I Love Being a Missionary

SHALOM! I'm starting to get scared, my P-days are running out! Pretty soon I'll just be be able to talk to you face to face about how my week has gone. Gulp. Scary.  I guess that's what happens. Time really does fly! The past week has been eventful (to say the least). Traveling to Omck, Baptizing Nastya and just all sorts of interesting moments that come with serving a mission in Siberia! So I guess I'll just start with what happend last week!


Friday we had Nastya's baptism. It was a very spiritual baptism one of the best I've been at on my mission. (Despite the fact that I participated in the musical number. Thats one of those things that I don't think I'll ever be able to master! It was great :)

We had a lot of members from all over the city and even a few different investigators came and were able to feel the spirit. It was the first time on my mission that I've ever baptized someone. We usually try to get a member of the branch or I volunteer my companion to do the baptizing, but this time I got to do it :).


It was a wonderful experience. I never thought I'd get to wear the white pants I brought with me! The only thing was the night before the baptism while Elder Stewart and I were getting ready. I put on my pants, white shirt and tie, and realized that my shirt was not the same color as my pants and tie. So I grabbed a different shirt and put it on. It also was not really white but more of a greyish white. After exhausting my closet and throwing all of my white shirts on the floor I came to the decision that I'd have to make my shirt whiter some how. (Mom don't worry about sending any more shirts. I've only got 5 months left and I'll make due) But with a little bleach everything was alright! You couldn't hardly tell :)

It was a really humbling experience, standing there with my arm to the square and saying, "having been comissioned of Jesus Christ..." I felt the spirit so strong. I walked back into the changing room and was on the verge of tears. It was such an amazing experience. I love being a missionary and being able to represent the Lord, and helping him.  This is a wonderful place to be!

That night we got on a train and took a trip to Omck where we had a training with the missionaries. I still love that city! It felt like I was home when I got off the train. I don't know it was kind of interesting. The training went well, we took a different approach at it and were trying to be more motivating. It was good I liked it, I just hope that the missionaries got something out of it. We got back to Novo Monday, I still haven't learned how to sleep on a train and I was so tired, and we got back to work!


We've been working with an investigator who's doing well. After our meeting, we planned on going contacting and he asked if he could come with us. At first I was like, this maybe awkward... but after talking to a few people he figured it out and was even joining in on our conversations! We talked to this one guy and at the end he asked, "hey, I'd like to talk to you some more....could I get your phone number and we could meet?" I was like what the heck! That's our line.. I guess, when your investigators are getting their own contacts you know they're progressing! We're trying to get him more independent and help him to recieve his own testimony (like always).

So yeah! that's basically my week! Oh! by the way mom, I got the package! Thanks for all the cool stuff, the other office staff wasn't to excited when I came out of the kitchen with 8 squirt guns ready to go! But I sure had a good time!  We shared some candy with with our investigator yesterday and his eyes got all big and said, "this is the most delicious thing I've ever eaten!"  I guess it goes without saying that Reese's Peanut butter cups are always a safe bet with me :)


This week we'll be heading to Novokuzznekts for a training.  We're getting transfers all wrapped up finally and getting ready for the Gibbons to come. They should be here in August sometime around the 5th. but we'll see, you never know with Russian Visas.


Thanks for everything, I love you guys!


liveSTRONG,
Старейшина Иборн




Mom & Dad - Badger's 44! Wha?! That means you were like 24 when you guys had me? Weird... anyways hope you had a good birthday :) I love ya pops! Wow, that's kind of scary about the whole kid drowning while diving, and lightning thing. I've been pretty lucky :)

So for mom,  I guess I'll let you know. I've decided that I'll be coming home on December 14th. I've been thinking and praying a lot about it and I feel that I need to come home and get back into school. I'm not sure yet which school but I'm thinking Weber would be easier for me to get into and kind of get back in the swing of things so let me know what I need to do, if there is anything I  can do from here. I'll be home for Christmas.


Tanner - Dude, Totally not fair talking about all the games... my computer in the office just got updated and one of the options for a desktop was a Halo:Reach theme--of course I deleted it before I got way to trunky! How's the sales thing going? I've been kind of doing the same thing with eternal salvation for the last year and a half and I know how hard it is to get some one interested in taking what you have. What I'm giving out is even free! It's something that will make you happy not only in this life but it the one to come! One thing I've learned is that you've gotta keep smiling or else no one will want what you have to offer. Sounds like you're going to  have quite the career ahead of you with EMT and stuff along that nature. I'm proud of you bro. keep being you.