what a flipping week! this week has been so lit! one of my favourite weeks of the past few transfers!
last Tuesday we went to Harbourne for interviews and I had the opportunity to teach a friend named alex who I taught over a year ago in Wylde green and I taught him with...elder kinard! it was so cool to teach with “my boy” again! i had my departing interview with president hughes, he is such a loving guy, and so is his wife. we talked about a whole range of things and it was just great. we were on a bus back to stourbridge and I had an impression to start talking to the guy next to me. im not going to lie I didn’t really want to, and I was waiting but I had the distinct impression that this man was going to get off at a certain stop so I started talking to him right away, we had a great conversation and he got off right where I was told he would. it was also my 23 month mark so we went to a dessert place and got hot cookie dough and ice cream to celebrate!
we taught our friend, rxxxob, who i mentioned last week. he is such a good guy. he asked us why we don’t believe in the trinity, and then before we could answer he showed us like ten scriptures from the new testament that disprove the trinity, he’s a beast. when I first met him he swore all the time, even last week he was swearing quite a bit, but he’s completely given up swearing now. as we grow closer to Christ, our weaknesses are turned into strengths and we start to act as he would. and it’s so great to see rob becoming the man god wants him to become.
on Friday we went to draw chalk art at the park but it started sprinkling a bit. we saw four young chavs playing some ball so we went over and started a 3v4 and we were DOMINATING. anyways that’s besides the point, within 10 or 15 minutes we were surrounded by fifteen chav and chavettes. they were all 14/15 years old. we became their friends, talked for awhile, played some ball, and then they asked us about what we do and why we live the way we do. these 14/15 year olds all live a pretty crazy life style and they were in shock hearing that we live the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. one of the chavettes asked “so what do you do at a party if you can’t get drunk?” and I said “I have fun, talk with people, dance, and remember what I did the next day with no regrets”. she then said “that actually sounds nice, I think I’ll try that sometime”. we didn’t teach them loads but I know that it was a solid touch and that those chav and chavettes will remember that conversation.
the next day we actually got to draw chalk art at the park. there was a massive Christian event being held later in the day and they did not look happy as we shared scriptures through chalk art. we went back later and all our art was destroyed. the opposition to this church and the Book of Mormon strengthens my testimony of the truthfulness of what we share. if what we shared wasn’t true, there wouldn’t be close to as much opposition as we face.
this ward definitely struggles, we only had 22 people at sacrament meeting yesterday. and 10 of us don’t belong to the ward boundaries originally...we are trying to serve the ward because they don’t really want to help out much, we made snickerdoodles for them this week. i gave a talk on the covenant we make at baptism and that we renew each week as we partake of the sacrament.
i found this quote and it goes as follows, “If our lives are centered in Jesus Christ, He can successfully mold us into who we need to be in order to return to His and Heavenly Father’s presence in the celestial kingdom. The joy we experience in this life will be in direct proportion to how well our lives are centered on the teachings, example, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.” the last two years I’ve had the chance to centre my life on the saviour, and to turn my will over to his. it hasn’t been easy, and there have been times where I’ve selfishly sought my own will, but I have tried my best to give my all to my saviour. as I’ve done so, I’ve experienced great joy, joy which I never knew was out there. as I’ve lost myself, i finally found myself.
i love you guys so much, hope you enjoyed this super long email, I’ll still send one out next pday, I’m excited to see you all next week, but I’m hyped for this week cuz it’s gonna be lit! gotta go out with a bang! look unto Christ in every thought, doubt not, fear not.
Elder Varner
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