An Eborn in Russia

December Homecoming Photos

2012-01-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

Here are our Signs

Look! There he is!

Blessings at Christmas

Welcome Home Elder!!!

2011-12-16T15:52:00.000-08:00

Here is a brief video of his family waiting patiently (kind of) for Elder Eborn to come down the escelator from his flight.

Elder Eborn was traveling for over 36 hours with other missionaries from Novosibirsk as well as some missionaries who joined them from Romania.

This video is the family Dog seeing his long lost brother for the first time in two years.

We Return Him Home

2011-12-08T16:44:00.001-08:00

Dear Brother Eborn & Sister Eborn ,

On 14 Dec 2011, your son Elder Jason Taylor Eborn will complete his service in the Russia Novosibirsk Mission and return home. He has had a deep and lasting impact upon the work here in Russia. He has served valiantly as one of those "few" servants called to labor in "the nethermost parts of the vineyard", working with "The Lord of the Vineyard" to graft the "natural branches" back into the "mother tree". (See Jacob 5). I know that you will rejoice in his homecoming. He will bring with him a powerful testimony and spirit.

Elder Eborn has labored in the cities of Tomsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk, and Kemervovo. He has served in positions of trust and leadership, including Zone Leader, Assistant to the President, District Leader, Branch Presidency Counselor and Trainer. He has been fruitful as a missionary and has been a beacon of light to his converts, his companions, fellow missionaries and to the Saints in Russia. His legacy as a missionary will bear fruit for generations to come. One of the great blessings in our early service in the mission was to have your son by our side as an assistant. He is cheerful, capable, unflappable and wise beyond his years. Sister Gibbons and I love him very much and cherish the time we spent with him on trains, in taxis, in church meetings and in the mission home. We return him to your home with deep gratitude and joy.
May the Lord bless Elder Eborn and your family forever.

With kindest regards,

President Daniel Bay Gibbons
Russia Novosibirik Mission

Recognizing the Spirit

2011-12-05T06:17:00.001-08:00

Hey!

Can you believe that it's really this close? I've honestly been trying to keep
myself as busy as humanly possible to keep myself from getting distracted
and it's working! I feel kind of bad though, Elders Carr and Erickson are
probably not enjoying skipping lunch and dinner and just working all day, I
just feel like I need to sprint the last little bit into the finish line
and so that's what we're doing. The wrestler in me just says to work as
hard as possible and eat later and the voice of Elder Danny in the back of my
head keeps yelling, " you can sleep when you're dead!!" So we've just been
trying to do everything we possibly can this last week of my mission.

Last week we went into Novo for a leadership training, I ended up
translating for the Russian sisters the whole time. Kind of fun being
bilingual. We brought back Elder Brock Erickson
from SLC to Kemerovo with us. He's going to be training a new Elder and
opening up a new area.

President Gibbons finally heard my whinning about needing another set of
Elders here in Kemerovo and is sending them this next transfer. Elder Carr
will be staying in Kemerovo with Elder Krushinsky. I'm so pround of him,
he's come a long way in the last 3 months. His training is offically over
and he's ready to tear it up, I'm sure he's going to be ten times the Elder
I have been. Elder Erickson is with us for the next week until I leave, President
wants me to help him learn the city and learn the branch. I got a good laugh at that.
There's only 14 people in the branch, not to hard to learn :) he's going to be with us this
last week. He and Elder Carr leave for Finland this week and I'll be on
splits with Elder Capps who'll be coming up from Novokuzz. So yeah!

This week in Kemerovo, like I said we've been very busy. Running around
trying to meet with as many people as possible in hopes of helping them
come just a little closer to Christ. It's been pretty cold here, No wind
like you've been having but it's been getting closer and closer to -20.
Elder Carr's latest contacting method is, "are you cold? Would you like
to feel warm inside?" so far not many takers, but we'll keep trying. For
some reason this week on all of our meetings, I've been feeling the spirit
very strongly. We met with our friends and I can't explain how I felt.
It was чудесное. Thats how they've all been lately. One
thing that've learned on my mission is the importance of recognizing the
spirit. Learning how the spirit works with you and being able to help
others understand when Heavenly Father is working through the
Holy Ghost. It takes practice, and its not always the same,
but when you learn how to recognize that the Heavens are opened to
you, and Heavenly Father is working through you, you understand what it
feels like to be part of something amazing. And there is
no better feeling. I may not have baptized thousands of people, but I've
felt the spirit work with me. And, I know that when that happens the Lord is
with me. да будь смирен; и Господь Бог твой поведёт тебя за руку и дасть
тебе ответ на молитвы твои. (D&C 112:10)

I don't know if this will be my last email from Siberia or not... it's
possible, I leave next Monday morning from Kemerovo to Novo. I have to be
there Tuesday for some departure stuff.. So if this is it, I will see ya
in SLC, ha but I am thinking I'll get to write even if I write from Novo
Monday. SO you got one more Email to send my way :)
Love you all!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!!

Mom and Dad - is our home Phone still the same? LOL I figure I'll probably give
you a call in NYC to let you know when I'm back on US soil.

Salvation is Personal

2011-11-28T09:57:00.001-08:00

Looks like you guys all had a pretty good Thanksgiving, I'm glad to hear that Aunt Terri and the gang was alright. I also have to say your cowboy hats were way funny, I didn't know that mom learned how to shoot from a gangster ha. I'm kind of freaking out at how big my baby sisters are getting. вам нельзя быть такими большими!

But yeah, with the days winding down, I'm not trunky don't worry, I'm looking forward to being with you all again for the holidays and finishing my mission strong.

This week was pretty hectic, we were trying to make sure that everything went according to plan and that nobody died, and well we got half of what we wanted accomplished (no one died). Thursday was Thanksgiving, as you're all aware, and throughout the mission missionaries gathered at the mission home, at the homes of senior couples to eat and to celebrate the holiday. Elder Carr and I didn't have that option had so we had our own Thanksgiving! По Русский! I figured, what do we eat on Thanksgiving..?? Meat, Potateos, some kind of vegetables and some deserts. So I figured eh, we can put all that in one big pot so I made борщ and блины :) I'll show you pics when I get home, it was a pretty humble Thanksgiving. Elder Carr and I sat down at the table said a prayer and then shared some stories about Thanksgivings and things that we've had in the past. Then we got all cleaned up and got back to work.

It was an intersting night, we had a few meetings fall through but one man came to the branch. He was from Azrabajan (something like that) and he asked if I could help him. He explained to me in broken russian that his father had a brain tumor and that there was a clinic in London that could help him, but he didn't speak english. I called up President Gibbons an asked for permission (which he gave) and I spent the next 45 minutes on the phone with a woman in London trying to help this man.

That night when we got home from our day, my mind wouldn't stop spinning I ended up just going out and sitting on the couch and thinking about everything in my life, before the mission, on the mission everything. I really do have a lot to be grateful for. I have a wonderful family, I have great friends, I am healthy, I'm not as dumb as I look, I have the Gospel in my life, and most importantly I have a Savior who knows and loves me enough to take upon himself my mistakes, my sins, and willing to help me overcome my obstacles.

It's interesting how for some reason it takes untill you're half way around the world, in Siberia to help you see things that should be so obvious.

The Filipovs returned from the Temple this week which meant for me, I didn't have to speak at sacrament meeting! First time in 8 weeks! It was pretty legit actually, Saturday night we were in charge of the branch activity, we went ice skating! It was a pretty good turn out. Elder Carr wore this helmet and was practicing his areobatics. Ha if pro surfing doesn't work out he can always go figure skater! The cool thing was that after everyone came to the activity most of them all came to church sunday, it was a good week over all.

Unfortunately, neither of our investigators were baptized this weekend...
One lady asked for a little more time to find out if Jospeh Smith really was a prophet, and the, other individual, well, she said no. Sometimes it's hard, you learn to love these people so much, and you want only the best for them. But matter how hard we try, no matter what we say, how strong the spirit is present, It all comes down to them and their personal agency. Salvation is a personal thing, but we can all help each other. Our job is to introduce people to the Spirit, who will introduce them to Christ, who will introduce them to the Father.

Well I've gotta get going! We're picking up Christmas presents today! We'll be going to Novo this week and be coming back with Elder Erikson who'll be taking my place here in Kemerovo. We'll be in a three companionship until I go home to help him get adjusted to this part of the vineyard that is KEMEROVO!!

Love you guys!!
liveSTRONG

Старейшина Иборн!

Maddie - Don't worry B. 3 times is enough ;)

Finding, Teaching, Testifying

2011-11-21T12:46:00.001-08:00

This week's been another good one! I seem to have a lot of those :) I've been pretty blessed here on my mission and I'm so grateful that I am where I am. With the end getting close, I've had a lot of time to reflect on what the last 2 years of my life have been. The Lord really has blessed us here in Siberia. I'm very grateful for everything the Lord has done for me here. There really have been miracles everyday. I'm very grateful that he has made me an instrument in his hands.

Last week we picked up Sister Tamara from the вокзал (railway station). She's the first person from Kemerovo to go to the Temple. She was basically glowing when she got off the train and on to the platform :) She's so sweet; she's almost 80 years old and has had an amazing path which brought her to the church. She was afraid she wouldn't make it to the Temple but we made sure that she got there. She fed us борщ (borscht) don't worry I've learned how to make it and will make you all sorts of Russian stuff when I get home. She told us how much she loved the Temple. It was great, after that we had to run and take a bus to Novosibirsk where we had a Zone Conference.

This was my last Zone Conference and almost all the missionaries that were there with the exception of Elder Drasso, Capps, and myself had all started their missions within the last 6 months. I felt old, Elder Lawrence from the Quorum of the Seventy came and did some presentations it was very good. There was a strong spirit there. That seems to happen when you gather a group of missionaries together. I got a picture with my first companion and my last companion. Talk about a weird feeling. I ended up translating for the Russian sisters the entire conference, and I had the chance to bare my testimony one last time, which felt very good. I'm going to miss this a lot, I've grown to love these people, missionaries, the people of Russia, and it's going to be hard to say goodbye.

We got back into Kemerovo and got things ready for our week, and just worked. Finding, Teaching, Testifying. The things that we do as missionaries. This weekend we're hoping to have 2 baptisms. If all goes well, We're hoping that Heavenly Father will throw a miracle our way. We had a blizzard sunday morning and only had 6 people come to sacrament meeting. But the spirit was there and that's all that matters. It's going to be different seeing a sacrament hall with a lot of people in it after this.

Elder Carr's doing awesome. His Russian is coming a long great, a month or two more and he'll understand everything that is going on around him. I'm proud to say he's my comp. I've learned a lot from him in the last 2.5 months and I'm sure that these last 3 weeks are going to be no different. He's a stud of a missionary and will be even better than I could ever have hoped to be.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. Eat a slice of pumpkin pie for me. Elder Carr and I will be alone for Thanksgiving but it's all good :) We're going to learn how to cook some yummy stuff ....if we could only find a turkey... Anyways, I gotta run :) Love you all!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!!

Aunt Terri and Uncle Stan - Thank$, from Me I love you and appreciate your support.
Gram, love you too! thank$

Barbara don't worry about the date thing :) .

Rich Soil

2011-11-14T07:36:00.001-08:00

Not gunna lie, slightly freaking out about the whole going home in a month deal. I'm pretty much terrified ha. It's going to be the longest 21 hour flight of my life I'm sure of it. Sounds like I'll have a pretty busy couple of weeks right after I get home, I guess I'd better be ready to hit the ground running.

Don't worry Mom, I think I got the topic covered for Sunday lol. "Missionary Work in Russia", walk in the park. I've spoken every Sunday in church since arriving in Kemerovo so I don't think another talk will be a big deal.This week we spoke about faith. We had 9 people at church 2 members, 2 missionaries and 5 investigators! :) We may be in the "nethermost part of the vineyard" but the Lord knows what kind of soil to plant us in to help us grow. I always am the last one to speak here just in case there is reason to have to correct some doctrine or in case we have a lot of extra time. Elder Carr's been a champ about talking in church. He prepares a talk every week and then I get up after him and fill in the rest of the time. His Russian is coming along great.

So... This last week was a little more rough than I'd of liked. I kind of have, ok not kind of, I do have a superman complex. I get it from my Mom, I like to make sure that everything is always taken care of that there are no loose ends and that everything is done perfectly. Anyways, sometimes it feels like I've just got a big weight on my shoulders being one of two missionaries in a city of over half a million people. And this week, it was just one thing after another that kept happening. I feel kind of like Satan was just taking swings at my legs as I run this race.

After we had finished English Club up on Tuesday, after a rough day, I open my bag and find that some of my stuff was stolen. My camera was stolen...I was way bummed, the last 3 months of my mission were on there, I hadn't put them on my hard drive yet, and plus, it was the camera strap that Aunt Megan made me (that Libbie and the G' boys gave me :( was on it :( I seriously was way upset. We got home that night and Elder Carr and I got ready for bed. As I layed there in bed I knew that I wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon so I got out of bed and on my knees and just poured my soul out. It felt very good to just get it all off my shoulders. I need to keep remembering, that this is His work and that He's really here with us. Don't worry about the camera though, Elder Carr's taking lots of pictures of our adventures and will make me a disc before I fly out of here.

Our investigators are doing well. They're all progressing, We're looking forward to the 26th when Galina and Lena will be getting baptized :) We're stoked! They're so ready it's not even funny! There really needs to be another set of missionaries in this city, we had to tell people that we couldn't meet with them this week because of the fact that we just didn't have time to meet with everyone. Who knows maybe when I leave they'll be able to bring in the big guns and get this city rolling!

Well that's about it for this week I'm thinking... we'll be going to Novo tomorrow for a Zone Confrence so yeah, last one of my mission. I'm not dead yet ha. So I'll keep running.

I love you guys :) Thanks for everything you do for me!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!!

Mom & Dad - No worries about the money thing, we actually went with Ulia shopping ---I got some some stuff because if you see it and you want it you buy it or you'll never see it again. I think I'm almost done, within a week or two I should be good to go.

Sounds like a plan for school and stuff, I'm glad I will be busy when I get back. Oh hey, the Friday night when I get home let's not plan on anything big ... I owe someone a date ;)

The Lords Angels - Last Visa Trip

2011-11-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

So I get back from Finland and I see that I've got a few messages from some people in Kemerovo and one of them was raving on about my families Halloween Costumes. LOL They were pretty excited. I just called them after I saw the pictures and said, "oh yeah, that's my family!" looks like you guys had a pretty legit halloween party! I loved that Maddie was a gypsy. I may not have told you but there are many gypsies here in Russia, so it made me smile. I can't wait to have some good ol' parties with ya'll when I get back!

This week has been pretty interesting, with a 3 day trip to Finland and back. I've decided that after living in Russia for 2 years traveling anywhere else in the world isn't going to be too hard. There was an American couple in Moscow that we talked to and helped with some translation and they were all, "aren't you terrified to travel by yourselves in Russia?!" It's just become second nature for me I guess.

ANYWAYS... Visa trip went well, because it was our last time going we got permission to go into Moscow and take a walk around Red Square and we even hit up McDonalds :) yum. It was pretty legit I'll send pics next week or just wait until I get home to show them to you. We got into Finland and took a train to our stop and as we sat down a man got on the bus. He came up to us and just broke down into tears. He started to speak to us in English (cause most Finns speak English) and told us how he needed help. He went on to tell us about everything that had happened to him the the last few months and how he felt his soul was dying. He then looked at our nametags and said, "Is that Russian?" We said "yes", we're from Siberia. At that point, asks he us what it means and we explained who we are and what we do and he started crying again. "Help me" he pleaded. We got his number and passed it on to the Missionaries in Helsinki. It's interesting, He couldn't read our name tags but he knew we could help him, the Lord does hear our prayers.

The next day we had a chance to go through the Temple--- it was amazing. I was a little sad that it was my last time to be in the Finland Temple. I did the session in Russian and I learned a lot. I guess teaching the Temple prep class is a good thing.

While sitting in the Celestial room, the four of us just sat down and had some personal pondering/prayer time. After a few moments a lady came in and sat down by herself. it was us four and her in the room for a peaceful time. We all got up and left. This Lady got up and ran after us. She yelled something at us in Finnish, and I said по-русский или English please? She asked us who we were, and we said "Elders from Siberia". She told us how she had been feeling very alone and came to the Temple to feel some peace and when she'd walked into the room she could feel the presence of hundreds of angels, standing around the room, and that when we got up to leave they all left with us.

She got all teary eyed and said, "I've met a lot of missionaries, but the Lord's sent angels to bear you up." Humbling.

We made it back to Novo and all is well, we took a bus to Kemerovo which was the worst thing ever. I was so tired. 36 hours of traveling takes it out of you. Yesterday, at Sacrament...we had 3 investigators and the 2 of us. The Filapov's and Tamara went to Keiv to the temple :) so I'm presiding for the next few weeks until they get back, Humbling.

Its been fun, I'm glad to be back in Kemerovo though. I just want to run as hard as I can until I hit the finish line of this race! I love you guys! Have a great week!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - LOL, no worries I won't bring anything back. I will donate my stuff to those in need here. I bought a new pair of underclothing (ha) that I'm not going to wear until the ride home.Washing machine's here change anything white to a nice grey... so I'll have a nice pair to come home in ;) Mom, you are so funny! I won't get a hair cut until I get home no worries. However, what's up with me not knowing about my cousins having babies and getting married earlier? (Josh/Garrett?) I am feeling way out of the loop. I guess I will catch up in a month or so.

Do I need to do anything for school in January?
Just curious. I love you, thanks for everything.

Megan Shea! - I love ya sister! I don't know if I've gotten taller but I think I've lost some weight. but no worries I am still me! :) We will have a lot of fun when I get back no worries there...

Maddie B- Way to go on the Reflections contest B! you rock! go play in the snow with my puppy for me will ya?

Tanner - Dude, I totally am digging your sword...

Best Five Words

2011-10-31T08:05:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it's already Halloween! I'm slightly freaking out about that ha. It doesn't feel like Halloween though, there's already snow on the ground here and people are getting ready for New Year's already. New Year's is like Christmas for us but it's been fun.

We had a good week last week a couple of miracles and a good Halloween Party for our English club. It's been interesting how successful our English club has been here, we've found 10 new investigators through it, and some of which are showing a lot of progress in the gospel. There's so much to do here in Kemerovo that the two of us is definitely not enough. I go to bed every night just dead tired and get up every morning ready to do it again! there's no better feeling! :) As much as Mom wants me (and is excited for me) to come home, I'm way scared about how fast time is flying...

Our Halloween Party was a big hit, we had trick or treating, scary stories, bobbing for apples and a costume contest. My whole suspenders and my favorite green tie didn't cut it for the prize though. I think that they all had a good time, I think I've got a little bit of my mom in me or something with these Halloween Parties.

So last week we had a lot going on, trying to work with the members to help them to grow and develop, Our sacrament numbers are still going up, 13 this week! Mind you, 5 of which were investigators, I was so stoked. We're hoping to be having some baptisms here in the next month or so. Galina is wanting to get baptized the 26th and we're hoping some of the others will as well.

Another individual gave us a scare, Elder Carr (the stud muffin that he is) invited her to be baptized, and she asked why she needed to be baptized again. So we started to explain the whole Priesthood thing and we told her about Joseph Smith again and the Restoration, and she says, " I don't know why but as soon as you said Joe Smith, I heard something in the back of my mind saying 'don't listen'".

I looked at her and handed her the Book of Mormon, Elder Carr says, " That's the proof, don't just trust us, Trust God, He won't lie". I was afraid we'd lost her and that she wouldn't want to meet any more. BUT! she came to sacrament meeting and after taking pictures of Elder Carr and I playing in the blizzard, She sent us a text. "I've just realized it, and I want to be baptized". Nothing sounds better to a missionary than those 5 words, " I want to be baptized" Elder Carr and I were basically jumping up and down! A miracle.

I just got a call from Novo, and looks like I'm going to Finland this week for my last Visa Trip. Talk about weird, this one will be for 6 weeks and then всё я поеду домой... So yeah, I might send one last package home from Helsinki with some stuff that I want but don't have room for in my suitcase so we'll see. I'm looking forward to going to the Temple and relaxing before I finish this marathon up. Yesterday Elder Carr noticed that I've got a few grey hairs starting to show up... I'm not ready to be Badger Jr. пока... It's all good though we went and got it cut today so now no one will notice ha. It's probably just from being in Siberia for 2 years, oh well.

Well I've gotta get going we've got a lot to do and it seems like no time at all to do it! So have a wonderful Halloween. I'm looking forward to seeing some pics next week! I love you guys! Have a great week!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!

Tanner- You're a stud!! Love ya bro! Don't worry, I'll stay up with you and play video games until 4 in the morning, just not right off the bat ha, I'll need to get acclimated to the whole time difference I am sure.

Mom& Dad - Have a great Halloween! Love you guys!

It Maybe Hard, But it is Worth It

2011-10-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

How's it going back home? Seems like you guy's are having a grand ol' time Megan sure makes a cute Pirate, I think this year I'll be a missionary one last time for Halloween. It's crazy that it's already almost Halloween. We're going to try and have a Halloween party for english this Thursday but we'll see how it turns out. It's hard to do things all big and fun when there are only two of you making things happen.

I'm not liking how fast time is going by, in missionary time the transfer is coming to a close and my last transfer is getting ready to start. Plus, the fact that Elder Carr found my Christmas music doesn't make things any easier lol. But, have no fear I'm focused and still good to go! This marathon isn't over until we cross the finish line.

This week has been a good one. Elder Carr had his birthday Friday and everyone wanted to have a party. So we invited all our investigators, members of the church, and a few people that we were hoping to start
teaching and went bowling. I tell you what it's the funniest thing ever to watch bowling. I'm surprised that no one got killed. We had bowling balls flying every where and people slipping in the bowling shoes. It was legit, we had cake and ice cream and sang happy birthday then our visa registrar picked us up and took us out to have шашлык. Elder Carr was in heaven. For it being his first Birthday in Russia I think he had a pretty good one. He's always all smiles :).

Happy Birthday Elder Carr

The weather's been getting a little chilly. I put on my scarf one day before heading out and Elder Carr goes, "it's not that cold out side" then on the street, "блин, can we go back inside for a second." my сынок will have to get use to Siberia здесь мороз бывает... He'll be fine though, we've got his winter coat already and are planning on going to a рынок today to get him some gloves and a hat so he doesn't freeze.

We've been working hard with our investigators/members and things seem to be going well. Alexey agreed to be baptized when he receives an answer, Lena has some deep questions about the Atonement, and Galina is still trying to get baptized. We might take her to Novo and get her baptized there where there is a real font and a big church. Hopefully things will work out well.

Like Joseph Smith said, "the standard of truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing, persecution may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth ofGod will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

We as the branch presidency are going to working on reactivating/finding those members of the church that we have here. It's not like we haven't tried before, but we've got a plan to do it. We only have 2 Elders here in the city other than us. the branch president and another who's in active. We're going to try and help get a good solid foundation of priesthood men here on which we can build the the rest of the church so, we've been focusing on that and using the Duty to God program to help those members who are here learn what their duties are and what they need to do. It's just hard.

Like Alma says the best way to help people to change is not by the sword, but by the hearing of the word of God. So we'll pick up our Books of Mormon every day and hit the streets.

I've been teaching the Temple Prep Classes here for the members who are getting ready to go to the temple next week.It's been quite the experience.

A 20 year old kid teaching two 40 year olds and a 70 year old бабушка about the Temple and helping them get ready to enter. One of the guys we've been working with told us the other day, " you can't expect some one who's twice your age to listen to you and to expect them to change their entire life around.." Elder Carr answered him right back,

"Yea, we can, we have no right to deny them the chance. We have no right to deny them that Hope which is in us."

It may be hard out here, but it's worth it. I know God Lives and He loves all of his children. It's a great time to be a missionary. We'll i'd better get going before i start blabbering on, nobody likes those missionaries who just talk about their missions the whole time, plus if I tell you everything now I won't have any stories for later. I love you guys! Have a great day/week! I'm expecting a ton of pictures from Halloween!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!!

Mom- Don't worry mom. Also, I'm totally down with the whole St. George Marathon thing. Elder Carr said
his mom's thinking about running it too.

Tanner - I'm diggin the hair bro. ha In the MTC they told us to not come home and grow out our hair and a beard but I tell you, it might just happen! Love ya Bro :) keep doing what you're doing.

Keep Us In Your Prayers

2011-10-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

So our library was having some technical difficulties so we had to run to our internet bar so I'm sorry this is a little later than usual. We had a lot to do today and so we had to push emailing off for a little bit. No worries! I dropped a piano on my toe but we're all good. Woke up to Elder Carr yelling...."I'm going to make a wave pool in Kemerovo!!" :)

President and Sister Gibbons, Elder Eborn, Elder Carr and President Filapov and Son‏

check out Elder Eborn's laughing..... love that (mom)

This week was a great week. We worked our tails off literally. We did a lot of service for the members this week because we love and care about them.I'll send pictures next week, they're hilarious! From white Ninjas to piano movers we've been coming home and almost passing out before we get done with planning. It's been legit. I think that being with Elder Carr has been helping my English get better. Who knows maybe you'll be able to understand me when I get home.

We've been working hard to try to grow things, and it is going well. Our English Club took off and now we have more than 30 people coming every Tuesday and Thursday. If we could get them to all become members of the church then we'd be in good shape :). We're going have a Halloween party next week for it. I'm way excited because this will be my last Halloween in Siberia (I love the holidays at home!). I'm a little sad about it though, I love these people.

There are quite a few people who we're working with that are progressing and doing very well.

It's visible that Satan does not want us to be successful here in this city.

There is a lot of oppression against us here, The Orthodox Church has told people that were a Satanist Sect, and things have been very hard. That's why one of our investigators hasn't been able to be baptized her family is so against the church that they won't even talk to us. Things haven't been easy for our Branch President's family either. They are preparing to go to the temple next month, and are having all sorts of obstacles…life.

However, we finally got to watch general conference this weekend. A lot of times things are so very hard. But, I know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the way.. He is the light and life of the world, and in Him we can find peace. I know that. I love being His missionary. I know this is where he needs me to be.

Please keep our little branch here in your prayers. We may be in the neither most part of the vineyard, but The Lord himself works with us here. I love you guys. Thanks for everything you do for me.

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Just so know I bought my Russian suit. It's pretty slick you'll see it when I get off the plane. Let me know what kind of things you would like me to bring home, P-days are becoming rare commodities now a days...

Tanner - Love ya Brosky!
Megan - Love ya Megashake
B- Love ya Maddie :) Kiss the brown one for me!

Pictures Worth a 1000 Words

2011-10-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

We were so blessed today, not only did we hear from our sweet siberian missionary, we were lucky to get some pictures from a wonderful, kind hearted man.

This is the Kemerovo Branch Building

Some of the members of the branch with President Gibbons and his sweet wife.

Sister Gibbons, President Gibbons, Elder Eborn and Elder Carr

The new Kemerovo Branch members giving the missionaries a gift.

Elder Carr, President Gibbons, and Elder Eborn

Remember this? The 5K they ran with the President. Elder Stewart and Elder Eborn

At the startline of the race.

@ their apartment in Kemerovo, this week.

Another Week in Kemerovo

2011-10-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

Well another week here in Kemerovo and I am not dead yet! When ever I write that I'm in Kemerovo I always think of those days when we would drive through Kemmerer Wyoming. I do miss those days! When we drive 5 hours up to the Wind Rivers and back, Scout chasing deer. Good times! The pictures of you all out on Antelope Island made me way excited to come home and see you all.

This last week was well I guess you'd say a normal week in Siberia in that the weirdest things always seem to go down. But don't worry Elder Carr's safe and no one has died. We had been working very hard to figure out what to do here in Kemerovo and some of the members told us how successful an English Club would be so I made few calls, printed a bunch of invitations to English Club up, and got to work inviting people to our big start of English Club party. The day we started was last week and we had probably 30 people show up and we only had 2 missionaries and our "Aunt Terri" her name's Ulia, She's our visa registrar but I call her Aunt Terri because she looks a lot like Aunt Terry and she's always about making sure that we are ok and taken care of. She's taken us out to lunch like 3 times since we got here and she's awesome.

Anyways we had 30 people show up, Elder Carr and I acted out the skit "The King, the Queen and the Gate" and invited some of the people to come and try and translate. It was hiliarous, we had some of the people rolling on the ground they were laughing so hard. We also made them Rootbeer and brownies. it was all fine until I stepped out to get the refreshments and I hear someone ask Elder Carr if they can hug him, and he goes, " Uhh, well I wanna, but uhh... I don't know what to say..." so I yell into him come help me and "Aunt Terri" ...huffs in to save the day and lays down the law about English Club lol. She threw it down pretty hard ha it was pretty cool not gunna lie (no hugging the missionaries). The best part was that every person who came to English gave us their number and asked us if we'd share the gospel with them at some point or an other. I was in awe. It was so legit!

We've had all sorts of other funny experiences too. I don't know why but all new missionaries love to talk to drunk people. I've had to pull Elder Carr away several times before someone tries to hit him. His Russian's coming a long very well but like anyone, it takes some time before you start to understand. He and President Gibbons this weekend decided they wanted to contact a group of kids who all had bottles of beer in their hands. As soon as they started to talk, one of the members in the crowd started calling us Sektanties, which means Sektist, who sacrifice children, and all sorts of bad things. I took him aside and tried to calm him down when I told him that the Church of Jesus Christ was the only true church he said he was going to kill us so I grabbed President Gibbons and Elder Carr and high-tailed it out of there. Elder Carr got to meet another woman this week too. She was very nice until we invited her to come to church. Elder Carr said as we walked away, "she seemed like really nice lady." (ha if only I didn't understand what she'd said). Anyways, we're having a lot of fun and many adventures.

Our investigators are doing awesome, Their progressing. Galina had an intereview with the Mission President and is prepared to be baptized whenever she desires. She hasn't accepted a set date because she's scared but she has a testimony comes to church every week, and wants to be baptized. Alexey wants to live for ever, and has a hypothesis that if we don't drink, smoke or take drugs we'll live forever. We agreed to try it if he agreed to try the gospel ;) . Lena is a nice girl who's got a lot of questions about things but every question she asks can be answered by the gospel. It's amazing how the gospel can do that right?!

We took a trip up to Tomck this week and had a district meeting that went well. The district leader in Tomck asked me to share with them the secret to missionary work. I'm one of the oldest missionaries in Siberia now and they had a question and answer session with me. I was like, "guys, I don't go home for another 10 weeks... I'm still here" It was kind of a sad realization. This last weekend President Gibbons came up with Sister Gibbons and I had my last intereview with him as a missionary before my departure intereview it was way weird and wonderful. We talked a lot about what is going on in Kemerovo and in the mission. His son is on his mission in Mexico right now and was put in a similar situation like me (except he's on the beach and I'm in Siberia ha). We talked about many things and he asked me what thoughts I had about the rest of my mission and what I was going to do.

I told him I'm going to help Elder Carr become the best missionary he can and help him be ready to train another missionary at the end of his training, and that I'm hoping to help the branch here in Kemerovo have a good foundation on which they can grow from after I'm gone. I shared with him the verses from D&C 31.7 Which read,'' I will open the hearts of the people and they will recieve you, and by your hand I will create my church".

I've only have 10 weeks to go, and I pray that the Lord will do with me as he will and give me the strength to do all that he's asked of me."

Well I think thats about all that happened this week. We're goint to be trying a lot of new things. This week, Elder Carr was called to serve as 2nd Counselor in the Branch Presidency so we both can help train and support President Filipov. They're going through the Temple in a month and I'm way excited :) They were baptized literally 3 days after I entered the MTC, and now they're going to be sealed with their family for time and all eternity.

I love being out here in the middle of the Siberia. Like Elder Carr says' "we're the lone wolves out here!
I love you guys! have a great week You're in my prayers.
liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Love you guys!

Serving in the 'Neither Most' Section

2011-10-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

Sounds like you guys have been having quite a bit of fun back there in the Good ol' US of A :) I'm looking forward to being able to run with you next year in St. George Marathon it'll be fun I guess I'll have to show the badger that this young pup still has some run in his legs ;) Way to go Dad, I'm proud of you!

The works going well here, we had 11 people at sacrament and were able to get a few new investigators this week. Elder Carr is a stud, ha he's not afraid of anything! I put him on the side of the road that has people walking and he just talks to everyone ha and when they don't understand what's going on I come in and talk to them. He's going to be a much better missionary that I, he's got a strong testimony and is ready to work. The Lord couldn't ask for better.

We're getting ready to have General Conference some time... Out here (where the devil lost his pancho), we don't get a lot of contact with the rest of the world and don't know exactly when we'll get a copy of Conference to watch but when we do I'm sure I'll enjoy it! Weird to think that next time I'll be able to watch it in my own home or even at the conference center live. We are so blessed back home. Some of the members here get to see the conference and that is what they think is the church. a giant conference center and a whole bunch of little branches like ours.

This week's been pretty epic (not gunna lie:). We take a trip to Tomck every other week to take part in district meeting (it's like a 5 hour drive) but this week we had a training in Novosibirsk so we got to go back down. it was way good, I learned a lot. Elder Newenschwander from the quorum of the 70 was there with us and he taught us some very good things that brought peace to my soul. In Kemerovo we have 4 Melchizedek Priesthood holders and two of them are missionaries. This last Sunday, as a matter of fact I set a part a sister to serve as the Primary President because our Branch President, who's a wonderful man trying to do everything he can, has never given a blessing and asked me to teach how. It was a really humbling experience.

I've also been asked to teach the temple preparation class for those who would like to go to the Temple in the near future. I'm teaching the branch president his wife and one other sister who is in her 80's and wants to go to the temple more than anything in the world. We've been starting from scratch basically, trying to teach the members how to manage their own branch, as well as trying to find those who are prepared for the gospel and help them come closer to their Heavenly Father. Many nights I've laid awake just wondering what am I suppose to do? How is a 20 year old suppose to establish the Church of Jesus Christ in the middle of Siberia? Elder Newenschwander described his experience working in the church and helping the church come into Russia 20 years ago, and he had a lot of the same feelings I had been having. But he shared an experience with us that I felt was straight to me. "This is not our work, It's His. And He is very much involved in it. We have stewardship for a while, and we are expected to do the very best that we can, and He'll fill in the rest." I felt like a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I know that this is the Lord's work, and I'm very gratfeul that I can serve like it says in Jacob 5 in "the neither most section of the vineyard. " There's nothing I'd rather be doing. :)

We'll that's about it for me... I can't think of anything else that you'd care to know about. We're starting an English club tomorrow, we'll be heading up to Tomck on Thursday and The Gibbons' will be heading up this
weekend to meet the branch president. so ya! I love you guys! Thanks for everything. I miss you like crazy!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн

Mom & Dad - Love ya guys :)

Grandma & Grandpa - You guys are in the temple everyday any idea how to teach a temple prep class? I love you guys! Thanks for always writting me ever week . You guys rock.

Be Faithful Unto the End

2011-09-26T16:54:00.000-07:00

Shalom!

It's starting to get cold outside. That's a funny thing to say while you're living in Siberia... We were out without our jackets going to get groceries today and some бабушка got all up in our faces about not wearing coats. I guess it's that time of the year when all the leaves start to fall and the streets start turning to ice. It’s weird to think that I won't be here to see the thaw this next year.

This city is so beautiful, there are trees all down the streets that are full of orange and yellow leaves and the weather is wonderful to гулять. So we've been taking advantage of it before the winter hits to talk to people on the street and share our message. It was pretty good we've found a lot of people who want to meet with us and also are getting ready to start an English club here in Kemerovo. It's been fun; we're basically starting from the ground up so we get to decide everything. Some of my friends from Omck found out that I got sent here and sent me a whole group of contacts, friends of theirs in Kemerovo they wanted us to meet with and we've been able to find some new investigators from it.

Elder Carr has used one of his new favorite phrases quite a bit this last week, "when you know this is true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized?" and then he smiles :). He's a great guy and is a great missionary. Plus, he makes me laugh way hard. We were on a bus the other day and I was talking to a man and Elder Carr went to this бабушка and asked if she believed in God. She asked him immediately are you a Jehovah’s Witness? I heard it in the back of the bus and knew Elder Carr didn't know what she was saying, and before I could yell out "no", He smiles and says, “Yeah, I have a testimony of it” it was a good thing we got off on the next bus stop and I explained to him what had happened and we had a good laugh at it. Being a Trainer is a lot of fun, I remember how Elder Lambson use to just laugh at the things I would do while I was trying to get my feet on the ground. I'm sure it's kind of like how Dad must have felt with me for the last 19 years of my life, just sitting back and laughing as I lived and learned.

We have quite a few people that we've found this week that want to meet with us. It's been amazing people just seem to be flopping in our lap. We were invited to dinner last night by a lady who wanted us to come and meet her family and share our message with them. It was honestly, the first time I've ever had that happen on my mission. We also had another lady walk into the branch 3 minutes before sacrament meeting and ask “what is this building? I felt like I needed to come in here for some reason so I did”. We invited her to stay for sacrament and to meet with us afterwards. During sacrament I looked up at her and she had a huge smile on her face and tears rolling down her cheeks. Afterwards, we met with her and she told us how she'd left the православная church and didn't know what to do, but that she found our church and everything just felt so right. Elder Carr invited her to be baptized as well. Ha that's my boy ;). There are miracles here every day, I love this city. I don't know what it is or why, but I feel like this is where I'm supposed to be.

After last week, I was a little discouraged and I'm sorry if it seemed like I was down, but I was reading in D&C 31 again (It sees to bring peace to my soul for some reason). I love the words that are in the very last verse. "Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you. These words are not of man nor men, but of Me even Jesus Christ, your Redeemer.." Whether we're one of 2 missionaries in a city of half million people in the middle of Siberia, playing volleyball, studying in college, working hard, or getting ready to run a marathon. I know that we are never alone. He's always near.

I love you guys :) thanks for everything. Were heading to Novo this week for a training and will be back by the end of the week! Keep us in your prayers.

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн

Dad- Good luck this weekend Badger just remember...... “Run Dammit!”
Mom - Love you mommy :)

A Lot of Work to Do

2011-09-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

Sounds like you guys already know about Elder Carr, he's a stud, I love him to death. The first day we were together he caught a pigeon and asked what it was called and stopped every person he saw and then would say, '' uhh.." and turn to me. His Russian is very good for just getting here. He loves to stop people and ask them if they've surfed and then shows them his pictures and says, " the only thing that makes me happier than surfing is the gospel". I have no doubt he's goint to be an amazing missionary.

So Thursday last week Elder Carr and I loaded up all of our stuff on to a bus and headed off to Kemerovo, we had no phone, no nothing ha just the address of our apartment and the keys to the branch. I wasn't to worried I figured we'd figure it out on the way, but we ended up getting into a conversation with a man on the bus about the gospel and in the space of 5 hours were able to teach him basically all the missionary lessons Elder Carr was stoked. We pulled into the bus station switched numbers and he took off. We're hoping to meet with him this week some time. Our Visa registrar met us at the bus station to our surprise and helped us get everything taken care of and even took us to get some groceries for the next few days. Elder Carr crashed as soon as his head hit the bed. I sure remember how that felt. Elder Lambson and I also shotgunned and area but didn't open a city. I laid awake most of the night just wrestling with my thoughts and trying to figure out what we need to do, where we need to start, and how is the best way to help this city explode with the gospel.

We were able to take care of all of the things we needed and get our apartment in order and then hit the streets we set up a meeting with President Filapov who is the branch president here. He's a good guy, has a strong testimony, is worthy to be the the branch president and he's ready to work. Sunday we came an hour early for presidency meeting to discuss the members and how to help those we need to and got ready for sacrament meeting. I sat and studied my scriptures and these verses from Mormon 6 kept popping in to my head. So I opened up and read verses 17-20.

17 O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!
18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I amourn your loss.
19 O ye afair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have bfallen!
20 But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return.

I thought to myself why did I think of those verses? They're all sad and not very happy. Then 11 o clock came around. and the only people in sacrament meeting were President Filapov, Elder Carr, and myself. President Filapov just kind of put his head down and didn't know what to do. I told him President if no one comes let's partake of the sacrament, and then I have some thought's I'd like to share. 20 minutes later it was still just us. So I blessed and Elder carr passed the sacrament to the 3 of us the I opened up my scriptures and read those verses that had pressed on my mind. In a city of half a million people, only 3 partook of the sacrament this Sunday We have a lot of work to do and I am grateful the Lord is with us to do it.

Keep us and the people in Russia in your prayers
I love you guys,

liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn

That Last Leg of the Race

2011-09-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

Dearest Family & Friends,

So I've got a lot to let you know and not much time to do it in. We've been officially kicked out of the office so back to using internet cafe's to do internet and they always seem to skimp me on time. Anyway, all of the administration changes have been put into effect, and will be active starting next week with the end of this transfer. I have a new and rather unique assignment that I'll let you know about here in a bit but first of all...

This week has been quite an adventure, working hard with our investigator trying to help them to progress and gain that spark that'll ignite their testimony. We had planned to work with our investigator and help him to set a goal, a baptismal date. And we studied way hard, we prayed, fasted, and were very well prepared for the meeting with pavel. We were expecting to have to use quite a few scriptures and help him to understand how to recieve personal revelation a bit more and this is how the converstaion went.

EE- " hey, whats up?"

P- "Not much guys, I read the liahona you gave me about temples. That night I prayed before going to bed, and while I was a sleep I had a dream I was in the temple; dressed in all white. A man came up to me and took me aside, we had an interview and he told me the day that I needed to get baptized... does that normally happen?"

ES- (In English) " You've gotta be kidding me!"

Our whole lesson plan went out the window and we had a good long laugh. But now he has a goal, and something he's working for his fire's started and I have no doubt it will go through even if I'm not here to see it.

Saturday here in Novosibirsk was the Sibierian Festival of Running. Elder Stewart and I talked President Gibbons in to running the 5K with us. We didn't register the right way, We were supposed to get a doctors note, and permission from all of these people ha we just walked up to the registration booth and said, "hey we're American, and we wanna run the 5K."

They all flipped out and let us run for free and even gave us t-shirts that were supposed to be only for the half marathon relay. It was fun :) I'm way out of shape though, I kept telling myself I should be running this at a 6.30 pace but 6.59 isn't to bad for a fat kid.

It was an interesting/great experience, Standing at the start of the race, President Gibbons puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "this is the last race of your mission, leave it all out there." While, I was running I was thinking about my mission, and I kind of thought of it as a few huge rocks that the Lord has put me in front of and told me to get them moving. It started in Tomck, where when I started we hadn't had any baptisms in the city for 8 months. After 3 months of working hard the city became the top baptizing city in our mission. I was then transfred to Omck, which unfortunately was called "the armpit of the mission" at the time". After 9 months of work there the work began to progress and we started having success. Now I'm looking back, at my service as assistant and seeing the things that I've been able to help get started that are going to revolutionize the work here in Siberia. I feel that I've been able to in some small way get these rocks moving. Now I've got an even bigger one to work on.

In March of 2011, I had the opportunity to go with President Trejo to the smallest branch in our mission, Kemerovo. There are probably 4 semi-active members there, and our purpose in going was to announce that we would no longer be sending missionaries to the city of Kemerovo even part time as we had been. The members were devestated, and left the branch in tears. That same day a man who's been a member of the church for a year and a half moved from St. Petersburg to kemerovo because he felt he and his family needed too.Three months later he was given the Priesthood and set apart as branch president. This guy's been a member as long as I've been on my mission and he's the leader of a branch. The Lord calls he qualifies those he calls. This last transfer we decided we needed to re-open the city to fulltime missionary work.

I personally had been hoping to return to Omck, and finish my mission training a new missionary in a place where I knew. One day while driving with President Gibbons, he turned to me and with tears in his eyes said, "Elder Eborn, I want to keep you as an assistant for the rest of your mission, however I know the Lord needs you to help re-open Kemerovo." Talk about a big rock that needs to be moved. I'll be taking a new missionary, Elder Conrad Carr, from Malibu California with me, where I will train him.

We'll be the only companionship of missionaries in the city and yesterday President Gibbons assigned me to serve as First Counselor in the Branch Presidency to help, support and train President Vladimir Filapov how to be a branch president.. So, this week I'll be heading out.

An Elder here in our mission, after finding out called me, and in a lowly voice said, "Elder Eborn, I was reading in the Doctrine and Coventants and I thought of you, I'd just like to share with you the words I read in D&C 31 (if you want to read it go a head it was really sweet an brought tears to my eyes. :)

I love this work, I love these people, and more importantly I love my Heavenly Father, and I'll do what he asks me to do. Keep me in your prayers, I am going to so need it!

I love you.
liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn

Things Are Not Always As They Seem

2011-09-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sounds like you all have had a pretty busy weekend. It's always fun to do a little manual labor that is for sure. Every time we get a chance to do some actual service, not just English Club, we jump at the opportunity! So I hope you're all enjoying and working hard.

This last week for me was an interesting one. We traveled to Omck and went on splits with every companionship of Elders there. They've been having a hard time... I felt that when I left 6 months ago we had just got the ball started to move with the work there but with new missionaries getting their bearings it takes some time to get in the groove of things and tear it up. Plus,every companionship of Elders in the city has had some type of medical emergency in the last transfer. So we got to go back and spend a few days working with the companionships there and also did some training at their district meeting. The district meeting with the whole zone was cool and all but what I really enjoyed was being able to have some one on one time with the elders there. Talking about how the work is going, how they're feeling, and to just spend some time with them. They are amazing missionaries. The last 6 months I've been able to do a lot of administrative things, so it was nice to do the ministry side of things. Maybe next transfer will hold something different for me. I'll let you know next week whats up but, I'll say that this unfortunately was my last trip to Omck as a "Elder Eborn"..

While I was on splits I got to work with a young elder. He's in his third transfer, and doing awesome. It was interesting their one investigator in the area is an excommunicated member who's on her way back to the church and, is working with the elders. I had the opportunity to be on a meeting with this Elder and teach this young lady.

She was not very excited that I was there, and gave me a hard time that I wasn't Elder Sargsyan, who she's use to working with. We started to talk, and I just kept quiet letting my companion start off with the lesson that he'd prepared. We were talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and, how through the Atonement of Christ we can be cleansed from all of our sins. When we started to talk about repentance, she sat back looked at us and said, "what do you two know about repentance... you're 20 years old, were born and raised in the church, and are here just to mark off that you served a mission, so you can go home and get married... You don't know anything."

My young comp didn't know what to say and looked at me. I sat there in silence trying to think of what i could say to this woman. Then, I found myself reaching into my bag and pulling out the picture of my family that I always have with me. I showed it to her, And she said, "wow, yet another perfect Mormon family.. I bet your mom waited for your dad on his mission right?''

Things are not always as they seem....I then began to tell her about us, and about some of the things we've gone through. I told her about my Mom, and about what happened to our family,what we have experienced.. I looked her in the eye as she began to cry and I said, " The Atonement is real, I've never killed anyone, I've never committed adultery, but I know the Atonement is real if we allow it to work".

I've had some pretty spiritual experiences out here serving but this one made me really cry pretty hard. I'm not a crier (at least I try not to be). I'm really grateful that our we have a Savior, and that His Atonement is real. It was as if He were standing in the room with us from that point on.

I don't know what will happen with that sister, I'll probably never see her again, but for some reason I feel that that 30 minute meeting was one of the reasons I was sent here.

The rest of the week went well, we finished up in Omck and came back to Novo for the last time. We've got a lot of changes coming our way here in Siberia, and I'm glad I can be a part of them. We met with President Gibbons and got the final preparations figured out for the big administration shift that will start next transfer.

It'll be effecting me pretty major. We had a great meeting with another investigator, who had just returned from young single adults conference. He had no idea that the goal of the conference was to get as many young single adults married as possible ha. He came back and complained about these girls following him around the whole time and giggling ha. But, he, it seems, has gotten his answer :). He came to our meeting in a white shirt and tie, with just a glow in his face, a light with in him. He said, " I think I've learned how the Holy Ghost communicates with me.." with a big grin on his face. We're looking forward to meeting with him and helping him get ready for baptism here in the near future we're hoping!

Elder Eborn and Elder Stewart

trying to give the dinosaur a Book of Mormom

Well that's about it for this week... We've got ZLC this week and also Elder Stewart and I are searching for a new apartment. so yeah! Thats what we're up too! You're probably sick of reading my junk any way ha. We've only got 3 months left so enjoy the peace and quiet while I'm not around!! ;) I love you guys. Have a great week!!

liveSTRONG

Старейшина Иборн!

Mom - Alright 1/2 time sounds like a plan. Don't worry I'll get you some матрёшки. I'm planning on getting some items as well as some шапки. and some cheaper little things for everyone else. The suit thing, I'll probably be alright Russian suits are just way legit and super cheap. So I'll keep an eye out.

Quiet Promptings

2011-08-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

So I opened up mom's letter today, and she had attached the picture of Amber when you had root beer floats and Sister Olga, the Visa clerk here in the office comes in to my office and looks at the picture of her and says, "Elder Eborn, I really hope you're planning on dating that girl when you get home, because I approve!"

Steering away from way trunky subjects, this week was pretty good.

We were in Omck last week and took President and Sister Gibbons to the рынок (market) and bought them some winter gear before the prices start to go up. I must say my haggling skills have gotten pretty good here in Siberia, I was able to get 5000 rubles taken off President's jacket.

We spent the rest of the week here in Novo working on transfers and having the first ever video training for missionaries! It was cool; we got all the trainers and new missionaries throughout the mission together on Skype and were able to have a hour training with them. It was way cool! Sometime's I'm amazed at how far technology has come since I left. Sometimes it feels like we're in our own little bubble here. Sister Gibbons brought her smart phone with her from home and it has this thing where you just drag your finger across the key pad and it types the word you want it too (predictive text). Here I felt special having the brick that made a mark in my pocket. I don't know what I’ll do when I get home and have to re-learn how to use technology.

This last week we had an interesting experience. We were called about 10:25 right before bed time, and it was a contact that we'd met a few weeks ago and invited to meet with us. He told us he'd been thinking a lot about our offer, and wanted to meet with us. So, we set up a meeting for later in the week and then went to meet him. I had this really weird feeling about the whole thing. I've never ever in my entire mission had some one call us and tell us they'd rethought about what we'd said, plus he invited us to come to his house. We never have that happen. Russians are very careful about whom they invite to their homes, and I think I’ve only had 2 or 3 first meetings that haven't been in the branch building or at a member's home. But, we went any way, maybe the Lord was going to bless us with some new awesome investigator who's super ready to accept our message.

We get to the apartment building and head up to their apartment. The young man lets us in, He's probably 23-24 years old, and he introduces us to his friend who's probably mid 40's. We sit down and start getting acquainted and they stop us from saying anything and start into a sale's pitch trying to get us to join their Amway team. I felt like an idiot for not listening to what the Spirit was trying to tell me first of all.

The meeting ended up being a good learning experience for me. These two men did a lot of what we as missionaries do. They explained their product and explained the benefits and even как бы bore testimony about it, they invited us find out for ourselves if what they were saying and trying to get us to do was true. The thought occurred to me while this whole thing was going on, "is this how people feel like when we try to teach them the gospel?" And then I realized what was missing from their little presentation. The Spirit. These two men knew their stuff; they knew how to approach it. But they didn't have the one thing that touches people’s hearts, the one thing that helps Every Person in the world to know that what we are saying is true. They didn't have the Holy Ghost with them to witness to their hearts that the things that they are hearing are true.

Being on the mission has been a very interesting experience. You hear about how spiritual the mission is, you go to the MTC and listen to Apostles come teach you and instruct you, and then they send you on a plane halfway around the world to the middle of Siberia, where you have to learn how to take the blows of Satan. Who's trying to drive every ounce of spirituality you've got out of you, and why? Because he knows that without the Spirit, you're no better than the salesmen. D&C 50: 14 gives kind of the "what and how" of missionary work. "To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth." The Holy Ghost is an amazing thing. He can tell us truth that would seem illogical to just believe but you know in your heart that it is true.

One of the true tests of this life is learning to listen to what he has to tell you. Whether or not you're trying to learn whether or not God even exists, or What you're supposed to do with your life. Like the Prophet Moroni promises us, "by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things..." I only have like 3 months left as an official representative of Jesus Christ, So I exhort everyone who reads this to humble themselves and learn to listen to the quiet promptings of the Holy Ghost. It will bring you Peace, Happiness, and a Sense of Being that only those who have experience it can imagine.

We'll I guess you're probably all sick of reading my silly letter, and I should probably get off my soap box here (jumping down now).

We're going to the zoo today! ha, Elder Stewart and I have a goal to ride a dinosaur. Yeah, you thought they were all extinct, but little did you know they all just came to Siberia! ;)

This week we'll be traveling back to Omck to go on splits with the Elders. This will be my last time there as a missionary. I love you guys!! Thanks for all your support and everything you do for me. I couldn't be here without you!

liveSTRONG,
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad – Hey…no worries on the $ I should be fine on money for a little bit. I'm going to need to buy some things but I will let you know when so you can figure things out. Thanks for your support-always.

Your Personal Sacred Grove

2011-08-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Family!
Sounds like you guys had an awesome weekend! The pictures of Camp look way amazing ...I'm thinking that I may look working next summer there, if I can convince a few good people to come up and work with me.

It sounds like a you had a great time. Way cool that you got to meet Todd, he's a great kid. Way to make me tear up Megan! The whole comment about my life jacket made me realize how much I really miss you guys. I love you guys that's for sure.

I'm here in Omck right now, it's been quite the week running around Siberia with the Gibbons. We've had a lot of really funny experiences with them. Eating Shaurma, joking with Sister Gibbons, and as much missionary work in as possible.

Things have gone well.... We traveled from Krasnoyarsk - Barnual - Tomck - Omck all in this last week. I think I may have finally learned how to sleep on a train though...it's been fine. We've been working on restructuring the mission. There are a lot of things that we're going to be doing that may differ than what been done in the past. But as mom Mom said in her email, "the only thing that is constant in life, is Change" and as President Trejo use to say, "if you always do what you always did, you'll always get what, what you always got". So, I'm really looking forward to what's going to happen. I'm going to definitely be having an adventure the last 3 months of my mission that's for certain. Love it!

I haven't had a lot of time to do a lot this last week, we've been working the majority of the time trying to make sure the Gibbons don't get lost as we get around the mission (kidding). But, I have had time to sit and to think. As a missionary you're with your companion 24/7 not a lot of alone time. So you learn how to be alone with your thoughts, and to kind of shut out the world and find what President Gibbons calls "your personal sacred grove". So while traveling from Barnaul after stopping and taking pictures I had a lot of thoughts going through my mind. It's very interesting how the Lord can communicate with us when we put ourselves in those kind of situations. We've got a lot of things that compete for our attention in life and we kind of put the Lord on the back burner. However, when we can put everything that kind of messes with us aside even if it's just while your driving in the car and spend a little one on one time with the Lord. You really learn who you are and a lot more about what the most important thing is for us to do. He really does know each of us individually and he knows exactly what we need and give us what we need. And some times it's not what we want, but it's always what we need.

The Gibbons are doing well and are getting use to the mission and to Russia. They're learning what's going on and they're having a lot of fun. Amazing people. I've only had to translate for President Gibbons maybe twice and it was for sacrament meeting talks. His Russian is good, by the end of their mission he'll be better off than most of the regular missionaries. It's kind of interesting having been an assistant for three Mission Presidents. I've learned so much from each of them.

Our investigators are doing well, he is going to the youth conference this week, we're hoping and praying that he'll come back with great spiritual experience. He's been living for all the commandments and is reading the scriptures daily and praying. It's like he's a camp fire that has been kindled very well, and dosed with gasoline. We're just waiting for Heavenly Father to drop the match on him! We found another new investigator this week while were in Novo who hopefully start progressing very well.

So that's about it for me this week! I'm taking the Gibbons the the Market today to find them some winter clothes. This could be very interesting experience! We're here in Omck and it's been kind of bittersweet, I think this may be the last time that I come to Omck. however, whatever the Lord has in store, I'll do what he asks. Like Nephi says, " he always provides away"

Sometimes he just makes us take a few steps in the dark before he shows us what we need to do.

I hope you all have a great time with school starting and such --one adventure ends and another begins! I love you all, Have fun be safe, You're always in my prayers.

liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - There's a note in the box I sent with some treats so enjoy!

A Note From Sister Gibbons

2011-08-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

Elder Stewart, Sister Gibbons, President Gibbons, and Elder Eborn

Hello Brother and Sister Eborn,

President Gibbons and I have so enjoyed getting to know your son Elder Eborn. He has been wonderful to work with and has helped us so much during our first two weeks here in the mission. I don't know what we would have done without him! We were driving home from Barnaul the other day and stopped to take some pictures in front of a wheat field (since "the field is white, already to harvest!").

Thank you for raising such a fine young man. He is a great missionary!

Love,
Sister Julie Gibbons
Russia Novosibirsk Mission

Elder Stewart, President Gibbons, and Elder Eborn

P-Days Are Now On Mondays!

2011-08-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

Howdy,

Raspberry jam hmmmm... Sounds pretty great to me! and it looks like you'll have enough to save some until December – lucky me ;). You're probably all up getting ready for Bike the Bear and stuff, which by the way sounds like a lot of fun too. I'm looking forward to going on some rides next spring.

Last week like you know I went to Finland! I've only got one more trip in November. This trip was pretty ridiculous, but we had a good time. It's been fun being able to meet up with the guys I started my mission with and being able to catch up on things and to see how far we've come. We've all changed quite a bit since the MTC that is for sure.

We had the opportunity to go to downtown Helsinki which is always way pretty; and also got to spend some time at the Finland Temple. We were planning on going out for dinner at pizza hut or somewhere down in the center. But, as we walked through the grocery store where I'd sent my package from, we cast our eyes upon the most beautiful sight these missionary eyes had ever seen! Kraft Macaroni and Cheese! Right under it Betty Crocker Devils Cake mix. We scraped up the rest of our our money and loaded up a grocery cart full of the stuff and took it all back to the Temple Hostel to enjoy! It sounds way nerdy and strange but, I do believe that was one of the best meal I've had on my mission.

The next morning we went to the temple, (which is always awesome!) I spent a good bit of time sitting in the Celestial Room pondering about some things that had been on my mind. Things to do with the mission, things to do with school, and for some dumb reason marriage and life. I don't get why on a mission for some reason your thoughts always seem to drift to getting married, I suspect it's due to the fact that you're with another dude for 24/7 and maybe the fact that you spend all your time trying to help other people to be together forever. Anyways, I was sitting there and I was blessed to be able to receive some answers to some things that had come up in the mission, and some decisions I needed to make, and got up to get leave the room, opened the door and walked right into a Finnish Bride walking to the sealing room. Ha I felt bad... She was walking down the hall in this beautiful white dress, flowers in hand, stars in her eyes, just gleaming. -When some silly Elder from Siberia in his off white shirt bumps into her. I felt super awkward but oh well, all the folks in the room waiting for her saw the whole thing through the door and started to laugh. I excused myself and quickly left the temple. We had to clean up our room and the kitchen in the Hostel before we could go so we started to clean up. Then all of the people from the marriage party start coming into the kitchen, and setting up for the reception or whatever it was. The four of us didn't want to interrupt anything, plus 4 missionaries at a marriage is a um…a little awkward... so in order to not draw attention to ourselves we all spoke in Russian amongst ourselves, hoping that they wouldn't try to talk to us if they knew we didn't speak Finnish. Until one of the grooms men comes up and starts speaking Russian to us! Those Finns and their mastery of all language known to man! We ended up introducing ourselves and then had to switch to English so he could introduce us to the bride and groom, who I'd early (literally)run into, I'm pretty sure Heavenly Father has a sense of humor.

This week has been pretty busy/crazy, we've already been gone to Krasnoyarsk andto Barnaul where President and Sister Gibbons were able to meet and the missionaries. We had a lot of time to talk and to get to know each other.

They're awesome! They've got a son serving in Mexico, He's basically already baptized more people in his first month than our mission has baptized in the last 8 months. I'm exaggerating of course. Things are good; we're making a lot of changes here in our mission. Restructuring things and trying to make things work a little more efficient and more productively.

It's going to be good, I can feel it. One of the changes is that we've changed P-day to Monday, like I put in the subject. So, if you want me to hear from you just do it before Mondays and we'll be good! Maybe that'll be easier for you all on Sundays when you're not all in the hustle and bustle of work and school. I really am grateful for any emails that I get, helps me feel like I'm not alone out here.
Well, I've got to get going. President Gushin is picking us up in a few moments and we'll be driving up to Tomck then later this weekend we'll be going to Omck and then things should get back to normal. At least for a little while. I love you guys! Thanks for all you do for me here. I really couldn't do this without your love and support. I love you, you're in my prayers!
liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn!!

Gramm- Happy birthday Gramm! I hope you have a great day and know that I Love your heart! :)
Mom & Dad - Have a great time up at bike the bear, if you see Amber's Brother Todd tell him I say hi. Send me pics! :) love you guys

He Has Sent Me Here

2011-08-14T17:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry this email didn't come on Wednesday but I was busy trying to make sure everything was in order with a new mission president, transfers, ZLC, and a Visa trip I was pretty swamped. I did how ever have time to print off your emails before I took off to Finland and had ample time to read your letters and kind of sort of formulate some thoughts into what should hopefully be the email for this week.

So, to start, we picked up the Gibbons at 5:30 on Friday from the Airport and the first thing President Gibbons does when he see's us is throws up the rocker. He's pretty legit not gunna lie. He's got a lot of energy and is ready to hit the ground running. I'm excited to be serving with him for at least this transfer if not longer. After they got in and settled a little bit. We had to take care of business. He took us to the sports supply store and we helped him buy a treadmill for the winter. We got to talk about what the plans are for the upcoming months, what assignments he'd been given from the First Presidency and we'll be having a lot of changes in our mission and I'm really excited to be a part of it. For one, starting the 22nd of August, Preparation Days will be on Mondays. So if you want to write me from now on you'll probably want to do it on Sunday Night’s. There are some changes coming which is exciting.

We had a fireside on Sunday night and I was expecting to have to translate. We have a blessing; President Gibbons broke out in reasonably understandable Russian. He and Sister Gibbons were able to do most of the fireside without translation. They speak Russian! They only turned back and asked, "how do you say...?” like once or twice! It was pretty sweet. We've been getting ready to travel around the mission and let President meet with the members and missionaries in the next few weeks. As a matter of fact, I got home from Finland this morning at 8, slept a few hours and we'll be getting on a train to Krasnoyarsk in about an hour ha. It'll be an interesting couple of weeks what else can I say!

Our ZLC last week went amazing. We were able to council with the leaders of the mission of some of the things that we're going to be doing in the mission; there was a really good spirit of unity there. We were able to help them understand what we're going to be doing in becoming a "Preach My Gospel" mission and everyone was very excited for the upcoming changes. Elder Stewart and I were able to spend a little time talking about the Doctrine of Christ with the Elders and to explain why we really are here in Siberia and what our purpose is.

A full time missionary's job is to be a witness that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and that all need to come unto him and accept and live by His Gospel to inherit the blessings of eternal life. We did that object lesson where we had one of the missionaries do push-ups for everyone in the room to receive a chocolate brownie. Our goal was to help the missionaries to understand how personal the Atonement really is. It was an experience that I’ll never forget. The elder doing the push-ups, is one of the best people I know. He'd never hurt anyone and would do anything for his friends. At first the missionaries started to laugh and joke as this Elder silently did the pushups. I would ask each Elder, "would you like a brownie?'' About half way through the Elder doing the push-ups was in pain. He started to cry, and shake. They all tried to get us to stop, or to take his place. I've done this before with my brother on a young men's campout, and have been on different ends of it. I've done the push-ups, I have and been the one who receives the brownie, and watched my brother do the push-ups. But being the one who offers the brownies was a whole new experience. I thought about our Heavenly Father, and how he must feels to send his son to the earth to atone for each and every one of us who has ever been, or ever will be on the face of the earth. I thought about how he must feel when people, don't use the gift that he has given them. It brought tears to my eyes. I love My Heavenly Father, and all that he has done for me. Like the children's song goes, "I am a child of God, and he has sent me here. Has given me an earthly home with parent’s kind and dear..." I'm grateful for all the blessings that my Heavenly Father has given me; for my family, for my friends. Most importantly for My Savior Jesus Christ. I love him and I know he is the way. I'm very grateful that for the next four months I can wear his name on my chest and Invite others to come unto Him.

We'll I guess I should probably get going, the train leaves in an hour and I need to make it down to the Train station to meet President and Sister Gibbons. It's their first time on the Trans-siberian railroad! We'll be going to Kranoyarsk this weekend, Tomck and Barnaul during the week next week and then next weekend head off to Omck for the weekend. So next week's letter may be during some random time as well so be prepared! Also don't forget that P-day, starting the 22nd, will be on Mondays. I'll tell you about the adventure I had this visa trip. It had something to do with Mac & Cheese, Chocolate cake, and a Finnish Wedding! So until next time! I love you guys! Have a great week!

liveSTRONG

Elder Eborn!

Mom & Dad - Hey, so I sent you guys a package from Finland. It's just got some books and stuff or learning Russian that I want but don't need here. Also there are my journals for the first 18 months of my mission and some Finnish Chocolate for ya'll :) so let me know when you get it! I love you guys!

Visa Trip

2011-08-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

JT emailed us it was late at night for him, he said, "hey, it's really late, I have an early flight to Finland in the morning----I have printed off your letters will read them on the flight and write later in the week."

Check back later in the week.

Dependant On the Lord

2011-08-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

This week's been a lot of fun for me. I don't know why but when I am so busy, the less I sleep, the more dependant I am on the Lord to help me do all the things that I need to. I really do feel his hand in all that I do. It's a great time to be a missionary! We've been traveling to Tomsk and back as well as trying to run the mission here in Novo and it's really been quite the adventure! President Gibbons will be here on Friday, and we're really excited to get to meet him finally. He's a runner! He's run 2 half marathons this year and 6 marathons in the last 2 years…unfortunately I’m super out of shape and he's going kick my butt. At least we'll have something in common.

Last week was transfer calls for me, I was not surprised, I am excited for another 6 weeks of traveling around the mission helping President Gibbons to get his feet on the ground enough to get running! It's going to be an adventure that's for sure. I'm not sure how regular my emails will be for the next few weeks. We've scheduled to travel to every city within the first 2 weeks of his arrival and we may be taking P-days different times throughout the week. So just be prepared if one week you don’t' get anything on Wednesday mornings.

We just got back from training in Tomsk this last weekend. It went well; there was a good spirit there. We had the opportunity to go to a professional soccer game. I was way bummed that I already sent my Tomsk soccer jersey home already but oh well, less weight for later. The game wasn't too exciting, I feel bad that's probably the one part of the culture that I haven't really gotten into... I'm just not a soccer player. The best part of the game was when the ambulance driving to assist an injured player drove into the steeple chase pit right in front of us. I got a pretty good laugh at that. The high light however was being able to partake of the sacrament which was passed by my recent member of the church. I've written about it before, but it really is such a wonderful thing to see those that you've worked with and prayed for are active in the church and serving the members.

Unfortunately, it seems like this month everything has happened ha. It's been such a crazy month for President Rolfe. He's been really great to work with and I’ve learned a lot from him this month. Maybe because he was only here for a month Heavenly Father decided to bless him with all the experiences of being a full-time mission President all in the month that he was here. Yesterday we had to make changes to the transfer we had made due to some unforeseen circumstances. It was pretty much hectic all over the mission office, but we got through it all and now everything is alright. Missionaries will have apartments, areas, and everyone's visas are all under control. It was a lot of fun to say the least ( a little crazy).

Serving in this assignment I’ve had the opportunity to take "dying" missionaries to the airport on several occasions, and honestly I think that when it's my turn I’m not even going to think it's really happening. It's always hard to see my friends go home, however, almost as quickly as they run up the gangplank, new missionaries walk out of the baggage collection hall. It's always such a blessing to get new missionaries! They bring in a fire and excitement to the mission that is wonderful. I love getting to hug everyone of the new elder's and tell them "добро пожаловать в Новосибирск" it's always a good feeling (even if we have to get up at 4 am to go get them).

Elder Eborn and Elder Walker (cousins)

Elder Eborn and Elder Bennett

Elder Walker was the first one we met this morning! Ha, I can tell, he is excited to be here and will be a great missionary. He'll be serving here in Novosibirsk, in the furthest north area called Снигери (Snigerev). His trainer, Elder Bounous, is one of the best missionaries we've got. I had the opportunity to serve in Omsk with him while he was being trained, and I have no doubt they're going tear it up. I am realizing how long I’ve been here if I’m watching missionaries who were being trained a year ago are training... gulp...

Our investigators are doing very well. Last week we were walking home and felt we should talk to this lady walking toward us. So we did as we were prompted and low and behold she was ecstatic to meet us. She's about 45 and a famous interior designer here in Novosibirsk. She insisted that we come over to her house and talk to her about our message the next evening. We invited President and Sister Rolfe with us and had one of the most amazing lessons ever. She showed us some of her work and explained about what she does. Then she got all serious, "Elders, I've been looking for truth. And I feel that God has sent you and your message to me." We were just in shock. It's amazing how the Lord prepares people for the gospel. We're planning on meeting with her again this week and we'll see what happens, our is also doing well, and we also found another individual who speaks Russian and English who seems to be really receptive to the gospel. We had a meeting with him where he gave the closing prayer. The spirit was very strong. I have high hopes for some these people.

Well I think that’s about it from me... The Gibbons get in this Friday, and then next week we'll have ZLC and then Thursday I leave for yet another visa trip. It seems like I was just in Finland.

I love you guys. Thank you for your prayers and for all you do for me. I couldn't do it without you! I miss you all!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Could make sure I have some money on my card, I’m going to send start sending some of my things home these last few times to Finland because it's cheaper and quicker to send stuff from there. So yeah! I hope your mouth gets feeling better mommy. Love you guys :)

Grandma & Grandpa E - Happy Anniversary!

Modern Pioneers

2011-07-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

Sounds to me like you all have had quite the weekend, party after party! It's a good time to be celebrating our pioneer heritage. The Saints in Siberia celebrated it as well; however, they weren't celebrating their heritage but their own story. The church (only being here in Russia for like 20 odd years) most of the members are all recent converts. You could say, that they have their own pioneer story here in Siberia. It's a really exciting time with the first stake in Moscow and the new temple Kiev.

The Kingdom of God is growing upon the face of the earth. I'm grateful for all the pioneers whether they're the ones I have in my family tree or the ones we have right now.

This week has been, I am not sure how to describe it. We had a video conference from Moscow that we needed to be on with President Rolfe, but when we did the check for it to make sure all was working; nothing worked.

So I spent all day on the phone with some IT person in SLC trying to get it to work (sorry mom, you'd of been sleeping anyway) and we couldn't get it to work. So he said he'd make a call to the company that makes the video conference deal and try to get an engineer to help us out. Which never happen, we ended up having to find some back way into the video conference which was interesting to say the least. By the time that all happened and was finished we had to find a mini missionary, send her to Krasno, and scramble to get on a train to Novokuznetsk where we had training with the Elders. It's been fun. While there we went contacting with Sister Rolfe which was awesome! She would just walk up to people and start showing them
her pictures and we'd have to translate what she was saying. I really think it'd be fun to come back and serve as a senior couple some day. People look at you differently (not like you're some 20 year old kid).

Anyways, we had a good weekend but it feels good to be back in Novo for the time being. I'll be here at least for another transfer with Elder Stewart helping the Gibbons get adjusted. I. Man it's super scary to think that I've been here that long. We get a new bunch of missionaries coming in a week from today. That'll be the group with Elder Walker coming. It'll be interesting we've got 8 new elders and a new sister coming in this transfer and that leaves us as the oldest groups in the mission which is a scary thought ha. Hey, no worry, Elder Walker’s Trainer is one of the best missionaries we have. It's actually one of the first things we do when we start deciding a transfer is who are going to be our trainers and all of those we have training are the best of the best.

It'll be exciting we've got the Gibbons coming in that same weekend; we will then start our sprint across the mission. It looks like we'll get to visit all of the cities and missionaries within 2 weeks after their arrival. Sister McCauley here in the office just came in and told us that President Gibbons is actually a runner, and that he has asked Elder Stewart and I to help him find a good 5-6 mile run here in Novo. We're very excited for that! Elder Stewart actually is like a State Champion sprinter from Oregon and is way fast, (I figure I've run a marathon. So should be ok ;) We're very excited for their arrival!

Things are going well, wearing holes in all my shoes and loving every minute of it. I've been having a lot of I don't know just mixed emotions about the whole last few months of my mission deal and I don't know. I guess it's kind of like running a marathon. You really don't know what's going to happen but when you get to the last few miles of the race you just run as hard as you can.

That is summary of my week; things that are coming up and things that might be running through my mind at this moment. So, know I love you guys Thank you for all your prayers in my behalf, I couldn't do this without you. Until… next week...

liveSTRONG,
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - hmmm what do you think would be the best option mom? I understand that the U has major perks but then again I'm not sure whether or not I want to just jump in deep and get going again or whether or not I should start part time. Let me know your thoughts.

I'm sure you're all sick of getting these emails already but you'll only have to put up with them a little bit longer and then you'll have to deal with me in the flesh muahaha. Not going to get a head of ourselves there.

I Love Being a Missionary

2011-07-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

SHALOM! I'm starting to get scared, my P-days are running out! Pretty soon I'll just be be able to talk to you face to face about how my week has gone. Gulp. Scary. I guess that's what happens. Time really does fly! The past week has been eventful (to say the least). Traveling to Omck, Baptizing Nastya and just all sorts of interesting moments that come with serving a mission in Siberia! So I guess I'll just start with what happend last week!

Friday we had Nastya's baptism. It was a very spiritual baptism one of the best I've been at on my mission. (Despite the fact that I participated in the musical number. Thats one of those things that I don't think I'll ever be able to master! It was great :)

We had a lot of members from all over the city and even a few different investigators came and were able to feel the spirit. It was the first time on my mission that I've ever baptized someone. We usually try to get a member of the branch or I volunteer my companion to do the baptizing, but this time I got to do it :).

It was a wonderful experience. I never thought I'd get to wear the white pants I brought with me! The only thing was the night before the baptism while Elder Stewart and I were getting ready. I put on my pants, white shirt and tie, and realized that my shirt was not the same color as my pants and tie. So I grabbed a different shirt and put it on. It also was not really white but more of a greyish white. After exhausting my closet and throwing all of my white shirts on the floor I came to the decision that I'd have to make my shirt whiter some how. (Mom don't worry about sending any more shirts. I've only got 5 months left and I'll make due) But with a little bleach everything was alright! You couldn't hardly tell :)

It was a really humbling experience, standing there with my arm to the square and saying, "having been comissioned of Jesus Christ..." I felt the spirit so strong. I walked back into the changing room and was on the verge of tears. It was such an amazing experience. I love being a missionary and being able to represent the Lord, and helping him. This is a wonderful place to be!

That night we got on a train and took a trip to Omck where we had a training with the missionaries. I still love that city! It felt like I was home when I got off the train. I don't know it was kind of interesting. The training went well, we took a different approach at it and were trying to be more motivating. It was good I liked it, I just hope that the missionaries got something out of it. We got back to Novo Monday, I still haven't learned how to sleep on a train and I was so tired, and we got back to work!

We've been working with an investigator who's doing well. After our meeting, we planned on going contacting and he asked if he could come with us. At first I was like, this maybe awkward... but after talking to a few people he figured it out and was even joining in on our conversations! We talked to this one guy and at the end he asked, "hey, I'd like to talk to you some more....could I get your phone number and we could meet?" I was like what the heck! That's our line.. I guess, when your investigators are getting their own contacts you know they're progressing! We're trying to get him more independent and help him to recieve his own testimony (like always).

So yeah! that's basically my week! Oh! by the way mom, I got the package! Thanks for all the cool stuff, the other office staff wasn't to excited when I came out of the kitchen with 8 squirt guns ready to go! But I sure had a good time! We shared some candy with with our investigator yesterday and his eyes got all big and said, "this is the most delicious thing I've ever eaten!" I guess it goes without saying that Reese's Peanut butter cups are always a safe bet with me :)

This week we'll be heading to Novokuzznekts for a training. We're getting transfers all wrapped up finally and getting ready for the Gibbons to come. They should be here in August sometime around the 5th. but we'll see, you never know with Russian Visas.

Thanks for everything, I love you guys!

liveSTRONG,
Старейшина Иборн

Mom & Dad - Badger's 44! Wha?! That means you were like 24 when you guys had me? Weird... anyways hope you had a good birthday :) I love ya pops! Wow, that's kind of scary about the whole kid drowning while diving, and lightning thing. I've been pretty lucky :)

So for mom, I guess I'll let you know. I've decided that I'll be coming home on December 14th. I've been thinking and praying a lot about it and I feel that I need to come home and get back into school. I'm not sure yet which school but I'm thinking Weber would be easier for me to get into and kind of get back in the swing of things so let me know what I need to do, if there is anything I can do from here. I'll be home for Christmas.

Tanner - Dude, Totally not fair talking about all the games... my computer in the office just got updated and one of the options for a desktop was a Halo:Reach theme--of course I deleted it before I got way to trunky! How's the sales thing going? I've been kind of doing the same thing with eternal salvation for the last year and a half and I know how hard it is to get some one interested in taking what you have. What I'm giving out is even free! It's something that will make you happy not only in this life but it the one to come! One thing I've learned is that you've gotta keep smiling or else no one will want what you have to offer. Sounds like you're going to have quite the career ahead of you with EMT and stuff along that nature. I'm proud of you bro. keep being you.

Always Ready

2011-07-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry mom, I didn't mean to give you a scare with the whole "death" thing LOL …thank you both for your feelings and for the information about school and things of that nature, I've done a lot of thinking and praying about it, and I feel I've got my answer and know what I need to do but we'll see. I've got some time to think about it and so we'll see how things play out, I've got until the 27th to make a decision, It's weird, a year and a half and all the decisions you make, everything you do, is focused on others and how you can help them come closer to their savior and then all of a sudden you're in a car driving to Kemerovo and you're told, "oh, by the way before the end of the month you have to make the decision of when you're going to go home and start the rest of your life, so good luck! " kind of catches you by surprise.

Last Thursday we got to go to the Soviet Union Museum with our investigator Pavel. It was way cool! We got to see all of these way neat gadgets that they used back in the ol' USSR. We even had the opportunity to put on some fun old soviet clothes. The USSR had their own form of Boy Scouts called "Pioneers" after explaining that we were boy scouts the guide let us put on the uniforms and play with the stuff ..."Pioneers". Their moto was " Всегда Готовы!" which means "Always Ready" kind of similar eh? It was way fun to see all that stuff. Plus the propaganda posters were just hilarious. I'll have to get some and bring them home for you guys.

The best part however was not the museum itself, but the meeting that we were able to have with Pavel afterwards. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation, and I don't know what it was but the Spirit was way strong. Pavel sat there listening to us and it was as if he was learning not from two 20 year old kids with American accents but as if someone was teaching directly into his heart. The Lord really can do some miraculous things. The next meeting we had with him after that he had a question about the spirit world and about all of his ancestors who didn't have a chance to receive the Gospel so we taught him about Temples and about Family History. His eyes got all big and told us how just recently he had been having the desire to start doing his family history. We shared the verse with him in Malachi about the hearts of the fathers turning to their children and children to their fathers. He was just amazed at the fact that our Father in Heaven really had thought of everything! We're hoping to see some more progress with him this week. :)

It really is amazing what the Lord can do! Sometimes I feel like Alma in the 26th chapter of Alma, when he's glorying in all that the Lord has done for him. It really is an amazing time to be a missionary and to be here in Siberia! The field is white and like Alma says, "Blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land...” He really is the one who is leading this work.....his hand is in everything we do.

This week Nastya will be getting baptized. We are going to be meeting with her tonight to answer any questions she has and to talk to her about life after baptism and about the temple. So next week will send you some pictures of that.

Other than that this weekend was pretty fun. Like I said we went up to Kemerovo for church and to meet the new branch President. When I first started this assignment we took a trip to Kemerovo and announced that we would be closing the city to full time missionaries until the time that the members started to take care of their own branch. A few weeks later a family moved to Kemerovo from St. Pete's. They were an good family with cute children. Within a few weeks, the mission Presidency called him to be the first non missionary branch president for that branch. Talk about an answer to prayers! We had the opportunity to go and to meet him and his family and to help the members out up there for a day or two. I don't know why but I've always felt kind of drawn to that city and who knows maybe someday I will serve there.

During sacrament meeting (which consisted of 15 people) the children of the branch President started to make a lot of noise and when you're in a room that is maybe 10' x 15' it gets really loud so I took them out and played with them in the hall while sacrament meeting continued. I tell you what, I am sure not ready to be a father any time soon! I had one kid that was biting my hand another wanting me to draw with her. Then they both decided it'd be a good idea to run outside. In short my hat is off to you… Mom & Dad for having four of us and having the patience not to kill us! молодцы!

Well, thats about it for me this week. I'm still alive, out of shape, but alive. I love you guys! Thanks for your support and all you do for me. I couldn't do this without you! See ya next time!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Thanks for the info again, I'll take it to the Lord and let him have the final say but I'll probably let you know next week when I've decided to do. Gulp, it was a lot easier to leave on a mission! Real life's a scary thing. But I think that is one thing I'm excited for when I get home, is the fact that I'll be able to live the gospel in life. Love you guys. Tell Megan and Maddie that if they do have any boys coming around that I've made some friends here that would be more than happy to take care of them for me.

Happy 4th of July from Siberia!

2011-07-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

Howdy Ya'll!

I'm slightly starting to get worried about how fast time is flying and how close the end of the year is getting... gulp... but we won't focus on that. Like Steve Prefontaine said, "the best pace is suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die." We've been really busy this last week getting all ready for ZLC, President Trejo leaving, President Rolfe coming as well as trying to squeeze some regular missionary work in there.It's been interesting to say the least. But we some how managed to get everything done and today we were able to have a wonderful ZLC. So I don't really know where to start so I guess the begining would be a good place!

Thursday President & Sister Rolfe flew in from Moscow to begin presiding over the mission for the next few weeks untill the Gibbons get here. We got to drive out to the airport and meet them, it's a different feeling when you go and pick up a new mission president then it is when you go an pick up new missionaries let me tell ya. Saturday morning President & Sister Trejo left for home, they're probably there now. We had kind of a orientation meeting with the Rolfes so we could all be on the same page for the next month. We've got a lot of things coming up. Trips to other cities, Firesides as well as having to get transfers all finalized so we can start buying tickets and such. I think we're probably the only mission in the world that has to start thinking about transfers the first week into a new transfer, but i guess when you have to move people around siberia in trains, planes and automobiles you've gotta think in advance.

Our investigators are doing awesome! The Lord has really been working miracles for us thats for sure. Nastya came to church this last sunday and she sat up front with one of the members we've introduced her to and because it was fast & testimony meeting. i knew it was going to be a spiritual power house. I don't know why, but i just felt it from the moment that my head lifted off the pillow (thanks again for the pillow case Am ;)) I was sitting off by myself speaking in to the radio transmitter we use to translate for the senior couples and President & Sister Rolfe, and i was kind of sitting and watch her to see how she would react to her first sacrament meeting. After a few testimonies, a little boy got up and bore his testimony. It was very simple, not a lot of words, but it was very sincere. He said, "I know that my Father in Heaven loves me, and thats why we have the church, and the Book of Mormon." after he jumped off the podium and ran back to his mother i looked at Nastya who was just in tears. After the meeting we had the chance to meet and to talk about how she felt and if she had any questions and she just said, "this is what i need". The Gospel is an amazing thing. It's the answer to any question, the cure to any illness, and it makes you happy beyond belief :). We had a few other investigators at church as well. One Pavel is way cool, we've been meeting with him for about a week now and he has a lot of good questions. he's catholic, which is rare for russia in the last meeting we taught him about the plan of salvation and he got talking about how понятно it is. He even prayed at the end of our last meeting and it was a very good prayer.

The fourth of July in Siberia wasn't met with fireworks, but we did get to have Burgers and a BBQ! We were working in the office and President Rolfe stuck his head in and said, "have you eaten yet? well why don't you come with us for Carl's Jr!" We gladly accepted the inventation and went and got burgers. it was way good, and a fun experience to walk in on the fourth of July and all the workers tell you с праздником! :) we all had some pretty big smiles as we slurrped our real Milkshakes :). Then later that night we got to go with The Rolfes again to a FHE with the district presidency to translate, and we had Russian BBQ or шашлык :) it's kind of like shishkabobs but not even close ha it was so good! now all my clothes smell like BBQ ha it was fun. I'll send some pictures.

So yeah, today was ZLC. It's a little bit different when you're in charge of ZLC and not just a participant who gets to come and enjoy the spirit and learn but when you're the one who actually has to do the teaching it takes a little bit more out of you. Our message was mostly about faith. We talked about Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under 4 minutes, and then compared it to Alma 26. it went pretty well. I really hope that I can be like that at the end of my mission. I have to make the descion of when to set my "Death Date" before the end of this month, and so yeah. Time goes by way to fast.

I love you guys! I hope you had a great 4th, enjoy America for me ;) Have a great week!

liveSTRONG

Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - hey, I was actually gunna ask if you ever got that package. The T-shirts are mostly mine, but the little things inside are for you all, i just forgot to put a note who gets what ha. Shot Glasses - Tanner, Dad - long wooden face dude, Mom - Irkustkya doll, Megan & Maddie - Brushes that say байкал, Gramm - Stacking doll, Amber - Brush that says Сибирь. Thanks for sending me a package :) I'll let you know when I get it! send my congrats to Haley. Love you guys!

Our Elder

2011-07-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

I love technology. I often find pictures of our missionary taken by others. Here is a photo I found him tagged in on Facebook.

Singing In The Rain

2011-06-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

This week has been, well an adventure to say the least ha. Last week after I wrote you all we had all the trainers come in for training. Which went pretty well, I thought. But, it was just the start of my adventure! Because of the fact that they all needed a place to sleep they spent the night at my apartment, and when you have 8 missionaries in an apartment with you it takes some time to get everyone ready in the morning. I had to leave earlier than the rest to make sure that breakfast was covered (I made блины) and so I left my keys with some of the Elders who were still waiting for a shower. I totally forgot about the fact that I didn't have my keys and went through the entire orientation and training and then sent all of the trainers with their new companions on their way's to their cities. Because Elder Stewart had to go to Finland I was on splits with another Elder and we were planning on spending the night at his apartment.

That night around 10 I get a phone call from an Elder who's sitting on a bus on his way to Tomsk... With the keys to my apartment in his hands….Sigh, I just put my head down into my hands and was like “You've got to be kidding me”. Elder Stewart's in Finland, I have no clothes, not even a toothbrush with me. We figured out that we had a few options to get the keys back to me. One was to send them in a package on a bus, and the other was to mail them. The Elders in Tomsk chose to mail them back to us, and they got here this morning So I'm looking forward to a clean pair of socks :) We're very grateful that the Elders let us stay with them while we were homeless, but it made for all sorts of fun things! For one, we didn't have keys to their apartment so were subject to when they were going to be home and so on. One night they were out picking up other missionaries who were coming in for a visa trip we stood outside until around 10 pm waiting for them to get home. It was fun, we got drenched when it started to rain but, I loved it :) it was a good way to end the day, plus I got to clean my shirt :)

But all is well, despite that we had an amazing week! We've found a few new investigators, and are still working with Nastya to help her get ready for her baptism on the 15th. We had a meeting with her (it was actually the night of the rain) and we watched Reflections of Christ: Another Testament. It's has some beautiful music and pictures of when Christ was on the Americas. We asked her to just imagine how she would feel if she had the opportunity to be there. At the end of the film, we sat in silence and then asked her, " Nastya, How do you feel right now?" She looked down, then up at us with tears filling her eyes and said, "Elders, I want to go to him". The Spirit in the room was so strong, I felt so blessed that the Lord had blessed us with that experience. It's amazing what he can do.

After the meetings while we were standing in the rain, watching the sun go down on the Siberian horizon, I could not help but to think about what had just happened. The week had been hectic, I was tired, wearing the same pair of socks I had been for a week and soaking wet. As I stood there seeing the sun and the clouds and the smell of the fresh rain plus the experience that we had just had with Nastya. I just started to cry.

There are a lot of things that go on in our lives, a lot of distractions, and a lot moments where you just want to scream and run away. But, when you take a second and look back to see where you've come from, and where you are. You start to understand a little bit of what it is exactly that our Father in Heaven wants us to do, to learn, to become. I love my Father in Heaven, and I'm very grateful for opportunity he's given me to serve his children and to represent his Son, Jesus Christ and to help people to come unto him.

President Trejo is flying out this Saturday and we'll be driving out to the airport tomorrow in order to pick up President & Sister Rolfe. No news yet on when the Gibbons will be coming but, we’ll be waiting with anticipation until they get here, so yeah, that's pretty much my week! Sounds like you all had a pretty good trip to California and back. I'm glad you all made it safely we'll have to have a fun trip when I get back. I'm feeling Havasupai... Have a great week! I love you guys!

liveSTRONG,
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Guess we'll have to start thinking of all that college stuff here soon huh?.. Scary thought. I can barely speak English any more ha. This could be interesting. The pictures are me standing in the rain, and the other is the sunset over the train tracks--nuclear pollution sure makes for some pretty sunsets!

The New Mission President

2011-06-27T14:46:00.001-07:00

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/61078/Changes-in-mission-president-assignments.html

I Will Do What The Lords Asks of Me

2011-06-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

I'll start off by saying Happy Father’s Day! I totally forgot about it, and while we were sitting in Krasnoyarsk; Sister Trejo reminded me.. I also wanted to say молодецы Dad & Uncle Philip--your cannon ball was pretty legit. My companion and I were laughing pretty hard.

This morning we got to go and pick up the first wave of new missionaries! We sent 8 of our most seasoned and experienced missionaries home and got 5 new ones! One of which I went to high school with and one of which gets off the plane, reads my name tag and says, " do you know the Houghton’s?" Elder Stewart started to laugh way hard at that. Turns out Am sent his brother something to give to me ha we'll see what it is when he wakes up this afternoon ;). They're a good bunch of Elders who will do awesome I have no doubt. We've been having to take care of the next transfer which starts in August and we will have 10 new missionaries and another 7 experienced missionaries going home and we are working to figure out who's going to be training, and leading the mission. Usually AP's are only AP's for 2 or 3 transfers. This will be my third transfer here not sure what is in store. I know it's not important what I want, I'll do what the Lord asks of me; and I'll do the best that I can. We need to figure out what will be best for the mission, I've only got a few transfers left and I want to do all I can.

I've told you a little about our investigator Nastya (Anastasia) who is golden! Monday when we got home from Krasnoyarsk we got to teach her a little bit about the commandments and help her understand what she needs to do in order to be baptized. We also set a baptismal date with her for the 16th of July, and will be working with her to get her ready. It's funny we don't even really have to teach. We gave her these pamphlets about the Law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom, she read them, called us up asked a few questions and said, "Alright, that makes sense and feels right." Elder Stewart and I basically just are here to answer her questions ha. It's awesome being able to teach people who the Lord has prepared for the gospel, I've found a few of those elect souls on my mission and it's like they just thirst for more, they don't want our meetings to end and they do everything they are asked. You can see how the gospel really will change the lives of the people it touches. I love being a missionary!

So I've got some news. We learned last week that President Petersen will not be coming to our mission next week. Due to some complications they have been reassigned to serve in Arkansas. There has been a new mission president assigned, President Gibbons, and do to the fact that he needs Visas and all sorts of fun loops that we have to jump through to get anyone to come to Russia, they will not be coming until end of July mid-August... President Trejo however, will still be leaving in a few weeks. The math adding up we will be mission president-less for a few weeks. President Rolfe from the mission presidency will be presiding for the time being but, that still means that there will be a lot of things that now fall on our shoulders as assistants... So for the next few weeks my life is going to be pretty interesting so be expecting some fun emails!

Well, I guess I'd need to go the new missionaries will be waking up soon and we'll have to get going on their orientation. Thanks for the emails :) You all rock! Have fun were ever you are! I love you all!

живСИЛЬНО

Старейшина Иборн!

PS - The pictures are of me in Krasnoyarsk, I found a Kaibo! Actually they're all over the place in here in Siberia!

Dad - Happy delayed Fathers day! Thanks for being a great Dad, and Friend, Love ya Badger!

Mom- Love ya mommy :)

Amber - Hey missy :) you're quite the cowgirl! you look like you've done that a time or two before lol. Thank you for the package you set last week :). The Reeses' were amazing, but i loved reading your letter :) Tell your family thank you for their letters as well They're awesome! Have a great week Missy!

Grateful to Participate in His Work

2011-06-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

It's kind of weird how fast time is going. Yesterday we were at the mission home and President and Sister were packing up and getting ready to go home. I was like "wha?!" we actually just got some news about President and Sister Petersen that I'll have to tell you about next week, after everything is allowed to be shared. I can say, that my next transfer just got a whole lot more interesting. Stay tuned.

But yeah, we had a pretty good week last week. We had a good Training and Zone Conference in Tomck. We also got to announce that the cities of Tomck and Barnaul would be becoming part of the Novosibirsk District which is way exciting because it's a step closer to becoming a stake for us! You probably already know, but in Moscow they just created the first Stake in Russia! Pretty exciting if you ask me! One of the Elders serving in Tomck is from Moscow, and when he found out who the stake president was he got a good chuckle out of it saying, "He's one of my friends and not much older than me!" The church is small here in the Mother Land but it's growing! I have no doubt, that soon there will be chapels and temples all over the Siberian landscape! While we were in Tomck I got to see my first recent convert Alexey, I got to watch him bless the sacrament. it made me feel good inside to see that he's still active and is progressing toward the celestial kingdom.

We got home from Tomck late sunday afternoon and were able to meet with our investigator Nastia (short for Anastasia). She's a young girl about 20 years old, and she's golden. We had an amazing meeting with her and some of the other sisters from the branch. The spirit was so strong there as we taught about the Plan of salvation and what our purpose is here on the earth. At the end of the meeting she just sat there smiling and I asked her , "Nastia, how do you feel right now? Do you feel that what we've taught you is true?" She got quiet looked down then back up at me and said with a big smile, "Yes, I believe" The members that were with us, both told her how she was glowing (I am not sure that sounds right in English but it makes sense in Russian). She then began to tell us how her reading, and praying has been making her a different person and how her whole family has noticed the change in her since she started meeting with us. She wants to be baptized by the end of the month and we're going to try and help her be ready for that. It's such a blessing to be able to be a part of this work. To be an instrument in the hands of the Lord and to help to help people. I've had the opportunity to see a few of these moments when people have those "moments of clarity" like dad says, when they finally start to get it. I'm very grateful to my Heavenly Father that He's allowed me to participate in his work. Like in Alma 32, Nastia has planted the seed, watered, and cared for it and is now seeing how good it is.

This next weekend, well I guess tomorrow, we're going to be headed up to Krasnoyarsk for the last Zone Conference of this Quarter. It's been an interesting 3 months that's for sure, iIve learned a lot and grown so much, and I guess now it's time to see how far I can push myself with the new changes that are coming at the end of the month I guess Heavenly Father wants to see what I've learned. I guess, I should probably just keep running. Thank you all for your emails. I miss and love you all. I will see you next week!

жив СИЛЬНО
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Looks like you guy's are going to be good grandparents (someday) I will keep that in mind when I need a babysitter in the coming years. Oh, an mom my nose is fine, agreed we will fix it when I get home. (All the broken noses from Wrestling).

Amber - Missy! So I've gotten so use to the whole not getting any mail that I don't even look in the bin any more, but this morning I see a box with pink lettering on it from 1088 E. .... and I jumped almost to the ceiling! :) You're the best :) I don't know how I ever got so lucky as to meet you. Elder Stewart laughed at me as I kind of danced around the office! I miss you, you're the best missy! Have a great week!

Oh! Found a Carl Jr's in Russia!

I Am Not Ready to Tap Out

2011-06-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I know you're probably all sick of reading these stinking emails and asking yourselves, "man, doesn't this kid get it already?" But today is Wednesday! Which means you'll have to put up with yet another email from Siberia! muahaha but look at it this way you only have 20 more letters from me...

This week has been quite eventful! We had a zone conference in Barnaul after the major flop that was ZLC. It's funny how the Lord works though, I guess it's like we read in Ether 12.27, he'll show us our weaknesses for us to humble ourselves and then he'll make weak things become strong unto us. I'd been trying really hard to figure out what we needed to do in order to try and help our mission and I think that that ZLC was just what we needed. We (my companion, Pres, and I) were able to follow up with all the ZL's to see how they were handling the whole thing and what they were doing to “raise the bar” in their cities. After some arousing of the troops, I think we were able to help them all see what we need to do, all of us are making personal changes we need in order to do all that the Lord expects of us. But yeah, we got to go to Barnaul and see the missionaries there and spend some time with them and have a zone conference and training with them. I got to see my old comp Elder Hansen who served with me in Tomck (over a year ago) He's a ZL there now and doing great. He's also from Joplin Missouri and his stake center was destroyed in the tornadoes. Sad.

I had an interesting experience being on splits with the elders there. I was with two younger missionaries who have both been out under a year and got to go on a meeting with them. We met with a lady and her daughter who were very nice, but they seemed very aggressive towards one of the elders. They started to verbally attack him как бы. The elders were talking about trusting God and how when we keep the commandments we will always be better off, and these ladies went straight for the throat asking all of these really prying questions that made this young elder look down and feel kind of bad. So, I jumped in. Kind of refocused their questions on me and gave these young elders some time to regroup. I was very grateful that I've had the examples of my parents in my life that I could use (you would have been proud).

After I'd shared my testimony in that way, they stopped their attempts to make the elders look bad and listened to the message that they had to share. It was an interesting experience for me for sure. When we got back from Barnaul I had a letter was on my desk, from Belgium! :) Elder Mueller's not dead yet! It was way funny, he sent me what is called the "Shaffer Pass". In High School our group of friends would pass it back and forth when one of us would do something that was completely awesome. I looked at the pass and smiled then turned it around and read that almost all of us have signed it and sent it to one another. It's been from Minnesota to St Louis to Brussels and now to Novosibirsk! Kind of a cool little thing :) I'm thinking it'll be going back to South America before it gets back to home ha. Danny also wrote a letter with it and made me think about the next few months of my life.

Here is what I am thinking---I have like 6 months left. That's like one toothbrush. (I brought a 4 pack of toothbrushes on my mission and I've got one left..) And I've been thinking a lot about what I've done on my mission and what I've still got a head. I kind of liken it to a wrestling match (like grandpa did) and the first 3 rounds are over. We're going into what really takes all that you've got "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." It'd be easy to give in now and just coast out the rest of my mission saying, "I've done my dues, I've help and baptized people and had a lot of good experiences I can just coast for 6 months and come home and see my family, friends, and Amber and all will be well." But I'm not ready to tap out. "Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." I'm going to do all I can.

Like Dean Karnazes says, "I'm going to come sliding in broadside, bruised, bleeding, and broken exclaiming what a ride" Sorry that's what's on my mind..

We also had a cool meeting with a street contact we had. Her name's Anastasia, she's golden! There really are people here who are ready for our message, you've just got open your mouth and be ready to talk to someone about the gospel. So we're even finding time to do some real missionary work and not just the administrating side of things.

I'd better get going, youre probably sick of reading and I've got go get some medicine, we've figured out that I have a sinus infection who'd of known that 8 months of having congestion problems could be cured! Gotta love modern medicine! I love you guys! Thanks for all you do for me :) I couldn't do it without you!

жив СИЛЬНО
Старейшина Иборн!

папа и мама - Thanks for helping me get where I am. I've learned a lot and been able to help other people thanks to your example and the way you teach/taught us.

Таннер - поздравяаю! молодец такой. я рад что ты мой брат. я горжусь тобой!
тебя люблю!

The Lords Errand

2011-06-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll,

Sorry I didn't write yesterday I had a bad day and didn't want to жаловать. but, everything is cool now . I've calmed down and I am super stoked for a new day! There's been a lot going on the last week so I'll try to give you a glimpse of what I've been up too.

Last week I got to go back to Omck! It was the bomb, it was such a good feeling to go back and to know everyone and see the people I have grown to love so much. I definitely miss that city and those members. We had a really good training and Zone Conference, we taught the missionaries about studies. How important they are as well as how to get the most you can out of your study time, as well as how to find the elect through our own efforts. то есть contacting! Every missionaries favorite pass time! I really enjoy talking to people on the street about the gospel, maybe it's just due to the fact that I've spent so much time in front of campfire audiences and student body’s that I'm really not afraid of stopping and asking someone, "Hey do you believe in Jesus Christ?" The second workshop is definitely a lot more fun at least for me. While we were at church over the weekend in Omck it felt kind of like coming home, it was weird everyone came up to me and were way excited to see me and had me get right back involved with the district presidency like it was when I was there the first time. Elder and Sister Maughan made me stand there and took a look at me Sister Maughan was all up set and asked Sister Trejo, "don't you feed this boy?!" it was fun to see everyone that's for sure, Sunday was the best though… Sergey, Violetta, & Valentina were all there at church :) all the individuals who I have taught and helped get baptized it was so awesome! :) ya know, the entire time I served in Omck, I felt like I didn't accomplish much, like I'd been pushing on a rock that wasn't moving anywhere. But looking back I really can see some of the fruits of my labor :). Sister Valentina invited us over for dinner with the ZL's and so we went and she fed us so much it was ridiculously delicious! I really hope I have the opportunity to go back to Omck again someday.

We got back to Novo and had a lot to do, we had to get ready for ZLC (which was yesterday). Honestly I'd been thinking a lot about what we should do for it how we could help our Zone Leaders in order to make this month “the month” that our mission Raises The Bar on how we do missionary work. After study, fasting, and prayer Elder Stewart and I both realized that what we needed to teach them about “How to receive revelation” for their individual zones and how to make changes to how they are doing missionary work themselves instead of always looking to others. It was kind of the whole personal revelation thing that Elder Dallin H. Oaks talked about once upon a time and honestly it was a very good workshop, I personally felt the spirit guiding me as I opened my mouth and really did feel that I was fulfilling my errand from the Lord. Interesting thing, We as AP's don't really collaborate with President when we prepare for ZLC, we teach for about 40 minutes about what we feel the mission needs and President usually takes the afternoon portion.

This time was interesting, when it was his turn to get up (this being his last ZLC I may add) and tells us to “Raise the Bar here in Novosibirsk, we want to be better, and I want you as a council of ZL's to decide what you'regoing to do. I was shocked because it was just exactly what we had taught this morning, about using council system and receiving our errand from the Lord for what we needed to do. And then he asked us as Assistants not to participate in the council...to let them go he and Sister Trejo leaving the room as well. I sat and hoped and prayed as I watched the council commence.

It didn't go as planned, or as well as President Trejo would have liked. It wasn't the best needless to say, and yesterday I was pretty upset about everything (I really just needed a run to clear my head and to think about what we needed/could to do but, by then the Elder's we're all on trains, planes, and buses to their own cities.

This morning however, while I was studying in the Book of Mormon, I read about Moroni and the Title of Liberty and realized, that's what we need! Something that will rally us all together and get us focused, and ready to work hard and raise us to the next level here in Siberia. We've been working hard and we'll be talking with President Trejo in a little bit to see what we can do. So yeah, I didn't want to write yesterday and just vent so I put it off for a little bit and was able to clear my head.

Today has started off great! We had a meeting with a street contact and will be having another one here in the next hour or so. We met with a young lady who we stopped on the street for English contacting and she told us how she'd been searching for God and wanted to know Christ better and so we invited her to learn more. This morning while meeting with her we were able to see that she really is one of those people the Lord has prepared for this message, all of her questions were totally answered by the message of the Restoration! We have taught her about Joseph Smith and she basically grabbed the Book of Mormon out of our hands! It was great, I haven't been able to really teach someone in a long time and it felt so good to be doing missionary work! I really do love being here and doing this work. I'm slightly freaked out about the fact that we're already in June and all but I guess time really does fly. Almost a year and half out here wow.

Anyways, I love you guys. Thanks for all your emails! I love reading from you and being able to know how things are going back home. I miss you guys like crazy and I hope you have fun, whether you're going to California, Staying Home and Working, Swimming, Running and doing P90x all day, or sitting home being with a brown dog, know that I love you and that I'm praying for you all!

жив СИЛЬНО
Cт. Иборн!

Mom & Dad - You'll have to check with Amber (if she's not married by then) about the whole camp thing ha, I wouldn't mind though, Waterfront or High Adventure Director would be fun. Make sure you take lots of pictures of Tanner's Graduation and California for me, I live vicariously through you guys! Be safe and have fun!

Tanner- dude, you're old.

Megan- Congrats on Volleyball Shea- bug! You rock!

B - Love You!

No Better Place Than Siberia

2011-05-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hey Family & Friends,

So, I'm back from a long week of going all over the place it was a lot of fun though. I guess I will start off by letting you know how the Visa trip went! We got into Moscow and headed straight for TGI Fridays where I ate a (jd) cheese burger and enjoyed every bite of it! It's kind of sad and really scary to think about the fact, that I only have 2 more trips to Finland and then I take the long plane ride home... gulp. But, we wont think about that quite yet.

While we were in Finland, we had a lot of fun like always. We went into the city center and found a little store that sold everything from Peanut Butter to Fun Fetti cake mix! It was amazing to say the least. We had a also walked around and found a comic book store by chance... I went in and bought a Superman comic book which later that night I read to all the missionaries (who were in shock that I really new that much information about Superman). I then explained to them that I have the Superman handbook next to my Scout Handbook back home.

The next morning we went to the Helsinki Temple and we have friends that work in the Temple like Brat Mihail from St. Petersburg. He hooked us up and we actually were able to do a session as well as some baptisms and confirmations which was awesome. I did the whole thing in Russian and it was just awesome.

I had the opportunity to sit in the Celestial Room for some time and just think, and converse with my Father in Heaven. It really is a wonderful place to be able to go every three months and get some guidance, my errand from the Lord. After a few moments with my eyes closed and opened them to see the guy who was working at the little "American" store sitting across from me with his new wife. (I was just like dang it, I miss Amber. but anyway I'll try not to be to trunky now).. Also, I think I've made my decision on my release date ( you'll be able to find out later after I've really made up my mind we'll see if lightning strikes and changes my mind).

We flew back to Moscow and everyone got on their flight to Novosibirsk and I got on a plane (“all by myself”) for Krasnoyarsk. I was to meet up with President and my companion for a District Conference. I got to translate for most of it because Elder Stewart was sick. It was a lot of fun I went off a grand total of 1 hour of sleep and translated for a district conference, and about 30 Temple recommend interviews. At the end of it President Trejo, turned and looked at me and asked, "well, is your brain fried yet? " Seriously, I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life. After that I actually got sick probably because of just all that we've been doing and all, the traveling but in short I was pretty tired. It was great. Anyways Krasnoyarsk was fun I was way glad to be on the train back to Novo when we were all said and done. I was so tired that I actually crashed on the train. I think it's the first time I've ever been able to sleep on the train.

This week has already been pretty interesting we've been preparing for all of our upcoming events, I've been trying to help Elder Stewart, help get ready for President and Sister Petersen, we've started working on transfers, and we're going to Omck this weekend about which I’m way excited about!

We've are holding Zone Conference/training and it'll be good. I got a call from Elder Maughn the other day and he said they missed me there--- I'm excited to be going back for the weekend. Then next week we'll have all of the ZL's here to be trained. So we've got a lot coming up and not a lot of time to get ready. I sometimes feel bad that I don't have a lot of time to be teaching investigators but we're doing a lot and trying to help our missionaries to become the best they can be so I guess you could say, we're teaching the teachers.

I really do love being a missionary and doing this work, sometimes it may seem like I'm a little stressed and missing home but in reality there is nothing on earth I would rather be doing right now than this. There is no better place to be than in Siberia preaching the gospel!

I love you guys! Thanks for all you do.

Mom & Dad - I love the whole combined letter deal. Speaking of Uncle Ryan and Sam, while I was in Krasno I met a man named Kostia Talmeev who served his mission in London, I walked into the branch and he read my name tag and asked if I was related to a Ryan Eborn. I guess they'd served together in the same Zone when they served. It's a small world.

New Boundaries

2011-05-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

Dearest Family/Friends/ and Whoever else reads my letters….

We'll I’m back in Novosibirsk for a few days, actually until tomorrow morning when I fly out of here and go to Helsinki again to pick up my new Visa. Kind of freaked out that this means I will only have 2 more after this... weird. Last week was rather interesting I should probably share.

To begin with I'll let you know that my mission, starting July 1st, will be a little different. They've changed the boundaries and actually decided to add the cities of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude to the
Russia Vladivostok Mission, along with all the missionaries who are serving in those cities. President Lawrence from the Area Presidency, who is a member of the Quorum Of the 70, came to announce it to the branches, as well as Mission Presidents from both missions.

Elder Stewart and I, had the opportunity to translate for them, I announced to Irkutsk that we would be making the change and Elder Stewart did it in Ulan-Ude. President Lawrence speaks a little Russian, ( a little), and while I was translating for him he thought he'd tease the translator and made everyone laugh a little bit by poking fun at me in Russian ha. Then in the middle of his talk at the end He started using some really big words that for me were hard to understand in English. So finally when he said, "this is what we call Unanimous Consent" I started and then stopped turned to him and asked, “Do you know how to say that?” his eyes got all big, and exclaimed, "No...” I turned back to the congregation and explained what the term Unanimous Consent means in Russian so that it was understandable and then continued on (some things do not directly translate and they way he said it would have not been positive in Russian). After that, he didn't tease his translators ha. I need to repent for teasing a General Authority. It was a very good opportunity and it helped me to grow. I'm comfortable in my language skills but there is a lot of room for improvement and I want to be better so now I've got some things to work for...

It was very sad though, while I was standing up there with President Lawrence, I looked out into the Congregation and saw people who were just crying because of what was happening, it touched my heart. However, it was a great testimony builder to me that the gospel is true.

The Church is worldwide and is always evolving into what the Lord needs it to be, just like us, as people making changes to ourselves to become better people and to become worthy of living in the presence of our Heavenly Father. There is a word in Russian that I love совершенствоваться. It means "To Perfect Oneself". Christ taught us "What manner of men we should be” by saying” Verily I say unto even as I am"- 3 Nephi 27:27 We're here on this earth to learn to become like our Elder brother Jesus Christ. It's not easy, and it's not a quick process, it takes a lot of hard work, humility, repentance, and changing. But eventually we'll get there. Just like the changes to the boundaries of missions in order to help the work progress forward we all need to make the necessary changes to our self in order to become The Sons & Daughters of God that we really are.

Well, I'm actually planning on sending a package of things home to you from Finland this trip, SInce it was my last time probably ever being around Baikal and I purchased a few souvenirs for ya'll so I'll send them home for you this trip :) so yeah! There'll also be some stuff that I've accumulated throughout the last 17 months of my life that you might think are interesting and fun so I will send those home.

Tonight we've got the Kiev Temple President and his wife here in Novo for a Fireside and I think I'm translating so that will be fun. I'll let you know how it goes (ha no worries mom, I'll be reverent ;)

I love you guys! Thanks for everything you do for me! I couldn't do this without your support! Have a great week :)

жив СИЬЛНО
Ст. Иборн!!

Mom & Dad - Thanks for the info mom.

Grandma & Grandpa Eborn - Hey! I haven't seen the Allen’s since they left for Turkey a few weeks ago but I did talk to them on the phone the other day….they seem to be doing well. Whenever we talk they always talk about you both. Thanks for being awesome! I love you.

Saying Goodbye to Elder Trunov

2011-05-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll,

I know I just got to talk to you all on Monday and all, but P-Day is P-Day and so you'll be getting emails from me this week whether you like it or not. It was so good to hear from you, I could tell that you've all gotten a little use to life without me and all, but I really loved getting to hear from you all :). So thank you for giving me a ring.

It was a good thing that we were all on lock down all day because, after, our call, I was so trunky all day. We got to go to Park of Victory and watched the celebration. Then we went to the mission home with the missionaries from Novosibirsk watched movies, played board games, and ate food. It was a lot of fun :) I got out voted and we watched Bridge to Terabithia instead of Follow me Boys. Which was a horrible idea, that show was way too sad. I mean you go into it all excited about some fantasy world, and are shot down by a cute little girl that ends up dying at the end and a little boy who thinks she went to hell. All of us missionaries were thinking to ourselves, "hmmm, we should teach these people about the Plan of Salvation..." I also found out that my scrabble skills have completely diminished (they were never really there to begin with, but I'm just saying) we ended up spelling Russian words with English letters, English words with Russian letters and just making things up as we went. All and all it was a pretty good time though :)

Yesterday, was Elder Trunov's last day as a missionary. He came from Omck and spent the day in the office with us as we all prepared for new missionary orientation today. It WAS way funny to see him in that t-shirt. It was a gift from Ira from Omck who just wanted him to remember the good times in Omck. I do miss that city, but will have the opportunity to go back this month.

Silly story, Last night Elder Trunov wanted to wrestle me one last time before he left for home, so we had a little bit of a match. He thought he'd learned a thing or two and I let him think he was doing well then I stuck him with a near-side craddle and put his head between his legs. I've got it all on video and will show you when I get home. I'll miss him he's definitely one of the best companions and a great friend. This morning we were up at 5 o'clock to go to the Airport to drop him off and to pick up the 3 new missionaries that have come to our mission. It was interesting saying goodbye to Elder Trunov, but exciting to meet these new Elders who will be spending the next 2 years in our mission and continue on what so many missionaries have started before us. We'll be doing a training thing with them tonight and tomorrow and then we'll send them off to their trainers and cities.

I have a new companion, Elder Stewart (not the Elder Stuart from Vegas) and I are getting along great, He's from Kaizer, Oregon, and also a runner. So I'm thinking this summer will be a good one. I've missed running like crazy and after Dad's little excerpt on running I've been craving a good run! So hopefully when we are in the city we'll be able to run. He (Elder Stewart) and I are actually "brothers" in the mission sense. Elder Lambson (our father/trainer) trained Elder Stewart, and then when I was born (started my mission) he trained me. So the "Son's of Lambson" have now become the AP's. We thought that was pretty funny. Elder Lambson was amazing!

This weekend we'll be flying to Irkutsk and Ulan Ude with President Trejo as well as, President Lawrence for a fireside as well as sacrament in Ulan Ude. Then next week I'll be going on my 5th Visa trip to Helsinki, then later in the month we'll be going to Omck for a training/zone conference. Yeah! so my life is pretty much like that for the next couple weeks :) So yeah!

Thank you guys for calling again, it was great to hear from all of you. I miss you like crazy, and am grateful that I've got such an amazing family to support me :) I love you!
жив СИЛЬНО
Cт. Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Mom, don't worry about getting me anything like clothes or stuff. I've got plenty of shirts to last me now and if I need anything like shoes or “whatever not” (I guess I miss Chase subconsciously...) if I need anything, just send me some money and if I need anything I can buy it here. If you want to send packages though I'd love some pictures of what you've been up too, Reese's, and different kinds of marinade. Since I am in Novo now I get them as soon as they get in ;)

Tanner - Happy Birthday Broski! I love ya and am proud of ya! I can't believe you're 18 now goodness. Soon you'll be in my shoes ;) Love you, Bro have a great birthday. Just remember, Be excellent, and PARTY ON!

I Want to be like Captain Moroni

2011-05-04T09:32:00.001-07:00

Hey Fam!

So I'll start off by getting the "most important stuff" out of the way to begin with. I don't think I explained the whole Mothers day thing out as well as I'd have liked. We will be having lock downs on Monday due to the fact that it's Victory Day and it's not very safe to be out on the streets for Americans that stick out like sore thumbs in their white shirts and ties. So, you can call me on Monday morning Novosibirsk time at 8 am. I think that works out to be like 9 pm Layton Utah time if my math serves me right.

Call me on my cell because I'm afraid that my home phone might cause radiation poisoning... Any ways I'm really looking forward to being able to talk to you all :) I've missed you like crazy and I'm so excited to actually be able to hear your voices. It gives a whole other dimension to the fact that I have a family! Elder Rupper and I have been talking about it and it feels like our entire lives have been on a mission. it's weird, ha I think back to things that happened before the mission and it's weird.. Anyway sorry, sometimes I feel I'm slipping slowly into insanity but that's what happens when you've got two languages fighting for control of your brain. it's been getting better though, I have to often talk with President Trejo in English so it makes things better or at least more understandable.

So last week when I wrote you we were in Irkutsk and it was snowing like, well like we're in Siberia как раз! It ended up snowing something like 40 cm and короче, We were unable to fly out of Irkutsk that day. So we Spent another night with the elders there, President and Sister Trejo stayed at a hotel. We had a grand time! Irkutsk is actually the only place in Siberia where a Papa John's Pizza is located. It was delicous! I still can't get over how good it was! Because of the delay, I was also able to learn more about Irkutsk and the culture that is around Baikal. It was very interesting to say the least, I bought some neat souvenirs that I'll probably send home next time I'm in Finland. It would be really neat to serve in the east, and with another 8 months left there it could happen...

Today we had our Zone Leaders Council. All the ZL's from all over the mission traveled here to be trained by us and by President Trejo. It was a really good council. Elder Rupper and I talked about helping our people make and keep commitments. It went over pretty well I think. President Trejo talked about leaders, and how we are the leaders of the mission. It really hit home with me because in the next two months, we'll be losing all of the "older missionaries", for most of my mission I've been one of the younger generation, as well as our mission President. It's going to be a make it or break it time for our mission, and a lot of the missionaries are going to be looking to us, for guidance and leadership. He talked about 2 people from the Book of Mormon. about King Benjamin, as well as Captain Moroni. It really struck me pretty hard, and has definitely given me a lot to think about ha. I hope I can be one of those Captain Moroni's not just here on the mission, but through out my life. I'm great full for the leaders that I've had in my life that have helped me become the man I'm becoming. Those people like Dr. Hill (thanks for letting me know about him), Troy Brown, Matt Larsen, Bishop Nielsen, and of course my Father. Those kinds of people are the one's who really have helped me become who I am. And I'm Very grateful for their examples in my life and for everything they've taught me.

Well, I guess I'd better get going. There's a lot to do and it never seems like there is ever enough time to do it. I love you all :) thank you for the support you give me. The Church is true, Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration, God loves us, and Jesus Christ is our Savior and you can know it too! The Book of Mormon is a wonderful way to find out ;) just check out the last two paragraphs in the introduction.

LiveStrong,
Elder Eborn

With Fire and Hammer, Steel is Forged

2011-04-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Family!
So this week has been quite an adventure! I'm actually on my way home from a zone conference we held in Ulan-Uday. It's the farthest east city in our mission and takes 2 days to get there by train We flew out of Novo on Tuesday morning and then caught a train to Ulan-Uday in Irkutsk which is about 45 minutes away from the world’s largest fresh water lake... Baikal.

We actually drove around it while we were on the train but didn't see a thing out the windows bummer... I'll have to come back someday I guess to get a better look. It was a lot of fun! Ulan-Ude, is very close to Mongolia and China, and has many people who are from those places.

I actually had the opportunity to teach a lesson with the Elders there to a young woman who is Chinese native. I got to say “Nee-How” to her---she then started speaking Chinese to me thinking I understood and I quickly explained in Russian that it is truly my dad who can speaks Chinese, that I only know a few Chinese phrases and only speak English and Russian.

As soon as China opens up for the gospel, I have no doubt the gospel will take like wild fire. They are very ready for the gospel. I got to see some Buddhist Datsan's which were way cool. I'll send you some pictures when I get back to Novo. I also bought some buriatian ties that are way sick. I want/hope someday serve in the East.

We have to catch our flight back to Novo in a couple hours, so we figured while we had time we'd stop by and write home. I love getting your emails. Just so you know, they always make my day. I often forget about the fact that I have the opportunity/blessing to communicate with you all via internet, but then when I finally have an hour, it really gets me way excited, in fact I can't wait until May 9th to talk to you all!

So an update on our investigator Sergey, he is having some doubts. He has a testimony of the gospel, of the Book of Mormon but he isn't sure if he's ready and willing to live by the gospel. which is way sad, His baptism was scheduled for tomorrow and we were hoping that we would be able to come home from our trip and that he'd be ready. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

He's needs some time to think about if this is really what he wants.

It's a question I've asked myself throughout my life, as well as my mission. Every time I personally think about it, the answer is yes, being willing to live the gospel is worth it. Our Heavenly Father has blessings for us that we can't even imagine, one of which is being able to be with those you love for ever.

Sometimes it may seem like the gospel restricts us, holds us back, and binds and blinds us of our freedom. In reality, being obedient and living according to the gospel is the ultimate expression of our freedom. It takes a lot of self humbling, patience, and a lot of time. I'm not perfect, and I make a lot of mistakes, but I know as we put ourselves in the hands of the Master, He will guide us into the beings that we were meant to be…. With Fire, and Hammer is steel forged, and so are we.

I know that our Heavenly Father loves us, we are his children. He sent our older brother Jesus Christ to show us the way, and to help us return back to him. He didn't send us here to fail.

Well I need to go catch my flight... I love you guys. Thank you for all your support, You'll be in my prayers.

LiveSTRONG
Elder Eborn!!

Mom & Dad - Those bottle rockets were sick! I really hope when I get home I get called into the Scouts (wink,wink Bishop Larsen..) I love you guys :) thanks for everything you do, if you have any questions about calls let me know, we've got a week to make it work. This will be my last phone call home... yikes... tomorrow starts the final third of my mission. I guess I'd better sprint to the finish of this race.

The Cover of the Book

2011-04-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

So I’m sorry this Wednesday was a rough day, we were running around trying to make sure everything was going alright, plus my comp left for a visa trip so I had to figure out what I was going to do with my week, who I was going to be with, what I needed to get done etc. So yeah! I finally have some time to write a legit letter, so I hope it won’t be super boring, I know I have a tendency to blab on about things that probably aren’t very entertaining to you all but eh, I’m a missionary! My life is centered on this work.

Last week, as I told you, we took a bus up to Tomck! Which was so cool, we got in to the city around 9. Took a bus to the elders apartment it was so weird driving though the city in which I started my mission lol. I saw all the old sites and was telling Elder Rupper about all the funny experiences I had had while serving there.

We spent the night with a set of Elders who are both native and lived in the same apartment that I lived once upon a time. We got to be with them on splits for the whole next day and try to help them to work a little bit better together they were having some “difficulties”. So, we got to work with them and to get a feel for the situation. They’re both awesome elders with strong testimonies. Hopefully they’ll be doing/feeling better. We haven’t gotten any phone calls yet so all seems to be going well… I got to go and visit some of the families/investigators that I taught while I served there and it was just amazing! I got to see, Alexey, he told me about how he gained a testimony and about how he received the priesthood and is now every Sunday blessing the sacrament. All that I’ve done for the last year and a half is so worth it, when he said, “спасибо тебе” I almost started crying. “If you bring one soul unto Christ how great will be your joy “.

We ended up missing our bus to Kemerovo by 2 minutes! I tried to run down the bus driver but he gave me a mad hand gesture and kept on going. So, we had to get another bus that was going to Kemer, and there was only one left for that day. They schedule was if we took that bus they told us there was a slim chance we would be there by 11 pm, or 3 am we were willing to take that chance. So we boarded the bus and set off on an adventure! The bus took a different route that stopped in some little town in the middle of Siberia. We ended up making the right turn and made it into Kemerovo by 11 pm and all worked out pretty well. The mid way bus stop was pretty interesting. Surrounded by communist flags, nuclear power plants and rockets, it was a very interesting bus stop to say the least. It was probably a good thing they weren’t requiring passports this night... or we might not have made it out LOL. We stayed the night at a nice hotel in Kemerovo and were able to meet the incoming elders at the bus station the next morning so it all worked out all right.

We got to watch General Conference in Russian (which rocked), and Elder Scott… said the exact same thing he told me to do when he was here last summer. “Elder, go home, find a girl, and get married. Make it your first priority.” Ha he told me that in person.

After our adventures of traveling it felt very good to back in Novo, to sleep in my own как бы bed. We got back to the grind of things, working on getting next transfer figured out with who’s going be serving with who and all that fun stuff, working on Workshops, Trainings, and trying to just do everything we can in order to help others come closer to Christ. Our investigator Sergey is getting closer to his baptismal date and he’s doing great. He’s a little nervous and needs your prayers to help him make the final step. So please keep him in your prayers. Other than that nothing exciting is happening. Oh, I should let you know now probably I probably won’t be emailing you until Friday or Saturday. Tuesday we fly to Irkutsk then take a train to Ulan-Ude where we’ll be having a Training/Zone Conference with the missionaries there so yeah, just a heads up.

So this weekend is Easter. And I think I’ve told you before, seeing as how this is my second Easter in Russia, but there is an awesome tradition that they have here. On the street you meet people and you say, “Иисус Воскрес” which is Jesus is Risen. And you answer back with, “во истину воскрес “or He really is. It an awesome way to start talking to people on the street; without seeming like a creeper. Especially about the Book of Mormon, this as we read on the title page was written to convince the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the whole meaning of what is written on the cover of the book that is “another Testament of Jesus Christ” and what that really means. So this morning I opened up my (Russian Version) scriptures to the 11 Chapter of 3 Nephi when the Savior appears to the people of the Americas. And reading that chapter I couldn’t help but to think about how it would be, to hear the prophecies that and then to see the signs of his death, and then to be sitting there in complete darkness, hearing a voice, and seeing the light. Realizing that the Person you are seeing is the Savior of the world and that through him you can be healed from sin, and ailment.

Then listening to his voice and being able to come up and to look him in the eye knowing that he really is the savior of the world. It’s over whelming for me to contemplate. I love my Savior and I know he lives, and that through him we can do anything.

This Easter Sunday I invite you to read from the Gospel of Matthew 28: 1-6 and 3 Nephi 11, and to take some time to think about Jesus Christ, and what it really means that he was resurrected.

I love you all...thank you for everything you do for me and for all the support. I couldn’t do this without you! Have a great week and a wonderful Easter!

liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn!

Mom & Dad – Hey sorry, I don’t mean to be always turning to you about the money stuff, but so you know I had to take some money out to pay for a hotel room because of some complications on our trip. I love you guys!

I've Got The Best Family

2011-04-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hey,

So sorry, I've been running around ..very busy today... unfortunately I'm not going to be able to write you today, but I'm hoping later in the week I'll have some time. I've printed off all your emails and will read them tonight :). I love you all. thank you for everything. I've got the best family in the world :)
жив СИЛЬНО
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom--- Love You Mommy :)

Small Branches Are Special

2011-04-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Well another week is gone and it's been an interesting one that is for sure! Sounds like you all had a wonderful Spring break! By the pictures I saw (got me super duper way trunky….ha if you'd of had Amber there you'd of had all my favorite things ever in one place! Chinese food, Temples, Rock Climbing, My Family, Running, Swimming, and Playing on Rocks! So Yeah! I will be looking forward to next Spring break that is for sure. But don't you worry, I'm not getting distracted from what I'm doing here . This week was a very busy and it was full of traveling missionary work, trying to help our missionaries, and sleeping on trains. Llast week after we finished our ZLC we got all of the rest of our projects finished including designing and developing our trainings for our missionaries and all that stuff. We also got to meet with our investigator family from Armenia. They are wonderful, they read, they pray, the little girls always have questions about things that they've read. It's amazing to watch their faith/testimonies grow in the gospel. I've am so happy that I've had the opportunity to teach people about the Gospel of Christ and to help them to come closer to him. It' really is the best work in the world! Friday night we were suppose to get picked up by President Gushin and then pick up President and Sister Trejo, then get to the Train station to take a night train to a small city called Novokuznesk. Our meeting went a little long and we ended up being a tad bit late picking up the Trejo's but we made it on time! Elder Rupper and I ran quick and held the train for them and we took the overnight trip to Novokuzz (as we call it). I was always so excited about riding on trains across Siberia (the novelty has worn off ;) Not really loving trains. It was hot, a little gross and dark, and the window didn't open. Plus the fact that I woke up every time the train stopped. However, it was only an 8 hour ride so we got in around 5:30 and took a taxi to the Elders apartment where we rested and then got ready and went to our Zone Conference. Zone Conference there went very well actually. Elder Rupper and I focused on teaching how to use our studies more effectively, by using role play and practicing teaching lessons before you actually teach. As well as, about how to find the people the Lord has prepared for us. After we taught them a little bit about it we went out and practiced on the street for a half hour. Our big focus is on asking inspired questions, listening to people, and then teaching according to their needs. It's really interesting how it's been working out we had some experiences asking people about their families and we got some people who really were pretty interested in our message. Then on Sunday in Novokuzz we had 2 baptisms which was way nifty (I realize that I say awesome a lot so I'm going to try and switch things up a bit). One of which was a young single mother whose son will be getting baptized in the end of the month, and the other was a 73 year-old man named Yuri Ivanovich. It may not seem very old for us as Americans to be in our 70's but here in Russia if you are a man and you live to be over 60 it's a miracle (seriously). He's a great man, I had the opportunity to be on a meeting with him and to talk to him before his baptism. He was so excited that because he was getting married that he could be with his wife again. The gospel really is the best thing in the world. Because of our Savior Jesus Christ we have the opportunity to be together forever and to be with our families and those we love for eternity. I'm so glad I can be together with my family. The branch in Novokuzz is very small and as a matter of fact, the branch president is a missionary. We rent out an old salon (we call it the Salon of Salvation) and for baptisms we have to rent out a pool that we use as a font. Right before the baptisms we realized that the water was way too deep. Ha it was about up to your neck if you're short like me. So we tried to figure out how they could do it without just being under water the whole time and Yuri Ivanovich, who was standing on the ladder jumps into the pool, and starts swimming around the pool in his white suit! It was so funny, the Elder trying to baptize him was following him around trying to get him to stop. I was laughing way too hard. In the end he settled down and we had the baptisms. Later that night we left Novokuzz and went back to Novosibirsk. It was a great weekend. I really like those little branches, there's just a special Дух there. We'll thats about it for my week! This week we'll be going on a special assignment up to Tomsk for a few days ( I'm just a little excited to go to my mission "birth city" :) ) and then to Kemerovo to make sure that they can watch General Conference. So hopefully I'll get to watch general conference. I'm looking forward to hearing the words of the prophets! This'll be my second to last General Conference before I am watching them from the comfort of my own couch! So yeah! Have a great week! Keep being the amazing people you are! I love you. жив СИЛЬНО Старейшина Иборн Mom & Dad - Hey :) Thanks for the updates I'm super jealous that you all got to run a race together! When I get home and after I get back into shape we're all going to go on family running days. Way to go getting 3rd Dad and Tanner. I love you guys!

If You Want To Learn - Teach It

2011-04-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

This was a great day for emails! I heard from all the people I have been thinking about this week and I'm so glad :) Thank you for all the letters of support and love. I really couldn't do this without you all.

So this last week was interesting ha I'm getting the hang of this whole AP deal. It's pretty interesting and I am learning so much. There's a lot of things to do for President, Sister Trejo feeds us . I have not eaten this well since I left the MTC! But no worries, I've found out that my Comp is as crazy as I am! -5 degrees outside at 6:30 in the morning and he's willing to go and run with me on the snowy, icy, frozen roads of Novo! It's felt so good, we haven't gone very far, maybe…2 miles and that’s it but we still ran. I'm way out of shape (and after Am's e-mail I'm pretty sure she's going be kicking me back into shape when I get home ;) or at least I am hoping so lol.)

This last weekend we had the opportunity to go to Kemerovo with President and Sister Trejo for a branch conference there. It's a small city, about the size of Tomck, the branch there however is the smallest in our mission. We had 3 members at sacrament meeting, one investigator, the branch President (who's a missionary) his companion, and the four of us. It was an amazing experience. Sitting there in a small room with those people translating for President and Sister Trejo (we have these way cool headset we use for translation (I am not going to lie, I love it! I feel like a secret agent using them LOL). I couldn't help but think about how on the other side of the world, the saints were gathered together to listen to the Prophet and Apostles. You all had an opportunity to raise your hand and support them as Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. And in a small branch in the middle of Siberia, I had the amazing opportunity to translate for President Trejo as we did the Sustaining of the General Authority's as well.

It's a big world, yet small all at the same time. The spirit at that branch was amazing a great testimony builder of the fact that the Gospel is true. I know that. The branch in our mission will be watching conference this weekend, but I'll be going to Novokuznetsk for a training and zone conference. So, Elder Rupper and I are planning on locking ourselves in our office when we get back and watching conference all day. We probably watch it at the mission home with President when we get back.

Part of my assignment now is to help train other missionaries skills to become more effective teachers and such. Today, we had all of the Zone Leaders from all over the mission here in Novosibirsk for Zone Leaders Council. It was such a strange feeling. A few months ago I was the newest/youngest zone leader in our mission. Now I'm the one who is teaching. It was/is a humbling experience that’s for sure. We talked a bit about how we can better use role-playing as missionaries to help us better prepare for our lessons. Elder Rupper and I prepared a educational workshop on it, and things turned out pretty well. I guess putting together campfires, being in charge of assemblies in high school, and being around my parents has paid off a little. We're going to be focusing on teaching how to better use our studies and how to find those who are prepared at zone conferences this round about so it'll be fun. Hey, it is said if you want to really learn something you need to teach it! So I'm hoping I'll learn as I give presentations and teach.
I've also made it a goal not to just sit in the office and work on paper work and presentations all day. I am not sure I will be able to work in an office when I get home this last week has been hard to get us to sitting in the office for the time that I've been here. So, Elder Rupper and I are going to keep working as well. We're going to try and to carry as much as we can by being missionaries as well as APs. We don't have an area, or a branch in which we are really assigned to work, but all the same we're finding investigators and meeting with them.

Last week actually we were able to meet with our investigator who is actually from Omck как раз. I've actually met him before and we decided to start meeting with him here since he moved here and we actually set a baptismal date with him for the end of this month! :) He's read the Book of Mormon and is starting to live the principles and it's just amazing what the gospel can do for people. It really will change our lives for the better if we are willing to put aside our own pride, humble ourselves, and come unto our Savior who is waiting with open arms.

I love being where I am :) We also have a family we found. They are Armanian and are great! We have taught them about the plan of salvation earlier this week and they are great and I'm excited to learn and grow with them.

So yeah, Pretty much my week's been good, we're busy and working hard and I'm still loving every minute of it! :) Thanks for all you guys do for me, you really do strengthen my testimony. I love you guys! I'll catch ya next week!

жив сильно

Ст Иборн!!

Mom & Dad - Sounds like you guys are having a great spring break! I wish the weather was 80 degress here. I'm getting tired of the snow. If global warming were true, I wish it'd happen in Siberia! I'll be expecting pictures and a full report of spring break next week. I love you guys. Listen to some good music for me!

Jacob Kesler - Hey big guy :) Thanks for your email. Ha you have no idea how good it was to hear from you. Honestly that was probably the best email I've gotten my entire mission. You're an awesome man Jake, and I have no doubt that you're going to be a wonderful instrument in the hands of the Lord. :) It's the hard things in life that make us stronger and help us to learn. I love you brother! I hope you keep me updated with how things are going and what you're up too. It's been 15 months way to long.

Hard Things Make You Stronger

2011-03-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a long week but a great week. Elder Trunov and I worked very hard and got a lot done. We had the opportunity to meet with our investigators and to help them all come a little bit closer to Christ. It was wonderful to be a part of that and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to help Henry and Valentina come unto Jesus Christ and be baptized. Agaba is still working towards it but in a few weeks time he'll be ready. Neither of them had church clothing so I gave them both a pair of slacks, white shirts, and ties to come to church in. I'll tell you what, those men looked amazing in white shirts and ties!

They are going to be awesome Priesthood holders here in the near future. It was amazing; they got baptized before church so that they could be confirmed the same day. I had the opportunity to confirm Sister Valentina a member of the church and to give her the gift of the Holy Ghost. What an experience, the two of them had a chance to bear their testimonies after their confirmations and it was amazing to hear their bright burning testimonies. Henry talked about how when he goes home to Uganda he wants to help his family, and all of his friends come to the church. We (Elder Maughan) sent a email to the mission president down in Uganda and are working on having missionaries go and start working with his family. I am so blessed to have been a part to be a part of this great work:) Elder Dearden's (Brock) Mom once said, "A missionary is one who leaves his family for two years to help others be with theirs forever". It really is such a wonderful thing to help people come unto Christ!

Friday morning I received a call from President Trejo, which was weird because he always calls on Friday nights for Transfers. Then when I started talking to him I quickly realized why he'd called so early. I've been asked serve in Novosibirsk as Assistant to the President with Elder Justin Rupper from Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

So Sunday evening after church and after having our little party deal for Henry and Valentina, I got on a night train to Novo and have been learning what it all means to be an AP. I had some reservations about the new assignment, but I know that Heavenly Father's got a plan and that if I give myself to him 100% he'll turn me into the person I need to be. It'll be an adventure that’s for sure.

So now, instead of being over missionaries in one city, my responsibilities include working over all the mission with missionaries and will be traveling all around the mission for the next few months training missionaries and translating for President Trejo. Honestly, my first thoughts were that I must have messed something up pretty bad to have to serve right under President Trejo, for the last few months of his mission, but so far it's been a wonderful opportunity. I've even been able to do some real missionary work which is really where it’s at! I do spend the majority of my time in the office doing whatever it is that President asks me and try to help the missionaries to be the best they can be.

So yeah! I was sad to be leaving Omsk. 9 months in the same city, well you learn to love the people, but this will be a good change and a new chance to learn and to grow. Hard things make you stronger.

This next weekend I'll be going with President and Sister Trejo to Kemerovo for a branch conference, and the next weekend to Novokuznetsk for a Zone Conference. I've also got to prepare and get ready for Zone Leaders Council, and in the end of the month I'll be flying to Ulan-Ude (on the other side of Baikal) so this new calling will have some opportunity to meet people in many cities. Oh, and seeing as how I'm stationed in Novosibirsk, if you have any desire to send me letters, goody packages etc. they'll get to me a lot quicker! (hint) So yeah, that's basically my week in a nutshell. I'm trying to find my way around Novo, trying to learn my duties and do all I can. This morning we had 3 new missionaries come in. and we got to go and meet them at the airport and bring them back to the mission home for breakfast with the Trejo's. It brought back good memories of Elder Drasso, Capps, Septon, and I flying into Novo a year ago. We were dead tired, had no idea where we were, what people were saying and how the heck we were going to help people to learn about the gospel. But we learned… and they will too :) we get to go have orientation with them today around 4 so yeah. :)

Well family, I love ya. thanks for the awesome emails! I love hearing from you all please keep the letters coming! You've only got like 30 some odd weeks of letters so let’s keep em commin!

жив сильно Ст. Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Ha well... I am sorry you can't all go to Havasupai... but maybe next year we could try and go again :) I know I'd love to go... Sounds like you guys are going to have a way fun Spring break :) be safe and as dad always said to me,” don’t jump off anything".

Tanner - Dude, ok. you need to get me a pair of those shoes for when I get home. Alright? Those are way to cool! That's pretty sweet that you're girly friend will be going with you, I remember getting to have Amber come with us up to Jackson Hole for Lotoja. It's was a lot of fun --treat her good.

Megan - who said you could grow up and become a teenager already? eмоё! ёлки палки! если мне нада убить кого то я смогу! с днём рождения сестра моя!

Maddie- Love ya sis :) thanks for the email, take my puppy on a walk alright?

Another Photo

2011-03-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Night of Transfers

2011-03-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Elder Eborn, with Henry and Agaba the night of transfers. Celebration of Henry and Valentina's baptism. (Photo from Sister Maughan, Omsk Russia)

I'm Ready for Spring!

2011-03-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

Dearest Family of mine!
Yet another week has past and what would you know! We had a baptism this weekend!! Violetta was able to be baptized on saturday and this next week she'll be recieving the gift of the holy ghost! We're Very Excited! (I dont know if I've told you this but there is no word for excited in Russian; interesting eh?)

We are looking forward to this upcoming weekend as well. We've got 3 baptisms set up for Sunday morning! Which is unreal!! President Trejo even told me that he has never seen that happen in the entire time he's been a mission president. As much as I'd like to take the credit, I really haven't done anything. I've taught the gospel, and the Lord has given them the witness that they've asked for. It's going to be a historic weekend for the city of Omck! But, it's not over until they're all in the font... so please keep them in your prayers. miracles are just around the corner but we've gotta finish doing our part for them to happen.

This week has also been quite an adventure, I'm actually conducting splits with one of the other Elders right now from the north area in Omck. We've been on splits for 2 days. It's just the only way it could work out for us. but we've had fun, and been learning a lot. As a Zone Leader I'm supposed to help teach the missionaries on exchanges how to be more effective and such. And we had about a half hour of down time and I realized that I was craving chocolate chip cookies way way bad. so we made them, it was actually a good thing though because on our way to our next meeting we met a man who told us that he was searching for another church because his church wasn't answering the questions that he had. We asked him what they were (the questions that is) and he asked about prophets and apostles. A Little alarm went off in my head, "Hey, Elder Eborn, thats part of the message you share..." and I jumped all over that! he's way excited to come to Church and to learn more about it. I guess sometimes you've just gotta take some time and make some cookies! We might not have met him if we hadn't stopped to make the cookies so it was a win/win.

It's been warming up quite a bit, but not enough, there is still snow everywhere and I'm not even kidding when I say my legs want to run. I've been running up and down the 12 story flight of stairs in our apartment builing almost every morning but it's not cutting it. I can't wait until summer and I'll be able to run a little bit.

I also did get your package :) I've had to put a limit on how many Reeses I eat each day. I even have a little counter on the fridge to keep track so I don't eat them all at once. (funny)

I had to explain to Elder Trunov what a Leprechaun was because of the hat and socks you sent. He still doesn't get it. Silly Ukrainian. We've also have transfer calls coming up this Friday and if this pattern continues I'll probably be in Omck another 6 weeks :) which honestly will be fine, this place is pretty much like home now, except without my family, and more crazy people lol I think its something in the water (jk). Any ways we'll see what happens maybe I'll be taking the longest transfer in the world! I'll let you know next week.

So yeah, that's pretty much my week :) I've just been workng hard and trying to smile while I'm at it. It's been a little bit rougher this week, I've been a little bit down but it's all good, I just need to get my endorphins going and we'll be just fine!

I love you all. Thank you for your letters of support and the love you give me.The Church is True, Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration, The Book of Mormon is True, and God loves us!

жив сильно!
Ст. Иборн

Mom & Dad - Well, diet wise its basically the same as back home, just with a lot less selection and a whole lot worse quality. I've been eating a lot of rice and veggies lately due to the fact that we don't have time to eat real food. but the selection of meats isn't very good so you basically stay with chicken that you have to skin and pull the breast bone out of. so yeah, it'll be nice to come back home and be able to eat like normal again. but I guess if you wanted to be a vegetarian in russia you could, but you won't be able to get away with it with the members, especially in winter.

Love you guys and if you do wanna send another package here soon send some food coloring!

Garrett, Gavin, & Libby - You guys Rock! Thank you for the awesome pictures :) lol I didn't even know we had Pirates in Russia but I'm glad I know now ;) It's good to know you guys are having fun in Nevada I'll have to come visit when I get home

Love you guys!

Happy St. Patricks Day From Russia

2011-03-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

Bless Sister Maughan, yesterday at Megan's volleyball meet, I was waiting for her game to start (we leave around 6 am and stay all day on these days) when my phone beep'd I looked down and saw this email/note with the accompanying photo.

Brought a tear to my eye, and warmed my heart. Thank you Sister Maughan for letting me know our missionary recieved his new shirts (along with the other little supplies we sent). I was worrying because I know he was running low on his white shirt situation. Here is the email...

"Brother and Sister Eborn, I thought you might like this picture of your Elder. He does a wonderful job as a missionary and zone leader! You can be very proud of the job he is doing. It is a pleasure to serve with him.

Sincerely,
Sister Maughan"

All is Well In Siberia

2011-03-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

It's been another great week here in Siberia and all is well. I'm a little bit sick, but nothing to be worried about just a little cold. I took a nap yesterday and now everything is much better.

So, I should probably let you know that everything is going as planned for our scheduled baptisms this month. Violetta will be baptized this Saturday in between sessions of District Conference. We have recieved permission for her to get baptized. Also, our Uganda friends are doing awesome we're working with them and helping them get ready for the 27th of March. It will be an eventful day, we will potentially have three baptisms that day. We have one new investigator who we set a baptismal date with last week. She's a great lady who really has been searching for the truth and we were able to find her. It's amazing how that works isn't?

Thanks for the prayers. She was very excited about it all. She's already read almost all 2nd Nephi in the Book of Mormon and says she loves every bit of it! She says it has answered almost every question she wanted to ask us. It will be fun to see her learn and grow and to receive the blessings that come with that. We taught her yesterday about the Plan of Salvation and she was so excited and had one of those “Moments of Clarity” (as Dad calls them). I am blessed that I've had the opportunity to be a small part of her conversion.

We've been working with other investigators as well trying to help them to progress and we've been having some success. Our friends from Africa are so excited about their baptism. They were a little embarrassed though they have been coming to church in just casual clothes because that is all they brought with them and they felt bad about it, and wanted to wait until they could get church clothes to get baptized. I ended up giving them each a white shirt and tie, and told them that they're going to make some very good Preisthood holders.
Spring is coming here in Omck (we are in Siberia), and the weather is very unpredictable! For instance, 2 days ago it was a warm -5 outside, and then yesterday we had a huge snow storm.
I just realized that a year ago yesterday I left the MTC, man how time flies. I haven't been in America for over a year.

I've even been wearing just my polto around and it feels way good outside! Soon enough it will be summer and time really has been flying. Today, Elder Trunov left on his visa trip and I am on splits with the Left Bank Elders, we did half of our email before his train left and then I came back to finish my letter home with the other Elders who didn't have a chance to do email yet.

I was reading in the scriptures the other day about Nephi (First Nephi that is - ah, White Dog :) I was reading in Chapter 4, and it talks about trusting in the arm of the flesh. Here is what it says; it really hit me kind of hard. Nephi (who is such a Scriptural Stud) says that he is fed up with sin, and that he makes little mistakes as well. But He talks about knowing in whom he trusts. He says at the end "O Lord, I have a trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that put his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that puts his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen."

And that is one thing that I've been learning so much on my mission. President Trejo often talks to me about becoming a "spiritual being on a mortal experience" rather than the other way around. If you think about the Plan of Salvation. We REALLY are without beginning and without end. And we are here for only a short time on the grand scale of things, and of course there are things we need to do here in this life. We're here to learn, to grow, and to have joy. There's more to life, and we need to put off the natural man, and see with our spiritual eyes. I am not saying that I am going to be a missionary for the rest of my life or anything lol. When it comes time to come home I'll be ready. I want to try to be more like Nephi, and trust not in the arm of flesh, but trust in the rock of my salvation. Just like a climber trusts in his anchors.

Well everyone I love you. Thanks for all of your support. I know you are all very busy, but I really am very appreciative of you taking time to read what I write and to write me, it always makes my week a better. P-day is almost better than Christmas!

LiveStrong
Elder Eborn

Mom - LOL I read all that you sent me and I realized I am going to be so messed up when I get home I had no idea what half of those words meant! Elder Trunov had to help explain it to me in Russian; I wonder if Dad had a hard time re-adjusting to English when he got back?

Dad - So we were at the mall today, and we went by the Solomon store and they had a 50% sale and I bought a new jacket and almost some new shoes. I figure though I'll just run through the ones I've got here (they're pretty trashed) and get some Nikefrees when I get home. I want to run so bad.

The Proof

2011-03-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

First of all, I want say that “I love my Mommy!!” She's the best and I am very grateful for the fact that she is my mother. I have learned so much from her, and I wouldn't be the person I am today without her love and example. Happy Birthday.

This week has been way fast and I am kind of freaking out that it is already March where is my mission going? Elder Trunov goes home next transfer, and I have less time on my mission than I've been on my mission. Well slightly. Mind boggling I am definitely not ready for my mission to be over, and it's a good thing that I've got another 9 months. That's still too short. I am just going to have to work harder.

So we got back from Novo last week and decided to get haircuts. OK, so the thing is here in Russia no matter what you say, the hair stylist will always just do whatever she wants and well I am pretty much bald. It's way convenient though ha and with the weather warming up it's not even that cold so I guess it just means that I don’t have to get a haircut for a long time. It was way funny. Every 2 transfers we get to do a "culture night" where we get to go and do something cultural and last Thursday we went and saw a violin concert. There was this way famous artist guy there who I'd never heard of (but he had a top hat and me and my baldness got a picture in his hat.) It was way fun, but I don't think I am meant for the whole classical scene, I almost fell asleep three times and yeah, it was way pretty and those people are very talented… but I'd of rather seen Van Halen. (I got to eat some of Elder Bonuses’ Reese's Peanut butter Cups which was kind of him, and a highlight!).

We have 3 baptisms scheduled for this month. Of course, things are never easy. My Uganda friends are now confined to their hotel because one of their group members got deported. And we just found out that the sweet little girl’s father doesn't want her to get baptized. But, it's amazing what you can learn from an 8 year old :). Her grandmother was telling us the situation and she piped up, “I have the answer! Heavenly Father will help us, he can help my dad to give me permission.” We all knelt and prayed together for that. Elder Trunov and I will be fasting for them all. Like it says in Ether 12.6 “the proof will not come until after the trial of your faith”. This is definitely a trial. I am sure that Our Heavenly Father will do what he can, after we've done everything we can. You've got to have faith, please keep them in your prayers.

The rest of the week was pretty good. We had district meeting which we are in charge of teaching the missionaries how to be better missionaries which is silly because they are all WAY better than I am. It was way good. We focus so much on goals, on working hard and all of that kind of stuff. So Elder Trunov and I thought we needed to focus on the love. That is the reason for everything we are doing here in Russia. We have a Heavenly Father who loves us, he created a plan for us to become like him because he loves us. He created a place for us to learn and to grow because he loves us. He knew that we would make mistakes and therefore sent our older brother Jesus Christ to help us return to him because he loves us. And I love my Heavenly Father for everything he has done for me. We as missionaries talked about all the people we are serving; Members, Investigators, missionaries etc. and about why we loved them. The things you'd do for the ones you love really helps you realize what this whole thing is all about. No wonder the two greatest commandments are "Love the Lord thy God" and "Love thy fellow man" I love these people here and I Love you all :) thank you for being the best examples you are to me :) and for loving me like you do, I couldn't do it without you all :)

I need to go, P-day is really just a day to get food for the rest of the week and write home day for us.

LiveStrong,
Elder Eborn

Mommy - Sounds like you're having fun with your iPhone! It probably sounds missionary dorky but I am excited to get home and get one so I can put my scriptures on it. That's crazy about the new Elder's that are coming my way, there are a lot of missionaries getting ready to go home so I can see that there will be a lot new coming. Small world that a 2nd cousin of mine will be here for the last six months of my mission ha. They’re in for the ride of their lives! I just wanted to let you know that I love you and that I am so grateful for all you do for me and our family.

Dad- I checked out your running times and it's looking like you're getting faster. Not too shabby for an old guy! You'll be faster than I am when I get back. Sounds like you've got some races lined up this year that will be way fun. I am super jealous you’re going to Havasupai for spring break! What?! You couldn't wait until next year when I get back? Man.. Oh well. Love you pops

Tanner- Ha man you're getting so old. Graduating from high school and doing all sorts of fun stuff. Thanks for writing...It'll be fun to come home and be able to play with you again Broski. Do those vibram shoes come with nike+? That would be so sick. I wear mine around the house and to sports night all the time lol. I’m starting to rip them though... I’ll have to check them out when I get home. Love ya bro!

Megan- Student Body Historian?! I thought you were in like 7th grade or something? What?! When did my sister grow up?! That will be awesome though. I loved doing student government it was way fun especially in highschool. Love ya sis :) Keep being awesome I’m way glad you wrote :)

Maddie - Ha Maddie, you know I love hearing from you right? It always makes me smile way big :) love ya baby sis!

Africa Has Come to Me

2011-03-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

So I got to and from Finland just fine. My body must just be so use to jet lag that the lack of sleep doesn't even phase me anymore! I then, totally spaced mentioning that we in addition, had Zone Leaders council this week, and so I am actually writing you in the office here in Novo! I take a train home tonight late.

Finland was awesome! We flew into Moscow and got to meet the mission president of another mission here in Russia, he was way cool. We also found out that we will be getting a new mission president in July. Our mission is one of the only mission's in the world where the mission president only serves 2 years instead of 3 years.

We will be getting President Stephen Petersen from Ogden, Utah as our new mission president in July. So for the last 6 months of my mission I'll have a new Mission President. Interesting eh? Anyway, we got to Moscow and waited for our group then we went to TGI Fridays (heaven ahhh) and got a burger with a large strawberry shake, we'll worth the 30 bucks I had to spend on it! We then flew to Finland--Helsinki! We got to the temple house. The temple was closed for cleaning (which was a bummer) but we had the opportunity to do some service and clean up around the temple house. In Russia due to all the laws, and regulations and such we aren't allowed to do much public service. So when we got the chance to clean floors and wipe widow wells we were more than happy! It was way fun.

The next day we got to go into the city and go look around. Down town Helsinki is very cool, we definitely need to take a trip Finland. I found REAL A&W Root beer ahhh it was so good! Fresh from the can, man I couldn't be happier, until we found McDonald's! I had the first dollar cheeseburger, and McFlurry I've had in over a year and man, it was so good! Sorry that's about it for the trunky side of this email.

We made it back to Omck fine and dandy then we got all ready for the week, started working hard and then realized that we traveled to Novo.
ZLC was way good. We talked about the progress in our cities and how things are going, and all sorts of things. I was very disappointed in myself that we didn't get our goal of 3 baptisms, but I was glad to report, upcoming, that we do have 4 baptismal dates. One of which Elder Trunov and I sent on Tuesday night, she's a 7 year old girl she will be turning 8 soon and she wants to get baptized her parents aren't members and there for we get to teach her and help her get ready for baptism.

That means in my companionship we have 3 baptismal dates for the month of March, keep us in your prayers. I just put in an order for 30 Book of Mormons in Swahili (I think that's how it spelled?) for our African friends. They are doing so awesome! They keep inviting more and more friends to hear about the gospel. It's great they love reading and coming to church, I translate everything for them, but they are still doing awesome ..in spite of that LOL. Remember, when we were waiting for my call, I thought I may go to serve in Africa, and I guess Africa came to me! Keep us all in your prayers. We've still lots of people to reach.

We'll I'd better get going, we've got a lot of to do and we're still in Novo and so yeah, I got to get back to “feeding the sheep” as our Savior said to Peter. I love my Savior, and I need to give all that I can to him, especially after all he's done for me. I love you! Have a great week…I will send pictures from Omck when I have my camera (stuff) and all with me!

liveSTRONG,
Elder Eborn

Mom - Hey mommy :) First of all, I want thank you for everything you've done for me I know, I wouldn't be where I am today without you as my mother. You're the best! Way to help the young women understand more and more about what it means to "believe". Thanks for sharing….there's a great example of how parents help their children...read Mosiah 27 v 10.

"Being a Dude" Day

2011-02-23T08:02:00.000-08:00

Another week has gone by and it seems to me to be going faster and faster. Tomorrow, I leave on my 4th Visa trip which means that this transfer will make it an entire year since I left America. We missionaries all have our own silly things we do when we hit different points on our missions. Get rid a shirt, buy a new tie, go to Finland, ya know things like that but, for me I am looking forward to a couple days in Finland.

I'll give you a full report of that next week though. Today is a special day in Russia! It's Man Day! It is the day you celebrate “being a dude” its way funny our phone hasn't stopped ringing all morning all these babushka’s calling us to wish us happy man day lol.

As for this week, we've been very busy. We had a training and zone conference here this week, which was so much fun to plan. I have always just been the missionary who got to sit and enjoy zone conference not the one who had to plan it all our and well it was different experience that's for sure It was really good though, I got to interview with President Trejo (who's awesome) we had a good long talk about wrestling.

He talked to me a lot about why I was called to be a ZL and he told me that I had the "wrestler mentality" that is I go as hard as I can for as long as I can and I don't give up until the whistle blows. I enjoyed his compliment and analogy; I do try to work hard. Speaking of wrestling Elder Trunov has had me teach him how to wrestle ha, it has been some really interesting exercises in the mornings I'll tell you what. Sister Trejo told me that I need to sleep more and that throughout my mission the circles under my eyes have been getting darker and darker (it runs in the family).

We've had some rather excited things happen this week as well, finding the balance between ZL stuff, and missionary work is hard but so worth it and I am learning so much. This week we found 2 new investigators, one of which is like some world famous chess player from the Soviet Union, and the other is one of Agaba (Uganda)'s friend, Henry. We started teaching them together. Henry has a MBA and is so smart, he asked for a Book of Mormon to read with Agaba. We had been teaching Agaba the lessons and such, and we asked him to read 2 Nephi 31 which talks a lot about the Doctrine of Christ, which is faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Monday night, he said, "Elders, when can I make the covenant with Heavenly Father that is baptism?" Elder Trunov and I were just in shock, we set a baptismal date with him for March 27th. Henry also agreed to get ready for that date. We're very excited! We'll see what happens, please …keep them in your prayers. We're also planning and hoping to set a baptismal date tonight with one of our investigators, she's 7 will be 8 soon. I will have to tell you about her story another time but she's a nice little girl, who lives with her grandma who's a member and they want us to teach her and help get her ready for baptism. She is a convert due to the fact that neither of her parents are members. So we get to teach her, which is fun and great experience, I can imagine, what it'll be to help my future children get ready to make that big step.

Those of us who were baptized when we were 8 may not remember all that went on and what it all meant. It is something special and I am very grateful that I am a member of Church. I often show the pictures of Maddie’s baptism at Bear Lake (some 2-3 odd years ago…sorry Maddie, you're like 10 right?) and it always makes for a good “intro to missionary work” I have my pictures in my album strategically placed to focus on the importance of families and the gospel. I am grateful that my family is such a great example and that I can show that to the people here and help them come closer to Christ, I know we are not perfect, but I do love you.

Well my times about up and I want to send you some pictures! So…I love you, have a great week, I will be in Finland tomorrow on my 4th visa trip which means I only have like 3 more yikes, time flies. Well be excellent to each other!

Mom & Dad - Dad's email made me laugh way to hard I just got it but man, I miss you guys, thanks for being awesome parents :) Love ya.!

The Knowledge We Have

2011-02-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Hey Family!

Sorry, I know my last couple emails have been interesting I really haven't had time to do any sort of compiling my thoughts for the last few weeks so my emails home are probably just like blah of information thrown at you. Plus the fact that I am not speaking English well anymore and probably makes the translation of my letters quite the task ha. Good thing I've got a wonderful mother who can make sense of things and puts my letters up. I don’t know what I’d do without my mom; she really is the best thanks for all you do Mommy :) I love you.

So today we had a lot to do. It seems to me like P-days now days are just days that I can try to get an email off and then hopefully buy groceries - we've been living on vegetables and rice for the last few weeks because we don't have time to buy groceries. Today, we picked up the Elders that were coming in. Oh! We had transfers last week; I'll be here in Omsk another 6 weeks as ZL. I told President T that I would stay here until the end if he needed me to. Yeah, we didn’t know if we'd have email time today, so we ran into the internet cafe paid for 10 minutes and printed off all our emails so that if we didn’t have time to write we'd still get to read from you guys. But, after we took care of the Elders we realized we had about an hour to do something so we came here and I actually get to write so Yay!

This week has been way busy, we've had to deal with a lot of stuff ... I do love being a ZL. But yeah, in between all the stuff we have to do, we balance missionary work in there as well. This week was very productive. :) We found 3 new investigators, 2 of which are from Africa we found them an English book of Mormon and have been teaching them the gospel. Agaba is awesome, he's always smiling and is so excited to learn about The Book of Mormon. We talked about Prophets and the Book of Mormon and he almost jumped off his seat when i gave him his copy in English. He has called me 2 or 3 times already telling me how much he loves reading it and how he feels about reading it. I think it is ironic, makes me smile, in his country they already have a stake and the church is flourishing, and he came all the way to Siberia and found out about the gospel. We also met a man and he's very smart, he teaches kids how to play chess at a wrestling club, ha it was so sick. We got to go in and talk to him a bit the other day. He asked where I was from and I told him Utah, he then said, “There are a lot of Mormons in Utah aren't there? I admire those people, they did so much with so little ah, I would like to know more about what they believe..." Elder Trunov and I couldn't help but smile and pull the Book of Mormon out of the bag and invited him to learn more about the restored gospel. We haven't reached our goal for the month yet, but we are working hard and I know I am doing what I am suppose to.

I am so sorry about Grandma Flora, she was an amazing lady, and I know mom, she was special to you. I think that is one of the main things that restored gospel gives us. We have the knowledge of the plan of salvation. We know where we come from, why are here, and where we are going. The Lord's plan is in motion, and we know what we need to do here, and other people need to know it as well. We pass all sorts of people every day, and how many people know what we know? We truly are blessed to have the knowledge that we do.

It is the "Good News". I'm so grateful that I have a family that loves and supports me, and that I will be able to be with them not only in this life but forever. The years we spend in this life are just in preparation for what is to come.

We are Children of the most supreme being in the universe and He loves us. Mom said, Love is what Valentine’s day is for her is about love. I agree with her that is right. One of my favorite camp songs is called “its cheese that makes the world go round and in the end of the songs it explains that in reality it is love that makes the world go round….it is so true. Our Father in Heaven Exists and he loves each and every one of us. He sent us here to learn and to grow to become like him, then we will return to his presence and be able to sit down and tell him about everything we learned, everything we did. We will all fall short…. of being able to become like him. That is where the love comes in. Our older Brother came and took upon himself all of our imperfections, weakness, sickness, and faults upon himself. So that when we do go to see our Father, we can be clean in his sight. The news isn't just good, It's Great!” It's all based upon love.

So I guess I'd better get back on the street and let people know! ;) I love you guys, Thanks for the letters, your faith, and for all the support you give me. I really couldn't do what I am doing without you. I have to go now; we have a lot to do. Missionaries to take care of, Zone Conference to plan to name a few things. So I love you guys, have a great week and I'll see you soon!

Mom - Hey mommy :) Thanks for everything. I love you.

Dad – I’ll send some pictures next week hopefully, I will be in Finland next week so maybe will have some time at the Temple house to send some.

Tanner - A Limo? This girl must really like you or something ha.

Grandma & Grandpa Eborn- Hey! Happy Birthday Grandma! Thanks for everything you guys do for me :) I love getting your emails every week :) I print them off and read them again and again. I hope you have a wonderful week and know that I love you guys, and you're in my prayers.

D & C 133:26

2011-02-09T14:12:00.001-08:00

"....And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence."

Go and Bear with Patience

2011-02-09T10:44:00.000-08:00

I am SO sorry you guys didn't get my email last week, I was using the computer in the office in Novo and it just must not have wanted to send. But I re-sent it so hopefully you all get it ha... looks like 2 emails this week for ya'll!

So last week we got back from Novo, horrible night sleep on a train, and just got back to work, we didn't have time for recuperation but just hit the road and started right where we left off when we left. We’ve been trying our hardest to find people to teach. That is the one thing that we are lacking here in Omsk is investigators, it's been the problem for the last 7 months here ha. And one of the things we do is we just talk to people. All the time we're trying to find those that have been prepared for our message.

Sometimes it seems hopeless. Getting shut down time and time again is kind of discouraging. Well… a lot discouraging but like the Lord said to Ammon and his brethren “Go and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give you success”. I’m not sure when it'll come but I know that the Lord loves me and that what I’m doing is His work.

Yesterday, for instance, we found 4 people who wanted to learn more about the message of the Restoration. It was a funny experience, we were standing on a bus stop and all of a sudden everything gets really quiet and everyone on the crowded bus stop is looking up the road, and down the sidewalk comes these two Africans. Here in Russia, it is very rare to see a black person at all and so I was standing there just like wow, "those are the first two black guys I’ve seen in almost a year". Then, I think to myself “I wonder if they even speak Russian?” So I yell out in English, “Hey! Do you guy's speak English?” They both turn around and look up at me with this big smiles and looks on their faces of just pure relief. “YES!” they yelled back and they ran back to me and we had a good conversation they are from Uganda, here studying for the year and have been met with a lot of hard times thus far, they don't speak any Russian, and Russians don't really like them. They were so relieved to see an American missionary it was so awesome. They asked if we would take them to church, We said “of course”. They called us later that night to make sure we weren't kidding and that they wanted us to meet their friend’s...it was great. Who know's? Maybe some of them will truly be interested… we could have an English speaking branch in Siberia! Man that'd be way amazing.

We've also been working with a family here and they are progressing! They read and pray as a family every night now. Their father is not as supportive (down right against) the missionaries coming over but the Mother said that she loves how she feels around us and that they're wanting to keep it up. We're hoping for them to get baptized the end of the month ...early March. So keep them in you're prayers!

Artiom, (aka Jon Bon Jovi) unfortunately has decided that our gospel is not for him and he has dropped the missionaries. He was trying to go to America, and when he couldn't it was a mess, but in short he's still looking for truth and wants to explore other options. I was saddened what happened and by what he said, and told him that the truth he's looking for is right here. It's like money on the table. We’ve laid it all out, and given him the option to take it, and he won’t. My investigator Roman, who was baptized almost 2 months ago, was able to receive the Holy Ghost and be confirmed a member of the church Sunday. It was a great feeling being able to stand in the circle around him and help confirm him. It was a great experience and you can read about it in my journal at the end of this year.

So yeah, that is pretty much my week. We've got Transfer calls coming this Friday. Being a ZL is definitely interesting. I get to talk with President Trejo ever week and report on things, and pass him information from the district presidency here. President T is awesome. What a great experience I have working with such good people!

Elder Maughn was telling me how much different our mission is from the rest of the world. This is the only mission I know, and it's crazy and mom figured out that the people aren't as nice as you'd like them to be but it's the mission,... my mission, where I’m suppose to be. I’ve learned a lot here, and I’m not even close to done. I’ve got a lot to do and I’m looking forward to doing it.

I love you all; I’ll let you know if I’m leaving Omsk or not next week. But all the same I’ll be giving it my all. Like Elder Mueller and I say, “You can sleep when you're dead!" Love you guys have a great week!

Mom & Dad - Hope you got my last week’s email finally the computer here says it was sent this time so idk hopefully it worked. But yeah mom I need you to send shirts... I’ve given them to members who need them and well washing machines here aren’t very good so if you could send me those I’d be very appreciative :) ha I checked out the pictures. Looks like you guys are having a blast :) I miss you a lot but it's alright May is coming up ;) love you guys!

Megan - Thanks for the Valentine’s Day Email Meggie Shake. It's always good to hear from my sisters. You look like you're kicking butt at volleyball ..keep it up. You rock!

Maddie - You're a goober LOL I love ya Maddie, your “smiley deals” always make me laugh lol because the Russian computers have a hard time reading them….but I know what you are saying....keep being you Maddie!

Our Mission is Hard

2011-02-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

So I guess you didn’t get last week’s email. I sent it from Novo but I guess it didn’t work so I’ll try again...

Hey ya'll!

I am writing you from the office in Novosibirsk right now! Elder Trunov and I took a train last night from Omsk to Novo and got here around 6 this morning and we will be leaving for home tonight around 10.
We came for zone leaders’ conference! We have got to spend 6 hours with President Trejo and with the rest of the ZL's from around the mission.

I got to see some of my favorite missionaries! (Old companions etc.) It was just so awesome. We had to give our report on how our zone did in the month of January. We have a goal for the year 2011 of 130 convert baptisms and have been working very hard to get that. Our zone goal for the month of January was 2 baptisms and we only got 1... I also got to give a spiritual thought on the quote "work work work" from Elder Ezra Taft Benson which was pretty legit I talked about wrestling and how we as missionaries want to have no regrets when we go home from our missions and that is why we need to have our whole heart might, mind and soul into what we are doing. (Sorry Dad, I know my last email may have seemed like I was getting trunky, but I am really not.) I miss you and all, but this is where I need to be and this is where I will be for the next 10-11 months, "there's a time and place for everything" and this is my time to Serve I am very focused on what I am doing here. At the end of all of our reports, President Trejo got up and told us that the Lord has sent us, the Elder's of the “Siberian battalion here, and he didn't send us to fail. Our mission is hard, but the Lord qualifies those he calls.

I'll be working hard to fulfill my potential as well as to help the members of my zone reach theirs.
It's getting really warm, well for Siberia. It’s like -15 or so outside on the street and I’m like sweating! This week was a good one though, our investigator family has been progressing, they came to church, family night, as well as to a fireside on eternal marriage. It was way good. I love teaching them and it's always such an warm and inviting atmosphere. They love the gospel and we are hoping to help them be baptized this month. So keep them in your prayers. We've been doing a lot of other good things as well and it's been a lot of fun. Elder Trunov is funny. …I've learned a lot from him already.

He's going home in a few months and that is why he was wondering about the BYU thing. I’ll explain it to him on the train ride home. I am not really sure what will happen when I get home but I am not really worried about it. Like I said I’m here right now and I am a missionary! I am here 100% I am giving myself to the Lord and we'll see what he will form me into. He is our maker and I know if I submit myself to his will he will me make me more than could ever be on my own. I just need to trust in Him.
That's way cool that Tanner got his Eagle….. and that he just had his court of honor! I'm proud of my brother that is for sure! He's got a lot of great things ahead of him. Love ya bro. It's amazing all the things scouting teaches us about being good people. I think I already told you about how Elder Trunov read tmy scout hand book and was all impressed by all the stuff that scouting has to offer, and that the aim of scouting is to help make young men into the men they need to be. I love scouting. I hope when I get home I get to serve in the scouting program.

Well... I think that is about it for me! I've got a long train home tonight and its way hard to sleep on the train. We stop at every little city in between Novo and Omsk and I wake up every time. But hey, I’m riding on the Transiberian railroad!!? How cool is that! Until next week...

liveSTRONG!
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - Hey mommy dearest :) it sounds like you've had a little adventure….. that is way cool though, it’s always fun trying to explain what my mom does to our investigators and such. ha and no one believes you can be a professional boy scout ha, I’m like…” I've got proof!” Ha he's my dad! It’s always fun :) so to answer your question about shirts and such. you can by almost anything here in Russia, but white shirts are a very hot item. You can get ALMOST white shirts but you can never find just plain ones. They always have something that won’t work with missionary attire. So if you could send me those shirts I'd be very appreciative :) I DON'T need garments lol. I have like 30 tops and like 15 bottoms for some reason but if I do need them I can by them in Finland so no worries :) I am also looking for a new suit. I’ve just given up on my American ones. They didn't last dang Mr Mac. I guess, he's never been to Siberia.. So I’ll be probably buying one sooner or later. They’re usually about 100 bucks or a little more they're really cheap here. I love you guy's thanks for everything :)

Tanner - Way to go brosky! You rock! Thanks for being my brother. I really do look up to you, thanks for always being a great example and just being awesome keep on doing what you're doing!

No Letter Today

2011-02-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Last week, Elder Eborn mentioned he would be in Novo this week. I will put up his letter later in the week.

Thank you for the Kind Posts

2011-02-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

Having this and my family blog up via public is something I go back and forth on.... I keep the blog as our family history, and record for others to see. It is interesting, here on Elder Eborn's blog (which I moderate) some of the mean things people in Russia say. Gives me a glimpse of what my son must deal with on a daily basis. However, he never mentions or complains.

I am proud of my American son, who has put his goals, education, and family on hold to go share a great message to others who may not be aware. I am sad, when people are mean to him.

A Needy Email

2011-01-27T19:41:00.000-08:00

Hey Mommy,
Just a quick note, Elder Trunov, is looking to study at BYU after his mission ends. He's got his Bachelors in Marketing and wants to work on his MBA. I was wondering if you could figure out what kind of stuff he'd have to do in order to go there and continue his education? I know you're busy and have a lot to do being a "big wig and all ;)" but he'd (and I) would appreciate the help if you could.

Also, on my side of the college front if you could look into getting me enrolled for the Spring 2012 Semester at Weber that'd be awesome :) The classes go pretty quick and I know we should probably start working on it sooner rather then later.

Plus if you could figure out anything I need to do so I can get Financial Aid, as well as any scholarships so we can be all good to go when I get home the end of this year. SO yeah ..This is a needy email ...so sorry. I just know that you're the one who will/can figure all this stuff out so yeah :) what'd I do with out my mommy! I love you!

JT

My Scout Handbook Comes in Handy

2011-01-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

Hey family!

Another week has flown by and I’m just in shock at how fast this month has flown by. Sooner than I know I’ll be on an airplane headed home... that's a little scary to think about. I’m having a great time though and I’m learning so much! This transfer really does feel like I’m being trained all over again. But it's a good thing; I’m becoming better at what I need to do. We moved one of our missionary companionships into a new apartment this week, which is a huge endeavor; there were many hoops to jump through. The Church leaders want us to make sure everything is done and in the best way so it's all good. It's interesting, now I don't only worry about me and my companion but I’m worrying about a whole city of missionaries. I just want them to be able to do everything they can and be the best they can be. I find myself trying to do whatever I can do to help them succeed.

Yesterday, we received a call from the office about the bombing in Moscow. Don’t worry Mom, I don’t go through Moscow for another month and we don’t use that airport.Elder Trunov has a sister serving there in Moscow on a mission and so we were pretty worried about those things. But all is well, No missionaries were injured and so it's all good.

The whole morning yesterday though there was a weird feeling, like something was wrong but we didn't know what it was. Then we looked out the window and realized that the building across the road from us was on fire! But even after the fire department put out the fire the feeling was still there and we couldn't figure it out. We had no idea what we needed to do. But we felt like we needed to do something. So we stopped all of our stuff (paperwork for the apartment, registration for missionaries, passports beings taken care of to and from Novo etc.) and went outside and did some contacting. We just went and talked to people. It was interesting. We didn't find anyone who was interested in hearing from us, or anything but i felt like that was where I needed to be. So maybe something will come of it but it was just interesting.

Elder Trunov speaks English well, but wants to get better. So he asked me to help him. He wanted to read a book that was how real Americans speak and not scriptures. So I gave him my scout hand book! He was reading through and asked what scouting was all about so I got to explain to him. And share with him the scout oath, law, and motto. He was all impressed and was repeating it all day. It's interesting to me that in the scout oath, the first point is to do your duty to God. I’m so grateful for scouts and for the impact it's had on my life. I definitely wouldn't be here without it.

We also have a new investigator, his name is Sergey, and he’s about 49 and is really searching for truth. I tracted into him a few weeks ago and was able to meet with him this last week. He explained how he read the bible and believed it then; he said he hadn't found the Holy Ghost in any of the churches he had investigated. I couldn't help but smile. We haven’t told him yet but we have the power to help him receive it! That will be a fun meeting :)

I’ll probably be in Novo next week on Zone Leaders Council so hopefully I’ll get to write home sometime. I love you guy's thanks for everything you do! I couldn't do this without you!

liveSTRONG

Elder Eborn!

Mom & Dad - way to go on the race! I checked out the pictures and was way jealous! I can't wait to go run with you when I get home :)

Just Keep Going

2011-01-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry this letter is a little later than I usually send, there's just a lot more I have to do with my email time. Being a ZL has been interesting and a good experience so far. We had a very interesting week. We had a group of missionaries come in to Omsk and we got to help them move all into their new apartments. When you're entire life has to fit in 3 suitcases, you get some pretty heavy bags and even at -20 you sweat!

But everyone got in and everything is fine now, we're getting back into the regular beat of things. Well, as regular as it gets around here. I was at district meeting on Friday with all the missionaries and I realized that of the 10 missionaries there. I’ve watched them all be "born" in Omsk! I love this city, I’m glad to still be here what my life would be like without the "kosmos"?

Elder Trunov is awesome we're having a lot of fun, he corrects my Russian and I correct his English and we get along very well. It's different not being with a companion who might not understand everything that goes on in a lesson, instead now everyone just talks faster and faster. Today for instance, we had a meeting before we came to do internet with our investigator family. They all were talking so fast, I was like "why did they all of a sudden start speeding up?" I still understood everything, but it just seemed like everyone was talking at lightning speed. I don't know if my Russian has gotten any better because of it all. But I sure am speaking more and more Russian. That’s pretty fun.

Oh I forgot to tell you, I have a bed now! I’m so excited even though it's harder to get up in the mornings because I have this bed and it's all comfortable and just awesome but all the same I get up and try to salvage whatever shape I was in before the mission.

I really do miss running. Reading dad's email about going to a qualifying run made me just go ah...” i wanna run”... Like dad said, the hard part is starting. But once you start you can't stop. I even dream about running some nights. That's kind of how it seems like here with the missionary work. It's really hard to getsomeone started on the path but once they start they don't stop. Or when youare contacting and you talk to someone, then it makes it all the easier to talk to someone else especially if they listen.

People just need to keep going and as soon as they get a taste---they'll want it all! It’s just how it is. If everyone could have a taste of the "fruit" we would all desire to share it. It is much like Lehi.

So this week have a lot coming up, I’m working and finding a new apartment for the sisters who live in Neftanik, we do a lot a translating for the Maughns. I translated a talk for Elder Maughn on Sunday which made me laugh way hard. Elder Trunov just looked up at me and was laughing way hard. After he said “you said everything right I was just surprised”

So maybe my Russian is not as bad as I think. We've also been trying toget our own missionary work in as well, leading by example. Basically been my week!

I know there's not a lot this week, I’ll try to write more next time. I love you guys!

LiveStrong,
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - Good luck with the race guys. I hope to see some pictures! Love you both thanks for all you do for me and our family.

Tanner - Nice dancing bro! LOL I think you've been playing that game a little to long if you're that good at it!

Megan - Way to go with the grades, personal progress, and volleyball! My sister's a stud that’s for sure! I bet you jump higher than me!

A Little Heavenly Help

2011-01-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

So President Trejo called Friday night and gave us all the news, Elder Drasso will be back on left bank, with Elder Banous, (who served in Neftanik before) (same city) Elder Stuart will be in Ulan-Ude (the other side of Bakal) And Elder Eborn will be staying in Omsk for another 5 weeks, this will make it 7.5 months here lol, but I have been called to be the New Zone Leader of the Omsk, Russia.

So mom, speaking of leadership, I am learning on my mission. I get to start the whole new leadership opportunity for the next half of my mission. I was kind of thinking maybe I'd become a Senior Comp somewhere in another city, but I am super excited and humbled to be in Omsk. I love this Gorod! (Russian-English for Ya!)

I am very nervous about being Zone Leader (ZL) in our mission you when you are a ZL you are responsible for the Zone so that normal missionary work can function, like passport registration, locating apartments, translating for Senior Couples, etc.. You then have to do the ministering side of it and be a Leader for the Zone which has 10 other missionaries in it, making sure everything is alright with them. On top of that you have to do your own missionary work. In short, I have a lot more on my plate than I have had in the past. I am very excited for this new opportunity to learn and grow.

It's the principle of overload, if you don't stretch yourself, you'll never know how far you can go. I'll be a Co-ZL with Elder Trunov. He is from Ukraine, it'll be my first official non-american companion, so I am hoping my Russian will just get better and better. The Maughns already tease me that I am forgetting English when I am at their house and talk. But yeah, we've already got all of the stuff taken care of and when you live out of 3 suitcases it's really not that hard to move I am in my new apartment which has a pull up bar. Score! It is more in the center of the city so I will get to learn a new area it'll be fun I am excited for this new adventure!

This last week, we did have another baptism. Sergey was baptized last Saturday and will be confirmed this Sunday. I am really excited! His wife is a member, and they are planning on going through the Temple next year. It was a beautiful service. I'd send pictures but my card reader is put away in my bag back at the apartment, so maybe another time. Well we have a problem here in Omsk that the water that fills up the font is always supper gross. ...but we figured out the solution! The more baptisms we have the cleaner the water gets! So the more people we have ready to get baptized the better it will be We, as a mission have all set new goals for the year and are ready to work hard in order to get them. We've set a goal to help 130 people get baptized, and we micro organized it into months and such to help us stay focused on what we need to do and to help us reach our potential.

It is interesting being a missionary it's a lot different than I thought it would be and I love what I am doing. As much as I do miss you all and such, but this really is going by way fast. I've already learned so much and it's just amazing the things you see. I've seen how peoples lives change as they start to do things, as they start to excercise their agency righteously and what an impact that makes on them. Just today, we were on a meeting with a family we're teaching. They're new since I am new to this area and all. They are just really engaged..... we taught them about strengthening their family. We taught them about 3 things, that would make their family become better than they've ever seen.

Prayer. Having family prayer together every night. The mother looked at her daughter and said, "well, looks like we're going to be praying together every night".
Reading from the Scriptures
Attending Church Meetings.

Through out the last year, those are the thing's I've noticed making the biggest difference.

If you want to change something and make things better, no matter what they are. Whether you want to play volleyball better, get good grades, or pass big tests or what ever. Those three things really will make the difference. Nothing like a little Heavenly Help to make things better right?

Well this next week will be full of lots of interesting things, for instance I will getting up at 4 to be a the trainstation to make sure the Sisters that are coming in to Omsk (yeah, my entire zone consists of myself, Elder Trunov, Elder Drasso, Elder Banous, and then 6 sets of Sisters, and of course the Maughns. President Trejo told me that I was being blessed. Also, I will be helping in the planning a spiritual district meeting for the Zone and all sorts of running around/errands. We're trying to find a new apartment for the orth area, and so in short this will be interesting But I love you all :) and I miss you. Thanks for all you do and for the prayers. I couldn't do this with out you! Until next week...

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Ст. Иборн!!

Mom & Dad - That's way cool you guys are reading together every morning..keep it up, that way when I tell my investigators my family does this, I am not lying ;) The New Testimont is awesome too, I read it last year and wow, I learned so much. You learn so much about the Savior by reading what he actually did while he lived. I love my Savior. I've started the Old Testiment, and am working on finishing Jesus The Christ before I come home in Decemeber so yeah :) Anyways, love you guys!

"Clean Elder, Clean"

2011-01-05T11:35:00.000-08:00

Who throws a cupcake? Honestly! That picture made me bust up! My companions didn't get it, but eh lol (our family laughs). They got a good laugh out of the picture with Maddie getting attacked by the birds though ha.

So this week has been an interesting one. I got sick a bit before New Years and it progressively got worse until New Years day I ended up just laying on the balcony at the Maughns and sleeping until we went home. Pretty sick... better now.

All in all it was fun New Years Eve. My companions and I, stayed up until midnight.. playing phase ten and just laughing. Elder Stuart told us about what he did last year...and Elder Drasso and looked at each other and laughed b/c we were in the MTC together last year... just started.. ah good times!

We went to the Maughns and watched some movies, ate tacos and played games it was a lot of fun. There's a lot of movies I will be wanting to watch when I get home so I hope you guys have got a list of good ones going for me.

Elder Drasso, Elder Stuart, and Elder Eborn New Years 2011

So I guess you probably want hear about the baptism last week? It was way awesome! It was close to -30 degrees outside, and there were about 20 people gathered around a small baptismal font in the bottom of a branch building,in Omsk, in the middle of Siberia. and we all watched as Elder Maughn, with Roman went down into the water with a stern face. Then Elder Maughn, slowly said the baptismal prayer in broken Russian and he was baptized. When he came up out of the water his face couldn't withhold what he was feeling and he smiled with tears in his eyes. I asked him how he felt, and he said, "clean Elder, clean". I feel very blessed to have been able to help another brother....son of our Heavenly Father's come unto Christ and to make covenants to follow him. There really is no better feeling!

Elder Eborn, Roman, Brother Maughn, Elder Drasso, and Elder Stuart

This week we will be having another baptism, his name is Sergey, he was going to be baptized on Sunday but we had to re-arrange his date. So that will be this weekend :) It will be exciting to help a family get
closer to their goal of going to the temple. It' really has been such a privilege to work here in Omsk. It's been a long, hard six months, and I don't know what will happen next transfer, but if I leave Omsk.... Omsk has been nicknamed the "Cosmos" by other missionaries, due to the fact that if anything that is out of the ordinary happens, it usually happens here. And after being here for the last half of the year, I can say yeah, thats probably right! I do love this city, however, maybe will be one of those Elders that spends his entire mission in one area ya never know!

You may not want to put this on the blog-- but ...this transfer's been rough companionship wise, the three-some is not exactly fun and games. (Call or Check back at the end of the mission for this story!)

I have also made some New Years goals that will help be not only be a better missionary, but will help me get be better prepared to come back and be who I need to be. I love you all! Thanks, for everything I will see you all next week!

liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - Hey no worries, I had to pull off some personal money to help pay rent but I get paid back for that here soon so no worries looks like you guys had a fun new years and stuff.

Tanner -Nice pink frosty bud! LOL

Megan - Whats this you wearing my ski jacket? When did you get big enough for that? I love ya sis.

Maddie - Love ya baby sister.

I Have the Good News!

2010-12-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

Needless to say, I miss you all a whole bunch. It was a good thing mom hung up the phone cause I wasn't gunna ;) That hour really did go by way too fast, but, it was so good to hear from all of you---even my Scout dog! I do miss you guys a lot that is for sure. The rest of my birthday was pretty good as well, we had zone conference and Sister Maugh made me a chocolate cake. Elder Drasso snuck my little party hats you sent me and brought them to zone conference lol. I walked into the kitchen for lunch and every one was there wearing those silly little hats singing happy birthday to me . Even President Trejo wore one! It was awesome!

President Trejo and Elder Eborn

The conference was awesome, I think it was just what I needed so that will be ready for the next year of my mission. We talked a lot about finding people, testifying, as well as planning more effectively. It was just plain awesome I can't get much better than that, I am ready to do better this year than I did last year, and leave it "all on the mat" as we would say in my wrestling days.

So I am old now, I can say that. I mean like 2 years ago I graduated from highschool! Now it's Tanner's turn ;) But yeah, it's been a really good couple days.

I had a great interview with President Trejo the day before, which scared me a little bit, he told me that my day's of being a "greenie missionary" were over and that the Lord will be expecting a lot more out of me. I know that I have been blessed with much; A wonderful family who loves me, Friends who support me, and a Father in Heaven who is behind me 100% to hold me up when I need it. Because of this...ALOT is expected. I hope I can measure up. I also got to share my testimony in front of the zone, and I got up there and my mind went blank, and I just started to smile ha, so I told them about my phone call and about what dad told me about smiling...I realize, I as a missionary, have no reason to not be smiling! I have the good news, and I get to bring it to people! I love being a missionary.

We are having a baptism today, which is the best news! Yesterday, after we finished our Zone Conference, we had a meeting with our investigator, about 30 years old and really was searching for truth. When we first got in this companionship Elder Stuart had said that he likes to know all of the informantion before he'll make a decision. He was thinking it probably wouldn't be good to set a baptismal date yet, but during first meeting we both felt that it was right, and so we asked him to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be Baptized.

He accepted, and for the last month we've been working with him getting him ready. Last night he had his baptismal interview, and came out after it just smiling :) He came up to me and said, "Elder Eborn, I don't know everything, But I am ready for tommorrow." I know that I played a very small part in his conversion, that he felt the spirit, and recognized it as from his Heavenly Father, but that was probably the best thing that could have happened on my birthday for me to see someone I've worked with, prayed for, loved, and taught come unto the fold of our Heavenly Father. The Baptism's not until tonight at 6:30 so I will send you pictures later on that and tell you all about it of course!

What else to tell ya that I didn't yesterday? Hmmm if you couldn't tell by my voice I am a little under the weather, I have a cold but, I will be alright, I am planning on working it out of my system. I hope you all have a very happy New Year :) We will be inside our apartment before dark due to the fact that New Years in Russia is the biggest holiday of the year, and it's not safe to be out on the streets. So New Years day we'll be at the Maughns all day watching movies and playing games, who knows maybe I will write some letters or something.

So I love you guys! Thanks for everything you do for me, I couldnt' be doing this with out you all :)
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Ст Иборн!

Mom & Dad- Thanks for the call! I miss you guys like crazy. I'll be home in less then a year, and I promise there's a lot more that I will tell you ;)

Grandma & Grandpa - I just wanted to thank you guys for the emails :) They are really something I do look forward to every week! I love you guys and am extremely grateful for your example.

Lift Up Your Head and Be of Good Cheer

2010-12-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

We'll as you probably know, the weather outside has become freezing! You know it's cold outside when your giant fur hat freezes! Ha but I love it, there is no where else on the earth I'd rather be than in Siberia!

I should probably give you info on when to call and stuff. I am trying to be more patient and loving so, I've decided that it would be best for you to call me on my birthday so Decemeber 28th at 7:00 am, which is actually December 27th around 7:00 pm for you I think? I'm not quite sure on the time difference but that is a guesstimation for ya lol.

That day we will be having our zone conference so I will get to talk to you then go meet with President Trejo for a couple hours, it'll be good :) I haven't seen President Trejo for almost 3 months I guess it happens when you serve in the biggest mission in the world!

So this week was pretty good, we've been working hard and trying to help people to come a little bit closer to the Savior, this really is such a wonderful time of the year. We get to celebrate the birth of our Savior here in Russia ...they don't really celebrate Christmas, ( it's a little more than sacreligious to drink on the birth of the Savior and all so they don't do anything until New Years lol) but it's been interesting.

With not a lot of people worrying about the hustle and bustle of Christmas, you can really think about what this holiday is really about. I was reading in the Book of Mormon where Samual, the Lamanite, is prophecing about the coming of Christ and about all of the miraculous things that would precide his coming, then I read in the first Chapter of 3 Nephi, the people were waiting for these signs and if they didn't happen they were going to put to death those who believed. The prophet Nephi went in prayer to the Lord, and the Lord answered his prayer, saying,"lift up your head, and be of good cheer, for tomorrow I come into the world. "

Megan, .you did an awesome job of playing that song by the way, it is my favorite Christmas song (ha you made me cry you little booger ;) I dont know if I told you that that song is one of the only songs that the Russian hymn book has that the English one doesn't, and the translation they have in Russian comes saying, "This is Christ our Lord, who came to earth to save, of who angels sing, our Savior, the Son of mary.."

We may be home for Christmas, with those we love or maybe on the other side of the world. But no matter what we are doing, what our situation is this Christmas, remember the good news that we are celebrating this time of year. That which was told to a prophet long ago, " Lift up your head, and be of Good Cheer, For Tomorrow I come into the World."

I know that our Savior Jesus Christ came to this earth, for each and everyone of us, That he lives, and that he loves us. That is the message we have to share with the world. That he was and is our older brother, our Savior, and Redeemer, and that he loves us and is here to help us. Even the cold, that is Siberia, can't keep that love away.

I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas :) I can't wait to hear from you all!

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Ст. Иборн

Mom and Dad - Hey Thanks for the updates! I love you guys, try not to miss me to much this saturday ;) I can't wait to hear from you!

Megan - Wowsers Sis! That was way good present! Maybe you can play it for me on and I will sing you the Russian version alright?

A Gift, Love Megan

2010-12-21T16:25:00.000-08:00

Megan is 12, she learned this song as a gift for her missionary brother Elder Eborn.

Merry Christmas to JT ...

2010-12-20T12:14:00.000-08:00

This weekend, we had our annual Eborn Family Christmas Party. Elder Eborn was missed, however, should be getting a great package in the mail next year, full of many love letters from little nieces, nephews, and others who love and miss him. We are proud of our Elder in Siberia.

The Happiness and Joy the Gospel Brings

2010-12-15T02:21:00.000-08:00

Another week and another email. but don't worry, in a few weeks we'll be able to talk! Not going to lie, I'm pretty excited to hear from you all :) I actually needed to talk to you about it though... you see I have 2 other companions who's families will be calling as well on Christmas, and it might be better if you guys call me on my birthday instead, just so that we don't all interrupt each other and stuff, lol Christmas and Mother's Days calls are "holy" and we don't wanna screw things up. So if you guys really want to call me on Christmas that'll be cool, let me know what you wanna do and I will give you a time to call next week alright? :) Cool now that thats out of the way.

So this week was good :) I did buy me some boots they were a lot cheaper than I was planning so that was pretty sweet. They're actually american boots ha hi-tec like all the hiking boots we usually get but they're winter and super warm :) so thank you! The comps are doing good, we're just working. It does they require a lot of patience and holding of our tongues but we're getting better. I may have ulcers after this, but we'll be alright. It's been pretty cold this last week, but nothing to bad, frozen Siberian lands and all. But yeah..... things are doing good. Today we're going to go sledding at a park on the otherside of the city so that should be fun. we'll try not to break anything. lol (no tail bones Mom ;).

Don't worry mom, I really don't need anything, but I will make sure I pick something up I'd like for my holiday present. Sounds like you are all getting ready to have an awesome Christmas, I know that I will miss you like crazy but no worries, I will just be chilling here in my big furry hat sipping hot cocoa and having myself a Merry Christmas.

We found a little tree while we were grocery shopping and bought it! I am the only of us 3 who hasn't opened our Christmas presents yet, so I've got all my presents under a little Christmas tree it's in our living room right by my bed.

Our investigators are doing great, we'll be having a baptism on the 29th, Roman one of our investigators has committed to getting baptized and that's going go through, I am very excited for him. Also we'll be having another baptism the beginning of January, probably the 1st or 2nd. his name is Sergey his wife is a member and they have a small son, they have a goal to go to the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity and the first step to making that goal a relization will be fulfilled here soon. This time of year is always special, even here in the middle of Siberia, where the weather isn't the only thing that is frozen but even here, the Lord will cause his works to be fulfilled. Little miracles, are happening everywhere, and we're helping people "shake up the happiness" (you probably have all heard that song already but being a missionary and in the middle of Siberia it takes a some time those types of things, I mean I have to wait until I hear a song while riding buses to know what they are!) but I can see the happiness and the joy that the gospel is bringing to people and it is an amazing thing to be a part of it! I love being a missionary!

Well I guess that's probably it for this week. Sorry I know it's not much, we've gotta get going though, a lot to do in not a lot of time to do it. Seems like the day's are geting shorte and shorter here maybe just because the sun doesn't stay up very long any more but oh well. I love you guys! :)

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Ст. Иборн

Mom & Dad - Thanks for everything you guys are the best! :) I love you guys thanks for being the best parents in the world. :) see ya next week

Tanner - 7 Seconds?! Holy fast swimmer batman! you rock broski!

Dale & Barbara - Thank you guys for Everything :) It's great to have such wonderful people in my life like you. I love you! have a very Merry Christmas!

Trusting in the Lord | Finland and Back

2010-12-08T05:46:00.000-08:00

Well, another visa trip has come and past!
That makes three...I probably only have 3 more... man I don't feel like it should be this far on the mission. Kyle, Deven, and Gabe will be starting out and here I am, getting closer and closer to the half way...

Finland was awesome! As always. It felt so much like Christmas there it's was like a little Christmas village in Helsinki especially around the Temple, all the little houses covered in snow with glow of the Temple illuminating the area was just an amazing thing. I got to go attend two sessions. I did both of them in Russian (Yes, I can speak Russian!) ha I was very impressed with myself and the Temple worker there that was Russian was impressed that I haven't even been out a year yet, and that I could speak with him as well as I was. I told him that I was impressed with myself, a year ago i wouldn't have ever thought I'd be speaking in two languages, let alone be in Finland doing it. but eh that was my little pride moment... (I'll will repent later).

I sent a package home to you guy's you should get it by the end of the month hopefully, I sent it from Finland so it shouldn't be sent via Russia mail. I had a wonderful experience while in the Temple, as well. I took some time in the Temple thinking about what I needed to do starting out into my 2nd year as a missionary, what changes I needed to make, and how I could fulfill all that the Lord has in store for me. While I was there I opened up the scriptures and read from Alma 26, where Ammon is talking about his mission, and about how he is weak, but that he knows that in the strength of the Lord he can do all things. I thought about something I've said before while on the mission. "Pray like everything depends on God, then get up and work like everything depends on you." I feel like I've been working very hard on my mission, (my shoes attest to that) but maybe I've been relying to much on my own strength. I need to trust in the Lord more and to put more of my confidence in the Lord. Let him do his part. He is the most powerful and I know that like Ammon said, "In his stregnth, всёвозможно".

This week since I've been back has been interesting as well. We found tortillas at our grocery store (you may laugh but they were the first burrito's I've had since leaving the MTC) which was awesome! As well as, being in a three companionship in a small apartment (sleeping on the couch) having to figure out how to work in 2 areas with 2 other companions, it's been rough, requiring a lot of patience. I am the only one who gets up on time and actually has studies, I've had to try and wake them up and they just lay in bed untill almost 11, it's been rough...and I am sure I annoy them (I am like dad in the AM I think, I get up and get going). Then on meetings they won't say anything... and then after get upset with me because I didn't let them teach. Ugh, it'll be alright. We are all just learning how to work with others.... we're just working hard and trying to make things happen.

We met with one of our investigators Monday, we opened with a prayer and she just started to cry, we asked her what was wrong and she said, "Nothings wrong, I just feel that I found what I've been missing. " We talked about the foundation upon which we should build our lives, and she told us she want's that foundation. so we set a goal for her to get ready to be baptized. We don't have a date or anything planned but she wants to.

Artiom, is also doing, alright. last night in our meeting his mother called (she just underwent surgery and is in the hospital) Apparently his family is having a lot of problems, keep them in your prayers. He looked up at us with tears in his eyes and asked us where do people who don't believe there is a God go after this life? I could tell he was concerned for his parents. We kind of went away from his question, and offered to give him a blessing. He accepted and asked Elder Drasso to voice, I've never prayed for the gift of tongues more in my life, than at that moment, for Elder Drasso. I think he was as well, and said what Artiom needed to hear, and standing there in the dark primary room of the branch building (the light went out on us) we gave him a Priesthood blessing. Elder Drasso was amazing and Artiom, he is great and a great friend, I know that what he needs now more than anything is to have the sure foundation. A foundation that if we build upon we can not fall.

So that is basically my week in a nutshell! I hope you guy's all had a wonderful week, and I can't wait to hear from you next week!
I love you guys!

жив сильно,
Ст. Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Well all is well for me! I used my sky miles on the way back to Omsk, (thanks Mom) and I am going go buy some boots today! so yeah :) thank you guys for everything! I couldn't do this with out my wonderful parents who support me. You rock! Thanks for taking flowers to Am.

Tanner - You have 7 pair?! Wha? How? If I could wear them outside I totally would ha, I just don't have the option, it's either 2 pair of socks or frostbite. Your girlfriend Laura, is cute, ha just don't be an idiot alright? I am not worried you're my bro, and i love ya! Keep on being the awesome man you are!

Maddie - Ha isn't it good to have friends, especially who drive the bus? Dale rocks! I must say ....he .has safed my butt a time or three over the years (he is a great man) love ya sis!

Yep! It Is Cold in Siberia!

2010-12-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

Elder Drasso, Elder Stuart, and Elder Eborn Contacting in the Siberian Weather

We'll it's officially winter here, yesterday we had -25 degree weather and well it was just plain cold. I thought thermals would help and well honestly nothing helped. Elder Stuart and Drasso were talking about how their boots weren't really doing anything to help their feet from getting cold and they asked how mine were doing, looking down at my dress shoes I realized, 'huh, I haven't been able to feel them for a while...' it was great adventures in Siberia!

Omsk Missionaries 2010

I was at the Maughns yesterday and they invited me to come say hello to their son who lives in Provo (they were talking via Skype) and he laughed and told Artiom, (when they found out he grew up on a cattle ranch) they sent him to serve in the nethermost regions of Mexico. We then saw some pictures it was like paradise with beaches and jungle and yeah, so I then asked him what do you have to do to get sent to Siberia? He just laughed. it's probably a good thing we can't use skype to talk to each other while I am here I would be way super trunky..

Speaking of which, I got my giant box from America last week.. I've been wearing the toe shoes everywhere around our apartment, they're interesting (Ha Tanner). It'll probably be better to wear them in the summer.. I haven't opened any of the presents... except the cd's... I was hoping one of them would be Transiberian Orchestra, I love the motab and we've been snacking on beef jerky all week, you wouldn't even begin to imagine how good that tastes! Thanks so much family.

Thanksgiving was great, I have included some pictures, we even had pumpkin pie! Ah gotta love Elder Nelson, he spent over 1000 rubles on the last pumpkin in Omsk so we could have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. We couldn't find a turkey so we had chicken with all sorts of yummy fixins. It was way good, we watched Chronicles of Narnia, and then the most trunky missionary approved movie there has to have ever been ... UP... man I tell you what I was just like in "totally I wanna go home mood. We all left around 4 and just got back to work! We met with people and did some contacting. So yeah, that was my Thanksgiving.

We've been having some success, Artiom is doing great, he's come to church twice now and says he feels something while he's there. I am praying to be able to set a baptismal date with him this week before I leave, we'll see what happens.

I think the Lords trying to teach me patience or something but it's been a tough week. That doesn't suprise me that Sister Knudsen knows Elder Stuart.. And don't worry mom, yeah there is a lot of stuff that goes down here that I don't tell you guys, but just think :) it'll make for all the cooler stories when I get home!

I am leaving tomorrow for Finland for my third visa trip, which is super crazy to think I've been out this long but yeah, I got an email from Elder Winter today he was all excited about being out 10 months and I realized wow that was like a month ago for me. I am planning on going into Helsinki to send you guys a package of stuff. and then hitting up the Temple for as many sessions as I can! I am super excited. I defintely need a spiritual recharge before I start the next half of my mission.

So yeah! I love you guys! have a great week, and happy December! :)

liveSTRONG,
Ст Иборн!

Mom & Dad - So I need some boots... I found out this morning that my church shoes have not become aclimmatized to this weather, and that the stiching ripps when you're in subzero temperatures lol.Thanks for evertyhing :) You are the best parents I could have asked for...thanks for always being great examples to me and helping be the person I am :)

Pictures... one is us contacting in the cold... another of our zone in front of the Liahona... the third is my planner that a member in Tomsk made me for this transfer lol.

Tanner - Dude! Are you sure you aint got fins? ha love ya bro, keep being you!

Maddie - Hey B! thanks for the email :) You're way to funny. I love ya sis, give my puppy some loves k?

Grandma and Grandpa - Thanks for the continual emails :) I always love hearing from you guys, I will read those quotes from that guy on the plan ride to Finland I love you both so much! Thanks for everything!

Thanksgiving in Russia | 2010

2010-11-24T09:08:00.000-08:00

It seems like you guy's are all having a little taste of what I am living in. It seems like the weather changed overnight here, no kidding. One day I was in my palto and shlapa and the next I had to wear my thermal underwear and big Siberia coat! Well either way I love the fact that it's getting cold. I hope you guy's are all being safe and driving very careful. There are no snow plows here in Russia, (bad idea huh?) and the roads turn in to giant sheets of ice after the first snow fall. It makes things interesting ha. and a little scary, a good thing these people know how to drive in this kind of weather. The bus drivers just gun it then slam on the brakes just in time to slide to stop at the bus stop. But yeah, it's been fun I am going need to buy me some winter boots here soon, one pair of shoes I've worn holes in the soles, and the other aren't big enough for me to wear my warm socks. So I will be proably buying boots before I go to Finland in a few weeks.

SO President Trejo gave me a call last Friday regarding my transfer... and I will be serving in Omck again.

BUT, due to the fact that we have an odd number of missionaries and no one can serve a mini mission, Elder Drasso and I will be with Elder Stuart. He's been here in Omsk with us the last transfer or so and now we are all companions, we moved into his apartment and we'll be working in both areas. So we're going to be very busy this next transfer. Monday we got all packed up and moved to his apartment and have been slowly been settling in. It's a small apartment for 2 missionaries and now that there is three of us.. well its pretty cramped but well get by...I sleep on the couch in the living room. But it's all right, it's a good thing we only are in our apartment for a couple hours each day.

Yesterday was our first day together as a companionship, and we had to go and meet with some people lol. It was way funny, we got on a bus that we thought would take us to where we needed to go, then we realised that the bus wasn't going that way lol, but it didn't stop to let us off. so we had to ride it untill we stopped, and when we did, we were in the middle of no where ha. We had to walk almost an hour to get back to where we needed to be. It was fun, even if it was way cold ha adventures in Siberia right?

Artiom is doing awesome, we had a great meeting with him the other night before sports night. He had a question about a verse he read in the Book of Mormon, he's been reading when Christ appeared to the Nephites, and he read in 3 Nephi 11:39, where it talks says "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them." he asked me, "what does it mean?" I turned to Helman 5:12 and read with him about where we need to build our foundations, Looking up at me with almost tearful eyes, he asked, " what do i need to do to strengthen my foundation? ". Afte reading mom's email (her talk) today, she is so right! I've been thinking about it, all of us need to Strengthen our Foundations, and it's like mom said it's building our relationships with our Father in Heaven, through scripture study, daily prayer, and doing what we know is right, It's through our relationships with our family, our fellow men, and our relationship with ourselves. As much as I am here as a missionary serving the people of Russia, the mission is doing so much more for me.

I can see more clearly how important the concept of building our foundation upon the rock of our Savior Jesus Christ really does make the difference. Artiom, told me he knows the Book of Mormon is true and that the gospel is true, he just needs to take some time to decide for himself if this is the path he wants to walk. Keep in him you're prayers.

So it's Thanksgiving, tommorrow! Goodness I can't believe how fast time has been flying buy! Tomorrow we're going to have a big lunch deal at the Senior couples, they've been on the search for a Turkey since they got here but it ...doesn't look like that's going to happen ha we might have chicken.

It'll be fun like I said earlier President Trejo asked us to sacrifice for the holidays and he asked us to have a half lock down for Thanksgiving and Christmas so.... tommorrow we're going to be trying to find some people that need the gospel! I want to take a little time here at the end of this and express my gratitude to all of you who are supporting me here.

I couldn't do it with out you all. This is hard, but with you're love and support, and like Alma said when he returned from his mission with the strength of a loving Heavenly Father, I can do all things. Thank you all...I hope you have a wonderful turkey day! And...have an extra slice of pumpkin pie for me and have a great week!

liveSTRONG,
Ст Иборн

Mom & Dad - Sounds like the house is going to look different when I get back. Also, if you could make sure I have enough money for a pair of boots soon that would be a wonderful Christmas present. I'll need like 4000 rubles or so. Yeah. I love you guys, thanks for everything!

Another Week of Adventure, Language Barriers, and Awesome Spiritual Experiences!

2010-11-17T20:39:00.000-08:00

Does it seem to anyone else like these weeks are just flying by? I am pretty much freaking out about how fast time has been flying by! I feel like I was just here writing you about my week, but here I am yet again, writing you about another week full of adventure, language barriers, and awesome spiritual experiences. Sometimes I really don't know what I should write you guys, I mean my weeks are pretty repetative, I wake up, work out, eat, study, go out and meet with people and try to find those people who the Lord has prepared to recieve this message that I am here to deliver. I just do what I do and try to have a great time while I am at it! So far things are working out!

This week Elder Drasso and I had to do a lot of stuff, its weird when I got to Omsk it seemed like no one wanted to meet with us, but now we hardly have anytime to take a break. We're working hard that's for sure and things are working out. I am trying to do like I learned in the MTC.." Pray like everything depends on God, then get up and work like it all depends on you." I feel that the Lord is blessing us with a lot of work because we are willing to do it. We've spend a lot of time with individuals who are less "active" as well as our investigators.

Artiom is doing awesome, yesterday Elder Drasso was on a meeting with him and Elder Bounus, (we were on splits because we had two meetings at once and Artiom told him that he believes the Book of Mormon is true. Which was way sick! I am so glad that Artiom is progressing like he is!

One thing is that he has school on Sundays, and it goes from 11 -3 which is when Church is. It's hard to tell him not to go to school, when he's already paid tuition and is working hard to become what he wants. I am kind of at a wall about how to work with that part of it but, I know like it says in Nephi the Lord will provide a way! Also, while Drasso was with those two I was on a meeting with Elder Nelson working with some new investigators, they've been coming to English for as long as I've been in they asked me last friday if they could meet with the Elders because they had some questions about the Church. So we arranged to meet with them.

They started by asking why our Church is "of The Latter Day Saints" we then explained to them about Prophets, dispensations, and the Apostasy. When we got to the part about the Joseph Smith, they both looked like they were going to cry. So we asked them, "how are you feeling right now?" Through tear filled eyes one answered, "I can't describe how I feel, but it's good" .

We then explained to them about the Holy Ghost, also that that was what they were feeling. Many times we can feel the impressions of the Holy Ghost, but we need to learn how to recognized it and act on it better. We invited them to read the Book of Mormon and to find out if Joseph Smith was a Prophet. Then to act upon the answer they recieved and to come unto Christ, and be baptized.

There was an amazing feeling in the room, the Spirit was there, and right as they went to answer, a phone went off. Isn't it funny how those things always seem to happy right at the time you don't want them too! It always happens. The Spirit is strong and then wham, and Satan tries to screw things up---the punk. It always happens when I talk about the Joseph's First Vision. The Spirit is the thing that converts' people, it's not us missionaries. We just do our part to deliver the message and the Spirit does the rest.

SO other than that our week's been pretty good, It's been really cold, and wet. The snow has been turning to slush and then to mud and water and it's really just gross every where. Transfers are next week... President will be calling Friday with our transfers. I am kind of wondering, I've been here for 3 transfers already and I think I might be leaving, but I feel like I just got my area up to where it should be and I want to see what is going to happen with the rest of the year! So yeah, next week you either will get an email or you won't if not it means I am traveling to and from places but no worries you'll hear from me sooner or later! I will be in Siberia somewhere so... keep me in you prayers, you will be in mine. I love you guy's thanks for the support :) I couldn't do this with out you!

liveSTRONG~

Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - Mom, ha don't worry about what to write me just write! It always makes my week a little better when I hear from my mommy :) Sounds like you guys will be very busy the next couple weeks. Holidays are starting up, the Maughns got in last week and are way sick, I guess Elder Maughn grew up in Montpelier? Small world....but yeah. I am expecting some cool pix from your fishing trip! Yesterday, at English that was our topic we talked about camping and fly fishing it was way fun. Super trunky topic but oh well. That's way cool that Jord is Tyler's trainer! Send them my email. I wanna hear from them. Well Love you guys! :)

Tanner - Swim hard retard.

Emilie! - You found me eh! About time lol. It's not like I've been gone for almost a year. I am just kidding, thanks for the email! It always is good to hear from my friends. It sounds like you're doing way great, what are you doing and the hospital for work? tell your mom hi and give her a big hug for me :)

A Moment of Clarity in the Snow

2010-11-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

Another week and I am still here, it's getting pretty cold here everyone'sstarting to dawn there big winter coats and shapki! It's definetly not Utah cold. We had the first snow of the winter this week which was pretty cool. We woke up and could see all this white stuff in the air ha Elder Drasso let out a loud, "ah crap.." being from southern California was not to thrilled about the snow and the cold.

Elder Drasso & Elder Eborn Halloween 2010

Welcome to Siberia! It snows here a lot. This week has been good. We've been working hard. It looks like you've all been having a sick time ha literally. So the pictures did make me pretty trunky, actually
I wasn't trunky until I saw my puppy... lol silly I know but I miss my brown friend. that's not good that you've all been sick, I am sorry I guess thats one plus to not being home I dont have to catch what you all got!

This week has been good, we met some new people and got some new investigators, that hopefully will start progressing. Artiom (Jon Bon Jovi) is doing awesome, keep him in you're prayers.

Elder Eborn and Artiom

We were asked by President Trejo this week to make some sacrifices for the end of the year, not meaning anything crazy or sectanty like, but he asked us to read through some stuff by the end of the year as well as to sacrifice some of the holidays. Meaning in place of having a "lock down" on Thanksgiving and Christmas for the whole day, well be having a lunch at the senior couples, and then we will return to do doing missionary work the rest of the day. I am actually very excited to see what this will bring.

It's going to be a wonderful holiday season. I can't wait! ha plus I will be getting a Christmas box soon! Seeing as how both of my old companions are serving in the office right now I got a phone call saying my Christmas package was there ha, it's not what ya know, but who! It was so nice of them to let me know.

I will attach some pictures to this email of some of the stuff I've been up to lately so sorry if this email is shorter it just takes a while to upload pics...

Dad always talks about those "moments of clarity" and honestly this city has been tough, it's been a transfer that has made me stretch and sometimes I think that everything I am doing is just "seed planting" but Sunday I had one of those "clarity moments".

Our branch time changed, we now start sacrament time at 3 in the afternoon and I was not excited about it. but as I sat there in the back of sacrament meeting and looked around me I felt the Spirit. I looked up at the sacrament table and I saw a young man there who had been very inactive, and honestly not very happy, and now he was standing in front of the congregation with a smile on his face, blessing the water. Then I noticed another young man who was getting ready to pass the sacrament, who we'd also been working with, and both of them had just these big grins on their faces as they looked back at me.

It being Fast and Testimony meeting, member's all got up and shared their testimonies of the truthfulness of the Church and the impact it's had on their lives. From the back, a man walked in. he also was very inactive, and had kind of gone off the deep end. he had some problems with drugs, alcohol, and other things. We'd met with him earlier in the week, and I really didn't think much of what we'd talked about. He didn't really say much during the meeting with us but I could tell he felt something. Sunday, he got up and walked to the front of the sacrament hall...stood with tears in his eyes, he told us. That he knew his Father in Heaven loved him, Because when he needed him the most he sent two missionaries to come and help him find his way back.

The Gospel is changing lives of the people in Russia, I know it. It may not be visible but Zion is being built, even here where it's really cold. I know it, and I am gratetful that I can be here and do this work. The
Church is perfect. Even if we as member's aren't. Our Father in Heaven loves His Children, and I get to help people realize it.

We'll I love you all! I hope things are going good and that you all have a wonderful week!

liveSTRONG,
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - Hey folks! Dont worry mom :) I am doing fine, I am actually going to buy a dumbbell set today, seeing those pictures of Tanner made me realize that I need to get back in to shape ha. The pictures looked way sick! Halloween seemed like you had a blast! Let everyone know I love them and miss them. As for the sky miles deal you just have to register on the internet we fly via Aeroflot most of the time and Delta so their all partners and work together. I am good... on the warm side, the cold feels so good!

Tanner - Dude, WHAT? Who said you could go and get all big and buff? Oh well, I speak Russian! I love ya bro, keep being the stud you are!

Megan - What up lil sis?! I heard you made comp volleyball!? Way to go you're such a little studmuffin that's for sure. I am proud to be able to say you're my sister. Remember what it says in Jacob 2: 17-18. :) I love ya sis.

Maddie - Hey baby sister! love your guts! Keep being you and hug the brown one for me!

News From Russia

2010-11-08T08:12:00.001-08:00

We recieved an email from the main office. Elder Eborn's holiday package arrived safe and sound----and will be delivered to him at the end of November. Phew! Silly things we mom's worry about.