April 16th Letter

Dear Family,

WOOOOOWWWWWWWW. Big news last week! 

Here are the highlights for the week . . .

Tuesday night we had a lesson with Casmier about the gospel. What's cool is that he told us that he went to the MoBat today and we hadn't even told him about it! He really enjoyed it. 

Wednesday we ran to the MoBat real quick to grab something before we went out to teach and Sister Rockwell told me she met my uncle and I was like what?? And she said "yeah he is in a meeting in the theater. Go peek your head in!" I had no idea who she was talking about and I didn't want to interrupt the meeting but I really wanted to see and so I did and it was Uncle John!!! It was SOOOO  good to see him! It's been 3.5 years since I have seen him so it made me really happy. We chatted for a minute and then I had to leave. He told me he was meeting up with Nate to go surfing.. haha of course. We had lunch with Carli at her beautiful house. She is just the sweetest and she is going to be such an amazing missionary! She is almost down to a month before she leaves. I remember what that was like! Almost a year ago.. crazyyyyy. We had a lesson with Arthur and read Alma 24 with him about burying his 'weapons' or his sins. We had a member come and it was so great! He was super good with Arthur and got him to open up more than usual. 

Thursday was awesome! We had mission tour which means a general authority came to instruct us! We had Elder Whiting. He gave the Temple Standard talk last oct general conference. It was SOOO good. He talked a lot about desire and what we truly desire and how that will lead us to what we achieve. He said that desire precedes obedience which precedes faith which precedes miracles. Something else that I love that he said was that sometimes the way we label ourselves makes us deny the atonement. So true! I just loved every minute of it. He also knows the Goo's haha of course. He lived in Hawaii forever. We took zone pictures with him and then all had lunch together. It was fun! We also all shook his hand. Next was MoBat  I took this guy who was from Canada and he started asking me how we run the place if it doesn't cost anything and that led into a gospel discussion which led into him wanting to learn more and asked if I would send the missionaries to his house! So sweet. 

Friday was another great day! We had the temple which we haven't had for a while. We met this awesome chinese girl named Yuyu. She is so open and prepared and so sweet! The elders in our district are teaching her now. I talked to some really great people. One guy just kept asking how he could get inside! We had district meeting which was great. We talked about working with members and gaining their trust. After we had dinner with Elder Sims, Paxman, Poulson, and Kirchhoefer. It was the last time we would see Elder Kirchhoefer because he is going home a little early to see his family in Germany before he starts school at BYU for the spring. We dropped some muffins off at Gleb's house and then we were supposed to have a lesson with Casmier but he cancelled so we decided to visit two potentials who live pretty close and to talk to everyone in between, so we did! The potentials weren't home and everyone we talked to didn't want to learn more sadly, but it was a great practice for street contacting since we haven't in a while. Next we had a lesson with Jackie & Rachell. We had planned to teach the law of Chastity but we ended up just answering some questions and seeing how they were feeling about everything. Jackie was talking about how she is praying for an answer but she still hasnt' gotten one. We read Alma 32:28 with them and then Sister Riggs had Jackie read it again replacing seed with faith. When she started reading it wasn't really fitting together too well, but what was cool is that when she was done reading she said, 'oh my gosh. I feel something in my chest!' And then she just started crying!! Then she said, 'This is my answer! I want to be baptized!' Ahhhhhh!! SOOO COOOL!! It was awesome. I love being able to be apart of someone receiving answers and feeling the Spirit. We set a date for April 27. Miracle!! Rachell said she's not ready yet and that she doesn't want to just do it because her sister is. 

Saturday we had coordination and then David Yang took us to lunch. It was delicious! We were supposed to have a lesson with Casmier, but he wasn't back yet. He went out of town this weekend. Next was MoBat. I had a really cool experience with these four gals from Maine. They just wandered in and said they didn't have time for a tour so I offered to show them the artifact room and they said yes so we headed back there and then I felt like I should ask if they knew anything about Mormons and one of the girls said no, but we've always wanted to know! Could you tell us?? That went into a 45 minute discussion about the gospel. I taught them the Restoration, I answered questions they had, and it was just awesome! They told me it was very informative and wonderful experience and that everything made total sense. Right then I was going to be like, well, if you want to learn more I can send missionaries to you, but then I felt like I shouldn't which was weird, but then they started telling me how they know some Mormons but were always afraid to ask and also that missionaries knock on their door all the time but they never talk to them and so I made them promise me they would talk to them the next time they knocked and they said, "oh yes of course we will now!" So I guess they just needed to have a good experience with Mormons. I hope I was able to plant that seed. 

Sunday happy birthday to Ry Ry!! Little cutie. We had a new Sunday schedule today so we studied and then went to ward council for once! Woot! Church was great! Arthur didn't come though so we'll have to push his baptism back :( but they announced Casmier's baptism in church and everyone talked to him after about how they were so excited for him! Everyone has been super nice and welcoming to him. It's awesome! Rachell and Jackie came to church as well. Jackie decided to push her date back because her parents want to be able to come and she wants them there because they are less-active and she hopes this will help them have that spark back in them. After church we had a lesson with Casmier and Ricky came. Then after we had dinner with Jason and he invited Casmier to come, so that was fun! We had MoBat after.

Monday we had MoBat in the morning and then we were supposed to have a lesson with Arthur but he wasn't there. Then we had a lesson with Casmier. Two of our members came, Linda and Tyler. We taught the Word of Wisdom and then law of chastity and it was kind of crazy because his nephews were running around all crazy and then his sister sat in on some of the lesson which was great but she had all these questions . . . but it ended up well and Casmier committed to living them. We had dinner with the Tervort's after. It was delicious! Brother Tervort is in our bishopric and they are both just so kind and giving. We had a lesson with Raquel after about missionary work and service and Taylor came. Next we had a lesson with Jackie & Rachell about the law of chastity which we were a little nervous for . . . but it ended up the complete opposite then we expected. Jackie told us some personal stuff and how she is so grateful for the law of chastity and how she knows we have it for a reason. Rachell was a little skeptical about it because she has a serious boyfriend who she'll probably marry, but we just tried to help her understand why God has given us this law. I love both of those girls so much. 

I'll leave you with a quote from President Uchtdorf, "Explain to Heavenly Father what you are feeling. acknowledge short comings. Let Him know of the trials you are facing. Plead with Him in Christ's name for strength and support. Ask that your ears may be opened, that you may hear His voice. Ask that your eyes may be opened, that you may see His light." I LOVE that. With Jesus Christ, darkness cannot succeed. 

I love you all so much! I hope you have a wonderful week :)

Love,

Sister Cassie Rasmussen