Week 8 - Christmas

Feliz Navidad!

It was so good to talk to my family yesterday! I felt like I had no time to talk to you, but it was really good. Hope you all had a great Christmas and will have a happy new year. I really love you all so much! Thanks for being such a great family and I can't wait 5ish more months to talk to you again haha. It was a really good Christmas!

This week we had an awesome mission Christmas party. It was fun to talk and relax. Sister Williamson gave us cool MMQ (mission mexico queretaro) pillow cases, popcorn, and dulce de leche. It was awesome! Some members gave us gifts, which was super nice. We got a bunch of cookies, and a pillow, see the pictures. 

We didn't really have much to do this week because everyone and their dog went to Mexico City. So it was a pretty chill week. But I am really happy! I hope it cools off a bit, but not too much, just a little, because it is still super hot here. 

Our investigators are slowly progressing, but I really think we are just planting the seed and missionaries in the future will reap the rewards. Which is good, but I want to reap too haha. 

Oh yeah, and I gave a talk on Sunday, it went well. Somehow I managed to speak for the full 15 minutes I was supposed too, so that was a miracle. I spoke about Jesus Christ and Missionary Work, becoming fishers of men and such. It went well so I'm happy. And now I have a talk prepared in case of emergency. 

Well, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Love you all!

Elder Rasmussen

Cookies from the family of the branch President Alfaro

Tequis Central at night with Christmas lights

The pillow, gift from the family of our mission leader Carlos Alfaro, father of the branch president


On our way to carol in the park, I forgot to tel you all, but we went caroling. It was fun, we weren't good, but we sang with soul. Haha

Week 7 - 3 Months Since Home, 7 Weeks since CCM, Please Live the Word of Wisdom

¡Feliz Navidad!

Wow, this week was... interesting. We had an amazing FHE with Daniel and Delia with the Family Lopez Magallane. We should have filmed it and sent it to Church HQ for training purposes. A few days later we asked if they'd be baptized and they said that they don't want to leave their old church, but they like our message. So hopefully they will progress a little more. But really it was like a breath of fresh air. 

Then on to a crazy story. Hey everyone, I finally have a crazy story! Read more about it in my journal, it was sunday, but I'll give a brief overview. We were talking to some investigators: Fernando and Cetrelli. We were outside of their house, and all of a sudden a car with loud music passes by. Some guy gets out and hucks a beer bottle at E' Cardenas, by the grace of God he missed from five feet away. Then he lunged at our investigators and tried to hit them. Somehow we got inside but the guy didn't. He then began busting in the window until it broke. Fernando ran upstairs and got a machete, but E' Cardenas stopped him from going outside. The guy finally left, but he left the little girls in tears and a sense of panic. At the time, I felt only scared for the investigators. For some reason I didn't have much fear for my safety. I know that the reason the bottle didn't hit E' Cardenas, or me, or the investigators, and that no one was hurt, is that God was watching over us. Even though the guy was drunk, I don't think he'd miss from that close. So, there you go, crazy story. 

Tequis is really a great place, and I am not going to let this incident, or really act of selfishness stop the work of the Lord from progressing. Wow, it really is almost Christmas. I hope all of you have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'll talk to most of you soon on skype, and the rest in a week. Always remember that no matter what happens in our lives doesn't change the fact that the Church is true. Love you all!

Feliz Navidad,

Elder Rasmussen

Me in the Geographic Center of Mexico

Taking a fridge from the house of the other elders, ours broke, and they are finishing their missions tomorrow. We did this with permission of course. 

With more members

Ward members who acted in the nativity scene. And yes, our Christmas party was at a waterpark

Sign about the geographic center of Mexico

Week 6 - Come to Church Please!

Hola!

This week was tough. We worked hard and didn't see almost any result. We called like 50 members and less active Saturday night and asked them to come to church themselves and invite a friend or family member. Literally no one bought anyone and hardly anyone showed up. I mean I didn't expect much, maybe a few, but none. Come on. At least we had Ramon at church. He isn't married, but wants to be baptized. We will continue to work with him. Get married people! Our two investigators that have the desire to be baptized aren't married. But nonetheless, this week was alright. I am happy where I am, and my spanish is still improving slowly but surely.

I am excited for Christmas I hope it gets colder here. It is way hotter now than it was in November. Crazy weather. The sun is so strong in the afternoons. The members have told us that the last two weeks of December are dead here, because everyone goes out of town, so we have that to look forward too haha. But I am happy. I didn't have any crazy stories this week. Sorry everybody. Normal week. I'm out of time, but I love you all. Remember the true meaning of Christmas, and watch the "Light the World" video. It is awesome!

Feliz Navidad,
Elder Rasmussen

Menudo or Pancita. Soup with cow liver and intestines. only tried a little. It was really fatty but it smells good. 

 

Eating at Buffalo Wild Wings. Yep, in Queretaro, there is a Buffalo WW. It was glorious!

Week 5 - Primer Cambios

Hola!

I am still with Elder Cardenas in Tequis after my first cambio. I am so glad too! We are with Elder Carr from Draper, only for this week. He is going to train in Lomas, San Juan next door to us. Also, I don't like speaking out loud in english. My tongue feels heavy when I speak it. I don't know spanish that much, so I'm in an interesting place. But I love it here. The people here are fantastic. They are so good to us. 

We didn't have anyone come to church, which was disappointing, but it's all good, we will just work harder next week! The weeks are starting to fly by. Nooo! It's so sad. But I am learning more Spanish, and the members always compliment me. It is coming, slowly but surely. 

We had a good lesson with Elizabeth. She says she knows the church is true and wants to be baptized, but she isn't married. I had to think that we are all kind of like this. We know the church is true but just a simple thing, something that we can fix, keeps us from enjoying all the blessings  of the gospel. Maybe it is judging others, maybe it is bad movies, inappropriate songs, or going to church with a bad attitude. I know that if we fix these things, we will realize the blessing of living the gospel. The church is true. I am happy and blessed to know that. 

Love you all. Holy cow, it is December!

Elder Rasmussen

Centro de San Juan 

With my district: Elder Cardenas, Hermana Velasquez, Hermana Hernandez, Elder Cruz, Elder Luis, yo

With Stephen, who is from Utah, living in Tequis he is leaving for Texas this week though. Cool dude. Doesn't speak much spanish, so I can speak a little English

Week 4 - Month in the Field

Hola! Feliz día de acción de gracias todos!

This week went by so fast! I don't have too much to report on, but we had a few investigators come to church. Hooray! The work is moving forward. 

Also, they don't celebrate thanksgiving here, so it was just a normal day. But everyday here is a great day. Time is flying by so fast. It's sad. But I am really enjoying it here. I don't like speaking english anymore, it makes my tongue feel weird. I can't explain it, but it doesn't feel natural, because for the past 2 months i've been speaking and listening to everything in spanish. But I can only really speak basic spanish, so I am in a weird position haha. 

I'll tell you about a family we contacted really quick. Julia, is like 90 years old, less active for like 82 years, idk. We go to her house and we see there are a ton of people inside, so we try to leave but they see us and invite us in. They were all drinking and smoking, so we were like nah man, but they insisted. We go in and start talking to them. We transition to teaching and they all quieted down. They had a ton of questions and we are going to visit them later. It was like 3 big families. It was a great find! It would have been easy to have shared a tiny message and have left but we followed the spirit and helped them come closer to Christ. I have learned and am still learning to not judge others. They are all children of God, our brothers and sisters. They don't know the gospel, and it is our responsiblity to invite them to learn about it.

I hope all of you are grateful, happy, healthy and safe! I am well, Mexico is great, and I love my mission and I love all of you!

Con amor,

Elder Rasmussen

Super nice shopping mall

Cool arch 

Week 3 - Two Months!

This week was really good! I don't have much time. But I have been so blessed. I have seen the Lord's hand so much this week. He will answer your prayers, you just have to ask with faith. Faith isn't just a belief, it it a belief in action. We will receive revelation in many ways and almost all of those way are when we are exercising faith: reading scriptures, serving others, or keeping the commandments.

Don't compare yourself with others. I have been comparing my Spanish with others and it has caused me to feel inadequate. President Uchtdorf has really good counsel for this "Stop it!" May we all try a little harder to be a little better. God doesn't expect us to be perfect right now, but little by little, step by step we come closer.

The scriptures are such a blessing. We just need to take a step back and think about what it took so that we could have them. It's amazing!

I have two months in the mission, it has gone by so fast and so slow at the same time. I miss all of you, but my heart is in Mexico. I am putting my nose to the grindstone and working, but it is the most joyous work I've ever done. I am happier now than I have ever been. I love the song, "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul." I love the part that says "make me more worthy of your love". It is amazing.

I love the work and I love you all, Elder Rasmussen

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving! I don't think Thanksgiving is a thing here, so eat extra for me!

Tequis it is so beautiful here! 

Week 2 - I Hugged a Drunk Guy

Hola,

This week went by super fast. i have been learning a lot and we've had a lot of good lessons with investigators. I will tell you about one couple. Daniel y Delia. One night, a lesson fell through and we didn't have anyone to teach or anywhere to go. So I said a silent prayer that we could find a good person, or more specifically, a good family to teach. We contacted a few more people and then headed for home. We life near a park, and we saw a couple sitting on a bench watching soccer. We talked to them and they accepted a return visit. Anyway, yesterday we visited them and laugh them about the Godhead, because they are catholic. They accepted everything we told them and they said they out pray to uno if it was true. Daniel began to tear up and told us that during the lesson he felt a great peace. It was important to him beduase his job has been really stressful and they've been really stressed out. It was so amazing. I could tell that they have been prepared for us. That reminded me of the importance of missionary work. I atoll made a small difference in his life. And that ma it worth it. I want to help more people coe untoChrist. I am so excited to be out here.

Tequis is great. It is a really colonial city. It is so school. The people are really great too. Look for the pictures to come. Oh and you're probably wondering about the subject. We had an appointment with an Alejandra in her "convenience store" and when we walked in there was this old bigger guy with a mustache and a cowboy hat. He acted like he knew us, so I thought maybe he is a member or someone we've talked to. Context: it is proper to shake, small hug, and then shake hands again. Anyway, so I shake his hand and he goes to shake Elder Cardenas' hand, but I thought he was going in for a hug, so I have him the most awkward hug ever, and then I realize he wasn't trying to hug me. Good thing he was drunk. Haha. I figured that out afterwards. Haha I had to laugh at myself.

Anyway, all is good here. The weather is really nice. It is quite frigid in the mornings though. I need to wear a sweater all the time. But I love it here. I hope you all have a great week!

I love you all!
Elder Rasmussen

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