What Just Happened?

So this week was sooo stressful and very interesting. Friday we had just barely finished weekly planning and then president calls me and asks a simple question. then the zone leaders call and we have emergency transfers. Yep. hna pfister left. She missed Miguel baptism and that means that I have to stay for another transfer here in cerro haha but luckily this next transfer is only five weeks. Then the other hermana in San Juan left. So there are only me and another hna here in cerro and we have been trying to work together and do divisions with members and such. 

Then Saturday we had Miguel baptism!!! It was the cutest thing ever. He was so excited. I'm so glad for him! His testimony was so cute and he cried and cried. e even shared something from a liahona! What a saint. He really has changed so much. Sunday he was confirmed. You can just see that change in him so much. His eyes are filled with the spirit. 

We went to contact this house. This guy came out that we didn't know. We gave him the contact card with a picture of Christ. He was not happy. He started accusing us of worshiping images... the spirit was immediately gone. I didn't want to take it back so he started ripping it up into tiny pieces. Then he threw it out into the street. We walked away and as embarrassing as this is I started bawling really hard. It broke my heart watching this picture of Christ just getting torn up and thrown into the street. I wasn't offended or hurt but I felt bad for this guy. He is missing God in his life. I seriously felt a little bit of what Christ felt. How horrible it is. He kept yelling at us to go find God. Luckily hna Paez kept saying "we have found him, we have found him". All we did was bare testimony of the Restoration and left. I could not stop crying but I am so grateful that happened. My testimony was soooo strengthened! I know we are in the truth and how lucky we are! Those poor people out there need our help. Share the gospel with everyone!!!! I love you all and I KNOW this church is true.

XOXO

Hna Rasmussen

oh yeah real cambios are tomorrow.. wish me luck!

Baptism

Miguel is getting baptized!!!! Ah we are so excited! Josefina wants a little bit more time but I know when he makes this step so will his mom. Ah we cant wait!!!

So this week we went to Huanuco and listened to Elder Godoy of the 70. Guess who had to play the piano. Yep. Me. It was awful!!! I didn't have anytime to practice. The two first songs were really good and  then after that it was bad. I just couldn't get it to go so they practically sang acapella. Hopefully president wasn't mad... but Elder Godoy will remember that forever. . . as well as me and as well as every single missionary that was at the conference.... but its okay! I'm over it. Also I got to see hna holland!! Ah I miss her so much. She is still serving in Huanuco but just in a different area.

Something I really, really love is teaching the Restoration and seeing people and this light turn on in them. It makes so much sense! God's church was lost but it needed to be restored. I love teaching it and talking about Jose Smith. I know he was a prophet of God. He seriously was called of God to restore the church, the same church that existed when Christ lived here. I know that this church is true. and I know Miguel knows its true! When we asked him if he was ready to make this covenant and follow it for his life he said "I am ready with all of my heart"... ahhh!!!! He has changed. The atonement is real!!!! People! Go and use it!!! Christ died and you can change. Miguel is so ready. I love seeing people change more than anything else in my life. It is amazing how true this church is. I love you all!!!! Have a good week!

XOXO

Hna Rasmussen

Panqueque De Vida

This week seriously was amazing. Just in the fact that it seems like we turn the corner and God has placed somebody else prepared in our path. We found a ton of people that really can progress and I love it. With Josefina and Miguel. We watched the resurrection video with them and Miguel cried. He said he knows its true but he just wants to know a little more and read a little more before he is baptized. Josefina knows but has a little bit of fear. I love them so much. I know with time and faith and prayers they will get baptized this month! ah I am so excited for them!

We also had an activity called el panqueque de vida. It was so successful!! 7 of our investigtors came.. we were sooo happy.. We ate american pancakes and it tasted sooo good.. I could eat those everyday if my pension would make them... also my Spanish has skyrocketed. I'm grateful for the gift of tongues. i feel like i can actually express my love for people now. Its so much easier when you can communicate!!!! Also we tell everyone I am from Oxapampa. A city here in Peru that is full of gringas and everyone believes me. It is kind of nice haha. But I hit 6 MONTHS!!!! Who would have thought. Time is seriously flying by and it scares me because time is only going to go faster and faster. But I am grateful that I did have this time to work in the Lord's work and be his servant. I LOVE THIS CHURCH!!!! And you all too.

XOXO

Hna Rasmussen

Funerals

I had the coolest opportunity this week. This old lady died and they asked us to dress her in her temple clothing. Well I didn’t do much but hold her recommend and such but it was really cool. First here in Peru they don’t clean out the bodies when they die... but it was fun to watch all of these ladies. Another thing was I totally had like a spiritual moment. I was picturing myself in my temple clothing with my recommend going up to God and saying here you go God. I tried to be faithful and I tried my best. And he accepted it and said thank you for your efforts. It was really, really neat. I just felt like I could see a little glimpse into the future after this life. I know if we are worthy and do have our recommend we can live with God again. That was really neat. But then we went to her funeral and let’s just say we left cerro and drove for about 20 min. we had permission but didn’t know it would be so far away. Well later on we find out that’s our area!!!!! Our area is sooo big... holy cow. I don’t know why it’s even so big. but that was a fun experience being in a Peruvian funeral and death march.

We got a sink!!!!! Ah God really does answer prayers. We can finally wash our face and hands. They fixed our shower but then it broke again.. so in the past two weeks I have showered three times.... kind of gross but I’ve learned a lot about patience haha.

We taught our English class and it was really fun!! There were only four that came but it was the first week. So maybe this week it will be better. Everyone was like wow its being taught my two gringas! Yay!! Haha

And this week I just really have learned a lot about the importance of the Sabbath day. The prophets talk about it all the time but it’s true. It is such an important day! And too many people think well I’ve been baptized so I have done my part. Right? Wrong!!!!! The sacrament is so important to take every single week. It really is the day of the lord but honestly it’s a blessing for us! We can be clean again!!!

XOXO

Hna Rasmussen

we had a conference as missionaries around the world and also heads of sheep.. we see this everyday haha

Still In Cerro

I am still here in Cerro de pasco!!!!!! I got a new companion and I freaking love her a lot. No I am not training. I'm actually probably going to kill someone. Her name is hna pfister and she is from California so I got a gringa!! I was so excited. Just in this last week she has taught me so much. I'm really glad she has a lot of time. It's been helping me learn just so many querks of the mission. I just really am so excited for this transfer. We have been working so hard and really seeing the fruits of our labors. We meet more people and just have a lot more success. This wednesday we are teaching an english class and everyone is so excited but I am freaking out. I dont know how to teach english!! But I guess theyll learn something or other right?

I am super grateful for the people here in cerro de pasco. They are so friendly and welcoming. We have two investigators progressing right now. Josefina who is the mom and Miguel who is the son. they have a daughter serving a mission and I know that their hearts have been softened by the Lord because of her service. They are so prepared. The ward just accepts them and I am so excited for them. They seem like they are already members!! They have a date for the 13th of febrero. I am so excited for them! They are such good people. The Lord really does prepare people. All we have to do is find the people He has prepared.Missionary work is hard work but it is so rewarding. I am grateful for my new comp and for her testimony and for this time to be serving the Lord! the church is truer than true! love you all!!!!!

XOXO

Hna Rasmussen

Cambios

This week is cambios!!!!

Ah everyone here is freaking out. I'm pretty sure Hna Deglado is going to leave because she has been here three transfers and usually you are only in cerro de pasco for two. But everyone thinks im going to be training... if so I will get a call from president tonight. I'm freaking out if thats true. I'm so not ready!! I only have five months. What if I train a latina thats fine but a gringa? I dont know spanish!!! But come what may and love it.

(me... we hiked the cross.. a big cross on top of cerro. the mountain.. more pics to come of the cross)

This week I learned a lot about patience. We haven't had water for five days..... yeah I know its disgusting. I've learned that I hate complaining more than anything and that we really cant control the situations we are put in a lot of the times. We can only make the best of it. I am grateful for that. I'm grateful that we are given trials to learn and grow. Not having water is a trial... trust me. But I am grateful that this life really is to grow and learn. 

(Cerro)

The elders had a baptism this week and the investigator wanted to do it in the rio.. so we went to the middle of no where and he got baptized. It really was a neat experience. But it was so sunny and so bright that the sun was just so strong! My head hurt so bad. We are so close to the sun it feels like haha. I actually wanted to throw up for the rest of the day but you guys should all be proud of me!! I didn't and it has been a little more than five months and I still haven't thrown up on the mission. Diarrhea yes. But thats a different story. Everyone gets that. 

(Cerro)

Any way i am grateful for Hna Delgado and what she has taught me. It is really sad to see her go but all good things must come to an end. Good luck this week!! You will all find out what happens when I write you next week.... I love you all soo much more than you can imagine!

XOXO

Hna Rasmussen

Johnny got baptized

Johnny got baptized!!!!!!! I cant believe it!!!!!! It was such an amazing experience. He thanked us as missionaries and I was filled with so much joy. I know I didn't do much but teach him but I seriously felt like the scriptures say how you save a soul and how great your joy will be!! ah!  He wants to serve a mission! He told me he loves sharing the gospel and cant wait to serve, what an amazing experience. I'm really proud and happy for him.



Happy new years!!!! feliz ano! So we woke up for like ten min and screamed and watched the fireworks. The tradition is at midnight for New Years and for Christmas you eat this nasty, nasty cake thing called paneton and hot chocolate.

 

(Hot chocolate and paneton)

(my pensionista)

And then you're supposed to wear yellow underwear through the new year.... so there was lots of that on the street but obviously we cant do that tradition... haha But its pretty funny. Peruvians are funny and I love their weird things. I'm grateful for this new year!!! Not only should we make new resolutions but we should look back on our old year and look at all the things we accomplished!!! 2015 was an amazing year for me and I cant wait to make this one even better. I love you all!!!! I hope you have an amazing week!

XOXO

Hna Rasmussen



(Cerro de pasco)

It rains every day here



The mine






and I finally got to ride a bike