Elder Haskell, January 4, 2016

Ok.  Here it goes: my first big email.  Sorry I've been a slacker and not done an email yet but there will still be like 97 more, so stay tuned!

Hello from the CRM!!!!!!! California Roseville Mission, aka the best mission in the world!!! I'm going to try to tell you everything, so I might jump around a little.

I'm in a bike area and it's awesome.  I lucked out and got an awesome bike.  It's a racing road bike made of aluminum! I love it!! I ride it everyday! And it's great! No one tells you riding a bike when you're 20 is just as fun as when your 10! I have crashed a few times but nothing bad and I landed on my feet most times so it's all good! Biking is super fun! I can bike with no hands really well now! Anyway, it's a blast!

So the really great part of the CRM is the people.  They are so amazing!

So I'll tell you about 2 families we have been teaching the gospel and then will tell you about a family in the ward. So the first person I need to tell you about is C.  She is the mother of 2 boys.  They are great!  The one is an awesome little 3 year old.  The other is 6 and he wants to be baptized and loves going to church.  He is so cool! It's crazy and awesome to see how young kids recognize us as representatives of Jesus Christ!  The other family is T and E.  They have two boys, too.  They are great and I am so excited for them.  It's truly amazing to me to see how Heavenly Father can bring people together and especially bring families together and help them grow. It is hard to see the attack on the family that is happening in our day in age, but it is amazing to see the power of Heavenly Father and the ability that he has to heal any and all things if we let him!

I have to make a special mention of Brother and Sister Ericson.  These people are amazing.  They are two members of our ward that feed us all the time.  Anytime we have have an empty spot they sign up for it and they always take care of us. They made us feel at home around Christmas. But the best part is they do so much for everyone in the ward.  There's not a person in the ward who doesn't know them and it's not because they're loud or chatty,  it's because they reach out to every single person, because they serve every single person, not in an overbearing way but in a truly loving way.  It's incredible to see them in action as they fulfill their callings and then go above and beyond to do all the things the Lord would have them do! They are great members to us and everyone!

Another story for you: one day this week, we said we would find someone to teach the gospel to, so we knocked on a bunch of doors all morning and found no one interested in hearing us, not a soul.  Then, later on in the day, we decided to help a man with some service.  His friend came to help, and it turned out that his friend was interested in learning the gospel! 

I am coming to know that setting goals is an act of faith, and when we show faith and act in faith the Lord will always, always without a doubt answer!!!

Anyway, that's all I have for now, other than if we just do the little things like pray, read our scriptures, go to church, and follow the commandments, then we'll be 1000000000000000000 times happier. I am coming to understand it's a simple gospel He gives us, and it brings exceeding joy!

Elder Nathan E. Haskell, Roseville CA

 

Elder Haskell, December 7, 2015

So everything is going great! We are teaching three families that I am really excited for.  There are also some investigators who have been learning the gospel for a long time, and we love them.  I love the people here a lot!

Everything is going great here! I love my trainer.  I love being a missionary, and the routine is perfect.  I really like it!  I am eating lots of different food.

Elder Nathan E. Haskell, Roseville, CA

Elder Haskell, November 30, 2015

Hello!

The mission has been very good so far! I love it here! It's kinda like Maryland weather-wise right now, so it's a little wet and a little cool, but not as humid.  It must have been dry all summer, though, because everyone's lawns are gone! 

When I first arrived, I got to meet my mission president, and I like him a lot.  He is really loving, which is good! But other than that, it was all instructional, and that was boring, but my first night here we stayed in a hotel, which was nice of them, and they did a lot to welcome all of the new people. 

The next night was when my mission really started! It was interesting: our lesson canceled but we had dinner with a member who took us to a sushi restaurant.  I had decided that I will never say "no" on my mission to food, so when the member asked if I was ok with sushi, I said "yes"! So, I ate some and it was ok.  I had like 5 or 6 roles, so I think I did well, and who knows, maybe I'll like it one day! But it made for an interesting first night. That was also the first night with my trainer, too, and I like him a lot.  He has been on his mission for 6 months and is from Rexburg.  His name is Elder Denney (yes, with two e's).  He is a good trainer. 

The next day was Thanksgiving! It was great!  Our zone did a service project at an older lady's house for a few hours and then ward ultimate frisbee, which was a really fun way too meet some new members! Then that night we had Thanksgiving dinner twice! Once at the bishop's and once at a member of the ward council's house.  That was good and filling, and yes I ate my vegetables! 

After that it was a lot more mission-like.  We met some investigators had some lessons and even met four investigators. It's been a great week! 

 I'm on a bike! I got a loner from the mission that I get to use for my whole mission.  Most times the bikes are pretty bad bikes, but mine is really nice!  But I like biking a lot.  It's really fun!

Elder Haskell

 

A few parting words, and then off to work....

Elder Nathan Haskell left Maryland with some fond farewells, and arrived in Utah November 10th, 2015.  He spent time with his brothers and their wives before spending two weeks in the MTC.

Called to Serve in Roseville, CA

Nathan was called to serve in the Roseville, CA mission.  He will be serving from November 2015-November 2017, entering the Provo, UT MTC on November 11, 2015.

Nathan went to the temple with his parents, sister, and brother-in-law on October 12th, 2015.

Nathan was set apart as a Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on November 9th, 2015.  His parents, Stake President Brady, and Bishop Pearce were present.