November 20, 2017 (Week 8)

Another week has passed!  This week was full of highs and lows.  The highs were we were able to get baptismal dates for two of our investigators, Efrain and a less active family with a nine year old boy.  The lows were that neither of them showed up to church, which throws a wrench in all the plans.  Anyways, the work continues down here, plenty of opportunities to serve and many people willing to listen!

-Elder Varney

(Dad's note) - Ethan always seems to be in a big hurry and pressed for time in his e-mails back to us, so I will supplant this small update with some other details:

His training companion is Elder Flores, and he is from Santa Ana California.  He was a convert when he was nineteen but fell inactive for three years before he converted the rest of his family and went on a mission where he is his trainer now. 

The ward is good, they do a little service each week with the members but for the most part they are all focused on helping with the missionary work, including the really focused ward mission leader.

Ethan with one of his instructors from the Mexico MTC

November 13, 2017 - Week 7

What an exhilarating week it has been here in San Luis Potosi!

This week we had lots of success contacting people, the people down here are usually willing to listen but it is harder to get them to always keep their commitments, but we sure are trying.  The lifestyle down here sure is different than the one in estados unidos (the USA for your gringos out there), for example - showering with a bucket, but it is all just fine. (In fact showering with a bucket is kind of fun!) 

One of the miracles we had this week was getting one of our investigators to attend church.  We were counting on two families to come, but they both cancelled on us Sunday morning, but right before sacrament meeting started Efrain showed up.  Efrain has a heavy addiction to smoking and anti depressants, if you saw him you wouldn't think that would be the kind to person to go to a church. 

But our prayers were answered and Efrain did come, my companion says he has been inviting him to church for the past five weeks and nothing until now.  And on top of that he told us he has been reading the scriptures and has had some of his questions and prayers answered.  What a miracle indeed!  Anyways we will continue to work hard down here in San Luis and wait for more of the miracles the lord has provided to come!

Love,

Elder Varney

Elder Varney's first District Meeting

Elder Varney's Room

He found his exact year and model of truck in his area!

November 6, 2017 (Week 6) - First week in the Mission Field!

Hey everyone, I'm back at it again!  Me and my companion took our P-day today since yesterday we sat in a chapel all day and then had to take a three and a half hour bus ride to San Luis Potosi (Dad spell checked it) and didn't get here until ten at night. 

A member picked us up from the bus station to take us and another companionship to our casas.  It was quite a spectacle to see four people and a ton of luggage crammed into a small hatchback...Fun note about that hermana and her family, they were baptized a few months ago and her husband owns a burger joint so the missionaries in this area can get hamburgers for dinner every night! 

Elder Flores is my new companion and he is awesome, we think alike and I have mucho to learn from him.  We have an awesome area, a new bishop, and members that work hard to help bring in new converts.  The members here are so kind and loving, and the food is so great!  We're off to teach my first investigator, thanks for all they prayers from everyone!

Love,

Elder Varney

Ethan's First Area - far right of the image - City is outlined in Red

Elder Varney and his new Trainer - Elder Flores

Elder Varney's new "Greenie" missionary group

All of the new arrival Missionaries for the Aguascalientes Mission

November 1, 2017 (Week 5)

Wow, it is really insane that it is already the last week of the CCM!  

I have learned so much here, but it really only feels like a few weeks. Oh well, the mission field is ripe and ready to harvest, a few of the teachers here have served in Aguascalientes and the people there sound like they are the best in all of mexico! 

Our Spanish is still progressing every day, this last week I had a conversation without even realizing I was speaking Spanish!  Miracles truly are real!  Anyways I am really going to miss my great district, some truly great people in here!  It feels a little like we are jumping from the frying pan into the fire here, but in a good way!  

See ya from Aguascalientes!

Elder Varney

This is how it feels to have every fifteen minutes of your life scheduled for you...

The big beautiful fields here contrasted by the big ugly smog.

The old mural from the school here, an example of "Ideal LDS teenagers"  (not the title I just made that up)