"we've cried together, we've laughed together ..." (Week 65, Stroud, Cheltenham, England, Elder Ey)

*high councillor speaking during sacrament meeting*

as he talks about a member he sees in the congregation: “we’ve cried together, we’ve laughed together, we’ve even slept together!”

yes that was actually said yesterday in church. you read that right. he didn’t mean it like that though and he realised that right when he said it, but it was hilarious.

this week has been a chaotic one, we had two exchanges. for the first one I was with elder mkhulise (from South Africa) in Cheltenham and then I was with elder galaragga (from ecuador) here in Stroud. they were both fun exchanges and they are both good guys. exchanges are always cool but it’s so weird spending so much time out of my normal area with my normal companion, we have two more exchanges lined up this week as well...

when I was with elder mkhulise we stopped by a less active homie named Axxdam, []. he told us his conversion story and how right after his baptism, both his mom and his best friend died. however he never doubted God’s love for him, as we were talking about having an eternal perspective, he said if he could restart his life he’d say to God “put me on expert mode”. He, my friends, has a beautiful perspective on life.

one other cool experience. Elder Ey and I decided to knock a street and 50 houses into it all we accidentally ran into an investigator that we’ve been trying to get in touch with and it was a miracle. even more cool, the flat complex he lives in is usually locked but it just happened to be unlocked this time :)

I listened to a talk called the 17 Points of the True Church and it just lists out qualifications the true church of Christ must have (all from the bible) and let me just say, either God isn’t real or this church is true. There is no inbetween, no other church on earth meets the qualifications Christ set for His church except for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that Christ leads this church and I’m so grateful to be here for this short time, representing him, inviting all (both out here and all of you lovely people) to come into His church! It may be clique to say but the church is true fam!

I flippin love you guys, and in the spirit of thanksgiving being this week, I’m so grateful for each of you. honestly words can’t rightfully show how much I love each of you. Thanks for helping me and supporting me despite my BYU obsession and other stuff. Have a great week, enjoy some thanksgiving feasts for me this week, wreck some homies in the turkey bowl  and always remember that elder V loves you! 

Elder Varner