January 14, 2019 (Week 67)

Another solid week!

Haha, thought I'd start off with the generic title that all the missionaries start off with, but I suppose I can't really laugh because for now I haven't come up with anything better.

Anyways, this week was truly great; we started off just working through a few streets we didn't know that well near to where we live and found a ton of new potential people within just a few hours!

We've been having a great time with Rafael, he has continued to receive blessings from reading the Book of Mormon diligently, even though his work has been chaotic; and we were able to begin teaching his daughter Vanessa as well.  That is quite a miracle because the first time we met her she said she didn't really believe in any religions because of all the atrocities that have been committed in the past and continue to happen in the name of the Lord; but after we were able to explain the great apostasy to her she has completely changed paths and is now one of our most eager investigators!

Also, we came across a truly great family, who had already listened a little to the missionaries nearly two years ago.  The brother is a anti-fraud auditor for a company here, and he told us he can discern whether someone is lying or not by the way they act and speak.  But he must have judged that we are telling the truth because he became very enthusiastic and was very happy when they came to church yesterday!  The Lord truly performs miracles, in his own due time, of course.

If you could include some of these people in your prayers, so they may overcome the opposition that will come and stay on the lord's path!

Thank you all so much, love you!

-Elder Varney

Elder Varney and his Companion "helping" to make dinner...

January 7, 2019 (Week 66)

What a super slammin' week!  Our normal impressions of the first week of the transfer are normally pretty dull, because we usually have to make sure everyone gets to their areas with the transfers and then go to a training and council in Aguascalientes.  And all those things did happen this week and sucked up a whole lot of our time.  But in the end everything worked out super well when the Lord blessed us with a ton of very prepared people in the last few days of the week!

The definite highlight is a brother named Rafael, we found him on the street after he called us Elders, which normally means that someone is a member.  But it turns out he isn't, but he's had a Book of Mormon for the past two months and has been reading it with his family nearly every day!  We had a super spiritual lesson with him and were able to put a baptismal date right off the bat, and now he is also enrolled in the English classes at the church so he will have lots more connections with the members!

I'm so grateful for the inspired organization and programs of the church, they are truly a blessing prepared for us in our day!

Love each and every one of you!

-Elder Varney

December 31, 2018 (Week 65)

Hey there y´all!

Its been a wonderful week of holidays!  No matter where you are or in what language/culture, the familiar feeling of Christmas is always the same!  This last week we were able to actually find lots of familiar and new faces, despite it being the week between Christmas and new years.

One new face we found was Hna. Reginia, she is 95 years old but can still read the bible without glasses (which she was very proud of) and was able to understand almost everything we taught with clarity (which is quite impressive for her age!).

The only downside was that she moved back to her pueblito far away in the bush, where the missionaries can´t get to her.  But after reading a little of the plan of salvation pamphlet, she looked at us and said that she was sure that if we didn´t see us in this life, we´d see each other ¨real soon¨ in the next life to learn more, so no need to worry!  Haha, just a nice little unique/very spiritual experience.

Anyways, me and elder Dominguez are staying together for another transfer, so that is very nice!

Thanks so much for all of your emails and prayers, be talking to y´all soon!

Love,

Elder Varney

December 24, 2018 (Week 64)

We did not get an update from Elder Varney this week in e-mail, as we got to talk to him over Skype on Christmas day!  He is doing great and is excited for the progress of his investigators as well as his Zone where he is now serving.  Here are a few pictures of us talking with him as well as updates from his area where he is serving.

December 17, 2018 (Week 63)

Another wild week of intercambios and nuevos!  This week we knocked out two of our intercambios all in one week.  We had a good time with the elders, and were able to see two that are from the newer generations and how they view the mission coming in with relatively fresher eyes.

Another super sweet/funny occurrence happened with one of our street contacts, named Porfilio, who actually turns out to be super strong in the spirt.  When we began the lesson he started off explaining why all the other religions are false and basically taught the great apostasy word for word.  He then accepted the Book of Mormon as word of god and accepted a baptismal date!  The only downside is that he'll be in CDMX for three weeks, but he promised us that when he gets back he'll be ready with a testimony!

Among other interesting things is that I've gotten my companion hooked on Mountain dew, even though he hasn't actually tasted it yet.  He's just heard so many "good stories" about it that we went looking in three different stores to find it but nobody seems to ever have it.  Oh well, maybe someday!

Anyways, thanks for all your love, support, and Christmas spirit! 

Love you all!

-Elder Varney

December 10, 2018 (Week 62)

No matter how hard you may try, the days seem to go by faster and faster!  This week was full of intercambios, as we had exchanges with the other missionaries from our ward and then were off to Aguascalientes for the exchanges with the assistants.  I learned a lot and above all had a jolly good time!

When we got back we unfortunately had to get a lot more work done, helping organizing goals and plans for the whole stake for the Christmas season, but luckily we got it all worked out in the end.  Unfortunately, we didn´t have as much time as we wanted to teach our principal investigator, Aydeé.  But fortunately, she was super prepared and when we taught her the word of wisdom last week she informed us that she had already read about it on her own and had stopped drinking coffee two weeks ago!

All this cultivated to this past Saturday the day before her planned baptism, when she almost broke down in tears telling us how her family had rejected her decision and nobody was going to be able to come to her baptism.  However, she told us the Lord wanted her to get baptized this day specifically, so she went ahead with the decision anyway.  And shortly and hour later she called and told us her mom and her boyfriend had changed their minds and were going to be able to come!

 In the end it was the most packed baptismal service I´ve ever been in, overall it was a week packed full of blessings indeed!  Anyways, thanks for all your love and prayers, they do indeed get work done!

Love you all!

-Elder Varney

Baptism of Aydeé, performed by her boyfriend

Baptism of Aydeé, performed by her boyfriend

Almost all the elders from our mission generation!  (Elder Burton and Loyola are assigned to the offices)

December 3, 2018 (Week 61)

They say if you´re tired it´s a good sign... 

Then we must be doing pretty good because we have been exhausted every day!  This last Wednesday it stared raining and didn't stop until Thursday afternoon, but that didn't stop us from searching out our list of part member and less actives! 

A few times we were tempted to turn back home to dry off, but we learned that every time we felt like that we were close to finding another great new person to teach!  We ended the day completely soaked, but it was worth it!  After this, we headed to Aguascalientes for another leadership conference, with was a little rough after being in a bus for six hours of the day; and right away on Friday we headed off to a pueblito called Matehuala to do some baptismal interviews. 

It was amazing to see that even in a place so remote, there are so many strong and faithful saints of the Lord!  And last of all we were able to find a previously unknown recent convert from another ward who had moved into our area, and we were able to bring him to the Christmas devotional of the first presidency.  What a powerful devotional! 

We are truly led by a prophet of God; that same morning my companion and I were pondering about how Heavenly Father provides the deepest desires of our heart, and that was exactly what president Nelson talked about!  Good stuff, we´re excited for another week of adventures!!

Love you all,

Elder Varney

In front of a big Cathedral in Matehuala

Elder Varney and the Missionaries in his Area

Elder Varney, Elder Dominguez and the Missionaries in Matehuala