With Fire and Hammer, Steel is Forged

Hey Family!
So this week has been quite an adventure! I'm actually on my way home from a zone conference we held in Ulan-Uday. It's the farthest east city in our mission and takes 2 days to get there by train We flew out of Novo on Tuesday morning and then caught a train to Ulan-Uday in Irkutsk which is about 45 minutes away from the world’s largest fresh water lake... Baikal.

We actually drove around it while we were on the train but didn't see a thing out the windows bummer... I'll have to come back someday I guess to get a better look. It was a lot of fun! Ulan-Ude, is very close to Mongolia and China, and has many people who are from those places.

I actually had the opportunity to teach a lesson with the Elders there to a young woman who is Chinese native. I got to say “Nee-How” to her---she then started speaking Chinese to me thinking I understood and I quickly explained in Russian that it is truly my dad who can speaks Chinese, that I only know a few Chinese phrases and only speak English and Russian.

As soon as China opens up for the gospel, I have no doubt the gospel will take like wild fire. They are very ready for the gospel. I got to see some Buddhist Datsan's which were way cool. I'll send you some pictures when I get back to Novo. I also bought some buriatian ties that are way sick. I want/hope someday serve in the East.

We have to catch our flight back to Novo in a couple hours, so we figured while we had time we'd stop by and write home. I love getting your emails. Just so you know, they always make my day. I often forget about the fact that I have the opportunity/blessing to communicate with you all via internet, but then when I finally have an hour, it really gets me way excited, in fact I can't wait until May 9th to talk to you all!

So an update on our investigator Sergey, he is having some doubts. He has a testimony of the gospel, of the Book of Mormon but he isn't sure if he's ready and willing to live by the gospel. which is way sad, His baptism was scheduled for tomorrow and we were hoping that we would be able to come home from our trip and that he'd be ready. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

He's needs some time to think about if this is really what he wants.

It's a question I've asked myself throughout my life, as well as my mission. Every time I personally think about it, the answer is yes, being willing to live the gospel is worth it. Our Heavenly Father has blessings for us that we can't even imagine, one of which is being able to be with those you love for ever.

Sometimes it may seem like the gospel restricts us, holds us back, and binds and blinds us of our freedom. In reality, being obedient and living according to the gospel is the ultimate expression of our freedom. It takes a lot of self humbling, patience, and a lot of time. I'm not perfect, and I make a lot of mistakes, but I know as we put ourselves in the hands of the Master, He will guide us into the beings that we were meant to be…. With Fire, and Hammer is steel forged, and so are we.

I know that our Heavenly Father loves us, we are his children. He sent our older brother Jesus Christ to show us the way, and to help us return back to him. He didn't send us here to fail.

Well I need to go catch my flight... I love you guys. Thank you for all your support, You'll be in my prayers.

LiveSTRONG
Elder Eborn!!

Mom & Dad - Those bottle rockets were sick! I really hope when I get home I get called into the Scouts (wink,wink Bishop Larsen..) I love you guys :) thanks for everything you do, if you have any questions about calls let me know, we've got a week to make it work. This will be my last phone call home... yikes... tomorrow starts the final third of my mission. I guess I'd better sprint to the finish of this race.