First, let's just get something straight. We did not eat the calf that I was holding (In the pictures he sent with the weird things he had eaten). That is disgusting. I would never allow that. I had already become too attached to her. Alright. Moving on;)

 

Elder Reid is awesome! We get along smashingly! We both enjoy a lot of the same things, and he is the first companion that I have had that really likes instrumental music! We both play guitar and we both are really into discovering new approaches to missionary work! This week we are trying a bunch of new ways to tract, one of which is to sing on people's doorsteps! So that should be fun! Taber offers a lot more opportunity to do more "traditional" missionary work. We have recently made a goal to tract our whole area over again. We came into the area being told by other missionaries that the area is dead and that there is no work here. But because of a lot of prayer and faith, and because of some really cool ways to tract, we have been doing great! Just off of tracting a block and a half, we have picked up a new investigator, taught 3 other lessons, received 2 referrals, and we have placed a few Books of Mormon! Those kinds of numbers are insane for this area, so we can't wait to see what happens with the rest of the place! We are really relying on Christ to get some things done, and I can't believe how many awesome experiences I have had while I've been doing the work! We recently tracted into a man named Ed Booth. He lives just across the street from us on the opposite side of the block. He is a Jehovah's Witness. When we knocked on his door, he opened it up and invited us right in! Which quite honestly we didn't expect... And then I just thought he was a member and that it was all a joke because he just let us in without even asking who we were! But then he told us that he was a Jehovah's Witness, and that was awesome! We shared some of our beliefs with him, and while he didn't necessarily want to take formal lessons, he said we could come by anytime. He was talking about how he believed that he really didn't have any desire to go looking for more truth because Jehovah's Witnesses believe that after John the Revelator died, revelation ceased. The spirit told me that I should show him the picture of the two circles, one being the Bible, and one being the Book of Mormon, and how many lines could be drawn through the Bible but only one line could be drawn through both the Bible and the Book of Mormon! I asked if we could come back and tell him how our church reconciled both books. He said that would be great! He's such a kind man, and that's originally why I thought he was just a member inviting us in! So cool! I can't wait to have scripture study with him!
I'm having a great time out here! Today, I officially turn 5 months old in the mission! In one more month I will be burning a tie to mark my 6 month mark! A quarter of my mission will have already gone by! That is absolute madness! I'm sorry that it hasn't quite been going fast as you like, but it is blazing by for me! I can't believe it! I'm so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve Jesus Christ! He really is here helping me. I know that everyone always says that, but really. I don't just believe anymore. I have a knowledge that Christ is here with me doing His work. I'm just happy to be along for the ride! 

I love you all! 19 months to go, eh?

-Elder Warenski

Before and After pics

Clean room!

Yikes!

*Sigh*

The "interesting" food.

Rabbit fish. Yum?

I have been transferred to a tiny town called Taber. It has about 8,000 people in it. So that's a thing. It's actually the exact same city that my seminary teacher, Brother Matson, served in. My new companion's name is Elder Reid. He is pretty much awesome. He has a golden sense of humor and we are already having loads of fun. Getting transferred is probably the hardest thing that I have done on my mission to date. It was even harder than leaving you guys, my actual family. The reason is because some of those people I have to accept that I may never see again. Which hurts so bad. I've not really been home-sick for home very much because I know I will see it again. But I've definitely been home-sick for Magrath. Mom, you should come pick me up from my mission. Then I can take you on a tour.

Anyway, we are living in a basement suite underneath some members. It's actually kind of a funny story. I walked into the apartment and I had a panic attack. It was absolutely filthy. DISGUSTING. Elder Reid's past companion is not a clean person. There was a bunch of junk scattered all over the floor and a bunch of crap that the past Elder had left. So I spent Thursday night and all day Friday cleaning the whole place with Elder Reid. We vacuumed the floors, threw out a bunch of crap, re-arranged the furniture, scrubbed every surface, cleaned the bathroom (which was abominable), and basically got a new apartment. You would be proud of me, Mum, haha. It was disturbing. But now, it has been cleaned to the level of OCD. Now, I love being there. I'll send pictures of the before and after. Suffice to say, the inside of the Microwave - which is never known to be clean - was the cleanest part of the place. *Shudder*

No ipads yet. I doubt that I will see ipads until the end of my mission, if you really want the truth. However, we will be getting online proselyting tomorrow! I don't know how I feel about it. Our mission is pretty disobedient, so I don't know how it's going to work. It seems like another way to get sent home. But we'll see! What will happen is I'll just leave my old facebook account as it is. I'll make a new account under the name of Elder Nathan Warenski. I can only communicate for missionary purposes only, and I can only communicate basically if I'm teaching someone. So yeah.

PRESIDENT GRAVES! What a guy! I can't believe it. That is absolutely amazing! He is going to do such a great job. He's such a good man. He's in my prayers. So are President Huff and President Droubay. Also a bunch of studs. That is so awesome. Let me know who the Bishop is going to be right as soon as you can. That is so awesome!

Get in on that Payson Temple program. Holy cow! What an opportunity! And knowing Greg it's going to be exactly up to par. Super excited to hear how it turns out! I have heard a lot about Into the Woods as well. Apparently it's got some pretty different organization, but no worries. I trust Sondheim, and he was directly involved in how everything panned out, apparently.

Anyway, not much to report on other than Transfers. I will be emailing on Tuesdays from now on. That's just the way we have to do it in our area. I love you so much!




-Nate

This time around, the biggest news I've got is that I am being transferred! I'm kind of really broken up about it... I have been really sad about having to leave the people in this area that I have come to love so much. I recently got adopted into the Black Foot Tribe and I've met so many people that I am going to miss more than anything... It really hurts, but I know that I will be going where the Lord wants me to go. There are more people that I can help and the friendships and even the family bonds that I have formed here will continue with me as I go on. I have no idea where I am going to be transferred to. In fact, I won't know where I will be going until Thursday at noon while I am at the actual transfer station. But I am staying in the south. That means that I could serve anywhere from a few areas in British Columbia, to somewhere all the way east in Medicine Hat. So we'll see what happens. I'm going to be in a new area with a new companion starting completely from scratch, so wish me luck. Start praying for my new companion, if you will. It's one of the most bittersweet things I've ever experienced... But hey. God and I on the same side is a majority. I'll be alright.

In other news, I've recently eaten a lot of strange food. You wouldn't think that that would happen because I am serving in Canada, but you would be surprised. I'll send you pictures of all of it later, but for now I'll just tell you some of the things I've eaten.

Pig Brains and Cheek meat, Palm Tree Heart, Elk, Deer, Shrimp Chips (Basically Shrimp that is fried into a crispy chip-like thing), Rabbit Fish (This was my least favorite. Rabbit fish are about the size of the last digit on your pinky finger. They were prepared by being fried in a skillet and then doused in salt. You eat them whole because they are so small. Bones and all. I gagged. A lot.), Lilly leaves on a sort of Ramen Noodle-y mixture, buffalo sausage, snail, and a bit of raw deer meet.

I don't even think I've covered half of everything I've eaten, but that's most of it. I don't think I've really genuinely hated anything except for the Rabbit Fish. That was horrendous. But it's been a good experience! It's been great to try all these new things!

Anyway, I'm really grateful for the time that I've had in Magrath and for all the of people that I have come to know and love. I'm thankful for the Savior and for the help that He has given to all of these people. The Atonement is real and it does have the power to heal. I've seen it happen while I have been in this town. I'm especially thankful to my Native Family, Agh-go-mien-nist-ebhos-gi-aki and Abhet-si-gini. I love them so much.

Wish me luck as I go into my new area and meet my new companion! I pray for you all the time and I love you! Make sure you remain close to the Lord and love everyone you meet no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they have done.

-Elder Warenski

Mom,

This week has been pretty crazy, but also pretty uneventful at the same time. I dunno. In Magrath there isn't a whole lot to do after Christmas and during New Year's break because people are all gone. Why would they stay in Magrath, lol? There's nothing to do here. 

I think that it is great that Josh is at college. BYU will be great preparation for his mission. He will do great and he is an awesome guy. If there's anyone that can do anything they ever wanted to, it's Josh. Elder Keith and I had a long conversation the other day about how amazing the changes were that we saw in ourselves (since we have been out on our own). We're so much more independent and that means a lot to us.

That is so sweet that Elder and Sister Cook went to see Grandma! Wish I could go see her. I bet the nurses would let me through :)

So because this week was pretty uneventful, I only have a few things to tell you.

First off, I really want to emphasize a point that we have been teaching lately. It's about desire. Lately, people have been really flaky or have been dodging their commitments OVER AND OVER again regardless of how vehemently they tell us during lessons that they want to change and get better. That's a bunch of garbage. People don't act on what we teach them, and that is why no one progresses. The point that I want to make is that no one is ever going to change who they are or the things that they do until they want it more than they can BREATHE. If you watch a video called "Eric Thomas: The Secret to Success" on youtube, you'll see what I mean. Until someone wants to be that successful and wants to change that bad, nothing is going to change. I have seen that in myself! Nothing in my life has ever changed - whether it be about myself or my actions or whatever - until I wanted to succeed as bad as I wanted to breathe. A member played this as an audio track for us, and it was incredible and true. Until you have that drive and that fire, nothing will change.

The same applies to repentance. If you don't want it as bad as you want to party or as much as you want that certain behavior or addiction, you will not overcome! We've been trying to help the people we are teaching understand that desire. We want them to understand exactly what it takes. So now every time we extend a commitment, we ask the person "how bad to you want this"? And if they don't want it as bad as they can breathe, we can usually tell what is going on and try to help them. We can always tell. We help as best we can but there is only so much we can do. I want you to know this because you are my family. I care about you guys and I want you to understand how it is that Christ forgives and allows us another chance. We have to want it. We have to want it more than we can breathe.

Anyway, I hope that everyone is doing well and that all goes well. Tell Grandma I love her. I love you all!

-Elder Warenski

Christmas FaceTime.

I am glad that I got to talk to all of you on Christmas Day. It really was an awesome day! And I agree. It felt like we were just sitting back and talking in the front room. Which really makes me trunkie for sunday dinners at Grandma and Grandpa's, but alas. I digress.
I'm glad Grandma is doing better! Who called it?!;D I knew she would be alright. You also need to make sure she knows that I brag to all of the missionaries I find that I got to see my Grandmother in the MTC. How sick is that?! I'm also glad that Uncle John and Aunt Christine were there to save the day.  

Ethan is a stud and will do great in Finland. What a unique mission. I'm glad that he has the opportunity to get out there and learn everything new. It's such an awesome experience.

I also have some awesome news!
I lost 6 lbs. over Christmas! That's 6 lbs. in 2 weeks! I can't believe it. Now.... There is a dilemma that goes along with it... I no longer fit my jeans... So I am going to have to buy some new jeans in Lethbridge today. But I am super excited. I feel really fit and really happy. If things keep trending this way, I'm going to be more fit than I have been in years! I feel so much healthier already.

Another thing; during Christmas I received a package from Emma Winfield. It was so great. She sent me a hand carved wood plaque depicting Christ with his arm around me. It was so touching and it was one of the most meaningful gifts I've ever received. And also - and I thought this was a really awesome surprise - on the outside of the package, Evelyn Jensen wrote Merry Christmas to me! It was so great. I freaking love Sister Jensen! Anyway, I just wanted Emma and Evelyn to know how much that meant. It was sweet.

I hope that everyone is well and that things are going great. Thanks for making Christmas amazing and I'm so grateful for everything everyone does for me!

I Love You All,

-Elder Warenski