BUTTERFLY WHISPERER

This past week has been a little hard on the work side. I fell a little bit under the weather and then my comp didn't feel too chipper the next days but I'm alive and life moves on. 

Last week we went to siete  tinajas, its so beautiful after a 15 minute drive in a car squished with strangers like sardines and then a 2 second walk to this huge rock with 7 tinajas? I'm guessing that means waterfalls but ya. it was like Alice in wonderland there was a mother load of butterflies just chilling around. I've decided I'm going to make my room a butterfly sanctuary when i get home.

I saw the butterfly that I did my big animal project on in 3rd grade and it brought me a euphoria I can't even describe. anyways...

President comes tomorrow! interviews and house inspection...dun dun dun. I'm excited, the last time prez and Hermana Harbertson came was awesome so this time wont be any different.

Yesterday we spent all day at a chacra. chacra: a house in the jungle mountains where people have their crops of tropical fruit. everyone in Quillabamba got their chacra. I want a chacra...FREE FRUIT! 

So we went after church to these investigators chacra which is LITERALLY in the MIDDLE of a jungle mountain. we had to HIKE to get to it. I was in the middle of jungle book literally. so we get there and they have 5 kids and 4 ducks that are pets that eat chicken... and cats and dogs and puppies. it was crazy. all day we helped cut wash peel cook liquefy all the food they need for the next week... it was a challenge cause the mom Milagros... I have the hardest time understanding, it always sounds like shes trying to talk as fast as she can with her mouth as closed as she can while smiling... so I had to use all my brain power yesterday to understand all the things she was telling me to do and get and liquefy and cut. its safe to say I  was tired yesterday ha ha and there was a moment when she told me to get and do something in the the little house adobe thing they have and I went inside and I just stood there like "I  have NO idea what she wants" I had a moment ha ha ya spent all day doing that then after dinner we hiked with them down the jungle mountain in the dark with my little flashlight and I thought I  was going to die. Don't tigers live in the jungle? were my thoughts exactly. But I'm alive and all is well in the jungle. I'm pretty sure I ate all types of organisms yesterday ha ha but luckily I have moms natural medicine to keep me alive ha ha

Have an awesome week and remember the ETERNAL side of things and the important things in life because everything else is just satans distractions to make us forget the game plan so just Keep your eyes on the prize.

oh and read your scriptures #NOW.

biiiiiiig jungle hug and butterfly kisses

Hermana Rasmussen

PARA PARA PARADISE

Well this week went by fast. this week I'm pretty sure I ate insect eggs... here is the scoop after lunch we went to Pavayoc and went to visit Francisco and Francisca and we taught them a lesson and after they always give us food and it was actually really good was some type of vegetable green and long stuffed with beans and yummy and these omelet things.

Anyways they offered us coffee and we opted out for hot water and she put a stem of mint in the cups and so I stir my cup and drink up and I'm almost done and I look in my cup and on one of the leaves of mint there is a bunch of insect eggs....my eyes were probably the size of Jupiter. we got out of there and I had a freak out moment and told her how I was going to die and she couldn't stop laughing ha ha it was great but I'm still alive and that was like Tuesday! my pensionista laughed when I told her I was pregnant with insect eggs in my stomach and she was like ugh freakin gringa fell for an insect  ha ha good stuff.

I have learned that missions are just full of awkward situations its great, like when people ask you questions and you have no idea whats going on love it. I taught Hermana Ignacio the word awkward and the sign language for it and we use it frequently throughout the day. 

I love teaching Hermana Ignacio English, it makes like so much more fun. I teach her important words and phrases such as: Random, Awkward, Sketchy, I am going to die, I'm not hungry, boys are stupid, I can't understand, I need to go to the bathroom, I don't like rice (or for her cheese and avocados) and she says it ALL DAY LONG, but ya those phrases make life so much easier cause we can say them and no one understands, especially the bathroom one and when we are about to eat a mountain of something we always say we are going to die ha ha oh and she understood me after the cita with Francisco and Francisca when I had my freak out and said i was going to die ha ha its all in great fun.

We have 2 investigators that might get baptised. Kira and Alxel they are like 13 ish they are the children of one of our investigators that isn't progressing but they've come to church 3 times now but we haven't taught them all the lessons yet but kira wants to do personal progress and they want to come to the activities and they said they brought their books of mormon to school to read cause they don't have time at home! ahhh so we have to teach them basically the whole gospel these next few weeks. man I hope it happens! pray for us and them and that their parents will give permiso! 

I've also learned that here on the mish you obtain or spontaneously improve talents you didn't know you had before. For example this week we have an investigator   Schneider (dad i think of you every time I say his name) he's a little bit sketchy but he's 18 and he needed help with his notebook drawings  cause here in Peru they all have to have a drawing of like a big sheet of scroll paper on the front of their notebooks for each class and like a drawing and title of the class so somehow I drew the scroll paper things and then he said he needed a drawing of Jesus on the front of his religious cuarderno..ya I've never drawn Jesus in my life..he brought out a restoration pamphlet and I drew Jesus. I don't know how but I knew I had help.

Oh no worries peeps it was rough draft looking so he could finish it himself. but ya and I think I have to start teaching piano to the primary once a week...I don't know how to teach piano...BUT there can be miracles when you believe. 

Love you all. remember We are here on this earth to be happy...like my companion says Don't worry Be Happy!! BIG HUG and wet grandma kisses that I get every sunday

Hermana Rasmussen

Happy Mother's day MAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was soo awesome to talk to all you peeps out there in Lago Salado (salt lake for dem gringos). It looks like not much has changed ha ha but looking at the calendar I've been gone for about 5 seconds but missionary time is like heaven time I've decided. every week in your time is about 1 month in my time. Sounds like my closet has been ransacked but that's OK because i think I'm going to be here for a while... ha ha 

Yesterday we had a first lesson with an old couple we contacted in Pavayoc the sketchy neighborhood on the hill.  Francisco and Francisca and they've been married for 30 years...is not the cutest thing you have ever heard? we taught the plan of salvation and it was great I really hope they progress, Francisca got lots of problems with her kids but they seem ready. they gave us a ton of inca cola and a gigantiiiic piece of like a bunt cake but I do love it when they give us free fruit! that's my favorite! i got like 5 oranges this week. woot woot for the selva. 

mmmm Im kinda in this awkward stage where I don't speak English or Spanish so I like babies and animals cause they can't either! ha ha no it will come I really think so but its going to be through divine help, I just need to remember how long I've been here and my comp isn't my judge and if i just keep trying my hardest the Lord will make up the difference. word of the week PATIENCE. lets all just take a second the breath in and breath out. 

I wish I could just study all day long!! I love the scriptures sooo much but there's just no time! learning the lessons has been stressful for me I don't know why but it hasn't left time to just dive into the scriptures like I want to. So take advantage people at home with the scriptures cause they are SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's a new Hermana in our room shes from Bolivia, Hermana Tango shes supa nice. she said she can make tacos!! woot woot man I miss cafe rio.... mmmm. and the member we went to use his laptop yesterday to Skype who lived in new York for like 3 years said he can make cheesecake and brownies!! just thinking about it makes me happy. 

HUGE HUGE BIG PILE OF RICE SHOUTOUT to the amazing mama Rasmussen. I have no idea what I would do without you, you have done sooo much for me more then I definitely deserve and I would be nothing without your support out here. I miss you so much and am so grateful that you're my mom. I miss your hugs more than I can even say. but I know that this is where I'm exactly supposed to me. 

I have never felt so weak in my entire life but the Lord shows us how weak we are so we can see how dependent we are on his help then he makes us SHRONG....still waiting on the strong part but it'll come with tears and prayers and more prayers.

Love you all muchoooooooooooooo big big hugs and snuggles

Hermana Rasmussen

Find the Roses in the Thorns

                                                 QUILLABAMABA

Well last week for pday we made gnocchi, well I didn’t make it but i helped and watched Sister Wahlen's comp do it which is pretty much the same thing? no se but we also made a box cake that Sister Wahlen's mom sent for her birthday and it was a lovely taste of home, happiness to the soul. 

                                   HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER WAHLEN!!!!!!

Today hiked up the mountain and went down the other side of it and it was pretty hard we were all slipping and screaming and felt like we were going to die going down a jungle path that probably 5 people had been through before. it was great fun 

It rained this morning

Changes were today, I'm going to be with Hermana Ignacio for another 6 weeks to finish my training, I hope I can make it through haha : ) the other Hermana in our room Hermnana Girón from El Salvador is going to Puno...to freeze. I loved practicing my Spanish with her shes so nice. 

                                        Sweet Hermana Girón

My Spanish? if your are not praying for my Spanish please start now!! haha that’s all. 

I hope its like bamboo you can't see the big shoots at the beginning because all the growth is underneath and then all of a sudden...SHAZaMM. I really hope its like that. I get a lot of comfort from the other american sister in our room, she always tells me I'm doing fine and helps me out so that’s a tender mercy. 

The gospel is the truest thing that ever was, its quite frustrating when people don’t understand it! its like hey you want to go to the celestial kingdom? them "yes" will you be baptized "ummm nahhh". no hace sentido. 

well love you people so much can't wait to chat it up on sunday!!

pray for me if ya pweeeze.

Hugs and snugs
Hermana Rasmussen

                                      QUILLABAMBA