The Copa Chiasmus

So I spend a year in Phoenix and I'm like, "I'm gonna see what else is
out there in the mission! Where will I go?!" And I get sent to
MARICOPA!!!! Wooooooo! I was trained here!! Haha. Oh man, it's so
nostalgic and weird.

Especially since, I'm training!!! Ahhhh!! XD trained in Copa, Went to
Phoenix, trained in Copa. #Copaisdopa

Whitewash training is so, so hard, especially when our area book is a
total mess and we basically have absolutely nothing to work with. :p I
spent the first bit of my mission feeling overwhelmed and stressed and
crying every night (but still feeling happier than I ever have in my
life, somehow), and I feel like I'm probably going to end it the same
way. Yeah!

I'm going home in less than three months, it might as well be hard.
I'd be disappointed if I had it easy at the end. This is the point
where I could probably handle the most.

Ugh, Copa, forgot how beautiful it is here and how amazing the people
are. I miss Phoenix so much, but it's nice to be back in Copa.

(Yes, I did spend some time in Casa Grande, but Casa grande is
basically Copa. In fact, I think a bit of my Casa Grande area is now
in my area.)

It's been a slow moving week, since we're trying to get to know the
area and settle in and figure out what we're doing with our lives.
Some Phoenix news, Fashe was finally able to come to church again!
It's been a really hard couple of months on her, and there's only so
much a couple of kid missionaries can do. Especially when we just
can't meet with her.

Julio is doing okay, but he just looks so tired trying to stand
strong while his family's attacking him all the time. And due to a
house accident, they're all in a small hotel room together now, so
being in tight quarters with each other, it's even harder. I continue
to pray for him....I'm kind of protective of him :p just hoping he's
able to stay strong through all of it.

I'll let you know how this areas doing when we can get around to
actually finding and teaching. We've stopped by some of the members,
and they're great. We actually live with our Ward mission leader, so
that's kind of a tender mercy. He also knows everyone in the Ward and
everyone the elders were seeing, so that helps with the disastrous
area book. There have been so many tender mercy miracles all this
week. God really does take care of His children.

I have no way of uploading pictures right now, but we tried the
popcorn again during transfer meeting, plus baking cookies. The
cookies were half baked after three hours--not good as cookies, but
they looked like they'd be great pazookies!--but the popcorn was still
a bust. Ah, well. That was during the morning hours, we'll try to see
if there's a way to do that during the afternoon or something.

It's been in the 80s and 90s in Maricopa. :) also cloudy and rainy. Love it.

I love you all! The Gospel really is true, and I'm loving being a
missionary! Heavenly Father really does look out for us and carry us
if we rely in Him and not our own strength. All we have to do is pray
and do our best.

Miss you! You're the best! :)

Sister Stratford