October 23rd Letter

Dear Family!

Great week! As usual.. First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MAXWELL!!! On Thursday. I can't believe you are going to be 18... Holy cow!!! You are growing up on me! Here are some highlights..

Wednesday we had a lesson with Melody. We watched President Uchtdorf's talk from conference with her. The Spirit was definitely present! She really enjoyed the talk and said she was going to watch more of them. We talked to her more about baptism and she said that she doesn't feel ready yet . . . if she was going to be baptized soon, she said she feels like it would be for us and not for herself. She still wants to learn and progress and she said that the hole in herself is being filled each time we meet and as she does the things we ask her to do. I know it won't be long before she's ready! She said her son wants to be baptized too! He's 9. She is such an awesome woman! She is going to be a powerhouse member one day. Oh funny story we tried contacting this lady and she saw us for one second and just said she didn't want to be brainwashed . . .  I wish we could've seen our faces.. haha we weren't aware that we brainwash people. We street contacted a guy named Hugo who has been looking for a church to attend. We invited him and we got his number to hopefully go teach him more this week! This night at the Battalion it was a little slower so Sis Davies, Madsen, Miller and myself sat out on the porch and sang hymns. I loved it!

Thursday I read this awesome story . . . "A lady, having been recently baptized, was asked what it was like to be converted. She replied, "It's like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch and brings you in. He washes off all the dirt and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new, smiling face and puts His light inside of you for the entire world to see." Oh my goodness.. I loved that soooo much! I read some other awesome stories today about Ephraim Hanks. He was an amazing man!! And I remembered one of the stories from trek! Sis Davies and I cleaned the courthouse at the state park today. Oh also today I went on my first Spanish tour... hahaha. I said bienvenidos! Sister Salinas was taking a Spanish tour and there were just guys and all the other Spanish-speaking sisters were busy so I just went with her. Haha I just sat in the audience mostly, but it was fun. We had interviews today and I asked President Clayton for a blessing because Dad usually gives me a father's blessing in the fall.. and I just needed the extra strength. It was a great experience! I am so so grateful for the priesthood! Thanks Dad and brothers for always being worthy of it! Heavenly Father is just so mindful of all of us and our situation.This night we tried to contact a guy but he wasn't home so we talked to his wife for a minute and then as we were leaving we saw this lady and her kids so we stopped to talk with her. We asked if she's heard of Mormons and she said not really then she asked if we are Christian and we were like yes we are! And she was like I want to be Christian! I have been calling my friends to see where a Christian church is and then she started talking about how she wants to put her past behind her and start anew. We were like wow we have the solution for you! We told her a little about our beliefs and then she told us she just went through a really rough divorce and now she has to move and we told her we could help and she got so excited and said okay and you can teach me too while you help?? We were like umm . .  .YEAH!! Haha it was sweet. We told her it was no coincidence that we ran into her. I just can't wait to teach her and help understand how the gospel can bless her life! It really can help her start new because of the atonement of Jesus Christ and the restoration of the gospel! Also we had a really weird experience with this guy who we contacted one time and we called to set up an appointment and basically he told us that we couldn't teach him unless he could take us on a date . . . so that was weird!! We were like uhh okay bye . . . haha. We had a lesson with Brandon tonight. He is still working towards November 10!

Friday Sis Seegmiller asked me to help her with some Photoshop stuff for the Battalion so that made me really happy :) I love Photoshop!! We had a lesson with a less active and then dinner with some members and then we did some online chatting. We talked to this guy who had all kinds of questions about the book of mormon. Chat really is so cool!

Saturday we had district meeting and talked about how we need to make sure those we talk to understand our purpose. It was cool! MoBat was so great tonight! First of all one of the senior couples is in charge of public affairs and so they are doing this social thing with all the businesses in Old Town and they asked us to go and invite them and get a business card, so Sister Davies and I did that. At one restaurant we were waiting for the manager forever and got to talking to this kid working there about the gospel. It was really cool! We basically taught the whole first lesson. Then we later got to this store with an Asian man and I started explaining why we were there and then he just said he didn't speak English and Sis Davies asked what language he spoke and he said Chinese and I was just hoping it was Mandarin so I started saying the few phrases that I know in Mandarin that Spence has taught me and the guy loved it! Haha I asked his name and then at the end I told him he was my friend in Mandarin bahaha Rus . . .  but for real he loved it and was laughing and it was great! MoBat was super busy this weekend because of the fall breaks in Arizona and Utah. Oh so another cool story.. Sis Stevens and I invited this guy who worked at Chickfila to the Battalion a while ago and I finally got him to come this night. Sister Davies and I took him on tour and then afterwards I talked to him about religion. I asked him if he would read one of my favorite books and he said yes . . .  so I gave him the Book of Mormon and went over the introduction with him. Sister Davies joined me and so we both got to testify to him how the gospel really does change lives. I could see the light come into his eyes. I remember the first time Sis Stevens and I talked to him about religion at Chickfila he just kinda laughed, but tonight he was sincerely listening. We even said a prayer with him after and the whole experience is just sooo cool! For a glimpse I got to see through Heavenly Father and the Savior's eyes with who this guy could become.

Sunday Brandon came to churchhhh!!! Woohooo! He called trying to cancel right before, but Sis Davies helped him see that if he wants to get baptized . . .  he really has to do this. Bro Buswell (the young men's president, who is aweosme) picked him up. He had a really great experience and he knew all the people in his class because they have come to lessons with us! Testimony of members at lessons right there . . .  haha so sweet! So he felt included and welcomed and comfortable. MoBat was good and busy! We visited a potential after and she knows it's true.. she just doens't want to do anything without her family . . . so we are praying that her husband and son's hearts can be softened so they can all learn and grow together. We had dinner at a member's. The members are so kind to us! This lady used to be less active and we asked her what made her came back, and she said initially it was a persistent visiting teacher and she is so grateful for the visiting teacher! So cool.

Monday we had MoBat in the morning which was way slower! Everyone went back to school. We had a really great lesson with Brandon tonight. He is progressing and growing and I can just see such a change in him from the first time we met with him. I love it! Also he is a senior in high school this year so today it just hit me that he is Jorgen and Maxwell's age! Which made my eyes open even more. We went to a recent convert's house . . . her name is Sis Scott. She is amazing! She is missionary-minded all the time and I love it! We helped her granddaugther with her Primary program part because the Primary program is this Sunday. I can't wait! I love the Primary program.

It has been a really great week! I love Chula Vista and my ward and Sis Davies and life and being a missionary! And I love all of you so much! I hope you all have a greaaaaat week!!!

Love,

Sister Cassie Chea Rasmussen

P.S. President Monson's talk in priesthood session? Sooooo good! Also the book Our Search for Happiness by Elder Ballard. Also this gospel is just really really so true!