A Long Race

I am ready to get to Russia! Our teachers told us that we've gone over every grammer principle that we will need to survive in Russia, and for the next 2 weeks we will be reviewing everything and SYL every day! It's fun! We started yesterday, and we speak nothing but Russian. Some of the new missionaries get a little peeved when they don't understand.

I'll be sending home a box of the stuff I don't need to take to Russia. Some clothes the old running shoes etc... Thanks for the package of shirts and sweaters mom and dad. Sweatervest's are bomb dot com here. You don't have much say in how you express yourself every day but by the ties you wear (toilet tie rocks).
So sweaters help break up the monotony of the daily routine. Plus, wearing a suit coat all day isn't as fun as you'd think. However, I do make it look good (wink/smile). I should be getting my travel plans any day this week. So in my next email I'll give you the "what's up" with my flights and such.

We had another Elder go home this week too. It was sad to see him go, and it was even sadder to have to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to walk him out. But that's part of my job. The first few weeks with these new missionaries has been tough. We have been trying to train their district leaders in a way that we as Zone Leaders don't have to do as much. I think they've finally figured it out. Elder Drasso and I, haven't  to do near as much thanks to our wonderful district leaders. We'll probably be released this week so then new zone leaders can be trained. It's exciting, we're getting so close to leaving! Um..I still have no idea how to speak Russian. The natives we have here say that I speak very well, but I think they just say that so I won't give up.

Sunday, Elder Drasso and I taught the lesson in our district meeting. Our topic was enduring to the end. We taught our lesson, shared scriptures, and read a poem called, "The Race" I had read it through once before to make sure I didn't sound like "a goof" reading it but, I guess I didn't really pay attention. As I read it aloud to our district the words really sank deep into my heart and I got all teary eyed (it's my mom in me).

After I finished, and our lesson was over we had some time to sit and think. My mind wonderd to a time almost a year ago. When Dad, Chase, and I decided it would be a good idea to run the SLC marathon. I thought back to those 26.2 miles of heaven and hell. There were times when my legs hurt and my body was telling me to quit, that this was too hard. I then remembered--- pushing on, and perservering and then coming around the corner to the finish line. Seeing my family (My mom, Tanner, Megan, Maddie) friends, and a certain girl standing there cheering me on! I knew it was worth it.

My Dad has spoken of "moments of clarity" that we have in our life when everything just seems so right and you know what you need to do. As I thought back on to the feeling of running.... running to meet my loved ones at the end of the race. I realised, that felt that good. That is how I hope is it going to feel when we make it back to Our Father in Heaven and he embraces us in his arms and says to us, "Congratulations! You made it to the end of the race." I know, that the challenges we all face in our lives maybe extremely difficult and overbearing. But, as we endure to the end and liveSTRONG we well be able to enjoy that everylasting joy that the father has in store for us. I  know, these next 22 months may seem like a long race. Just starting out....26.2 miles seemed like it too. But I  plan on putting one foot in front of the other and eventually I will make it to the finish line.

I love you all and hope things at home are going well. I'll be writting letters later today, so hopefully you'll get them this week.

 I love you all!

liveSTRONG
ELDER EBORN