WEEK - 10 PACHUCA, MEXICO

From: Trevor Rasmussen

Date: 2009/3/30
Subject: BIENVENIDO A MÉXICO! parte 1
Hola hola!!
Well I made it here safely, it sounds like you know a little already about whats going on. But I´ll tell you anyway!
The Airport was...fun! Haha, I didn´t get to write letters like I said I would, it was a little crazy. So you´ll have to apologize to Sam and Sister Seamons for me not replying to their letters. I was going to, but the airport was a little crazy.
After I hung up with you I went over to our gate and there were only about 15 missionaries, and that was ALL the Americans! The missionaries were sitting around talking and I thought that looked boring so I found an older guy sitting by himself and tried to talk to him in Spanish. It was pretty cool, his wife came over later and we started talking. I taught the first lesson, gave them a pamphlet and a Libro de Mormón. They were Pentecostal, and really believed in Christ. So it was easy for them to accept a lot of what I taught them. I got their "datos" or address, and then said goodbye. Well we got on the plane and guess who I was sitting by? The older couple! It was so cool. So we talked for a little but then everyone fell asleep!
We landed in la Ciudad safe and sound. Mom, when we landed I was wondering if you were watching us! Haha. Well we went through customs, one of the elders had a hard time understanding what they were saying, but we finally made it through and found the Secretaries. They went to the airport at 9 pm when we were supposed to be there. Turns out, the Church travel department said they would call and tell our President that we were coming the next day, but what they really did was EMAIL them! So nobody got the message until after they had been at the airport for a few hours. When they found out it would be the next day, they went home then came back and didn´t get to sleep.
President and Sister Bulloch were up all night too!

We finally got to the Mission Home, put our suitcases down and went inside. We met the President and his wife and had an awesome non-mtc breakfast! haha, They gave us some training, including how to do the "abrazo" Its a thing the men do down here. It starts with a handshake, right arm over their right shoulder, two pats, then another handshake. He had us practice because our companions were going to do it and he didn´t want us to put our head on the wrong side and hit their head! Pretty funny. Well after that we all had interviews with the President. He is so awesome! He asked me why I am serving a mission, and told me about my companion. He told me to watch out for getting discouraged, because that´s how satan gets the missionaries.

After the interviews, they sent us off to sleep for an hour. We left the mission home at 12 with an awesome sack lunch from Sis. Bulloch. We got to the "temple square" that was so cool! Its the temple (even better than I imagined) the MTC, the Visitors center, a stake center and some apartments. That´s where we do Cambios or changes. Everyone was excited to find out their new companion. Presidente had us sit on the stand in front of everyone, and after all the announcements they started announcing the changes. Elder Mays leaned over to me and said "I think I´m about to hurl!" haha It was pretty nerve racking, just because we wanted to know who our companions was!

They finally called Elder Sander and me and I felt alot better, I dont´know why any of us were nervous. Elder Sanders is from Uruguay. Get this, his "papa" or trainer was in the same district as Hermana Nash when they were in the MTC. Elder Folao, (from Tonga picture that a tongan speaking spanish! Elder Sander said he sounded Colombian!) showed him pictures of the MTC and Elder Sander recognized her later in pictures with his family in Uruguay! Small world eh? Elder Sander trained another Elder who trained Elder Howard, so Elder Howard is Elder Sanders nieto or grandson. I know mission lingo is weird.

Well we got on the bus after cambios and after about 2 hours arrived in Pachuca. Everyone says its mas tranquilo than the D.F. so don´t worry, not that there´s anyone over there in our house that would. We got a taxi and found our apartamento. We walked in and the smell of dust and dirt hit us like a ton of bricks. The elders before us left it a mess, complete with trash from christmas, dishes piled, and dust everywhere. The bathroom looked like it hadn´t been cleaned forever! haha so the first night we started cleaning. We´re finishing up today, because we haven´t had time this past week.

Photo's Dad found on the internet of Pachuca (till we get some from Trevor)

Below is a link to a GoogleMap of Trevors mission area and his area in Pachuca, zoom in to see a closeup.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=114054482221229652040.0004666afc317de7d9100&ll=20.228125,-98.888067&spn=1.837441,2.463684&z=9

Pachuca is awesome! I´m in Av. Insurgentes and Constitucion. Dad wanted to know where I am, I dont´ exactly know. But those are two streets. Our area is a kind of triangle. We go from Blvrd. Luis Donaldo Colosio east to Emiliano Zapato, and from Blvrd Del Minero south to..well I dont know the street. but that gives you an idea.

From: Trevor Rasmussen
Date: Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Subject: Parte 2


We started off the week with proselyting and door contacting. The Elders before us didn´t leave us much to work with. They hadn´t really filled out the area book or many investigators so we set to work. Elder Sander is a really hard worker, he walks way faster than I do! I thought I walked fast! He brings a whole new meaning to walking with purpose.
We did alot of contacting this past week. We found a lady name Francisca and her 15 year old daughter Yessica. They seemed interested, we went ot their house and taught them. We even committed them to come to church but saturday rolled along and they didn´t want us to come anymore. That was really hard for me, but I´m realizing you have to move along. There isn´t time to waste if they´re not sincere and really wanting to change. In Preach My Gospel it says our job is to teach the doctrine clearly so they can decide to change their life. Well we found a few more people but same story as Francisca and Yessica. On Friday we found a lady named Teresa. She got kicked out of her house for some reason, not sure why. We contacted her in the street and she invited us to her one room cement house. I mentioned the Book of Mormon at the beginning and as I was teaching she kept asking so what about the Book of Mormon? It was cool to see her interested in reading! So we commited her to read and come to church. Saturday we stopped by and she said she´woudl be ready for us to pick her up the next day. We came by but she was no where to be found. So we´re going to stop by tonight.
The mission standard is to have 1 person baptized every week in each companionship. We figured to do taht we have to have 8 progressing investigators and 16 at Church each week. We only had 3 at church this week so we´re alittle behind but we´ll get there! I think the Lord is trying my faith. I´m realizing how big a part of their conversion we have to be, I have to be able to teach clearly and that makes me want to study even harder so I can be able to teach them. Alot of people are willing to listen to us but not many want to change their lives. So we justhave to look that much harder!!

Everyone was so tired that first day at the ¨Mission Home that we all forgot that I had a bunch of stuff in everyone elses suitcase! I left my coat and one of the bags of stuff with Elder Spencer, my ziploc withthe bedding with Elder Bertin, and my ziploc of Pday clothes with Elder Kartchner. My zone leaders are going to get it this week, and itmade me thankful that Mom made sure I had two of everything! Pday clothes arent that big of a deal cuz we stay in our white shirts and everything on Pday. I think I may have brought a little too much, or my suitcase just weighs alot. Oh, the mission just changed its policy on Ipods and nobody can have them in the mission. I left mine in the Mission home the first day so dont buy a charger!

Well my Spanish has come along way already, I can see how much the Spirit has helped me to learn in just the past few days. It was really hard to communicate at first. I still dont understand some things, they talk so fast here! I´m learning alot and the Spirit truly guides us.

Well I have to go, I need to write the President. We report each week on our key indicators.
Thanks for all your support and prayers! I really appreciate it. This Church is true, I gain a stronger testimony of that everyday.
Te quiero!
Élder Rasmussen (aquí es Élder razmuzehn)

MTC - Week 9

03/18/09
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:34:20 +0000
Subject: El Ultimo Email!
Hola familia!
Wow, el ultimo semana en el MTC! LOCISIMO! Not a whole lot has happened this past week...
Except for ELDER L. TOM PERRY!
That was pretty exciting! The Elders that went to Choir said there were people with metal detectors going around the gym so we ate cereal and booked it to the gym so we could get our favorite close seat. He spoke to us about companionships and how learning to get along with them is the greatest thing we're going to learn. It was a great devotional, nothing too deep or earth shattering it was just a nice devotional letting us know that we had better get along with out companions, I think it really applied cuz I know I'm going to need help with certain companions in the field (at least from my setting apart blessing!)

Well I've been reflecting a lot on what I've learned here, and how exactly I've grown. In my journal Grandpa and Grandma gave me it asks for what I've learned- in one page! So I've been thinking about it... And here's what I've decided I learned.

I know I didn't explain it very well last week, but this idea of focusing completely on the investigators isn't new. In Preach My Gospel it talks all about focusing on the people's needs. Well in the MTC whenever we teach they have always said, "so what can YOU do better next time?" It doesn't matter what WE did, it matters how the investigator came unto Christ- our whole purpose! So lesson number
1- Focus completely on the investigators,
the Purpose statement is central to EVERYTHING
For example, Hermana Nash has been telling us since we got here that if we will focus on them completely, then the Lord can use us as a mouthpiece to speak to them. If we have studied our Spanish and "treasured up continually" the doctrine, all He asks us to do is focus completely and solely on the investigator- then our Spanish will come. THAT is the real definition of the Gift of Tongues. Last week we were in the Referral Center. I was doing calls in English and wanted to try it in Spanish. So I called Hermana Nash over and asked if we could do a split call. She listened in while I did the call. I called about 4 or 5 times before someone finally answered, each time I was about to just give up! When someone finally answered it was his wife. I read the script perfectly (haha, yeah right) then she said her husband could come. So when he answered the phone I started speaking Spanish, without even thinking about it. I mean at first I asked the questions I needed to, and when he replied super fast I needed help, but when he asked me again I just answered in Spanish- focusing on him! Hermana Nash told me after "Elder! When you weren't reading the script, your Spanish was so much better!" Pretty cool huh? I mean I'm not a pro at all, it was just really neat to know that Heavenly Father watches out for all of us.

2- Our call is inspired.
Wow, this is huge. I know I was ordained to be a missionary at this time in this mission, with certain companions. Heavenly Father had it figured it out down to the TEACHERS in the MTC. They are so amazing, I've learned so much from them these past 8 weeks. They taught by the Spirit, they looked for our needs as their students. Hermana Nash even plans for EACH of us! Everyday she has our names where investigators names go, and next to it she puts what she thinks our needs are, and she tries to meet them as she teaches. Hermano Barrios is so knowledgeable in the gospel, he is from Chile and only knows English form going on his mission to Mesa, and studying at BYU but he speaks amazing! It gives me hope cuz I want to master the Spanish language in every way possible. In PMG elder Holland tells us to do that, and I know if I apply myself I can!

3-Learn by the Spirit
This is just something I've recently been learning. In PMG, again, It talks about this. Hermana Nash told us about how much we can learn if we have the Spirit with us. I really want to do this and grow this through my mission! I have great companions who get great insights from the Spirit, they love to share with me so it's fun to hear what they learn.

I've grown so much here in the MTC. I've learned what I need to do to become a better missionary FOR the people in the Mexico City East mission. I have the materials, and the preparation to be great, now all it's goign to take is self-discipline (which I've also learned a lot about)

Thank you to all of you for writing me. Thanks so much for the packages mom and dad, I'm definitely the best cared for missionary here! I feel bad though, quit spending money on me! I'm already costing you a fortune.
Grandma and Grandpa, thanks for the letters. They really uplift and encourage me.
Maddie, Keep up the great work in school! I didn't know you slept in my bed, when mom sent that dear elder it was the first time I had heard that. I'm glad you keeping it good for me! Hope to hear from you before I leave.
Maegan, I have only gotten a few letters on DearElder from you, I'm sorry! You mighyt be putting the info in wrong but I do appreciate you for being the diligent sibling and writing me. Chiste chiste, I love you too Maddie and Trent. Maegan just loves me more ;)
Trent, Study Preach My Gospel- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! I wish I would have at LEAST read it through all the way. Go through and take that nice pencil that you got in that awesome package, mark all the things we need to do as missionaries in blue and all the promises in yellow. There are so many awesome promises in PMG. Please read it. okay?? I feel so strongly about this, I wish I would’ve known to do that before. I didn't know how fundamental it is in Missionary work. you're awesome, keep up the good work in sports and plays and SCHOOL!
oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I can't believe you're 18. Keep preparing, you'll be great! Tell our Mission Prep class hi for me.

Okay, FLIGHT PLANS! I know you have them too, but I wanted to talk to you about it. What would you think about me calling when I get to Georgia? I figured in SLC it might be kinda hard, I don’t know if I'll have enough time.
Oh yeah random fact- I bought a hundred pass along card for finding faith in Christ DVD to give out in Georgia. We always get calls in the RC from people in Georgia and back east wanting their free Bible and Christ movie! Cha-Ching!

Mother dearest, I DO indeed have a plan for packing. My new suitcase is light and has a lot of room. My big suitcase is all packed already, and my carry on can weigh up to 40 pounds. So I figure I still have 90 pounds left to pack my bedding, some shirts, garments and books. I'm wearing my boots on the plane, I'm putting extra clothes in my carry on in case I lose my suitcase- POR FAVOR no se preocupado! Don't be worried! You've taught me well, I learned from the best parents in the world!
So what do you think about me calling about 4:30-4:40 Georgia time?? Let me know in an email if you can or dear elder.

mom, I don’t' know what Elder Maxwell talk you're talking about. Did I send one home??
Ps- I don’t' have addresses for a lot of the ward people. Like Bro Knaperak.

Okay I les quiero mucho! When you hear from me next I'll be on my way to Mexico!
Este iglesia es verdadera, Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios, soy llamando de un profeta viviendo para predicar el Evangelio de Jesucristo!
Love you all,
Elder Trevor Rasmussen

MTC - Week 8

03/11/09
Hola todo!!

Hope you all had a great week! It sounds like everyone is doing well.
It snowed up here on Sunday! It was awesome. Everyone thinks I'm crazy cuz I've been wishing for snow before we leave.
Whoa, you mean we actually leave this place?! It's week 8 already! We only have one more full week here, and we should be getting our flight plans tomorrow! Yee haw!

All right, la historia de la semana!(story of the week)
Saturday night they came on the speakers and reminded us that we needed to change our clocks cuz of day light savings time. Well we get to our rooms and some elders needed our help with something and we did that until it was time to go to bed.
Sunday morning comes along and I go out in the hallway and nobody is there. Usually there are people hurrying to beat everyone else to the showers but there was nobody.
I go back in the room and tell my companeros that there's nobody awake so either we're an hour early or an hour late.
So we got ready and went to our class...on the way there was nobody around! Elder Israelsen thought we had missed the Second Coming! haha!
We get to the building and we were definitely an hour late! Instead of it being 7 it was 8 am. President Crawford came in and asked "So where were you this morning??" We just kinda looked at each other looking for who was going to tell him first! All I said was "We don't have Day light savings in Arizona!" He laughed at us and asked if we were reminded. We sheepishly said yes then he gave us one of his quotes (he always has some sort of wisdom/cool phrase) "The dullest pencil is better than the sharpest mind" So after he kinda scolded us for being late he called our companionship to be Zone Leaders. He wanted to know why we weren't there because he wanted to call us earlier so we could be at the meeting that we weren't awake for...oops!
So DST is a new adventure for me!
Yesterday Elder James J. Hamula came. He's such a great speaker! He gave this awesome talk on The Creation, The Fall, and the Atonement (The Three Pillars of the Gospel, right?)
...
I just had a whole bunch typed up and it deleted it.
Basically Elder Hamula said we are all going to be resurrected right? Our job is to prepare the investigators f0r that day! We’ll all return to the presence of God, whether we stay there or not is a different story!
It was such an awesome talk. It felt like General Conference!
It made me really think about our purpose and how it really is all about inviting THEM to come unto Christ. If I focus on them I don’t' have to worry about my Spanish or about leaving a commitment and following up and all of that. If we think of Preach My Gospel as a checklist we're missing the point.
This is what our teachers have been telling us about he past week, it's pretty cool! It's mind boggling actually. They told us its going to change missionary work completely. They said the MTC is going to start teaching missionaries to not focus on "How did we do?" when they teach but "How did we bring our investigators to Christ?"

Okay I had a whole bunch typed up and I don’t 'have much time. Lo siento!
Haha, after I emailed you last week I went to shave and my electric shaver broke! No more laziness for me, now I have to actually use a razor! Hey I forgot I wanted to bring some of those magic tricks I have. If you happen to send something up before I leave could you send the little clear stick with the colors on it, and the pen that goes through paper? Sorry I don’t' mean to be demanding I just think it'd be fun to take down there.
About the whole suitcase thing.. Cherisse feels in the dark about it. So here's what I'm going to do, When I leave I'm going to take the suitcase up to the front and leave it there. They told me to make sure when I call you from the airport to pick it up. If I'm overweight I might put some stuff in there,. Can you ask Cherisse if that’s okay? I think she might be going down to AZ and not even be here so if we could work it out that'd be awesome!

I love you all, thanks for the letters! I want to hear more from Mis HERMANOS!! (siblings) I'm sad the recorder erased all of your recordings, sometimes you just have to look for them on the recorder.

Well things are going well here, I'm coming around the corner- we're all ready to head to Mexico!
Se que este iglesia es verdadera, y que Tomas S. Monson es un profeta de Dios. Se que el Libro de Mormon contiene la plenitud del evangelio y respuestas por todos las preguntas! Se que Jesucristo vive y El es mi Salvador y Redentor.

Te quiero!
Elder Rasmussen

Ps- Heads up, I'm going to be writing Josephine and the boys. I have felt like I just need to write them and tell them about what I’m doing out here. I think the spirit has been telling me for the whole time I've been here that I need to share with them my testimony. I think they will come to know this is the true Church if we do our part- I think I’ve thought this because I'm teaching the plan of salvation this week and I keep thinking of them and how they can be with their Dad again. And I read the talk in the New Era by Pres. Eyring? about telling everyone about the gospel. How when we get to the other side they will look at us and say "You knew, why didn't you tell me?" I read that and I knew I had to write Josephine and the boys. I dunno, tell me what do you think! I have four minutes to reply! love ya!

MTC - Week 7

03/04/09
Hola todos!
Yesterday we were sitting in class doing personal study when the nice little old lady in the front office called on the speaker and asked for the elders in room 225 to come to the ....TRAVEL OFFICE!!
So we of course get up slowly and under control... yeah right. We got up and booked it over to the travel office. WE were disappointed when we got there cuz they said our visas are going to be delayed a month....
....
.......
Just kidding! We went to el CONSULADO DE MEXICO yesterday at 1:00 to " make an appearance" to sign our VISAS!! We are the second group of elders to go out on time to Mexico! Our prayers were answered, thsi is what we've been praying for for the past 6 weeks! Even our teachers have been praying for us!
03/04/09
Hola mis abuelos! como estan?! Grandpa & Grandma
Thank you for the letters you send me, I like them so much.
Even if it's just hearing how your week is or anything, I miss you two and want you to know I pray for you and think about you a lot.

The MTC is so amazing! Have I ever told you that? ;
The firesides are so incredible and my teachers are so amazing too!
If I can be close to the kind of missionary they were and how my dad was then I'll be set, really! I can tell they worked so hard.
Hno. Barrios was in the Mesa Mission and we talk about stuff all the time...Mostly the good restaurants. He really likes Filibertos! haha, I don’t know if you know but he's from Chile. His dad was a General Authority. He's only 23 but he acts like he's way older! I want to be as knowledgeable in the gospel as these two are. Preach My Gospel is so cool! Elder Packer said it was written on the other side of the veil, and I can definetly tell it is.

Well I have to go, just know I love you and think about you. Try and calm my mother down so she doesn't have to worry about me going to Mexico! I'm so excited and can't wait to get out there!

And guess what? The gift of tongues is so real! We went to the consulate yesterday and the people were speaking in Spanish of course and we were all trying to follow along, yes 40 of us were leaning in trying to hear what they were saying, haah! And after wards everyone was like "They were speaking so fast! holy cow!" but I could understand almost everything. I'm not being boastful, I just know the Lord is blessing me with the Gift of Tongues already.
Love ya!
TREV
I mean,
Elder Trevor Rasmussen
03/04/09

So as if that wasn't enough to make yesterday the best day at the MTC, we went to the fireside but before we did they came on the speaker and told all the missionaries to bring their Preach My Gospel. So of course we all thought it HAD to be Pres. Monson or something. But it was just as good.
Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi came! I thought of Dad right away, I remember Dad saying it was one of his Favorite Authorities. It was one of the best talks I've ever heard, really! It was so cool. He talked about the Atonement and how its really important for us to be clean as missionaries. Then he talked about "Learn to become a master teacher and a celestial missionary"
He challenged us to get up 2-3 minutes early everyday, he said "The way you spend your mornings is how you're going to spend them in the morning of the first resurrection" Whoa.
He challenged us to master the first four lessons. While he was teaching us this it was so funny cuz he kept pointing at the air like he was karate chopping it! Then he had some missionaries come up and tell the first vision. They went through it really quickly then he had some sisters come up. The sister missionaries told the first vision so carefully and slowly, that the spirit filled the entire room. Elder Kikuchi told us to pray for them up on the stage, and it was amazing. He said to take time to tell the greatest thing that ever happened in the world!
He told us this awesome story, Dad you'll like this.
He told us about a young boy right after World War II who's dad was out fishing for their business when an American submarine sunk the boat, killing the boy's father and several workers. The family had to sell everything and became really poor. They were so poor that the boy couldn't go to high school, so he moved 9 hours away to work. He would get up early and work all day then go to night school and then go to sleep at 11. This happened for along time until he was 15 and in the hospital, I guess form the effects of all his hard work. He was near death, when this young boy who had been raised Buddhist prayed to the Christian God, "If you're there I promise to repay you if you let me live" Three days later he was out of the hospital. Eight days after that two young missionaries were tracting and getting door after door slammed in their face. They were about to go back when one of them said "lets knock on a few more doors" The boy saw these two Americans coming to his house. He answered the door and said "Go away, you killed my father." The missionaries said okay but before we go we want to tell you that Jesus Christ and God appeared to a young boy about your age. He remembered the promise he had made eight days earlier and holding up both his hands he said "TEN MINUTES!"
"That young boy was me. Thank you for bringing me the gospel of Jesus Christ" (talking to US, he was telling thank you to us!)
He said "I love you for bringing me this gospel. Thank you"
It was such a powerful meeting. Before this meeting Hermano Barrios told us that General Authorities are on assignment from the Quorum of the Twelve and can speak as if they were they Lord. He told us if we give a blessing we could even say "I love you" as if we were the Lord speaking. When Elder Kikuchi said "I love you" It was such an amazing feeling! The spirit was so strong in that huge gym, I know that the work we're about is the greatest in the world! Heavenly Father even said it is HIS work and HIS glory! It's what brings him the most happiness, pretty cool huh?

Real quick I wanted to tell you about something Hno. Barrios told us. One of the trainers here at the MTC teaches the teachers and he taught them something yesterday. There is a turning point with every investigator, we have to listen to them and focus on them. He said if we get out of a lesson and say "Okay what could we have done better" Then we've MISSED the point! The "atomic turning point" as he called it. We have to have faith that if we focus completely on them then the Lord will help us. It's kind of deep, and I'm not explaining it right. But Hno. Barrios said the church is going to be moving over to this over the next few years, people are just now developing this idea. The basics of it are in Preach My gospel under listening. (basically everything you've taught me my whole life)

Thank you for the awesome package last week, it was awesome! We haven’t opened the bubbly yet but we will! We usually don't have time to eat anything.
I got the credit card stuff today and I'm going to send it off right now.
Te quiero! I have ten minutes so you can write me back if you want! Adios!

Elder Trevor Rasmussen

MTC - Week 6

02/25/09
Hola Familia y amigos!
What a great week! I hope you all had a good one too!

I want to start off by telling you about something so cool that happened here. There is a place called the R.C., Referral Center. You know those pass along cards you give out? Well when people call it comes HERE. So we go and answer phone calls and chats and actually call people. Our district set a goal last Tuesday to get 25 referrals where we send the missionaries over. Well we went Tuesday, and I called for almost an hour and got answering machiens THE WHOLE TIME! It was disappointing. So we went back on Thursday, Wed is p day, and again- nothing! So we went in on Friday, our scheduled R.C. time, and I told Hna. Nash that I wasn't getting anything. She told me that sometimes the Lord tests our faith before we have success. I just kinda shrugged my shoulders and kept making calls. I decided I should pray and by the end of Friday I had 5 referrals. Now here's the cool part.. We set the goal for 25 by Saturday, Saturday comes along and we still need some. But we all prayed and told Heavenly Father we had faith that we could reach our goal. We went to the R.C. that day and by the end of the day we had 34! It was so cool. I had some great experiences, I talked to a lady in a rest home. She had called me and needed help with a word (agency) and after I told her what it was and explained it I asked if she wanted the missionaries, and she said "Oh yes! I know this is true with all of my heart! I can just FEEL it!" It reminded me of what Elder Ballard said last week, people feel its true long before they know its true. I know if we set a goal and put our faith in the Lord he will help us.

Last Saturday we were talking as a companionship and decided we really wanted the Gift of Tongues. In Preach My Gospel it says part of getting the Gift of Tongues is by Struggling for it. So we thought, "How can we do this better??" Cuz of course Spanish is a struggle but we  

 

to know how to do it better, you know? So we made a goal...again! Sunday rolled along and we started un ayuno de comida (regular fast) asking the Lord for help in our next goal of AYUNO DE INGLES!! (English fast) We fasted all day Sunday and when we went on our Temple walk we found a bench that was kinda quiet (theres hundreds of missionaries taking pictures at the temple) and plead with Heavenly Father for help with this goal. When we got up from that prayer we broke our fast and started a new one... for Two years! No Ingles. Nada.
Now it SOUNDS a lot easier than it is. Trust me. I've caught myself speaking English many a time, while Elder Israelsen is ONLY speaking Spanish, .like I should be! We mostly just don’t' talk at meal times, it's too hard. But we're doing it- all the time. In personal study- I study in Spanish, with my English stuff next to it of course. And in Comp. study, we study in Spanish. If we don’t' understand we say it in Spanish first and then in English. The Gift of Tongues is real! I can FEEL it already. And it's only Wednesday! Words from my freshman year of Spanish are coming back to me and it is really amazing!

We are officially halfway there, we are on "Week 6" and we leave on 9! So I was released as District Leader and Elder Bertin is our new one, he'll do great! He used to always ask me if I got the mail, just to be funny. Now it's my turn to bug him, "Did you get the mail?" haha, just kidding! It was kind of a relief actually, but then they put me in as Senior companion! I don't do nearly as much though, no meetings!
I learned so much in my time as DL. I learned what not to do, and what to do better if I ever get called in the field. I went to some awesome trainings with my Branch Presidency that taught us about leading by the 121 section. I'm very thankful for the chance Heavenly Father gave me to do that!
Elder Daryl H. Garn came last night, wasn’t' he our dentist?!? It's been bugging me, I can't remember! He is in the second quorum of the 70 and said he was a dentist in Mesa. I know I've heard that name before! He talked about agency, it was awesome!

Hope you enjoyed the package!
Te quiero mucho!
Elder Trevor Rasmussen

ps- Tell Cherisse and Kathe thank you for the packages they sent me, my district and I liked them a lot!

MTC - Week 5

2/18/09

Buenos Dias Familia! Lo siento, we didn't have time to type today so I'm starting now. I won't be able to do copy and paste today so this is all I got...
So much happened this week, I hope I can get it all in here!
First of all, Elder Israelsen's companion went home last Wednesday. So he's me and Elder Kartchner's third companion now! It's different having three people, but we're using it to our advantage. For example, when we teach we have one of us be a convert that knows the person we're teaching, pretty cool eh?
Okay, I am learning new rules all the time and here's one I learned this week. We're not allowed to take pictures or write letters unless it's P-day! So when you write me and ask me questions, I try to remember them but I have a hard time, and I can't write you back right then so it's kinda hard.
Oh yeah, because last wed. was so hectic with one of the elders leaving I didn't have time to buy the suitcase and now it's gone soo... I'm not sure what we're going to do. Sorry!
Next week we're teaching the first lesson en ESPANOL!?! Loco eh??
Oh, I never got a package from Cherisse and Sis. Glaus, I went up to the front but they said the mailroom would've given it to me, so I don’t know what happened there.
I'm sending the SD card today so you should get it hopefully Saturday or so? I'm excited for you to get it, I recorded some stuff on the recorder, hope you don't get bored of it!
OHH MAN! Yesterday was pretty exciting! Guess who came? Come on guess??
well let me start by telling you this, we usually sit by the side of the stage so we can be close to the person, even though its their profile, and have a TV right there to watch them from straight on. So we go to our usual spot and it's reserved for EMT Personnel?! What?!
Then we usually sing songs before the fireside, and the conductor got up and said "Elders and sisters, to show respect to their calling, if an Apostle-" Everyone started whispering and yelling and...mass chaos pretty much. The conductor held up his hands and yelled, "IF you were to see one tonight, then you should stand." By now I could barely contain myself. So we were singing and in walks...
Elder M. Russell Ballard! You know, "Our Search for Happiness"?? Yeah. Him.
It was soOo cool! It's funny cuz everyone from Utah has seen or met or is best buddies with an apostle and I've only seen one from far away! Elder Israelsen has met Elder Ballard five times I think, Elder Bertin from Bountiful used to home teach Elder Bednar..and yeah. It's pretty crazy how everyone seems to know one of them!
Well Elder Ballards talk was pretty amazing. I took 5 pages of notes...haha.
He told us about how he and Elder Cook went to several newspaper places last year when Mitt was running so they could be interviewed. He told us the most common question was, "Why does the whole world say you aren't Christian?" He told them its because we don’t' believe in the Nicene Creed, and a bunch of other stuff. He talked to us about how really important our message is to the world! He said, "The world is steeped in spiritual darkness, what are YOU going to do to penetrate that darkness?" whoa.
He went on to tell us how a positive attitude is essential! He told us they've done studies and how the appearance of the missionary is the #1 factor that determines whether people are going to listen to the missionaries. No pressure right?
"Lock this into your brains, In the beginning it's always what they feel, NOT what they know!" He has gone everywhere you possibly can in the world and says that he always asks recent converts of two years to stand and they ALL say "When the missionaries came, I felt this...I felt...I felt..." Always before what they knew!
He told us to believe all the time and trust in the Lord. you have to keep that burning in you.
One of the main things he spoke about was INTERNALIZING Chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel. He said in 7 months, once we have some experience, He'd like to take US to the New York Times and have them ask US questions. "Own it so well that you can teach any principle at anytime, so you can teach the message of the Restoration."
When we master chapter 3, they will FEEL that you are sincere, and special young men and women.
There are many people that are just wallowing in spiritual darkness, they will see it RADIATING in your eyes, your heart and your spirit! They will feel and you'll have more opportunity to find, teach and baptize.
This work needs to be accelerated! If all 53,000 missionaries were excited about the Gospel baptisms would accelerate!...

THEN he talked to us about being cheerful! He said regardless of how difficut it may be remember Alma 29:9. Hold on to that! I promise you in the name of the Lord as you have an upbeat attitude, the divine witness of the Lord will carry you through any affliction.

"On behalf of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and the Seventy, we send you forth as ambassadors of Jesus Christ! This is His Church! WE will be as close to Him as we let Him!...Be cheerful, excited, and upbeat for the privilege of representing the Lord!"
May the heavens be close to you and enlighten you for the greatest opportunity you'll probably ever have in your lives...

Yeah. It was so cool. I felt the Spirit so strong! It really is a blessing to be serving the Lord. I learned something cool in District Review last night.
There are only three groups with the title Elder!
-The General Authorities
-The Apostles
-And...the missionaries. 19 year old missionaries.

Se que Jesucristo vive! Se que el Libro de Mormon is verdadero, y lo contiene la plenitud del Evangelio. Estoy muy agredecido por la oportunidad ser un misionero de Dios.


Te Queiro mucho familia!

-Elder Trevor Rasmussen

ps- I want to hear from all of you!!

MTC - Week 4

02/11/09

Last night Elder Jose A. Teixeira spoke to us. He's from Portugal, you say his last name Tehshera. He had an awesome accent! That wasn't the best part of his talk though, don't worry! He started out telling us that what he was going to share has the power to change our mission. He said "Things that are worthwhile are worth the price." He continued to talk to us about the Holy Ghost. He basically used everything from Preach My Gospel. That book is so amazing, they tell us new things about it all the time. For example, the Purpose statement at the beginning. People that helped to write that book said there was no sentence reconstructed, rewritten, looked over by more apostles, scrutinized, analyzed, and picked at than that sentence. "M Purpose: Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." We've dissected that sentence so much since I've been here.

He told us to do all we can to get people to read the Book of Mormon. He told us to make sure to say, "I know!" Because it is a statement of understanding. "You understand when you put into practice what you know." Cool huh? He talked to us about love and service and how it is like a boomerang. Whenever we give our service, the Lord gives us back so much more in return! Anyways, last night was great. It was such a spiritual experience. Just hearing Elder Teixeira talk made me want to be a better missionary. He said he has been praying night and day for the chance to come speak to us because of the MAGNITUDE of what we're about to do.

Basically the past few days have been so amazing to me. I have received revelation for my district. I know it sounds crazy, but I know the Lord truly qualifies whom he calls. It is very humbling and hope to be able to have that constant companionship of the Holy Ghost all the time. I was reminded of the 121 section of the D&C where it says "The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of..." That's my goal. I want that always, I know as I prepare myself and keep myself worthy of those still small whisperings, I can do the Lord's work.

Just in the few weeks here I've learned I need to work on patience! haha . . . some days I have to wait 20 minutes for the hot shower ! I love it here Mom, my companion is great. The lord is teaching all of us and enhancing our understanding.

Okay funny story time-
Last night I thought I had a dream that I got down from my bed on the top bunk and opened the door and went back to sleep. Well this morning Elder Kelley, who sleeps by the door, said I said something mumbled, jumped out of the bed and went to the door. He said I opened it and he said,"What are you doing?" and I said "Nothing Elder Kelley, leave me alone!" He tried to go back to sleep and ignore me, but I started staring at him for a while. And he asked me again and again I said, "Nothing Elder Kelley!" He said I was being mean to him..oops! Then I closed the door, jumped in my bed and went to sleep! (SLEEPWALKING . . . following in his Dad's footsteps ! ! )

Well, that's all for now family! Hope to hear from you soon!
Con Amor,
Elder Rasmussen

MTC - Week 3

Missionary Jedi . . . . ooooo how do they do that ! ! ??WOW . . . Even overcome GRAVITY ! ! !

Week - 3
02/11/09
We were in class the other day and Hermano Barrios had us do a role play about loving our neighbor. The story was there is a kid jumping rope and another kid comes up and pushes him over and steals his rope. Of course we had to do it all in Spanish too! So I was chosen to be the bully and the shortest Elder in our district was the kid jump roping. So I come up and I say something in Spanish and push him over and steal his rope. He falls and runs over to his Dad and says, "Papa! Papa! Tomo mi ropa!" We sat there for a second just looking at each other and started laughing!! First of all he was trying to say, " papa papa! They took my rope!" but he really said, "Papa! papa! They took my CLOTHES!!" (clothes=ropa) It was just another good old time at the MTC! We laughed about it all this week.

On Tuesdays we get to hear from a General Authority and last night we get in there and usually they have a picture of the person on the screen, but last night they didn't! So we were all whispering to each other trying to figure out who could it be?!? Well right before 7 in walks a shorter Authority that I had never seen before. His name was Clate W. Mask and it was one of the absolute best talks I've ever heard.

One thing that I've been thinking a lot about is the great privilege it is to be a missionary for the Lord. He has entrusted us with this duty to preach the gospel. I don’t' know, I guess my whole perspective on missionary work is kinda different because now I realize, I'm LUCKY to wear his name on my suit.

Elder Mask last night said, " What a blessing it is to receive a mission call from a Prophet of God. You will be angelic in the lives of many people. I bless all of you within the sound of my voice tonight with a special blessing that you will have desire to be the very best missionary you can be, that you will want to serve. The lord will bless you tonight with whatever it is you need. As a special witness of Christ I know Thomas s. Monson is a prophet.." It was so powerful and I felt the Spirit so strong. It still amazes me that I heard an apostle of the LORD speaking to us! wow.

I wanted to tell you, Mom and Dad thank you. You have tuaght me los principios del Evangelio all my life! For example, this week we learned alot about "listening" HAHa! Dad you would have laughed if you heard what we talked about. Because it's exactly what YOU and MOM have been teaching me my whole life. Here I'll just quote it. It's on page 185 of P my G.
"When you listen carefully to others, you understand them better. When they know that their thoughts and feelings are important to you, they are more likely to be receptive to your teachings share personal experiences and make commitments. As you listen, you will be able to more effectively adapt your teachings to their needs and interests.

Allright I love you all! I wish I could write more, But I guess I’ll just have to do it in a letter. Good luck deciphering this! (I bet you didn't think you'd have to have your urim and thumim for this did ya dad??)
Nos Vemos!
Te Quiero!

Elder Trevor Rasmussen

MTC - Week 2

Dad's perspective: As we walked his luggage to a designated spot we saw all the parents coming out from the previous Missionary drop-off session with "red eyes", and wondered . . . Ok, well inside with about 300 others we watched several Mormon Ads that had us thinking about Trevor serving. We had a kind of orientation talk from the MTC Mission President, then we used their band aid analogy . . . part quickly and it won't hurt as much . . . we gave hugs and said last goodbye's . . . it worked pretty well as he was walking out signing the "I love you" we often do when someone is leaving the house, and we gave him back the "two" sign.. . . And he was gone and we were left there with "Red Eyes" as they shuffled us out for the next group coming in.
Now for Trevor's rest of the day:
When you guys left and I went out the door behind us, we went and got our shots and everything. I ended up paying for my flu shot, I figured it would make my madre feel better. Then we went and I met mi companero. His name is Ethan Kartchner (as in, "Kartchner Caverns") He's from Meridian Idaho and is a great guy. After I met him we went and picked up my luggage (he had already been in the room) and that was a challenge- we're on the FOURTH floor. So here I am trying to carry my carry on bag, my garment bag AND my 80 pound suitcase. Whew! Luckily some huge elder was walking by and asked if I needed help. I kindly let him carry the 80 lb bag the remainder of the four flights of stairs.
Then we went to a LGM, or large group meeting. Then dinner, then we met our branch presidency that night. They are so awesome, Pres. Crawford is a teacher of economics at BYU, Bro. Estes and Bro. Larson are his counselors.
That night we went around and introduced ourselves and they took us out for interviews. Wait back up, first they assigned senior companions. Elder Kartchner is the senior. I was a little bummed but then I found out all the work they have to do! haha. so they called us out to do interviews, or entrevistas. I went out, came back in and was called out again like ten minutes later.
......The presidency called me to be the District Leader.. :0
I was a wee bit shocked to say the least. So that night started my adventure that has been the past 7 days
I've learned so much about planning this past week. It is soo important and I keep hearing our good ol' stake president saying "Proper prior planning positively prevents poor performance."
What . . . . SNOW ! ! ! !

Our District

The Three Amigo's:
Elder Isrealson , ME, Elder Kartchner


This is how the past week has gone:
"Set goals!"
"Plan!"
"How are your companionship GOALS?"
"Today we're going to talk about PLANNING and GOALS"
...umm yeah goals are really important in the MTC and the mission field. I'm slowly but surely starting to realize that. Por ejemplo, we have companionship PLANNING every night between 9 and 930, and the first few days we were writing out our day starting with what was ALREADY planned for us. But we learned form Hma. Nash that we need to set our goals FIRST then see the MDT (missionary directed time) for when we can MEET those goals. It reminds me of the lesson dad used to do when he had the glass container and put the rocks in first then the pebbles and then the sand. We are truly learning how to use our time wisely.
MTC= Make time count. Of course other missionaries have said something about Missionary torture chamber but I have NO idea what they're talking about.
Okay eight minutes left to write. I wanted to talk about how important Preach My Gospel is. It's soo soo important. At the very beginning it states our purpose, "My purpose is to: Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy ghost and enduring to the end." EVERYTHING we do is focused on that purpose. We recited it every Sunday in mission prep and I never realized the importance of it. (spiritual aahhah ! ! ! moment)

Icecream in winter . . . . .
only if you're from
ARIZONA ! ! ! !

Make'n Memories ! ! !


Well let's see... um what else... Thank you again for all the letters and NO mom, you aren't writing too much. DAD- don't tell mom she's writing me too much?! What are you thinking?! haha, since I'm district leader I'm in charge of getting the mail and let me tell you it is so fun to see a Dearelder.com letter sitting in there and waiting to see if its for me or not!

Grandpa, thank you for the letter! I really appreciated it!

I'm going to try and send pics later! buahah
I love you family!

yo se que el libro de mormon es verdadero. y el libro de mormon contiene la plenitud del evangelio. Estoy agredecio pare la oportunidad para servir.
Nos vemos!
Te quiero mucho!

Elder Rasmussen