May 21, 2018 (Week 34)

Another one bites the dust!

This was a good week in all aspects of the mission.  We had a good lesson with Elizabeth and Gustavo, its pretty funny because they really don't say anything at all, but when we finally get them to explain to us what they understood from the lesson, they explain it pretty perfectly, so what more could we ask for!  Also we saw a miracle; two weeks ago we found a miracle investigator called Eloisa, who was super prepared and wanted to act on all of our invitations, but we couldn't visit her because of her super catholic family she lives with.  But this week she called us out of the blue and said we can meet with us again, such a blessing! 

Anyways, we also had the zone conference and learned about the new pilot program the mission is starting, all about using the services of autosuficiancia to not only help members but to also find new investigators, an awesome way to get people into the church!  The conference also ended super spiritually with great testimonies from the missionaries leaving, really powerful to see the mission perspective from people who have let the mission make them into better people. 

Anyways, that's about all I've got for this week, thanks for all your love and thoughts, they make a difference in this world!

Love,

Elder Varney

Bruce Lee on a Garage Door

First Rainbow Elder Varney has ever seen in Mexico!

May 14, 2018 (Week 33)

Another week bites the dust!

We had a week of extremes as far as weather goes.  On Tuesday morning we woke up with fog so thick that we couldn't see down the street, and later that same day it was so hot that we had to go home to take an extra shower!  Anyways, then we did intercambios of the transfer with the secretaries, and it is nice when you have the financial secretary with you, because he pays all the meals! ;)  Anyways, we had a nice lesson with Elizabeth and Gustavo, Elizabeth accepted a baptismal date but Gustavo says he wants a full confirmation before he makes a covenant, but when we left he was sure he would get an answer soon! 

Anyways, then we had a real nice mother's day activity with a bunch of carne asada and everyone bore testimony of mothers.  Then today for P-day we celebrated elder Leon's 62 birthday (one of the service missionary couples)  and he said he wanted to play basketball with all of the elders to celebrate his birthday, "to break in his new Michigan state jersey!" he said.  Anyways, we had a good time with elder Leon, (he plays pretty dang well!) and got super sunburnt.  But it was all well, and we will have a great time this next week!

Love each and every one of you!

-Elder Varney

May 7, 2018 (Week 32)

Another small space in the service of the Lord has passed by!

This week we had lots of good things occur every day!  A few days we got ready without knowing exactly where we were going to find the people we had set the goal to find, but every day it turned out the lord literally put people n our way that were ready to listen!  We've had a good time with the familia Gomez Hernandez, they came to church and they'll be getting a baptismal date in the next few days!  Its funny, Hermano & Hermana Gomez don't say much on their own, but when we finally got them to say how they felt in church, they just shrugged and said, "We felt pretty good, yeah really good." and when we asked if they wanted to continue feeling this way they said: "Yeah, I guess that sounds like a pretty good plan, yeah that sounds really good!" Not a whole lot of diversity or emotion in their responses, but, whatever, they feel the spirit really strong and are progressing super great so thats all we can really ask for!

Another funny thing is that we live in front of the equivalent of the high school in Villa Juarez, and one member of an investigating family goes there.  The other day the mother in an investigating family we're teaching asked her daughter if she was getting to school on time or not, she said yes but later the mom told us she didn't believe her and asked us to keep watch out to see if her daughter gets to school late; I dunno if it counts as snitching, but now the mom loves us so its working out as far as we are concerned!  Anyways, now I've ranted on too much, thanks so much for all of your prayers and sacrifices, every day they prepare people to listen and help us!

-Elder Varney

April 30, 2018 (Week 31)

Another one bites the dust...

This was a week sure full of suprises which now that I look back on are funny, but at the time were very interesting...  Two weeks ago me & elder Scoresby had a great time, two times we felt to knock on some random people's door even though we usually aren't supposed to do that, but both of the times were miracles with people super prepared to hear the message. 

Anyways, after we had all that success, I found out I was getting transferred to open(whitewash) a pueblo area out in the state of Aguascalientes.  So after riding on a bus for 2&1/2 hours, arriving, getting rushed onto another bus for another 50 minutes, we finally made it to Villa Juarez.  The last elders didn't leave any information at all, so we had to ask around until we found out where we lived, then had to get on another bus for 20 minutes to get to our food appointment, and then come back and finally unpack our stuff, all in one day!  Anyways, the people are really good out here in the pueblitos, we are basically starting from scratch, but the few members we have are very devoted and we have already seen many miracles with finding some great new people, one of them walked up to us and straight up asked us to teach her! 

Anyways, the meetinghouse is pretty humble, it used to be an old restaurant so the primary uses the old kitchen and the relief society uses the old bar, and the renter is a Jehovah's witness so he has a truck parked in the backyard with JW pamphlets on the dash, but you can feel the spirit very strong there, so in the end the surroundings don't really matter.  Anyways, we're primed to have great time out here, thanks for all your love and prayers!

-Elder Varney

In Aguascalientes!

Inside their Meetinghouse

Relief Society area / Converted Bar

Elder Varney and his new companion

April 23, 2018 (Week 30)

We did not get much of an update from Elder Ethan this last week due to the Mission computers being down, but we did get a neat "tender mercy" at this same time when we got the below video of him walking... and walking... and walking some more on his mission.

We did not get to hear him talking much, but from what we are told, this video is complimentary towards them and their work they are doing.

Enjoy!