July 10th Letter

Dear Family,

Yet another wonderful week! As you all know, I love roller coasters. The other day my teacher, Brother Pead, said that he loved roller coasters too, but that his favorite roller coaster was his mission. Haha super cheesy, but I liked it and I can already feel that be the same for me. By the way, at the MTC you only have 30 min to email and there is a timer in the corner that counts down and it stresses me out! I can't wait until I have more time so my thoughts aren't so jumbled. Also I forgot to say in my letter last week, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT!!! Love you brother and I hope you had a hip hop happenin' day :)

So it is kind of lame because the Provo temple is closed for cleaning which means we didn't get a chance to go to it while here at the MTC. Mom, Sister Pearce gave me the note from you. I love making connections. Thanks for the note! Also Dad, thanks for your emails! I love reading them and I love the updates. Sounds like the family all had a good fourth of July. Dad I love seeing people from the ward so I can tell them to tell you guys hello. Sounds like Uncle John, Aunt Diana, and Nick all did a wonderful job. I am so excited for Nick to come in tomorrow! I will be looking for him. It sounds like Lauren's bridal shower was a success. I am sure it was amazing since Mom was in charge. I can't believe La gets married this week! I am so excited for her. Tell her I love her! Also did someone take a flower to Chase's grave for me on the 7th? I know I never said anything, but I like taking flowers there. If anyone is ever nearby the cemetery, just drop by a flower for me please. Oh mom, they have biscuits and gravy here! It's actually pretty good. Yours are obviously still the best though.

On to this past week. Wednesday was the 4th of July. It was a normal day, but then we had a fourth of July fireside thing, and then they gave us ice cream and we got to watch the stadium of fire fireworks! It was fun. Thursday was an interesting day. My companion had a seizure. She has epilepsy and she hadn't had a seizure for 3 years! She said it wasn't a bad one compared to the ones she usually has. She is doing much better now! A nurse told her that she might have to go home because you are supposed to go 6 months without having a seizure to be on a mission. She went to the neurologist yesterday and I really think she will be able to stay. I really hope she will! She is awesome. Dr. Rasmussen, what should you do when someone has a seizure? I felt so helpless. I had no idea what to do. I just called the MTC emergency people.

Friday we had in-field orientation. We basically were just with a bunch of other missionaries and we were taught how to work with members and things like that. It was really informative and a lot of the instructors were the missionaries on the District 2, so it was fun to meet them and to tell them that I was going to San Diego, because that is where they went and where it was filmed. Saturday night our teacher Brother Bradley gave us an awesome lesson about our life's mission. He had us study our patriarchal blessings and write down the kind of person we hope to be in 20 years or so, then he had us write down what was stopping us now from becoming that person. We tore up those things that were stopping us and he just really helped us see how we can be working on those things now. It was a really awesome lesson. Sunday's here rock! They are always such a spiritual booster. Our district sang 'The Spirit of God' for a musical number in sacrament meeting. Sunday night we got to watch the Testaments. Yesterday was our last normal missionary training day. We had our last lessons. My teachers are honestly the best! I am so grateful for all that they have done to help me see how I can be a better missionary. It was also our last day with the elders in our district. It was sad saying goodbye! I will miss them, but they are all going to do a wonderful job serving. We took lots and lots of pictures. I will send some to you when I get to San Diego. We can't send pictures here.

This next week we have visitor center training. I am really excited about it and I hope I get to see Rus! I think that we actually have another preparation day this Friday so you might be hearing from me that day as well. I fly out next Tuesday! I think my plane leaves at like 8:30AM. They said we can call from the airpot if we have time, so I am assuming that it would be around 7 or 7:30. Mom, I know you have temple, but will you be there dad? Or where should I call? Or what should I do? If you could let me know before Friday since I can check my email on Friday I can see where I should call if I get the time to. I can't believe the time to leave is coming so quick! I can't wait to be in San Diego.

Well I am loving it here. I can feel myself growing every day. I amazed with how much I have been able to learn in just 3 weeks, I mean don't get me wrong, I still have much to learn, but I am thankful for what I have learned. Remember in my setting apart blessing when he said that I would plant seeds in many people's hearts and they would accept the gospel after my 18 months of a mission? Well I wondered what that meant and the other day our Branch President was talking about something similar and said somewhat of the same thing. He said because we are at a visitor center and we have so many people coming and going, that their time at the site, will be when we can plant that seed. He said there were a few times on his mission when they found people who were so willing to accept their message because they had been to a visitor center a couple years before and had always remembered the feeling that they had there. I just thought that was super cool! I know I keep saying this, but I am really excited! I love this work so much. I can't wait to help people find the happiness of the gospel because it is truly what brings the most happiness. God loves us all so much! I feel His love every single day. I have been blessed with so many tender mercies and it helps me know that He is there and that He is listening.

I love this gospel and I love you all!

Love, Sister Rasmussen

P.S. Thanks for the letters! Eden thank you so much for the package!! It came on a much needed day and I loved it. Mom thank you for the cocoa roasted almonds and I am still trying to figure out exactly what to do with the skirt. I will let you know shortly.