Paul arrives home on Saturday afternoon THIS WEEK! He's worked hard, and we're all very excited to see him again.
He will report his mission on Sunday, March 27th at 9:00 am. Email paultrasband@gmail for more details.
3.22.2011
2.23.2011
Well, Here I am
It feels weirder writing home every week. I’ve given up on trying not to admit that I'm trunky. We’re still working very hard, but it doesn’t bother me to talk about my plans for after the mission anymore.
Last week was really interesting. We’re working really hard to find new investigators, putting in practice a new assignment to have the members write down all of their friends and then pray to know who to send us to. With the increase in the size of the area, there are a lot of families to visit. A woman who is confined to a wheel chair gave us a dozen references. It was intense.
Eulogia couldn’t get baptized on the day that we’d planned. It turns out she’s not technically married to her husband. That was actually a huge oversight on our part, seeing as such couples are so common here in Argentina. She’s still working towards baptism. This week we’re all going to fast together to see if we can get her boyfriend to marry her. If you could put her name on the roll in the temple, that’d be great.
Other than that there isn’t a whole lot of news to share.
This week, we have to go to Posadas for zone conference. I’m not super excited, seeing as the missionaries in their last transfer have to pass in front to bear their testimonies. I’m not shy about my testimony, but I hate the spotlight that says “Hey look, he’s about to go home.”
At least I still have a month’s worth of miracles left to see.
Oh, and this morning the office asked for your phone number. This makes me think that you should get something about my flight plans this week.
Love,
Elder Rasband
It feels weirder writing home every week. I’ve given up on trying not to admit that I'm trunky. We’re still working very hard, but it doesn’t bother me to talk about my plans for after the mission anymore.
Last week was really interesting. We’re working really hard to find new investigators, putting in practice a new assignment to have the members write down all of their friends and then pray to know who to send us to. With the increase in the size of the area, there are a lot of families to visit. A woman who is confined to a wheel chair gave us a dozen references. It was intense.
Eulogia couldn’t get baptized on the day that we’d planned. It turns out she’s not technically married to her husband. That was actually a huge oversight on our part, seeing as such couples are so common here in Argentina. She’s still working towards baptism. This week we’re all going to fast together to see if we can get her boyfriend to marry her. If you could put her name on the roll in the temple, that’d be great.
Other than that there isn’t a whole lot of news to share.
This week, we have to go to Posadas for zone conference. I’m not super excited, seeing as the missionaries in their last transfer have to pass in front to bear their testimonies. I’m not shy about my testimony, but I hate the spotlight that says “Hey look, he’s about to go home.”
At least I still have a month’s worth of miracles left to see.
Oh, and this morning the office asked for your phone number. This makes me think that you should get something about my flight plans this week.
Love,
Elder Rasband
2.16.2011
This was the week of transfers. I stayed in the same area, but with a little surprise. Formerly, we shared the branch here with Elder Francis and his companion, but when we looked at the chart, we saw that his companionship had changed to the other branch in the city. Translation: a lot more walking on our part, and an extremely hectic first week trying to get to know the investigators that they were leaving behind.
Also, Leo decided that he didn’t want to get baptized. It seems like he’s having some pretty big problems between him and his family. I don’t know why he won’t just pray and really try to know that what we taught him is true. It would really fix everything that that family is going through. It’s always sad when things like this happen, but with Leo we really helped him in everything that he let us. I feel like we fulfilled our purpose as missionaries.
This week we do have a baptism though. Eulogia, an older lady that we found three weeks ago is really excited for her baptism. She is also going through some family problems. The branch president said that her husband is notoriously violent in the neighborhood where they live. He doesn’t hit her, but she says that she just can’t take any more. She had decided to move to Paraguay last week, but then decided against it so that she could be baptized. She’s going to wait until after the baptism to decide what she’s going to do. I have so much respect for her and the decision that she made.
Other than that, we have several investigators that would be progressing if they would only go to church. I don’t know what to do with them. It’s kind of frustrating when you try so hard to help people when they don’t see the importance of helping themselves.
Elder Francis had a really sweet tie that I’d been coveting for a long time. I kind of make a game out of trading for the best ties. Anyway, when he first got to Eldorado, I asked him where he’d gotten the tie, to sort of size up what I’d have to give him in return and he said "My girlfriend sent it to me for Christmas." What a downer. I knew that there was no way he was going to trade that tie. Then, three weeks ago he gets the "Dear John." I waited a couple of hours, to my credit, before I asked "So...that tie?" He just handed it to me. The funniest part is this: for several weeks, I didn’t dare wear the tie, because Melissa is still waiting for me and I started to look at it as kind of a bad omen. I mean, it still has “I love Elder Francis” written in sharpie on the back. Today, I finally got the courage to put it on, so thanks Melissa for not sending me a Dear John.
Love,
Elder Rasband
Also, Leo decided that he didn’t want to get baptized. It seems like he’s having some pretty big problems between him and his family. I don’t know why he won’t just pray and really try to know that what we taught him is true. It would really fix everything that that family is going through. It’s always sad when things like this happen, but with Leo we really helped him in everything that he let us. I feel like we fulfilled our purpose as missionaries.
This week we do have a baptism though. Eulogia, an older lady that we found three weeks ago is really excited for her baptism. She is also going through some family problems. The branch president said that her husband is notoriously violent in the neighborhood where they live. He doesn’t hit her, but she says that she just can’t take any more. She had decided to move to Paraguay last week, but then decided against it so that she could be baptized. She’s going to wait until after the baptism to decide what she’s going to do. I have so much respect for her and the decision that she made.
Other than that, we have several investigators that would be progressing if they would only go to church. I don’t know what to do with them. It’s kind of frustrating when you try so hard to help people when they don’t see the importance of helping themselves.
Elder Francis had a really sweet tie that I’d been coveting for a long time. I kind of make a game out of trading for the best ties. Anyway, when he first got to Eldorado, I asked him where he’d gotten the tie, to sort of size up what I’d have to give him in return and he said "My girlfriend sent it to me for Christmas." What a downer. I knew that there was no way he was going to trade that tie. Then, three weeks ago he gets the "Dear John." I waited a couple of hours, to my credit, before I asked "So...that tie?" He just handed it to me. The funniest part is this: for several weeks, I didn’t dare wear the tie, because Melissa is still waiting for me and I started to look at it as kind of a bad omen. I mean, it still has “I love Elder Francis” written in sharpie on the back. Today, I finally got the courage to put it on, so thanks Melissa for not sending me a Dear John.
Love,
Elder Rasband
This was the week of transfers. I stayed in the same area, but with a little surprise. Formerly, we shared the branch here with Elder Francis and his companion, but when we looked at the chart, we saw that his companionship had changed to the other branch in the city. Translation: a lot more walking on our part, and an extremely hectic first week trying to get to know the investigators that they were leaving behind.
Also, Leo decided that he didn’t want to get baptized. It seems like he’s having some pretty big problems between him and his family. I don’t know why he won’t just pray and really try to know that what we taught him is true. It would really fix everything that that family is going through. It’s always sad when things like this happen, but with Leo we really helped him in everything that he let us. I feel like we fulfilled our purpose as missionaries.
This week we do have a baptism though. Eulogia, an older lady that we found three weeks ago is really excited for her baptism. She is also going through some family problems. The branch president said that her husband is notoriously violent in the neighborhood where they live. He doesn’t hit her, but she says that she just can’t take any more. She had decided to move to Paraguay last week, but then decided against it so that she could be baptized. She’s going to wait until after the baptism to decide what she’s going to do. I have so much respect for her and the decision that she made.
Other than that, we have several investigators that would be progressing if they would only go to church. I don’t know what to do with them. It’s kind of frustrating when you try so hard to help people when they don’t see the importance of helping themselves.
Elder Francis had a really sweet tie that I’d been coveting for a long time. I kind of make a game out of trading for the best ties. Anyway, when he first got to Eldorado, I asked him where he’d gotten the tie, to sort of size up what I’d have to give him in return and he said "My girlfriend sent it to me for Christmas." What a downer. I knew that there was no way he was going to trade that tie. Then, three weeks ago he gets the "Dear John." I waited a couple of hours, to my credit, before I asked "So...that tie?" He just handed it to me. The funniest part is this: for several weeks, I didn’t dare wear the tie, because Melissa is still waiting for me and I started to look at it as kind of a bad omen. I mean, it still has “I love Elder Francis” written in sharpie on the back. Today, I finally got the courage to put it on, so thanks Melissa for not sending me a Dear John.
Love,
Elder Rasband
Also, Leo decided that he didn’t want to get baptized. It seems like he’s having some pretty big problems between him and his family. I don’t know why he won’t just pray and really try to know that what we taught him is true. It would really fix everything that that family is going through. It’s always sad when things like this happen, but with Leo we really helped him in everything that he let us. I feel like we fulfilled our purpose as missionaries.
This week we do have a baptism though. Eulogia, an older lady that we found three weeks ago is really excited for her baptism. She is also going through some family problems. The branch president said that her husband is notoriously violent in the neighborhood where they live. He doesn’t hit her, but she says that she just can’t take any more. She had decided to move to Paraguay last week, but then decided against it so that she could be baptized. She’s going to wait until after the baptism to decide what she’s going to do. I have so much respect for her and the decision that she made.
Other than that, we have several investigators that would be progressing if they would only go to church. I don’t know what to do with them. It’s kind of frustrating when you try so hard to help people when they don’t see the importance of helping themselves.
Elder Francis had a really sweet tie that I’d been coveting for a long time. I kind of make a game out of trading for the best ties. Anyway, when he first got to Eldorado, I asked him where he’d gotten the tie, to sort of size up what I’d have to give him in return and he said "My girlfriend sent it to me for Christmas." What a downer. I knew that there was no way he was going to trade that tie. Then, three weeks ago he gets the "Dear John." I waited a couple of hours, to my credit, before I asked "So...that tie?" He just handed it to me. The funniest part is this: for several weeks, I didn’t dare wear the tie, because Melissa is still waiting for me and I started to look at it as kind of a bad omen. I mean, it still has “I love Elder Francis” written in sharpie on the back. Today, I finally got the courage to put it on, so thanks Melissa for not sending me a Dear John.
Love,
Elder Rasband
2.07.2011
Okay, I have to admit first off that I feel really weird because I just started my last transfer. On Wednesday I’ll know if I’m going to spend it here or if I go to another area, but I find it unlikely that I’d get moved. I’m now oficially one of the oldest missionaries in the mission.
Today we’re going to have a lot of fun. We’re going to play soccer as a zone and then throw knives at the Teddy Bear that Elder Francis’ girlfriend sent him a while ago. It should be great. And you thought that missionaries lost our violent male tendancies.
This week was really rewarding. The fast with the Morel family was incredibly successful. After a couple hours Brother Morel got a phone call saying that his son was in jail in a nearby town. I think that it really opened his eyes about the power of the gospel. He’s set for the baptism on Saturday. Please keep praying for us.
Elogia is also progressing really fast. She started inviting all of her friends and family to church. She wants to start showing church movies in her house to try and attract people to come with her on Sundays. She’s a really funny old lady, but it’s amazing how fast she’s changing. On sunday in Relief society she asked about how we pay tithing. That’s so strange, but it shows that she wants to start living everything.
Church went really well on Sunday. We had a record attendance of almost 80 people in sacrament meeting. 5 of them were investigators. It was especially rewarding because a family that we were about to have to drop came for the first time in a month, and I think that that’s a really good sign for them.
The other great thing was that Paolo, our 21-year-old convert, blessed the sacrament. It was a huge step for him because he’s really shy. We’ve started talking to him about the possibility of serving a mission. It’d be so good for him.
Plus, Claudia, another convert, came home from vacations and showed us that she’d visited the LDS churches in the cities she was visiting. She’s changed a lot too since her baptism in December. I’m incredibly proud of her.
I’m doing really good, even though it hurts to say “next month” when the people ask me when I finish my mission. I’m thinking that if I get sent to a new area I’m going to lie to my companion just so that he doesn’t bug me and tell him that I have 2 transfers left.
I’m getting sadder and sadder about leaving the mission, but I’m also getting happier and happier about seeing you guys.
Love you all,
Elder Rasband
Today we’re going to have a lot of fun. We’re going to play soccer as a zone and then throw knives at the Teddy Bear that Elder Francis’ girlfriend sent him a while ago. It should be great. And you thought that missionaries lost our violent male tendancies.
This week was really rewarding. The fast with the Morel family was incredibly successful. After a couple hours Brother Morel got a phone call saying that his son was in jail in a nearby town. I think that it really opened his eyes about the power of the gospel. He’s set for the baptism on Saturday. Please keep praying for us.
Elogia is also progressing really fast. She started inviting all of her friends and family to church. She wants to start showing church movies in her house to try and attract people to come with her on Sundays. She’s a really funny old lady, but it’s amazing how fast she’s changing. On sunday in Relief society she asked about how we pay tithing. That’s so strange, but it shows that she wants to start living everything.
Church went really well on Sunday. We had a record attendance of almost 80 people in sacrament meeting. 5 of them were investigators. It was especially rewarding because a family that we were about to have to drop came for the first time in a month, and I think that that’s a really good sign for them.
The other great thing was that Paolo, our 21-year-old convert, blessed the sacrament. It was a huge step for him because he’s really shy. We’ve started talking to him about the possibility of serving a mission. It’d be so good for him.
Plus, Claudia, another convert, came home from vacations and showed us that she’d visited the LDS churches in the cities she was visiting. She’s changed a lot too since her baptism in December. I’m incredibly proud of her.
I’m doing really good, even though it hurts to say “next month” when the people ask me when I finish my mission. I’m thinking that if I get sent to a new area I’m going to lie to my companion just so that he doesn’t bug me and tell him that I have 2 transfers left.
I’m getting sadder and sadder about leaving the mission, but I’m also getting happier and happier about seeing you guys.
Love you all,
Elder Rasband
1.24.2011
This week, I had a lot of things that, earlier on in my mission, would have distracted my focus and made it hard to be successful. Predictably, when we kept working hard after every one of those experiences, something amazing happened. It’s helping me to see that our trials come to test our faith, but that if we keep on course, the Lord will bless us immensely.
We started teaching a woman named Eilen. She is a young woman with two little kids. Her boyfriend is from another church, and he really doesn’t like it when we come around. When we knocked her door on Wednesday (I think) she said “Hi do you guys want to come in and sit down?” It was a little startling to be honest, but we accepted and went on in.
Eilen told us that about a year ago she’d been crying and praying to know which “path God had in mind for her.” A couple of days later the missionaries showed up. She really liked what they shared, but her boyfriend told her that he would kick her out of the house if she kept receiving the lessons. Reluctantly, she told the missionaries not to come back. Together, we decided that it would be best if we could come back when her boyfriend was at home to try and talk together and reach an understanding.
When we showed up yesterday to talk with the family, her boyfriend didn’t want to talk to us very much. He said that he was busy working on something out back. Then he startled us by saying “I just want you guys to respect my religion and I’ll respect yours.” We asked if that meant he was okay with us teaching his girlfriend, and he said yes.
During the lesson, it seems that he changed his mind, because he came back to the window and said that he wanted to “talk” to us when we finished. By his tone it was fairly obvious that it wasn’t going to be a friendly conversation. We finished the lesson, and asked Eilen to offer the prayer to close. She said that she didn’t want to because she was nervous about her boyfriend. I felt so bad for her. We felt inspired to teach her that when someone is nervous is when they most need to pray. She agreed and after the prayer was over went to go call her boyfriend. Miraculously, his anger had passed and he declined his opportunity to talk with us. It’s amazing how the Lord answers our prayers.
1.03.2011
Happy New Year's!
When I was thinking about what to set as my resolutions, I kept going back to the Conference talk by D. Todd Christofferson about a consecrated life and what he said about time. My biggest Resolution is to plan every day this year, even after I finish with my mission. That way, I make full use of the resources that God has given me.
My other goal is to apply what I’ve learned on the mission to my living/studying habits. I’m too old to stay up late at night, and to dedicate hours a day to leisure activities. I want to get up early and go to bed late, and get perfect, or nearly perfect grades. That’s all though
This Sunday, I had a very weird experience. I blessed a baby in Sacrament meeting. He is the son of an investigator named Alejandra. She’s really excited about the gospel, and her husband came to church, which was really cool because he got to see the blessing. I couldn’t think of a better way to start off. We still haven’t had a lesson with him, but hopefully that experience will have prepared him to receive the gospel.
This week we had transfers, and Elder Hyde went to Resistencia. Elder Francis, from Arizona came to our branch. He comes straight from the mission office, which means that he’s really excited to be working with us. He’s a good friend of mine, so I was really excited when he got here.
Other than that there’s not a whole lot of news. This week we have the Baptism of a Kid named Paolo. This is take two, because the first time he left us with the font full and everything. I feel a lot better about this time though. He’s really cool and I think that He’s going to be a very good priesthood holder. He’s also 21 years old, so if we’re lucky he’ll decide to serve a mission. One of the best feelings that a missionary can have is when a convert goes and serves a mission himself. If she does her papers as soon as possible, I have one that’s planning on leaving this summer. The only thing that could be better is having a family get sealed in the temple.
My other goal is to apply what I’ve learned on the mission to my living/studying habits. I’m too old to stay up late at night, and to dedicate hours a day to leisure activities. I want to get up early and go to bed late, and get perfect, or nearly perfect grades. That’s all though
This Sunday, I had a very weird experience. I blessed a baby in Sacrament meeting. He is the son of an investigator named Alejandra. She’s really excited about the gospel, and her husband came to church, which was really cool because he got to see the blessing. I couldn’t think of a better way to start off. We still haven’t had a lesson with him, but hopefully that experience will have prepared him to receive the gospel.
This week we had transfers, and Elder Hyde went to Resistencia. Elder Francis, from Arizona came to our branch. He comes straight from the mission office, which means that he’s really excited to be working with us. He’s a good friend of mine, so I was really excited when he got here.
Other than that there’s not a whole lot of news. This week we have the Baptism of a Kid named Paolo. This is take two, because the first time he left us with the font full and everything. I feel a lot better about this time though. He’s really cool and I think that He’s going to be a very good priesthood holder. He’s also 21 years old, so if we’re lucky he’ll decide to serve a mission. One of the best feelings that a missionary can have is when a convert goes and serves a mission himself. If she does her papers as soon as possible, I have one that’s planning on leaving this summer. The only thing that could be better is having a family get sealed in the temple.
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