Wow. Where to start? I can't believe I have almost been here for a week already. I am amazed with how fast yet how slow time goes. All the days are kind of meshed together and as Eden told me, each day seems so long, but weeks fly past, or in my case just one week. This first day I got here I was pumped and ready to go. My companion is awesome! Her name is Sister Kunz and she is from Rexburg, Idaho. I was a little unsure of her at first because she was really quiet and I wasn't used to that because normally I am the quiet one. We have warmed up to each other quite well though. There are two other sisters in our room and in our district. They are also going to San Diego and serving at the Mormon Battalion. Sister Madsen is one of them and I used to work with her a La Jolla Groves. She is such a sweet girl. The other sister is Sister Riggs, she is Brent Pritchett's sister-in-law. I adore her! She is so funny and she helps me remember to laugh about life. All the elders in our district are going to Ogden, Utah. They are awesome. Our district rocks! We are all like a family and we go with each other everywhere. I have two teachers, Brother Bradley and Brother Pead. They are also both awesome and are really helping me to see how I can best help people on my mission.
Well back to the first night, we had this activity and there were about 40 missionaries in a room teaching an investigator. It freaked me out. When we got back to the room, I just laid in bed thinking, what am I doing here? I am not cut out for this. I read a scripture that a wonderful friend pointed out to me a few weeks ago, it is 2 Nephi 22:2 'Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.' That alone gave me such comfort on that first night. The next day we had class and study time. There is lots of study time and I am learning how to utilize my time. I love the chance to be able to study so much! I am already learning so much. Thursday night we met our Branch Presidency. Our branch president's name is President Gubler. He is related to the Gublers we know. He is so great. What he talked about was exactly what I needed to hear. I was just feeling very inadequate, like I don't know how or what to teach people. Like yes I have a testimony, and I know this gospel is true, but I started worrying about my ability to be able to help other people see and feel why they would want to be apart of the gospel. He gave us Ether 12:27 which I won't write out, but it gave me such comfort. He also talked a lot about how this is where I am supposed to be and that my time to serve is now. I felt much better after that.
Thursday night I also got called as coordinating sister. Basically I am to help all the sisters in our zone. I also help the zone leaders with orientation of new missionaries and my first time will be tomorrow and I am really excited! It is a really humbling position. It's hard for me because they told me they wanted me to lovingly correct other sisters when they may not be doing th best thing, but I don't like that. I myself like following the rules but I am not one to correct others when they aren't doing things right. Mostly because I don't want them to feel like I think I am better than them or something because I am following them. I know that is dumb, so I am trying to help them be more obedient by being exactly obedient myself and then talking to them in the most loving way I can to help them fix things. If anyone has any suggestions about how to help them, please let me know! Especially with being places on time. I am like dad in that way, but girls aren't the best at being on time places and I don't know how to help them with that.
Every day is like a roller coaster. I go through feeling overwhelmed to happy to feelings of inadequacy, to on top of the world, to sad, to every emotion possible. I really do love it here though. I love feeling the spirit so much ALL the time. It's amazing. I learn SO much every day. One thing I am really learning is to be patient with myself. I just want to be that missionary that knows what to say, and know how to best help my investigators. Thinking about that though I can see how I am being selfish. It's been a humbling experience and I am trying to be patient. Saturday night they let missionaries meet their new mission presidents if they were getting new ones. Those who weren't got to watch The Other Side of Heaven. I thought it was funny that they let us watch that movie.
We have already taught 3 investigators. We teach about 2 investigators a day. The first one we taught was on Friday. Even though it is 'fake' I still can feel the spirit so strongly. This gospel is AMAZING. I LOVE it. Oh the Brady's spoke on Sunday at the fireside. You remember them? Also I have seen Blake Roney. Oh I have seen Jake Robison twice. I took a picture with him. I see Lauren ALL the time. I LOVE it. She actually helped me so much the first time I saw her, just helped me know that it gets better :) We have almost the same meal schedules, just like 10 min difference so I see her basically every day. I also see Sister Tobias (Stephers) a lot and then a bunch of people from high school and I saw Brother Mortensen (Peter) once. It is fun seeing familiar faces! The sisters in the district joke that I know everyone. I really don't, it's just because I am from here so I am bound to see people I know.
Oh my district leader just gave me some dearelders I hadn't seen before! I will write letters later today and send them. We are only allowed 30 min on email at the MTC. Dearelder is definitely the best way to write me though, and thanks to those of you who have written me! It is nice to know that I have wonderful family and friends :)
Well my time is running out. Every day gets better. I really love this work. I love the spirit I get to feel each day. I love the wonderful people I am meeting, and it is making me that much more excited to go to San Diego. Also, I can feel the Lord blessing me already. My anxiety to talk in front of people has nearly gone away. I know that is because the Lord is blessing me. There is no way I could have done that on my own.
I love you all so much! Thanks for your love and support.
Love, Sister Rasmussen
