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
