#37 - Sorry

Sorry, folks.  We did not get an email from Sister Mann this week.  However, we did get one a few days early from Sister Mann the Younger.  We are keeping a blog for her as well at: sisterameliamann.blogspot.com

#36 - I Love Being A Missionary!

Hello, family!  I only have time to tell you a few things:

1.  I love you forever and ever and so very, very much.

2.  I truly, truly love being a missionary.  This week was the best yet of my mission.  We are catching the vision.  I love these people with all my heart.  I can feel my thoughts and my heart  and my prayers changing- with everything in me, I want these wonderful people I'm teaching to become converted.  I want them to have this joy and peace and goodness.  I love serving.  Here's a fact of life I'm learning; If you're not serving someone else, you're not doing anything cool at all.  So go serve.

3.  I am going to train a new missionary!  An American!  She gets here tonight!  Wahooooo!  Soeur Colombel will still be with us, too!  Hoorah!  

Sorry for this short li'l letter!  

Please include our investigators in your prayers.

I love life. It is so beautiful. 

All my love,
Soeur Mann 

#35 - What Is Humility?

Hi, everybody! I love you forever and ever. 

This week:

- We had a little companion swithcheroo with two soeurs in Paea- I went and stayed over there for three days, and one of the soeurs came here with Soeur C. It was lovely. I got to go back to biking for a little - man, I forgot how good it feels to bike during the day! Even in a skirt, even in the rain! It was so nice to sing and look around and exercise. And the area reminded me of my first area in Papenoo- so, so calm and quiet. I loved it. It was like a little vacation. Except no relaxing. I had a really great lesson over there where I felt like I was actually speaking by the Spirit. We were teaching a lady and her brother, just sitting around a little table outside in the dark with a little light from their garage. And I felt myself just speaking right from my heart - we talked to them about changing and weaknesses and strengths and the power of the Atonement. At the end of our conversation, the lady said she felt hope. Yes. That is the message of the gospel. That is exactly what someone hearing the gospel ought to feel.

- I had a big realization this week in my personal study about humility. I always wonder about this word. What is humility, really? I think we sometimes twist it and turn it into what it's not. I noticed that in my study the counsel to "humble yourself" popped up over and over and over - it just kept jumping from the page no matter where I turned. So I decided I better figure out what that means. I looked it up in the bible dictionary and was directed to Mosiah, chapter 4, verses 9-12, and it was like a light switched on. Verse 9 is the favorite verse of Miss Japan, Courtney Elise King, so I've always loved it, too. When I read verse 9 in the pursuit of understanding "humility," it took on a whole new sense. So try that. Read the explanation in the bible dictionary, then read verse 9. Maybe you will feel the same thing I did.

- This picture is of a delicious meal we made today! Everything you see on the table was prepared by our own sweet li'l hands. And it took 4 people 3 hours to prepare. I realized why eating is such a big deal to Tahitians - it's because preparing real Tahitian food takes actual labor and sweat. Like literally. We were so sweaty. Isn't their little garden beautiful? The girl on the left is Soeur C, the girl on the right is C, a less-active member that we visit to help her and her husband get on the path to Temple marriage.

- We had an awesome conversation with an investigator this week! His name is AC, a 22 year old guy who works on his family's egg farm. They are Chinese, and although they are Catholic, they still practice a lot of the ancient Chinese traditions. Last week they had a holiday where they take food and money to the sites of their ancestors graves. He was talking to us all about this ancestor stuff,and I was kind of thinking, man, this is way different from our religion, this is all ancient Chinese-y... how can we relate our message to him? Then I realized, Duh! We are all about ancestors in our religion! Its totally similar! We build huge beautiful Temples all over the world so we can perform saving ordinances for the dead! So we pulled out pictures of the Temple and the baptismal font inside and taught him about genealogy and Temple work. He thought it was super interesting, and we offered him a Book of Mormon, which he told us he would start to read. There is always a connection. I learned that in my college religious poetry class- pretty much everyone knows something about spirituality and truth. And we can always find a connection, even if our beliefs are different.

Jesus Christ is truly the Savior and our Example. I believe Him. I believe everything the prophets and scriptures teach about Him. I have felt His love, and I know that because of Him, we can all have eternal life. I love the Lord.

Life is beautiful!

All my love,

Soeur Mann

P.S. Amelia - YES! Ha ha, yes! You are living it! You are living the missionary dream! I love you! Are there still the scratchy tan blankets and the silky blue ones? I miss those guys. The ladder is on the side of the bunk, you just have to detach it and move it to where you jump up. Give your comp a hug for me!

P.P.S. Court - You are going to have a truly beautiful experience this week. I will be praying for you, too. Know that your best friend loves the Temple. It really is a little piece of heaven on earth. Above all, allow yourself to just feel Heavenly Father's love for you. You are His daughter, and it is His house. You will feel it.

Happy week!

#34 - Lots of Help

Hi, folks!  I love you.  I really do.  There is just no way to ever say how much I love you.  I still miss you.  Sorry if that's bad.  I love you so very, very much!

Alright, first of all, Conference. Was. So. Wonderful.  I got to watch conference in English!  Yes, it just so happens that our chapel had a little hubbub for the people who speak English, like people who have gone to BYU Hawaii or whatnot and wanted to watch in English!  There were just a handful of us and three other American elders, and we watched it in a classroom at the church.  Here is what conference felt like: It felt like the time when our Mann family was doing our Preston campout up at Willow Flats and we hiked to those springs above the campground.  Maybe it was just because I was little, but I remember thinking that hike was so hot and dusty and long, and when we got to the springs, the water was so cold and fresh and yummy, and I drank it up like a little puppy until my belly was all full of water.  That is how conference felt- like that delicious, refreshing water.  I felt the Spirit - all the feelings of peace, comfort, joy, light, confidence, inspiration- all of that was just filling me up through all the sessions.  The feeling I had was just undeniable- all those words, all those principles, they are true. It is so good, the gospel.  It is true.

I particularly loved Elder Holland's talk.  Like...duh.  So did everyone.  But his message seriously spoke right to my heart, and its something I want to live for the rest of my life.  Be true to what you know.  Always prioritize what you know and believe before the questions and doubts that will inevitably come.  He said something like, "The size of your faith is not the issue here, it is the integrity you give to what you do know," or something close to that.  How reassuring.  I have learned very well on my mission that perfectionism simply does not exist in the human sphere.  We are constantly growing.  We are constantly striving.  We are never, ever perfect.  I am still constantly asking, "Am I enough?  Is my faith enough?  Can I actually do this?"  And how beautifully sweet is was to hear an apostle of Christ say, "It is enough."  It is enough to know that Christ lives and loves us, and that His Atonement is real.  Those things I know.  And because of that, all is well.  His talk had a strong correlation to President Monson's talk- Obedience brings more understanding, more truth.  As we stick to what we know and live it, we acquire more and more understanding.  But we must first be obedient.  

Yesterday I had a really cool conversation with an investigator named M.  He is thirty five and still single, despite the fact that he is very nice and swell.  I loved our conversation because it didn't feel at all forced or formal or weird- he just stepped outside to take out the trash and we happened to be there and we ended up talking through the gate for about thirty minutes.  He's feelin' all down in the dumps lately because he thinks he doesn't have anything to show for his life and he doesn't know where to find happiness.  He was talking all about how life is nothing but challenges and letdowns and whatnot, and you know what I got to say to him?  "No, Moana!  Life is beautiful!"  It really is!  When you know that you are a child of God and that He loves you and has a plan for you and that Christ will help you do all things- life is beautiful!  

- Last night I was on splits and we were on our way out of the car to see an inactive member.  A, my temporary companion, warned me that the dogs in the neighborhood are super mean and scary.  And there he was.  A ferocious-looking pitbull along with his two little friends, just staring me right in the face.  So I slooowly opened my door, and then I thought, "Hey, I will make this like Daniel and the lions den," and I said a prayer, and I am not kidding, those nasty creatures just took one more look, and slinked back through their little hole in the fence without a single bark.  
- This picture is of my funny friends, the Ariitai crew.  H, the one on the far left, is just too funny.  I love going to their house!  Tonight we are going over to spend the last of our P-day teaching them to make Oreo truffles, then we are having family home evening.  They are working on learning "I Am a Child of God" in English.
- The other night I just went and stood on the balcony and looked out at the town and said out loud, "You all live in Tahiti, and so do I!" and then I blew them all a kiss and went to bed.  And there was something very satisfying about that.
- My skin is getting so bad that people are making comments on it.  The only thing I can do about it is be happy that I'm not dating right now.
- C, K, and D, if you read this:  Guess what my companion bought?  The EXACT same cherry car air freshener that K had in her car!  I am in Tahiti, and I am STILL driving around in a giant cherry sucker!  
- You can pray all day long if you want.
- I HATE backing up the car.  I can't take it anymore.  The streets are so narrow and bumpy and crazy, and I always find myself trying to back up in these horribly tight, impossible little areas, and my companion has to get out and guide me, cuz its a rule, but its not just her, there are usually like four to six other people surrounding the car trying to tell me what to do.  Remember how I maybe have a little (lot) of driving anxiety?  The other day there were like five drunk men standing there drying to direct me.  One of them called me, "girlfriend," which did lighten the situation a bit, cuz I found that kind of funny.  But thank heavens, our investigator, Papi M, finally walked up to the side of the car and quietly, calmly guided me, walking alongside me and talking through the window.  I was  so thankful for his little rescue.  I am becoming a celebrity in certain neighborhoods for this reoccurring catastrophe.
- Amelia, I didn't have time to write you a true letter this week, but I want to say that I LOVE YOU!  I can't believe you are comps with your already-friend!  Give her a hug for me!  Don't forget that you can bring treats to TALL time to make it more fun.  I actually loved TALL time.  Keep being brave, lil one!  We are doing this together!

Life is beautiful!  Heavenly Father is love.  And we all are, just doing this little earth thing for awhile.  Let's live it well this week!

All my love, 

Soeur Mann

#33 - Au Revoir, Millzie!

Hi, everybody!  I love you, I love you, I love you so much!

I know Mom is probably elated today, because it is finally April, her favorite flip of the calendar ever.  Happy April Fool’s day!  I thought about sending a scary email where I pretended I was in the hospital with some incurable disease or a dog attacked me or something, then I thought, "Nah.  Mom and Dad are sending Millzie off this week.  I'll just be a nice little daughter."  And speaking of which- Millzie!  Millzie is leaving this week!  Hooray!  The big adventure starts this week!  I know that the rest of you are probably kinda sad right now.  It’s so weird to think of our house with just the parents and lil Berns.  And Lizzie.  But whenever you guys miss us, you can turn up the music downstairs real loud and spread our books and homework all over the floor and plug up the bathroom drain with a ton of hair, and then you won’t miss us too bad.  But truly, I know it’s going to be a little difficult for a while, but it will be okay.  It is worth it.  I have learned to pray very hard out here, and this week we will all be growing in our prayers and faith and courage together.  Millzie, you are making the best choice you’ve ever made.

So guess who this is in the picture I’m attaching?  Thats right, its little T!  The boy I wrote about last week!  We had a little miracle happen, and within three days, he chose a date and was baptized!  It was a very special experience because his mom is not a member and his dad has been inactive for years and years, but they were both there at the service, and both of them had a very, very good experience.  We are hoping to start the lessons with his mom as soon as possible.

This week I have thought a lot about baptism.  During one of my scripture studies, I looked back at a note I had written in my Preach My Gospel in the MTC- "baptism is the symbol of conversion."  It struck me very hard that what I am here to do is truly help people convert.  We get warned very often as missionaries not to get caught up in how many baptisms we accomplish, or how high the "statistics" are for baptisms.  It is absolutely, totally true that working to have baptisms just to have numbers is completely wrong.  But I realized this week, re-realized, that I am he
re to help people get baptized.  It is about baptisms.  Why?  Because baptisms represent so very, very much.  They represent people who have changed, who have found truth and joy and learned about their relationship with God.  It represents work and humility and progression and hope.  A baptism is a beautiful, crucial moment where people accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ and commit fully to loving Him and following Him.  It is performed by the authority and power of God, and it is eternally binding.  It is about baptisms because baptisms represent converted people.  And T. is definitely converted.

The girl in the purple is Soeur C!  Every single day she wears a different colored t-shirt with her first name printed right on it.  What a funny lady.  The other day I got a letter from Katie W (Katie- I finally got your letter!  And it was so comforting and so necessary for my soul!) and she said that it was okay to write about the hard stuff on my mission, too.  That way you guys can know how I’m really doing.  Thank you, Katie.  Seriously, thank you.  I’m going to tell you guys that one of the hardest things is finding things to say to my companion.  You know, I can speak French enough to be here and be a missionary.  But when you are with someone twenty four seven, you have to have a LOT of things to talk about.  And I don’t have a lot of things to talk about in French.  Cuz I don’t know how.  So sometimes it’s really awkward cuz we are just living together, and we like each other, but we don’t know what to talk about.  I hate that.  But this morning was great because I showed her pictures of the family and we ate some jelly beans (Grandma- THANK YOU for sending me Easter Jolly Rancher jelly beans!!  That was the only Easter celebration that happened over here!  I loved the package so much!)  and talked.  I have been praying a lot for Heavenly Father to help me find things to talk about so it will be more fun for us, and He helped me a lot this morning.

This other picture is something else that I did today- I learned a song on the ukulele from these two fine fellows!  I can play Teach Me To Walk in the Light!  Wahoo!  It really is true that everywhere you go, someone is playing the ukulele.  And now I am joining them.  But only on P-days.  The man on the left has an amazing story that he told us today- after years of doing drugs and wasting his life away, he was brought back to his faith because someone asked him to come play the guitar for a church activity.  That is what started him back on track.  One night he was at his home, and it was storming really bad outside with lightning and thunder, and he dropped his backpack on the ground and heard the "clink" of his drug stuff hit the ground.  Just like that, he decided it was time to change his life around.  So he called over his friend, the guy on the right in the picture, and said, "T, I want you to be a witness for me, right now.  I am done with this business."  And he took all of his drug stuff and destroyed it right there.  After he finished, the wind calmed and the storm went away.  And now is an active member of the church.

Tonight we are going to two family home evenings, one with the three teens I wrote about last week - H, P, and K.  They are so funny. Afterword we are going to see Papi V, an old, super nice/super grumpy, extremely skinny old grandpa who would like to get baptized too, but who is working on stopping smoking.  I love this Papi.  He acts like he's kinda mean, like if you talk too long, he yells, "Ooti, heare!"  which means, basically, "Okay, you’re done, getta outta here!"  Ha ha!  But he loves us.  I know he loves us, cuz when we do say goodbye and shake hands, he holds on for a minute, and his eyes are kinda twinkling like, "I actually really do love you."

I want to share my testimony that the Holy Ghost is real.  I am learning better and better that God does speak to us through the Spirit, and I am learning to listen and trust Him.  I will never, ever stop saying it- I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so much.  I love Them.  And I know They love us, too.

Be brave at the MTC drop -off!  We can do hard things because we are so, so blessed.  Our family is forever, and we can be away for a little while to help other families have our joy, too.  Hurrah for Israel!

All my love,

Soeur Mann

P.S. I attached the wrong picture- okay, THIS picture is a little kid standing on his roof flying a kite.  The big road in the background is the airport runway.  Scene I saw while doing my personal studies.  Isn’t there something inspiring about that?  Standing on roof, flying a kite, airplane runway- up, up, up!  We’re always trying to go up!