How I WISH I could say everything I want to say to you all! First of all- AMELIA MANN. YOUR MISSION CALL IS COMING. HUZZAH! I cant wait to find out where youre going! I hope its Tahiti! Heh heh. But really. Im too excited to sleep for you!!!!!
In answer to some of your questions:
1. I am eating... everything. Remember how I'm kind of a picky eater, especially with meat? Na-na. (Tahitian for goodbye) I am just eating whatever they put in front of me, including raw fish. And they think I'm cool because of it. My dear friend Papi Opuu is so proud of me not being a picky American. Most of the time the food is really good. The other part of the time it is revolting. But I don't even care. Raw fish! Yum!
2. The bike is working. One thing that isn't working is riding a bike with a skirt. I'll keep working on that. But its really fun to ride a bike here. When all else fails, I can at least say, Hey. I'm ridin' a bike in Tahiti. This is cool. You can't even imagine how beautiful it is here. It literally rains flowers. This morning I was sitting on the ground and this exquisite yellow flower just plopped on my lap from the sky. They are everywhere, all kinds! Its so frustrating because all I want to do is talk about how incredible everything is, but I can barely talk, and when I do, they're like... yeah. The ocean. We know. Ha ha. It's truly paradise.
3. I email from the bishops office. You can email me! It takes time from writing, but thats better than waiting forever for one word from you. But you can write letters, too. Please do!
4. I have a bathroom! And toilet paper! The first one is not too rare here, but the second one is! There is no hot water anywhere, so every day I say a prayer for courage before I get in the shower. I really do. I am looking very Tahitian these days. No make up, hair in bun on top of head, sandals with skirt. I even have some tan lines.
The first photo of me with two girls- Me, my companion Seour Ruaroo, and an incredible person named Hereti, who does everything with us just because she wants to help. I love both these girls so much. They are so kind and patient. Soeur Ruaroo has actually already served a mission! She came back out because they needed more missionaries to train us new Americans! Can you believe that? She is beautiful.
You may notice that Im smiling a little too hard in the photo. That is the face of a girl who has no idea whats going on. Wow, its hard! It is SO hard not being able to communicate well. I have so much going on in my head all the time, and it drives me nuts that I can't communicate. The good thing- I am praying like never before. I have never felt so close to God with such consistency. I am learning some true humility. He is real. He is real.
The second picture- I family I will love forever, the Opuu Family. Papi and Mami Opuu are my surrogate parents here. This picture is at their home- the gave me a bunch of hand me down clothes because I don't have the Tahitian build they all have. Real Tahitian clothes! And I had to do a fashion show and take a picture with every skirt. I wore one of the skirts to church, and I felt quite beautiful, even without make up. I'm learning a lot about beauty from these people.
It's all much, much harder than I imagined. Just the language. But I'm learning little by little. And already I have had some very special moments of real communication, heart to heart. I love these people so much already. There are some actual angels in Tahiti, people that I will love forever because of simple kindness they've offered me.
Family, here is the goal for this week. Help the missionaries. Get their number, call them up, and do something to help them. Go visit people with them, help them brainstorm for how to help the area, teach them English, do something.
And with everyone, be kind. Ive never been more lost or lonely, but I am continually saved by the truly simple kindness of a few people who take the time, and that
I love the Savior with all my heart. He is there.
I love you all so much! So, so much! Faaitoito! -Seour Mann
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