Week 4

Wowza wowza! This week has been something else. I got to leave the MTC facility this week!...... but I went to the Hospital:/ Tuesday morning during exercise time, Elder Young and I went to play some volleyball because we own at it! Seriously I’m so grateful I played sand volleyball like every day after school because I am a full on baller now! But that’s besides the point. With like 3min left in our hour of rec time, the ball is dropping right over the net and so me and this other kid both jump up to spike it. On our way down he landed first and then I landed on his foot. My left foot came down on the persons foot and I rolled my ankle BAD!!! I looked down and it had already started to swell up! No joke within like 5 seconds. I say “Uhhh guys I think I broke my foot” and Elder Young is just like “Nah c’mon Oregon let’s play!” (some people in my district call me ‘Oregon’ because I’m the only one of our whole district to live outside Utah) I try to take one step and my foot just won’t move. It was like I was paralyzed. I think I was in shock because when I looked at my ankle I could honestly see it just puffing up like a balloon. Everyone is just kinda looking and confused. I then tell Elder Young to look at my foot and he kinda jogs over smiling and laughing and as soon as he looks at my ankle his face turns blank. He shouts to another kid and they carry me over to the trainers. They take me in, assess it, wrap it, send me to the doctor, he then makes me get x-rays, I leave the campus and go just around the block to the hospital, I get the x-ray, go back to the campus doctor, and he says I “pulled 2 ligaments in my ankle.” Luckily I didn’t tear anything or break anything. The doctor then mentioned something about how most people only pull a single ligament with cases like mine, but pulling 2 ligaments explained how fast it swelled up. I’m not even joking, as soon as it happened and I looked at my ankle, I could’ve fit a tennis ball in the swollen area! And guess what’s even sadder!? We lost that point in volleyball! But now daily life here sucks. I have a big brace, crutches, and a wrap that I have to put on every day. It takes me forever to get to places, my leg is always hurting, it’s swollen like crazy, and everyone stares at me. And another sucky thing, for the next two weeks during my rec time I have to go to the athletic trainers and do PT. So no more destroying Elders (and my ankle) in volleyball:(

Sorry for scaring you Momma G! Haha

But other than that sucky experience, life here is FANTASTIC!

Saturday: Every Saturday is glorious because of the schedule we have. Usually we have class from 1:30-4:30 and then 6:15-9:15. But Saturdays we have class from 8:30-11:30 and 1:30-4:30. So after that class we just all hang out in our rooms and mess around. The only rough part is we have TIPs (Teach an Interested Person) They are kinda fun but it’s just so stressful because it has to be 100% Bisaya.

Sunday: Super duper long day and Elder Fleischel and I taught the lesson in our district council about “How to Study and Teach Effectively.” I’ll be the first to say that it went pretty darn well.

Monday: Today was kinda sad because our zone leaders (Elder Griffiths & Cardona) left for the Philippines. They are headed to Bacladad(I have no clue how to spell it) and are speaking Hiligaynon!!!

Tuesday: This was the day I sprained my ankle. This was probably the worst day I’ve had here:( When the Sisters are holding the door open for me(an Elder), and not vice versa, you know it’s bad hahaha. “Oh how the turn tables” -Michael Scott

Wednesday: Waking up and walking was ROUGH today. The area that swelled up big time yesterday was a bit less swollen but now the whole rest of my foot is swollen. I’ve really taken having two healthy working feet for granted. Even just getting off of a chair, I have to use my hands to balance and help lift myself up. Walking to the bathroom, which is like 15 feet away from my room, takes me like a full 2min and is quite painful. However, this day got a lot better and I’ll explain why at the end.

Thursday: Foot is feeling a lot better and PT actually helps a lot. Today we also had another TRC. We teach two 20min lessons in 110% Bisaya and it went really well. Both lessons lasted about 17-18min. It’s crazy doing these lessons because it really shows how much we’ve actually learned! And also today, our district held an “English Fast”. From the time we woke up to 9:15pm no English and only Bisaya. All 8 of us probably said a combined 1,000 words the whole day, compared to our usual 100,000 words per day haha!

So going back to Wednesday, that morning was just terrible. After breakfast our district had service(just cleaning buildings) and I wasn’t able to go because of my ankle. Elder Fleischel and I stayed back and he decided to take a nap haha. I tried studying but I was just super angry. I found myself having bitter feelings towards everything! “Why was it ME that sprained a ankle?” “Why is it ME that can’t go to service?” “Why is it ME who’s struggling with the language?” I then thought, “What am I even doing here.” And that question just stayed with me for about 15min and then I got homesick, first time since I’ve been here. I just felt terrible. I hobbled off my chair, got on my knees, and I said a prayer. At first I just thanked God for everything that I have in life. I tried to find the good in everything. Then I just asked God to bless me. I asked him to bless my ankle, my emotions, and my knowledge of Bisaya. When my district got back it was time for personal Book of Mormon study. I read Alma 56 at the beginning of it about the Stripling warriors. After reading that story and when study was over I realized I shouldn’t be complaining about a stupid rolled ankle. And I don’t know why or how but at that moment my whole mid set changed. I remembered why I came out here and I remembered my purpose. Then during rec time I was super bummed because while everyone was playing volleyball and basketball , I had to do PT. The trainer was super kind and helpful and after that one hour I didn’t even need the crutches anymore! I could walk almost completely fine(with the brace). I was SOO grateful for the trainer and for that short hour of PT. Then during our evening language class we went over grammar and we had to build sentences about the Fall and the Creation and then teach with them. I KILLED it! I was able to remember most of the sentences we came up and I was able to spit them back out with ease. When we got back to our residence and when I was writing in my journal, I realized that everything I prayed for was answered. This day was so awesome and so powerful and it just strengthened my testimony in God and prayer so much.

Nasayud ko nga nagatrabajo pag-ampo. Kanunay nagapaminaw sa Dios kon magpangayo kita uban kinasingkasing. Akong pagpamatuod nagpaglig-on kara adlaw. Nasayud ko nga ang Dios mao ang atong Langitnong Amahan. Mga anak kita niya. Si JesuKristo mao ang anak sa Dios ug nasayud ko nga tinuod ang simbahan. Sa ngalan ni JesuKristo, amen.

Sorry if the emails are too long! So much happens here and I want to share it all with everyone!

Hope you all are doing awesome and feel free to email me whenever! I love hearing from you all and just remember I can only email on Fridays so if it seems like I’m ignoring you, I’m not. The first thing I do every morning is check my emails and read all of them. It KILLS me not being able to respond right away but it just makes Friday’s that much better:)

Love, Elder Kasden Grasse

P.S. The part that none of you understood was me bearing my testimony in Bisaya about prayer and God. I think it’s funny how I could write complete gibberish or nonsense and no one would know the difference. But don’t worry, it’s not complete gibberish... or is it?

My district with Elder Cardona (3rd from the left) and Elder Griffiths (5th from right)

The next three pix:  Like 10 min after I sprained my ankle

 

 

Thursday night after walking on it all day

Week 3

I gotta say, even though having a father and two brothers serve a mission, I had no clue what the MTC has in store for missionaries. From feeling like you are on top of the world all the way to feeling like you can’t read another verse out of the scriptures or you will just collapse due to exhaustion.(Not that the scriptures are boring or anything) Everyone in my district is always on the brink of falling asleep during devotionals, classes, and meetings. Part of that reason is because every spare moment of free time we have goes to studying Cebuano. And at 10:30pm we crash HARD. 

It’s so funny, the other day our district had a quick testimony meeting with another district in our zone. The missionaries in that district are all going to the Philippines and learning Cebuano as well. But while I was in there, I realized that God gave perfect revelation to whoever picked which missionaries go into these districts. It’s like everyone in their district grew up together as best fiends, and everyone in my district grew up as best friends together. Before the meeting started we were talking about NBA free agency(probably not the most holy thing to be talking about) but not a single person in the other district knew what we were talking about. Then one of them talked about something that went straight over my head, along with all the others elders in my district, and they started chiming in while my district just sat their silent. It was very strange but funny.

Saturday: Today was an actually an awesome day. All of our classes were in the morning and early afternoon so when our last class ended we had dinner and then the rest of the night to hang out, study, and exercise. It was fantastic.

Sunday: Sunday’s are always so long. Since we don’t have any language classes and the MTC wants to make sure we stay busy, we have these random classes where members of our branch presidency will just talk about random stuff. Like today we talked about dispensations. They aren’t bad lessons or anything but we just sit for like 5 straight hours and it feels like FOREVER!!

Monday: Today was stressful. On either the third or fourth day here our language teachers gave us this pamphlet of Cebuano Basic Core. It has 50 phrases and like 300 vocab words. They challenged us to have the whole thing memorized in 10 days. And today was day 10, from the day we got challenge. No one got the whole thing memorized and our teachers said probably less than 2% do. So we weren’t beating ourselves up to bad. But each teacher pulled one of us away and tested us on all the phrases, I think two elders got all the phrases memorized(but they took pre MTC) I got 45 memorized of the 50 so I was pretty proud of myself. *And I almost have the first vision memorized fully in Cebuano

Tuesday: Tuesdays are awesome because we only have one language class. In the evening we have a devotional and devotional review. Today Elder Walker of the seventy spoke to us how we can become better missionaries. And today I finally got the whole first vision memorized in Cebuano.

Wednesday: Finally after a week and a half of the gym being closed due to floor renovations, it opened back up. Elder Young and I played volleyball and ahhhhhh did it remind me of back home playing sand volleyball. It was so much fun because most of the people playing actually knew how to play so the rallies were long and fun. It was so much fun. Today was our 3rd time teaching someone In Cebuano. the first time we could use SYL (Speak English but say the words you know in Cebuano) Our second lesson was full Cebuano but only like 5-10min long. This one was 20min long and 100% in Cebuano. It was so difficult but the teacher we were teaching said we had one of the best lessons of the day just because of how simple it was. Some people tried to teach about the atonement or the plan of salvation and we just taught that God is our loving Heavenly Father.

Thursday: For exercise time we played volleyball again. Today we had our first TRC (Teaching Resource Center). So my companion and I had TWO 20 minute lessons with a ten minute break in between. It was LISOD KAAYO(Very difficult). Luckily all the people we teach are members, and thankfully the only people who live in Utah and speak Cebuano are RM’s hahaha. The first lesson was this lady who had actually taught the language to my language teachers. She was super nice and she spoke slowly so we could actually understand. Or whole lesson was like 17min which was really good. However, our second lesson was a bit rougher. The dude was a native from Cebu and did he speak paspas(fast)!!! This lesson was only like 13min and the whole time I had no clue what he was saying... it was rough. But the whole experience was actually super helpful and fun.

Today: The temple here is closed until August 12, right before I leave for the Philippines. So unfortunately I won’t be able to attend the Temple at all while I’m here but we have service their today. So we just helped clean and do yard work for almost 4 hours.

During our district devotional review the other day, Brother Wilson, first counselor in our branch, mentioned a quote. I can’t remember the exact thing he said but it was something like, “Of all the words of sad and pain, the worst of all is ‘it might have been’”. He was just talking about how some missionaries come back from their mission either having sad/bitter feelings toward their mission because of how little effort they put into their mission. He was just encouraging us to work our hardest and do our best each and every day. But that quote really stuck out to me because I feel like that can apply to anything. Being out here these these two weeks I’ve learned that if you are gonna commit to something, always try your best and see the good in it. 

I’m loving my time here and my whole life has changed from just these past 16 days. I know I made the right decision coming out here and I know that this experience will stick me throughout my whole life. 

Love, Elder Kasden Grasse

Elders Fleischel, Grasse, Young, and Winters

After we did 4 hours of service at the Provo temple 

Week 2

Maayong Buntag!!! 

Holy cow has this been an eventful week! A few days ago I heard someone describe our time at the MTC by saying “Days feel like weeks, and weeks feel like days.” That could honestly not be more true. It’s insane how quick this week went but the days felt soooo long. And it’s finally happened, I’m having dreams of home each night and it just makes me miss home so much but it kinda rejuvenates me out here because I wanna have the best time out here and come back with awesome stories.

Saturday: Our district played sand volleyball but the sand was more like gravel. But of course, yours truly won all three games;)

Sunday: First time going to church at the MTC and of course it was fast Sunday. But luckily I’m always so busy I’m not really thinking of food. Later that night before bed time, all the new missionaries watched a talk by David L. Bednar “Character of Christ” I think it was called. But if you guys haven’t seen or heard of it, oh my goodness did that hit me. Bednar just didn’t beat around the bush, he got to his point quick and with power. It really reminded me why I’m out here. It was such a good talk.

Monday: Today we gave a very very short lesson in our language in ALL Cebuano(Bisaya) it was insanely difficult. We introduced ourselves, asked about his family, work, religion. Then I shared a scripture, Moroni 10:5, then Elder Fleischel bore his testimony, and I said the closing prayer. Bro. Mickell, our teacher(who’s from Portland) said we did really good... hopefully he wasn’t just being polite haha. As I was getting the package from mom I saw a really familiar face. I don’t know if any of you will remember her or her family but it was Sister Mackenzie Stones. I’m pretty sure she was in either the Pringle or Battlecreek ward. Her older brother was Tanner stones and during father son camp outs Bentley and I would always hang out with Tanner. It was awesome seeing a person I recognized. Then during afternoon language class Sister Rush(Hill) Rush is her maiden name, taught us how to bear our testimony and then we went outside to random missionaries and bore our testimony in Bisaya. It was a train wreck with all of us but at least we tried. Then Sister Hill bore her testimony and talked about her mission. Some of it was kinda personal so I won’t share it but it was SOOO powerful and related to me a lot. Sister Hill has become one of my favorite teachers. I love her so much. She is so fun and so real. 

Tuesday: Our district played some spike all and right after was lunch and they were serving cheesesteak sandwiches, pizza sticks, and brownies so my morning and afternoon was awesome. Sister Hill and Sister Kragun(Cray-gin) taught us how to “extend invitions” such as “Would you like to come to church?” Would you like to be baptized?” And stuff like that. It was such a fun class because all of us were struggling together and our teachers knew we were actually trying so we just all kinda had a jolly ‘ol time. That sentence probably didn’t make too much sense but you just had to be there. Then we had a quick hour break so all of us just talked about sports and family. Then we had a devotional by Brother Anderson, a member of the Seventy. It was super good and he showed a video of a section of a talk by Holland “The first Great Commandment” and that was awesome. After the devotional we were supposed to have District devotional council but Elder Winters, Young, Fleischel and I all went to our language study classroom for it, which apparently was the wrong room. So we sat there talking about stuff for like 45min because we lost track of time. So we went back to our dorms and there was the rest of our district about to take showers!! They just joined the other district in our zone and ditched us! But us four who got lost bonded so it wasn’t all that bad.

Wednesday: Cebuano is getting very very very difficult. I really overestimated my ability to pick up on a language. I guess high school Spanish isn’t the same;) haha. But literally any of here free time goes directly to studying the language. During down time and at night I can hear elders running around our hallways or just messing with each other and I’m like “Why aren’t you guys studying???!” But then I realize they are going to English speaking areas. Although I’m glad I’m learning a new language, I would have so little stress here. But God has a plan for us all.

Thursday: Honestly nothing exciting happened today. Woke up, breakfast, exercise, study, lunch, class, dinner, study, class, bedtime.

Friday: Today is P-day which is AMAZING! I Don’t have to do so,etching every minute of the day, although we still have evening language class. But I’m just studying and relaxing all day.

Before I close up the email I wanna share a scripture we saw in our language class. It’s in Zephaniah (which I, if I’m being honest, had never even heard of that book) chapter 3 verse 9. “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” We were talking about the gift of tongues and how God made languages for us to call upon him and help others call upon him. 

The Lord has created anything and everything for us to use to help others come unto Christ. Being out here I’ve realized that there is so much more to this life than being the richest man in the world while owning the biggest candy company in the world(which has been my dream for the past 6 years hahaha). This life is such a small piece in the grand scheme of things and we should be focused on one thing. Becoming more Christ-like. Everyday out here has strengthened my testimony so much and I do know that this church is true and that Jesus Christ lives. I’ve felt him help me so much and I know that he will help anyone and if we just ask with a sincere heart and real intent, Christ will help and bless you so much. 

Sa ngalan ni Jesukrkristo, amen.

Love, Elder Kasden Grasse

MTC District

Elders Grasse, Winters, Young, and Fleischel

KAMUSTA KAMO? (How are you all?)

Hello friends and family! Wowza has the the MTC been a whirlwind these past 2 and a half days. On arrival I had zero idea what I was in for. I’m constantly in classes or studying and if not that then I’m looking at my Cebuano packet just trying to memorize as many words as I can. I love my district so much. My companion Elder Fleischel is great and so are the other missionaries. Yesterday night for the 4th of July we had this religious freedom class at like 10:30pm and everyone in that class was dozing off big time. I didn’t realize how exhausting it is here and how tired I am constantly! But after the class we went up to the third floor and watched a big firework show which sounds way cooler than it actually was haha, but it was still fun nonetheless. 

I’m really seeing the Lord’s work here and my testimony is getting stronger each day. Everyone is so loving and kind here and it really just allows the spirit in and for a sense of peace to be present. 

Sorry for the short email, I’ll try to make them longer but all of us newbies are just so busy getting everything unpacked and trying to get settled in.

I love all so much and I can tell you that this is the true church and that the scriptures are words from God and his prophets.

Talk to you all next week! Amping! (Goodbye!)

Gugma, Elder Grasse

(Love)

MTC Companions: Elders Grasse and Fleischel

Arrived at MTC

FAMILY!!! I have officially made it! So flight was dope because my seat got upgraded to “comfort plus” so I had more leg room and I kinda had a pillow type thing. The shuttle was fun because I was by far the coolest person on the shuttle and their was kinda a cute girl and I was just hardcore impressing her hahhha. Anyways, when I got to the MTC we dropped off our luggage and then instantly when into a class about Alma the Younger. Then we went to lunch and then another Elder took us to get our IDs and everything but the MTC never made me one:( I still don’t have one but I should get it before dinner. Right before righting this email I had my first language class and I hate to brag but I was the best speaker but it was so difficult and we were all lost. My companion is Elder Fleischer and by first impressions he seemed like the second coolest one there, behind me of course! Anyways I should probably get going so I love you all and I’ll talk to you guys next week:)

Elder Grasse

Elder Grasse's E-mail Address

kasden.grasse@missionary.org