christ and learning more of him and his nature.  While studying this, it made me really understand I have to change my nature to become a better disciple of Christ.  But how do we change our natures?  Isn't that impossible?  Let me say it might feel like it, but because we have a Savior, nothing is impossible.  Here are some scriptures that stood out to me. 

Mosiah 3:19

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

Alma 13:28-29

 "But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;  Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest."

D&C 4:3-6

"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

  For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

  And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence."

As we put off the natural man and try to develop the attributes that are repeated over and over throughout the scriptures:  faith, hope, charity, meekness, patience, diligence, obedience, knowledge, virtue and love!  These are repeated for a reason because God wants us to develop these and change our nature through his Son and become a Saint!  As we do this, we will become like the truly converted Lamanites (anti-Nephi-Lehis) who sacrificed all the worldly things to do HIS WILL!!!

 

Alma 23:6-8

"And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them—yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away. For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.  Now, these are they who were converted unto the Lord:"

Just want to invite you all to think of one of these attributes that you can work on and become converted to the Lord, Jesus Christ! 

Even with how disappointing and how hard this work can be, there is nothing I love more than being a missionary, a representative of Jesus Christ and his TRUE CHURCH!  Even with disappointments, the Lord blesses me with so much and because of him I can feel joy:

🫶a companion who is my best friend

🫶emails from loved ones

🫶snow finally in VA

🫶scriptures that help me feel closer to him

🫶prayer so I can communicate with him

🫶 the people in my life that push me to be and do better, my family and friends

🫶service days

🫶personal study

🫶opposition in all things

🫶the people here in Virginia

and the list can go on and on!!!!  Pray to see the Lord's hand in your life and I promise you will see it everywhere!

Also, happy birthday to the best brother-in-law ever!!!  Love and miss you so much, Jake, and beyond blessed to have you in our family! 

I love you all and miss you!! 

#CTR
-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND