Email dated (03/23/2011)

Buenos Dias! (probably spelled that wrong..)

So, this week... Pretty spiritual! Last night we had a devotional, as we always do on Tuesdays. But Brother Claudio Costa, he's in the presidency of the 70, he spoke to us. It was so amazing. He talked about his conversion story where sister missionaries were teaching his family and he didn't want to hear it so he went to his room but left the door cracked a little bit. He heard the testimony of these sisters as they testified that Joesph Smith was a prophet of God. He asked his parents where he could find Joseph Smiths history and they gave him the scriptures. He said after he read every paragraph that he prayed about it to find out if it was true. He did that all night and came to the conclusion that he had a testimony of Joseph Smith. So he went to the sister's house and told him he wanted to be baptized right then. Long story short, but they gave him all the lessons in two days and he was baptized a few days later. The first time he'd been to church was at his baptism. How cool is that?! How awesome is the Spirit that is so stong and testifies to investigators about the truthfullness of this Gospel. It's just amazing. His whole talk was based on how you can't teach without the Spirit. You can be the best missionary ever with the most elequent way of speaking, but it's the Spirit that converts.

My companion and I are teaching the Plan of Salvation tonight to some 'Pretent Investigators' and I'm stoked. I love teaching now. I've been able to be more confident and speak up more. I still cry after every lesson I teach, which gets embarrassing, but I'm trying to be better. I just come undone when I talk about the Gospel. It just means so much to me, and I'm so grateful that I was born and raised in the church. It has been the biggest blessing in my life.

Well family, my time is almost up. But I love you all. Send me some pictures so I show my companion what you all are like! She's always saying, "I want to meet your family, they seem so awesome!" Yep. She's right. ;)

Have a good week!

Hermana Rasmussen

MTC Randoms (email dated 03/16/2011)

Hello!

I don't have a lot to say today... probably because you do the same thing every day in the MTC, which is good, just not a lot happening. But I'll give you a little taste of what goes on everyday.

6:30- I wake up and get ready

7:00- Breakfast, we're usually a little late to breakfast, so that only gives us like 10 minutes to eat before we have to go to class

7:30- Be in class. It's usually Personal Study time for an hour, then companionship study for an hour, then missionary directed time for an hour, and then Lunch or Gym

12:15- After you eat you go back to class. This is when we have a teacher who teaches for like 3 hours until dinner time.

4:30- Dinner (which is a weird adjustment to get used to.. this is when I'd normally be having lunch!)

5:15- Be in class, and another teacher teaches for 3 hours until 8 or so, then it's Language study until 9, planning the next days events, and in your dorms at 9:30, and bed at 10:30. I don't even care if my bed is uncomfortable, by the end of the day bedtime is all I can think about.. haha they keep you working hard!

But on Monday the other Hermana's in our room moved out and went to Chile! We miss them, but its my companion and I with a whole room to ourselves! We're having the time of our lives! haha There's 4 beds unoccupied, so I took over some extra pillows and actually slept really well last night! I also moved down to the bottom bunk, I hate the top one! It's awful. Umm.. Gym time is really fun. I usually play volleyball with the Elders, and let me tell you- they're rough players! I almost broke my nose yesterday when they spiked the ball in my face.. haha. I just laughed though. But I've discovered that I'm actually pretty decent at volleyball. I wasn't at all coordinated in High School, which is why I didn't play sports, but I was totally bringing my A-game yesterday at gym. The Elders were pretty impressed.

Like I said, I LOVE my district. The Elders are so hilarious. They are soooo different from each other and they way they are paired up as companions has led me to believe that the Lord definitely has a sense of humor! I'll send a picture of my district home one of these days, I just have to get it developed. It's hilarious. The Elder from Atlanta that I talked about in my last letter does this 'Diva Pose' it's the greatest! I just wish there was a 'Bring your family to the MTC day'.. Just so you could see what I mean when I say I love my district, companion, and teachers.

Well family, I love you all so much. Thank you for all of your emails and letters and support! I'm having the best time of my life, and even if my mission isn't all that successful (but I know it will be.. ;) I'll at least know that I made a lot of life-long friends here. And a lot of questions have been asked about if I can email. I can to family members, but they only allow 30 minutes of computer time, which isn't any time at all, considering this whle thing took me about 25 minutes.. haha. So DearElder me. I can get those the next day, and it provides me with your home address so I can write back. I love you all!

Hermana Rasmussen

First week in the MTC (email dated 03/09/2011)

Hola mi familia y amigos!

This week has been so incredible! I still can't believe that I am here, I have to pinch myself each day to make sure this isn't a dream, and that this name tag actually belongs to me! I just want to thank you keeping me in your thoughts and prayers, because I have definitely felt of your love while here. The beginning of this week was pretty rough, as I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After I got over it, and realized that this is the Lord's work and not mine, my heart and mind were in the right place. But a little bit about the MTC:

1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my companion! She seriously is like my best friend, and I've only known her for a week. We're so much alike it's crazy. Her name is Hermana Moser, and she's from Yucapia California. We promised each other that when we got off the mish, we'd move in together and go to school in Arizona or something, haha. But seriously, this was such a conformation to me that our companionship was inspired by the Lord. He knew we'd get along and work well together. The other Hermana's in my disrict are great, but our personalaties would have definitely clashed. But they work well together too.. So the Lord knows what he's doing, that's for sure! My district is amazing! I love everyone, seriously. One Elder is from Bouton Rouge and his name is Elder LaBlanc but you're not suppose to pronounce the n or c. So it's more like Elder LaBla...(and you barely pronounce the n.. like the french would do.. it's hard to explain over email!) But anyway, this other Elder from Atlanta cracks me up. He's just this innocent guy, and he doesn't quite get how to pronounce the other Elders name so he calls him, Elder Lablah. hahaha I just laugh everytime he says it. I wish you could all hear it. The other Elders in my district are awesome too. My teachers are AMAZING. They are so good at what they do. There's one named Hermano Tateoka, he's probably the funniest guy I've ever met. Everytime he walks into the room all of my stresses and worries just vanish. He has the ability to comfort and calm those in need. What an incredible talent to have.

I have been so spiritually fed this week though. Every Tuesday they have a devotional where a member from the General Authorites comes to speak. Last night it was Elder Kent Richards (something like that) and he gave a powerful talk that I don't even know if I can re-tell it to you. I'll try though. He was a mission president and had an Elder that didn't want to do it anymore. He said he just wanted to go home. The president told him to fast, pray, and read with him to see if he could have a change of heart. Well they did that, and the misionary called the president and said, "President, I really can't do this, send me home" The president wasn't going to give up on this Elder! So he said come into my office in a few days and we'll talk. So the President fasts and prays about what to tell this Missionary. The missionary comes in his office, and the President is still not sure what to say. They stare at each other for a good 15 minutes and finally the President says something that completely suprises him. He said, "I Promise in the Name of Jesus Christ that if you stay you will be able to conquer that 7-headed dragon that has a hold of you." He was shocked at what he just said, A 7-headed dragon.. REALLY!? But the Elder started to cry and reached into his pocket and pulled out an index card with a picture of a 7-headed dragon that listed all of his 7 fears. The President didnt know that, how could he? but the Lord DID know that. He knew what this Elder was going through. So the Elder stayed and finished his full time mission as a zone leader. How awesome! He realated that to us as missionaries. If we are receptive to the Spirit the Lord will guide us in what to say to our investigators. and it will be the exact thing they need to hear.

MIssionary work is incredible. I love it, I love this Gospel. I have never been so blessed in my life as I have been here at the MTC. I know this church is true, in el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.