I don't know how this happened, but apparently my letter did not get sent last week! It was just sitting here in my drafts box- awfully sorry!
Guys! I am having a happy life over here! I love you, times infinity and forever. I love you so much.
Well, as always, we are just being flexible, and things have changed in a major way, just as they seem to every two weeks. Last night we had another little transferoo, and I am no longer with Soeur Ariioehau, but with Soeur Chytraus, who is flat-out fantastic. She is from San Diego/ Orange County, and she is full of great ideas and a huge testimony. I'm still in my new area of Pirae, and I really love it. This area is very different from my other two, and I'm grateful that I have been able to serve in three very distinct, different types of areas. This one has a lot of apartment buildings, which is a whole other ball-game. We also have not very many investigators, so we are just goin' around trying to talk to everyone. It's very adventurous. Yesterday I was kinda like... I have no idea what to do right now. Sunday afternoon, it was drizzling a bit, we have nothing scheduled for the next 4 hours, and not a soul is outside. I prayed that Heavenly Father would please help us find someone to talk to. I look up, and viola, a man from our ward's head pops up from his window at the top of their apartment building. We say hello and stuff and then he asks, "So, are you two coming up, or what?" So we went up and talked to them about how missionary work is going at their house and they are going to talk to three people this week and invite them to take discussions. Lovely. Prayer answered.
I would like to respond to a few emails I received, and I would also like to congratulate you all on sending what I believe was the best batch of emails I ever received on my mission. Seriously this was a great week for the letter department.
1- Dad went to Why Sound. What a cool bishop. Ha ha! Seriously, that cracked me up and did my soul good. I wonder if I'll come home and see Dad in skinny jeans and a flannel shirt when I get back. That would be fun. And I loved the picture of Bill the Buffalo which reminded me of an important lesson you taught me- Buffalo, Bison. Saaaame thing. Doesn't even matter what you call it. That whole idea is very important.
2- Mom, your email was beautiful. Thank you, Mom. That thought you shared from Mark 8 really touched me. Heavenly Father and the Savior just want to help us. Period. Why do we always forget that there are literally People, all-powerful, Who loves us and just want to help us? I don't really know why we forget so often, but I know that the moments we remember and really let that sink into our hearts, are the moments when life feels right. I was thinking yesterday about why the heck Satan is so obsessed with tempting people. Why does he even care? Here is what I think- one of the biggest differences between God and Satan, good and bad, happiness and sadness, is the fact that the One is thinking about others, and the other is thinking about himself. All God wants us to help us. All Satan can think about is proving that he's right, making himself look good, and proving something. God isn't really trying to prove anything. He's just trying to help.
Can somebody look up a program called Teach New York's Brightest? I used to always hear radio ads about it. I think maybe after I graduate I will move to NYC and teach New York's brightest. I don't know, but I loved your after-mission goals list, Dad. Some of mine- learn to play guitar, run a marathon. One of the first ones- hold a baby. Seriously, I hate that we can't hold babies. I dont even care what baby, I just hope that the second I get released, someone hands me one.
I was really happy to hear that you guys took a little drive and went to Aggie Ice Cream and stuff. The beginning of my mission I stressed so much all the time. I made myself crazy running around trying to be diligent and obedient, but it just made me sick. I've read quite a few quotes and talks lately that talk about Christ and how He wasn't running around frantically trying to accomplish the greatest amount of good possible. Every moment He spent with people was special. I started thinking and meditating during one of my studies about the moment I will get to touch the prints in His hands. I really will have that moment. Really. I want to hug Him. I want to stay with Him and talk with Him, cuz He loves me most and I want to BE with Him. I think the brief moment I got to serve with Soeur Ariioehau was done on purpose- she reminded me to enjoy this, to relax, to laugh and talk with people. Love is about enjoying things together, about being present. I'm taking a bit of a different approach these last couple months- always diligent, constantly serving, but as a representative of Christ, I'm going to try and really make people feel special. I'm going to let myself enjoy it all, because that's what this is about. Happy moments together with people we love aren't cliche, and they shouldn't be rare. If we aren't doing that, we're missing the point.
I love life. I love this beautiful thing we're doing! God lives. He is there to help us- let's not forget that.
All my love,
Soeur Mann
