Always Ready

Sorry mom, I didn't mean to give you a scare with the whole "death" thing LOL …thank you both for your feelings and for the information about school and things of that nature, I've done a lot of thinking and praying about it, and I feel I've got my answer and know what I need to do but we'll see. I've got some time to think about it and so we'll see how things play out, I've got until the 27th to make a decision, It's weird, a year and a half and all the decisions you make, everything you do, is focused on others and how you can help them come closer to their savior and then all of a sudden you're in a car driving to Kemerovo and you're told, "oh, by the way before the end of the month you have to make the decision of when you're going to go home and start the rest of your life, so good luck! " kind of catches you by surprise.

Last Thursday we got to go to the Soviet Union Museum with our investigator Pavel. It was way cool! We got to see all of these way neat gadgets that they used back in the ol' USSR. We even had the opportunity to put on some fun old soviet clothes. The USSR had their own form of Boy Scouts called "Pioneers" after explaining that we were boy scouts the guide let us put on the uniforms and play with the stuff ..."Pioneers". Their moto was " Всегда Готовы!" which means "Always Ready" kind of similar eh? It was way fun to see all that stuff. Plus the propaganda posters were just hilarious. I'll have to get some and bring them home for you guys.

The best part however was not the museum itself, but the meeting that we were able to have with Pavel afterwards. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation, and I don't know what it was but the Spirit was way strong. Pavel sat there listening to us and it was as if he was learning not from two 20 year old kids  with American accents but as if someone was teaching directly into his heart. The Lord really can do some miraculous things. The next meeting we had with him after that he had a question about the spirit world and about all of his ancestors who didn't have a chance to receive the Gospel so we taught him about Temples and about Family History. His eyes got all big and told us how just recently he had been having the desire to start doing his family history. We shared the verse with him in Malachi about the hearts of the fathers turning to their children and children to their fathers. He was just amazed at the fact that our Father in Heaven really had thought of everything! We're hoping to see some more progress with him this week. :)


It really is amazing what the Lord can do! Sometimes I feel like Alma in the 26th chapter of Alma, when he's glorying in all that the Lord has done for him. It really is an amazing time to be a missionary and to be here in Siberia! The field is white and like Alma says, "Blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land...” He really is the one who is leading this work.....his hand is in everything we do.


This week Nastya will be getting baptized. We are going to be meeting with her tonight to answer any questions she has and to talk to her about life after baptism and about the temple. So next week will send you some pictures of that.


Other than that this weekend was pretty fun. Like I said we went up to Kemerovo for church and to meet the new branch President. When I first started this assignment we took a trip to Kemerovo and announced that we would be closing the city to full time missionaries until the time that the members started to take care of their own branch. A few weeks later a family moved to Kemerovo from St. Pete's. They were an good family with cute children. Within a few weeks, the mission Presidency called him to be the first non missionary branch president for that branch. Talk about an answer to prayers! We had the opportunity to go and to meet him and his family and to help the members out up there for a day or two. I don't know why but I've always felt kind of drawn to that city and who knows maybe someday I will serve there.


During sacrament meeting (which consisted of 15 people) the children of the branch President started to make a lot of noise and when you're in a room that is maybe 10' x 15' it gets really loud so I took them out and played with them in the hall while sacrament meeting continued. I tell you what, I am sure not ready to be a father any time soon! I had one kid that was biting my hand another wanting me to draw with her. Then they both decided it'd be a good idea to run outside. In short my hat is off to you… Mom & Dad for having four of us and having the patience not to kill us! молодцы!


Well, thats about it for me this week. I'm still alive, out of shape, but alive. I love you guys! Thanks for your support and all you do for me. I couldn't do this without you! See ya next time!


liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!


Mom & Dad - Thanks for the info again, I'll take it to the Lord and let him have the final say but I'll probably let you know next week when I've decided to do. Gulp, it was a lot easier to leave on a mission! Real life's a scary thing. But I think that is one thing I'm excited for when I get home, is the fact that I'll be able to live the gospel in life. Love you guys. Tell Megan and Maddie that if they do have any boys coming around that I've made some friends here that would be more than happy to take care of them for me.