Best Five Words

It's hard to believe that it's already Halloween! I'm slightly freaking out about that ha. It doesn't feel like Halloween though, there's already snow on the ground here and people are getting ready for New Year's already.  New Year's is like Christmas for us but it's been fun.

We had a good week last week a couple of miracles and a good Halloween Party for our English club. It's been interesting how successful our English club has been here, we've found  10 new investigators through it, and some of which are showing a lot of progress in the gospel. There's so much to do here in Kemerovo that the two of us is definitely not enough. I go to bed every night just dead tired and get up every morning ready to do it again! there's no better feeling! :) As much as Mom wants me (and is excited for me) to come home, I'm way scared about how fast time is flying...

Our Halloween Party was a big hit, we had trick or treating, scary stories, bobbing for apples and a costume contest. My whole suspenders and my favorite green tie didn't cut it for the prize though.   I think that they all had a good time, I think I've got a little bit of my mom in me or something with these Halloween Parties.

So last week we had a lot going on, trying to work with the members to help them to grow and develop, Our sacrament numbers are still going up, 13 this week! Mind you, 5 of which were investigators,  I was so stoked. We're hoping to be having some baptisms here in the next month or so. Galina is wanting to get baptized the 26th and we're hoping some of the others will as well.

Another individual gave us a scare, Elder Carr (the stud muffin that he is) invited her to be baptized, and she asked why she needed to be baptized again. So we started to explain the whole Priesthood thing and we told her about Joseph Smith again and the Restoration, and she says, " I don't know why but as soon as you said Joe Smith, I heard something in the back of my mind saying 'don't listen'".

I looked at her and handed her the Book of Mormon, Elder Carr says, " That's the proof, don't just trust us, Trust God, He won't lie". I was afraid we'd lost her and that she wouldn't want to meet any more. BUT! she came to sacrament meeting and after taking pictures of Elder Carr and I playing in the blizzard, She sent us a text. "I've just realized it, and I want to be baptized". Nothing sounds better to a missionary than those 5 words, " I want to be baptized" Elder Carr and I were basically jumping up and down! A miracle.

I just got a call from Novo, and looks like I'm going to Finland this week for my last Visa Trip. Talk about weird, this one will be for 6 weeks and then всё я поеду домой... So yeah, I might send one last package home from Helsinki with some stuff that I want but don't have room for in my suitcase so we'll see. I'm looking forward to going to the Temple and relaxing before I finish this marathon up. Yesterday Elder Carr noticed that I've got a few grey hairs starting to show up... I'm not ready to be Badger Jr. пока... It's all good though we went and got it cut today so now no one will notice ha. It's probably just from being in Siberia for 2 years, oh well.

Well I've gotta get going we've got a lot to do and it seems like no time at all to do it! So have a wonderful Halloween.  I'm looking forward to seeing some pics next week! I love you guys! Have a great week!

liveSTRONG
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Tanner- You're a stud!! Love ya bro! Don't worry, I'll stay up with you and play video games until 4 in the morning, just not right off the bat ha, I'll need to get acclimated to the whole time difference I am sure.

Mom& Dad - Have a great Halloween! Love you guys!

It Maybe Hard, But it is Worth It

How's it going back home? Seems like you guy's are having a grand ol' time Megan sure makes a cute Pirate, I think this year I'll be a missionary one last time for Halloween.   It's crazy that it's already almost Halloween. We're going to try and have a Halloween party for English class this Thursday but we'll see how it turns out. It's hard to do things all big and fun when there are only two of you making things happen.

I'm not liking how fast time is going by, in missionary time the transfer is coming to a close and my last transfer is getting ready to start. Plus, the fact that Elder Carr found my Christmas music doesn't make things any easier lol. But, have no fear I'm focused and still good to go! This marathon isn't over until we cross the finish line.

This week has been a good one. Elder Carr had his birthday Friday and everyone wanted to have a party. So we invited all our investigators, members of the church, and a few people that we were hoping to start teaching and went bowling. I tell you what it's the funniest thing ever to watch bowling. I'm surprised that no one got killed.  We had bowling balls flying every where and people slipping in the bowling shoes.  It was legit, we had cake and ice cream and sang happy birthday then our visa registrar picked us up and took us out to have шашлык. Elder Carr was in heaven. For it being his first Birthday in Russia I think he had a pretty good one. He's always all smiles :).

Happy Birthday Elder Carr

The weather's been getting a little chilly. I put on my scarf one day before heading out and Elder Carr goes, "it's not that cold out side" then on the street, "блин, can we go back inside for a second." my сынок will have to get use to Siberia здесь мороз бывает... He'll be fine though, we've got his winter coat already and are planning on going to a рынок today to get him some gloves and a hat so he doesn't freeze.

We've been working hard with our investigators/members and things seem to be going well. Alexey agreed to be baptized when he receives an answer, Lena has some deep questions about the Atonement, and Galina is still trying to get baptized. We might take her to Novo and get her baptized there where there is a real font and a big church. Hopefully things will work out well.

Like Joseph Smith said, "the standard of truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing, persecution may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth ofGod will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

We as the branch presidency are going to working on reactivating/finding those members of the church that we have here. It's not like we haven't tried before, but we've got a plan to do it. We only have 2 Elders here in the city other than us. the branch president and another who's in active.  We're going to try and help get a good solid foundation of priesthood men here on which we can build the the rest of the church so, we've been focusing on that and using the Duty to God program to help those members who are here learn what their duties are and what they need to do. It's just hard.

Like Alma says the best way to help people to change is not by the sword, but by the hearing of the word of God. So we'll pick up our Books of Mormon every day and hit the streets.

I've been teaching the Temple Prep Classes here for the members who are getting ready to go to the temple next week.It's been quite the experience.

A 20 year old kid teaching two 40 year olds and a 70 year old бабушка about the Temple and helping them get ready to enter. One of the guys we've been working with told us the other day, " you can't expect some one who's twice your age to listen to you and to expect them to change their entire life around.." Elder Carr answered him right back,

"Yea, we can, we have no right to deny them the chance. We have no right to deny them that Hope which is in us."

It may be hard out here, but it's worth it. I know God Lives and He loves all of his children. It's a great time to be a missionary. We'll i'd better get going before i start blabbering on, nobody likes those missionaries who just talk about their missions the whole time, plus if I tell you everything now I won't have any stories for later.  I love you guys! Have a great day/week! I'm expecting a ton of pictures from Halloween!

liveSTRONG
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Mom- Don't worry mom. Also, I'm totally down with the whole St. George Marathon thing. Elder Carr said his mom's thinking about running it too.

Tanner - I'm diggin the hair bro. ha In the MTC they told us to not come home and grow out our hair and a beard but I tell you, it might just happen!  Love ya Bro :) keep doing what you're doing.

Keep Us In Your Prayers

So our library was having some technical difficulties so we had to run to our internet bar so I'm sorry this is a little later than usual. We had a lot to do today and so we had to push emailing off for a little bit. No worries! I dropped a piano on my toe but we're all good.  Woke up to Elder Carr yelling...."I'm going to make a wave pool in Kemerovo!!"  :)

President and Sister Gibbons, Elder Eborn, Elder Carr and President Filapov and Son‏

check out Elder Eborn's laughing..... love that  (mom)

This week was a great week. We worked our tails off literally. We did a lot of service for the members this week because we love and care about them.I'll send pictures next week, they're hilarious! From white Ninjas to piano movers we've been coming home and almost passing out before we get done with planning. It's been legit. I think that being with Elder Carr has been helping my English get better. Who knows maybe you'll be able to understand me when I get home.

We've been working hard to try to grow things, and it is going well.  Our English Club took off and now we have more than 30 people coming every Tuesday and Thursday. If we could get them to all become members of the church then we'd be in good shape :). We're going have a Halloween party next week for it. I'm way excited because this will be my last Halloween in Siberia (I love the holidays at home!). I'm a little sad about it though, I love these people.

There are quite a few people who we're working with that are progressing and doing very well.

It's visible that Satan does not want us to be successful here in this city.

There is a lot of oppression against us here, The Orthodox Church has told people that were a Satanist Sect, and things have been very hard. That's why one of our investigators hasn't been able to be baptized her family is so against the church that they won't even talk to us. Things haven't been easy for our Branch President's family either. They are preparing to go to the temple next month, and are having all sorts of obstacles…life.

However, we finally got to watch general conference this weekend.  A lot of times things are so very hard. But, I know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the way.. He is the light and life of the world, and in Him we can find peace. I know that. I love being His missionary. I know this is where he needs me to be.

Please keep our little branch here in your prayers. We may be in the neither most part of the vineyard, but The Lord himself works with us here. I love you guys. Thanks for everything you do for me.

liveSTRONG
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Mom & Dad - Just so know I bought my Russian suit. It's pretty slick you'll see it when I get off the plane. Let me know what kind of things you would like me to bring home, P-days are becoming rare commodities now a days...

Tanner - Love ya Brosky!
Megan - Love ya Megashake
B- Love ya Maddie :) Kiss the brown one for me!

Pictures Worth a 1000 Words

We were so blessed today, not only did we hear from our sweet siberian missionary, we were lucky to get some pictures from a wonderful, kind hearted man. 

This is the Kemerovo Branch Building

Some of the members of the branch with President Gibbons and his sweet wife.

Sister Gibbons, President Gibbons, Elder  Eborn and Elder Carr

The new Kemerovo Branch members giving the missionaries a gift.

Elder Carr, President Gibbons, and Elder Eborn

Remember this?  The 5K they ran with the President.  Elder Stewart and Elder Eborn

At the startline of the race.

@ their apartment in Kemerovo, this week.

Another Week in Kemerovo

Well another week here in Kemerovo and I am not dead yet! When ever I write that I'm in Kemerovo I always think of those days when we would drive through Kemmerer Wyoming. I do miss those days! When we drive 5 hours up to the Wind Rivers and back, Scout chasing deer. Good times! The pictures of you all out on Antelope Island made me way excited to come home and see you all.

This last week was well I guess you'd say a normal week in Siberia in that the weirdest things always seem to go down. But don't worry Elder Carr's safe and no one has died. We had been working very hard to figure out what to do here in Kemerovo and some of the members told us how successful an English Club would be so I made few calls, printed a bunch of invitations to English Club  up, and  got to work inviting people to our big start of English Club party. The day we started was last week and we had probably 30 people show up and we only had 2 missionaries and our "Aunt Terri" her name's Ulia, She's our visa registrar but I call her Aunt Terri because she looks a lot like Aunt Terry and she's always about making sure that we are ok and taken care of. She's taken us out to lunch like 3 times since we got here and she's awesome.

Anyways we had 30 people show up, Elder Carr and I acted out the skit "The King, the Queen and the Gate" and invited some of the people to come and try and translate. It was hiliarous, we had some of the people rolling on the ground they were laughing so hard. We also made them Rootbeer and brownies. it was all fine until I stepped out to get the refreshments and I hear someone ask Elder Carr if they can hug him, and he goes, " Uhh, well I wanna, but uhh... I don't know what to say..." so I yell into him come help me and "Aunt Terri" ...huffs in to save the day and lays down the law about English Club lol. She threw it down pretty hard ha it was pretty cool not gunna lie (no hugging the missionaries). The best part was that every person who came to English gave us their number and asked us if we'd share the gospel with them at some point or an other. I was in awe. It was so legit!

We've had all sorts of other funny experiences too. I don't know why but all new missionaries love to talk to drunk people. I've had to pull Elder Carr away several times before someone tries to hit him. His Russian's coming a long very well but like anyone, it takes some time before you start to understand. He and President Gibbons this weekend decided they wanted to contact a group of kids who all had bottles of beer in their hands. As soon as they started to talk, one of the members in the crowd started calling us Sektanties, which means Sektist, who sacrifice children, and all sorts of bad things. I took him aside and tried to calm him down when I told him that the Church of Jesus Christ was the only true church he said he was going to kill us so I grabbed President Gibbons and Elder Carr and high-tailed it out of there. Elder Carr got to meet another woman this week too. She was very nice until we invited her to come to church. Elder Carr said as we walked away, "she seemed like really nice lady." (ha if only I didn't understand what she'd said). Anyways, we're having a lot of fun and many adventures.

Our investigators are doing awesome, Their progressing. Galina had an intereview with the Mission President and is prepared to be baptized whenever she desires. She hasn't accepted a set date because she's scared but she has a testimony comes to church every week, and wants to be baptized. Alexey wants to live for ever, and has a hypothesis that if we don't drink, smoke or take drugs we'll live forever. We agreed to try it if he agreed to try the gospel ;) . Lena is a nice girl who's got a lot of questions about things but every question she asks can be answered by the gospel. It's amazing how the gospel can do that right?!

We took a trip up to Tomck this week and had a district meeting that went well. The district leader in Tomck asked me to share with them the secret to missionary work. I'm one of the oldest missionaries in Siberia now and they had a question and answer session with me. I was like, "guys, I don't go home for another 10 weeks... I'm still here" It was kind of a sad realization. This last weekend President Gibbons came up with Sister Gibbons and I had my last intereview with him as a missionary before my departure intereview it was way weird and wonderful. We talked a lot about what is going on in Kemerovo and in the mission. His son is on his mission in Mexico right now and was put in a similar situation like me (except he's on the beach and I'm in Siberia ha). We talked about many things and he asked me what thoughts I had about the rest of my mission and what I was going to do.

I told him I'm going to help Elder Carr become the best missionary he can and help him be ready to train another missionary at the end of his training, and that I'm hoping to help the branch here in Kemerovo have a good foundation on which they can grow from after I'm gone. I shared with him the verses from D&C 31.7 Which read,'' I will open the hearts of the people and they will recieve you, and by your hand I will create my church".

I've only have 10 weeks to go, and I pray that the Lord will do with me as he will and give me the strength to do all that he's asked of me."

Well I think thats about all that happened this week. We're goint to be trying a lot of new things. This week, Elder Carr was called to serve as 2nd Counselor in the Branch Presidency so we both can help train and support President Filipov. They're going through the Temple in a month and I'm way excited :) They were baptized literally 3 days after I entered the MTC, and now they're going to be sealed with their family for time and all eternity.

I love being out here in the middle of the Siberia. Like Elder Carr says' "we're the lone wolves out here!
I love you guys! have a great week You're in my prayers.
liveSTRONG
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Mom & Dad - Love you guys!

Serving in the 'Neither Most' Section

Sounds like you guys have been having quite a bit of fun back there in the Good ol' US of A :) I'm looking forward to being able to run with you next year in St. George Marathon it'll be fun I guess I'll have to show the badger that this young pup still has some run in his legs ;) Way to go Dad, I'm proud of you!

The works going well here, we had 11 people at sacrament and were able to get a few new investigators this week. Elder Carr is a stud, ha he's not afraid of anything! I put him on the side of the road that has people walking and he just talks to everyone ha and when they don't understand what's going on I come in and talk to them. He's going to be a much better missionary that I, he's got a strong testimony and is ready to work. The Lord couldn't ask for better.

We're getting ready to have General Conference some time... Out here (where the devil lost his pancho), we don't get a lot of contact with the rest of the world and don't know exactly when we'll get a copy of Conference to watch but when we do I'm sure I'll enjoy it! Weird to think that next time I'll be able to watch it in my own home or even at the conference center live. We are so blessed back home. Some of the members here get to see the conference and that is what they think is the church. a giant conference center and a whole bunch of little branches like ours.

This week's been pretty epic (not gunna lie:). We take a trip to Tomck every other week to take part in district meeting (it's like a 5 hour drive) but this week we had a training in Novosibirsk so we got to go back down. it was way good, I learned a lot. Elder Newenschwander from the quorum of the 70 was there with us and he taught us some very good things that brought peace to my soul. In Kemerovo we have 4 Melchizedek Priesthood holders and two of them are missionaries. This last Sunday, as a matter of fact I set a part a sister to serve as the Primary President because our Branch President, who's a wonderful man trying to do everything he can, has never given a blessing and asked me to teach how. It was a really humbling experience.

I've also been asked to teach the temple preparation class for those who would like to go to the Temple in the near future. I'm teaching the branch president his wife and one other sister who is in her 80's and wants to go to the temple more than anything in the world. We've been starting from scratch basically, trying to teach the members how to manage their own branch, as well as trying to find those who are prepared for the gospel and help them come closer to their Heavenly Father. Many nights I've laid awake just wondering what am I suppose to do? How is a 20 year old suppose to establish the Church of Jesus Christ in the middle of Siberia? Elder Newenschwander described his experience working in the church and helping the church come into Russia 20 years ago, and he had a lot of the same feelings I had been having. But he shared an experience with us that I felt was straight to me. "This is not our work, It's His. And He is very much involved in it. We have stewardship for a while, and we are expected to do the very best that we can, and He'll fill in the rest." I felt like a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I know that this is the Lord's work, and I'm very gratfeul that I can serve like it says in Jacob 5 in "the neither most section of the vineyard. " There's nothing I'd rather be doing. :)



We'll that's about it for me... I can't think of anything else that you'd care to know about. We're starting an English club tomorrow, we'll be heading up to Tomck on Thursday and The Gibbons' will be heading up this
weekend to meet the branch president. so ya! I love you guys! Thanks for everything. I miss you like crazy!

liveSTRONG
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Mom & Dad - Love ya guys :)

Grandma & Grandpa - You guys are in the temple everyday any idea how to teach a temple prep class? I love you guys! Thanks for always writting me ever week . You guys rock.