Rich Soil

Not gunna lie, slightly freaking out about the whole going home in a month deal. I'm pretty much terrified ha. It's going to be the longest 21 hour flight of my life I'm sure of it.  Sounds like I'll have a pretty busy couple of weeks right after I get home, I guess I'd better be ready to hit the ground running.

Don't worry Mom, I think I got the topic covered for Sunday lol. "Missionary Work in Russia", walk in the park. I've spoken every Sunday in church since arriving in Kemerovo so I don't think another talk will be a big deal.This week we spoke about faith. We had 9 people at church 2 members, 2 missionaries and 5 investigators! :) We may be in the "nethermost part of the vineyard" but the Lord knows what kind of soil to plant us in to help us grow. I always am the last one to speak here just in case there is reason to have to correct some doctrine or in case we have a lot of extra time. Elder Carr's been a champ about talking in church. He prepares a talk every week and then I get up after him and fill in the rest of the time. His Russian is coming along great.

So... This last week was a little more rough than I'd of liked. I kind of have, ok not kind of, I do have a superman complex. I get it from my Mom, I like to make sure that everything is always taken care of that there are no loose ends and that everything is done perfectly. Anyways, sometimes it feels like I've just got a big weight on my shoulders being one of two missionaries in a city of over half a million people. And this week, it was just one thing after another that kept happening. I feel kind of like Satan was just taking swings at my legs as I run this race.

After we had finished English Club up on Tuesday, after a rough day, I open my bag and find that some of my stuff was stolen. My camera was stolen...I was way bummed, the last 3 months of my mission were on there, I hadn't put them on my hard drive yet, and plus, it was the camera strap that Aunt Megan made me (that Libbie and the G' boys gave me :(  was on it :( I seriously was way upset. We got home that night and Elder Carr and I got ready for bed. As I layed there in bed I knew that I wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon so I got out of bed and on my knees and just poured my soul out. It felt very good to just get it all off my shoulders. I need to keep remembering,  that this is His work and that He's really here with us. Don't worry about the camera though, Elder Carr's taking lots of pictures of our adventures and will make me a disc before I fly out of here.

Our investigators are doing well. They're all progressing, We're looking forward to the 26th when Galina and Lena will be getting baptized :) We're stoked! They're so ready it's not even funny! There really needs to be another set of missionaries in this city, we had to tell people that we couldn't meet with them this week because of the fact that we just didn't have time to meet with everyone. Who knows maybe when I leave they'll be able to bring in the big guns and get this city rolling!

Well that's about it for this week I'm thinking... we'll be going to Novo tomorrow for a Zone Confrence so yeah, last one of my mission. I'm not dead yet ha. So I'll keep running.

I love you guys :) Thanks for everything you do for me!


liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!!

Mom & Dad - No worries about the money thing, we actually went with Ulia shopping ---I got some some stuff because if you see it and you want it you buy it or you'll never see it again. I think I'm almost done, within a week or two I should be good to go.

Sounds like a plan for school and stuff, I'm glad I will  be busy when I get back. Oh hey, the Friday night when I get home let's not plan on anything big ... I owe someone a date ;)

The Lords Angels - Last Visa Trip

So I get back from Finland and I see that I've got a few messages from some people in Kemerovo and one of them was raving on about my families Halloween Costumes.  LOL They were pretty excited. I just called them after I saw the pictures and said, "oh yeah, that's my family!" looks like you guys had a pretty legit halloween party! I loved that Maddie was a gypsy.  I may not have told you but there are many gypsies here in Russia, so it made me smile. I can't wait to have some good ol' parties with ya'll when I get back!

This week has been pretty interesting, with a 3 day trip to Finland and back. I've decided that after living in Russia for 2 years traveling anywhere else in the world isn't going to be too hard. There was an American couple in Moscow that we talked to and helped with some translation and they were all, "aren't you terrified to travel by yourselves in Russia?!" It's just become second nature for me I guess.

ANYWAYS... Visa trip went well, because it was our last time going we got permission to go into Moscow and take a walk around Red Square and we even hit up McDonalds :) yum. It was pretty legit I'll send pics next week or just wait until I get home to show them to you. We got into Finland and took a train to our stop and as we sat down a man got on the bus. He came up to us and just broke down into tears. He started to speak to us in English (cause most Finns speak English) and told us how he needed help. He went on to tell us about everything that had happened to him the the last few months and how he felt his soul was dying. He then looked at our nametags and said, "Is that Russian?" We said "yes", we're from Siberia. At that point, asks he us what it means and we explained who we are and what we do and he started crying again. "Help me" he pleaded. We got his number and passed it on to the Missionaries in Helsinki. It's interesting, He couldn't read our name tags but he knew we could help him, the Lord does hear our prayers.

The next day we had a chance to go through the Temple--- it was amazing. I was a little sad that it was my last time to be in the Finland Temple. I did the session in Russian and I learned a lot. I guess teaching the Temple prep class is a good thing.

While sitting in the Celestial room, the four of us just sat down and had some personal pondering/prayer time. After a few moments a lady came in and sat down by herself. it was us four and her in the room for a peaceful time. We all got up and left.  This Lady got up and ran after us. She yelled something at us in Finnish, and I said по-русский или English please? She asked us who we were, and we said "Elders from Siberia". She told us how she had been feeling very alone and came to the Temple to feel some peace and when she'd walked into the room she could feel the presence of hundreds of angels, standing around the room, and that when we got up to leave they all left with us.

She got all teary eyed and said, "I've met a lot of missionaries, but the Lord's sent angels to bear you up." Humbling.

We made it back to Novo and all is well, we took a bus to Kemerovo which was the worst thing ever. I was so tired. 36 hours of traveling takes it out of you. Yesterday, at Sacrament...we had 3 investigators and the 2 of us. The Filapov's and Tamara went to Keiv to the temple :) so I'm presiding for the next few weeks until they get back,  Humbling.

Its been fun, I'm glad to be back in Kemerovo though. I just want to run as hard as I can until I hit the finish line of this race! I love you guys! Have a great week!

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн!



Mom & Dad - LOL, no worries I won't bring anything back. I will donate my stuff to those in need here. I bought a new pair of underclothing (ha) that I'm not going to wear until the ride home.Washing machine's here change anything white to a nice grey... so I'll have a nice pair to come home in ;)  Mom, you are so funny! I won't get a hair cut until I get home no worries. However, what's up with me not knowing about my cousins having babies and getting married earlier? (Josh/Garrett?) I am feeling way out of the loop. I guess I will catch up in a month or so.

Do I need to do anything for school in January?
Just curious. I love you, thanks for everything.

Megan Shea! - I love ya sister! I don't know if I've gotten taller but I think I've lost some weight. but no worries I am still me! :) We will have a lot of fun when I get back no worries there...

Maddie B- Way to go on the Reflections contest B! you rock! go play in the snow with my puppy for me will ya?

Tanner - Dude, I totally am digging your sword...

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
Старейшина Иборн!

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
Старейшина Иборн!!

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
Старейшина Иборн!

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
Старейшина Иборн!

Mom & Dad - Love you guys!

Be Faithful Unto the End

Shalom!

It's starting to get cold outside. That's a funny thing to say while you're living in Siberia... We were out without our jackets going to get groceries today and some бабушка got all up in our faces about not wearing coats. I guess it's that time of the year when all the leaves start to fall and the streets start turning to ice. It’s weird to think that I won't be here to see the thaw this next year.

This city is so beautiful, there are trees all down the streets that are full of orange and yellow leaves and the weather is wonderful to гулять. So we've been taking advantage of it before the winter hits to talk to people on the street and share our message. It was pretty good we've found a lot of people who want to meet with us and also are getting ready to start an English club here in Kemerovo. It's been fun; we're basically starting from the ground up so we get to decide everything. Some of my friends from Omck found out that I got sent here and sent me a whole group of contacts, friends of theirs in Kemerovo they wanted us to meet with and we've been able to find some new investigators from it.

Elder Carr has used one of his new favorite phrases quite a bit this last week, "when you know this is true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized?" and then he smiles :). He's a great guy and is a great missionary. Plus, he makes me laugh way hard. We were on a bus the other day and I was talking to a man and Elder Carr went to this бабушка and asked if she believed in God. She asked him immediately are you a Jehovah’s Witness? I heard it in the back of the bus and knew Elder Carr didn't know what she was saying, and before I could yell out "no", He smiles and says, “Yeah, I have a testimony of it” it was a good thing we got off on the next bus stop and I explained to him what had happened and we had a good laugh at it. Being a Trainer is a lot of fun, I remember how Elder Lambson use to just laugh at the things I would do while I was trying to get my feet on the ground. I'm sure it's kind of like how Dad must have felt with me for the last 19 years of my life, just sitting back and laughing as I lived and learned.

We have quite a few people that we've found this week that want to meet with us. It's been amazing people just seem to be flopping in our lap. We were invited to dinner last night by a lady who wanted us to come and meet her family and share our message with them. It was honestly, the first time I've ever had that happen on my mission. We also had another lady walk into the branch 3 minutes before sacrament meeting and ask “what is this building? I felt like I needed to come in here for some reason so I did”. We invited her to stay for sacrament and to meet with us afterwards. During sacrament I looked up at her and she had a huge smile on her face and tears rolling down her cheeks. Afterwards, we met with her and she told us how she'd left the православная church and didn't know what to do, but that she found our church and everything just felt so right. Elder Carr invited her to be baptized as well. Ha that's my boy ;). There are miracles here every day, I love this city. I don't know what it is or why, but I feel like this is where I'm supposed to be.

After last week, I was a little discouraged and I'm sorry if it seemed like I was down, but I was reading in D&C 31 again (It sees to bring peace to my soul for some reason). I love the words that are in the very last verse. "Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you. These words are not of man nor men, but of Me even Jesus Christ, your Redeemer.." Whether we're one of 2 missionaries in a city of half million people in the middle of Siberia, playing volleyball, studying in college, working hard, or getting ready to run a marathon. I know that we are never alone. He's always near.

I love you guys :) thanks for everything. Were heading to Novo this week for a training and will be back by the end of the week! Keep us in your prayers.

liveSTRONG
Старейшина Иборн

Dad- Good luck this weekend Badger just remember...... “Run Dammit!”
Mom - Love you mommy :)

A Lot of Work to Do

Sounds like you guys already know about Elder Carr, he's a stud, I love him to death. The first day we were together he caught a pigeon and asked what it was called and stopped every person he saw and then would say, '' uhh.." and turn to me. His Russian is very good for just getting here. He loves to stop people and ask them if they've surfed and then shows them his pictures and says, " the only thing that makes me happier than surfing is the gospel". I have no doubt he's goint to be an amazing missionary.

So Thursday last week Elder Carr and I loaded up all of our stuff on to a bus and headed off to Kemerovo, we had no phone, no nothing ha just the address of our apartment and the keys to the branch. I wasn't to worried I figured we'd figure it out on the way, but we ended up getting into a conversation with a man on the bus about the gospel and in the space of 5 hours were able to teach him basically all the missionary lessons Elder Carr was stoked. We pulled into the bus station switched numbers and he took off. We're hoping to meet with him this week some time. Our Visa registrar met us at the bus station to our surprise and helped us get everything taken care of and even took us to get some groceries for the next few days. Elder Carr crashed as soon as his head hit the bed. I sure remember how that felt. Elder Lambson and I  also shotgunned and area but didn't open a city. I laid awake most of the night just wrestling with my thoughts and trying to figure out what we need to do, where we need to start, and how is the best way to help this city explode with the gospel.

We were able to take care of all of the things we needed and get our apartment in order and then hit the streets we set up a meeting with President Filapov who is the branch president here.  He's a good guy, has a strong testimony, is worthy to be the the branch president and he's ready to work. Sunday we came an hour early for presidency meeting to discuss the members and how to help those we need to and got ready for sacrament meeting. I sat and studied my scriptures and these verses from Mormon 6 kept popping in to my head. So I opened up and read verses 17-20.

17 O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!
18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I amourn your loss.
19 O ye afair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have bfallen!
20 But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return.

I thought to myself why did I think of those verses? They're all sad and not very happy. Then 11 o clock came around. and the only people in sacrament meeting were President Filapov, Elder Carr, and myself. President Filapov just kind of put his head down and didn't know what to do. I told him President if no one comes let's partake of the sacrament, and then I have some thought's I'd like to share. 20 minutes later it was still just us. So I blessed and Elder carr passed the sacrament to the 3 of us the I opened up my scriptures and read those verses that had pressed on my mind. In a city of half a million people, only 3 partook of the sacrament this Sunday  We have a lot of work to do and I am grateful the Lord is with us to do it.

Keep us and the people in Russia in your prayers
I love you guys,

liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn

That Last Leg of the Race

Dearest Family & Friends,

So I've got a lot to let you know and not much time to do it in. We've been officially kicked out of the office so back to using internet cafe's to do internet and they always seem to skimp me on time. Anyway, all of the administration changes have been put into effect, and will be active starting next week with the end of this transfer. I have a new and rather unique assignment that I'll let you know about here in a bit but first of all...


This week has been quite an adventure, working hard with our investigator trying to help them to progress and gain that spark that'll ignite their testimony. We had planned to work with our investigator and help him to set a goal, a baptismal date. And we studied way hard, we prayed, fasted, and were very well prepared for the meeting with pavel. We were expecting to have to use quite a few scriptures and help him to understand how to recieve personal revelation a bit more and this is how the converstaion went.


EE- " hey, whats up?"


P- "Not much guys, I read the liahona you gave me about temples. That night I prayed before going to bed, and while I was a sleep I had a dream I was in the temple; dressed in all white. A man came up to me and took me aside, we had an interview and he told me the day that I needed to get baptized... does that normally happen?"


ES- (In English) " You've gotta be kidding me!"


Our whole lesson plan went out the window and we had a good long laugh. But now he has a goal, and something he's working for his fire's started and I have no doubt it will go through even if I'm not here to see it.


Saturday here in Novosibirsk was the Sibierian Festival of Running. Elder Stewart and I talked President Gibbons in to running the 5K with us. We didn't register the right way, We were supposed to get a doctors note, and permission from all of these people ha we just walked up to the registration booth and said, "hey we're American, and we wanna run the 5K."


They all flipped out and let us run for free and even gave us t-shirts that were supposed to be only for the half marathon relay. It was fun :) I'm way out of shape though, I kept telling myself I should be running this at a 6.30 pace but 6.59 isn't to bad for a fat kid.


It was an interesting/great experience, Standing at the start of the race, President Gibbons puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "this is the last race of your mission, leave it all out there." While, I was running I was thinking about my mission, and I kind of thought of it as a few huge rocks that the Lord has put me in front of and told me to get them moving. It started in Tomck, where when I started we hadn't had any baptisms in the city for 8 months. After 3 months of working hard the city became the top baptizing city in our mission. I was then transfred to Omck, which unfortunately was called "the armpit of the mission" at the time". After 9 months of work there the work began to progress and we started having success. Now I'm looking back, at my service as assistant and seeing the things that I've been able to help get started that are going to revolutionize the work here in Siberia. I feel that I've been able to in some small way get these rocks moving. Now I've got an even bigger one to work on.


In March of 2011, I had the opportunity to go with President Trejo to the smallest branch in our mission, Kemerovo. There are probably 4 semi-active members there, and our purpose in going was to announce that we would no longer be sending missionaries to the city of Kemerovo even part time as we had been. The members were devestated, and left the branch in tears. That same day a man who's been a member of the church for a year and a half moved from St. Petersburg to kemerovo because he felt he and his family needed too.Three months later he was given the Priesthood and set apart as branch president. This guy's been a member as long as I've been on my mission and he's the leader of a branch. The Lord calls he qualifies those he calls. This last transfer we decided we needed to re-open the city to fulltime missionary work.

I personally had been hoping to return to Omck, and finish my mission training a new missionary in a place where I knew. One day while driving with President Gibbons, he turned to me and with tears in his eyes said, "Elder Eborn, I want to keep you as an assistant for the rest of your mission, however I know the Lord needs you to help re-open Kemerovo." Talk about a big rock that needs to be moved.  I'll be taking a new missionary, Elder Conrad Carr, from Malibu California with me, where I will train him.

We'll be the only companionship of missionaries in the city and yesterday President Gibbons assigned me to serve as First Counselor in the Branch Presidency to help, support and train President Vladimir Filapov how to be a branch president.. So, this week I'll be heading out.


An Elder here in our mission, after finding out called me, and in a lowly voice said, "Elder Eborn, I was reading in the Doctrine and Coventants and I thought of you, I'd just like to share with you the words I read in D&C 31 (if you want to read it go a head it was really sweet an brought tears to my eyes. :)


I love this work, I love these people, and more importantly I love my Heavenly Father, and I'll do what he asks me to do.  Keep me in your prayers, I am going to so need it!


I love you.
liveSTRONG
Elder Eborn