Miracles

July 2025

Ashley Rasband's eyes light up when she talks about her mission. Rasband served in the Italy Rome Mission from July 2022 to December 2023. The examples of her older sister and friends serving before her strengthened her desire to become a full-time missionary. After reading in Ether 4:12 that “whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me,” she was even more inspired to serve. She says, “The Lord has given me so much and I wanted to share that with others. I wanted to feel the kind of joy only possible on a mission.”

While serving, Rasband taught with hope and enthusiasm, even though at times it was difficult to communicate in Italian, a new language for her. She says, “One of my favorite parts of my mission was just how I stood out because I was wearing my Savior’s name on my chest. I loved the little click of the magnet on my tag and realizing every morning, that ‘I truly am a representative of Christ. And today I get to go help people come to know Him.’”

Throughout her mission, Rasband saw countless miracles. One of her favorite experiences was meeting Tino. Rasband and her companion were on a bus heading to their local Church building when Tino started talking to them. Rasband tried to get his contact information but was not able to. She was feeling a little sad thinking that she would never see Tino again. But a couple of weeks later, Rasband and her companion were inspired to walk home a different way than normal—and they ran into Tino! They learned that he had been searching for them for weeks. They were able to set up an appointment at his home that week and a month and a half later he was baptized into the Church.

The process of seeing Tino come unto Christ was amazing for Rasband. She says, “The fact that he was so ready and willing to accept the gospel was a miracle.” She remembers how excited Tino was to learn that families could be united for eternity through the temple. He had already lost his wife and son and was excited to have the opportunity to be reunited. Rasband says, “He had been through enough in life that once he heard something that resonated as truth with him, he was just ready to accept. This is someone who was growing a relationship with their Savior.”

A mission not only allowed Rasband to testify and see others transformed, but she was able to see a transformation within herself. Rasband emphasizes that throughout her mission, she felt that God was helping her to work and that he was multiplying her efforts to help as many people as possible. “There is not a single day that goes by that I don’t think about my mission or how it influences my life every day,” she says. “I learned that God truly does have a plan for each and every one of us. I know that God is in the details and that as long as we can turn ourselves over to Him, we will be blessed in great ways.”