Bad Mom award for me. I have not been doing so good on keeping up on the blog. I am going to do better!!
4/3/12
So my second week in the field has come and gone. Things are great, sometimes hard but Great! You asked about my companion Elder Lembranzi.. He has been out 1yr 8.5 months. He is from Rondonha, Porto Velho. It's a city near the Amazon jungle. He has a girlfriend at home and will get married shortly after he returns. I'm told this is typical for most of the native elders.
The ward in Cotia is a fairly large one we have 130 members, however most of the membership is woman and children which makes incomplete families in the church. We have a lot of work to do in bringing the fathers into the church.Our ward area cover an 5kl by 8kl area, with a ton of hills. The people of the area are a little harder to teach. We get appointments and they let us teach them, but they don't put a lot of importance in what we are teaching them. We do find those Eleilos(elete) that truly are prepared by Our heavenly Father and are ready to hear our message.
A mission is an extraordinary experience. I have never felt so close to my Heavenly Father. He is always there for me as I lean on him with the very important task he has laid before me.
4/10/12
I Had my first baptism this week!It was a couple that just got married. They have been coming to church for 4 yrs. So we didn't do much. A baptism is a baptism. Ha Ha:) We have a goal to have 5 baptisms for the month osf April. Our investigators are Lusas, Jodma, Jessica, Sabustiana, and the Luan and Lucus families. We also have Sara, Zesinho and the "Jata"-Jose Family. We are working hard to help them gain a testimony of their own so they will realize the importance of being baptized and becoming a member of the Lords church.
I have sent pictures of the city of Cotia, my house and the couple we baptized.
Elder Rasmussen
Alma 53:20 "They were exceedingly valiant for courage....but behold this was not all - they were men that were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted, yea they were men of truth and soberness."
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
The Campo (field)
Monday March 26, 2012
I'm pretty much settled here in my first area and really love my companion. I am in the city of Cotia. It is about 2 hrs from the city of Sao Paulo. It is a pretty nice place there are some poorer areas but for the most part it is nice. My companion and I are very blessed to have a fairly nice house to ourselves. It came complete with box springs and mattresses. I guess this is not common from the way my companion and district leaders acted when they saw them.
My companion's name is Elder Lembranzi. He is a Brasiheido 100% and he speaks 0 English ZERO!! What a blessing it's been and I think it will really help me to learn the language much faster. Both he and I are new to this area, so getting around has been quite the adventure. This week we have been trying to learn the area and get to know the investigators.The Bishop and members of the Cotia 1 ward are amazing and so willing to help. The boundaries of the ward are huge but it has been great.
The language is a bugger! Especially understanding the people in the campo(field). I don't understand a lot, but it is only the first week and I know for a fact that if I am faithful, diligent and obedient the Lord will make me equal to the task. The members and my companion have been very supportive of me and it has really helped a lot!!
I know that this is where I am suppose to be with a certainty, even though a times it is tough and stressful, already the good times far out weigh them. This gospel is true I know it, Heavenly Father lives and hears our prayers, we have a Savior Jesus Christ who knows all our difficulties and sorrows (Alma 11:13) I know this to be true. The gospel is so simple and beautiful, how blessed we are to have it, live it and gain the wonderful happiness and joy from it!!
Elder Rasmussen
I'm pretty much settled here in my first area and really love my companion. I am in the city of Cotia. It is about 2 hrs from the city of Sao Paulo. It is a pretty nice place there are some poorer areas but for the most part it is nice. My companion and I are very blessed to have a fairly nice house to ourselves. It came complete with box springs and mattresses. I guess this is not common from the way my companion and district leaders acted when they saw them.
My companion's name is Elder Lembranzi. He is a Brasiheido 100% and he speaks 0 English ZERO!! What a blessing it's been and I think it will really help me to learn the language much faster. Both he and I are new to this area, so getting around has been quite the adventure. This week we have been trying to learn the area and get to know the investigators.The Bishop and members of the Cotia 1 ward are amazing and so willing to help. The boundaries of the ward are huge but it has been great.
The language is a bugger! Especially understanding the people in the campo(field). I don't understand a lot, but it is only the first week and I know for a fact that if I am faithful, diligent and obedient the Lord will make me equal to the task. The members and my companion have been very supportive of me and it has really helped a lot!!
I know that this is where I am suppose to be with a certainty, even though a times it is tough and stressful, already the good times far out weigh them. This gospel is true I know it, Heavenly Father lives and hears our prayers, we have a Savior Jesus Christ who knows all our difficulties and sorrows (Alma 11:13) I know this to be true. The gospel is so simple and beautiful, how blessed we are to have it, live it and gain the wonderful happiness and joy from it!!
Elder Rasmussen
Thursday, March 22, 2012
New Experiences & Miracles
This week was full of tons of new experiences. Wednesday my district and I along with some other districts traveled to the federal police station to get finger printed. The missionaries from the Sao Paulo East Mission also came. The ones who had been out a year and were renewing their visas. It was awesome to talk to them, hear their accents and talk about their experiences. I learned from them that in their mission many people get baptized but don't get confirmed. This was shocking to me. They said they get about 400 baptisms a month and only 250 of those will get confirmed.
Another amazing experience this week was proselyting. Yesterday(Mon. 3/12) was my district's first taste of preaching the gospel to real Brazilians. We went out around the town of Casa Verde. It was amazing! We talked to this one kid, his name was Rafiel, he was 14. He told us he lived right by the Casa Verde church building. It was amazing to bare witness to him of the Book of Mormon and have him commit to read and pray about it. We were able to pass out all the Book of Mormons we were given. The total was 6. Next Monday (3/19) we will go into down town Sao Paulo. It will be great!! To top it off today we are going to the temple in Campinis. Two temples in just two months. That the same number of temples I have been to in the states.
A couple of weeks ago I had an amazing experience. My instructor Irmao Ramolhid was giving a lesson on how the B of M is more than just a great book and how to help people realize that. This was the first day our instructor chose to only speak in Portuguese the whole class. The spirit was so strong, he talked for about an hour and gave an example of teaching an investigator. I was able to understand everything. Afterward he had us teach our companions. I felt the spirit flowing through me and helping me speak the words. It's not a constant everyday thing but, I know through experiences like these that the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues are real gifts. If I work my hardest, stay in tune to the spirit and it's Gods will I can speak.
You asked if I am ready to go out into the field. When I came to the CTM (missionary training center I made a list of goals that I wanted to accomplish while I was here. I pray about them often and the Lord has helped me achieve everyone. So I am ready to go into the field and work hard and do my very best for the Lord. With Him I know I will succeed.
Elder Rasmussen
Another amazing experience this week was proselyting. Yesterday(Mon. 3/12) was my district's first taste of preaching the gospel to real Brazilians. We went out around the town of Casa Verde. It was amazing! We talked to this one kid, his name was Rafiel, he was 14. He told us he lived right by the Casa Verde church building. It was amazing to bare witness to him of the Book of Mormon and have him commit to read and pray about it. We were able to pass out all the Book of Mormons we were given. The total was 6. Next Monday (3/19) we will go into down town Sao Paulo. It will be great!! To top it off today we are going to the temple in Campinis. Two temples in just two months. That the same number of temples I have been to in the states.
A couple of weeks ago I had an amazing experience. My instructor Irmao Ramolhid was giving a lesson on how the B of M is more than just a great book and how to help people realize that. This was the first day our instructor chose to only speak in Portuguese the whole class. The spirit was so strong, he talked for about an hour and gave an example of teaching an investigator. I was able to understand everything. Afterward he had us teach our companions. I felt the spirit flowing through me and helping me speak the words. It's not a constant everyday thing but, I know through experiences like these that the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues are real gifts. If I work my hardest, stay in tune to the spirit and it's Gods will I can speak.
You asked if I am ready to go out into the field. When I came to the CTM (missionary training center I made a list of goals that I wanted to accomplish while I was here. I pray about them often and the Lord has helped me achieve everyone. So I am ready to go into the field and work hard and do my very best for the Lord. With Him I know I will succeed.
Elder Rasmussen
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Week 6
February 27,2012
Querido,
I'm so glad to write to you. To answer your question about what an English fast is. It is a whole week when my companion and I only spoke Portuguese. It was sooo hard! The story we heard from Robyn about her nephew who was on a mission in Brazil. The one where his companion lost his leg when he was jumping on a train. My branch president here in the CTM is the doctor for all the missionaries in Brazil. He told us the whole story. It is incredible. The Elder was trying to jump on the train and fell under the train. The next thing he knew he was laying on the ground no leg and blood pouring out of his leg. The Elder's companion was very green and just went into shock and didn't know what to do. The Elder tried to take his belt off and make a turnicut, but was loosing blood to quickly and didn't have the strength and passed out. A man who called himself Joao "John" came out of know where and told the companion to call the mission president and then call the ambulance. Joao took the elders belt and made it into a turnicut. The elder was dead on arrival at the ER. He had no pulse, by a miracle the OR was already prepped and he was in surgery within 10 min. This Elder is alive today and is getting married soon. What an amazing story!! God truly does watch over His missionaries!
Here in Brazil they have this amazing drink. It's kind of a drinkable yogurt. It's called vigor. It comes in huge bottles and tons of flavors. We drink it sometimes for breakfast. It is amazing!!
Sao Paulo is huge, very green and warm. There are many poor people here, but they are very kind. In the CTM there are many Brazilian missionaries. They are all very nice and are very willing to help you with the language. The language is coming, my dyslexia makes it a little hard when it comes to the reading, but I know it will come.
As soon as I get out in the campo (field ) I will send some pics. Here is some Brazilian slang;
E al cada = wats up man!
Belaza = awesome or killer
Legal = cool
bacana = stud
ultimo = great
fubeca = slacker
God lives, Jesus Christ lives, This is His work and I'm so grateful to be a part of it!
Elder Rasmussen
Querido,
I'm so glad to write to you. To answer your question about what an English fast is. It is a whole week when my companion and I only spoke Portuguese. It was sooo hard! The story we heard from Robyn about her nephew who was on a mission in Brazil. The one where his companion lost his leg when he was jumping on a train. My branch president here in the CTM is the doctor for all the missionaries in Brazil. He told us the whole story. It is incredible. The Elder was trying to jump on the train and fell under the train. The next thing he knew he was laying on the ground no leg and blood pouring out of his leg. The Elder's companion was very green and just went into shock and didn't know what to do. The Elder tried to take his belt off and make a turnicut, but was loosing blood to quickly and didn't have the strength and passed out. A man who called himself Joao "John" came out of know where and told the companion to call the mission president and then call the ambulance. Joao took the elders belt and made it into a turnicut. The elder was dead on arrival at the ER. He had no pulse, by a miracle the OR was already prepped and he was in surgery within 10 min. This Elder is alive today and is getting married soon. What an amazing story!! God truly does watch over His missionaries!
Here in Brazil they have this amazing drink. It's kind of a drinkable yogurt. It's called vigor. It comes in huge bottles and tons of flavors. We drink it sometimes for breakfast. It is amazing!!
Sao Paulo is huge, very green and warm. There are many poor people here, but they are very kind. In the CTM there are many Brazilian missionaries. They are all very nice and are very willing to help you with the language. The language is coming, my dyslexia makes it a little hard when it comes to the reading, but I know it will come.
As soon as I get out in the campo (field ) I will send some pics. Here is some Brazilian slang;
E al cada = wats up man!
Belaza = awesome or killer
Legal = cool
bacana = stud
ultimo = great
fubeca = slacker
God lives, Jesus Christ lives, This is His work and I'm so grateful to be a part of it!
Elder Rasmussen
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Happy Carnival! :)
February 14, 2012
This Week is Carnival in Brazil. I didn't get to see a lot, being in the CTM and all. At night as I was laying bed I could hear all of the parties going on with the crazy music and drums. Pretty sweet.
So the DL (down low) on the CTM here in Sao Paulo is that the North American missionaries are here for 9 weeks. I leave for Campo (field) on March 20th.:) Can't wait. There are no other missionaries that I know of now in the CTM that are going to the Interlogos Mission. I'm looking forward to finding out where my first area to serve will be and who will be my trainer.
I haven't had any allergies as of yet Yeah!! I am inside the CTM a lot so I guess we will see. Everything is going pretty great, I still have stresses and struggles throughout the week but, I wouldn't have it any other way. It keeps me humble and relying on the Lord. I've been trying to say all my personal prayers in Portuguese and it has been a huge blessing.
Until next week,
Tchau,
Elder Rasmussen
This Week is Carnival in Brazil. I didn't get to see a lot, being in the CTM and all. At night as I was laying bed I could hear all of the parties going on with the crazy music and drums. Pretty sweet.
So the DL (down low) on the CTM here in Sao Paulo is that the North American missionaries are here for 9 weeks. I leave for Campo (field) on March 20th.:) Can't wait. There are no other missionaries that I know of now in the CTM that are going to the Interlogos Mission. I'm looking forward to finding out where my first area to serve will be and who will be my trainer.
I haven't had any allergies as of yet Yeah!! I am inside the CTM a lot so I guess we will see. Everything is going pretty great, I still have stresses and struggles throughout the week but, I wouldn't have it any other way. It keeps me humble and relying on the Lord. I've been trying to say all my personal prayers in Portuguese and it has been a huge blessing.
Until next week,
Tchau,
Elder Rasmussen
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Life in the CTM Brazil
First let me say I am really missing that cold weather! It's meutio calor aqui em Sao Paulo!
My day begins at 6:30am. I thought waking up at this time would be a lot harder than it is! Breakfast at 7:00, same thing everyday (a panini w/ weird different cheeses and ham). We grill it and it is pretty good. Then we have "personal" study for an hour and then language study for an hour and then gym! At first it was hard to get use to all the studying, especially because it's all individual. If you want to goof off then you can, there is no one to tell any different. So, a lot of people don't study, but I have a great district and we do all our studies!:) For gym we mostly play volleyball which is super fun! Afterwards we have 2 instructors that teach us. Most of the instructors are native Brazilian return missionaries. One of my institutor's name is Irmao Ramalho, he returned from his mission only 5 months ago. He is way awesome! Each instructor has an investigator they pretend to be. We teach them everyday. I have prepared a lot of lessons since I've been here, in both Portuguese and English.
That is what I do everyday and I really enjoy it. The CTM is a wonderful spiritual place and I am so glad to be here. I feel like I am learning a lot, when I look back I know I have.
Please write me and ask questions.
Please write me and ask questions.
I will send some pictures soon!
Love to all,
Elder Rasmussen
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Familia!!!
I love Brazil!! The food, the climate, my district, the Brazilian missionaries, and the language! It is super hard learning a new language, I know God called me to preach his word in Brazil in Portuguese! As it says in 1 Nephi 3:7 "the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare away for them that they may accomplish the thing which He commandeth them" if I humble myself and put my trust in Him, He will Prepare a way that I will accomplish this commandment!
The spirit is very strong here in the CTM, as long as I open my heart to it and pray for it throughout the day, I can really feel God helping me all the way.
One of the great things about p-day is that we get to go to the temple, so this morning my district and I did a session. It was great, thankfully most of it was in inges.
How grateful I am that I have a loving Heavenly Father that cares about little Elder Rasmussen and his struggles with Portuguese.
Other great news, Wednesday (Jan. 25, 2012) Elder Ballard and Elder Anderson are coming to the CTM for a devotional!!! I can't wait, it will be amazing.
I love you all and want you to know that I am doing great and am truly where I am meant to be!:)
Elder Rasmussen
The spirit is very strong here in the CTM, as long as I open my heart to it and pray for it throughout the day, I can really feel God helping me all the way.
One of the great things about p-day is that we get to go to the temple, so this morning my district and I did a session. It was great, thankfully most of it was in inges.
How grateful I am that I have a loving Heavenly Father that cares about little Elder Rasmussen and his struggles with Portuguese.
Other great news, Wednesday (Jan. 25, 2012) Elder Ballard and Elder Anderson are coming to the CTM for a devotional!!! I can't wait, it will be amazing.
I love you all and want you to know that I am doing great and am truly where I am meant to be!:)
Elder Rasmussen
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