After 1 ½ days of travel to Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Manila, And a bus ride, Haley has made it to The Philippines San Pablo Mission!

1-29-14

 

President George E. Peterson, Me, & Sister Kathryn M. Peterson

At the Airport in Salt Lake City, January 27, 2014

Last Email from the MTC...

 Wow I cannot believe all of the good news at home.  I am so happy that Rod and Tanya are having a baby!! I KNEW IT.  And that picture was priceless haha I loved it

Ok so I have a story for you.  So earlier this week I was sitting in choir and I can't remember what made me think of it, but I remembered the night of the setting apart and I could remember so distinctly what Dad said and how his voice was when he said it - it was so clear in my mind.  And I started to tear up.  I miss you dad!!! It was the first time that I have felt any homesickness.  But I miss you and mom so much.  I am so happy for you and I know that this is the right thing.  It is worth the sacrifice and I already know that I will learn so many important things by serving a mission.  Not to mention the opportunity to share the most precious gift with my brothers and sister sa Pilipina.  

Skyline Eagles; Eliza Glauser, Haley, & Bailee Bourgeois

I can't believe all of the blessings that are happening in our life.  We are so blessed and I am so grateful.  It would be so fun if Sister Brown for some reason was my trainer I would be so HAPPY!!! Ahh but then on the other hand I kind of want a Philippino trainer so I can learn Tagalog as quickly as possible.  I am nervous but just so excited...ahhh.  I want to immerse myself in the culture and put the American stuff behind me.  Our teachers told us that they don't really have mail in the Philippines because they don't have addresses so everything has to go straight to the mission office and they will give it to us at our meetings every week.

I am so excited pero nervous para sa mission field!! Ahh... It's going to be nuts and a completely different culture.  I don't feel ready but I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ I can do it. Greg, I am trying to follow your example of obedience - thank you for that.

Me and Eliza

Anyway, I can't wait to talk to you on Monday.  It will be nice to hear your voices.

Love you.

Sister Rasmussen.

Kumusta po Kayo???

Our District with Sister Sharp.  Sister Sharp is my favorite teacher.  I love her!

Sister Patolo, Sister Ramsey, Sister Sharp, Sister Johnson, Sister Carter, 

 Sister Temwaaka , me, Elder Wooden & Elder Williamson

Pamilya Ko!

Kumusta po Kayo??? Can you believe that I leave on Monday?  So nuts.  It is feeling real.... both my anxiety and my excitement is increasing.  I don't feel ready but I will just dive in head first.  I want to be an obedient and successful missionary.  I am going to do everything that I can.  After class today I just decided that I am going to love the people in the Philippines with all of my heart.  I feel like I already do.  Sinabi ng guro ko ngayon araw, ganyan (Just like my teacher said today) there are two types of people in this world - those we love, and those we don't understand.  I want to remember that my entire mission, and my entire life.  I have had many humbling experiences here at the MTC and now is when I apply everything that I have learned and continue learning.

Our District with Brother Poole

Sister Patolo, Sister Ramsey, Sister Johnson, Sister Carter, Brother Poole 
(at back), Sister Temwaaka , me, Elder Wooden & Elder Williamson

This week has been good but sad.  I will miss my district and mga guro ko and everything that I have come in contact with here at the MTC.  But it is time to move on.  The field is white and ready to harvest.  White means that it was ready yesterday - working with the Lord, we need to hasten the work.  I have such a strong desire to work.

Today guro ko told some crazy stories about the Philippines.  Rats the size of cats, giant cockroaches, spiders, no toilet paper, crazy foods, delicious foods, maraming maraming mga tao (many many people), etc.  It will definitely be an adventure.  I want to go there and completely embrace the culture.  I don't want to waste time saying things like, "ugh it wouldn't be like this at home... or it's not like this in America.."  Instead I want to have an Philippino attitude.  I can't wait to experience so many new things and gain new perspectives.  I probably won't come home crying for dad to kill the spider in the hall - child's play.  Haha.

But our teachers emphasized that all of the funny experiences come second to the people.  They told some incredible stories about how the gospel blessed Philippino's lives.  I can't wait to witness stories like this first hand.

 Sister Temwaaka and me 

No one thinks that I can ever make 
an angry face so I was trying to.  

We said goodbye to our teachers today and it was so sad.  I will miss them and I have learned so much.  I would love to teach at the MTC someday and give back.  I have a feeling that leaving missionary work is going to be extremely hard.

So a couple of nights ago, Sister Temwaaka received her package and she was SOOOO EXCITED.  It was darling.  She was running and twirling around with it laughing.  When she opened it and saw the pictures and the scriptures I thought she was going to cry.  Thank you so so much mom and dad.  She kept saying over and over, "I'm feel so happy! My heart... I can't to control!!!"  She is so grateful and will be forever.  She wants to write you a letter - I am glad that you received the other one from her in the mail.  I told her that you two can be her parents too.  She was especially so surprised and happy to see that her name was on banal na kasulatan niya (her scriptures).  Thank you thank you.  You have touched her life.  Oh and thanks for the biscuits too:)

I know this gospel is true.  I can't deny it.  I have prayed about the truth of the Book of Mormon, and I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true.

I love all of you.  Keep me in your prayers as I depart and I will pray for you palagi (always).

Mahal na mahal ko kayo.

Salamat para sa lahat na bagay.

Sister Rasmussen

Mapagmahal na minamahal na Pamilya Ko!!!! Ahhhh Sobrang Miss Ko Kayo!!! I miss you so much!

All of us with our flight plans.

 Back Row: Sister Patolo, Sister Temwaaka, Elder Wooden, Sister Ramsey

Bottom Row:  Me, Sister Johnson,Sister Carter, Elder Williamson

A lot has happened this week so I am excited to tell you.

Ok so Tuesday night I went to choir practice, for the devotional that night, and it became obvious that we were having a very special guest.  Besides the choir director explicitly telling us that we had an amazing speaker that night, he wanted us to sing for the occasion and was directing us with the spirit.  

We sang "Nearer My God to Thee," which is already one of my favorite hymns but with some background about it and his testimony, he gave it so much more meaning.  I had no idea, but the song is about Jacob and Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of pottage.  He told the entire story like I had never heard or studied before (and I urge you to read it again: it starts in Genesis 25).

 Anyway everyone was so engaged in the story, and then he talks about how after Jacob received the blessing from his father, his mom told him to run away into the forest before Esau came back to kill him.  He ran with no belongings into the wilderness, with a rock for a pillow.  That night he has a dream that he climbs up a ladder into Heaven with angels surrounding him.  The choir director said that one of the G.A.'s (can't remember which one) explained that he was receiving his endowments.  Jacob wakes up and feels that place is so spiritual that he dedicates it and calls it Bethel.

Anyway, I developed a much deeper love for the song and the simple, yet profound lyrics.  Singing it with the MTC choir is an incredible experience.  When we sang the climax, with like 6 different harmonies, chills ran down my spine.  It was so powerful and the spirit was so strong.  And it set the stage for... guess who...Elder Bednar!! AGAIN!!! He was the last person that I expected to walk into the room because we didn't think that we would be getting another G.A. speaking to us, but he JUST CAME on Christmas.  

It was amazing and there was gasp across the room when he walked in.  Such an incredible surprise.  He said that when he came to speak on Christmas, he received around 1,000 questions from missionaries across the world.  So him and his wife prepared to answer what they thought were some of the most important and heartfelt questions.

It was amazing.  He is definitely one of, if not my favorite apostle now.  Wowzaaaas.  They definitely had a theme of faith going.  He stressed that Belief does not require action, but faith DOES.  It isn't faith if you know beforehand the outcome.  You must act and then power comes after.  I am trying to strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ and that sa pamamagitan Siya, at pagbabayad-Sala niya (through him and his atonement) I can become the missionary that I want to become.  I can bring others to Christ and fulfill my purpose.  

Another thing that I loved that he said was, if you ever get into any situation where you don't know what to say on your mission, you feel tongue tied or like you don't know how to answer a question, he said that you should bear testimony of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith.  Nothing brings the spirit more.  He also bore his own testimony about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the spirit was so thick, you couldn't miss it.

Later that evening, we had a devotional within my little 8 person district, and I did that very thing.  I bore my testimony of the restoration and I could feel the truthfulness of it in my soul.  I know that it is true - the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored again on Earth.

Anyway, the next day I was so excited to host the incoming missionaries at the MTC, but unfortunately I was experiencing some health problems.  I have always considered myself blessed with good health and when I heard of other missionaries having health problems I felt sorry for them, but never really put myself in that situation.  I ended up having to leave the MTC to go see a specialist and it was definitely a trial of my faith.  He said that I would possibly have to stay at the MTC for another 2 or 3 weeks which was the last thing that I wanted to hear.  I was feeling pretty down, but I just remembered that I need to have faith in Heavenly Father and His plan for me.  His plan is perfect.  My teacher wrote me a note sharing her own experience - when she was in the MTC, she had to home for about 5 months to get surgery on her leg.  She gave me some scriptures and bore her testimony.  It helped a lot.  Now, everything looks good and I will be leaving with everyone else Monday, January 27th!!!! I am so grateful and excited to embark to the Philippines.  I didn't get to host any of the new missionaries, but I will be able to next week! :)

Me & Sister Temwaaka 

Later that day, Sister Temwaaka and I were sitting in the classroom studying with everyone else and she kept leaning over and telling me that she wanted biscuits.  I told her that we could get some right before dinner but I didn't really know what she was talking about.  Ha she left the room quickly, I finished what I was writing, and then I went out after her assuming that she went to the bathroom (she will leave without me a lot and I will have to go chasing her, because you need to stay with your companions always).  I looked everywhere for her and couldn't find her.  I started panicking.  I went back to the classroom and everyone said I should just wait a few more minutes.  Five minutes later, Sister Temwaaka came huffing and puffing through the door with two big packages of oreos in her hand.  SHE WENT TO THE STORE across campus without me!!!! I was so shocked.  She just really wanted biscuits! AKA oreos ahahhaha I felt so bad but everyone couldn't stop laughing.  It was so funny.  I told her that we really need to stay together, so I don't think that will happen again.  Haha it was hilarious.

Another funny thing that happened after we went to the Temple last Monday...I told you about the protester who screams at us the whole time we walk to the temple right?  He is yelling at us about how we aren't Christian and things like that...kneeling down and screaming.  Anyway, we went back to class later that day and Brother Langer was teaching and someone brought up the protester.  Sister Temwaaka started imitating him and said in a loud low voice, raising her hands above her head, "I love you Jesus!!!"  It was so unexpected and all of us couldn't help but burst out laughing.  My teacher seriously could not stop laughing.  You know that if you can get Brother Langer to start laughing then you have done a good job.  She didn't really know it wasn't very appropriate but it was totally fine.  We just laughed it off, but I had tears in my eyes.  

She is seriously the best though.  Such a good example to me and sometimes her advice is so simple, but wise and powerful.  One day, I was feeling frustrated, and we weren't communicating very well.  I pulled her aside and we were talking about it and she said, don't be sad.  Just forget about it, take it, and throw it away.  And she motioned in the air like she was grabbing something from her head (the problem, and then throwing it away behind her).  It's true, you can't let something get you down.  You just need to put it out of your mind and move on.  She said that she thinks sometimes, "Satan try to separate us, so sometimes I hate you.  But then I take it, throw it away, and I love you!!"  Haha you'll always have, even small issues in your companionship, but we always work through it and we love each other a lot.  We are both so sad that we only have 7 more days together:(  I hope that her next companion takes good care of her and helps her with the language.

We have been working a little bit better together in our lessons, and we committed challenging Toni, our strict Catholic investigator, to baptism.  It felt awesome, even though I know that it is all fake.  I can't imagine what it will really feel like in the field.

The new district came into our zone and they are ALL ELDERS.  Nuts.  Haha but they are the best Elders.  So dedicated and driven.  Mabuting Mabuting mga halimbawa sila para sa akin.  They are amazing examples to me.  

Me, Sister Carter, Sister Patolo, & Sister Johnson.

Sister Patolo, me, and one of the new elders decided to sing together on Sunday.  We ended up singing "Nearer My God To Thee" again.  We couldn't find someone to accompany, and so we decided to sing lahat acapella.  We practiced in our building in the stairwell because it has a little bit better acoustics, and I have to admit that our voices blended really well.  The Elder has a really nice deep voice.  Anyway, we were practicing really fast, and all of a sudden other Elders on the floor below started singing with us in another language.  Then another Sister came and was singing with us Sa Tagalog and pretty soon there were 15 Elders and Sisters all singing together in different languages.  It was such a cool experience and just put a smile on my face.  I love music so much - it is one of the things that I miss the very most and it brings the spirit so strong.  We sang it in sacrament and it went well I think.  I also had to give a talk in Tagalog!! Haha I was pretty nervous!! I think I had a good poker face because I asked everyone if they could tell I was nervous and they couldn't.  But one of the presidency came up to me afterwards and said he could see my skirt shaking in the back.  He said I was having the Nephites behind the stand (my knees shaking back and forth fighting each other).  Haha I tried to cover it though!! So funny...

My teachers told me they are happy with my progress in the language, that I have the grammar down, but I just need to work on increasing my vocab.  So that is good news but I know that I still have a long way to go! I will just keep working hard but hopefully being immersed in the Philippines it will become easier to master.  It is still frustrating and difficult but I know that through Jesus Christ I can do it in order to love and serve the maraming mga tao sa Pilipinas (many people in the Philippines).

Anyway, last thing I will tell you about is last night.  Sheri Dew came to speak with us and it was amazing.  She asked, are we exercising our agency to allow the spirit to communicate to us?  It felt like her talk was directed at me.  One of the biggest things that I am trying to work on my ability to recognize and act on the spirit and personal revelation.  As she put it last night, I am trying to become fluent in the language of personal revelation.  I hope to continue to develop that ability so that I can best invite others unto Christ.

This morning we went to the temple and saw the new movie.  I actually loved it.  It's different, but they're all the same.. ya know?  I liked it and the spirit was strong.

I love and think about pamilya ko all the time.  You are always in my prayers.  I am so happy to hear about all the amazing things that are happening at home.

Love you!!

Sister Haley Rasmussen

P.S.  I memorized the first vision sa Tagalog.  Only me and another sister did it in our district.  I feel pretty cool.  But I'm not getting prideful.  Love you:)

Pinikamamahal Pamilya Ko!!!

Pinikamamahal Pamilya Ko!!! 

I miss you!!!

This week has been so great.

Sister Temwaaka , Sister Johnson, me, Sister Carter, Sister Ramsey, Sister Patolo, Elder Wooden, Elder Williamson

Last Tuesday night, we had a devotional with everyone at the MTC, and the spirit is always so strong.  Afterwards, my district got together to discuss it and have a sort of testimony meeting.  This is one of my favorite things of the week.  Everyone has such great insights to share and our district has such a beautiful spirit.  We have become so close the past 4 weeks.  We truly are family.  Anyway Sister Ramsey said something that really struck me.  Said that missionary work is like a target with three rings.  The outer-most ring is the "what": learning Tagalog, teaching lessons, studying; the next one in is the "how": making goals, planning, studying more, etc.; and the very center piece is the "why."  And this is the very most important part, because if we can focus on that, then everything else will fall into place.  I am a missionary and I am here to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel.  Sometimes it can be easy to put too much emphasis on those outer two rings.  But I think that we can live all of our lives that way.  Anyway, I am trying to remember that.

Sister Spencer & me

The next day we gave our lesson to Tatay Abner (all of our investigators are our Teachers), but it didn't go well.  I was feeling really discouraged - it is difficult to communicate with my companion in order to create efficient and effective lessons.  I was feeling discouraged because I love her so much and it is so hard to work together... but my teacher just stopped class and said that he felt impressed to share some things.  He wrote things on the board that were probably hard and discouraging for us, and then he reminded us that Jesus Christ completely understands every pain and frustration and everything that we experience.  He might understand better than even we do sometimes.  

Matt. 11:28-30

28: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Through Christ we can do anything.  So I am trying to focus on Him and the enabling power of the atonement.  That lesson was inspired for all of us, and it gave us hope.

Sister Temwaaka & Me

Then the next morning we had service at 6:15 in the morning!!  Haha I didn't mind but I was nervous because it is so hard to wake up my companion in the morning haha but we made it and we had to clean bathrooms for an hour and a half.  Sister Temwaaka kept asking me if it was punishment.  So funny, but it ended up not being too bad and she and I were whistling and humming Called to Serve.

Later that day we had an amazing lesson with our investigator.  Things were already looking up.  Then Brother Langer gave us an incredible lesson.  He is a convert, which is why it is so amazing to me much he knows about the gospel and how spiritual he is.  But he gave us two challenges which I thought were interesting: 1) write down any piece of revelation you have, even if at first you think it is your own thoughts.  Then, you will come to recognize and have more revelation.  2) Smile at everyone you meet.  So I am going to try and do it.

I have also been trying this thing, that the teachers suggested, where lahat na mga panalangin ko sa Tagalog (all of my prayers in Tagalog).  It is difficult but I feel like my prayers are so much more heart felt and it is a way to humble yourself before the Lord and let Him know that you are trying everything that you can.  And you say marami prayers on a mission.  Honestly, I don't even know how I got through the day without saying these many prayers before.

We have two pieces of good news: This Wednesday we are hosting the new missionaries coming on Wednesday so I am really excited for that.  I'm not the newbie anymore:)  And then this Thursday we are doing a TRC (where we teach a short lesson to members) but we are doing it via skype with people in the Philippines!!!! I can't wait.  I will tell you all about it.  Here at the MTC, I am sure you can imagine that there isn't a lot for entertainment.

I love this picture!

Back row Left to Right:  Elder Wooden, Elder Williamson, Elder Howe, Elder Pettingill, 

Sister Johnson, Sister Spencer, Sister Tioti

Middle Row Left to Right:  Sister Akau, Sister T, Sister Ramsey, 

Sister Simram, Sister Carter, Sister Patolo, me

Sitting down:  Elder Baker

 The elders in the other district in our branch are crazy, but they always mix a bunch of disgusting food together in a cup and challenge other elders to eat the whole thing.  Earlier this week they made a concoction that was especially disgusting and the elder who was eating I swear was bright green.  I thought I was going to throw up.  But it is so funny the things that they do to entertain themselves.  

Protester

Yesterday for temple walk there was a protester carrying a giant cross and screaming at us.  I have to admit it was a tiny bit funny, just because he was yelling sooo loud but I felt so bad for him!  The missionaries just started singing as they passed him.

So every class has language, doctrine, and teaching - it is pretty much all combined.  I am so lucky because I have the best teachers in the world.   We have only been to the temple once because last Monday we went and it was closed.  So I am sad, because I will have only been able to go two times before going into the field.  But I am glad that we went so many times before I left:)  Thank you for your support!!!  

Every day: We wake up at 6:30, eat breakfast at 7:30.  Start studying at 8.  Have class from 9:30-12:30, then lunch, then class from 1:15 to 4:15.  Then gym from 4:25-5:15, and then dinner from 5:30 to 6:15, and then we just study for the rest of the night.  The days are long but I CANNOT believe that I have been here for 4 weeks.

Me & Whitney Ingram from Skyline 

On Pdays we go to the temple, do laundry, e-mail, write letters, and just study some more.  Then we have class later in the day.  It's not too different but it is a nice break.

Today we are mourning, because that other District left for the Philippines this morning. 

 There were 5 Kiribati sisters that left 

 Sister Tioti, Sister Tirobwa, me, Sister Temwaaka, Sister Akau, 
Sister Johnson & Sister Simram.

and so Kasama Ko (my companion) is so sad.  She keeps telling me that she has a broken heart and it makes me want to cry!!  I hope that more Kiribati elders and sisters come this Wednesday so that she can have some others to talk with.  Last night after the Sunday night devotional, all of the Filipino districts and branches got together in the hall and we sang "God Be With You 'Till We Meet Again" sa Tagalog.

all of us were singing God Be with you Till we meet again.

 It was INCREDIBLE and the spirit was so strong.  Then those that were leaving bore their testimonies and we all knelt down and prayed together sa Tagalog.  It was beautiful and I will miss all of those that are leaving.  Even if I didn't know all of them that well, I felt such a love for them and I don't think we were put together by accident.

 I love this picture! 
Sister Ramsey & me.  She is such a good example to me.  
She graduated from BYU in History and she is a great missionary. 

Sister Akau, me, & Sister Tioti

This morning we did a session in the Provo Temple and the spirit was so thick and powerful.  I felt so much peace.  Overall, I have faith that even if I am inadequate for this mission on my own, the Lord will make up the difference.  This is His work.

Mahal na mahal Kita!!!

Love, Sister Ras

SOOOO COLD

Yesterday was SOOOO COLD so my companion and me didn't go on the Temple walk.  Instead, we prepared our lesson for our Investigator today.  We still need to finish translating it though.  But I felt like it was our best companionship study yet.  We started off by both of us saying a prayer and the spirit was strong.  I feel like we resolved a few more mis-communications in our companionship and it was really good.  Since yesterday was fast Sunday, we had mission conference instead and the biggest thing that I learned was that I need to have even more faith in Heavenly Father.  That he will help us to teach with the spirit, learn the language, and help us to develop the Christ-like attributes that we are working on.  The two that I am really trying to work on right now are faith and diligence.  I am still trying to learn how to make better use of my time.  Sometimes I just feel like there is so much to learn with the language and the scriptures and teaching and doctrine...that I just don't know where to start.  But I know that you just need to take it one step at a time.

 I heard from Morgan Murdock and she said that the language was rough for her as well but she has been out 5 months and feels like she can almost understand everything and say what she wants to say.  She says that she has a big testimony of obedience.  OK so guess who I saw in the Cafeteria yesterday?!?!? First I was getting creamery ice cream because they have it on Sundays, and the girl who was scooping my ice cream was like "Hey!!!" And I did not recognize her at all and then I looked closer and guess who it was.... SHARLEE!!!  It was so fun to see her and anytime I see someone that I know I get really excited.

I live in the MTC so we just walk to all of our buildings which are all so close together.  Today we are doing our first session in the temple. I am tired by the time 10:30 comes around so it isn't hard for me to fall asleep but it is still pretty hard to wake up at 6:30 am but during the day I feel rested. Guess who else I ran into yesterday!!! That red-headed Whitney girl from Skyline.  She is deaf.  Do you remember Julie and me going to hang out with her a couple of times.  She will be serving in California.  She is so cute.  I need to tell Julie.

I am so happy about the progress that is happening with those in your service ward:)  You are blessing people's lives!!!

 Sister Temwaaka Smiling :)

I love the story about the sister missionaries too.  I loved that when I met them I could tell that they were still themselves.  They still had personality.  A lot of people told me to remember on my mission to keep being myself because sometimes it is easy to become a robot.  You can still be obedient and spiritual without completely losing your personality.

Haha my companion eats the funniest things.  Her favorite foods include: potatoes, rice, fish, ketchup, chocolate, orange soda, and oranges.  Haha I try to help her eat more variety and vegetables but she doesn't like it.

It is funny to see some of the cultural differences.  Last night we watched a really cool movie called "Mountain of the Lord" and it is about the construction of the Salt Lake Temple.  It is super interesting...but the whole time my companion would start laughing or talk really loud or say,"woahhhh" or "wow" really loud and I kept having to kind of shush her but it was so funny.                       
And it's hilarious because sometimes she will be really goofy or say kind of weird things and Elder Wooden will give her the weirdest looks...because he is a jock type and anyway....he just doesn't get it at all and it makes me laugh even harder.

Sister Johnson, Sister Potolo, Sister Ramsy, Me, Sister Temwaaka , Sister Carter, Elder Williamson & Elder Wooden

Anyway, in the movie they said something really cool at the end.  At first, the Saints petitioned to have our state named Deseret, but it was named Utah after the Ute indians.  Well Utah literally translates to "in the top of the mountains" and Isaiah prophesied that the House of the Lord (Salt Lake Temple) would be built in the top of the mountains and all nations would flow unto it.  I thought that was super cool but you should watch the movie.  It's amazing.

Me, Sister Johnson & Sister Temwaaka 

I don't think that I have changed that much, but I do see how much more important spiritual knowledge is than temporal knowledge.  We should be feasting out of the scriptures every day. Obviously school is important and I want to do my best and learn...but the most important thing that we can do is help our spirits to learn. 

Love you!!!! You're in my prayers.

Mahal Kita!