Love you!!

December 27, 2010
Wow what a memorable week! Christmas in Germany is INCREDIBLE and if anyone has the chance to come to Germany for the holidays they should take it. 

The Freiberg ward took such great care of us. On the 24th, Heilige Abend we were with a German family and had a great time watching the kids open presents around 3pm and had Christmassy traditional food.. They were so loving and it felt a little like home ;) We then spent some of the evening with the temple missionaries who I have come to love so dearly, they shared Christmas stories, had some dessert, and we sang Christmas songs, I love those people so much. The spirit was strong there in the temple 'herberger' (where they live) it was neat to be with other missionaries devoting their time to the Lord and being each others family for the holidays. We then had a great Christmas at Becky and Manuels house, with little James and Nora...we played games and played with the kids and GOT TO TALK TO THE FAMILY! 

What a blessing! I didnt know I missed the family so much, which is probably a good sign but hearing everyones voice was so comforting and so much love came through the phone, I felt my family so close and got new strength and excitement to keep working hard and take advantage of the time I have here. Some other big news, I got TRANSFERED! Big news for me because that means Im leaving my first city!

Where I was born! I dont know anything else so its been odd to 'wean' myself off of this place, I LOVE this ward so immensely, the people here have changed my life forever. It was hard to say goodbye, Bischop Reichelt had me bear my testimony and I recieved some really sweet compliments from ward members, a lot of 'alles gute' and 'thank you for your work here' I will never forget these people and the miracles I saw here. I love the presence of the temple and knowing a city like the back of my hand...hope someday I can come back and remember where I am going :) But in looking forwards I got transfered to EISENHÜTTENSTADT! What a name eh? The new address is...

Sister Kimberly Rasmussen

Kirche Jesu Christi

Heilbornring 11

15234 Frankfurt-Oder

Germany

So dont hesitate to write a quick note to me :) I love mail, who doesnt? haha, so back to the mission......My new companion is Sister Roberts-Jones, from England? I will be telling you more about her next week but I do know I am 'killing' her, meaning she is going home this transfer so that should be an adventure. This city is 2 hours away from Berlin, but we go every week to District meeting in Berlin and apparently a lot of Pdays we go there too so Im excited for more people. I do know one lady in the ward in Eisenhüttenstadt, remember that live sealing I got to go to with Sister Singer?? Yeah that lady is from Eisenhüttenstadt! So im excited to know one person! It will be different but definitely a great time, so thank you for your prayers and get excited to hear how will will baptize all of EISENHÜTTENSTADT! (lets see how many times I can write that name :) Its almost new years and time to set new goals and recommit. Im recommitting to try and be even more exactly obedient, it would be cool for me to hear some of your new years resolutions, we can keep each other in check this next year . . . so feel free to send them along! Thanks to the fam for all the presents, Im luckly fitting it all in my suitcases......luckily :) and thank you to Nurper for your letter and scarf and pictures!

Sorry we had to pay for internet today so the email must be shorter, but I hope that updated you all a little bit on the life of me and thank you immensely for your love and support and prayers, they are being felt.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Have a fantastic week and know I know this gospel is true and its the greatest thing to teach people about our Lord and Savior and lead them to baptism.

A grand friend sent me this great quote... from CS lewis...

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible Gods and Goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which...you would be strongly tempted to worship...it is in light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another...There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is with immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit- immoral horrors or everlasting splendors." 

Remember everyone around us is a child of God....oh it makes me so happy to know I get to know all of you FOREVER! AH I love you so. Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

Sister Kimberly Rasmussen

Frohe Weinachten!

December 20, 2010
What a week! Who knew I would be sitting in a university library in Freiberg Germany, 5 days before Christmas, sitting next to Sister Lydia Scruggs, looking at the snow, and debating what experiences and miracles I should try and communicate to my friends and family back home. I am SO blessed. Arent we all? It is such an incredible thing to know that we have a father in heaven who watches over us and wants us to have joy, especially during this Christmas time. An even more incredible thing is to try and communicate that knowledge to a random stranger on the street or to a sweet old lady who I have come to love (Schwester Houschka) in German and bear my testimony of it. It is an incredible experience, so many emotions. The joy of teaching someone and seeing their eyes light up and then to having the feeling 'oh my goodness I dont know if I am going to see this person (that I have come to love so dearly) ever again in my life.' So odd, and so much growing going on the life of Sister Rasmussen, thanks for your love and support and for letting me explain my emotions :)

This past week was really great, we taught and found and met with many people. One of the more exciting things going on the missionary work here in Freiberg is the teaching of Tom Altmann. He is a 21 year old guy who works for 'Dzierzon Druckeri' The whole Dzierzon family are members of our ward and the boss refered Tom to us after a conversation with Tom about what he is doing with his life. We have met with him twice now at Becky and Manuels home and the spirit has been very strong. It so great teaching these gospel principles and then having Becky and Manuel bear testimony and give their own experiences. They both served missions in Germany so they have a really great insight to what he needs to hear and I think its also a good reminder for them of what they said and taught on their missions :) Tom had no religious backround, no concept of God or anything so its all very new and so exciting when he said he would read a few chapters in the Book of Mormon and said he would pray. Its sweet because a lot of the ward is very insterested and supportive, its really how missionary work should be done and I just feel so blessed to get to be the missionary who gets to teach him! We have taught the plan of salvation and the restoration and he understands it all, its a really great environment having little James there (2 year old stud) who is hilarious to laugh at and laugh with. He acts out all the animals and dances around the room checking himself out in the television. I love that little boy, and its great to have some laughter throughout the lesson, its also very apparent in the Dzierzon home of the spirit and how the gospel strengthens their family...we are praying Tom can see that, and when we were leaving he was immediately responsive to when we should meet again, sounds like he is enjoying it and excited to learn more! Yay Tom!

We met with Xiang a lot this past week and he came to the Christmas Broadcast and loved it. He loves the gospel, the Book of Mormon and personally applies everything. He is so ready to be baptized, yes implying we did not have a baptism this past weekend, but he set a new goal of January 22 and will definitely be getting baptized then, I feel so blessed to have seen the change in Xiangs life and for him to prepare this next month for his baptism. Its been really cool, Sister Scruggs knows a girl in Mainland China who served a mission in Australia, so we got in contact with her and she is now writing Xiang, so he can ask questions of how the church runs in China etc, so he is being prepared in many ways, yay Xiang! He came the other night to the ward christmas party to say goodbye before he leaves for Stuttgart for the next 4 days, he bought us a 1.5 kilo loaf of 'stollen' christmas bread. Haha, thanks Xiang!

We had our Christmas Zone Conference this past week in Leipzig and it was so great, hahaha our train on the way had an 'unbestimmt verspätung' (unknown delay) because of snow so we ended up getting there late, but it was so great to see the other missionaries, eat lunch together and then sang Christmas songs and Sister Pimentel brough some bells, so cute. We were taught about the wisemen and shephards from president and applying the story of the birth of Christ in our lives. We then had a gift exchange, we all brough something with 2.50 euro and it was hilarious, trading fake guns, little rauchermen, bows and arrows? Yeah I dont know who brought those, and treats and socks etc...really funny the stealing and keeping, it was a grand ho ho zo ko. Thanks family for the additional package you sent to Berlin, I still havent opened anything, so my Christmas morning will be full of presents, THANK YOU!

We have talked to so many people on the streets and doing doors about the Christmas season and about Christ, its so neat being a missionary and to boldly bear testimony of Christ and his birth, life and purpose. Its also comforting to be in a great ward to be able to celebrate Christmas. We had a Christmas party, and Schwester Gehrisch came with her mother (who is making great progress too btw) and the ward put on a whole play! It was like the story of 'the tortise and the hare' but it was with the Igel (the hedgehog) This is the play theyve been preparing for since October...painted backdrops, head mics, costumes, facepaint, real bratwursts being grilled and served on the stage, incredible sets and all the lines memorized, really incredible and SO funny. It was a hit, a huge turnout came, lots of non-member families and friends, and everyone loved the play, especially the children. Then the Weihnachsman (their version of santa claus) came and called out each child and gave them a present, Sister Scruggs and I thought he was a little scarier than our American santa claus, he carries around a stick that he uses with the reindeer, but kind of speaks with a deeper voice and there are no 'ho ho hos' but the children loved him and the ward laughed and had a great time. There are a few families that have given us presents, unnecessarily, and so sweet, I sure love this ward and they do so much for us. We are going to eat with Sven and Heidi Apel on Christmas eve for lunch, and their 3 cute kids are so great, and then we are eating with the American couples who work in the temple for dinner on the 24th. Then Christmas morning we have lots of presents from family and we planned on making french toast and having a fun moming together, then we are heading to Becky and Manuels to spend Christmas and talk to our families there! I sure do love them and am so excited to talk to the fam. . . and try and explain in an hour these past 6 incredible months...haha such a fun time full of miracles and blessings.

I feel so loved and love these people so much here, we get another Christmas surprise...on the 24th and 10am is our transfer conference call....bah! Ive been here in Freiberg for 3 transfers now, so we shall see what happens, but its hurting a little to realize I may be leaving, such a bittersweet aspect of the mission that I forgot existed. We had a really sweet moment when we went to visit our Schwester Houschka (85 year old lady) yesterday and her friend came in who is 100 years old! They just sat and talked and we added in sometimes, they had to sit really close together so Sister Houschka could yell in her ear cause she cant hear and then talk about how quick life goes and talk about her hearing aids and family and then slowly reading the story of the angels and shephards out of the bible to them. We then sang a couple christmas songs and the 100 year old lady starting singing along and like last time got shhhed by all the other old people, but she kept going, and it sounded....lovely. :) It was sweet to take a picture with Schwester Houschka and she said 'lets take one of us looking at eachother' haha and then she put on her sweater and came and waved goodbye as we left, she is the lady that looks and laughs like Grandma Dot. I love her so dearly, and felt the love of family and of Heavenly Father so strong with her, I am sure blessed to be here to meet these incredible people and hopefully effect their lives in someway.

Thanks for reading about me and my relationship with an old lady here, im sure it really made your day :) Just knowing that people all over the world are having these experiences and missionaries everywhere are visiting old ladies and bringing them joy, is what has made my Christmas, haha, its also hilarious slipping and sliding all over with Sister Scruggs. We've both fallen down twice, completely on our backs, the best was right after we helped a car out of the snow and we were walking away and they were waving and I was immediately on the ground. haha, gotta love it. 

Im sure many more falls are coming, yay! Its great walking through this charming city with all the snow covered christmas lights and avoiding the sidewalks with big ACHTUNG! VORSICHT! signstelling us to watch out for the MASSIVE icicles hanging off the roof. Its pretty gorgeous and a little wierd having a white christmas because my family has always gone to Newport, so instead of palm trees and ocean, im getting the real cold, white thing, probably about time. :) Thanks for the love and the Christmas greetings, hope all is well and hope we can all think about Christ and his birth and share his message with all we meet, through example or words! Have a great holiday season and know a little sister missionary is thinking of you! Ich wünsche euch eine schöne frohe Weihnachzeit! - I wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Ich habe euch so sehr lieb,

Sister Rasmussen

Let it snow let it snow let it snow..... and snow and snow and snow

December 13, 2010
What an incredible week, such a rollercoaster of emotions here on a mission. Sister Scruggs and I have had some amazing experiences and I wish you all just could have been here to experience them too, its a little difficult to describe them through email! Let me just paint the picture for you..... everything is white, trees, streets, cars, US (3 members really LAUGHED OUT LOUD, when we walked into the church last night, because we were absolutely white-competely covered in snow) haha, the houses, street lights, the temple, everything. 

We find it hilarious trying to walk straight through the snow and its a constant snowball fight, Sister Scruggs usually wins, its super tempting to push each other into the snowdrifts....so fun walking through this winter wonderland.. there are lit 'schwipbogens' in almost every window and walking through the innenstadt, past the Christmas market with the music and lights and smells, it makes it almost impossible to forget its the Christmas season.  The people seem to have a little softer edge and the goal is to talk to even more people then before, we got a new recommitment and motivation this week after we went to BERLIN for a mission TOUR, from Elder Texiera from the 70!

He and his wife came to visit the mission and met with half the mission in Berlin and the other half in Hamburg. You could feel the spirit so strong when he came in the room and when he spoke to us. He gave us his precious pearls on how to get more baptisms in our mission. We are recommitted and know we will be seeing miracles in the next year, we are talking about baptism more, INVITING EVERYONE to come to the knowledge of the restored gospel and to be baptized.. We have the faith to make it happen and faith is a principle of power and action, so we are asking the lord and acting upon the guidance we recieve. A cool few thoughts he said, that I drew strength from: 'we are going to change Germany, it starts right here, it starts with the servants of the Lord. We must be the first ones, We cannot yield to that spirit of unbelief.' I testify the Lord has prepared people and the Lord will guide me to them. It was so motivating and so great to see so many other missionaries, there were about 80 of us (did you know the Berlin mission is the biggest in Europe? Yay) and I got to see my trainer and some other sisters I still hadnt seen since the MTC. So it was a sweet reunion. It was neat to go up to Berlin too, so HUGE! So many people! After being in Freiberg so long, it was almost overwhelming how big and how many people there was, but very exciting. I loved it. We had a cool conversation with a guy on the train on the way back, and it just blows my mind how the Lord just sets people in our path when we are willing and ready to talk to them about his gospel.

We had some cool experiences teaching this week...I told you we are teaching Schwester Gehrisch's mother! She was very against the church and against her daughter being baptized about 5 years ago, but now looks forward to us coming over and she came to the Christmas concert! She enjoyed it, and so did I, the ward choir sang, the young women performed to miley cirus' christmas song hahaha and the primary children sang some German christmas songs. It was so beautiful, I told you Christmas in Germany is a dream! So Schwester Gehrisch came to that with her mother and then when we went by for our appointment she had read in the Book of Mormon and was applying it. She was teaching us about the seed and our faith and she said she would love to meet with us Friday because the ward Christmas party is on Saturday and she was talking about coming to church on Sunday as well! Yay Frau Gehrisch! She is definitely prepared and we are so excited to keep teaching her!

XIANG XIANG XIANG. Yes, yesterday we taught him 3 times. hahaha, dont worry we didnt overwhelm him, let me explain. :) So ever since we have taught him the Word of Wisdom he has had a problem....no he doesnt smoke, doesnt drink black tea, he stopped drinking coffee, and he doesnt choose to drink alcohol.... but he will if a friend or collegue offers. That his problem, he doesnt want to have to say no if he gets offered some tea from a business man or his friends offer him a drink. Thats his ONLY PROBLEM. We have a baptismal interview lined up for Thursday and his baptism is scheduled for Saturday. So last week we told him about the interview and told him the questions that would be asked....example...Do you believe that God is our Heavenly Father, that Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of the world? Do you believe that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored throught the Prophet Joseph Smith?  What does repentance mean to you? Have you repented of past sins? and there are a few more, will you keep the Commandments of chastity, tithing and Sabbath day and the word of wisdom... When you are baptized are you willing to take upon you the name of Christ...etc etc. He proceeded to bear his testimony to us and said I could say yes and I believe all of those things execpt the alcohol one. . . SO THAT was last week.

Yesterday, Sunday he came to Sunday School and Sister Scruggs and I taught about Prophets. We had cool pictures up and read some sweet scriptures, and then watched a video of Thomas S. Monson speaking to us about the Book of Mormon, so that was the first out of three times we taught him. He then said he wanted to talk to us after sacrament meeting. . . it was a heartbreaking conversation the second of our three times, basically said, I cant go through with the baptism, I want to keep meeting with you and come to church and do everything else but this is too hard and not possible with the alcohol thing. *sound of my heart breaking* we then bore testimony and told him to keep praying, and invited him to come to the Christmas broadcast that was being shown yesterday night. He said he would come....So he did! and he LOVED IT. (I loved it too, especially the Prophets words of Christmas, recommitting ourselves our minds, feelings and actions towards the savior. To put light in the eyes of children, laugher on their lips and call families together. We need to have the song of angels, gladness of the shepards and the gratitude of the wisemen this christmas season.) We then taught him again after the broadcast (3/3). He said he 'received revelation about christmas' and felt so different and so peaceful when he heard the prophet and the counselors voices. He then brought up baptism and he said, it really is a leap of faith isnt it. It isnt a logical thing, and we got talking again and he said he still wants to have the interview and Manuel is coming to our lesson with him on Tuesday, we know that he is going to revieve an answer of what he should do, he knows it is all true and has been so faithful. We made him a reading calendar and he loves it, he reads in the Book of Mormon every night and told us he prayed on his knees in his bed because it was too cold to get all the way out...haha, he his hilarious, you all would love him. So he said instead of praying for a sign he would pray to say yes until we meet with him Tuesday night, and he will tell us...so we decided its going to be 'a shot gun baptism' but we are having faith and are grateful for your prayers and faith too! Haha, even as we were walking home he said, 'but sometimes its just hard, like I have this huge project due (his thesis for his PhD) and I had to work on it today after church, and it says in the bible we shouldnt do that'...and we said, 'yeah sometimes we have to plan ahead to keep the commandments', and he said, well 'yeah I guess, I guess I could have done that better, that really is a good thing huh?'

He is such a great, prepared son of God and I am just so blessed to have been the missionary that talked to him on the street and to have had the honor to teach him this much! Let alone bring him so close to baptism... MISSIONARY WORK IS SO INCREDIBLE!

Thanks for listening and for your prayers for Xiang, I believe he is going to make it and I would be so honored if I got to be here when he did! But either way I know it will happen soon, and if im not here then ther is someone else that needs me somewhere else......yes we get transfer calls on DECEMBER 24th. So Ill tell the family on the phone where I will be going! I cant believe we are starting the 5th week of this transfer, but we are planning to work hard and also have some fun. We have the 'HOHO ZOKO' on wednesday in Leipzig, Saturday is Xiangs baptism and the ward christmas party (which they have been preparing for since October!) and next week is Christmas! We have some incredible families who have invited us over, luckily all three have an American involved so we have some of home conversation during this Christmas time. I have absolutely LOVED the advent calendar with the TOP 10s from all of you and had no idea some of the people who wrote me were still thinking of me, especially enough to send me their top ten, i have laughed out loud and some of your responses and also some have kept me going through the snow all day long, so thank you for your prayers and strength youve sent from so far! I really feel so blessed to have such a support system back home, thank you for your letters and love, I am so stoked for my brother who is hoping to go be a service missionary in Navoo! Yeah Toph! We are all so blessed to have the gospel and to know the truth of why we are here and where we are going, if you have the opportunity to share that knowledge with someone else, dont pass it up! It sure takes a lot of courage (try it in German haha) but you will be blessed, and your family too!

Oh come let us adore him-

Sister Rasmussen

Happy St. Nicolas Day!

December 6, 2010
Yes today is December 6th Nicolas tag, where all the kids last night polished their shoes and set them out for St. Nicolas to put in little treats and toys. We think a member might be doing something for us to celebrate, but we shall see.

The Germans definitely know how to celebrate Christmas. . . The Christmas Market is a dream, and all the windows have lit 'schwipbogens' inside, which is a wooden carved scene with candles and it looks so charming. I love serving in Freiberg during the Christmas season. We talk to the people about Christ and his love for us and the real purpose of all these celebrations and its almost ridiculous how many people don't know the real reason they are celebrating. Luckily we are here to remind them. Sister Scruggs and I are working hard and talking to lots of people on the street, at the stop lights, waiting in lines, and as we talk to them then ask them if they know anyone else who would be interested in finding more joy and happiness in life. Its such a blessed calling and I cant seem to hold all the blessings I feel..

It's sometimes hard, but the trial of our faith always has blessings, the joy we feel from teaching a good lesson and inviting someone closer to Christ is so worth the silly hours of walking through the snow klingling door after door after door. It's a good thing though, I decided I like serving the German people, they don't waste time, they are either interested or they aren't and then we move on! Very time efficient.

(saran wrapped feet to keep them dry.. it worked!)

So we are teaching Xiang, he is our baptismal candidate and has a goal for the 18th. We just taught him the Word of Wisdom last week and he doesn't smoke, he doesn't like drinking and definitely doesn't do drugs. He just had an issue with the fact that he wants to be able to have the choice to....so we decided it's such a good thing he is taking it seriously! But his excuses are so lame, he will get over them quickly. Also he hadn't prayed about it, so we know he will get a confirmation of the truth of it. It was a sad appt. for me though. This is my first time to be so close to a baptism and feel the struggle. So I said, "Well it's just like the most hopeless thing I've heard." And Sister Scruggs said, "Well it's one of the most hopeful things I have seen!" (She's been out almost a year.) We also noted it's my first time at all to help someone who is so close, so it is the most hopeful thing! The point is I just need to have more faith and look at it with the glass half full, not half empty. Its such a testimony builder committing him to pray about it. We cant convince these people of anything, we just tell them the truth and then they find it out for themselves... the Holy Ghost is such a vital part of this work and that is why being obedient is so important so we can teach with the spirit and then they will feel it. I am so blessed to be here and to be able to teach these things to people...Xiang especially.

We took Xiang to Dresden because a stake president from Taiwan was speaking and he really liked it. You could tell he was taking it really seriously and personally applying it. I am so excited to see what will happen with him but either way I just know the Lord is working through us in ways we see and sometimes in ways we don't see. But through it all we just have to have faith and be worthy and put in our best and that is all he needs.

I am so grateful to have the gospel and to have you to support me while I am out here. I hope you are feeling the Lord's love during this Christmas season - and don't feel too sad about missing out on a Christmas in Germany. Luckily the most important thing isn't these worldy things, but to think of Christ and his birth, his life and his atonement for us. We can do that wherever we are. It brings so much JOY to know of his love and presence in our lives, hope we can all remember that with all the distractions... Have a great week and know I and the Lord love you dearly!!

Top 10 reasons I am grateful for my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. I am never alone
2. I can repent and start anew every day, and every week with the sacrament
3. I can pray in his name and get immediate comfort
4. I can do holy things in his name that will one day lead me back to my Heavenly Father and even with my family - my 5 best friends - too!
5. I can read The Second Testiment of him, the Book of Mormon and learn what I need to do now to have joy and comfort through anything and everything in this life.
6. I can feel his presence and love when I make right decisions or pray for his guidance through the Holy Ghost.
7. I can testify of him to others which then strengthens my own testimony.
8. I can have him as a constant, and draw on my faith in him through every trial or hard time, as well as all the good times too! Knowing He is there makes all the good times even better.
9. I am grateful for my faith in him because it is my reason to make any decision, to just look to his example and know what I should do, in every situation, now and forever.
10. It gives me my identity, my reason for living, to be who I am now and motivation for who I want to become.


Liebe,
Sister Rasmussen

94.7 the waaaaavvveeee. - Hope that means as much to you as it does to me my family!
xoxoxoxo.

Ich habe getan, ja, wie du mir geboten hast. . . HAPPY SNOW!

November 29, 2010
How was THANKSGIVING!? Filling!? I sure hope so, we had a great time over here Sister Scruggs and I. Hilarious actually. On REAL Thanksgiving we ate at the Schönherrs for lunch, so we had a nice meal anyway, but we did want some turkey....you have to have turkey on Thanksgiving right!? So we remembered we had bought some sliced turkey like 4 days previously, and so (we took pictures) we had a croissant, 2 pieces of sliced turkey, a potato and some raspberry jam....

hope you enjoyed your FEAST. haha, that was our little celebration on Thanksgiving night, so funny. But we were then invited by the cool younger families in the Freiberg ward, to join in on their 'Thanksgiving' on Saturday, they said to bring some investigators if we wanted, so we had Li, Ding Ge and Xiang there at our table, and there were around 8 of the younger families in the ward who got together and had Thanskgiving. There was turkey luckily, and potatoes...not mashed though haha, and rotkohl, knödel and other German dishes, so haha it wasnt an American Thanksgivng, but it was close. 

We felt loved and our investigators did as well. Speaking of investigators....

XIANG IS AMAZING! (ps how you say his name...its sounds like 'shung') We are doing 3.30.3 with him...meaning we meet with him three times a week for thirty minutes for the next 3 weeks...which was started last week, and he is getting baptized on December 18th!!!! Sister Scruggs made sure to let me know that I am living every missionaries dream to be able to baptize someone I found. Most times you are transfered and get into a program of people who are already being taught, but I found Xiang! Sister Singer and I talked to him on the street, walking his bike and now he is a good friend, excited and dedicated to getting baptized!!! I am so blessed.

This last time we taught him, we talked about repentance. It was a really good lesson, good scriptures, he understood all we were saying, the spirit was strong....the only thing was, Xiang was a little confused we were teaching him this because he was already doing it...he said, 'well ive already started repenting in my prayers, you know for things  shouldnt be doing, like being selfish, or gossiping....' we said, 'well yeah! Great!' later Sister Scruggs were just speechless and almost felt guilty, he isnt even a member yet and he is repenting for being selfish and gossiping!! It was a good lesson for us too!

He is coming to church every week, and looks so happy and comfortable when he is there. The members are so welcoming and kind, we are so blessed to have such a loving ward! We teach the Sunday school class when Xiang comes and some of the English speaking temple couples come and join as well, this last week we talked about attributes of Christ. It was great to hear the testimonies of these members, and Xiang read some of the scriptures. He seems to enjoy sacrament meeting and he now understands what the sacrament represents. This Thursday in Dresden, a stake president from Taiwan is coming to give a fireside in Chinese about what it is like to be a member in China, so Xiang is excited to go and Ding Ge might join us as well. So Xiang is making awesome awesome progress and I just made my first reading calendar for him, a couple uplifting versed every day, it was cool to go through the scriptures and find the really rewarding, exciting and motivating scriptures to give to him. He is so prepared and very contientious. He is super funny, and I cannot believe I get to be here when he gets baptized, this missionary work thing is so much more incredible then I could have ever imagined!

So is the CHRISTMAS decor and festivities....wow Germany knows how to do it, and it isnt even December yet!!! The Christmas Market opened the day after Thanksgiving and is so gorgeous. little wooden cabin looking booths and trees and lights and hot chocolate, bratwursts, hats and wooden decorations, a stage with christmas performers, people and snow and well Ill just have to send home pictures to try and explain it. It was super funny actually on our way home we walked through the christmasmarkt and we heard a kind of scary man voice over the speakers and a very cheesy high womanly voice as well....we got to the stage and it was santa! (well the weichnachsman) and an angel! They were singing and giving out candy to the kids, and we just couldnt believe santa was right there and they were singing christmas songs and its was only November 27th, but that was a great start to the christmas season!! We have a little tree in our wohnung and already some presents underneath. I took a picture with a hat Sister Singer's mom sent me, and presents from Sister Scruggs' advent calendar and candy (Yes reeses and junior mints THANK YOU!) sent from the Hidden Oaks ward are underneath. We are felling so blessed to be here in Freiberg for Christmas and the families that signed up to have us on Christmas eve, Christmas day, and New Years are the greatest! (and there is an American in all of them) so we are just pinching ourselves.

It is really cool being with a new companion seeing the difference of people's 'style' of missionary work. On top of being exaclt obedient and following the commandments etc there is a style to missionary work and how you talk to people and how you teach, I am just finiding out what that is to me and how I can put my personality into my teaching, its going well, and its a growing experience, haha Sister Scruggs is an incredible senior companion and we are praying for miracles and working hard to deserve them. We laugh all day long and she might have thrown a snowball down my neck yesterday while we were waiting for an appointment, yes I got pay back. There is definitely snow, in fact its coming down pretty heavy right now, we are trying to remember how beautiful it is and go get some thick socks and gloves. . . yay Winter!

Thank you so much for your love and support and prayers and for the emails, I really feel so blessed to have you in my life. I read a cool quote and I dont know if I have emailed it home before but it says...

God knows better than you of what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us, then everything will fall into its place.

Neat huh? I agree and I feel its so true, we really do know what will make us better, the Hold Ghost gives us little promptings and when we follow them we will be blessed so much, everything will fall into its place. Sounds great!

Have a lovely lovely week!

-Sister Rasmussen

Ch ch ch changes.... in Freiburg!

November 22, 2010
Hello my loved ones!

Well where to start!? Sister Lydia Scruggs is my new companion and she is . . . me. Haha, we are so similar its a blast already.

She has been on her mission for 10 months and served in Rostock and has been in Dresden for the last 6 months, so coming to little Freiberg has been a big adjustment for her. It was fun to pick her up and to move her in, getting to know each other went really quickly and I think we just skipped the awkward stage which apparently is supposed to be there when you first get a new companion, so that was a blessing. Sister Scruggs is from SLC and went to West high. She went to BYU and studies speach language pathology. She is hilarious and we are constantly laughing. She may or may not have walked as much as she walks here in Freiberg and its just funny to keep eachother going, and promising her, 'I swear there were more people on the streets until you got here,' a light that hadnt worked in our apt for the last 12 weeks turned on when Sister Scruggs tried to turn it on, so that has to be a sign of something good. Its also been cool to see what other sisters eat haha, she introduced me to toast with krauter quarck and gouda cheese and salami, delicious.  Its been fun to try and find people we both know....zum beispiel Matt Holland...president of UVU? Is her family friend....and Mason McMullin went with her to Jerusalem. So those are two of the most random people we have in common. I am loving serving with her, and it is definitely a change not being with my 'mom' / trainer anymore. Its been a challenge trying to introduce her to the program and set some new goals. Its really exciting because we are both so excited to work hard. She has great German and has such a pure dedication to find teach baptize and keep. She has a lot of great experience, from her mission of course but as well as the experiences she had in Australia where her dad was the mission president. Its been a cool experience hearing different power statements, different ways to approach people and neat to rub off on each other. I am excited for what this transfer will bring with the two of us! Woot!

We had an incredible experience on Thursday when Sister Scruggs first met Xiang. He is such a stud and is really taking on the gospel. He reads dilligently and said he is praying regularly, we did give him the idea of putting something on his pillow to remind him to pray before he goes to sleep- so funny to teach people these things at 26 years old- but he loved the idea and said he would do it. We talked about baptism and showed him the fot and he got excited, we set a date with him DECEMBER 18th! So we will be meeting with him 3 times a week until then and its been a great start to the transfer with Sister Scruggs. He then came to church yesterday and sang the songs, and read a scripture in our aufbau class, he is definitely one who is prepared, and so crazy to think 4 weeks ago he knew nothing of God and we just talked to him one evening on the street....miracles.

We had that random day of snow 2 weeks ago and since then it hasnt snowed...but I feel it coming, it definitely smells like it, I always feel like im going to go skiing, you know that smell at the top of a mountain, thats what it smells like :) So soon enough the snow will come and the physical part of this missionary work will be more challenging but I think we will get though it, there are just so many blessings that make up for it, there is no room to complain! Sister Scruggs and I just laugh all the time, talk to everyone and bearing testimony with cheerful, friendly faces and telling people the plan of happiness is so worth it. We say a prayer and in our mission now every companionship says our purpose everytime we leave so we remember our goals, we also hung up snowflakes in our apt to remind us of the WHITE CHRISTMAS 2 nephi 31 goal, and xiang is our candidate. but Im seceretly praying for a couple baptisms this christmas season...oh and another blessing...the WARD! They are incredible, so loving, especially to us! our eating appointment list is up from now to the beginning of Feb and December is already full. People asked if they could have us over for Christmas and we said we were already booked. Its just so incredible being a missionary and feeling so at home here in Germany!

One of the families we will be with on Christmas is the Dziersons. Becky and Manuel. I dont know if I have written home about them yet, but if not, here is more. THEY ARE SO GREAT. Becky is from Indiana and went to Byu and then Hamburg on her mission, she married Manuel who served in that mission too, and they have been married for 3.5 years here in Freiberg, (where Manuel is from) They have 2 kids, James and Nora, and Nora is only 2 months old, yes I knew Becky when she didnt have Nora yet. They are our closest friends, Becky is the Young Womens president and Manuel is the 2nd counselor in the bishopric. They are so dedicated to the gospel and are so supportive of us, little James is the cutest and can act out a whole book of animals and its hilarious, ill have to tape it for you all. I am just so grateful for the Americans in the ward because theey are keeping the holidays alive....

This saturday we are meeting the younger 'cool' families in the ward for a Thanksgiving party, they invited us yesterday at church and said we could bring a couple investigators and some American cookies...I think Sister Scruggs is going to make peanut butter oatmeal bars....yes! So that shall be a grand way to celebrate, hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving too!!!

We just were informed that we get to go to Berlin for the mission tour, Dec 9th for a visit by Elder Teixeira of the Quorum of the 70 with half the mission, so that will be a blessing, and the 'hoho zoko' is on Dec 15, so we will get to see a lot of other missionaries a couple times this next month. We do get to see our district every Wednesday when we go to Chemnitz for district meeting, and its odd because two of the sisters that were there just went home and we got a new district leader and so I am the only missionary (other than elder and sister swartz the ehepaar) from our old district! Wierd! But Sister Malen is in my district now, who was in the mtc with me, who I flew over with, so its been exciting to see her!!

We are just doing so well, and our spiritual thought lately we share at members houses is of miracles and relating it to the story of the brother of Jared. Not only did he find the stones to light up the ships, but he moulted them so they were white and clear and then carried him up a mountain to then have the miracle of seeing the lords finger light them.. . He knew he needed a miracle and he had to work for it! And we here in Freiberg know that we definitely need some miracles to get people interested and find the prepared ones, and then baptize, so we are working for the miracle. So if you need a miracle with something you have going on in your life....remember you cant just pray for a miracle, but gotta do a little work for it! (or maybe a lot of work for it) but we are better for it, because then we know the value of the miracle, and are humble enough to thank the Lord for it. So the other side of the spiritual thought is realizing the miracles we have in our life, the Lord gives us miracles everyday but sometimes we are too busy or proud or 'too good' to realize what the Lord is blessing us with, so we are writing down the miracles we see everyday, and invite you to do the same, because ónce your realize the miracles you are getting then the Lord gives you more! Ahh, he loves us so much. Dont you agree!?

I hope you have a faaantastic week, fun of fun with family, in the snow, eating and football and eating and maybe a little personal time with just you and your Heavenly Father, I know thats what really keeps me motivated to keep on keeping on, good luck!

Thank you for your love and prayers and support, cool quote Sister Scruggs gave me....

Faith is the power
obedience is the price
love is the motive
the spirit is the key
and Christ is the reason.
- James E. Faust

-Sister Rasmussen

Bittersweet Begeisterung- Bittersweet EXCITEMENT

November 15, 2010
So the day has come. . .  my trainer is LEAVING ME! Ahhhhhh! Sister Singer has been in Freiberg since APRIL. She is the Freiberg mascot! haha, and Saturday on the transfer conference call she was transfered the Tiergarten in Berlin. I am staying in FREIBERG! For my 3rd transfer. It shall be a big change for everyone....

My new companion coming to me in Freiberg is Sister Scruggs, all of this happens tomorrow (Dienstag Nov 16) so I havent gotten her yet, but we have seen eachother at zonekonferenz and other things, she is a HOOT. So please pray for our success....and friendship...haha. What a funny thing to meet someone you know you will be with for at least the next 6 weeks 24 hours a day 7 days a week...pretty exciting and kind of a lot of pressure haha, no not really (its especially great because I get to tell her the Freiberg secret of the fact we get to go to the temple more than anyone else because we serve here)  So thats the big news of the week, I am excited for the challenge but it definitely will be one, to take on the program, to know the ward and update Sister Scruggs on everything and everyone and set new goals and plan for 'WHITE CHRISTMAS 2 nephi 31' goal here in Freiberg (meaning the baptism we will have to fulfil the goal of the whole mission to have a baptism in every companionship before christmas) Its exciting and of course very bittersweet to have 'my mother' leave me. She is excited though, and will be incredible in Berlin.

Speaking of baptism goals, we have 5 investigators making great progress, 3 of them talking about baptism. Frau Vonludwig (who came to stake conference) is very close to baptism, we are hoping to meet with her this week. We talked about her in 'Gemeinderat' or ward conference and were wondering how we could get her to church regularly because she doesnt have a car and the busses dont run regularly, apparently there is a less active lady who lives in the same house (its a big apt complex and they live in the same section of one) so another member who lives out there ideally will pick up both sunday mornings! So thats the plan for her, I think we will be setting a baptismal date with her our next appointment.

Herr Himmel met with Sister Singer and Sister McCall when we were on exchanges and I was in Leipzig... they taught him the last half of the plan of salvation and at the end said, okay so next time we meet we can talk about all the logistics and commitments of baptism then? WOW! Yeah so thats what Sister Scruggs will be doing the first time she meets 'Mr. Heaven.' (In case you didnt get that Herr Himmel means Mr Heaven in English) ANYWAY Great progress with him.

Xaing came to ward conference yesterday and stayed after and had food and talked to a lot of people...he is going to come with us to a baptism in Dresden on Sunday and said he was reading online about 'the people who were in New York and moved to Utah and built the city there and the temple.' I thought 'YES! Xaing is reading about the pioneers!' Yay! He seems very willing and excited for the future...says things like 'well im going to china from march to april so we will have to talk about when we will meet after that ( great sign he is taking our meetings long term) and he really is only concerned about what happens if he gets baptised and wants to go back to China, so we need to figure out that obstacle...but great news right!? He is such a stud and was sincerely sad to say goodbye to sister singer, he told her 'since the first time you and sister Rasmussen talked to me on the street I knew you were good sincere people, of course all the churchy things make you different, but you are just nice,' la di da, isnt that sweet. Yes there are miracles here in Freiberg, talked to some random Chinese guy on the street and now talking about being baptized! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

Ding Ge and Li are so great, hilarious and the greatest friends. They were sweet to say things like 'dont worry sister singer is leaving, you have us' and they are excited to meet Sister Scruggs....ahh its just odd to imagine continuing all this without Sister Singer! bah!

We had a 'tausch' this last week and I went to Leipzig with Sister Turner. It was a blast! It was really odd going to a big city. so many people, and straßenbahns....we dont have those things in little ol Freiberg, It was kind of refreshing actually to be in a bigger city... we had a cool lesson with a guy who has a baptismal date and we committed him to the word of wisdom, it was a great lesson and was neat to bear testimony and see him have a desire to change and see the blessings. We also taught German class....haha yes I know what youre thinking 'wait Kim doesnt speak German haha' well luckily I speak more than these guys. It was hilarious, these two guys from Africa, around 30 years old are studying in Leipzig and have pretty good English and need to learn German, it was so hysterical singing 'HEAD SHOULDERS KNEES AND TOES'  (obviously in German) and doing all the actions, counting down '4, 3, 2, 1 - 'kopf, schulter, knie und zeh' haha and Sister Dabel (the senior sister there in leipzig) actually video taped it hahaha, oh it was great. I had a great time with Sister Turner, hearing how another sister ansprachs people and her 'power statements' I made her eggs for breakfast haha and we have a great friendship now :) There already is a huge christmas tree in the leipzig bahnhof!

They are starting to decorate for Christmas here!! Yay! We decided that since they dont have halloween or thanksgiving they start setting up for christmas early, and its already so beautiful, window decorations and they are starting to set up the christmas markets in all the plazas! We found out that Freiberg is one of the top ten best Weinachtsmarkt in all of Germany! Yay, I feel so blessed to be able to stay in Freiberg for Christmas, it shall be unforgettable, but I guess we still have a good month before we should be talking about Christmas, I should be saying HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all of you in the USA :) Dont eat too much.

I really have drawn a lot of comfort from these two scriptures in D&C..it says..

Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of truth.

Fear not little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world and you are of them my father has given me.

I love the feeling of being a child of God and knowing he is with us in everything, and we are his, all we need to do is grow in grace and the knowledge of truth. Its such an adventure and a blessing to be able to help others find their knowledge of truth and invite and help them to grow in grace. I hope you all are doing the same and feeling the blessings of the knowledge you are a child of God!

Have a stellar week and know you have a fan in Deutschland rooting for you!

love,

Sister Rasmussen

could it be any more beautiful?

November 8, 2919
It really couldnt be anymore beautiful.

 I cant even put into words the feelings of gratitude and immense JOY I have about being a sister missionary in Freiberg. But really its trying to describe that feeling you get when you are overcome with the spirit, or with love for someone else, or feeling the love of our Heavenly Father and you have this overwhelming peace and its almost choking because the feeling is so much bigger then us and it fills our whole being....with warmth and love and joy and peace and wow our Heavenly Father just loves us SO much. Dont you agree!!!? Its a great trick that I have quickly learned being on a mission......to count your blessings. No seriously, I know people say that all the time and we have a hymn about it, but dont roll your eyes, it really works! Just counting and thinking about all the blessings we get every single day! The people we meet, places we get to go, experiences we get to have, ahhh you just are filled with joy remembering that our heavenly Father 'is there watching and assisting and always there are those angels, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.' -Elder Holland. Its true! Cant you feel them there!? I sure do.

One of the blessings I already can count today.....SNOW! OUR FIRST SNOW! NOVEMBER 7TH tell the whole world, haha, I was so excited! It really was only a 'dusting' of whiteness. but still, so beautiful. Especially on the train today coming to Dresden (yes, we are in Dresden again for Pday) all the hills covered in trees, now topped off with snow, its a fairytale. Sister Singer said its like the snow they get in Texas and they shut the whole city down....geez we get 5 feet in utah and they still dont shut the schools down :) Im just excited and I know its going to make the work a little more challenging now having a physical challenge, but its okay, we will keep on keeping on :)

We had a 'best 2 years' moment on Freitag. We have this lady, Frau Von Ludwig, the one who already had a Book of Mormon from 15 years ago, we had met with her once....So we called her and tried to set something up, and added at the end of the call the invitation to come to Dresden to come to Stake conference with us, but she said she would be busy and wouldnt have time for the next couple of weeks. We didnt really know what we could do about her, but during our weekly planning prayer and also personally we just prayed that she would call and find time.....and just as we finished the prayer the phone rang and it was her! She told us she would be coming into Freiberg (she lives in a little dorf outside of Freiberg) and asked if we could meet on Tuesday! We were so excited and I felt the lord right there with us. but that isnt the end of the story.....we then were having comp study on Saturday and she called again and asked 'is the invitation still there for me to come to stake conference?' uh YEAH! So Bruder Steiner picked us up Sunday morning, we went and got Sandy (our new convert) and Frau Von Ludwig! It was great, we went to the new convert meeting before the main meeting and we sat on the front row. Frau Vonludwig brought her Book of Mormon and asked quesitons and made a lot of comments. It seemed that the stake presidency was talking and bearing their testimony right to her. The spirit was strong and talk of baptism came up a lot. The main meeting was so great and she seemed to enjoy it!

It was such a great experience being in Dresden for stake conference, the room was PACKED, it was such a strength to be among the saints of Germany. All these families doing the same thing we do in Utah and what people do at stake conference all over the world. It almost felt like home...exept for in German. We sustained the prophet and 12 apostles and I knew that my family was doing the same thing at home. The children sang the new primary song 'ich weiß daß mein Heiland mich liebt' and it was so beautiful...its so incredible knowing children all over the world in every language are singing those same words 'I know that my savior loves me.' Those might be some of the 8 most important words to know, and so many people here have NO idea of their truthfulness. So many people around the world dont know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and that our Savior loves us! Its so great being a missionary and being able to teach that great knowledge.

Our chinese investigators, Ding Ge and Li are doing great! Last night they made us dinner and I helped make dumplings, it was hilarious. . . and delicious. We learned how to count to 10 in chinese and then we taught them the plan of salvation. The spirit was really strong and I love those two girls so much. Ding ge came last Friday to institute in Chemnitz with Sandy, so we went along too. It was on Präsident Uchtdorfs talk on Prioritäten (priorities) and Ding Ge said she really enjoyed it, we also played some games and Ding ge was great, the really funny part was trying to run afterwards to catch the straßenbahn and missing one and so booking it to the next one haaha, oh it was hilarious. Can you only imagine us running with our bags, through the rain, as fast as we can laughing the whole way....oh and then realizing our train back to Freiberg was leaving in 5 minutes and we were 6 minutes away.....so we said a prayer on the straßenbahn...Ding ge was the one that said 'well there is no one else on the bahn, why not pray?' so we did...and we ran from there to hauptbahnhof and our train sign said 3 yellow words -  '5 min später' it was cool to tell Ding Ge that that was an answer to our prayer :)

We had a mission wide conference call this last saturday and präsident told us about some new revelation for our mission that he and sister pimentel and the aps have been fasting and praying about.....its a new big push, new initiative called WHITE CHRISTMAS 2 Nephi 31.

The Big Goal: Every companionship can baptize before Christmas.

The Fast Start: Every missionary in the mission joins with all other missionaries in fasting on this past weekend to put our efforts into motion towards our big goal, e.g. fast for faith, for strength, for the who/where/how and success.

The Doctrine of Christ: We will all read 2 Nephi 31 right away and see how our big goal to baptize and our Purpose are the doctrine of Christ.

Our Purpose: We will all have our Purpose from page 1 of Preach My Gospel memorized and recite it as we get ready to leave the apartment for the first time each day. Each apartment should hang up something that is easily visible reminding us of our united effort, e.g. baptismal clothes.

The Invitation: Each companionship will each week invite at least one person to accept a baptismal date.

Gifts of Service: We will look for extra service opportunities during the Christmas season. The usual guideline of 4 hours per week can be doubled during White Christmas – 2 Nephi 31. 

Gifts of Truth: We will deliver gifts of truth in our teaching, including the 3 gifts of truth that God lives and loves us, that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and that the Lord’s church has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. 

Success Reports: Provide warm up stories to Sister & Pimentel and weekly emails will share highlights of success every week until Christmas.     

So thats the plan, and we feel we have a lot of candidates, we can smell it, baptism is coming :) Thanks for listening, kind of a different email today, but hope you all have a great week and know how much I love and appreciate you!!!!!

A quote that ive loved this past little while about the Holy Ghost:

You want to Be good, and to Do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reachable in our lives is to be under the complete infludence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is REALLY good and NECESSARY to do.

-Sister Rasmussen