Beyond Our Capabilities

Another e-mail from Sibieria for ya'll, sound's like you are all getting ready for a sweet Halloween.  I think this year I am going to go as a missionary (Ha! Maybe we'll switch nametags and go as each other) it's not like being home that's for sure, I've been way homesick this week. Probably due to the fact, that Elder Drasso loves his family tons too and  we have been talking about home, but it's been good. We've been having fun and things have been working out. We're getting a long,  I guess it's kind of a good thing to be trunky because if you weren't it means you didn't have much to look forward to back home. So in short, I'm looking forward to coming home and seeing you all :) BUT I've still got a long way to go, so we'll not get to far ahead of ourselves, there's still 14 months ahead of me here in Siberia and I love doing what I am.

I am expecting some sweet pictures from Halloween next week ha, we're having a Halloween party in English club Friday so that should be way fun. Gunna make some rootbeer!! Oh, I bought a new hat... Elder Nelson and I were walking around on the reenok (basically a swap meet type place) he's training a greeny and he needed to by some winter clothes so we went together, and I found a hat that is called a shlappa in
Russian but I think it's called a Fedora in English idk for sure. but any ways, we talked the guy down on the price and we bought them ha. if you go outside without a hat on in October, you'll get a swift swat upside the head from a babushka ha. So if I have to wear a hat I am gunnna get a fun one so we got them ha and well when I wear it with my suit and tie and my leather gloves and palto, I look like mafia ha. it's way fun,( it's actually been pretty effective for contacting too, people come up and talk to me ha). I will send some pictures next week.;)

So this week was very productive as far as the missionary work goes, we found 3 new investigators and had some awesome meetings with Artiom, he's doing awesome. He's getting closer and closer to baptism and I  think he can feel it as well.

Yesterday, we had a meeting and talked about the Atonement, and how it is a free gift to all that accept it. I love the verse in 2 Nephi 25:23, "it's is by mercy that we are saved, after all we can do" the all we can do involves our willingness to accept Christ and his Gospel. To do the things that he asks of us and then we can recieve that mercy. As we explained it to Artiom we talked alot about faith, and how it was the first step because if we don't have faith in Christ nothing is going to work, and it's interesting the word faith in Russian and the word trust are very similar in fact only a prefix seperates their meanings. We all should Trust
in our Savior more, people here are different than back home, they tell us often that we have a confidence about us, that they haven't seen before, and Elder Nicholaisen, our senior couple explained it perfectly. He said, it's not that we are confident in ourselves it's that we trust in our Savior, and that gives us strength to do things that our beyond our own capablities. Like learning Russian, preaching the gospel, or having the faith to take a step into an unknown future, with that trust in our Savior we know that no matter what he will be with us and that gives us strength that can't be measured.

Oh! forgot to tell you this, our senior couple here the Nicholiasens got a transfer, they were transfered to Turkey for the remainder of their mission they are going to be the humanitarian missionaries for the whole
country of Turkey.  The church isn't recognized in Turkey yet but they're going to lay some ground work, cool huh? So we are senior coupleless for the time being but it's all good, The Maughns will be coming here-- is what the plan is.  Mom mentioned that it's our dear Brother Maughn's brother,right? Isn't that cool, be sure to tell Brother Maughn for me, love that man. They'll be here the 9th of 10th of November so I will help get them accustomed to life in Siberia!

Well family, I love you, I miss you like crazy and I hope that everything is going well. Until next week, with love from Russia.

liveSTRONG,
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - Thank's for the emails Yeah the Russian., who emailed you is named Olga she's a member here in Omsk and speaks English well. She asked me if I wanted to say anything to you and I didnt think she
would remember what I said ha that's way funny though. Anyways have a fun Halloween, I am looking forward to pictures :) and mom, to answer your question, I've been thinking about it and yeah, i think i want to go school in the spring, but idk for sure yet that's the plan for now. I wanna get my CNA and get a job working in a hospital or something but idk if or how i could get it all worked out and with college so we'll see. What are your thoughts on it?  I know you have good advice.

Tanner - Dude, your cosutme is looking sweet! Gotta send me a pic of the completed thing! You will be amazing I am sure.

Grandpa - Thank's for the picture :) That sure is a beautiful temple!

Aunt Meegan - Thank's for the email! So good to hear from other Eborns (Especially the ones in Layton :) tell Garrett Gav, and Libby Lou , I love them.

Remember Who You Are and Where You Came From

Another week another email! It's crazy how fast time is going by, a year ago I was getting ready to go the Temple and now I am in Siberia and winter is closing in! it has been about 0 degree's all week, I've had to start wearing my palto and hat when we go out it hasn't snowed yet here but I hear it's not far from it  every morning we wake up to a nice layer of ice that is blanketing out windows and the ground. Welcome to Siberia - There's no where I'd rather be!

Elder Drasso came in last Friday early in the morning, (Transfer weeks are hard here do to the fact that you have to be up early in the morning or out late at night and man it just make's you super tired, it's been good to get back to the regular routine of missionary life) and we just got straight to work.---he's great, we've both come a long way from the MTC I will tell ya that!

It'll be a good transfer, we figured out though that we are the youngest companionship in our mission! Which is a little scary to think. But we can handle it, like Good Ol' Joseph Smith said, "Deep water is what I want
to swim in" and hard things are what make us realize what we really can do.

We got to watch general conference this weekend, which was just AWESOME! A lot of really good stuff about which they talked about will help me in my work here. When President Monson talked about missionaries at first I just thought "ha, I am already there :) but, I think Iwill probably want to serve a mission as a senior couple sometime when I am a "older person" but for now I am glad to be a missionary in the far reaches of Siberia!

We've been still working trying to find some new investigators as well as getting the young men really active in the Church here and it's been well, the work is progressing, we've been having fun with it as well. Artiom, (aka Jon Bon Jovi) is doing awesome, we had an amazing couple meetings with him since last time I wrote you, we started in on the Plan of Salvation and what it is, and what it means that we really have the plan. It really is an amazing thing and it's perfect, I'm so greatful that we have it and that we are a part of it.

We've been taking it very slow trying to make sure everything is understood and that he can feel the Spirit as we teach. ( That is the key after all, I can talk all day, but if I don't have the Spirit with me he isn't going to learn anything) and Monday after FHE we had a meeting with him where we started in on our Pre-Mortal existence. and how in reality, we are all sons and daughters of God, and that he loves us, and because he loves us he has given us the ability to choose for ourselves what we want to do do, and in our wisdom we chose his plan which enabled us to come here and to recieve a body and to learn. It was an awesome meeting, I remember just looking into Arty's eyes, and opeing my mouth and the words came out, "Artiom, you are a son of the most incredible being in the universe, the Creator of all, and you chose to come here, and you wanted to follow your Elder Brother Jesus Christ. and you are here meeting with us because you are ready and your Father in Heaven knows it. He loves you and he want's you to return to him and to learn what you need to do here." I stopped, and realized what I had told him and was just like wow, that was really bold, I hope I didn't over do it and scare him. He kind of looked down then back up at me and started to cry. He knew his Father in Heaven loved him, and we all could feel it.

Family, we all need to remember who we are, and where we have come from. Whether we are older and working in the temple (not that grandma and grandpa are old...my grandpa can out hike anyone) a parent with four children, or a senior in highschool, we are all children of the most magnificant being in the universe, and He loves us. No matter how hard we fight it, or how much we deny it. The truth is that he is, and that he loves us, we chose to come here and to learn and to grow. He is looking forward to the day when he can sit down with us and talk with us about how our adventure here was. Take some time to talk with him, he's there to listen and he want's to hear from you.

Well, idk what else to tell ya? Sound's like you've had a great week those pictures dad sent me where way funny ha, I am still busting up about Gavin with the Shotgun, ha you should have got a video of that. I can't wait until I get home and we can all go fishing together, but it's not about the fishing, it's about the trip, and about the "Damn Trains" and Cupcakes. Family, I love you guy's, thank's for everything, I couldn't do this without you that is for dang sure.

liveSTRONG,
Elder Eborn

Mom & Dad - All is well with me, just wanted to say thanks for being the examples you are to me. I love you. :) oh and also I had a brilliant idea.. seeing as how I fly like thousands of miles a year we should set meup a skymiles account so I can earn some points for when we get home ha. If you have some time to set up an account before the December trip it would be cool to start using while I go on visa trips and earn some extra points for what ever trips we want to take when I get home ;) (b/c we are gunna!)

Tanner - Dude, I know! The Scout Office is haunted huh? It's way freakin at night, I always had to have my headphones on and turn on all the light's or I'd get scared ha. Let me know how swimming's going big guy. Love you Tanner.

Girls & Gramm - Love you and miss you all!

Will You? When You Know?

Hey...
How's it all going back home? Sounds like you've been having a pretty good week  I saw Tanner's homecoming pics, ha (way to go Bro!) even if you were in my shirt ;) ha still looked good and I like that you had fun.

This week has been super hectic for us. Transfers here in Siberia aren't like they are anywhere else I mean what other mission do you have to take a plane to get to your next city? I've been bouncing around between other companionships here in Omsk helping out where I can, due to the fact that I don't have a comp. but it's been good last Thursday, we got tickets to a professional Hockey Game! It was so sick the team was called Avangard.

They're here in Omsk and they're way good, they actually like won the National Championship last year so it was way fun.  They actually lost but the energy and stuff at the game was just way fun! They played all sort's of good music after 10 months of MoTab, listening to other music make's one feel good. 

We went to the game and got some cool pics I will send some today or next week hopefully. Then on Friday, President called and told us about our transfers... I will be here in Omsk on left bank again, and I will be with Elder Drasso again. This will be the first time I've had a companion that hasn't been out longer than me on the Mission since the MTC and ha again it'll be with Elder Drasso.  It will be a good transfer, I'm glad to be staying here in my area where I  can continue on with what I've started. I hope we can do all that we need to and what the Lord would have us do.

We've been working with this young man named Artiom, I think I've told you about him, he looks like John Bon Jovi . He's 19 years old and he's been coming to English pretty steadily and so Elder Birtcher and I started meeting with him, and he's such a cool guy!

 Last Friday, I met with him and we talked about how important all of this really is and how much happier his life will be here now and in the life to come if he starts doing what he needs to. It was way cool because, I asked him, when he knows that the Book of Mormon is true, will you get baptized?  He sat there for a few moment's in silence. Olga, the member we had with us started to say something, and he stopped her and said he needed to think so we sat there for a few minutesin silence. I felt like Ammon before the King when he asked the King what he wanted from him then waited an hour as the King sat in silence.

Reality it was just a few moments he said, "Elder when I know, yes". It was so cool, the Spirit was very strong and we've been in contact everyday he's guy.  I know that when he does the thing's that he's suppose to---reading, praying, and going to Church, that he will recieve the answer, just as I know that it will happen to anyone of you who tries. Read and ask and you'll get an answer,  I promise our Heavenly Father will answer you!

We'll it looks like you've all been having a great time, if you haven't sent my Christmas box off yet I would ask if you would add a few more things, like a new Scout Handbook/ Cubscout handbook. We're going to see if we can get some stuff going here with some of the youth to help them do other things than "coming to church". So we'll see, plus I just want a Scout Handbook, it was always such a big part of my life and I miss it!

Tanner Way to go on your Eagle Board! Let me know when your Court of Honor is! We'll I'd better get going, there's alot to do today and time's not slowing down! I love you all! Thank's for the support, I couldn't do this without you that's for sure! Keep me and especially the people in Russia in your prayers, they need lots of love. I love you all!

liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn!

Grandpa - Wow, that must have been very sudden and unexpected for Uncle Stephen and Aunt Candice. But you're right, The Plan of Happiness is a wonderful thing. This is not the end, that's for sure. Let them know that I love them, and that they'll be in my prayers.

Mom & Dad - So I found a Solomon Store here and I had to buy some pants that were on sale... they're just  way to cool ha so yeah I took some money off for that, im also planing on buying my winter boots probably next week.  Columbia has some really good sales right now and the boots are like way sick it'll be like 5-7000 rubles so just so ya know. I will  look for your letter next week before I go shopping. But yea, also I am getting ready to send you guy's you're box of "I have been gone a year / do need this stuff" box so yeah ha it probably won't get there for a few months but just be aware :)
I love you guys! Thank you for being the best Parents and Friends I could ask for!

Amber - Hey missy :) Thanks for the letters, goodness I miss you. I hope you're having a great day and that your week is just wonderful!! ha tell Rachel thank's for her letter also :) I got it late last week lol. You're
family is awesome tell them all hi from me. Anyways, have a great week!
see ya Am

By What Authority?

Well hello there family!
How are things back in the good ol' USA?! Man those pictures of you guy's in St.George were so sick! I want to go out and run a marathon right now!

Elder Britchers dad actually was down there and ran the marathon too. It sounds like you had a blast. We'll have to do it when I get back in a couple years deal? Well this week has been way interesting. We had the whole leadership training with President Trejo and it's been way cool to start implementing those things into my teaching and missionary work.

Saturday night we finally got a meeting with one of our contacts who told us he had a "youth group" he wanted to introduce us too ha. so we went and we took another companionship with us and we found out that they were actually a Baptist Church ha that was a little weird, we had 4 Mormon missionaries in a Baptist Church with a youth pastor and about 20 youth.

We walked in and the other companionship says to me in English, "these were the guy's we almost got in a fight with a couple nights ago"... I was on edge. But it turned out alright, we talked with them and told them why we were here, and we even gave out a few copies of the Book of Mormon. I was showing them all my pictures and I showed a picture of Maddie and Dad after Maddies baptism, where they were in all white and wet and their main pastor came up and asked "by what authority can your father baptize people?"  I told him very calmly that My Father was commissioned of Jesus Christ, and had the proper Priesthood authority to do administer the ordinance of baptism. He then asked "is he a pastor?" and I said "no, he holds the Melchizedek Priesthood which was restored by Peter James and John to the Prophet Joseph Smith, who restored the Church of Christ to the earth." I asked him by what means he baptized people and he got quiet and changed the subject.

We sang some songs with them and prayed with them (they prayed a lot) and then left. I was ok, and it ended being cool. Later that night President Trejo called us... I thought he was going to say something to us for going and talking with them.. But he called to let us know that Elder Birtcher will be leaving Wednesday to go to the office and serve with Elder Espinoza thats the second great comp I've lost to the office!

So I will be with the zone leaders for a week until I get a new comp. We don't know who I will be with yet but President will call Friday and let me know. I will miss Elder Birtcher but what can ya do, gotta serve were you're called to serve! Anyway,. ...

I had a way cool experience in the scriptures the other day, we have an investigator who has a lot of questions about EVERYTHING, and we do our best to answer them but its hard to answer question after question. I was reading and I was thinking about why are there so many questions, why are the things of God such a mystery to us, and I just opened my scriptures to 1 Nephi Chapter 11 where Nephi is conversing with the Angel about Lehi's dream and the angel asks him a question. he says, " Knowest know thou the condescension of God?" I thought about that and I personally interpet that as "do you know why God does what he does?" and then I read Nephi's answer, he says, " I know that he loves his children, but I don't know meaning of all things." We all need to remember that God infact loves us, and that he wants what is best for us, that's why he's given us all that we have. We have the scriptures to know what to do, and we have the opportunity to pray to him, and communicate with him, I love our Heavenly Father, and I know he loves us.

I love you all! I hope all is going well I will see ya next week a probably the same time!

liveSTRONG,
Elder Eborn

Dad - Way to go big guy! another 26 miles in the bag! hope ya know I think
you're a stud and love ya dad :)

Mom - Sweet pics mom :) sounds like everything's going good at home, and
like you're all having a great time! i love you all :) see ya in 14 ish
months.

Tanner - ha sounds like a sweet date broski! i want to see some pics!

A Super Hero w/ a Name Tag

JT sent this at the end of last week.  Just got it up today.  Sorry for the delay.  We were in St. George.

Hey again!
So this last week has been hectic!  We started our little picnic deal and after a day of stressing about what to do for it. I decided to do some COPE acctivities with the group that came. It turned out way good! We all had a lot of fun and ended up eatting hotdog sandwhiches (don't ask lol) and yeah, we had a couple investigators and quite a few member's show up and it was way cool one girl came, and she has just been doing way good, she's come to English and a whole bunch of stuff.

She always tells me how much happier she is when she's around us. She told us she can't figure out what is was so we asked her to meet with the Sister's and she has been. We had a spiritual thought from Koctya who is a member here, he's like 17, and a stud, he's been on a mini mission and he is a way good kid. He talked about what the meaning of life is and shared a verse from Alma 34:32 which talks about how we are here to prepare to meet God. This girl just started to cry, she asked us why she was crying and what she was feeling. It was cool to help her understand that it was the Spirit.

Many times we don't feel the spirit quite that strong, but we need to be able to let it work through us, to feel the love of the Lord through his guidance. We need to put ourselves in the position to be ready to feel that when we need it.

This is my real email for the week! We are in between sessions at this leadership training deal. It's way cool, it's all about making us more effiective teachers President and Sister Trejo came down to Omsk for the week and are putting on the training. It's not just something that our mission is doing but it's a training that The First Presidency has asked us all to go through to make us better missionaries so that we can better relay our message. (Mom would be all over it) A big part of it is really focusing on the point of why we are here, which is to bring people unto Christ. We've been focusing on the doctrine of Christ and what that means.

We've had a few little breaks during sessions (like this one) where we are suppose to go out and try and apply what we've learned. Due to the fact that we leave a good hour away from the Nicholaisens we didn't have any opportunities to meet with people. So Elder Birtcher and I have gone contacting! We've actually met quite a few people who are interested and want to meet so it's been really neat.

We've been more focusing on the fact that The Gospel of Christ is what is contained in The Book of Mormon, and that people need to know about it. President Trejo put it perfectly, there will be no "fence-sitters" when it comes time, We will not be able to have one foot in the Kingdom of God, and one in the realm of the devil.  It's our job to be the most effective teachers we can be in order to help people make the right descision. I'm far from perfect, and I've got a long way to go, but people need to know this:

Eternity hangs in the balance, not only mine but my fellow brothers and sister's here in Russia. I've always been a super hero fan, I mean goodness I even have a spandex superman costume that hangsin my closet at home. Though I may not be able to fly, or have the ability to regrow limbs, I do have the Gospel. I know that it is the only thing that will bring us true happiness in this life, as well as eternal life in the world to come. I don't have a cape, or boots, but I've got a Book of Mormon, and a testimony and thats all I need. I love being here and I love doing what I am doing. I may not have any success, I may not be able to save the world, but I am sure going to try.

 I love you guys and im thankful that you're all supporting me back home. I couldn't do this without you, and I know I wouldn't be where I was without you.
I love you all!
Keep doing what's right, and I will see you in year or so! :)

liveSTRONG,

Elder Eborn!

Mom - Hey mommy, love ya... thanks for everything! President was all worried about my card and made it a point to make sure I got it before we got started with this training. It was way cool. Yeah its kind of a bummer they do that (tear apart postal boxes etc). but what can ya do. hopefully my Christmas package will make it alright. Like I said, I wouldnt' mind some new socks lol. maybe some dry fit long black ones or something. idk I am just sick of church socks like crazy and more fun fettie cake :) mmm I love you guys! All is well!

Dad - Hey big guy, good luck this weekend. I wish I could be there running with you (ahead of you ;) you'll do awesome, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you'll get where you want too. I wanna see some sweet pics. Oh! an Run Dang It!

Tanner - A yellow tie? What? Dude you gotta send me some pics and who is this girl? I mean you haven't told your brother?! I want details man!

Remember this?  http://ebornsontherun.blogspot.com/2008/12/superman-saves-sharing-time-happy-b-day.html