Thanksgiving in Russia | 2010

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!

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

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

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. 

Halloween 2010 in Russia

Can you believe it's already November?! I am slightly freaking out about the fact that time's flown by so quick and that I've been gone this long. I sounds like you all had a fun Halloween (even without me) way to go on being a Running Ute dad! I can't wait to see some pictures next week!

We had a fun little Halloween party for English Club, we had a lot of people show up expecting a good time, I made the biggest cookie I have ever made and rootbeer for everyone it was way fun to watch everyone  trying Rootbeer, everyone wanted the recipe, it was fun we had a lot of games and stuff, I'd send pictures but I forgot my card reader... I wore my suspenders and my shlapa with some sunglasses and rolled up my sleeves---it was a lot of fun. We had a lot of games and treats and stuff and then we had a bobbing for apple contest... At first Idid not won't to compete to say the least, because I knew if I was going to do it I'd go all out...and yeah, so after I tried to tell everyone that I wasn't going to play, I ended up being the first one to go... dang peer pressure. 

Elder Nelson and I ended up being up to our shoulder's head down in the bucket of water bobbing for apples we laughed way hard. One of the Sister's here, is a very strick, straight forward,  only one way to do anything, kind of person, came up to us and told me how I was the craziest person she'd ever met, commented on  how I did everything to the extreme, how I work, how I play, just everything was to the extreme.  I thought about that a little bit.

I remember what Dean Karnazis wrote in his book "The Ultra Marathon man" (Not that I am quoting him as scripture or anything, this is just something I liked) "life is not meant to be finished by walking across the finishline. It's meant to come sliding in broadside, bruised, broken, and bleeding proclaiming, what a ride! " I will only serve on one full time mission, and it's getting shorter and shorter as the days go by, and I am going to enjoy it. I am here to work, to help people come unto Christ, and I've only got 14 months left to do it full time, so yeah, I maybe a little crazy, I may dive into buckets of water after apples, I may work hard and have a lot of fun while  I am at it, but I am here for a reason, and I am going to be me. I may be becoming a better me but I'll always be me!

Well other than that we had a some success with our investigators and also finding some new ones. we had a contact come to Church on "I wiill give you a thosaund rubles for it!" I smiled and said "it's worth a lot more than that but, I will give you one for free. Hopefully things will start to pick up with him well meet again with him Saturday so I hope everything works. Artiom is doing awesome, tonight we're going to teach him about the law of chastity... LOL I had to learn a lot of new word's this morning to say the least ha. i think we've become good enough friends that it won't be to awkward... but then again that kind of stuff is alway's pretty awkward lol.

We're also working with the youth to get some stuff going like Young Mens. They don't have things like that here or scouting so these 12 and 13 year old kids just come to Church and don't really have anyother outlet for things. It makes me grateful for all my leaders that I've had that really did make the extra effort to make Scouts fun and to get me wanting to come to Church, it's not just through the gospel but it's through other activities that the Lord can help people to understand the importance of the Gospel, and these kids need it!

Well, thats about it from me this week, sorry sometimes I just don't know what to write you guys ha it's a lot of the same stuff, I am just working and having fun. I love you all, and I miss you like crazy!  I get to talk to you on Christmas!! ;)

liveSTRONG,
Elder Eborn!

Mom & Dad - Wow mom , look at Mrs  Big-Wig down in Texas being a speaker it's sounds like you're having a lot of fun and getting to be away from the kids for a couple days sounds probably would be nice. If you do get me another mellow johnny's tshirt make sure it's not too small this time ha I am still not a very big  guy, but I am not a kid any more. I love you guy's :) thank you for all the support, I feel like one of the Son's of Helaman out here, I doubt not, my mother (parents) knew it!

Tanner- Hey Broski, just wanted to let ya know I love ya and miss ya. Keep being the brother you are, and know I am proud to say your my brother.

Girls, Love you sisters!