(For the record, I told Nate about the two elders who were kidnapped and held for about three hours in New Mexico recently. I mentioned that those sorts of stories are hard on a missionary mom.)

Things are going great! Sorry that what happened to those elders scared you so bad! Don't worry too much! The spirit is with us. Not to mention, this is Canada. I'm not saying that it never happens up here, I'm just saying that it probably wouldn't be a knife. They'd probably try to beat us with a syrup-y waffle or something. I think we'd survive;) And there is always what Nauman taught me! I used that just the other day! Long story, but nothing dangerous;) 

I love that... "Bishop Christensen"... That is just so awesome! I think about it all the time! There is a scripture in D&C that I was reading just the other day, and it was one that Bishop Graves had taught me and that I remembered him by. So in the margin of my scriptures I wrote "President Graves"! So sick!!! Glad that Lexi is home and that she got her talk done.

I'M SO STOKED THAT JOSH IS GOING TO FREAKING ARGENTINA!!!! HOLY COW!!!! I was so stoked when I found out! I'll bet Aunt Jen is freaking out! But it's all good:) Tell her not to worry! Josh can handle himself, and what Josh cannot handle, Jesus Christ can!

You're right! 6 months down! 18 months to go! I'll be home in one Sister Mission! I'll be home in 18 Fast Sundays! 11 Transfers! Haha don't worry Mom:) I love the mission field and I am grateful for the time that I have to serve! You will be too, when you've seen how much I've grown (not to say that you aren't already appreciative of it;D).

I just have a couple of things to say about the week this week! So, the news about the mission is that Elder Reid and I are going to be taking a ward out of Barnwell this transfer. Barnwell is the town directly west of Taber and they used to have two Elders there, but they've finished their missions and are going home this transfer. So we will be taking Barnwell 1st ward. Also, I have found that I relate a lot more to all of the melodramatic pop songs about love and breaking up;D Elder Reid and I were in a shop or something the other day and I heard Adele. I've never related more to her music in my life! ;) 

We've got an investigator up in Vauxhall, but she snapped her leg in half so she couldn't meet with us. And then we have a lady here in Taber, but she's being silly and not talking to us, so whatever;) We're working hard.

I love you so much! Thanks again to everyone who supports me out here. I'm so very very grateful!

-Nate

ALLLLRIGHT, Mom:) here it goes!

This is everything that I wanted to tell you before, but couldn't because of time;) First, I'll respond to everything that you said in your email.

Thank you for the box! The transfer is going to end soon, so we will get mail next Thursday at the very latest. I hope that the package got to Calgary by then. And it's going to be a breath of fresh air! It's been so long since I got mail. I was always waiting on a letter from you guys or Marcela (pretty apparent why those didn't come) but I don't actually think I've had anything come in the mail since Christmas! I'm seriously not trying to guilt trip anyone into sending more letters or anything, I am just excited! I'll check out the voice recorder. That's a really awesome idea! I've got a few stories I wouldn't mind passing along that I had happen when I was in Magrath. That would be sweet. That's so awesome that you met that Elder from Magrath! I don't think I would have covered his wards. In Magrath, we covered 4th, 5th, and 6th wards, so he was probably in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. No surprise he knows the Wolvers. The only ones in Magrath that don't know the Wolvers are my Natives.

HOLY COW! Thanks for planning ahead with Noises Off! But most of all, thank you so much for waiting for me! You said Noises Off in the email and I thought "Oh no.... they're going to do it without me..." I may or may not have been ready to shed a few tears until I read "we're going to keep it up and use it for every play until you get home..." so that's a relief! Thanks for thinking of me;) On the other hand - a total Tevye thing to say - I'm really excited for the turn-table! God bless Steve Davidson! It's always so awesome to have a good builder! We've always been blessed to have such great guys!

OH MY GOSH! Jake is seriously my favorite. That kid. I freaking love him! Tell him that I'll need to borrow his Babe-slayer costume when I get home! You don't know what that means... But seriously! Make sure you tell him that! He'll laugh. Really hard. And make sure you tell him that I miss him and that I tell all of my companions all of the crazy stuff that I did with my brothers... er, well... cousins, before I came out! I'm so psyched that Josh turned in his papers! I assume he's turned in his papers since you say he is waiting for his call. That is going to be so sweet! I wish that I could be there to see him open it. Just tell him to hold on to it until mother's day, that way I can see it;) I'm sure Aunt Jen will agree, haha! Glad that Grandma is hopefully going to get the help she needs, and I hope that she can get out of the hospital as soon as possible if she has to have a surgery. Oh, and be sure to give the nurses the heads up that if any Apostles happen to want to visit my Grandmother, they had better let them in. I'm still trying to forgive that one nurse from the last hospital visit. It may take awhile. It's so good to hear about Harold! Be sure to tell him that I use his hymnal all the time and that I have sung in Sacrament Meeting several times with it! It has really been an awesome tool! Glad Lexi is home! I'm sure Mark and Kiz are really happy! All of the missionaries in my mission call home "the land of eternal p-day", haha. I can't disagree. I'm so excited for Scott and Leksi! They are so awesome. And then Kalin will be coming home soon after Scotty! So sick!

Alright. Now that I've responded to everything, here is how my week went.

It was awesome! Honestly, I keep on repeatedly thinking back on how I have not been single since grade 9. My mind is blown every time I think of that. It is definitely weird to be single - and not looking, mind you;) - after being in a relationship for that long. As for how I have been doing, I've been great! I'm so glad that I have Elder Reid here with me. God truly knows what He is doing, and President Nicholas is inspired, because Elder Reid was also Dear John-ed about 5 or 6 months ago. He's really been a huge help. I mean, we're guys, so we didn't like... cry over each other or anything. But what we DID do was amazing! We went and bought a TON of coke and some doughnuts from Tim Hortons on the night that it happened, and we watched Bible Videos on our little DVD player (mission standard) off of a disk that Elder Reid's mom sent him in the mail! It actually was really awesome. We didn't really drink much of the coke though... We started doing a workout system that is supposedly way more intense than P90X, and the coke was like drinking poison. It's called The Asylum. It's Shaun T's workout system, and it's kicking my butt. But hey! I'm eating super healthy and I'm starting to lose more weight! Remember that one time when everyone in Utah said I was going to get fat on my mission?

TAKE THAT!

Other than that, we are trying to find people to teach, and we are teaching as best we can. I've been reading through the book of Acts, lately. Paul is seriously one of the most incredible people to ever walk the earth! He is a model missionary and is a perfect example of NEVER closing your mouth to ANYONE about Jesus Christ. That doesn't matter if you are a missionary, The Prophet, or a sunbeams teacher. NEVER close your mouth about the Savior. Share with every single person you know. Paul is such an amazing man because he never feared what would happen. He only ever feared God. The blessings of Jesus Christ rain down from heaven as we share with others His gospel.

Thank you to everyone who supports me out here, and thanks to my family! Mom, Dad, Cierra, and Mikaila, you guys are what drives me out here. If everyone could have a family like ours, everyone would be insane... but they'd be happy like I am:)

Love you all!!!

-Elder Warenski

I am SO stoked for the new Bishopric. Like, seriously. Andrade Christensen?! It only makes sense, right? I mean, he was the guy that our whole deacon's quorum thought was like... John the Revelator or one of the Three Nephites! He's just that good of a guy! Our ward is in good hands! Shane and Grandpa Clark will do amazingly:) Neither of them are new to this, and both have such amazing testimonies!

It has been insane how many blessings that I've received! I can't believe that all these amazing things are happening and that I get to see them first-hand. I miss Austin and Alec so bad you have no idea.... I miss having them to just chill with! They're my brothers and that will never change! Bros for life! They're awesome guys.

Glad that the show is coming along! I miss theater so stinking much. It's seriously not even funny. What I wouldn't give to be back on stage and in character! But that will come. Oh yes, that will come.

Not much news up here. The area is doing alright. Ashley sadly dropped off the radar -_-. It was the boyfriend.... He came to the door when we showed up for our return appointment and told us that they had talked about it (most likely a very one-sided talk) and that they didn't want anything to do with the church. Elder Reid and I were furious. But it's alright. They'll figure it out someday.

Other than that, the only big news is that I got Dear John-ed. Marcela ended it! I'm hurt, but I'm still alright;) Almost 5 years in that relationship and now it's over! That's crazy! But it's all good. She's making the decisions that she feels are best for her! And I am free to make my decisions as I will. Heavenly Father is going to set me up with the girl of my dreams after my mission, so I really don't need to worry about anything at all! I honestly think that Heavenly Father prepared me for it, if you really want the truth. Yesterday was p-day, and we were at the Lethbridge Stake Center. Everyone was in the gym playing something like basketball, and I'm not really into that, so I went and laid down on the couch in the foyer. I wasn't tired so I sat back up, and I decided to say a prayer as if Christ were sitting right beside me on the couch. I had been thinking about Marcela in the off moments of the days because her emails sounded like the bomb was about to be dropped. So I talked to Christ about it. At first I was concerned, then my concerns simmered until I didn't really have a concern left. I knew that I'd be hurt once all was said and done - and I am, to some extent - but I've gained one of the greatest gifts of my life from this experience. I have gained an unshaken faith in Jesus Christ. I honestly now feel as though nothing can happen that Christ cannot make right. I know that Jesus Christ was listening to that random (but apparently not so random) prayer that I gave yesterday in the foyer. He comforted my soul and let me know that all would be well! And I truly do believe that! My soul is light and Christ is with me, so I'm not afraid. A wise friend on my mission told me that every single thing that happens to us happens for a reason, and I am so grateful that Christ operates that way! It gives meaning to our trials, and I have learned to be grateful for the trials that I have. I now have an opportunity to start fresh and seek the things that will bring me lasting happiness! And I'm so grateful for that. I'm grateful for the time that I had with Marcela, and I hope that she finds happiness as well!

Thanks for all you do for me, Mom:) And I'm thankful for everyone that supports me on my mission like Grandma and Grandpa, all the Aunts and Uncles, Robinne (My other mother), and many many others. I've also been thinking of Brother and Sister Shelley a lot. They are such amazing people and I'm so grateful for the love that they always showed to me before my mission. They are such amazing people. I'm grateful for all that everyone does for me, and I'm serving and loving the people! Thank you for everything you do!

-Elder Warenski

I'm doing well! We continue to try out new tracting methods. We actually haven't been able to try out the guitar ideas yet because the snow came down on us pretty hard the other day... It's been snowy and foggy and cold, so we've been taking a different approach until the weather gets into the positives again. But we gained another investigator! Woot woot! We tracted into her! Her name is Ashley. She's so golden! She let us in and let us give the entire first discussion - which hardly ever happens up here - and she accepted a return appointment! Elder Reid and I were so stoked! We teach her again tonight, so pray for us and for her! We teach her around 7 o'clock so wish us luck. Mr. Booth is doing good as far as we know. We haven't met with him again, but we should be able to get back in. 

I'm glad that the Payson Temple Celebration is moving forward! I ran into a lady in Lethbridge the other day who said that she was from Payson. I told her that a good friend of mine was doing the program for the temple and she was so excited. She said that she was going down there for the open house!

 

 I don't know when I am going to have my missionary facebook, but it doesn't look like it's going to be any time soon. As of now, only Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders (STL's) are allowed to use it. But we'll see what happens. They'll slowly roll it out to the mission until it gets to the "Grunt" level;)

I'm always positive in my letters and emails because honestly, what is there to be sad about? We're blessed with so much. Christ is with me and the Spirit is with me. Nothing matters but knowing that Christ loves me and that I'm doing things that make him proud.

So these are my thoughts this week. Lately we've been struggling with the Member missionary work in Taber. But I don't think that it is just in Taber. In fact, I know for an absolute fact that it is not just Taber. If members would be more inclined to share the gospel with EVERYONE they meet no matter who it is or what their fears are, the church would be growing in every area of the world and the missionary force would be unstoppable. But because members aren't fully utilizing their power of position, some wards have a stagnant missionary effort. I want to invite all of the members that can read this to more lovingly reach out and tell people what we know. We know that the Savior lives and that He loves us. We know He will heal us and save us. There is nothing more important on this earth for anyone to learn than that. Are we the ones that are keeping that knowledge from someone else?

I love you all and hope that everything is going well. You're in my prayers.

-Elder Warenski