My beloved family!!
Sounds like things are all going very smooth and happy. That is so good to know, I’m grateful that the Lord is taking care of my loved ones back at home. Well I also need to testify that the Lord is taking care of your other little one mom and dad, that little one is me. I've been cared for and shaped by the Lord, and will be eternally grateful for this change in my life. I’ll also want to testify that I know through trials and tests we may all grow and develop the traits needed to come unto the Savior, and all the things needed for eternal life. I’m grateful for this mission experience, it has changed my life. I’m loving it!
Well family I’m dying in the mission home. President has said before that assistants can't die in the office (for many reasons). I was expecting to leave, but Thursday night he told me he can't have me leave. Too many good things are happening. I was a little confused, and then as I talked to him about it, he said I've been thinking about it a long time, whether or not to have you die in the office. Then he just promised me that this is exactly what the Lord wants, and that there isn't a question in his mind that I shouldn't be here. I’m exactly where I need to be, and exactly where the mission needs me to be. It was a comforting thing to know that I’m where the Lord wants me to be. I was a little bummed to end my mission in the office, but now I’m so stoked. After meeting with president I received a new idea or way of thinking about this whole situation. I’m so excited for this last transfer of my mission. It's going to rock! I just know so many miracles are going to happy. I also know it will be the hardest transfer of my mission, I can only imagine the temptation that Satan is waiting and wanting to give me. He doesn't want me to finish strong, he hopes I will fail. But I tell you what, I know why I’m here, I know who I serve, whom I’m called of. This week my favorite scripture is 3 Nephi 5:13 "I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, I have been called of Him to declare His word, unto His people, that they may have everlasting life.” This is theme scripture of my mission. As I read this Scripture in personal study this week, it just hit me to the core. It testified why I’m here, what I need to do, and why I need to do it! It was a great answer to my prayers. I just can't wait for this last transfer, I’m so stoked!! Man it's going to be amazing!!!!!!
Well this last week just like your guy's week, mine was full of miracles, and amazing things. First thing I would like to say is I love The Wu Family!! They took us out to lunch on Saturday after they went to the temple. I haven't eaten with them in a while, it was a great thing to see them. I love them so much, I’m so grateful for the Lord and the opportunity I have to be acquainted with this amazing family. They have made my mission a success. I just love seeing them so active in the gospel, and so willing to help the cause of missionary work in Taiwan. We were deciding where we wanted to eat, Wu Momma was like we need to hurry because I have to help the missionaries teach at 1,1:30, 2:00......She named all the times she was going to be present for the missionary lessons, I just thought to myself talk about dedication, and talk about just giving yourself to the Lord. She is an amazing example. She just makes me smile every time I see her.
Anyway I would like to share an amazing miracle that happened this last week. Usually as assistants we will visit random district meetings to just see how the district leaders are doing. But this transfer we have been really busy so we haven't had time to visit any district meetings. It was the last week in the transfer; we were really busy getting ready for the new missionaries to come. My companion found out a little earlier that one of the district meetings that are held in the Jin Hua chapel had been moved to Wednesday. So he said it starts at one, would you like to go participate. I thought about it, we had a meeting at 1:00 already for my companion to start applying to BYU Hawaii. So I said well, we'll be really late, and won’t even get there in time for the teaching part of it. So I just said probably not. About 10 minutes later, my companion, Elder You just said I just feel like we should go to this district meeting. So I agreed and said OK we'll go. So after we figured out his college stuff, we went down to the district meeting. We got there for the last 5 minutes of teaching, and for the role play part of it. The role play was to get with our companion and plan how you can better be finding agents of the Lord. So the district leader told us all to split up in companionships and start the role play. As he did so, my companion got up and started to leave the room. I asked him where are you going? He said I need to go the restroom. The first thought I had was just, why? We just got here, and now we are just going to leave again. But I just followed him and as he walked into the restroom I passed the doors of the 1st floor chapel. I saw the two temple sisters, my trainee Elder Workman, his trainee Elder Thatcher and a middle aged women sitting there. Soon to realize that they were giving a tour to this women. As my companion came out of the bathroom he said OK lets go back. So as we started to go back, we passed back through the door. One of the temple sisters caught my eye, and the next thing I knew before I walked into the room a voice from behind me, Elder Rasmussen. I turned around and it was the temple sister. She said, this new member has been saying your name over and over and is really struggling. Can you come help her out? I asked who it was. She said Sister Liu Zhi. I thought for a minute and it clicked. When I was on exchanges in Tao Yuan, I contacted her on the street. Taught her the changing power of the Atonement and set a date with her on the street to be baptized. She was baptized and was struggling with faith a little. So I walked slowly into the chapel where they were all seated. I just walked in and kind of stood there. She turned her head and let of a ‘I remember you but not fully’ facial expression. I asked her if I could sit by her. She said yes of course. I went and sat next to her. She asked me if I was Elder Rasmussen. I said yes, and she started crying. She started to share her feeling and the things that she was struggling with. I just listened, and it was amazing, I was led completely by the spirit. For the next hour we just talked, sang songs, prayed, and talked about her potential as a daughter of God. The spirit was so strong. I had a feeling to ask her to close her eyes. She closed her eyes and I told her to imagine that God was sitting with her holding her in His Holy arms. She did so. I started to ask her questions, what happened was the most interesting thing I've ever been a part of. This spirit of the Lord rested upon us and it was as if the Lord was really there. As I asked her questions and responded to her answers it was as if she was literally talking to God. I was able to be the voice of the Lord that day. I was able to stand as a representative of the Lord at that moment in time. I know it was true, because I felt it. She started saying things like why me. I feel like I really want to follow everything the Lord asks me to, and I do until Sunday morning I just have a strong feeling that I don't want to go to church. I was thinking about it and it hit me. The trial that I’m going through right now could connect to sister Liu. Then I remembered the letter that dad hat written me, and I remembered that I had brought it with me that day. I pulled it out and shared my trial that I’m going through right now, and the things that my dad had shared with me. I pulled out all the scriptures that dad shared with me, and every single one was exactly what she needed, and I mean exactly. She just cried the whole time we shared scriptures together. I then told her and thanked her, that now I know why I am going through this trial. Because if I wasn't, my dad wouldn't have written me a letter, and if I hadn't gotten a letter I wouldn't have had these things to share with you. She just smiled and was grateful for all things. We rejoiced together and were edified together. Then it hit me why we needed to attend this district meeting. It wasn't this district meeting, but it was the thing going on in the other room that needed attending to. Another amazing part, the other day my companion after working out really hard, his muscles were really sore. He came to me kind of complaining, asking why do my muscles have to be sore? I explained to him, that after you work out your muscles, they are broken down and sore, because as they do so, they have the opportunity to grow into something stronger. He was like OK. I didn't think anything of it. But as we finished with Sister Liu, my companion was talking to her, and then just stated, “Just like when you work out, your muscles get torn down, but just to become stronger in the after math. In life we have trials and troubles, we may get torn by them and think there is no way out, but in the end we will become stronger because of it.” I just thought back to that morning that my companion asked me about the working out thing. I just know that the Lord has his way of doing his work, and it will not be hindered. It was amazing to see just so many things fall into place, and work out so perfectly. She left this time, happy and with a new found hope in enduring to the end. Her road is going to be hard, but I know she can do it. I just think of life, life isn't easy, it never was, and will never be easy, but the attitude we have towards all these things is the way we get through life either happy or sad. I love my life, I’m so grateful for an amazing family that has helped me and blessed me in all that I do. I love this work so much also! Wow it's all just so great!
This week we also picked up the new oncoming missionaries. It's always fun to see new faces and fresh faith straight from the MTC. We had a great orientation and they are all great missionaries who will see much success in their missions. It's fun to see the improvement of the MTC. I don't know why, but the Chinese capability of the MTC nowadays is crazy. Back in the day when I first came on, I couldn't say anything. But these elders lately have been just rocking it. It just shows that when the Lord is in charge things are always on the upgrade. It's great to see the organization of the church and the missionary force just rolling right on forward, and becoming the world’s safety line. Taiwan for the most part just loves the missionaries. They adore us, and just love how happy we are, and how full of life. A lot of people are being baptized lately, and a lot of people are coming to church and progressing in the gospel. It's is a great sight in Taiwan right now!
Well that was our week, full of miracles and doing the work of the Lord. Today is the start of my last transfer as a missionary in the service of God. It's sad, but exciting. I’m excited to make this last transfer the best. No regrets.
Love you all so very much
-Elder Rasmussen
