this week was a rollercoaster of a week, it had some sweet parts and some super rocky parts. if I’m being real with you all, this was the hardest week of my mission. to start it out, for travel arrangements to my new area, it wasn’t a train, or a bus, but it literally said walk. i felt like a pioneer in some way. it has been so hard to be so close to a ward and an area I love so much but to be so far. I literally can see my last area every single day.
my companion is a nice guy but it has been so hard. my saving point in this area would probably be the fact that knocking doors in this area is so so so much better than my last areas and the ward members I have met so far have been awesome. one guy, whose name is Dxxxan, is a big panthers fan so we got a pic with him reppin the panths #keeppounding. he shared a really cool experience with us actually: he was less active and was making a lot of bad choices a few years ago, at the time the panthers played the broncos in the Super Bowl. He said as he watched he was sad to see his team getting smacked but he was still hopeful for a comeback, and when it hit mid 3rd quarter it hit him that they weren’t going to pull out a comeback, he would say as they made bad plays “no, don’t do that, come on”. And it hit him that Heavenly Father must think the same thing when he makes mistakes. It completely changed the course of his life.
the other members we have met have been cool. the district is alright. we’ve been on foot because my comp is on a bike hunt, but it gives us a chance to talk to people as we walk from place to place. Conference the last two days has been a spiritual powerhouse for me. I haven’t seen the Sunday afternoon session yet but the other ones have been great. I loved elder Bednar’s talk on meekness and president Nelson’s talk on personal revelation. how great is it that god loves us so much that he has given us a prophet? I testify that if we follow the prophet we won’t ever be led astray, for he points us to Christ.
two other experiences, one funny and one serious:
Funny: you’ll only get this if you’ve seen dumb and dumber, Elder Johnson and I were biking back to our flat on Monday night and he was ahead of me and I shouted “pull over” and he actually pulled over and looked at me concerned and I sped past him and shouted “no it’s a cardigan but thanks for noticing”. man we were dying, I love the homie Johnson!
Serious: I was having a really crappy day and I was in an awful mood, I was praying to God and asked for him to work a miracle through us. within two minutes I stopped this polish guy who was about to cross the street and he wasn’t too interested but we kept the conversation going anyways, he eventually cracked and told us of his struggles, he began to weep and said he was considering suicide. we talked with him for quite a while and his countenance completely changed. at the end of the conversation he had two things he didn’t have before that convo started, a friend and hope. God does answer our prayers, and he uses us to answer other’s prayers
I hope you all had a great Easter. I shared this on Facebook yesterday but I’ll repeat it. Elder Holland said in a talk once, “So today we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we have ever had, every fear we have ever faced--to say nothing of our resurrection from death and forgiveness for our sins. That victory is available to us because of events that transpired on a weekend precisely like this nearly two millennia ago in Jerusalem. Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from death in order that He could, like lightning in a summer storm, grasp us as we fall, hold us with His might, and through our obedience to His commandments, lift us to eternal life.” I am so grateful for my saviour. I love Jesus Christ. He is my elder brother, my friend, my redeemer. I have not seen him in this life, but when I one day see him again, I will not know better then than I do now that He lives. In the words of one of my all time favourite hymns:
1. I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.
2. He lives to grant me rich supply.
He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint.
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears.
He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart.
He lives all blessings to impart.
3. He lives, my kind, wise heav’nly Friend.
He lives and loves me to the end.
He lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing.
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath.
He lives, and I shall conquer death.
He lives my mansion to prepare.
He lives to bring me safely there.
4. He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
Please, Any encouragement would be great right now. I believe that there is light up ahead? I won’t give up, I’ve still got some fight in me
I love each of you. Look unto Christ in every thought, doubt not, fear not
Elder Varner
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