Hey Family!!
Wow I don't even know where to start. What an amazing week it was in the mission field. Even more amazing was seeing Landon engaged! Wow I need pictures, and need them fast. I’m going to talk to the travel lady and see if I can get my ticket a couple hours early so I can see him at the party thing that He will be holding on the 2nd!! I’m so excited for Him. Oh I’m so giddy right now. Tell him to find me some referrals while he's at it, ha ha just kidding! But if He wants that would be great.
Wow this last week was an amazing week, full of the spirit and prophecy. It was amazing being apart of exchanges with other missionaries, seeing the mission, and teaching in zone conference.
I want to tell of two experiences. The first, I was down in Hua Lian on exchanges. We were contacting and I saw a man on the street, He has just purchased a pack of cigarettes. I grabbed the cigarettes out of his hands asking Him. "What is this"? he told me exactly what it was. I said "you now this is really bad for your body right"? He also stated "I know"! Then I said "how much does this cost"? He said "75 kuai"(31 kuai = 1 American dollar) I then said "how many do you smoke a day"He said "half a pack" I sated "OK so 2 days a full pack. 365 days in a year, divided by 2." I added up the costs and told him, "wow that is a lot of money, Why would you want to smoke"? He then proceeded to tell me of some life troubles He was facing, and how He needed to smoke to get rid of the pressure. He said he's tried to quit before but it wasn't successful. I told him "We share a way that can help you quit, and live a better life." I shared Jesus Christ with him, and His healing power. I bore sacred testimony that I have received of the reality of the Savior and told Him if He's willing Jesus Christ can affect your His life also. I then said "you might want to throw away this pack" He looked at me with a weird look on His face stating "You know what take them, I don't want them. Before you started talking to me I really wanted to smoke, but now I have no desire to smoke, thank you" I then asked him if He would be willing to meet again that same week. I said "I don't know I’ll have to think about it" I told him "If you don't set up a time and show the Lord that you are willing to learn His gospel, Your desire to smoke will be back shortly, but if you set up a time and want to learn, the Lord will continue to help you have no desire to smoke" He set up a time, and is meeting with the Hua Lian Elders. I hope and prayer that He will humble Himself and know that He must rely on the Lord or else He will no go anywhere in life. The 2nd experience is much like the first. We met with a man for the first time. He said he just really wants to change His life and become better. We were in the middle of the Lesson, we had just set a baptismal date with him and were helping him know what he must do to prepare for baptism. My companion said that you will have to slowly stop smoking. Then I had a sudden thought pop into my mind. Tell him to stop now. I then spoke up. "Brother Yang, You need to give up smoking right now" I said. "Are you willing to start right now and never smoke again" I asked. He then leaned over pulled out of his back pocket a half smoked pack of cigs and a lighter, and just handed them to me. I was shocked, and happy with the outward expression of his inner commitment to follow the savior. Then the closing prayer, I also received another spiritual experience that won't leave my memory. I watched a 40 year old man, kneel in humble prayer as if he were pleading on His knees, asking Heavenly Father to forgive Him the need and want of a better life. The spirit filled the room and I know that the Lord was there in spirit, and that God the Father heard this mans prayer. I know because of this experience alone, and many others in my own life and the lives of others, God lives and loves each of us! We are all equal in the eyes of God, and nothing can stop us from coming back to Him! As long as we repent and do the very best we can to follow Him, we will receive the glory He has awaiting us. I just love this work, I love the power of prayer with a broken heart and contrite spirit. Prayer really is very powerful to those that have faith. (pictures of the two packs included)
Riding back from Tai Dong, which is the furthest away part of the mission, which was beautiful by the way. It was a 7 hour train ride back to taipei. Wow was it long, but the scenery was very pretty. So I was with Elder You who is the convert of Micah Phelps, Marie Phelps son who served in Tai Zhong. We had a good long talk about their family, he loves them so much. He is a great missionary, very spiritual Elder and loves the work. It would be way fun to work with him in the future.
The train ride to Xin Zhu was a little different though. It was about an hour and half train ride. But we got to the station late so we had to hurry and buy a box lunch and buy a stand by ticket (which mean, you are rarely going to get a seat to sit in on the ride). So we got on the train and like we expected we had to stand, but standing wasn't the bad part. Every train car is connected by a little cabin, it's small in size and doesn't include an air conditioning. Well this day was particularly hot and it was packed with people. We ended up getting stuck in the cabin part of it. Well it was really stuffy but not all too bad at first. I ate my meal and stood there reading the Book of Mormon, talking to the people around me who all didn't have interest. Then it started to catch on. The limited space and no air conditioning was getting really uncomfortable. I started sweating from head to toe, and getting really just antsy. It was a really weird feeling, and way awkward. There were these little Taiwanese people just loving life in their sweaters and long pants while I’m sitting here suffering. It was quite the ride. But it was over in an hour and a half so it didn't kill me, but it was a good thing to teach us a lesson. To buy the tickets ahead of time, so you get a comfortable seat and can enjoy the ride. But yeah it was interesting.
This week was full of the spirit. We were able to take the topic of sanctification and the use of the Doctrine of Christ in our everyday lives and teach the whole mission through Zone Conference. It was really interesting to plan for Zone Conference and personally learn more and more about sanctification in preparation for teaching it to the mission. All 3 Conferences went great, It's a different feeling standing in front of a lot of people and teaching them, but I loved it. I had so much fun being lead by the spirit and teaching the missionaries. It was interesting going to all 3 conferences, the purpose was the same but during the meeting the way of teaching it all changes because of the Spirit telling us the different needs of each zone and how we could best help each and everyone of them. It was a great experience, to be lead by the spirit and help missionaries and others better understand the importance of Sanctification. It has been a great blessing to work around President Grimley and to learn from him in all He does. I've already picked up many things and continue to do so day by day. It's also been a great blessing to teach the mission. Because in this process, I've personally taken on the challenge of sanctifying my life and becoming more like the savior. In doing so I've found a new happiness and excitement in my life. I've found new talents, and new venture I would like to take in life. Also I've came to realize the true meaning of Life. The importance of Family and having kids. The importance of patience and loving those around you. The importance of also building people up and helping them see themselves as they really are, children of God, with the same potential of becoming like Him. Also I think the great blessing I've received and am receiving from this process is Love. I've grown to love the Taiwanese people so very much. I can't even express my love for them through words. I can only teach them the gospel and give them the best thing I know in order to show of my love for them. I’m so grateful the Lord has suffered me to come to Taiwan and teach these amazing children and be apart of this amazing work. I love sanctification, I will try to sanctify every aspect of my life, now and forever. I want to be the most prone tool in the hands of the Lord as I can be. Always be ready for the call, and ready to accept anything that comes my way. Which reminds me of an experience we had just today.
A sister in the mission wanted a blessing. The president wasn't here so the mission nurse did it in his place. But because he doesn't speak Chinese he needed someone to translate the blessing for this sister. I had the opportunity to anoint the oil, and lay my hands on her head as he gave her the blessing. The power of the Priesthood was in affect that very moment, and the power of the Lord filled the room. Not a spirit in the room was left un-noticed. The love of God was felt and the power of the spirit influenced each of our hearts. I literally felt the power of the priesthood flowing through my body as if it were alive. Once again, along with many other incidences on my mission. I gained a personal witness of the truthfulness and power of the priesthood. How grateful I am to have the priesthood, and being able to access the power of God at his command. I’m hope to be ready for that call in all times, places, and circumstances of life. I know the power of the Priesthood is true and real!! I felt it fill the room this morning. That was a wonderful experience that will en graven my mind for a while, if not for ever.
I was walking down the road coming back from one of the zone conferences. I saw two men of the age of 23 smoking. I walked by them inviting them to church, because we were in a hurry to meet with president. They said wait...wait...wait. You said church. I was like "yeah" We have been talking about joining a religion because we think it is needed in life. I share this to expound on the saying that there are prepared people that want to accept the gospel!! I know there are prepared people, I also know everyday has it's challenges. We may get tired, rejected all day, hot and lazy. But if we will just continue to talk to everyone, the Lord will always, and I mean always put those prepared souls in our path, and we will become tools in the hands of the Lord!! I just love this work, It's the same work everyday, but so so different experiences while it's happening. It's the most amazing thing ever.
Lastly I would like to explain the war of the Christians that I had on Sunday morning while heading to church. So we rounded the corner and headed toward the church. We got a ways down the road and my companion turned to me and said He saw two Jehovah's witnesses contacting on the corner. So I decided to go back and invite them to learn. I contacted to first lady. Well it turns out they are not Jehovah's witnesses, but are members of another church. I told her about the Book of Mormon and she refused. I invited her again, and she said "I need to do missionary work, I’m not interested". Well I saw the other one about to set someone up to learn about their church. I went up to her in the middle of Her contact and asked Her if she had read the Book of Mormon. She said now and kept looking at the other women who she was contacting, as if to signal to me that she was busy. I just kept asking her. Then she rejected for the last time. I just smile to the other women and listened as the missionary tried to get the contact info from the other lady, who then rejected and walked away. Victory number one. We rode away toward the church. I turned the corner and felt two hands tightly grasp my arm. "Are you the Mormon missionaries" I looked over and said "yes" while seeing an adorable Filipino lady that had the face of fear. I looked in front of her and saw a man dressed in black. My first instinct was to pull her away from him, So I did. Then I found out that he had been nice enough to bring her to church. I thanked him. I walked with her to the church, she was lost and just really wanted to go to church. She was like "I saw the temple, and just said, yes there's my temple". I then talked to her and she said, that man is a Jehovah's Witness and was trying to convert me. So then I thought back, We were angels on the errand of the Lord. This 20 year member form the Philippines needed a way to get to church and someone to take her there, and was being tried by a Jehovah's witness. We lead her to church, and she was very grateful. I just know the Lorded needed us there at that exact time. We were true tools in His hands
Well family this is a little that went on this last week. It was a wonderful week.
I know Christ lives, I learn more about Him everyday, and My believe in Him and His Atonement grows deeper and deeper. I love Him and hope to live a life that portrays his example. I hope to lift those that mourn and help those that stand in need. I hope to live a charity filled life.
I love you all so much
-Elder Rasmussen
