I know I say this every week... but NO JOKE it feels like I was emailing y'all yesterday.
St. John's is the best! I'm staying here for another transfer with Sister Johnson. And I couldn't be more excited! Sister Johnson and I both think that I am staying here until May. I just had to let y'all know that so when it actually happens I can say.... told ya so!
Funny story, this week when we were helping Lowell write his story... let me give you a little background on where we are in the story. We are planning on having his story done by Thanksgiving. So,we are just finishing revising his story and putting in some pictures. Lowell's wife died when their youngest son was 5. So, Lowell was a single parent. When we were looking through his photos, we noticed that he had pictures with this older lady. The pictures looked like they weren't taken too long ago. We asked Lowell who this lady was. Lowell responded and said, "Oh that's my 2nd wife"... here we are wrapping up his life story and he not once mentioned to us or in the story that he was married again and had four other children. And he still doesn't want to mention it into his story. Oh boy! I just love Lowell.
Wahoo! Thanksgiving is this week! I have so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for my family and the endless love and support they show me. I am thankful for all my friends and the examples they are to me. I am grateful for my mission and all that I have learned and all that I will learn over the next 16 months. I am thankful for my companion, Sister Johnson, who is my best friend and biggest cheerleader. But, most importantly I am thankful for my Savior and his infinite atonement. Here are a couple things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. I could go on and on, but I am trying not to make this email super long.
This week, I really focused on spiritual preparation. In Matthew 25, it outlines the Parable of the Bridegroom and the Ten Virgins, five of whom were wise and five who were foolish. The five who were foolish had no oil in their lamps. But, the five who were wise had filled their lamps with oil. When the bridegroom came, the foolish were trying to find oil to put in their lamps. They even asked the wise if they could use some of their oil. The wise did not give them any oil. When I read this at first, I was a little shocked... why didn't the wise just show charity and give the foolish some oil? I learned it's not that the wise didn't want to..it was because they couldn't.
I cannot give my oil (my testimony and knowledge) to someone. My testimony is something that I have built myself. I know the Book of Mormon is true because I have read it and I have prayed to know the truth for myself. I know that President Nelson is a true prophet because I have exercised my faith and prayed to Heavenly Father. I know that Jesus Christ died for each of us because I have seen the Atonement work in my life. These are all things that I have filled my lamp with. They are not things I can share with others, not because I don't want to, but because I can't.
In 1 Nephi 14:14 it states:
And they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.
This week, I want to challenge ya'll to arm yourself with righteous. Be like the wise virgins and be prepared for the day when the bridegroom shall come.
I love ya'll.
I'm so thankful that ya'll are in my life.
EAT LOTS
CTR
<3 Sister Copeland
Pics of the Week
SERVICE on the beach
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