All is Well In Siberia

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.