Excerpts from Tamas letter:


yeah, this week was relatively slow here. it seems that there's a storm coming in. they say that in the time to come, there's a tsunami warning. of course, i don't trust it completely. yeah, superstitions, or maybe superstitions, who knows. but apparently the president here came out saying prepare. so yeah

it is getting pretty dark skied, but other than that, nothing really. and, yes, i want to see a GOOD storm ;P

other than that, there's really no news. just some mission drama of which we need not talk about. I've definitely changed a little, but its still a long long road. dang. but i can say that i understand God and Christ a lot better, and they've definitely showed me who i am and what i need to do. if any progress has been made this week, it was that.

So yeah, been a long time. i got to train a new kid for about a month. elder tatarata. but....yeah, Transfers! guess what? not transferred!

yeah, tatarata is going to the Cook islands at the tend of this month. Elder Hauata is now in Tubuai. and me and Haws.... are still here!!! and im training another person. Elder Timo. its kinda wierd, hes family, just distant. its wierd, such a small world here.

anyways, i gotta go. Love y'all!

~~Tama

its been a while.

so yeah, the email has been freaking out for a little while, and i cant really recieve emails for some time. thats annoying.

other than that, ça va, Faa'a. Its ok here, not really amazing. Its kinda dangerous riding bikes here. Its like riding bikes on the freeway with a bunch of drivers-ed kids without the instructors. its kinda bad.

But its ok, danger is my middle name! ..... its actually michael, but that sounds kinda stupid. Tama Danger Shutts! thats much better.

~~TDS

i was sitting in church the other day, and i noticed that
every time the congregation would get a little loud, they'd
hold up a sign that said Reverence please. hah, what an
oxymoron.

anyways i love you all, and i promise more next time.

so yeah. got transferred from raiatea this week. Im now in Faaa, Tahiti.

I will not lie, it was soo hard leaving Raiatea. Leaving with the knowledge that quite possibly i might never see those people again, it really did hurt. I never thought it would turn out like that. And now, Raiatea, for me, really is my "ra'i atea."

But now i am in Faaa. i have already met tons in my family. one could not believe the amount of joy that i am getting just by being able to understand them, let alone, being able to speak with them. it just increases my love for my family. How great a blessing it is, even if we cannot understand it all.

~Tama

didnt write last week, why? cause a ton of stuff was happening.

yeah, got transferred. where? tevaitoa, veiaau, raiatea.

yup. we're in a trio. elder recio went home for serveral reasons, the likes of which i cannot reveal (totally private), and now im staying here until the end of this month. and maybe, im looking at a tahiti transfer to train someone....yeah, i didnt want that. gahhh, responsibility. dang.

but yeah, everything is going alright, but its sad that theres no missionaries in my last sector. its too bad, because theres sooo many good people who could be helped, but now, will have to wait. *sigh*

~Tama

Wow, what a flash back.

in the little computer lab where we do our emails, theres a radio thats always on, and it usually plays the songs that i've forgotten from yesteryear. Hah, it was playing Ace of Base 'Dont Turn Around.' I remember that song from pretty much the last time i came to Tahiti. Oh that and the Cranberry's 'Zombie' which i happen to hear nearly every week. Oh yeah.

Anyways, thats enough reminiscing.

We had a Zone Conference this week. it was kinda odd for me, as the only sectors left in our zone are the sectors in our district. that means that out of all of Raromatai, there is only one island, Raiatea, which is open. Bora Bora, Huahine, Tahaa, Maupiti, they are all closed. Phew, we need more missionaries out here for sure.

But yeah, things are going well. President is a beast, and so is his wife. and when i say that, i dont mean literally beastly in appearance, because thats actually the tahitians most of the time. But yeah, theyre awesome.

I dont have too much time, and what time i have is expensive, so thats my little spiel for today.

Love you all, hope all is well.