April 4th
Dear Family,
The weather in San Diego is very interesting. It is certainly much nicer than much of the country, don’t get me wrong. But to say that it is laying on the beach weather would also be a misnomer. Most of the last week the temperatures have been in the mid 60’s. There are times during the day when it gets “hot” but not really for that long. And the nights are definitely cool. Having said that it is still beautiful. We don’t really wear coats most of the time and wind is generally not a factor. So on balance the weather is delightful.
I didn’t realize how strong Mom’s pull is to the soil and flowers. She really loves flowers and taking care of them. What that means is that as she has free time she is out in the yard of our rental home, digging and pruning. And the local nurseries have been grateful for her patronage as she finds beautiful flowers to plant to spice up our surroundings. I think all of it calms her soul.
Our shift on Sunday this week was the busiest we have seen. Quite literally there were tour and tour and sometimes as much a a 40-minute wait for a tour. And the tour groups were mostly large, 20-30 people in each. It keeps Mom hopping keeping track of who is on tour, how many are waiting for tours and where they are (in the projector room, outside on the rockers, etc.) It is all good but creates a little craziness at the exact moment of happening. That night we had a very sweet experience. Cassie has often talked about how much she enjoyed the mission president’s firesides and this Sunday we got to experience our first one. The format is that there are a number of musical numbers from different missionary groups, interspersed with testimonies of newly converted members and Mormon messages videos. It is fast-paced and goes on automatically with no one “conducting” in the sense that we think of in most meetings. When we came into the chapel we sat down by another missionary couple from MBHS and I ended up sitting next to a non-member which allowed me a fun visit with him. The first convert testimony was from a young vivacious sister named Jackie. As she told her story it was fun to see the growth that was taking place in her. She came to a part in the story, a crossroads if you will, and told how she overcame some issues with the help of her sister missionaries, and as she was telling that she mentioned their names, Sister Rasmussen and Sister Riggs. We were a little stunned, not having expected that but being touched about the good that Cassie had done with the help of the spirit. It was a sweet moment. These converts who bear testimony are not sitting on the stand but just come up from the audience. Well, this young lady just happened to be sitting right in front of us (there are no coincidences). When she came back to her seat I tapped her on the shoulder and asked her name (I hadn’t heard it when she spoke). She said it was Jackie and then I told her that we were Sister Rasmussen’s parents. She couldn’t believe it; and turned right around and began texting Cassie telling her that her parents were sitting right behind her. Needless to say all of that made the evening even more special. And it was special to begin with. A great spirit there. In fact when the mission president got up to say a few concluding remarks he said, “I don’t know what more we could do to help you know and feel the spirit.”
Monday night the Barnes held a special FHE for those of working at the MBHS. Turns out it was their daughter-in-law who is a convert to the Church and has an interesting story about how a missionary at a visitor center helped her overcome her reluctance to baptism. Afterward, the Barnes provided ice cream cake for all. Mom and I were on duty so we only got to hear parts of the story but it was really good.
Tuesday was Mom’s birthday as you know (she was grateful to hear from all of you.) We thought we had an all-day shift at MBHS but it turned out that it was our turn for the evening shift so we went and did some things that Mom wanted. We drove over to Coronado Island and walked on the beach, had lunch out at the Olive Garden, and then drove to El Cajon to find some coconut icecream that Mom likes. While we were there we drove by her old home and I think she was very disappointed. The are is built up even more than the last time we were there and whoever owns the home has put fences up to block off any view of the sides and back of the house. It really was quite dismal. When we drove around to the back someone has built a home on the back part of the lot so it does not even closely resemble what it looked like when she was growing up. She wanted some See’s scotch mellows for her birthday treat which she got and enjoyed. All in all I think she had a great day.
Wednesday we experienced our first transfer day. Here is my journal entry: “We were at the MBHS by 7:30 and people began arriving shortly thereafter. There were over 20 NEW missionaries that came in. The theaters were set up for a meeting and the changes in companionships for the sisters at MBHS. I think we ended up getting 3 sisters back from full time proselyting and 2 new sisters. While that was going on Jamie and I took the new missionaries through a tour of MBHS. When that was over there was a picture of all of us working at MBHS and then everyone seemed to go where they were supposed to as we set about opening and running MBHS.”
Yesterday we took one of the Trolley Tours and it was delightful. We started in Old Town and then traveled throughout the city to see some of the places that make San Diego the special place it is. I was amazed to get finally get my bearings as to what was where and how the places are interrelated. I recommend the tour (although it is quite pricey; MBHS missionaries get it for free). We also toured Old Town so that we could tell visitors to MBHS what to see and expect there. (Mom uses that same reasoning for us visiting EVERY restaurant in Old Town.) We also went up on Presidio Hill to see the monuments erected honoring the Mormon Battalion and where they first camped.
We are looking forward this week to Ric and Tami and Spencer and Megan and their families coming. Just hope we can be good hosts.
We love you all and hope this finds you well. Marin, you and your family are in our prayers and hope things go well with your dad. Please say hi to him and your Mom for us.
Love, Mom and Dad
The weather in San Diego is very interesting. It is certainly much nicer than much of the country, don’t get me wrong. But to say that it is laying on the beach weather would also be a misnomer. Most of the last week the temperatures have been in the mid 60’s. There are times during the day when it gets “hot” but not really for that long. And the nights are definitely cool. Having said that it is still beautiful. We don’t really wear coats most of the time and wind is generally not a factor. So on balance the weather is delightful.
I didn’t realize how strong Mom’s pull is to the soil and flowers. She really loves flowers and taking care of them. What that means is that as she has free time she is out in the yard of our rental home, digging and pruning. And the local nurseries have been grateful for her patronage as she finds beautiful flowers to plant to spice up our surroundings. I think all of it calms her soul.
Our shift on Sunday this week was the busiest we have seen. Quite literally there were tour and tour and sometimes as much a a 40-minute wait for a tour. And the tour groups were mostly large, 20-30 people in each. It keeps Mom hopping keeping track of who is on tour, how many are waiting for tours and where they are (in the projector room, outside on the rockers, etc.) It is all good but creates a little craziness at the exact moment of happening. That night we had a very sweet experience. Cassie has often talked about how much she enjoyed the mission president’s firesides and this Sunday we got to experience our first one. The format is that there are a number of musical numbers from different missionary groups, interspersed with testimonies of newly converted members and Mormon messages videos. It is fast-paced and goes on automatically with no one “conducting” in the sense that we think of in most meetings. When we came into the chapel we sat down by another missionary couple from MBHS and I ended up sitting next to a non-member which allowed me a fun visit with him. The first convert testimony was from a young vivacious sister named Jackie. As she told her story it was fun to see the growth that was taking place in her. She came to a part in the story, a crossroads if you will, and told how she overcame some issues with the help of her sister missionaries, and as she was telling that she mentioned their names, Sister Rasmussen and Sister Riggs. We were a little stunned, not having expected that but being touched about the good that Cassie had done with the help of the spirit. It was a sweet moment. These converts who bear testimony are not sitting on the stand but just come up from the audience. Well, this young lady just happened to be sitting right in front of us (there are no coincidences). When she came back to her seat I tapped her on the shoulder and asked her name (I hadn’t heard it when she spoke). She said it was Jackie and then I told her that we were Sister Rasmussen’s parents. She couldn’t believe it; and turned right around and began texting Cassie telling her that her parents were sitting right behind her. Needless to say all of that made the evening even more special. And it was special to begin with. A great spirit there. In fact when the mission president got up to say a few concluding remarks he said, “I don’t know what more we could do to help you know and feel the spirit.”
Monday night the Barnes held a special FHE for those of working at the MBHS. Turns out it was their daughter-in-law who is a convert to the Church and has an interesting story about how a missionary at a visitor center helped her overcome her reluctance to baptism. Afterward, the Barnes provided ice cream cake for all. Mom and I were on duty so we only got to hear parts of the story but it was really good.
Tuesday was Mom’s birthday as you know (she was grateful to hear from all of you.) We thought we had an all-day shift at MBHS but it turned out that it was our turn for the evening shift so we went and did some things that Mom wanted. We drove over to Coronado Island and walked on the beach, had lunch out at the Olive Garden, and then drove to El Cajon to find some coconut icecream that Mom likes. While we were there we drove by her old home and I think she was very disappointed. The are is built up even more than the last time we were there and whoever owns the home has put fences up to block off any view of the sides and back of the house. It really was quite dismal. When we drove around to the back someone has built a home on the back part of the lot so it does not even closely resemble what it looked like when she was growing up. She wanted some See’s scotch mellows for her birthday treat which she got and enjoyed. All in all I think she had a great day.
Wednesday we experienced our first transfer day. Here is my journal entry: “We were at the MBHS by 7:30 and people began arriving shortly thereafter. There were over 20 NEW missionaries that came in. The theaters were set up for a meeting and the changes in companionships for the sisters at MBHS. I think we ended up getting 3 sisters back from full time proselyting and 2 new sisters. While that was going on Jamie and I took the new missionaries through a tour of MBHS. When that was over there was a picture of all of us working at MBHS and then everyone seemed to go where they were supposed to as we set about opening and running MBHS.”
Yesterday we took one of the Trolley Tours and it was delightful. We started in Old Town and then traveled throughout the city to see some of the places that make San Diego the special place it is. I was amazed to get finally get my bearings as to what was where and how the places are interrelated. I recommend the tour (although it is quite pricey; MBHS missionaries get it for free). We also toured Old Town so that we could tell visitors to MBHS what to see and expect there. (Mom uses that same reasoning for us visiting EVERY restaurant in Old Town.) We also went up on Presidio Hill to see the monuments erected honoring the Mormon Battalion and where they first camped.
We are looking forward this week to Ric and Tami and Spencer and Megan and their families coming. Just hope we can be good hosts.
We love you all and hope this finds you well. Marin, you and your family are in our prayers and hope things go well with your dad. Please say hi to him and your Mom for us.
Love, Mom and Dad
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