Thursday, June 7, 2012

Letter From Jacob June 7, 201

Jacob must be getting into the swing of things.  Ever since he has been out he has written at least two or sometimes three letters a week.  This week we only got one.  He writes to us on Monday and emails on Tuesday.  We try to send him only one letter a week but that is from Dad and Mom so sometimes he get two and sometimes we write for Family Home Evening and he gets 10.  I am switching to postcards for a little while just cause they are fun.  Here is his letter that came today.

Hi family,
Thanks you so much for all the horses and the gun and the five dollars.(Isaac gave him $5 just for fun.)  I loved all of them.  I just used the five to do my laundry.  It is crazy. Every time I have needed money you would have already sent me some.  It is truly amazing how much the Lord watches over his missionaries through their families. 


By the time you read this I will have already have driven the car., which I am kinda worried about because people drive all kinds of crazy up here. But I will just trust in the Lord and take what ever comes my way because Luke 1:37.  


Anyhow. How is everyone doing?  Does Zachary like being a teenager now?  How are Mom and Dad doing now that their youngest son is a teenager? 


Well I have some bad news.  Robert did not come to church twice now.  His nephew cam up and is living with him and I think he might be a bad influence.  So I will pray for him and try to tell him how important the church is.  I sometimes wish I could just let people feel the love I feel from the God Head, then I know that they would do anything to feel that love all the time.  I know God is real.  That his Son suffered for all our sins and that Joseph Smith did see them both and they called him to open this dispensation and gave him all the tools necessary to do so - including the priesthood. Which is the power and authority to act in Gods name on Earth.  I know that I have that same priesthood and my family is led by that priesthood as well.  I love my family.  I love everything about all of you an d you are the way you are because of the church.  That is what I am doing out here.  Helping to make families like our's.  Sharing that light with everyone I meet in hopes that a family will walk out of the darkness into the light.  The hard part is that they have to walk that path on their own.  I am there to tell them the way and it makes my heart hurt when they start walking and things get hard so they turn around and walk the other way.  But that's agency.  Everyone has a choice to make and make every day.  You are either coming closer to eternal life or farther away.  So think, "Is this thing I am doing bringing me closer or not!  


Love, Elder Esplin


PS Yes or No on the whip and could you send me some new CDs.  The music policy here is super hard core.  They wont even let me listen to Treck or the Missionary CD so could you all burn me a CD with all the same songs but put a hmn or two in between it has to be 75% hymns.  I would love that so much.  Love Elder Esplin


He sounds like he is doing good.  It is so fun getting his letters. 

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Some Letters From After Mothers Day

These are some of Jacob's letter.  He does not email much but he does write actual letters which are so fun to get in the mail.  I waited so long that I cant remember their order.  I do know they were all written after our Mother's Day phone call.

Hi Family,
How is it going? I just got your jerky package.  Thank you very much.  I was feeling all lost and forgotten because I had not heard from you for a couple of days, then this P day I get a letter and a box.  I was so happy.  My comp is a little bit wishing he wrote his family letters instead of just email, but he will be fine. Man!! I miss you guys. I miss Utah and the mountains, but most of all I miss my family.  I thought it would slowly fade away but no.  I miss you just as much as in the MTC, but I have learned to deal with it.  IF I stay working it is not so bad so I try to work a lot.  Speaking of work.  How in the world does that battery charger work. I will probably email about it so this is just in case.  
Anyway, I really hope I and Z can do good this last bit of school. I will pray for them because that is about all I can do for them, maybe say, "Hey. Behave!!"  Do your best and really try hard. This stuff matters, and pray by yourselves often.  Well that is it for preachin'.  I know all of you try hard and do your best. That is why I love you so much. It is sad that it takes not having my family to show me how amazing all of you really are.  Never forget how much I love you and also how much our Father in Heaven love you.  That is what excites me most about this work.  All the amazing truths I get to tell people.  Things that I take for granted like that our family will be together for time and all eternity.  I will always be Mom and Dad's son and you guys will always be my brothers and sisters forever and ever.  That makes two years not seem very long at all.  It is just a blink of an eye.  I need to remember that and you should too.  It is not so bad.  Only a short time really.  I would ask that as a family you would read D&C 31 the whole section.  Then pray as a family about what you have read.  Then I would ask that you pray each time before you study the scriptures.  I know that it will help all of you in every thing you do.  So please do for me then write me a letter about it so I can get some feed back and see how it went.  I love you all I don't think I can write that enough. You are the best family ever
Love Elder Esplin
PS. Could you send me my whip. I know it will be hard so when ever you feel like it it is fine.  
PPS I am sending back my big red/brown blanket
PPPS I love you so much!!!


This is Palk( Like chicken pock without the chicken) He is a good mountain horse and has hard hooves. Take good care of  him.
Hi Dad,
I love you so much I love your letters.  When I read them I can hear your voice and feel your love like a big hug when I was little and you would pick me up and hold me.  I feel that every time I get one of your letters they keep me going and remind me why I am our here.  So that people can return to their Heavenly Father so that every one can feel that kind of love.  The unending  pure-without exception-father's love.  I will be goine for a time but I will forever and all eternity be your son-after your image. Trying to live up to the amazing example that you have always been for me.  You told me who I am and what I could become then you showed me how to work and invited me to join you side by side we accomplished many things but the best thing we ever made together are all memories.  Those are are priceless and I can have them where ever I am.  So it might sound a little corny by thank you for teaching me how to work and thanks for the memories.  Please keep writing.  Your letters are worth more than anything right now.   I love you Dad.
Love Elder Esplin
PS This is one ugly horse but it is yours if you want him.