You have been called to...............

We FINALLY found the pictures of Josh getting his mission call!

After sitting in the living room for a few hours, waiting for the mail to arrive, the letter was walked right to the front door by our super nice mail carrier! Josh, Lindsey and the boys had stayed home from school and work so they could all be there when he opened that big white envelope!

We had friends and family on the home phone, and 4 cell phones. One of the cell phones had Grandpa & Grandma Haskell listening at the MTC. So, a bunch of missionaries there got to listen on speaker phone too! It was an amazing moment for sure! Well, except for mom screaming so loud as soon as "MEXICO" was read that we had to read it again for everyone else.

Mexico City East Mission President

Robert H Hicken & Patricia Ryan Hicken

The mission president and his wife have been called by the First Presidency. They will begin their service about July 1, 2010.

Mexico Mexico City East Mission the Hickens are from the Gilbert Arizona Greenfield Stake, in Arizona.
Brother Hicken is a stake president and former counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, bishop and counselor and missionary in the West Mexican Mission. Retired vice president/general superintendent, Arizona West Contracting Corp. Born in Heber City, Utah, to Cyril Mahoney and Mazie Watson Hicken.

Sister Hicken is a counselor in the ward Relief Society presidency and a former ward Primary president, ward Relief Society president, stake Young Women camp director and ward Young Women adviser. Born in Heber City, Utah, to Allen Van and Ruby Simmons Ryan. They are the parents of six children.

A few random photo's we have recieved from the MTC

Wow! I didnt know they gave out jewelry at the MTC?!

Wrist band from the trips to the doctor's office and the hospital.

First Email HOME!

HEy!

From: Elder Haskell
To: Mom and dad
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Family,

So its P-day here! Remember to just reply with dearelder.com cuz i wont be able to get this email for another week. I miss you all so much! Its so amazing here! I know its only been like 2 weeks but its so crazy how fast time flies and how much you learn! I'm getting a little bit better at Spanish but i still kinda stink at it. lol And out of all the companions, i get the one who knows as little as i do! haha.. everyone else is alot better at it, but its okay.

e just got done at the temple! it was so amazing there!
Oh, and mom and dad I'm learning alot! i read about 34 sections in D&C yesterday. I'm so interested to know more!

OH, and mom, everyones getting so many packages with goodies... haha! I'm like the only dude who hasn't got a package...hint hint... lol.. but its all good.

Tell Lindsey ill write her back when i can get more stamps. Tell her that shes awesome! I cant believe how much I miss her! And I'm so proud of her. And tell her that the "I ended it!" thing doesn't count if you do it over the Internet!! lol I totally forgot to end it!

I hope your doing good mom, hopefully the family dramas are subsiding! Everyone you love and respect is behind you 100%! oh, and hows Kay?! hows she doing? wow. I really love her. I have awesome aunts. I am so happy that I got to have a room full of the people I love most when I was set apart.

Tell the boys i love them, and to not eat too many frosties while I'm gone! haha. and tell dad i love him alot. i hope his work is getting better! i pray for the family alot!
I gotta go but i love you all and miss you a ton!! i cant wait to get into the field and have it be for real!

-Elder Haskell

Oh and remember, DearElder.com is the best way to reply! use that! not this email address. this and letters are my only way of communication.

Love you Family,

Elder Haskell

Email dated 8-12-2010

Hellllloooo
From: Elder Haskell
To: Family
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey so its once again P-day. I swear it was p-day like 2 days ago, the time flies by!! I sent you pictures! i hope u get them soon. or maybe you already have it.
so we had 2 Elders go to the Peru MTC in our district yesterday! they stay 3 weeks here and 6 weeks at the Peru MTC because they are serving in Peru. now our district is only 10 elders now. I love my district! they are awesome!

So alot of people in the MTC are going to Mexico Missions.... but... none of their visa's are going through!! so this district of 10 guys ALL going to Mexico just got Temporarily re-assigned to a Stateside Mission!!! they dont know how long they'll be in their Stateside mission but i guess until the visa goes through. it would be cool to serve in the states for a bit then go to Mexico! some of that group i mentioned are going to Colorado springs, Sacramento California, Spokane or eastern Washington and Vegas. Crazy huh..

I have this weird feeling I will have my visa though, because i did it such a long time ago. who knows.. we'll see. 6 weeks left though and I either go to Mexico or get re-assigned temporarily! crazy.. time is flying by like you wouldn't believe!

I'm picking up Spanish a little bit now. when we went to the temple today i tried thinking of every word they said in English, in Spanish but it was hard. haha!
i just got my new Spanish bible and Bom engraved with my name. pretty cooL! i also have a Mexico shirt too! im so excited to just get out there in the field... like for real ya know...

Oh and whats the deal with this package? haha i swear I've had like 4 letters about when its coming but i have no clue when your actually sending it haha! anyways, i miss you and love you! tell everyone i said hi. dearelder me when you get this or when you get the pictures. Cya!!

Love you

-Elder Haskell

Hey Mom!

Email recieved 8-26-2010

From: Elder Haskell
To: My family
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey mom!

Wow, okay firstly i have to say that was SOOO crazy to see you hahah! it caught me off guard! I didn't know what to say or do haha! But it was so good to see you! My comp said it was so funny how that guy working on the lawns came over and was like:

"umm,u gotta go" and you where like, "yeah, yeah we get it...." lol!

my comp thought that was so cool and said to me, "okay Elder, now i see where you get it!" I'm so glad we are alike. lol

So i have a couple things to tell you about. On Tuesday, the gym was FINALLY done! It's been under construction so our Tuesday night and Sunday night MTC devotionals have been split up. But everyone is together in the gym now and it is way better.

Our first devotional in the new gym was with Jeffrey R Holland!!!!! We were 7 rows from the front so we were really close to him. (we were SO close that when he got going you could see some spit flying out from his mouth!!! hahah!) I just mean we were really close, I know that's not funny. lol

But anyway, no one knew he was coming until 5 minutes before it started. One of the MTC guys that was conducting stood up and said into the microphone......
"when we sing certain hymns we stand up together. And, the other times when we all stand is when an apostle or prophet enters the room"

Then he just stopped! So, everyone was like "uh, NO WAY we are going to have a apostle!!!" But then while we were singing "to bring his world the truth"
HE Walked in!!!!!!!!! It was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone just stood up at once. Here we are just singing along in the 3rd verse and an apostle just walking in... simply amazing! wish you could've seen it.

I signed up for a haircut the other day. To get a haircut here, you have to wake up at 6am to walk down and sign up! its hard to get a spot cuz its so busy. but i got a spot for next Monday! i love it here in the MTC, its hard and its tough, but knowing I'm going to bring salvation to so many souls feels incredible. I am right where i want to be.

So you got a job??? congrats!!! I'm happy for you! your gonna have to tell me more about it! I'm grateful for all the stories and quotes too! its awesome to read them after a long hard day. I remember that story about the deer meat. i remember you told me a long time ago and iv always remembered it.

I've been telling my companion how much we used to hang out and go see movies and go to lunch and stay up late laughing and having amazing talks. I realized just how much iv missed that. i love you so much mom! thanks for who are and everything you've done for me! i don't know what id do without you!

Can you believe I only have 3 and a half weeks and I'm outa here! Leaving the MTC probably and on my way to MEXICO!!!! i cantttttt waittttt to just get there!

I'm sure theres alot more i wanna say but I'm limited with time on here but i miss you and love you!

keep the letters coming, I'm gonna try to just respond on p-days or send the letters off on Monday so that you get them on Thursday cuz in Mexico il prob only use pday email to contact, no letters. its too complicated and expensive and it takes like 3 weeks to get a letter!

oh and tell Lindsey thanks for the letter! il write her a hand written letter today. tell her I'm so happy shes hanging out with Elyse! :)

Cya mom,

-Elder Haskell

Email - recieved 8-19-2010

WHAT WAS IN THE PACKAGE?!

From: Elder Haskell
To: Mom, Dad and Family
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey family!

so its P-day once again and i FINALLY got your package and i LOVE it! so does everyone else haha! they said it was the best package yet. I LOVED the tie pillow!!! And the chips and salsa was so good! The little basketball game is set up on my desk and everyone comes over and ends up playing it for a bit. lol This elder named Elder Juker was averaging a package a day! We decided thats rediculous.

So i decided to wait for today(p-day) to email you because i think our letters to each other and our responses are getting out of order so il just start fresh on this one. lol

The last letter i got from you was about jordans trek and austins mission call. Im so happy for jordan! Hes growing up! hes gonna be an awesome missionary someday. IM so happy for austin too! hes a great guy. tell him the MTC is definatley what you make of it!

But, the craziest thing about your letter was firstly, when you told me about the video you watched from lds.org, about the couple in the plane crash, because i watched that a day before i got your letter. what a coincidence!!

And also, i sent you a package with some random stuff for the family in it and a letter for you. It was a letter about how much i love you and about how I think the trials and things you have gone through in your life have made you stronger. But the crazy thing is in your letter i got from you, you talked alot about what i said in my letter to you!! I loved it! It was like WOW we are both thinking the same thing! i sent that package monday morning, and i got your letter that night i believe.

But anyways, I thought it was cool we were both thinking the same things and watching the same videos and feeling the same emotions from them even though we arent talking on the phone or hanging out! thats soo cool to me.

so just a little bit about whats been going on around here, EVERYONE is trading ties now hahah, its like the thing to do after you go back to the rooms haha! Everyone gets their ties on around there necks and walk around trying to trade up! haha. Its pretty funny, i keep getting good ones so i had this elder ask me to help him.

i love my room of elders, they are all sooo funny and supportive.. it really is like i have a family in them.. that emptiness I felt was like a hole and what was usually filled by my family was gone when i left home has been filled with the love of my companion and district! :)

Another thing i wasnted to tell you is in the MTC in every building their is this special room... known as the PILLOW ROOM! haha.. ask dad if he knows about it. its a room full of pillows to the ceiling, and you can get lost in it!!!!! But, here is the thing...... its locked. And no one has a key except the cleaners........ but.. ofcourse... i found out how to get in! hahah!! So, everyone was freaking out, running around knocking on doors saying YAY THE PILLOW ROOM! and taking pictures! it was hilarious. i have some pics I will send later on!

I also noticed Mark wrote me! i loved that!! it was so good to hear from him.. i really look up to him. Spanish is getting easier and im remembering things now.

OHHH and also.. you know i said everyone going to mexico is having a hard time getting their visa's.. well this entire district thats in our zone is going to mexico BUT none of them had their visa's.. so they got re-assigned temporarily around the states... But the visa is a 2 step process.

basically 1st you have to get something called your 'PERMISO' which i think means clearance to come or permission.. 2nd you need to travel to SLC to the consulate. But the PERMISO part is how you know you will get your visa.. and none of the elders that got re-assigned had theirs.. but i checked at the travel office and I HAD MY PERMISO already!!!! so i think il be leaving on time!!!! i get to call you when i find out and tell you so il be calling you in a couple weeks.. send me your cell phone number! i forgot it.


i gotta go but i love you so much and tell me when you get the package!!

Love you!

Elder Haskell

hey fam!

So I Am finally doing better! I just saw Dr Gardner today and got cleared to go on time and to Mexico!! FINALLY i got some good news! I'm so glad I'm able to go on time. i just hope my visa comes on time too.

So just a little bit about whats been happening:

My companion Elder Solheim broke his leg playing soccer and is now being delayed for like an extra 2 months.. He has to stay at the MTC. I feel bad for him and I know how he must feel since last week I was thinking I wouldn't be going to Mexico.

So, now i have a new companion. We switched companions in our room (we didn't choose it, the president did) so now my new comp is Elder Anderson. It was kinda weird at first but I'm glad they did it now because i will learn more Spanish with Elder Anderson. Me and Solheim weren't so good at Spanish so it helps to work with someone better now. oh and also we are the oldest district in our zone now, it feels pretty cool to be oldest :) I had Mcdonalds for the first time in 2 months the other day in the "real world" haha! they let us go eat when i had to wait for the MRI results at the doctors this past week.

So whats up with the car dying on ya? the rodeo finally died? that's not good.

i also wanted to say sorry for being negative on the phone last week. i was just super stressed out. It was pretty overwhelming to he in pain, and be stressed out on top of trying to push myself to learn all I need to! It was like "the perfect storm" of emotions and for the first time, I didnt have my family to talk to.

But talking to you guys just made me miss you alot.. but, i knew i had to re-focus so i did. And i feel alot better now. Especially knowing I'm going on time and back on track with leaving for Mexico.

Thanks so much for all your letters, and prayers. It really does help. and i love letters from you and the family. tell everyone sorry if i dont write them back really fast, it gets really busy here. I got the letter emma wrote me! Tell her I loved it. haha! and that I tink she is awesome! Even my little cousin is supportive and thats pretty cool!

So, this is my second to last P-day at the MTC and then i should be OUTA here. It's cool and all but you kinda get cabin fever after 8 weeks...lol

Make sure jordan and jared send me little letters every now and then. it really helps me to hear from them.. seriously. I'm so blessed to have such an amazing family! And tell Lindsey to write me too. i love her alot! tell her to e-mail me so i can get her e-mail address.

Miss you all so much and love you!

:) - Elder Haskell

Email for Lindsey from Elder Haskell - 7-29-2010

for lindsey
From: Elder Haskell
To: Lindsey
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

hey lindsey! well.. i wrote you a letter, but i havent sent it yet cuz im waiting for mom to reply to my letter first. Then I will mail it.

I love you so much. i hope your doing great! i know i am! its really awesome here. its hard, but awesome! we all went to the temple today at the provo temple and it was amazing.

Id love to hear from you lindsey! when you reply back to me use DearElder.com!!! what it does is sends the mtc your letter(on email) and then prints it to a letter for us! so its same day letter service.. cuz i cant check emails except on thursdays but i can get letters anytime.. then il send you a letter in the mail.

Love you linds! :)

Email from Elder Haskell 7-29-2010

Jordan and Jared,

The MTC is AWESOME! We get as s much food as you want and I get to learn spanish! I'm so lucky to be here. I miss you guys sooo much! hows everything going at home!? remember you have to keep me updated on everything! oh, and dont let Lindsey date idiots. haha :) miss you guys alot. I dont have much time on email here at the MTC so you can email me back or send me a email on DearElder.com!! use that! its the best way to send me a letter! :)

I promise il write you as much as i can boys! miss you and love you alot! take care of mom for me! oh.. and harley haha..

LOve you

-Elder Haskell

First Email from the MTC 7-29-2010

From: Elder Haskell
To: Mom & dad and Family
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey so its p-day and i have like NO time to write a good email but you should still send me a letter! haha. i hope you got the 2 i sent you in the mail. Elyse sent me brownies and 2 letters already :) i only get 30 min for writing emails on p-day! Total crap-ola!
My companions name is Elder Solheim and he"s so funny! We have 12 in our distrcit, 4 to mexico city east, 6 to mex city west and 2 peru! cool huh.

How is everyone?? i love it here, its been hard and fun a the same time. i have a million stories already but i am writing in my journal practically every night and i love doing it now! wierd huh.. i hope the family is doing well! i miss you all alot, oh and USE DEAR ELDER to send letters! its same day service! everyone uses that.

we went to the temple today, it was awesome. like 40 missionaries all in one session, amazing. i go to the temple every Thursday at 10am. ;) wouldn't that be weird to run into you? haha

Everytime i play at the field for sports i look for you and people i recognize.
better go, I'm running out of time. I wont be able to check my email again until next Thursday so... don't use email that much. Dearelder.com is the way to go.
Love you!!!
Elder Haskell

Letter for Elder Haskell

I sent this to Elder Haskell today and loved it so much I wanted to share it. Emma is five years old and full of personality! Enjoy!-----------------------

Mary Tyler September 5 at 10:08pm
Hey June! Emma wrote a letter to Josh, and I was wondering if you could get it to him, since tomorrow is his P day. I will just attatch it, since I don't know how to reach him. That would be great if you could! Love you all!


Dear Josh, 09-05-10

How are you on your mission? Are you having a great time? I am!
I am going to the zoo tomorrow for the first time EVER! Jonas, my nephew is coming too! We’ll see Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, OH MY! Have you ever gone to the zoo before? If you have, I was wondering if there are lions. Do they have an aquarium with Sharks?
What is it like in the MTC? I hope you’re having a fun time. When are you going to be back, and how long will it take? Can missionaries play games? Can you play only Jesus games? What kind of games do you play?
How well do you speak Spanish? I bet you’re getting really, really good! Do you know how to sing I am a child of God in Spanish? Maybe when you get home, you can sing it with Mary!
I just started Kindergarten. It is very fun. My teacher’s name is Mrs. Fewerline. I know you have never heard of her, but that is because she is new to our school. The first day of school we mostly just learned laws, and then played. And sometime Mrs. Fewerline is a happy fairy who gives tokens. But, if we don’t obey the laws, then she will turn into a mean, and wicked witch who will take away our tokens. There is a cubby fairy who gives sparkly tokens. Sparkly tokens are worth five tokens. She didn’t come last time to school. That is okay. Maybe she’ll come next time, which is after we go to the zoo on Monday. I love school. It is really, really fun.
I have to go to bed now. Thank you for talking to me. I hope I will see you again!
Love, your cousin, Emma Tyler