Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Week 17: August 28

Family it was good to hear from you once again. It sounds like everyone had a fun but busy week at school. School is always fun for the first couple weeks and then it gets to you haha. I am glad to hear that everyone's week went well and that going to school again haha. Mandie that is so crazy that you are an elementary school teacher. If your students are anything like I was you are in trouble haha. WE have this investigator that we taught and he has a boy that is two. Wherever I see little kids it reminds me of you teaching them haha. That is awesome that Grandma is living with us now!!1 Right when I leave it is like a party 247 at the Maughan house.

This week has been good!! Yesterday President Evans and Sister Evans came to Shibetsu to meet the members of the branch. I really enjoyed this experience and how the branch members really look up to President Evans. President Evans also asked me if I was ready for a Japanese Companion. I told I am and so we will see what happens. I was excited but nervous and the same time we will see what happens. I want to improve more with my language. If I get a Japanese elder then I will improve a lot more and a lot quicker. I am not to frustrated about the language though. I do feel like I am improving more and more each week. My goal is by Christmas I can show all of my hard that I have been doing with the language. This week I found out that when we tract and proselyte when the people see that I am white they walk away or shut the door right away haha. Tamashiro choro and I are trying to find ways to hide me while he is contacting people haha. I had another instance I knocked on a door and a grandma came out. \right when she came out she said I don't understand English. I told her it was okay because I can speak Japanese. Ha ha it was really funny if you are American they don't expect you to speak Japanese at all. Japan is set up so any American can come and function. Don't really need to know that much to get around. They the signs in Kanji and then in English it is interesting to see how much influence we have over here. I heard that it is really hot in Utah. It is the same here in Shibetsue. Somedays it is so brutal and other days it will not stop raining. It is okay though because I get to enjoy the nature of Shibetsu. I am enjoying this area as long as I can because no other area is like this in Hokkaido. Elder Tamshiro was telling me how rare it is to start out your mission in Shibetsu.

This week I found out that next week we have basically a mission conference. We have a conference with half the mission. I am excited because I will be able to see more the island in the fullest. Our last zone conference was really fun also.

I am reading Jesus the Christ still and I am half way through it. It is such a good book and I am loving reading it. Personal study is probably my favorite part of the day. I get to learn new things everyday and that is why I love it. I encourage everyone to try to have there own personal study everyday. From what it sounds like Mom is doing a great job with this. That is awesome to hear that Rhett Ahlander is back from his mission. All of those friends are home and that is really weird to think. All of them were really good examples to me and I excited when I get back and I can talk to them again.

We go to a near by city called Nayoro two times a week. In order to get there we ride the train and then we get there one of the members lets us ride her bikes. This week we lost the key that locks up the bike. We felt really bad about this. But the thing was we left the bike at the train station. We needed to return the bike before we went back to Shibetsu. So I basically had to carry the bike to there house. It looked like I was stealing a bike haha. Especially if you are Japanese and you see an American carrying around the city. It was really hard and funny and the same time. It is crazy to think how small of things can ruin your day. I decided to get over it and keep moving on. That is what we all need to do not worry about the small things or bike key that can ruin your day. I had a good rest of the day and we taught a lot lessons. I feel like that wouldn't have happened if I was discouraged and grumpy. I have a good time here and working has hard has I can. I love you all of a good week and don't let the little things ruin your day!!!

Elder Rainman Maughan

Week 15: August 14

Hey family so how is Powell!!! IT has been fun seeing pictures of everyone and the boat. I heard you guys watched the pictures I sent haha. I hope you enjoyed my toilet pictures and all of that awesome stuff haha. I was really worried today that I wasn't going to be able to email today. So there has been a holiday here for the span of 2 something weeks. It is kinda of like Fourth of July in America. The end of the celebration was yesterday and today. Most of the stores are closed down and we were surprised when our store was open. Today and yesterday it has rained as much as I have ever seen in my life haha. We left our apartment today and got soaked and then came back and put on rain clothes haha. No wonder why Japan is so Green. It was fun to be soaking wet on a bike. It seemed like i WAS WAKE boarding. I was wet and I was pretty fast I even did a couple jumps.

Mom I loved that story that you sent to me. It was an awakening for me and made me realize how important everything is. I couldn't imagine how life could be if that happened. That missionary had such a good attitude and I need to have that attitude even today. No matter how hard the work gets it will not get that extent. I really liked that so thank you!!! Although everyone is at Lake Powell I am so grateful to be on a mission. We all know that is what needs to be done. Some days I don't think I can get through it but then I imagine a family waiting for the gospel. I want the Japanese to have what we have. I have only been here a month but I feel like most of the people are no happy with there life. I know that this gospel will bless them in there lives. That is where I come and Rhett and Michael we have chosen on our own to serve a mission. It was not anyone else's decision besides us. I am so grateful that I get to put on Jesus name every morning. Although most of people hear Jesus and don't want to do anything with it. I am so glad that I get to put on his name.

This week has been basically finding. All of our investigators except for one we have dropped. This week we hve been finding whenever we have time. This week is going to be about the same. I always love coming home is so tired and hitting bed haha. If we keep looking we will find people to teach. Transfer 1 is over tomorrow and it went by really fast. We think that both of our staying for the next transfer. This makes me happy because I don't want to leave Shibetsy yet. We will see though.
I am have been reading Jesus the Christ lately and I am learning so much more than I have thought I would. I love deeply studying Jesus Christ and all of the things that he did. It reminds me of why I am here and what I am doing.

The language is about the same and it alright. I feel like my listening skills have gotten better and that is awesome. We have put a punishment if we speak English. Because we are both Americans it is really hard to always speak Japanese. Our punishment is if we speak English we have to do 5 push ups. You add them all up and at the end of the day you do them all. This is the last thing you want to do when you get home because you are already so tired hah. I feel like it helps but it is not fun doing push ups haha. I am not going to worry too much about the language,. I am going to study, speak and ask questions and then it will come. I have seen this already help me a lot.

I am sorry to hear that you stepped on Bee if that is the worst that happens I think I will call it a successful trip.

So I saw that picture you sent me of this so called Dave!! He looks like a nub hahahahahahhahahah. Just kidding but seriously who is he??? He looks like a cool guy i am sure everyone is having fun haha. Any crazy things happen yet in Powell? I am sure something has happened there is some that always happen. I hope that family is doing great and having a lot of fun. Remember Lake Powell is only one time a year so I have fun. Thank you for all of the support and love and I think of all my loves in prayers!!!

Elder Maughan

Week 13- July 31

Wow this week by really fast!!!! It has been a really good week and a lot of things happened. On Monday and Tuesday we had zone conference in Asaikawa. It is such a cool city and when I think of Japan I think of cities like that. I think it is the second biggest city in Hokkaido besides Sapporo. Zone conference was really good and I learned a lot. Our APs ZLS and Mission presidents are so good and I learned so much. I got to tract with Elder Ackerman on Monday!! That was really fun. He is the AP and I have learned a lot from him. On Monday we went to Furano and went to the lavender fields. Don't worry pictures are coming in the mail. I am sending my sim card to you guys so hopefully nothing happens to the pictures haha. Anyways I learned a lot from the zone conference and I could tell the difference between Elder Tamashiro and my work this week.

Mom you wanted me to answer some questions for you. Here they are.

1. We have five zones in our mission I think they are: Asaikawa, Sapporo, Sapporo, 2 others ha ha I forgot.
2. When I went to zone conference I saw a couple missionaries that I knew from the plane ride. That was okay because I met my zone and I have made new friends.
3. Elder Tamshiro is such a cool elder. I have learned a lot from him already. I feel we will be friends after our missions. He is from Hawaii, pro city and he really loves his family. We have had a lot of good times so far. I am grateful that he is my companion I am learning so much from him.

Everyone had a good summer it sounds like!! Scott went surfing. That is so cool!!! I remember the first time we went to Hawaii, it was the best. That is way cool that Nikki surprised you!! My wife better surprise me with crazy adventures haha. Grandma, thank you for writing. I always love hearing from you everyweek thanks!!!! I hope everyone else has a good week with a lot of fun. School is about to start only in a month (ha ha) That went by really fast. I am glad that everyone is getting ready for that!!!!!

Right now we have only one really strong investigator. Her name is is Owaki san and she is awesome. She wants to get baptized but her husband is really against the church. This makes me really sad because she wants to get baptized. We are going to keep teaching her but we need to find an answer to this question. We have another investigator named takekawa san. He comes to church but he doesn't follow any of the other commitments. It is interesting because he doesn't seem interested but he comes to church. We have been trying to find people really hard this week. We will continue this week so we bring more people in. Our branch has about 15 people not counting us. I can't believe how busy the members are. Some of them of like 7-8 or callings. When I return home I will always count my blessing for only having one calling. Our man city is Shibetsu but we go to other cities nearby. Nayoro is the city that we have the most success in and I love going there. All of the other cities remind of little house and the prairie but with angry farmers haha. Well only to the missionaries haha. I have decided with the language to study as much as possible and then that is all I can do. Not to get disappointed for any reason. I feel that this has helped me a lot during this week. It is crazy to think that a month ago I was still in Utah. This month has gone by really fast and I am glad that I experienced everything that I did. I feel my testimony growing even during the hard times. There will people that open up their hearts and let us in. I am waiting for that day haha. Until then I will work as hard as I can!!!! I love you all have a good week!!!!!

Elder Maughan