Week 46 - March 28, 2023

Hi, friends and family! 

My p-day got changed because we have been working at the temple so much, so today I have some of my p-day and had some last night (procrastinated my weekly), but I'm here now!! IT'S BEEN THE BUSIEST WEEK OF MY LIFE AND I LOVE IT!! 

First, let me tell y'all about my new area and companion!  So, I am in Spotlyvania, Virginia, SO close to Culpeper:) and we cover the Spotlyvania and Chancellor ward!  I already love the people here with every piece of me.  It's definitely an adjustment, but I know by the Spirit this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.  My companion is Sister Holt who I love.  She's from Pocatello, Idaho, and she's such a good missionary.  I'm learning so much from her, it's insane!

 

This last week we drove down to Richmond lots, had MLC, worked at the temple open house, and had LSIs!  It's been so crazy and fun but STRESSFUL!  We have had like no finding time or contacting, but the Lord is magnifying our efforts. 

Listen to this, the ONLY night we have had in our area this week we went to a member meal and after we felt prompted to go visit a less-active member who's older.  We go over and her grandson just moved in with her and we have a lesson with them.  We share Helaman 5:12.

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." 

And asked her grandson (Troy) about his foundation on Christ.  He told us it's something he wants to work on and know more about, so we go, "Well, your grandma needs a ride to church tomorrow.  We'd love to see you there and GUESS WHAT!  HE CAME AND LOVED IT AND ASKED FOR A BOOK OF MORMON AND BIBLE!  After, we asked him about his experience, and he said, "I'll be back."  We felt so grateful that God knew where he was and helped us be an instrument in his work with the little time we have right now.  He also met some friends in the ward who love him already. 

This is going to be all over the place, but my dad is going to love this part.  We are currently teaching two people who speak Portugese from Cape Verde and Brazil!  They told me I can teach them the gospel and they'll teach me Portugese!!! DEAL🤝🤝

I got to see Sister Fry this week🥳🥳 We had too many tears when leaving, but she's just the best--I miss her already.  I definitely miss Harrisonburg, but I've been able to see so many of the people I came to love so much at the temple, so the Lord is in every detail of my life!! 

I'm so excited for general conference this weekend.  My dad says it perfectly, "I'm ready to have my battery recharged."  It's such a great time to come with questions prepared and I promise they will be answered.  We have a loving God who cares so much for each of us. 

Sorry, this is everywhere, we have a lot going on today.  I'll make sure next week is better, but we have Zone Conference today and also driving down to Richmond, so BUSY IS RIGHT! I LOVE YOU ALL AND SO DOES JESUS BIG TIME

#CTR

-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND 

Week 45 - March 20, 2023

 Okay, let me first tell y'all the big news because a lot of great things happened here in Virginia this last week!  I am leaving Harrisonburg and going BACK to the Fredricksburg Zone as an STL and my companion will be Sister Holt, and I can hardly wait.  I've been wanting to be companions with her since she got here.  But I am so sad to be leaving Sister Fry.  We have had the best time together and God knew I needed a friend like her in my life.  Everyone pray that we will be okay this week.  We have already had a few tears!  But I'm so excited for her. This girl is so incredible and ready.  The Lord trusts her so much to train and also leave the area.  I have so much confidence in her and so does the Lord.  She's going to do amazing things in Chesterfield. 

This week we had the most amazing opportunity to work at the Temple open house.  They started their invited tours before the open house to the public.  They also let all us missionaries tour it, and IT IS BEAUTIFUL!  Seriously, I wish y'all could see, well you could if you come to the open house☺️ It has been so long since I've been in a temple that I could not stop crying because it truly is the house of the Lord.  Even when it's not dedicated, you know whose house you're in and the Spirit is still there.  We got to talk to so many people who just told us how amazing it is and how they've never seen anything like it.  A man came up to us and said, "I served my mission 25 years ago here.  I would've never imagined my people would be getting a temple, they've been waiting so long!"  It's so true, the people of Virginia have been waiting for a temple.  This is their first one and you could feel their excitement!  I feel so blessed to be here in Virginia at this time to be on the Lord's errand and helping hasten His work in the best place! 

We, also, had to say bye to lots of people this week, which is NEVER fun!  I've loved the people here in Harrisonburg and I'm going to miss them so much.  The work here is picking up and I love it!!  We were led so much by the Spirit to find more of God's children who are interested in our message, so I'm so excited for the Elders coming in.  I know they need to be here and that they will do amazing work!

My spiritual thought for y'all is that LITERALLY everything is centered on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  The temple, the reason we are here, God's plan for us, and so many more ways.  I wouldn't be who I am if it weren't for Jesus Christ.  He is truly my Savior and I love learning of Him and knowing Him. I love these quotes about the Atonement:

"The temple is a place of healing, learning, and acknowledging the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

"All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

I can testify that both of these quotes are true.  I know that the temple is His home, that we have the opportunity to learn more about the Atonement when we are there, and that He is also doing His work in the temples.  I also know because of Him that anything in life can be made fair through Him, and we are never alone.  He is the keystone of all things and I'm so grateful for the knowledge I've been able to grow of Him.  I invite y'all to always think of Him, do everything with an outward expression of your love for Jesus Christ and He will bless you❤️❤️

I love y'all and I love this work!!  Keep your head up and SMILE.  JESUS LOVES U AND SO DO I!!

#CTR

-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND 

Week 44 - March 13, 2023

Hermana Copeland!  Yes, the title is correct!!  Listen to this story, so we are knocking and we go and knock on this apartment door.  As they're walking up, I can hear them speaking Spanish, so when they open the door, I introduced us in Spanish and told them we have friends who speak Spanish if they want to know more.  The dad goes, "SHE SPEAKS ESPAÑOL, COME IN AND EAT WITH US!"  I just started laughing and saying, "No No Español," but they insisted haha! So, we go in and sit down with these two families and join them for dinner and only one person spoke some English.  So, we told him all about our message, our friends, gave them the church address, our number, and got a good  meal out of pretending I knew Spanish.  So that was fun🤣🤣. Me and Sister Fry walked out of there laughing so hard because we don't get let in much and these families just made our whole day.  The Hermanas are now in contact with them SO MILAGRO!

It SNOWED FINALLY

 Sister Fry is my BFF--not ready to leave her in a week 

This week went by so fast, we had interviews with President and holy I just love the man!  He always has so many inspired thoughts and could talk for hours.  I usually come with a question and this man answered it perfectly!  Another amazing thing about the priesthood and how God speaks to us through other people! 

The cutest old man picked us flowers and gave them to us.

Little background, last p-day I got to talk to a good ole friend about the mission, life, and all of it.  They also gave me some inspired advice and told me to make this week the week my mission changes, and I wondered what does that even mean?! Because if you know me, you know I've loved every second of my mission!  But I know I can give more.  A focus our mission is having is on the temple with the Richmond temple open house coming up.  So, I've been thinking and reflecting a lot on the covenants I've made and how I can give more to them and give all I can to this work and become a better disciple of Jesus Christ even when the outcome isn't what I want!  I am growing!  So, I was talking to my President about this and some things I've been learning, and he read me this quote: 

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life."

SO INSPIRED!  I can testify of this!! In the matter of one week, I feel happier and this work is not easy, not one bit!  But I find the most joy in knowing who I am, whose I am, and who I represent.  This quote has so many promised blessings if we just turn to Him and do His Will! 

Also, let me just finish and tell y'all.  Hanna and Gin came and visited!  God knew I was missing them, so he sent them over here to Harrisonburg 🤍🤍.  I'm so lucky to have them in my life!

 My squad I love them.  GIN AND HANNA are lifelong friends. So blessed 

I do miss y'all the most and hope everyone is doing well!!  Let me know what I can pray for🤍🤍

#CTR

-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND

Week 43 - March 6, 2023

Hello!!  I honestly don't know what to write about this week and sometimes writing emails isn't the most exciting thing, but I know I'll regret it if I don't.  So, I'll include some things I did this week and some things I'm learning.

Last p day we went to Monticello!  It was so cool to see the History of Virginia and learn more about this amazing state. (Thomas Jefferson's home) 

Had exchanges and I went to Charlottesville with Sister Marriott, and we had such a good time.  I missed Sister Fry lots tho, and I'm not sure what I'll do without her soon:( but Sister Marriott is incredible.  We had two amazing lessons with their friends Daniel and Zanieb, and they were literally elect!  It made me so happy to meet them and get to know them and their stories! 

Our friend Alexis finally got back to us this week.  We have been trying to meet with her and haven't heard anything back. But she told us to come over, so we did and this girl had bought herself her own journal Book of Mormon and has been reading it and said she's been seeing blessings in her life and didn't know why.  We told her it's the book, THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRULY A DIVINE BOOK FROM GOD!  This book blesses and changes lives.  It's incredible, it made us so happy to see that even tho she wasn't answering us, she was reading the Book of Mormon! 

Lately I've been having a hard time with the work, but this week it hit me whose work this is.  It's not mine, and the person in control handles it perfectly.  He knows what we're going through and what we are feeling.  He placed so many things in my path this week that I needed to lift me up.  I'll share a verse that is helping me endure the hard times.

 

Omni 1:26 

"And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved" 

And a quote to go with it, 

"The time is past when we can merely believe in this gospel; we must be passionate in our belief and in our commitment to Jesus Christ and His plan. We must know, unequivocally, that He is with us, that He will guide and direct us. In His name we shape our offering." 

The Lord sees our offerings and our hearts.  I know without a doubt that this work is my Savior's and he leads, guides and directs this church.  I know his plan is perfect and as I continue to put my trust in him and try to emulate his attributes in my life, I will grow and become what They need me to be. 

I love you all and those of you who know of any talks that could help or that you love, please send them my way❤️❤️

#CTR 

-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND