I Can Do Hard Things | I Am Ready

This week has been pretty interesting for me---Not in a good way. It's been a hard week that has tried my patience. As you know, we got a bunch of new missionaries in last week and they've been great! Also, a new group of native missionaries from Ukraine and Russia arrived. Elder Drasso and I had to give a presentation to them on "Planning" we did as much of it as we could in Russian (which wasn't very much) they told us that we sound very good and that we should be speaking Russian perfectly within a few months in the field. The natives didn't happen to mention to us at the beginning of our presentation that they ALL spoke English.  They made us sweat it out... but it was good, I love speaking Russian. We have 100% Speak Your Language (SYL) days throughout the week which rocks!

Danny and I had the chance to sit together and watch a movie after a devotional. He leaves in a week and I'll be all alone here. A lot of friends have already come and a I've still have 3 weeks.

Last Tuesday night, I was getting ready to go do our room checks and make sure everything's alright when I got a knock on my door. It was one of my new Elders. He was standing in my door way with his companion and his suitcases all packed. I asked what was going on and he told me that he had made arrangements and that his parents were on their way to pick him up he was done being a missionary. It broke my heart---I walked him up to the front of the MTC called our Branch President who had no idea what was going on. I waited until his parents arrived. I think that watching that Elder drive off around the corner with his family at 11 oclock at night, was the worst feeling I've had on my mission thus far. I don't think I slept more than an hour that night. I'm sorry mom, But there is no way, that I'm coming home for the next 2 years. Just letting you know, if I have to come home early, it will be in a box! LOL.

This week with the language wasn't the easiest either, I've been working so hard and it feels like the words don't stay with me. We've learned some complex grammar principles that just totally blow my mind and I have no idea how to implement them while I speak. However, I have been speaking alot more Russian which is DA-BOMB. Elder Mueller (Danny) while we watched the movie on Sunday, shared some of the first lesson in each of our languages well we shared the First Vision. It was pretty sweet. ... It sounds a lot more mean in Russian--not gonna lie.

We had a great discussion this Saturday on the Atonement. Not only what we always think, of when we say the Atonement, which is the redeeming power of the atonement. (Which is super amazing in and of itself). I mean, how great is it that we can be cleansed from our sins through the sacrafice of our Savior Jesus Christ. I am eternally greatful for him. We also talked about the enabling power of the Atonement. I found a quote in my Preach My Gospel from my mission prep class that fell out while we were talking about it. It was from Elder Bednar he said, "... through the enabling power of the atonement we can accomplish things that seem impossible." or something like that... I know that with the help of my Savior, I can do things that I could not on my own. I can do hard things through the power of the atonement and I am so greatful for it.

Thank you for my ring mom and dad! Ha I got it right after I sent your email last week---you totally called it mom, it fits perfect!  It can't come off my finger without the finger coming off as well. As for stuff that I need before I take off, I won't need a lot maybe a few more sweaters and couple of short sleeve white shirts size. Other than that, I am ready. My camera cord was in my camera box in my room but I'm sure that it's all Meganized by now LOL. It's a sony thats all I know about it lol. Mom don't worry about my passport. they've got it here and I've seen it a few times when I had to go (yes for the 3rd time) RETAKE Visa pictures.  Plus I'll be getting a 2nd passport when I get to Russia.

Time is up! Know that I love you all and miss you like crazy!

LIVESTRONG,
Elder Eborn