Our last phone call from the USA

At 8:10am this morning, the phone rang.  We knew Josh would be calling so while he talked to me, Brian got Jordan and Jared up.  We all sat on the bed, around the phone and then got Lindsey to conference in on her cell phone from school. 

Our Elder Haskell was so excited to be at the airport and finally on his way!  He talked to each of us individually and for just a moment it was like he was back home with us, laughing and getting sports updates from the boys.  He told us a few funny stories about the MTC and his companions. 

And then, he gave his brothers some advice.  Things like reading the scriptures and saying your prayers.   He talked about how much he loves the Book of Mormon.  He told Jordan and Jared how much he loved being able to be a missionary.  He told Lindsey how proud he is to have her as his sister and  how much he loved her. 

Before he signed off, Joshua told us how excited he is to get to bring such an incredible message to the people of Mexico City.  Then he bore his testimony to us, and it was something I will treasure always.  Unless you have sent a son on a mission, you just wont quite know how amazing it is to see such a transformation in just 3 months.  It's quite something to watch your boy becoming a man. 

Fathers and Sons

WOW!!!! its finally here!

October 7, 2010

My last email from the MTC!

MOM MOM MOM!  I'm really gonna miss you!

I cant believe I leave this next Monday!  WOW!!!! its finally here! I'm super ready though!

i know I'm not good at Spanish yet but i know the lord will help me as long as i give it 100%

I'm so proud of Lindsey and her schooling! On the dean's list twice!  Shes gonna make a great wife, mother and woman someday.  She's the best! Can you tell her to  aim high in everything she does because she deserves the best!!!

And tell her i noticed some "posing pics" of her in the album haha, il show some good candidates of missionaries and see what i can do hahaha. maybe get her a pen pall... :p
  

I'm so grateful for the Lord, for allowing me to be here, and be healthy.  Mom and Dad, I am very blessed to  have a mom and dad that raised me and have helped me get me to where i am now!

I'm so glad i waited until now to serve because i know I'm supposed to go to Mexico! i cant wait to go through all the crazy things Mexico City has to offer! Dont worry mom, I've been cautioned not to tell you any scary stuff until i get back home....haha!!  

PLEASE PLEASE let the boys stay home from school Monday morning!!!!!

I really wanna talk to both of them on the phone when I call.   It'll be anywhere from 8-10am so please answer any calls during that time.

I  LOVE YOU all with all my heart! I hope and pray daily that everyone in the family stays safe and happy. 

And can i just say how much i love the book of Mormon now too!!  Its AMAZING and there are so many legit stories in it!

There is no way Joseph Smith could have ever made any of it up.   Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God that restored the gospel back to the earth! It's so cool to have such a strong testimony of these things!! I love it  because it feels so right. And i know how much it will bless me in my life.

I wanna challenge you and the family to see if you can read the whole Book of Mormon before i get home. I'm reading it now and will be done in a couple of weeks!

Gotta go, but tell everyone how much i love them! and please BE HOME when i call on Monday!


Love ya!

E. Haskell

Quotes sent by Elder Haskell this week

 

"Faith in something greater than ourselves enables us to do what we have said we'll do, to press forward when we are tired or hurt or afraid, to keep going when the challenge seems overwhelming and the course is entirely uncertain."
— Gordon B. Hinckley

 

 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

 

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

 

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."

-- Used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech