Hello to all of you, I love you enormously, and The Coolest Thing was a breath-taking hike we just went on to three waterfalls! My entire mission I haven’t been on one hike, and finally I got to go, and let me tell ya, it was stunning. Hiking is good for the soul. In fact, hiking is necessary for my soul, and a hike through the literal jungle of Tahiti just leaves your heart full. This world is beautiful. We were sitting there next to a waterfall and I sat down on a rock and had a few minutes to just think for a couple minutes, and I thought about how I am seriously just a speck. This huge black wall of rock covered in hundreds of thick lush plants and hundreds of gallons of water spilling over it- that's one waterfall out of thousands. And waterfalls are just one type of amazing, beautiful thing in this world. I thought about how all I am is just one little 5'4" of creature- two lungs, one heart, not even a big thing in this gigantic universe. But that didn't make me feel bad. It just made me want to be kind, calm, just keep living and appreciating how marvelous this whole earth is. It was a very nature-lovey moment. And I liked it.
I loved Mill's Thanksgiving story- yahoo for rainy Thanksgivings! I also had a swell day, particularly one moment. We were hiking (okay, I guess that's not true that I don’t hike, seeing's how I hike all over my area everyday) up a big, fat hill to get to our lesson, and I realized that it was about that exact same time you all would be eating pie. Luckily I had the sense to turn around and take a look at the view behind me- the ocean and a huge valley of homes scattering the mountainside. Lovely. It started to rain, and I personally love walking barefoot on wet roads. So I took off my flip-flops. I pushed my bike all the way up that hill barefoot in the rain and sang, "Marshmallow World in the Winter" to myself. And parents, don't worry about the walking barefoot thing. I already know Dad is telling me how dangerous that is. But it's okay, just talk to Grandma Mann about it.
This week I got to go teach two lessons with Soeur Green, that absolute pal. We got to this lesson teaching two little girls that own 11 cats. We started singing our opening hymn and one of the little girls picked up a kitten, held him in the air, and started waving his lil' paws around like he was conducting the song. For some reason, this really, really cracked me up. I don't feel like I actually laugh too much on my mission, like little pleasant chuckles, but never laugh really hard. But I actually had laughing tears in my eyes. I think part of it was just that I was so happy to be with my best friend, and we both just lost control in the song. For those who understand this small reference, think "kitten yoga."
This morning I read an article from last year's December Ensign that talked all about Christ's birth. For some reason it really struck me today, the story of the nativity. Think about Mary actually getting to that inn and realizing that she was going to have to give birth to the Savior in a stable, complete with donkeys and dogs and camels and things. I mean, this really happened. He was born in a stable. One of my favorite names of the Savior is Emmanuel- God with us. He was here with us, and He is still with us. How comforting that is! And what does that mean for us? I think one of the things He taught us is that we need to be with people. We need to literally put ourselves next to them, physically, and move through their trials with them. Earlier this week I was with someone who was feeling very sad about the loss of a loved one she lost years ago. I didn't know what to say. She left for a minute, and I had these words come very clearly into my mind- "Mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort." That's the covenant we made. That is truly what The Lord asks us to do, and that is why we love Him so much. He was here with us, in a global sense as a human being on earth, and each of us personally in Gethsemane. Sometimes it’s hard to plop ourselves down in the middle of a problem, and sometimes it feels very easy to just say, "Well, I'd rather not get involved." But sometimes that's what we need to do, because people need people. The Savior, the most glorious person of all, was born in a stable. Here, with us, and He let Himself get involved even if it was a burden. Thank heaven He did.
I have an announcement to make- Mom, I would like you to get out your calendar, flip to February 14th, and write, "Make Valentines' sugar cookies with Cail." Cuz that's exactly what you'll be doing! I learned my return date this week, and I will be flying home February 11th, most likely arriving the 12th. And I feel very, very content. 10 weeks is a perfect amount of time. I have 10 weeks to love my beautiful island and serve with all of my heart right to the end. And then I'm going to come home. And I will be so, so happy to be home, too.
Because I love you. So very much! Even though I'm just a little tiny thing in this universe, just two lungs and one heart, pretty much a speck, I have people I love forever, and that means everything. Life is beautiful!
All my love,
Soeur Mann
