08/17/2014: Week #1 At The MTC Is Complete!!

08/13/2014 

Kamusta!  The language has been going pretty good lately! I feel like I'm learning a lot but still have a long way to go.  BTW: tell Hayley "Happy Birthday!" I hope she had a great day on Tuesday.  Thanks again Mom for the cookies. I can't believe how good they are!! I need to tell you though, tell eveyone not to send me any more food! haha.  I have so much food and I'm never hungry enough to eat it because they feed us so good here! I appreciate all I've received, but tell everyone I'm good on food until I get to the Philippines!I love you all very much just know that and even though I'm doing tons of things through the day, I still think of my family and friends everyday, but I want you to know that I'm doing great and learning so much. I've made good friends with the other Philippines Missionaries. We've only been here for a week, but it seems like we've all known each other our whole lives. I sent you a copy of my schedule while I'm here since I figured you'd be curious to know what I do all day. I know it looks like misery (haha), but it's really not that bad. The first week was definitely like jumping into an ice pool but now that it's week 2 our bodies have numbed up enough that the water is starting to feel warm! haha! There is so much to do each day and I barely have enough time to write this but the days are going by a little quicker. I'm so excited to get to the Philippines!!! I can't wait! I'll seen you an email on "P day".Love you all very much!  Love, Elder Rasmussen

Letter #2 this week:

08/15/2014

Hey Mom, Dad and Hayley! Thanks again for the package you sent me with the cookies and stuff! Those cookies are so good! The only problem is that I'm never really hungry because I always stuff myself at meals haha! I have tons of food too now and grandma sent me some nuts and chocolate so I have quite a bit to get me through the next few weeks! :) Thanks for the prayers I have been praying for you too! I really am doing well and somewhat adjusting to life here at the MTC. The first week was rough but now time seems to be going by a little quicker! I got your dear elders too (I've sent him some quick notes on DearElder.com because they are delivered the same day if you send them before 12 p.m. and it's free).  Feel free to send those whenever you want because I can get them and read them each night.Thanks Mom for taking dinner to Maddie's family last week. That was nice of you!! Thanks for your letters in the package too! I know you are doing well without me but dont think I forget about you because I dont! :) This week was a lot better than last week! The classes and meetings are a lot easier to bear and I'm really having fun learning words in Illongo and more about the language! We do a lot of gospel stuff on top of that and I really like that too because I dont feel like I know the gospel as well as I should, so I'm happy to learn more. We taught an acting investigator named Anjo 4 times and he speaks 100% Hiligaynon when he's with us, so it is pretty interesting haha I thought I would be scared out of my mind teaching but it really is pretty fun even though we dont speak the language very well! The teachers that we have are awesome and really are good. Anjo our investigator is now our teacher and we thought it was kind of funny because we caught him speaking english when we were coming back from playing soccer the other day! It was funny.BTW: I can't download my pictures here at the MTC computers. They have some sort of block on them. I need a USB SD card reader. Can you look into that and send me one if they aren't too expensive?I will write a letter answering your questions you asked I gotta get going still have to take care of the laundry and everything else! Love you very much! Love, Elder Rasmussen