When I say that the week was lit, it usually isn't actually "LIT".
Like fire lit. This is the second time so far that I can truly say this week
was actually LIT. it was bonfire week, and I do talk about it in way better
detail later on in this email and in some pictures and videos, keep reading to
find out more! Also tomorrow I will be getting my new companion, Elder
Sinclair, from Sweden, . . ..
After saying goodbye to elder mthethwa last Monday, we went to
this super cool American candy store in neath, they had peanut butter m&ms,
barqs root beer, everything, it was beautiful. I love the UK guys, don't get me
wrong, this is amazing, ...! Haha,
after that we went emailing and had to be in our flats by 6:00 cuz Halloween as
a missionary, partay 🤘🎃 for three hours, we ate and drank straight up America, and
played some of the most intense games of settlers of catan. Does anyone know
what that game is? I use to play it with the elders back home all the time, and
it gets intense, but I didn't win, so I guess luck does run out.
Tuesday was a long day, but it was a fun day. We had a few
lessons with some really cool people that the zone leaders have been teaching
lately. We knocked some doors and had a few funny stories that happened. First
one was some weird goth lady answered a door and said "no" immediately,
then elder miner said "no?", she said "no", this repeated 3
times and then she said to elder miner "it's because of the stain on your
sweater". Do you know the movie cat in the hat? The part where two of them
are making some food thing and one of the characters says it can make anything,
and he other says "anything?" And it just goes back and forth and
then one of the cats goes all out and cuts his tail off? I know, totally
random, but that's what I was reminded of. The second one, is why I named the
email the way I did, one door said "no cold callers", which means no
one like us, then elder miner just knocks on the door and walks around the
corner, so me and elder smith walk away and all we hear is some guy who wasn't
too happy. Don't ding dong ditch, kids. After that we did some finding, and
then we went to Rxxxn's house for dinner!? I love going over to his place, he
won't tell us his age but he's over 75 which I think is crazy, he'll live till
age 100 at way least. I was excited for most of the day, I had a "fourth
floor, last door" mentality, I wanted to knock every door.
Wednesday was freaking sweet! It was the most memorable day of
the week by far!!We helped prepare for the ward bonfire night, which was for
Guy Fawkes' night, which is a holiday they celebrate because some terrorist
attack got stopped a long time ago so now they have huge bonfires and
fireworks. So we prepared this 15 foot wood fire thing, pictured and video'd
below. The Ward Bonfire Night was a blast! The fireworks were sweet! The fire
was on fire! 🔥 it was fun to chat
with ward members too!! At the end when a lot of people left, there were some
extra fire works left, and this guy just threw them in the fire. Oh boy, that
was intense. The video attached first was one where he took it and the
fireworks shot right at us so where those things shot at, was where I was at,
and it was partially on video. It was like warfare, all of the sudden I saw
fireworks shooting left and right of me, behind and ahead of me, the sky was
lit up and I was sprinting. It was the scariest thing ever, but by far the
funniest thing ever. Watch the video!!
Thursday was a long day, we had district meeting which I was in
charge of, and that went pretty well. Elder Miner gave a training on motivation
and I did one on faith and tender mercies. Other than that, we had dinner at a
members house and we had cottage pie and apple crumble, it was so good, I want
that recipe. The long day part came after dinner, I had to go to a stake
presidents meeting thing and it was so long and boring and it just sucked to be
honest, I couldn't really put in input because I'm so new so I pretty much said
nothing.
Friday was a pretty fun day. I went with Dave Roberts, a member,
to teach Dxxxn. I had a Krispy Kreme donut which was pretty sweet, and not the
easiest thing to get here. After that we went to paint Kxxx's house and went
to another recent convert's place for a great dinner, and everyone convinced me
the meat I was eating was pigeon and squirrel and I totally bought it haha.
Saturday was a good day. We went finding for a bit, and then we
had to work a booth for the poppy appeal, which raises money for veterans and
such, which was cool. We taught a lesson to a girl named Mxxx, which was good,
I really felt the spirit telling me what to say in that lesson. By far the
funniest thing of the day, which is also pictured below, was when elder miner
needed to get a picture at the beach for a family Christmas card, which is
gonna say "from the coast of California, to the waves of Wales".
Anyways, the tide was out pretty far, so we went to get close to the water, and
the sand was super wet, like where your foot would sink in. So we finally get
out to where we want to take the pictures, we take them, and head back. Then I
remembered that someone told me that there was something like quicksand out
there somewhere, and I was like "oh fetch!". I realised my feet were
sinking in the wet sand and I just started doing high knees the entire way
back. I'm glad I wore crappy shoes cuz hey got dirty. Elder miner lost his shoe
in the sand so his sock was wrecked, he got his shoe back though, I was
DYING.
Sunday was church and helping Kxxx paint, not really
anything more.
Don't let my emails fool you, the mission IS hard, homesickness
is real, and I've probably felt that the most this week, even though it was an
amazing week. This week was another lit week, just a bit harder so words of
encouragement are always welcome. I'm pretty nervous about getting my new
companion too, but maybe it'll be good, I've enjoyed this trio.
Also, I realise that the election back home is this week. I know,
most of you think of me as a strong conservative who got into too many debates
or whatever, here is all I'll say over the election. I want each of you to do 3
kind random things on Election Day. We have way too much contention in society,
both candidates are awful, so don't be like them, be kind to everyone and
spread some love this week, whether that be opening a door for someone, sitting
next to someone sitting alone, or anything, just do it!
I'll leave you all with this spiritual thought. In the bible,
Jesus Christ gives this parable: "What man of you, having an hundred
sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the
wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath
found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he
calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me;
for I have found my sheep which was lost." Our Saviour, the Good Shepherd,
knows and loves us. He knows and loves each of you. It doesn't matter how lost
you are, how far you feel you have drifted away, it doesn't matter how many
mistakes you've made. Your sins can never and will never outshine the infinite
love of Christ. He loves you. He wants you to come home. He is waiting for you
to turn to him, to make him the center of your lives. And when you do this, he
will put you on his shoulders and carry you home. It is my hope and prayer,
that we all will all turn to Christ no matter where we are at now, he will meet
you where you are, he will work with you to constantly progress, and he will
never give up on you.
Have a killer week in the land of eternal p-days and spread some
love!
Elder Varner
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