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.