Psych Social Media Week 7

First up: I apologize about week 6. I was out of town for a wedding. I know being out of town doesn't actually prevent posting to a blog, which is kind of the beauty of blogging, BUT being so busy catching up with friends, celebrating, running errands with a bride-to-be, setting up for a wedding, attending the temple, flying, traveling, and exploring does prevent ones posting to a blog. It was so worth the time spent away from my phone and laptop. I loved living a little more "in the moment" over the weekend. That being said, I still found time to post to Instagram a few times. It's just so much quicker! A quick pic, flick through a couple filters, add a caption and BAM my mom is satisfied that I documented the trip. This week my group gave a presentation for our class about Instagram. I think that officially solidified good old Insta as my favorite medium of social media. Facebook is something I won't give up because I do enjoy reading articles and I usually find interesting articles that my friends have shared on Facebook. Instagram will still be the winner for me though, because I love the simplicity and the pretty pictures! Someone brought up the way it is a way of promoting a false sense of reality, but I love that we can add filters and make our pictures more beautiful. I think that turns it from just posting pictures to a sort of art, allowing us to be creative with our pictures while we edit them to get the right look. I wear little if any make-up on my actual face, so I reserve the right to edit my picture face with filters. I'll call it art.
Overall I'm glad I took this social media class. It helped me be a lot more aware of my social media usage. Conclusions for me now are that I'll stick to my two forms of social media for now. I'm considering adding Pinterest in once I start teaching full-time, but for now all I need is FB and Insta. I want to cut down the FB a bit also or at least think a little more before I click, some of the articles I end up reading definitely don't count as time well spent. Overall I recognize there are many positives to social media and I want to capitalize on those positives without getting sucked into the negatives. It will be a great balancing act.... kind of like everything else in life lol

Psychology of Social Media Week 5

This week in class we have been talking about digital altruism and activism. Otherwise known as slacktivism. Here's a bit of my opinion on slacktivism:
Slacktivism is a means and not an end to a cause. I see it as a way of bringing more broad awareness to issues, which then allows individuals who may have specifics skills or influences to help in a crucial way. It’s like networking for a good cause. I may not have a specific way to contribute towards a cause or issue but one of my friends might. So my sharing something regarding the issue can be helpful if that friend is made aware of their capacity to help. I also see it as a way of shifting public opinion and attitudes. As small as my circle of influence is, I at least do influence a few people, and if I post things that are against homophobia, for example, and that influences my friends to rethink something and change then I see that post as very effective.
I think social media is the perfect way for people to connect in ways that are meaningful. It gives people who otherwise couldn’t a giant megaphone. It also gives general people the ability to choose who they give that megaphone to, rather than governments or corporations. It is ultimately up to the individual what they click on and what they share with their networks, and so the right issues come to the surface and the traditional media is playing catch up to social media instead of the other way around. It’s putting media in the hands of the general public, and I really think that is a good thing.

Psychology of Social Media Week 4

This week in class we had a guest speaker come in and he talked to us about a lot of things but stated off by giving us an introduction to the "dark web". Before today I had no idea the dark web existed and I had never heard of it. I didn't really understand all the techno speak about it but basically it's an internet place where you link to many other routers along the way to get to what you are looking for. Rather than a direct link from my ISP to the blogger server for example I would connect with countless other routers on the way to get to what I was viewing. It creates a lot more anonymity. The reason it's called the "dark web" is because most of the stuff that goes on in this sphere is illegal and wrong. For example there is a lot of illegal porn there, corporate espionage, ISIS uses it, national security leaks, etc.  What I found interesting is that there is this big internet pot of evil out there. I know everyone always says that Satan uses the internet to get to us, and I do believe that to be true, but today I thought about it in a entirely different light. Apparently he really is out there using the internet to accomplish very evil designs. SCARY! Satan is not to be underestimated people. He is WILY. He has a lot of tricks and he knows us verrrry well. I'm just glad that I know him pretty well also. I know that he is strong but through my Saviour I am stronger, and that I've defeated him before. We have all defeated him before. I also know we will defeat him again. The game is already decided, the score is set, and he's already lost. We just need to make sure we are still on the winning team when the game is all over. I have no fear, because I know who to follow.  It's a great feeling! I don't care if Satan does have a giant network of evil internet shenanigans, that doesn't even scare me!
FAITH > FEAR.

Psychology of Social Media Week 3

This week in Social Media class we've been looking at YouTube videos.
It makes a three hour class much more enjoyable when you spend the majority of the class watching funny viral videos.
Also I was wondering what I could write here about what I've taken away from class this week...beside some really funny videos to share. Basically anything by Jimmy Fallon, although I recommend Emma Stone's Lip Sync Battle. SO FUNNY.
I did however take away something more meaningful.
There is a woman from Montana who is the same age as me, who now has a job working for a museum making YouTube Video's about science.
That's basically my dream job! Without all the icky dead animals.
It reminds me of the YouTuber: Physics Girl. Also my dream job! BUT REALLY
We were discussing the fact that Social Media has almost revived the "American Dream". If you are good enough at what you do, willing to work hard at it, have an element of uniqueness, and the timing is right, your dreams most definitely can become reality. This girl from the museum didn't plan on being a YouTuber, it just worked out for her that way because she had the right combination of those factors.
Not that I think I'm going to become a YouTube celebrity, but I've noticed the internet and social media have opened up a lot of doors for me professionally. Recently I've been signing up on a lot of online tutoring sites, also looking at online high schools and other possibilities of becoming an online teacher once I finish my getting my teaching license. I'm also currently working as a TA for the head of the chemistry department. While at work I'm recording video slide lectures for the Chemistry 100 students to watch online before they come to class as a part of their preparation. I record them on adobe presenter and include voice-over videos of myself solving problems on a device similar to a giant iPad. It's an interesting job, which I think is giving me great experience to use technology in a future teaching setting. Technology, especially social media is changing the game for finding jobs, and definitely changing the education profession, so I know I need to adapt to it if I'm going to be truly successful.

Psychology of social media week 2

This week in class we focused a lot on the history and evolution of social media over time. It's crazy how much things have changed in just my lifetime! I was born in the 1991. I can remember a time where no one in my family had a cell phone. I can remember when my dad had a clunky computer with a tiny screen that only worked with floppy disks. Then I remember when I was 11 and my parents saved up their money to purchase a computer for the family. It was Santa's gift to all of us that year. Then I remember a few years after that when we got AOL on the computer. At the time I remember not really understanding the point of Internet or the web. A few years after that my family moved and AOL Instant Messenger became my favorite after school pastime. I was always chatting away to my friends and thinking of clever "away messages". That was my beginning to social media. I told told my first big crush I liked him over AIM. After middle school ended I created a MySpace account to stay connected with my friends. That lasted about a year or two. In between that time I got my own first cell phone. It was a tiny little blue flip phone. I remember texting my friends while I was standing next to them, just because I could text them. Towards the end of High School I signed up for Facebook and that was a great way to keep track of friends after I graduated and moved to Hawaii. Around that same time I bought myself my first iPhone. I was the first person in my family to get a smartphone. Needless to say shortly after that we ended up with 4 other smartphones in the family. With my smart phone in Hawaii I learned I could take some pretty great pictures of my beautiful new home. Instagram was the obvious best way to share those pictures with my famil and friends. I also found Skype the best cure for missing home and I still video call home to my family almost every Sunday afternoon. Eventually I got a snapchat, I even got asked to a Fall Ball via snap chat once. 

Then I went on a mission. 

Silence. 

Emails once a week, with very limited time. 2 video calls. 1 phone call. That's it. 

I thought I would miss it more than I did. I really didn't miss it at all. 

My mom posted my emails on this blog but I never touched it. 

When I got home I was reluctant to jump back into social media. I knew it had pros but felt that the cons may out way the pros. However I leaned that the best way to communicate with friends in Australia and all over the world was through Facebook and Facebook messenger, so I jumped back on that. My mission president reminded us that if President Monson and the other general authorities can manage social media and spread positivity and the gospel so can we. I still love taking pretty pictures. So Instagram came back in as well. I'm still not convinced social media is really healthy for my spirit. I'm trying to work that out and think of ways I can use it for good; not just in my life but also for my friends and followers. 

Here is my personal social media history. It's interesting to reflect back on all the experiences in my life that social media facilitated. The good and the bad. I know social media won't stop playing a part in my life and it's proved already that it will continue to adapt and change over time. I'll adapt and change along with it and I know everything will be ok as long as my overall goals don't change: to uplift and inspire myself and others. 

Post Mission Life, Psychology of Social Media

So this blog is my mission blog, and I was just going to keep it that way and never touch it again. Then I signed up with a psychology of social media class at school and a requirement is that I blog about my reflections on social media. So here goes:
This week in class we watched a TED Talk entitled "connected, but alone?" here's a link: http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together#t-1167812 
Anyways this woman is talking about how with the rise of social media we are keeping each other at a safe distance. We don't lose track of each other, but we don't really interact either. Something this TED talk brought to mind for me was the difference I've had trying to make friends when I first arrived at BYUH compared to returning to BYUH after my mission.
See when I came here in 2010 as a freshman, social media was certainly a thing, but not in the way it is now. A lot has changed in 5 years. When I got here, the friends I made, I made in person. The girls lived in my hallway and dorm, or were friends of friends that I met. Guys I met in my classes or in the school cafeteria, library, hallways, classes or really anywhere where students congregate. I had close friends fast! It was some of the most fun days of my life.
Upon my return from my mission I've found making friends does not come as easily as it did. This TED talk along with our class discussion helped me realize one possible reason why. Normal times when students congregate, are not about congregating anymore. When a student is in a place where they aren't among anyone they know, or actively engaged doing something, they are on their phones. People make themselves unapproachable to anyone let alone to people they don't know. I find myself doing the same thing, getting onto my phone and looking at whatever social media is available to fill the void of interacting with people, when really I should just get up and interact with some people that are right around me. I'm going to try that out more this semester. I'm going to put my phone down and force some strangers to put theirs down to so that I can have a conversation and make some new friends.

The Last Days

Hello,

Well it's my last P-day. That is super weird. 

I won't have to communicate solely via email any more, except to all my missionary friends that will still be here in the field. I guess I'll still be in the field too though, just a different field than Australia, and I won't have entirely the same role in the field, but a very similar one. We are all in the field really. 

General Conference was amazing! I loved so many of the talks. I can't believe that I never used to get anything out of general conference. Probably because I used to always just be asleep, how sad! General conference is an amazing event. I'm glad it's every 6 months. 

Thanks for the birthday wishes, it didn't even feel like it was my birthday really. I don't know how I feel about being 23...

We had our miracles from last week come to general conference this past weekend. And we've been teaching them a lot. It's been incredible. It was so good to see the young couple come as a family to church. The other family that I wrote about last week, we are teaching and they are so great. We set a date for them to be baptised this next weekend. I would normally say that I'll email pictures next week..... anyways they are the coolest kids ever, 14 and 12 and just soaking the gospel up like little sponges. They ask the best questions and we've really been having a fun time teaching them. 

It's really surreal to be coming home. I won't try and summarize or compile all the reasons I thank God every day for directing me to come on a mission, but this is the best thing I've ever done with my life and the reasons are many. I think it's been the hardest thing I've ever done too. That's okay though, I've learned more in this 1.5 years than in the all the 21 years before it even with going to church regularly. Just goes to show that you can go to church ready to receive revelation from God or you can go with a hard heart and get nothing. I'm grateful that I had enough of a little faith to prompt me to at least come out here, and I attribute that pretty much entirely to my parents, grandparents, church leaders, and good friends that I've had through my life. I can't thank Heavenly Father enough for sending me to a place where I would have people around me I could spiritually rely on because I was too weak to support my own testimony, and then thank Him again for helping me come here on a mission so I could find my own testimony and strengthen it, even to the point of being able to help others. "I Stand All Amazed" comes to mind. I know that Heavenly Father really does have a plan for each of us. I don't know what the rest of His plan for me is, but I don't mind because He's been doing a really good job of taking care of me so far and I haven't even been listening most of the time. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real, because I have felt it change me. Can't wait to see you all! although I'm not going to lie I'm pretty nervous too...

It's going to be weird. 

Love you all!

Sister Rasmussen

Sprinting to the Finish!!

Aloha family!

Well this week has been a week of craziness, and also miracles! I will write all about it to make up for my lack of good emails lately. 

First of all we got a mini missionary for the week. That is when the youth here in Queensland from a particular stake give up a whole week out of their two week school holidays to go and live and work with the missionaries throughout Brisbane. They arrive on Saturday morning and then stay until the next Saturday. We knew before hand we would be getting one, but the other two sisters in our flat received a surprise when another mini missionary showed up at our flat on Saturday morning. So we had 6 people living in our tiny flat. We have a five seater car. We have only one bathroom. It was great! 

We also went up to the Sunshine coast for my last trip up there to see the sisters and go on exchanges with them. It was a lot of fun. While I was with one of the sisters in Gympie and our mini missionary we were knocking on some doors and walking down the street and we saw a mother on the street ahead of us pushing a pram with a big plastic container in it, holding a screaming baby, and struggling with her bags. She was a pretty far way off but the sister I was with told me to go talk to her so I said yup and ran over to where she was, grabbed her pram and asked if I could push it for her to her house. As we walked to her house I told her who we were and what we do and asked her about her belief in God and about her life. When we got to her house I asked if we could come in and teach her a little bit about God and she said that normally she's say no but she felt a different "vibe" with us and it seems good so she let us in and we taught her how to pray. It was so great! When we went down to Kawana Waters we went talking to people at this lighthouse and down the cliffs from us was the ocean and there were all these people surfing! The waves were really choppy and not the best but it was still cool. I was just trying to speak to al the surfers and tie the gospel into surfing and give them cards before they ran over to shower. It's good because it's warming up so not everyone was in wet suits. So that was exciting, the problem with those two days is that it was warm and we were out in the sun working hard all day and our poor little mini missionary just couldn't handle it so she got really sick and had to go home :( sad. I think girls need to realize that part of missionary preparation is being physically fit, we don't walk around in our pretty skirts all day and stay pretty. We come home every night hot sweaty dirty and exhausted.  It's very physically demanding work. 

When we returned to our area on Thursday we had to work double time to make up for the time we had lost. We did witness some amazing things though! So Friday night we went over to a families house who we have been teaching for a while. They are a young couple with three young children, who aren't married. The man is a less active member, and his partner grew up going to church occasionally but was never baptised. We planned to have family home evening with them. We planned to read through Lehi's dream and to draw pictures of it as we read to show each other at the end. When we got there He told us that earlier that week he had an amazing experience where he decided he should truly repent so he looked up the steps of repentance and applied them, and he had the most amazing feeling. He'd since cut down his smoking considerably and started to read the Book of Mormon everyday. He had just finished reading about Lehi's dream and had prayed and asked Heavenly Father to help him understand it better and apply it into his life. Then we came with that lesson planned! We asked him something our mission president asked us in our recent zone conference "where are you in Lehi's drea?" He said last week I was in the building, a few days ago I was drowning in the river, but now I think I'm at the end of the rod in the mist trying to hold on. It was awesome. They told us they are committed to coming to church and to really living the gospel and changing their lives. They went to church on Sunday and he bore his testimony of repentance and his experience this past week. 

Then on Sunday we were at church and there was a new family that came in and sat at the back. The mum got up to share her testimony and she began by saying she hadn't been to church in 41 years. She has had many experiences in the past 2 months that have led her to realize she needed to return to church and bring her children into the gospel. They want to be baptised! She said "I left the church but Heavenly Father never left me, and now I'm back and I'm here to stay." We realized as she was speaking that we had received her family as a referral about 2 months ago but every time we tried to contact her we were never able to catch her at home. We know Heavenly Father was waiting for his timing to be right and now it is. We have an appointment with them tonight that we are really looking forward to. 

Later that afternoon we went out to have splits and my companion was able to find a miracle new investigator as well. And then that night we received a call from the assistants letting us know we'll be receiving a car! Which is another miracle in and of itself because we have so much going on in the next two weeks and we had no idea how we were going to manage to get to any of it. So it has truly been a week full of miracles and I am just full of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the opportunity I have to be an instrument in his hands, and to be a very small part of his great work. 

Hope everyone's week is going great!

Much Love,

Sister Rasmussen

 P-day with my district singing Happy Birthday to Pres. Hendersen.

 Ian's baptism

Last day on the ferry going to the temple!

Iaorana!

I feel like I don't have a whole lot to report on this week. I was away from my area for like 4 days helping some of the sisters in our region sort out their lives. It definitely trips me out a bit when things like that happen and I realize that I'm the one they turn to to get help and counsel from...when did that happen? last time I checked I was the one that needed the help... it's weird to see other missionaries sort of look up to you in a way. I know I'm about to go home but in so many ways everyday I still feel brand new. It's humbling though, especially as my companion and I went to the Lord a lot in prayer asking for his direction in knowing how to help the sisters because we had absolutely no clue what to do. But we came together and petitioned the Lord, and then slept on it, pondered, and studied a bit and the impressions came.  I know we didn't do it perfectly but when we followed promptings from the Spirit we were truly able to bring the Spirit in to help the missionaries the same as we do when we help those we teach. I also really learned the value of having a companion. Because we were away from each other on an exchange when a lot of the problems began, I felt like I was so lost trying to make decisions, and give counsel on my own. I had to keep telling the sisters I'm sorry I just need to wait until I can discuss this with my companion. It's really great when you have a companion that you are equally yoked with, and especially good when you are great friends and can laugh your way through the ridiculousness of missionary life. It was pretty stressful but we got through it and then we had zone conference on Monday and went to the temple today. It's my last time going to the temple as a "normal" missionary before we go on our last day with President and Sister Henderson. It's a bit surreal. Hasn't yet hit me that things are really coming to an end. Anyways here are some pictures I've been meaning to send. 

Much love, Sister Rasmussen

You have been called to the Australia, North Pine Mission!

Aloha!

So I survived my last transfer calls and I am staying here in North Pine with Sister Tama! I am excited! Who would have thought that 7 transfers of my mission would be spent in the one area? not me. That is basically one whole year of mission life here in North Pine. The elders joke that they forgot to tell me in my mission call I was actually just called to the North Pine mission. Most of the members forget that I even left and think that I just have been here the whole time. I think they should let me give a farewell talk like I'm leaving to go on a mission from my home ward, I sort of am just in reverse. This next transfer is going to be really busy, we have zone conferences, leadership meetings, region meetings we have to organize with the sisters, zone p-days, trade-offs with the sisters and all sorts of crazy things going on so it's going to fly by I think. That's a bit sad. But throughout all the madness I know we will see plenty of miracles in our area as well. It's starting to get hot here again. Just as soon as summer comes on I'll be leaving to step into a North American winter....that's going to be rough haha Sister Walter and Sister Tobiassen both stayed in our flat as well and that is just so fun! We couldn't believe it when they told us, it is ridiculous that we are staying together again because we get along so well ha we aren't complaining it's awesome. The elders in our ward both stayed as well, which is awesome because they are great too and we are working well together. So over all things are great here. I'm enjoying my last transfer and trying not to think to much about it all ending. Love You all!

Sister Rasmussen

pictures

Pictures at the house of an inactive couple from Chile that we have been working with and who have been coming back to church.

"How Great Shall Be Your Joy"

 Baptism of James!!

 Sis. Fesolai at the Temple

 Yogurtland after a very busy day!!

ALOHA!

Well I am just so happy! I had probably the best weekend of my entire life this weekend and I'm so excited to tell you all about it. 

It started off with a really hectic week actually, not bad hectic just really crazy. Wednesday after emailing we hung out in Brisbane city with the sisters and ate yummy food at the market, did some window shopping and travelled home. We had a tradeoff with our Sunshine coast sisters so I had to wave goodbye to my companion as she took off for Kawana and I stayed with one of the great sisters in North Pine. We then had an epic road trip Thursday night I drove up to Kawana, switched back, collected my companion and we carried on up to Maryborough. We spent the day there Friday and then drove 3 hours home that night. It was pouring rain all weekend! While in Maryborough the sister I was with and I got super lost wandering around in the rain. I forgot to pack my rain coat and we couldn't figure out where we were going. We ended up in the centre of town which was good because in front of all the shops there are awnings which kept us out of the rain, even though I was already soaked and it was super cold and windy. We stayed there in the centre of town talking to people the whole day long because of the rain all the other appointments we had called to cancel. I saw inside a shop an add for $10 ladies coats. They were kind of hideous but I bought one anyways so that was good. Then my feet were absolutely soaked through and my shoes were so wet I was getting blisters and I couldn't keep up with the people walking long enough for them to stop and talk to me, but I didn't let that stop the work of the Lord! So I went over to a bench, took my shoes off, hid them under it, and proceeded to walk barefoot around the streets of Maryborough talking to everyone I met about the gospel of Jesus Christ wearing a massive old lady coat. It was not my classiest moment as a missionary but it had to be done. I was glad to get in the car and return to North Pine after that day haha

Then Saturday came!! Sister Tama and I took the train/bus into the temple in the morning so that I could meet up with the Cass family from Dalby and also with Sister Fesolai so that we could do baptisms for the dead together. A few other branch members from Dalby were there as well, and one family from Toowoomba ward so it was happy reunions all around. I got to catch up with Sister Fesolai and also with the family and hear all about their wedding and when Chris was baptised in June. It made me so happy! They had done their family history research and were prepared with like 30 family names to bring to the temple. The girls were so excited and the spirit was so strong. Sister Fesolai said something about the family all looking different then before (new haircuts and stuff) and Sister Cass told us no it's because they are happier then they were before, because they have the priesthood in their home now :) It was just such a joyful thing sitting with all four of them in the house of the Lord serving others and giving them the opportunity to partake in the ordinances of salvation. I've never really been able to see the ripple affect of one baptism like I did in the temple on Saturday. Because Sister Cass decided to come back to church, we taught Nya and Chris, who got baptised, and then 30 other souls on the other side of the veil also received that ordinance. It was beautiful, and that's just the beginning for that family. They are truly amazing. After the baptisms we had to travel back home so that we could get things ready for the baptism of James that night! The whole service went so nicely and he was just beaming as he got out of the water and embraced the ward member that baptised him I could just see how full of joy he was. He then received the gift of the Holy Ghost at church yesterday and it came full circle. We are seeing miracles here!! We have another baptism on this Saturday and the elders have one as well, so it will be a double for the ward. It's so exciting! 3 baptisms just this month is pretty great. I really feel like I'm beginning to understand the scripture that says "how great shall be your joy" bringing many souls unto Christ. I don't even want to think about going home! And I asked president to keep me in this area for my last transfer, but obviously in the end I'll go where the Lord wants me to go. Hope everyone has a great week as well and good first week back at school. 

Much Love,

Sister Rasmussen

I Love to See the Temple!!

ALOHA,

So today was temple p-day, which I always love. I love coming down to the city, I love taking the train, I love walking along the river and up the stairs cut into the cliffs, I love taking the ferry and seeing all the buildings and the people, and I LOVE THE TEMPLE. It is truly the house of the Lord and there is a feeling inside that you cannot replicate anywhere else in the world. We have had a great week so far and it is only going to get even better! My poor companion and I hardly spend any time together because we are always on trade-offs with the sisters in our region but it is so fun to serve with all of them and hopefully bless them and help them when we can. It was raining all day on Saturday and I got to be on trade-offs with sister Tobiassen, who is one of the sisters that lives with me. She's basically my Australian twin as far as personality goes, it's a bit of a problem really because we tend to distract each other all the time. But we did have a great day wandering around in the rain absolutely soaked and teaching lessons in cars and all sorts of great things. My companion and I are going up the sunshine coast this week to Kawana waters and then on up to Maryborough and then back by Friday night, just in time for Saturday! We are definitely looking forward to the road trip and the chance to see the sisters up there. 

Then on Saturday we have a baptism scheduled for our investigator James which we are really excited about. It's crazy how the Lord has really blessed us for the time we have spent outside our own area, and maybe not giving it the attention I thought we needed to. We do as much as we can and Heavenly Father truly makes up the difference, and when we have the faith to sacrifice whatever we think we need to do for ourselves, and serve others, everything ends up working out on our end. We started off the month thinking we didn't have anyone to baptize, yet setting the goal that we would and putting into the Lord's hands, and then we went to work trying to serve our sisters and didn't focus so much upon our own area, and here we are! The Lord lead us to find James and he's just as golden as ever, hasn't had a single concern with anything we've taught him and he's all geared up and ready to go for Saturday. We have another one scheduled for the following Saturday as well, and the elders have two for that same day, so we may have 4 baptisms in the one ward this month, that is pretty unheard of here in North Pine, I think they had only 4 the entire year last year. The work is definitely hastening! I also will have the opportunity to attend the temple to do baptisms with the Cass family from Dalby on Saturday morning, so basically I think it's going to be the best day of my life. I'll let you know next Monday! :) Hope everyone is having as great of a life as I am, and if you're not try forgetting about yourself and focusing on other people, it will all work out! 

Love you!

Sister Rasmussen

 With SIster Tama on the Ferry.

Aloha!!

ALOHA!

Well this past week was great! My companion and I are just so busy! It is really so crazy how time flies when you are busy. We have honestly just stepped up our game in every area of missionary work and the miracles have been abundant as a result and time is also just speeding up. I've been a missionary for 16 months now. It's so crazy! I'm so so happy for my new companion, she is definitely not encouraging me to slow down at all as I reach the end here. Not that I'd be one to do that anyways, but she isn't even letting me cruise at the same speed I've been going we are just accelerating! It's so good though. We are especially trying to step up our game being the best STLs we can for the sisters in our region. It's been great to see as we sacrifice so much of our time, energy, and heart to bless the sisters that the Lord really makes up the difference and moves the work forward in our own area, almost without us even trying. We had a goal within our region to set baptismal dates and we were able to set two within our own area! It's pretty amazing. Both of them are with older divorced gentlemen. One of them that we just found my tracting into him and the other one met one of the YSA girls in our ward at the gym and she just casually invited him to come to church and gave him the address and he showed up last week for church, we met with him and set a date on our first visit, he came to church again, and we are meeting with him a couple times this week too. The Lord truly will place people in your path! So for those of you who think to yourself: "I don't know any non-members" try the random stranger at the gym, you never know who the Lord has prepared around you. So that is very exciting. We also are just working really hard to get all the young unmarried couples we are teaching to progress, but we are definitely seeing it happen little by little. We get to go to the temple next week Wednesday which I am looking forward to. And today we are going to play sand volleyball today at this sporting complex. Hope everyone is enjoying the end of summer, it's starting to warm up a bit here which is nice except that really means summer is almost here and that means my mission is ending soon....mixed feeling there. Love you all,

Sister Rasmussen

Ascension August

Iaorana!! 

Well family this has been a pretty eventful week. First off it is just so much fun at transfer time when you get to bring your new companion around to meet everyone you love and you get to plan and prepare for the transfer and set inspired goals to accomplish great things. Sister Tama is the best I just love her, so many new and great ideas have come into our flat and area and companionship. The beauty of a restart! 

This weekend was a weekend of facing FEARS! Everyone knows how I feel about hospitals....So Wednesday night the great Sister Tobiassen told us she thought she must have eaten something off because she had a  sore stomach. She didn't get much sleep that night and the next day she was curled up in a ball all day long with stomach pains, waiting for it to pass, the next night was even worse so by Friday morning she said enough is enough I need to see a doctor. The mission doctor was all booked up for the day so we ended up having to take her to the closest hospital emergency room. Well at first she was in there with Sister Tama while Sister Walter and I went to our first district meeting with our new District leader and his companion, then we went to meet them, and They said I had to go in and sit with her because neither Sister Tama or Sister Walter felt like they could understand anything that was going on because they don't have very much doctory English vocabulary. So next minute I spent allll dayyy lonnnng in the hospital with poor Sister Tobiassen. The emergency room is a horror house, straight up. There are screaming and moaning people everywhere. I saw people with bandages all over their heads like mummies and I saw people with blood all over there faces, people are wheezing and hacking up things left and right, crying screaming children are all over the place, all the crazy machines keep going off all the time. It was so SCARY! And so through all of this I am trying to help Sister Tobiassen get her mind off of all the pain she is in while the nurses run all these tests and scans on her. She ended up having appendicitis. So they admitted her into a ward upstairs and we spent the rest of the day there while they decided what kind of surgery she needed to get her appendix out and then President and Sister Henderson came along and talked with the doctors as well. So she had surgery that night and was in the hospital all day and night Saturday so we went over there again Saturday to be with her after Sister Henderson had to go and then she left the hospital and went to the mission home yesterday. So that was the gist of my weekend. Lots of time spent in hospitals, but hopefully I won't have to go into another hospital again for a very long time.

We are excited this month of August we are hoping to have a repeat of what happened in June so we are aiming for over 100 convert baptisms again. I know it can happen according to our faith. Sister Tama and I have a goal of having a baptism in August as well to contribute but we don't exactly know who yet, we know Heavenly father is preparing someone for us. It is so fun living with a Tahitian again! I am loving life and I hope this will continue and carry me out until October! 

Much love and aloha,

Sister Rasmussen

Mixed Feelings

Iaorana!

I am sad because I dropped off Sister Moran at the mission home yesterday and she flew away on a jet plane today. However I am happy because my new companion is Sister Tama and she is from Tahiti!!!! my people!! We are going to have so much fun and see many many miracles! So for Sister Moran's last week we had a great time working and going on adventures. Our adventure to the gold coast went well, we had a nice dinner with the man that baptised her and his wife and children. It was sad to see that his children just didn't know anything about God, and didn't have that relationship at all in their lives. It went well though and hopefully softened his heart a bit. It took two one hour train trips both way. I love the train so that was great! And that's now the farthest south I've ever been in my whole life haha. Too bad it was at night so I didn't really see much at all. 

We also went to a waffle house place for lunch and it was funny because waffles here are desserts not breakfast foods. So I got a weird look from the lady when I asked for mine without ice cream but with butter on top before the syrup and berries. We had a bunch of people at church again so that was joyful and had a really smashing Saturday which was basically her last full on working day of her mission. So it was a great week and I can't wait to see what the future will hold! It is weird to think this is my second last transfer though...so many missionaries that I love are going home soon! I will just have to travel the world to visit them all after my mission! yay! Love you all!

Sister Rasmussen

This Will Be Short

ALOHA!

Apologies, I have no time today because we are having a special P-day to celebrate our miracle 105 baptisms in JUNE WOOO! anyways so no time and also I had to sort out things for BYUH as well...scary. Anyways this week was GREAT! Sunday was just as hectic but not as much of that was negative in fact most of it was positive! We had a pretty incredible miracle this week I don't have time to write it twice sorry I'm going to copy and paste from my letter to my mission president:

We also had a miracle on Friday when a potential investigator we had planned to visit wasn't home and as we turned to leave her house a less active lady who lived on her same street came walking up with three of her small children. We stopped to say hello and she broke down in tears to tell us she was so happy to see us because her husband just recently left them and she knows she needs to come back to church and start building her life back up "the right way" living the gospel. We found a member almost immediately to be a perfect fellowship for her, one that has a big van and can fit her and her five young children in for church and they all came! It was so joyful to see Heavenly Father using us as his instruments and placing us in the right place at the right time. If we were only a few minutes off we would have missed her entirely and who knows when we would have gone to see her again. But Heavenly Father led us right to his daughter who needed him badly. I love this work!

So Sunday was hectic because of the five kids of this lady who came to church! yay! and also we had one of the young couples we are teaching come with their two kids and the girlfriend of another couple we are teaching with one of their kids and also a new investigator named James come on his own! So we were running around making sure everyone got to the right primary class and had a friend and all of that great stuff. This next week is the last week of my lovely companion Sister Moran's mission so it is going to be great! We are going on an adventure to the Gold Coast tomorrow to have dinner with the man that baptised her when she was a little girl and her mother and her joined the church. He doesn't go to church anymore and none of his family, wife or kids, are members. So that will be super exciting and fun! So that is what is happening    love you

more pictures

 Nathan's first trip to the temple...He was baptized back in April.

 With Sis. Kaifti on trade-off's in Kawana Waters.  The Pacific Ocean!!!

 I was so filled with joy just to hear the waves!!!  ha ha!

Sisters in the Brisbane North Zone.

Long Time No Email

 Crocodile & Kangaroo....tastes just like steak & chicken!!

 "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea..." On the road to Maryborough.

Shaun's baptism.  What a miracle!!

Aloha!

Well it feels like I was just emailing two days ago......

Actually to be honest it feels like I emailed 5 years ago because of how long and crazy everyday is as a missionary. It's such a weird phenomenon I don't even know how to describe it but it's like everyday is super long, but the weeks just fly by so fast if you blink you'll miss it. This weekend was very eventful as usual. Sister Moran and I went on a trade-off with the sisters that we live with, so I got to be with Sister Walter again! It was super weird being companions again in the same flat where we were companions before. We at least went to her area instead of mine, because that would have been just so weird haha. That was fun anyway. Then Sunday was just bonkers. Just off the chain crazy. It was the most spirit killing time I've ever had at church easily. Sacrament meeting was great, it's a bit crazy in our ward because of all the baby traffic, but that's nothing new to me coming from Centennial Pointe Ward. Gospel principles class is usually a bag of crazy, kind of like you never know exactly what you're going to get but you know it's going to be an experience. Well this week was just bad.... our recent convert got really offended over how our ward mission leader teaches the class. He's just really sensitive and must have been having a bad day already, plus he's already not a big fan of our ward mission leader. He chose to confront him and basically tell him how he feels about him in the very middle of Gospel Principles however....suuuuppperrrrrr awkward. And it didn't like blow over either it just escalated until the spirit was completely absent and the spirit of contention was fully there and the ward mission leader just gave up, sat down, and we just ended class early. After that I was happy to just try and get the spirit back somehow by going to relief society but that class ended up being bonkers as well, with people and children from primary running in and out the whole time. I don't know if the whole ward was just going nuts or what but the lesson itself was a bit crazy too with people getting all over the place with their input. After that we just couldn't wait to get out of the building! The elders were meant to drop us off at a members house in their area after church but something happened with them I'm not sure but they had to drop the other elders off somewhere and basically we ended up sitting at the chapel for an hour and in that time the worst thing of all happened. So this other good sister was extremely mad at us over something and decided to just confront us about it in the middle of the foyer after church in front of everyone....we were so confused as to what we did to upset her and she was asking us really inappropriate questions and just really angry at us. Then there was some more craziness after that because we weren't sure if our recent convert had a ride home from church. Eventually we made it out of that building and it couldn't have happened soon enough! I wish the rest of the night was relaxing but Sunday nights are the busiest nights ever for anyone in mission leadership because we have to make about half a million phone calls to different zone leaders of the sisters in our region, our zone leaders, the assistants and all the sisters in our region as well. Sleep was so welcome. Then I had a really crazy dream I was in a big house and this guy was chasing me around trying to attack me hahaha so even my sleep was a bit stressful. But that's alright we will move onward and upward. It's great when you hit an all time low because you have no where to go but up after that. There is definitely something to be learned after all that, not quite sure what it is but when I do figure it out I'll let you know! Hope your Sabbath was spiritual and refreshing! I'll send some recent pictures of things. 

Love you all!

Sister Rasmussen

It's Been too Long!!

ALOHA..finally

well it's been a very long time since last I had a P-day. It's just been a really crazy week. Our P-day was meant to be yesterday actually, because we were meant to go to the temple yesterday and have interviews with our mission president on Monday. Then we got informed that interviews had been re-schedulesd until Thursday and our P-day was changed to Tuesday. However someone hadn't thought that one through properly because the temple isn't even open on Tuesdays so then on Monday morning they changed it to Wednesday, but then later that afternoon they ended up changing it to Friday. Then on  Tuesday night they let us know our interviews would actually be Wednesday afternnon. It's a bit "all over the shop" as they say here in Australia. We just gave up trying to schedule and re-schedule our appointments by the end of all that. We almost couldn't believe it was true when we finally got on the train this morning to go to the temple. But we made it! and as usual it was beautiful and peaceful and amazing and just what I needed.  Now we are emailing from wonderful Brisbane city before we head back to the north side. Interviews were cool, president and sister Henderson came to our flats for this one so that was a new experience for me. They had done that before but I was in Toowoomba then which was too far for them to travel. It was funny Sister Henderson couldn't believe we don't have an oven. haha We were like take a look around, where would they even be able to fit an oven?! not that we have time to cook anyways so it's all good in the end. President interviewd me for about 30sec it feels like and was proabbly more like 5 minutes, which at the end he said alright you're good, you don't need anything and stood up to go...so I guess that's a good sign? haha I love him!

So this week hasn't been the best as far as appointments go, that has a lot to do with things getting re-scheduled and also just I have this firm belief that Satan attacks us and our investigators just before we go to the temple, and he knows when we are weaker, like when it's been a long time since we had a P-day.  But never the less we are doing great and seeing miralces. When we split our ward with the elders and then after Shaun was baptised we realised we didn't have many investigators to work with anymore. At least none that were really solidly progressing or anything. But it didn't take us long at all to start finding people, and not in the usual way. I'm used to having no one and then knocking on heaps of doors until we find a few people here and there, mostly crazies, with a few goldens thrown in there. This time we just keep meeting part member families. I think at the moment we have about 8 young un-married couples and 2 recently married, where one or both of them are a less active member. It's interesting teaching them because most of them are right around my age, but we are just in such different places in life. They are pretty much dealing with the consequences of major transgressions of the law of chastity, which is why they've all got 1 or 2 young kids and other sins as well addictions and what not. They know they want to have a strong family and have a good foundation to build on, but the problem is they started building already before they could even lay the foundation down. So now it's harder because it's like we have to lift the house up to make room for the foundation under there. It's interesting because none of these situations is going to be a quick miracle baptism. In Queensland it takes at least 30 days if not more to be married because of all the paperwork and stuff. (haha there are no drive-thru wedding chapels here! and they call it brisvegas......hahah) anyways it's going to be a long road and a lot of hard labour but I know it will be worth it in the end if we can help just one of these families to start now and see how bright their future can become. So that is what is going on here. In other news because of the mission achieveing our goal of 100 baptisms we get to hae some sort of celebration in the next few weeks! should be fun ;). We also get to have a meeting with all the sisters in our region. It's weird I still don't feel like I should be a leader of any sort because I still feel really new but then I realize that I hit my 15 month mark yesterday...my companion only has two weeks left on her mission so that's making it a bit hard not to freak out about the future and how I'm going to have to join real life again soon, but I'm going to try not to think about it and live it up for the time I have left.

I'll be emailing again on Monday so not sure what I'll even have to say. Happy 4th of July!

Love,

Sister Rasmussen