Dear Family,
So we had a baptism this past week. It was really awesome. His name is Edin Zavala and he is from Honduras. He is really an amazing guy and he is going to be a great member of the church.
That is the main news for this past week. It has gotten a lot cooler here and the wind has picked up. It is pretty intense sometimes when we are riding our bikes. We have to fight against the wind and it makes for slow going. But when the wind is behind us we can really get going. I love being able to bike aroung everywhere and this past week I got a really nice bike that fits me well. I got the scarf and gloves(thanks a bunch) so those should keep me warm for the next little while. I am going to go get some sweaters and I already got myself a nice big jacket.
New Jersey is really pretty right now. The trees are all different colors and all of the Halloween decorations are up. It is really fun to take the train places and see all of the trees and the changing season. I really love all of the trees here(there are tons of them).
Other than that I don't really have much to update on. We are working hard and I am learning lots of stuff. I finished the Book of Mormon again this past week. I love the scriptures and everytime that I read them I am able to find amazing things. The stories and doctrine that the Book of Mormon contains are amazing. I am always trying to get people to read the book because it is impossible to deny the power that it contains.
This coming week is the last week of the transfer and lots of things will be changing up next wendsday. I am pretty sure that I will be staying here in New Brunswick but I think my companion will be going somewhere else. He is really a great guy and I really enjoy being able to work around him. Other than that things are going well and I am in good health.
Love,
Elder Haslam
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Hispanics are Awesome (October 15, 2008)
Dear Family,
I love serving the hispanics here in New Jersey. There are really fun and really fun to be with. There are tons of them in New Brunswick, from every country imaginable. We were street contacting with a member and a less-active in Brunswick and we were talking about how there are no white people in that part of the town. My companion and I were sure that there must be some white people somewhere but the members didn't believe us. So we decided to try and find some gringo but 30 min went by before we so any white person at all, only hispanics and morenos(blacks). It is really great here, not a cooler place in the world.
So this past Friday one of our investigators got married(finally). This has been in the works for the past nine months and I am super stoked that I get to be here to see it happen. The wedding was in our church building and almost the entire branch showed up for it. He has been going to church for the past eight months so everyone is really excited that he is getting baptized. Anyways, so the wedding was supposed to start at 7:30 and then there was going to be a big party afterwards. I was really excited for the party because all of the members brought food form their own country and I was excited to eat and listen to all of the crazy hispanic music. But everyone was late and the wedding didn't happen until 9:15. So basically we got to see the wedding, took a couple pictures, grabbed a plate of food to go, and then rushed back to the apartment because we were way late getting home. It was a really cool wedding though and he is getting baptized on Sunday.
In other news, I am in Princeton today for Pday. We took the train down so that I could pick up a bike that I bought from an elder that is going home next transfer. It is a really good bike and I am stoked to finally have a bike that is mine and the gears don't slip every 5 minutes. The bike that I have been using was just left in Brunswick by another elder and it is a bike that you would buy at walmart for 100 dollars and it is to big for me. But now I have my own bike so I am stoked.
Also hispanic food is really amazing, especially Dominican beans. We ate at a Dominican's house and they gave us the best plate of rice, beans and chicken that I have ever eaten. I really love hispanic food and everything that I have eaten so far has been really good. We also had spicy mexican meatball soup with rice and tortillas called albondigas. It was really good but I destroyed one of my shirts because she made me laugh and I spilled on myself. We also had really good tostadas at a members house in Redbank. I was on an exchange for a day with one of my zone leaders and we went to correlacion and he fed us tostadas. I had three stacked high with beans and chicken and they were really good. Today we are going to Chuck's in Princeton to get cheese steaks(they are supposed to be amazing).
Other than that the work is great. I am learning tons and my spanish has improved lots. It really helps to be just hear it an the members are always a really big help with it. We go and help them with their english and they help us with our spanish. It is really great and spanish is awsome. I love to see the looks on the hisapnics' faces when you say hi to them and speak spanish. They are usually really suprised at first and then they asks you how you learned to speak and then it flows really easily into talking about why we are here and what we are doing. I am getting more comfortable with just being able to talk to people and I can pretty much understand everything that is going on even if I don't understand all of the words. I am still working on expressing myself and expanding my vocabulary but it is all coming along really well.
I love the gospel and the scriptures and I am so glad to be out here teaching the people in the best mission in the world.
Love,
Elder Haslam
P.S. Dad if I could get 100 dollars in my account I would really appreciate it, that is all I need and I should be set. And if you could send me a couple pairs of thermal garments I would appreciate it. Winter on a bike is supposed to be rough without them. (7 degrees last year)
I love serving the hispanics here in New Jersey. There are really fun and really fun to be with. There are tons of them in New Brunswick, from every country imaginable. We were street contacting with a member and a less-active in Brunswick and we were talking about how there are no white people in that part of the town. My companion and I were sure that there must be some white people somewhere but the members didn't believe us. So we decided to try and find some gringo but 30 min went by before we so any white person at all, only hispanics and morenos(blacks). It is really great here, not a cooler place in the world.
So this past Friday one of our investigators got married(finally). This has been in the works for the past nine months and I am super stoked that I get to be here to see it happen. The wedding was in our church building and almost the entire branch showed up for it. He has been going to church for the past eight months so everyone is really excited that he is getting baptized. Anyways, so the wedding was supposed to start at 7:30 and then there was going to be a big party afterwards. I was really excited for the party because all of the members brought food form their own country and I was excited to eat and listen to all of the crazy hispanic music. But everyone was late and the wedding didn't happen until 9:15. So basically we got to see the wedding, took a couple pictures, grabbed a plate of food to go, and then rushed back to the apartment because we were way late getting home. It was a really cool wedding though and he is getting baptized on Sunday.
In other news, I am in Princeton today for Pday. We took the train down so that I could pick up a bike that I bought from an elder that is going home next transfer. It is a really good bike and I am stoked to finally have a bike that is mine and the gears don't slip every 5 minutes. The bike that I have been using was just left in Brunswick by another elder and it is a bike that you would buy at walmart for 100 dollars and it is to big for me. But now I have my own bike so I am stoked.
Also hispanic food is really amazing, especially Dominican beans. We ate at a Dominican's house and they gave us the best plate of rice, beans and chicken that I have ever eaten. I really love hispanic food and everything that I have eaten so far has been really good. We also had spicy mexican meatball soup with rice and tortillas called albondigas. It was really good but I destroyed one of my shirts because she made me laugh and I spilled on myself. We also had really good tostadas at a members house in Redbank. I was on an exchange for a day with one of my zone leaders and we went to correlacion and he fed us tostadas. I had three stacked high with beans and chicken and they were really good. Today we are going to Chuck's in Princeton to get cheese steaks(they are supposed to be amazing).
Other than that the work is great. I am learning tons and my spanish has improved lots. It really helps to be just hear it an the members are always a really big help with it. We go and help them with their english and they help us with our spanish. It is really great and spanish is awsome. I love to see the looks on the hisapnics' faces when you say hi to them and speak spanish. They are usually really suprised at first and then they asks you how you learned to speak and then it flows really easily into talking about why we are here and what we are doing. I am getting more comfortable with just being able to talk to people and I can pretty much understand everything that is going on even if I don't understand all of the words. I am still working on expressing myself and expanding my vocabulary but it is all coming along really well.
I love the gospel and the scriptures and I am so glad to be out here teaching the people in the best mission in the world.
Love,
Elder Haslam
P.S. Dad if I could get 100 dollars in my account I would really appreciate it, that is all I need and I should be set. And if you could send me a couple pairs of thermal garments I would appreciate it. Winter on a bike is supposed to be rough without them. (7 degrees last year)
The Leaves Change Colors (Oct 8, 2008)
Dear Family,
So this past week has been really awesome. We had zone conference last Friday and then general conference this past week end, which all together made for quite a bit of notes on my part. It was really good and I learned a ton from everything. Conference was kinda tough because I watched it in spanish with our branch so it was a pretty big mental task. I was trying to listen to everything going on, take notes, and try to understand has much as possible. It was kinda hard because some things just don't transilate into spanish, especially the jokes, but I enjoyed it none the less.
I really like our branch and I am finding that hispanics are really more fun that white people. It is kinda weird when we come to our church building in East Brunswick and see white people here. We avoid them as much as possible, mostly because they always assume you just got transfered because they have never seen you before. Granted I did just get here but they still do it with my companion also. So we limit our contact with white people as much as possible, which is pretty easy. In New Brunswick, in the areas we work in, there are not any white people anyways; only hispanics and blacks. It is really weird if you see a white person at all.
Ok so here is the update on my eating abilities: It is going really well and I am getting to the point where I can eat a ridiculous amount of food in one sitting. On monday night we ate at a little Columbian lady's house. She made us lasagna and it was the most amazing food I have every had in my entire life. I could not get enough of it and I ate a ton. The members never let you dish out your own plate, they just put the amount done that they want you to eat and you eat it or else they really offened. So this little lady had made an entire pan of lasagna and I ate the half she put on my plate and Elder Ritchie ate the other half on the pan that she put on may plate. It was a ton of food and it was amazing. The plates were the size of the big plates we have at home if not a little bigger and the entire plate was covered in this very large piece of lasagna. She also gave us another plate with garlic bread and corn tortillas and I finished it all off with two bowls of ice cream and a pastry she made. It was all amazing food and afterwards I was stuffed so the plan to expand my stomach is going well. The members feed us all the time and lots of times we have to tell members we cannot come and eat or else we would get no work done.
Fall has come to Brunswick and it is really pretty. There are no trees in the city where we work but the drive to our building is really pretty because then we can see all of the leaves changing colors.
Things are going well and I am loving it here. We have a baptism next week and a wedding on Friday. I am really excited for all of that. I love being a missionary and I will try to get a letter off this week with a tape and send home pictures.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS I need a little more money to buy my bike. Only $150 more and I should be done with everything. Also if you could send me out those black pair of gloves that I bought with Mom before BYU is would appreciate it. It is getting cold, but I will be fine. I just need to but a couple dress sweaters and I will be good. Thanks
So this past week has been really awesome. We had zone conference last Friday and then general conference this past week end, which all together made for quite a bit of notes on my part. It was really good and I learned a ton from everything. Conference was kinda tough because I watched it in spanish with our branch so it was a pretty big mental task. I was trying to listen to everything going on, take notes, and try to understand has much as possible. It was kinda hard because some things just don't transilate into spanish, especially the jokes, but I enjoyed it none the less.
I really like our branch and I am finding that hispanics are really more fun that white people. It is kinda weird when we come to our church building in East Brunswick and see white people here. We avoid them as much as possible, mostly because they always assume you just got transfered because they have never seen you before. Granted I did just get here but they still do it with my companion also. So we limit our contact with white people as much as possible, which is pretty easy. In New Brunswick, in the areas we work in, there are not any white people anyways; only hispanics and blacks. It is really weird if you see a white person at all.
Ok so here is the update on my eating abilities: It is going really well and I am getting to the point where I can eat a ridiculous amount of food in one sitting. On monday night we ate at a little Columbian lady's house. She made us lasagna and it was the most amazing food I have every had in my entire life. I could not get enough of it and I ate a ton. The members never let you dish out your own plate, they just put the amount done that they want you to eat and you eat it or else they really offened. So this little lady had made an entire pan of lasagna and I ate the half she put on my plate and Elder Ritchie ate the other half on the pan that she put on may plate. It was a ton of food and it was amazing. The plates were the size of the big plates we have at home if not a little bigger and the entire plate was covered in this very large piece of lasagna. She also gave us another plate with garlic bread and corn tortillas and I finished it all off with two bowls of ice cream and a pastry she made. It was all amazing food and afterwards I was stuffed so the plan to expand my stomach is going well. The members feed us all the time and lots of times we have to tell members we cannot come and eat or else we would get no work done.
Fall has come to Brunswick and it is really pretty. There are no trees in the city where we work but the drive to our building is really pretty because then we can see all of the leaves changing colors.
Things are going well and I am loving it here. We have a baptism next week and a wedding on Friday. I am really excited for all of that. I love being a missionary and I will try to get a letter off this week with a tape and send home pictures.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS I need a little more money to buy my bike. Only $150 more and I should be done with everything. Also if you could send me out those black pair of gloves that I bought with Mom before BYU is would appreciate it. It is getting cold, but I will be fine. I just need to but a couple dress sweaters and I will be good. Thanks
Rain and Fall in New Jersey (October 1, 2008)
Dear Family,
So another week has come and gone over here. It is really great here and I am loving every minute of here in New Brunswick. We are working really hard and we set up a baptism date with Edin (he is from Honduras) for the 18th of October. The missionaries have been working with him for over a year now and he is finally getting baptized. The thing that has been holding him back is that he is not married to his esposa; but he is going to get married on the 10th and then baptized the next week. He is a really nice guy and has been coming to church for the past 8 months he just is not married, but that is getting fixed soon. He is kinda hard to understand when he speaks along with all other hispanics from Honduras; they seem to mumble and drop of the ends of their words but I am getting better at understanding everybody.
We have a goal of three baptisms this transfer so we are working really hard to make that goal. We are teaching a girl named Alirice and she is really coming along well. She lives below the ward mission leader, and we think that she is really for baptism but we need to talk to her parents about it first. We just found out that her mother was baptized in Mexico about 20 years ago, so we are also trying to get her to come back to church with us. Hopefully Alirice will be baptized this coming month also, we'll see. We have a couple other people that we are also considering but we will see how that all pans out.
The work is great and nothing can stop it. We have ridden our bikes in the rain for the past week and it is really fun. We get wet but we are never cold because we are riding fast and it is not a very cold rain at all. The constant humidity keeps us pretty warm and the transition from hot houses, to humid outside, to back into hot houses keeps it interesting. I am having the time of my life. My trainer is really cool. He is from Boulder Creek, CA and we both work really hard together. He knows this area really well and that really helps so that we don't waste time trying to find places. Our area is pretty small and takes in New Brunswick and parts of North Brunswick. There is a huge contrast from downtown Brunswick to where we usually work which is in all of the run down houses just south of downtown. For example there is a childern's hospital downtown which is reall nice and is you go 10 blocks away you go into the ghetto where the only white people around are us on our bikes.
It is reall great here and I am learning lots and having a great time.
Love,
Elder Haslam
So another week has come and gone over here. It is really great here and I am loving every minute of here in New Brunswick. We are working really hard and we set up a baptism date with Edin (he is from Honduras) for the 18th of October. The missionaries have been working with him for over a year now and he is finally getting baptized. The thing that has been holding him back is that he is not married to his esposa; but he is going to get married on the 10th and then baptized the next week. He is a really nice guy and has been coming to church for the past 8 months he just is not married, but that is getting fixed soon. He is kinda hard to understand when he speaks along with all other hispanics from Honduras; they seem to mumble and drop of the ends of their words but I am getting better at understanding everybody.
We have a goal of three baptisms this transfer so we are working really hard to make that goal. We are teaching a girl named Alirice and she is really coming along well. She lives below the ward mission leader, and we think that she is really for baptism but we need to talk to her parents about it first. We just found out that her mother was baptized in Mexico about 20 years ago, so we are also trying to get her to come back to church with us. Hopefully Alirice will be baptized this coming month also, we'll see. We have a couple other people that we are also considering but we will see how that all pans out.
The work is great and nothing can stop it. We have ridden our bikes in the rain for the past week and it is really fun. We get wet but we are never cold because we are riding fast and it is not a very cold rain at all. The constant humidity keeps us pretty warm and the transition from hot houses, to humid outside, to back into hot houses keeps it interesting. I am having the time of my life. My trainer is really cool. He is from Boulder Creek, CA and we both work really hard together. He knows this area really well and that really helps so that we don't waste time trying to find places. Our area is pretty small and takes in New Brunswick and parts of North Brunswick. There is a huge contrast from downtown Brunswick to where we usually work which is in all of the run down houses just south of downtown. For example there is a childern's hospital downtown which is reall nice and is you go 10 blocks away you go into the ghetto where the only white people around are us on our bikes.
It is reall great here and I am learning lots and having a great time.
Love,
Elder Haslam
New Jersey (Sep 24, 2008)
Dear Family,
I think that I will start this off with a little commentary about foriegn missions vs. New Jersey mission. So foriegn missions:
1. Don't drink that water 2. Watch for Bugs(ie bed bugs, cockroaches, large centipede creatures that bite ect.) 3. Becareful of watch you say( it could be a drug call) 4. Space is rare (usually 4 families to a house) 5. Religious Contention (Jews vs Christians)
So that is a typicall foriegn mission. To know what the Cherry Hill Mission is like refer to what a foriegn mission is like.
This place is amazing here and I love it. The top part may sould negative but it is not, its just funny. But it is true all of those things go on our here. We are supposed to filter our water before we drink it, our apartment has been under attack for bedbugs (we are pretty sure we have killed all of them now), and there are lots of Jews here. It is great. I didn't really even know bed bugs were in thwe United States but yep they do exist and they suck your blood when you are sleepying. We did a massive cleaning of the apartment though so we think that we got them all. Also there is a story of an elder here who got his tie lit on fire my a Jew. But don't worry that was in Lakewood not New Brunswick.
Things are going great here. We are working really hard and trying to teach as much as possible. Spanish is coming along and I am trying really hard to express my self in spanish and it is coming. It si really great to be able to teach people in Spanish and it is really cool to see them start to understand certain things as we go along in the lessons. The Hispanic people are really awesome. I am currently working on a plan to expand my stomach so that I can eat more, beacuse they do not believe in small portions and I don't want to insult anybody. I have eaten everything so far but we haven't gotten anything weird yet so I have been okay.
Missionary work is awesome even though some people won't listen. We got called liars and laughed at the other day, talked to a less-active who wrestled 'the devil,' and ran into a penacostal who tald us that we should ask for the gift of longues so that we could pray to God in His language. It has been really great. We bike every where so my legs have been pretty tired, and by the time i get home at night I plan, pray, and sleep. We are working hard to get people to church even though it is difficult because everyone works and and only a handful of people have cars.
We are working with two people who have baptismal dates next month. One just has to learn more, and the other one needs to get married to his 'esposa.' That is one interesting thing; most people have kids, live together, call eachother husband and wife, but they are not married. People do it for lots of different reasons, some are lazy, some don't have the money, and some just don't think it is wrong. But that is what we are here for; to bring them the truth.
Anyway I will finish with the countries that I have met people from:
Mexico( Puebla, Oaxaca, Vera Cruz, Acapulco, La Ciudad)
Puerto Rico
Honduras
Brazil
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Venazuela
People from Honduras are really hard to understand. They just mumble.
Anyways I hope everything is giong well at home. Good job Tal with your game.
Love,
ELder Haslam
I think that I will start this off with a little commentary about foriegn missions vs. New Jersey mission. So foriegn missions:
1. Don't drink that water 2. Watch for Bugs(ie bed bugs, cockroaches, large centipede creatures that bite ect.) 3. Becareful of watch you say( it could be a drug call) 4. Space is rare (usually 4 families to a house) 5. Religious Contention (Jews vs Christians)
So that is a typicall foriegn mission. To know what the Cherry Hill Mission is like refer to what a foriegn mission is like.
This place is amazing here and I love it. The top part may sould negative but it is not, its just funny. But it is true all of those things go on our here. We are supposed to filter our water before we drink it, our apartment has been under attack for bedbugs (we are pretty sure we have killed all of them now), and there are lots of Jews here. It is great. I didn't really even know bed bugs were in thwe United States but yep they do exist and they suck your blood when you are sleepying. We did a massive cleaning of the apartment though so we think that we got them all. Also there is a story of an elder here who got his tie lit on fire my a Jew. But don't worry that was in Lakewood not New Brunswick.
Things are going great here. We are working really hard and trying to teach as much as possible. Spanish is coming along and I am trying really hard to express my self in spanish and it is coming. It si really great to be able to teach people in Spanish and it is really cool to see them start to understand certain things as we go along in the lessons. The Hispanic people are really awesome. I am currently working on a plan to expand my stomach so that I can eat more, beacuse they do not believe in small portions and I don't want to insult anybody. I have eaten everything so far but we haven't gotten anything weird yet so I have been okay.
Missionary work is awesome even though some people won't listen. We got called liars and laughed at the other day, talked to a less-active who wrestled 'the devil,' and ran into a penacostal who tald us that we should ask for the gift of longues so that we could pray to God in His language. It has been really great. We bike every where so my legs have been pretty tired, and by the time i get home at night I plan, pray, and sleep. We are working hard to get people to church even though it is difficult because everyone works and and only a handful of people have cars.
We are working with two people who have baptismal dates next month. One just has to learn more, and the other one needs to get married to his 'esposa.' That is one interesting thing; most people have kids, live together, call eachother husband and wife, but they are not married. People do it for lots of different reasons, some are lazy, some don't have the money, and some just don't think it is wrong. But that is what we are here for; to bring them the truth.
Anyway I will finish with the countries that I have met people from:
Mexico( Puebla, Oaxaca, Vera Cruz, Acapulco, La Ciudad)
Puerto Rico
Honduras
Brazil
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Venazuela
People from Honduras are really hard to understand. They just mumble.
Anyways I hope everything is giong well at home. Good job Tal with your game.
Love,
ELder Haslam
First day in the field
Dear Family,
This will be really quick. I got my companion and area today! I am working in New Brunswick and my companion is Elder Richie. He is from Santa Cruz area and I am very excited to get to work with him. I am ready to work hard and I am glad to be out here.
You can mail me at my apartment:
10 Commercial R2
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Only mail letters to this address, all other types of mail (ie packages) need to go to the mission office which is the address you already have.
Everything is going really well here and I will fill you in more next wed. (that is our pday)
Love,
Elder Haslam
This will be really quick. I got my companion and area today! I am working in New Brunswick and my companion is Elder Richie. He is from Santa Cruz area and I am very excited to get to work with him. I am ready to work hard and I am glad to be out here.
You can mail me at my apartment:
10 Commercial R2
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Only mail letters to this address, all other types of mail (ie packages) need to go to the mission office which is the address you already have.
Everything is going really well here and I will fill you in more next wed. (that is our pday)
Love,
Elder Haslam
Last PDAY
Dear Family,
So I don't really have that much time so this will be quick. I got my flight plans last Friday so I will be leaving for NJ on tuesday the 16th. My flight goes out of Salt Lake at 9:40 on Delta Airlines and gets into Philly at 4:05. I need to be at the front of the MTC by 6 am and I am so excited. i am so excited to get out into the field and teach people the gospel.
Everything is going well here. This past tuesday President Utchdorf came and spoke to us at the devotional. It was really amazing and it was an awesome working experience. I wrote alot about it in a letter home so more will come with that letter. I am in good health and I am still the district leader here. I thought for sur that I would have been released by now but apparently I was mistaken. I have loved every minute of being the leader of my district and I am really grateful for the learning opportunity that I gained from being the leader.
I have learned tons from being in the MTC. I really loved every minute of the time that I have spent here. I have never learned so much in such a short period of time and felt the spirit so strong in everything that I do. I hope to continue on and learn more in the MTC so that I can be a better instrument in the hands of the Lord. I am so grateful for all of my many blessings and the wonderful example that every one has been in my life.
Ok so just a quick matter of business. Mom will you please mail to NJ my red Puma shoes and a sweater of some sort, thank you. Jameson I have filled up the Moleskin notebook that you gave me, and I would really appreciate it if you could mail a new one to NJ so that I can use it when I get there. If you could make it with grid paper, 4 by 6 inches ( around that size) I would really appreciate it. I will pay you back. Dad I will need money in my checking account to buy clothes when I get to new Jersey. Thank you. Anything that I don't use I will send back to you some how. (probably a check)
I will not be able to check email anytime soon, so if you have a response this week that is urgent send a Dear Elder (through Sat). Other than that send everything to New Jersey!!!
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS I can't remember my address right now but it is coming to you in the mail. Those packages aren't really urgent so don't worry about it too much.
So I don't really have that much time so this will be quick. I got my flight plans last Friday so I will be leaving for NJ on tuesday the 16th. My flight goes out of Salt Lake at 9:40 on Delta Airlines and gets into Philly at 4:05. I need to be at the front of the MTC by 6 am and I am so excited. i am so excited to get out into the field and teach people the gospel.
Everything is going well here. This past tuesday President Utchdorf came and spoke to us at the devotional. It was really amazing and it was an awesome working experience. I wrote alot about it in a letter home so more will come with that letter. I am in good health and I am still the district leader here. I thought for sur that I would have been released by now but apparently I was mistaken. I have loved every minute of being the leader of my district and I am really grateful for the learning opportunity that I gained from being the leader.
I have learned tons from being in the MTC. I really loved every minute of the time that I have spent here. I have never learned so much in such a short period of time and felt the spirit so strong in everything that I do. I hope to continue on and learn more in the MTC so that I can be a better instrument in the hands of the Lord. I am so grateful for all of my many blessings and the wonderful example that every one has been in my life.
Ok so just a quick matter of business. Mom will you please mail to NJ my red Puma shoes and a sweater of some sort, thank you. Jameson I have filled up the Moleskin notebook that you gave me, and I would really appreciate it if you could mail a new one to NJ so that I can use it when I get there. If you could make it with grid paper, 4 by 6 inches ( around that size) I would really appreciate it. I will pay you back. Dad I will need money in my checking account to buy clothes when I get to new Jersey. Thank you. Anything that I don't use I will send back to you some how. (probably a check)
I will not be able to check email anytime soon, so if you have a response this week that is urgent send a Dear Elder (through Sat). Other than that send everything to New Jersey!!!
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS I can't remember my address right now but it is coming to you in the mail. Those packages aren't really urgent so don't worry about it too much.
Just a little news (Sep 4, 2008)
Family,
So just a little news.
Things are going really well here. All of the memebers of my district enjoyed Dallin's tape. It is very entertaining so just keep it up. The food here has started to wear on me. It is good food it just seems that they serve the same things over and over again and just name it differently. So as a consequence of this, Frosted Flakes have become my very good friend. Also at this point we are considering getting lunch next Pday at the temple.
We get flight plans tomorrow, and everyone in my district is very excited to be able to know exactly when we are leaving. So I won't be able to update you completely on all of that until next week, but be ready because it will be the first thing in my letter to everybody next Thursday.
I don't very much else to say. I am working on Spanish and I am loving every minute in the MTC. My companions and I are working really hard and we are teaching alot. Since this is the last couple of weeks in the MTC we have been teaching lessons everyday, and we average about 6 lessons a day. I love to teach and some lessons go better than others but when a lesson does go well I can always feel the spirit very strongly. I can't wait until I can go out into the field and to teach people the message of the restoration.
Well I think that is everything that I have for now.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS Jameson more study tips would be appreciate.
So just a little news.
Things are going really well here. All of the memebers of my district enjoyed Dallin's tape. It is very entertaining so just keep it up. The food here has started to wear on me. It is good food it just seems that they serve the same things over and over again and just name it differently. So as a consequence of this, Frosted Flakes have become my very good friend. Also at this point we are considering getting lunch next Pday at the temple.
We get flight plans tomorrow, and everyone in my district is very excited to be able to know exactly when we are leaving. So I won't be able to update you completely on all of that until next week, but be ready because it will be the first thing in my letter to everybody next Thursday.
I don't very much else to say. I am working on Spanish and I am loving every minute in the MTC. My companions and I are working really hard and we are teaching alot. Since this is the last couple of weeks in the MTC we have been teaching lessons everyday, and we average about 6 lessons a day. I love to teach and some lessons go better than others but when a lesson does go well I can always feel the spirit very strongly. I can't wait until I can go out into the field and to teach people the message of the restoration.
Well I think that is everything that I have for now.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS Jameson more study tips would be appreciate.
Hello (Aug 28, 2008)
Mom,
So I already wrote letters to day and sent a tape off in the mail. I don't have much else to say. Things are going really well and I am enjoying every minute here in the MTC.
I am now companions with Elder Hopoate and Elder Tillman because Elder Bacon went home. That is a long story that I have already enumerated on in my letter so in short he kinda decided that he needed some help dealing with frustration problems so he went home to get that. I was sad to see him go bhut I couldn't really do anything to stop him and he felt like it was the right thing to do. He said that he is going to try to come back out in a couple of months, I guess we'll just have to wait on that one. I am really excited to be with these other Elders though because they are really hard workers.
I got the pictures of Tal and the items about my mission. The only thing is that I also wanted the clothes that I need to buy when I get out there. You can either make a list of those clothes that I need or you can just send me the packet and then I will make the list and send the packet back. The second idea is probably the best.
Also I am sending home my first planner that I filled up. You guys can look at it and kinda get an idea of what the MTC is like. After that if you could store it in a safe place I would really appreciate it.
That is most all of the news that I have. I would prefer DearElders over emails as long as I am in the MTC because I get them the day you guys send them verses waiting until Thursday to check.
I am am doing really well and I am learning lots.
Love,
Elder Haslam
So I already wrote letters to day and sent a tape off in the mail. I don't have much else to say. Things are going really well and I am enjoying every minute here in the MTC.
I am now companions with Elder Hopoate and Elder Tillman because Elder Bacon went home. That is a long story that I have already enumerated on in my letter so in short he kinda decided that he needed some help dealing with frustration problems so he went home to get that. I was sad to see him go bhut I couldn't really do anything to stop him and he felt like it was the right thing to do. He said that he is going to try to come back out in a couple of months, I guess we'll just have to wait on that one. I am really excited to be with these other Elders though because they are really hard workers.
I got the pictures of Tal and the items about my mission. The only thing is that I also wanted the clothes that I need to buy when I get out there. You can either make a list of those clothes that I need or you can just send me the packet and then I will make the list and send the packet back. The second idea is probably the best.
Also I am sending home my first planner that I filled up. You guys can look at it and kinda get an idea of what the MTC is like. After that if you could store it in a safe place I would really appreciate it.
That is most all of the news that I have. I would prefer DearElders over emails as long as I am in the MTC because I get them the day you guys send them verses waiting until Thursday to check.
I am am doing really well and I am learning lots.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PDAY (Aug 21, 2008)
Its pday email me.
---
(from Jameson to Dalton)
Hey Dalton,
Did you get the dear elder.com letters that I sent? (last week). I just wanted to make sure that they got through to you.
Yesterday when I was at work, Jessie called me crying- she was in her classroom getting it ready for the kids and she dropped a desk on her big toe and totally smashed it. By the time I got there, the bleeding had stopped, but the toe was totally smashed- the nail was sideways and obviously the cuticle under the nail had been ripped... Pretty gross/cool.
We went to the hospital in Redwood City and then they transferred us to occupational medicine, which is where they handle anything that happens on the job. The doctor just cleaned it up and tried to move the nail back to its original position, and then taped it into that position. I guess he said that whenever you are going to lose a nail, you should try to keep it taped on for as long as possible because that helps the next nail to grow in...
Anyways, it looked pretty painful.
You probably heard that Michael Phelps was 8 for 8 in Golds, and set 7 WRs. I've attached a picture of the finish of one of his races. It was crazy. You'll be able to see one where it is almost done, and then the finish. It was 1/100th of a second. He's on the left.
When is your last day in the MTC? Which General Authorities have you seen?
-Jameson
----
Jameson,
I did get your Dear Elders and I got your letter also. This place is really great. I can see why you loved it so much. I ship out on Sep 16th. This past Tuesday we saw Elder Oaks and he talked about the importance of the sacrement. I really liked his talk but one of the things that I noticed the most is that many of the things that he talked about I had heard Dad tell us before.
The longer I am here the more appreciate I have for my family. I really appreciate all of the things that you guys do for me.
I can't see those photos because they have it all blocked on the computers in the MTC. I will probably be able to see them when I get into the field. But for pictures and stuff you should just send them to me in a letter if you want me to get them.
I am sorry to hear that about Jesse, but I am sure that it would have looked pretty cool. I think that our family is a little weird in that we like to look at those things. It could be that we just have so much experience with those things that we are use to them.
Thanks for the email, there is a letter on the way home and it should get there around Sat, so just call Mom and she should fill you in on other happenings. I am so happy to be a missionary and I love every minute of my time here. Keep me updated on anything cool.
Love,
Elder Haslam
---
(from Jameson to Dalton)
Hey Dalton,
Did you get the dear elder.com letters that I sent? (last week). I just wanted to make sure that they got through to you.
Yesterday when I was at work, Jessie called me crying- she was in her classroom getting it ready for the kids and she dropped a desk on her big toe and totally smashed it. By the time I got there, the bleeding had stopped, but the toe was totally smashed- the nail was sideways and obviously the cuticle under the nail had been ripped... Pretty gross/cool.
We went to the hospital in Redwood City and then they transferred us to occupational medicine, which is where they handle anything that happens on the job. The doctor just cleaned it up and tried to move the nail back to its original position, and then taped it into that position. I guess he said that whenever you are going to lose a nail, you should try to keep it taped on for as long as possible because that helps the next nail to grow in...
Anyways, it looked pretty painful.
You probably heard that Michael Phelps was 8 for 8 in Golds, and set 7 WRs. I've attached a picture of the finish of one of his races. It was crazy. You'll be able to see one where it is almost done, and then the finish. It was 1/100th of a second. He's on the left.
When is your last day in the MTC? Which General Authorities have you seen?
-Jameson
----
Jameson,
I did get your Dear Elders and I got your letter also. This place is really great. I can see why you loved it so much. I ship out on Sep 16th. This past Tuesday we saw Elder Oaks and he talked about the importance of the sacrement. I really liked his talk but one of the things that I noticed the most is that many of the things that he talked about I had heard Dad tell us before.
The longer I am here the more appreciate I have for my family. I really appreciate all of the things that you guys do for me.
I can't see those photos because they have it all blocked on the computers in the MTC. I will probably be able to see them when I get into the field. But for pictures and stuff you should just send them to me in a letter if you want me to get them.
I am sorry to hear that about Jesse, but I am sure that it would have looked pretty cool. I think that our family is a little weird in that we like to look at those things. It could be that we just have so much experience with those things that we are use to them.
Thanks for the email, there is a letter on the way home and it should get there around Sat, so just call Mom and she should fill you in on other happenings. I am so happy to be a missionary and I love every minute of my time here. Keep me updated on anything cool.
Love,
Elder Haslam
Pday (Aug 14, 2008)
Mom,
I am doing really well. This past week has gone by really fast but I am loving every minute. I just got back from the temple and I always feel so happy after I go there; it is definitely one of the highlights of my week. Elder Bacon and I are great companions. We still have lots to do and improve on but we are getting better everyday. His visa was delayed so he is still in here for a little while longer, I am not really sure until when but we'll see. The language is coming along well and I am trying hard to learn as much as possible but there are definitely mountains still to climb. I am not really worried about it though, it will all get worked out.
Jordan Calderwood came in last wednsday. So he has been in for a little over a week now. I haven't seen him very often but I hope that I will be able to figure out a time where I can sit down and talk to him. I see some of my other friends sometimes but there is a lot to do and I am with my district for most of the day working so I don't see people I know a whole lot.
I haven't done anything musical yet but I might in the future. It depends on whether I feel I can sacrifice time to practice or not. There is pizza in here every other Friday, so I will get some tomorrow. Junior year was the hardest and most rewarding year of high school. That was the year that I made most of the fiends that I have now. It was really a great year. I have seen Lana around but I really ingnore her, which seems to have made her angry, but I don't really know what else to do.
I am a little bummed that I am missing the olympics and I here that Phelps is doing really well, but at this point I have more important things to do so I am not really sad. I also got another tape so I will see if I can but a padded envelope here and then sen it to Dallin.
This place is really amazing and I love every minute that I am here. So onward and upward. Keep writitng; there are letters in the mail on there way to you guys.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS I am sending a letter to you for the Reisers, could you make sure that gets to them?
I am doing really well. This past week has gone by really fast but I am loving every minute. I just got back from the temple and I always feel so happy after I go there; it is definitely one of the highlights of my week. Elder Bacon and I are great companions. We still have lots to do and improve on but we are getting better everyday. His visa was delayed so he is still in here for a little while longer, I am not really sure until when but we'll see. The language is coming along well and I am trying hard to learn as much as possible but there are definitely mountains still to climb. I am not really worried about it though, it will all get worked out.
Jordan Calderwood came in last wednsday. So he has been in for a little over a week now. I haven't seen him very often but I hope that I will be able to figure out a time where I can sit down and talk to him. I see some of my other friends sometimes but there is a lot to do and I am with my district for most of the day working so I don't see people I know a whole lot.
I haven't done anything musical yet but I might in the future. It depends on whether I feel I can sacrifice time to practice or not. There is pizza in here every other Friday, so I will get some tomorrow. Junior year was the hardest and most rewarding year of high school. That was the year that I made most of the fiends that I have now. It was really a great year. I have seen Lana around but I really ingnore her, which seems to have made her angry, but I don't really know what else to do.
I am a little bummed that I am missing the olympics and I here that Phelps is doing really well, but at this point I have more important things to do so I am not really sad. I also got another tape so I will see if I can but a padded envelope here and then sen it to Dallin.
This place is really amazing and I love every minute that I am here. So onward and upward. Keep writitng; there are letters in the mail on there way to you guys.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS I am sending a letter to you for the Reisers, could you make sure that gets to them?
Email from MTC, July 31 (2008)
Dear Family,
So today is p-day so I am on the computer. I don't really have anything to say. I put a good amount into a letter. I prefer to write anyways because we are timed on the computers and it does not produce an enviroment conducive to writing.
If yo have any questions sen me an email back and I will try to answer them before six.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS My Spanish is getting much better and I can carry on a conversation with someone even though it is in very broken Spanish.
-----
Mom,
Thanks for the letter. I have gotten all of those things and I also got the tape from Dallin today. I am sure that Tal will be fine but I am also sure that Dad is just upset as you are about the whole situation. Alos lets hope that Tal and Jake can forgive each other.
It doesn't sound like something that Tal would do, so I hope that he wasn't stupid enough to abandon all of the advice that his brothers and father have given him over the years about knifes. But in any case life goes on and you learn from your mistakes.
Our zone was able to go to the temple today and it was an awesome experience. We are so blessed to have temples to go to. I am growing so much in the gospel and I feel like all of my prayers are being answered. I think that I have always had my prayers answered i just wouldn't stop to enjoy the answers while they came.
I am enjoying my time here at this wonderful place and there are letters on the way the way about my doings in the service of my God.
Love,
Elder Dalton Haslam
PS Can you have Kendall (or anybody), write to an Elder Hopoate. He is in my district and he isn't getting anymail. The address is the same expect NJ-CHL 0915 should be changed to CA-LA 0917. Thanks.
So today is p-day so I am on the computer. I don't really have anything to say. I put a good amount into a letter. I prefer to write anyways because we are timed on the computers and it does not produce an enviroment conducive to writing.
If yo have any questions sen me an email back and I will try to answer them before six.
Love,
Elder Haslam
PS My Spanish is getting much better and I can carry on a conversation with someone even though it is in very broken Spanish.
-----
Mom,
Thanks for the letter. I have gotten all of those things and I also got the tape from Dallin today. I am sure that Tal will be fine but I am also sure that Dad is just upset as you are about the whole situation. Alos lets hope that Tal and Jake can forgive each other.
It doesn't sound like something that Tal would do, so I hope that he wasn't stupid enough to abandon all of the advice that his brothers and father have given him over the years about knifes. But in any case life goes on and you learn from your mistakes.
Our zone was able to go to the temple today and it was an awesome experience. We are so blessed to have temples to go to. I am growing so much in the gospel and I feel like all of my prayers are being answered. I think that I have always had my prayers answered i just wouldn't stop to enjoy the answers while they came.
I am enjoying my time here at this wonderful place and there are letters on the way the way about my doings in the service of my God.
Love,
Elder Dalton Haslam
PS Can you have Kendall (or anybody), write to an Elder Hopoate. He is in my district and he isn't getting anymail. The address is the same expect NJ-CHL 0915 should be changed to CA-LA 0917. Thanks.
New Blog for Dalton
Since I don't get news about Dalton that much, other than his weekly emails, I figure we could start posting things in a central location. Pictures, emails, scanned letters, quotes from letters, and other news items could be included.
You can print out blogs as a book, so that might be something that we could do to save his letters, etc. I may even run spell check on everything.
-Jameson
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