Hi, guys! I love you, I love you! The longer I'm here, the more I love you. Today I was thinking about when we went to the actual movie theater to see "Country Bears," and I truly laughed out loud. It's so nice to have family. You can do silly things like go watch people in bear costumes on the big screen, and you don't even have to feel embarrassed about it.
Here are some thoughts coming from Tahiti:
- Last night I had a really cool moment. We were doing splits, and I was with this great ward missionary who served her mission in Temple Square two years ago, and who has hair literally down to her knees, and who wins the hearts of investigators with her beauty. Anyhoo, we had three lessons planned in one neighborhood, but it turned into basically one big fat lesson with everybody. Before you knew it, there were us two sisters and five young guys, all investigators, and one other member from our ward. T just went into his house and grabbed a table and chairs and we set up in the tiny little parking spot in front of his apartment and had our lesson with just the light of a street lamp. The conversation was so interesting. Everybody had their questions, and it was kind of reminding me of times when our Sunday School class was feeling all riled up and we just kept asking Roger Baker a thousand hard questions that know one knows the answer to. Two of the investigators in particular were pretty much there just to see if they could stump us. It was getting all Adamy and Evey and predestinationy, and my companion, V, was just talking as fast as a rocket and answering every question without stopping. Between all of these questions and whatnot, I couldn't really get much of a word in. But I sat there the whole time and listened and looked at the stars and at the faces of all these young men, and felt a lot of peace. And when everything came down to it and I finally had a chance to say something, I just bore a very little, simple testimony - God lives. He loves us and listens to us. If we want to know something, we can simply ask. Afterword everybody was quiet, and we ended with a prayer. We don't know everything, but we know what we know.
- Sorry I haven't been sending many pictures lately. Now that I've found it, I can tell you that I thought I lost my camera. Heh heh. But I didn't! So here's a picture, and I will start taking more. This picture is of a nice little lizard. There are trillions of them here, and I think their little feet are adorable. One of my first memories of Soeur D' is when she tried to catch a lizard and then it jumped on her and she started screaming and flailing around like a madman! Soeur P was trying to say a prayer, so I tried to drag Soeur D away so she would stop interrupting the prayer, and in the process I stepped riiiiight on the lizard's sweet head. And his eye gushed out of its socket. And I truly felt very sorry. I love these little guys.
- I just have to tell you about M! Do you remember when I wrote about the man who had no hope for his future and thought his life was a waste? We used to just talk to him outside his gate, and I told him that life is beautiful? Well that man now carries a little notebook with him to church and lessons so he can take notes on everything he learns. He puts on a button-up shirt before we meet, as opposed to his usual bare chest, and he comes to family home evening without even being reminded. He asks us what the next lesson's topic is so he can study it in advance. He wants to get married and have a family, and he is getting baptized June 8th. And he is one of the major reasons why Heavenly Father guided me to leave my dear Cache Valley and spend some time here on this little island. From the first time we talked to M and Mh (his cousin, whom we teach as well), I knew that I was here for them. I love them both so very, very much. It is incredible to see the change that has happened in them, particularly in M. I just can't get over his notebook. Every time he pulls it out, I can't help but smile. He's making this all worth it.
- I believe very, very much in symbols, and this week I have been thinking a lot about the symbol of physical health in connection to our spiritual health. I think our bodies can teach us a lot about our spirits. Our bodies are just incredible. It's amazing how much they can endure. You know, you can survive even if you eat horribly and don't take care of yourself. For a very long time, the body can hold out. It's just not that great or pretty. But the second you start eating fruits and vegetables and exercising and sleeping regularly, its like a whole new world. And you realize that you were missing out on so much goodness, and that you were functioning on a much-lower level. Our spirits are similar. You can survive without scriptures and prayer and obedience to commandments. You can still laugh and enjoy your life. But the thing is, you're really, really missing out. And eventually, if you keep it up, you're going to crash. And ultimately, it just can't end well. I love living the gospel. I know there are so many people who feel they are doing just great without it, and I'm not saying that their lives are not good. But it's just so infinitely much better when you live it. And in the end, it will matter. It will matter so very, very much.
I love you all! Life is beautiful!
Soeur Mann
Bonjour, Bonjour!
Everyone just sit there and look at this next phrase for a second: I love you.
Really, let that sink into you. I love you so much. I am so thankful for my family and friends.
Things just get better and better every day on my mission. I am just grateful down to my bones for the gift I have to be here. My soul is growing every day. Here are some of the updates:
- I believe in fasting. We have seen actual miracles happening in our area lately due to fasting. Kevin, a great young man who, for months, hasn't had the courage to ask his mom if he can take missionary lessons suddenly up and talked to her the day after we fasted for him. Tapakia, who was struggling with enormous family issues, let us know that everything had calmed down after we fasted. Marius, who has followed lessons for maybe a year but never accepts the Joseph Smith story, actually stood up and embraced the member who came with us because the conversation went so well and he felt the Spirit. And Michel, who felt like he was not going to make it to his baptismal date, is feeling happy and hopeful and on-track. I have come to love this commandment of fasting, and I am learning that humble, sincere fasting brings miracles. Its such a tiny, tiny sacrifice we make, but God blesses us immensely when we are willing to make it. It is basically just a big, huge prayer. And day by day, I love praying more and more. It is real. It is beyond our comprehension, yet it is simple. I know with all my heart that we can talk to God and that He listens.
- I love my area to death. Today for p-day we were out of our area, and when we came back it was like, Ahhh. Home sweet home.
- But p-day was SO fun. It was the first p-day I have had where it was actually calm and relaxed. It felt so weird. Seriously the first time in 9 months where I felt... normalish. And that was weird. We just went to this park in Tipaerue and spent three hours there happily looking at the ocean, walking along the boardwalk, looking at exotic fish, and chatting it up. I felt so blessed and peaceful. And then, here's the real kicker, we went to McDonalds and got McFlurries. So very, very good for the soul.
- I am becoming a morning person. I know. First I eat fish, then I start talking in the morning. Like I wake up and I just jump right outta bed and say, Bonjour! It is so odd. But those are not the only things that are changing in me. There are little things like that, but there are also deeper things that are happening in my heart, and it really is joyful. I read today that Christ is the great Refiner. I love this word. I love the idea of being refined. Sometimes the mission deeeefinitely feels like a refiners fire. Its all hot and burny and uncomfortable, and you gotta push through it, and then you look back once it's over, and your heart feels pure and polished and clean, and all you can really do is thank Heavenly Father because it was absolutely worth it.
- I cannot believe Amelia is learning Spanish. Oh what a hilarious joke! Surprise! Ha ha! Don't worry, Pillser! If anyone can do it, its you. Just keep prayin'. I love you so much.
- Another phrase I love- "Working out our salvation." Yeah. I love that.
- The more I study the gospel, the more I just thirst to understand more. It is endlessly fascinating! Life is just interesting- isn't that enough to make us very, very happy? Just the fact that we get to keep learning and understanding things better. Learning is wonderful.
- I love the Savior. Taking moments to truly ponder about Him is the most healing thing we can do. I mean it. Sometimes we look everywhere but Him, when in reality He is The Source. If you need help, its time to study the Atonement and think about it. Because it's real. I can say that because I'm living it.
Are you all sharing the gospel with everyone you can? Because it's the most important thing we can do.
- I love, love, love you all! Life really is beautiful! Happy week!
- Soeur Mann
Hello, good people!
I really, really do promise that it hasn't been the total end to all good letters. There are still good letters to come. But yet again, today's will be small.
It was so, so, SO good to see you yesterday. I am still in shock about three things-
1. NEW YORK. Today I was just washin' my hair, and I thought,"Wait. Really? Did I hear that right?" What on earth? Amelia? Are you the coolest person ever? New York! That is the best! Wahooooo! You are a real deal missionary now!! Way to go, kiddo!
2. Luke is taller than Mom. (Femurs....)
3. Courtney still has the same clothes. I really can't get over it. Not that she still wears the same clothes from only 9 months ago, but that I have only been here for that long. I seriously thought that Logan and all the objects therein had melted away into nothing or something. It feels like I have lived in Tahiti for ever and ever.
And speaking of clothes, the more I think about it, the more I think that I really do need some more clothes. My poor clothes have had a rough time here. And Mom, it's like your dream come true- I really don't care what they look like or anything. So for the first time, you are free to just go out and buy your daughter some clothes without any fear of me taking them back to the store. Ha ha! Just no stretch fabrics, please. And maybe some flowery prints or something. I've been a plain jane for quite awhile here. Thank you a million times over! Thank you!
I just want to share a little experience I had in my personal study today. It was such a beautiful moment. I was sitting out on our balconey this morning looking out at the ocean and the island of Moorea, and I prayed to understand better the importance of baptism. And just by the help of the Spirit, I came to Moses 6:43 - the end of the chapter. And it was this amazing moment of really learning by the Spirit. It was like my intelligence just grew a few sizes, and everything started clicking, and it just seemed to be the most beautiful chapter of scripture, and I felt so peaceful and sure that it was true and good. And I had this feeling just hit me so deeply that Jesus Christ really is the Savior. I thought about the phrase, "Plan of Salvation" and realized that there really is a plan going on here, and the plan really is to bring us salvation. Its all worked out, and it was worked out by Christ. I believe in the Atonement. I know it is the center of all of this, and I mean all of everything. His love is at the center of this big huge wonderful plan that our Father created for us. I believe it and I love it.
There is a plan, and it is wonderful. Life has enormous meaning. We are not just floating around here in space, we are children of God and there is so much goodness around us and so much greatness that awaits us.
Christ is the Savior.
I love you all with all my heart.
Life is beautiful.
- Soeur Mann
K, first of all, I LOVE YOU. I love you all so much. I love you more than I did yesterday, and I pray for you with all my heart every day, multiple times a day. We're sealed together forever.
Have you ever been driving the wrong direction down a one-way street in Tahiti in the dark of the night without any idea how to get to the mission nurse's house while your companion sits in the back with a possibly broken ankle and truly been led by the Spirit to just somehow wind up at her home without any problem? Like literally been led by the Spirit by a miracle?
I have.
P.S. Her ankle isn't broken. Just sprained. And it truly was a miraculous thing that we got to our nurse's house.
So, you guys are not gonna like this. The really bad news is that I can't write you (now)... again. We had zone conference, and now there is zippo time.
Here is the wonderful news: I am Skyping you on Sunday!!! Sorry not to be too specific, but it should be around 4:00ish or 5:00. Just gonna have to camp out, sorry I don't have a real time. Please invite Court to come up!
So here are just the tiny updates- Soeur Colombel left for Maupiti, so it is now me and Soeur D'agnillo runnin' the area. She is from Tooele and always wears red lipstick. Think about how insane this is. There are two country girls from Utah in charge of this area of missionary work in Puurai, Tahiti. Absolutely insane. And truly wonderful!
No time at all - just know that I love you all with all my heart, and I love our Savior. I know that because of Him, all is well. Like that song- 'It is well with my soul"- the Savior lives and loves us, and He is never far. All we gotta do is listen and obey and help everyone else do the same.
So, so excited to see you next week!!!
All my love,
Soeur Mann
