He Has Sent Me Here

Sorry this email didn't come on Wednesday but I was busy trying to make sure everything was in order with a new mission president, transfers, ZLC, and a Visa trip I was pretty swamped. I did how ever have time to print off your emails before I took off to Finland and had ample time to read your letters and kind of sort of formulate some thoughts into what should hopefully be the email for this week.

So, to start, we picked up the Gibbons at 5:30 on Friday from the Airport and the first thing President Gibbons does when he see's us is throws up the rocker. He's pretty legit not gunna lie. He's got a lot of energy and is ready to hit the ground running. I'm excited to be serving with him for at least this transfer if not longer. After they got in and settled a little bit. We had to take care of business. He took us to the sports supply store and we helped him buy a treadmill for the winter. We got to talk about what the plans are for the upcoming months, what assignments he'd been given from the First Presidency and we'll be having a lot of changes in our mission and I'm really excited to be a part of it. For one, starting the 22nd of August, Preparation Days will be on Mondays. So if you want to write me from now on you'll probably want to do it on Sunday Night’s.  There are some changes coming which is exciting.  

We had a fireside on Sunday night and I was expecting to have to translate.  We have a blessing; President Gibbons broke out in reasonably understandable Russian. He and Sister Gibbons were able to do most of the fireside without translation. They speak Russian! They only turned back and asked, "how do you say...?” like once or twice! It was pretty sweet. We've been getting ready to travel around the mission and let President meet with the members and missionaries in the next few weeks. As a matter of fact, I got home from Finland this morning at 8, slept a few hours and we'll be getting on a train to Krasnoyarsk in about an hour ha. It'll be an interesting couple of weeks what else can I say!

Our ZLC last week went amazing. We were able to council with the leaders of the mission of some of the things that we're going to be doing in the mission; there was a really good spirit of unity there. We were able to help them understand what we're going to be doing in becoming a "Preach My Gospel" mission and everyone was very excited for the upcoming changes. Elder Stewart and I were able to spend a little time talking about the Doctrine of Christ with the Elders and to explain why we really are here in Siberia and what our purpose is.

A full time missionary's job is to be a witness that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and that all need to come unto him and accept and live by His Gospel to inherit the blessings of eternal life. We did that object lesson where we had one of the missionaries do push-ups for everyone in the room to receive a chocolate brownie. Our goal was to help the missionaries to understand how personal the Atonement really is. It was an experience that I’ll never forget. The elder doing the push-ups, is one of the best people I know. He'd never hurt anyone and would do anything for his friends. At first the missionaries started to laugh and joke as this Elder silently did the pushups. I would ask each Elder, "would you like a brownie?'' About half way through the Elder doing the push-ups was in pain. He started to cry, and shake. They all tried to get us to stop, or to take his place. I've done this before with my brother on a young men's campout, and have been on different ends of it. I've done the push-ups, I have and been the one who receives the brownie, and watched my brother do the push-ups. But being the one who offers the brownies was a whole new experience. I thought about our Heavenly Father, and how he must feels to send his son to the earth to atone for each and every one of us who has ever been, or ever will be on the face of the earth. I thought about how he must feel when people, don't use the gift that he has given them. It brought tears to my eyes. I love My Heavenly Father, and all that he has done for me. Like the children's song goes, "I am a child of God, and he has sent me here. Has given me an earthly home with parent’s kind and dear..." I'm grateful for all the blessings that my Heavenly Father has given me; for my family, for my friends. Most importantly for My Savior Jesus Christ. I love him and I know he is the way. I'm very grateful that for the next four months I can wear his name on my chest and Invite others to come unto Him.

We'll I guess I should probably get going, the train leaves in an hour and I need to make it down to the Train station to meet President and Sister Gibbons. It's their first time on the Trans-siberian railroad! We'll be going to Kranoyarsk this weekend, Tomck and Barnaul during the week next week and then next weekend head off to Omck for the weekend. So next week's letter may be during some random time as well so be prepared! Also don't forget that P-day, starting the 22nd, will be on Mondays. I'll tell you about the adventure I had this visa trip. It had something to do with Mac & Cheese, Chocolate cake, and a Finnish Wedding! So until next time! I love you guys! Have a great week!

liveSTRONG

Elder Eborn!

Mom & Dad - Hey, so I sent you guys a package from Finland. It's just got some books and stuff or learning Russian that I want but don't need here. Also there are my journals for the first 18 months of my mission and some Finnish Chocolate for ya'll :) so let me know when you get it! I love you guys!

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