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!